Our contributor Katie had the opportunity to check out Shakespeare in the Garden and shares all about the experience. It sounds like the perfect date night or the opportunity to introduce Shakespeare to older kiddos.

I love spending the end of a long Summer day outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and watching the sun go down.  Now add a beautiful location and a live performance and you have the perfect date night!  My husband and I had a chance to enjoy our own Summer date night last weekend when we attended a performance of Shakespeare’s As You Like It at The Japanese Garden on the grounds of the VA West LA Healthcare Center Campus.

I’ve enjoyed various Shakespeare in the garden type performances in the past, but this one stood out for a couple of reasons.  First of all, the director chose to set the play in present day Los Angeles, which really brought an interesting twist to the performance.  Secondly, the performace included live music, which is a tradition in The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’s productions. I can easily say that was one of my favorite Shakespeare performances.

The play runs Tuesdays-Sundays through July 29.

You can get more info and purchase tickets here.

Here are a few tips if you are lucky enough to be planning your own Summer date night…The Japanese Garden really is beautiful! Plan to get there early to enjoy the surroundings.  In fact, bring a picnic…there are a few tables available as well as locations to lay out a picnic blanket.  The gates open at 6:30, so you will have planty of time to enjoy your dinner before the 8pm performance.  Also, complimentary tickets are available for active military personnel and veterans.  For details on these tickets please call SCLA at 213-481-2273.  And finally, even though the days are warm, evenings in the garden can get a bit chilly, so bring a jacket or even blankets to cuddle under during the performance.

Enjoy!