Best Outdoor Theater Performance
The warmer months are the perfect time to reconnect with theater's outdoor origins. From coast to coast, we've found some of the best outdoor companies and productions America has to offer. Sip wine in Sonoma before a Broadway performance under the stars, tap your toe to a history-driven musical in the base of a Texas canyon and watch every Shakespearean play ever written in just under 2 hours in a historic tavern courtyard. Several theaters also offer free and discounted tickets, making them an affordable outing for anyone.
These 10 outdoor theater companies were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.
1. American Players Theatre (Hill Theatre) |
Spring Green, WI
Nestled in 110 acres of beautiful wooded land, the American Players Theatre (APT) draws around 100,000 viewers a year, making it one of the largest outdoor theaters in the country. In addition to the incredible performances and lush backdrop, patrons love the picnic area for pre-show dinners (you can even order a packed picnic basket in advance!) and the thoughtful accessibility options that make the theater something everyone can enjoy.
2. Broadway Under the Stars: Transcendence
Theatre Company | Sonoma County, CA
After a day of touring vineyards, relax with one more glass of wine from one of the local wineries that set up for pre-show pours, and then settle into your seat under the wide-open sky to see Transcendence Theatre Company present favorites like Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Many of the actors have performed on Broadway and bring that same talent to this Broadway Under the Stars series.
3. Interlochen Shakespeare Festival |
Interlochen, MI
Since 2008, the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival has been a mainstay at this nonprofit arts academy. A group of faculty, past graduates and other professional performers come together to mount a new Shakespearean play every summer. Productions are staged at the Upton-Morley Pavilion, which is tucked away in a quiet corner of the campus.
4. Unto These Hills | Cherokee, NC
Retracing the history of the Cherokee people from European contact through the aftermath of the Trail of Tears, Unto These Hills celebrates its 75th season this year. The outdoor drama takes place in a 2,100-seat amphitheater built into a mountainside near where many of the scripted events once took place. Come early enough to visit the Oconaluftee Indian Village to see craft demonstrations, historical buildings and traditional Cherokee dancing.
5. Northern Sky Theater (Park Theater) |
Fish Creek, WI
Hidden away in Peninsula State Park, the amphitheater of Northern Sky Theater is located down a wooded path surrounded by towering trees, creating an intimate experience. Each season brings a lineup of original musicals that run all summer long, with hilarious antics that often draw repeat patrons. Traveling with your pup? Well-behaved dogs are allowed to see the show, too.
6. Shakespeare & Company | Lenox, MA
Each summer, the 540-seat Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre is the stage of a classic play performed by Shakespeare & Company, a theater company that hosts over 40,000 patrons annually. A romantic location for Romeo to fall for Juliet, the open-air terrace is bordered by verdant spruce trees. Before each show, tented seating is available for picnics or socializing. The company's additional outdoor stages include the Roman Garden and Rose Footprint theatres.
7. Free Shakespeare in the Park |
New York, NY
The Delacorte Theater in Central Park has been completely renovated and is ready to host the 2025 season of Free Shakespeare in the Park, a summer staple for NYC natives and tourists alike. Put on by the Public Theater, these plays feature big names like Lupita Nyong'o, Sandra Oh, James Earl Jones and Meryl Streep. Snag one of the tickets by visiting a distribution center or joining a lottery.
8. Classic Theatre of Maryland at
Reynolds Tavern | Annapolis, MD
Beginning in May, the Classic Theatre of Maryland performs classic (and classic-adjacent) plays in the courtyard of the Reynolds Tavern, a historic landmark from the 1700s. Past productions include The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) and The Miser. This year's The Imaginary Invalid promises to be a roaring good time; you can indulge in a few drinks and bites from a full menu while you wait for act one.
9. The Muny | St. Louis, MO
As the nation's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, the Muney has been entertaining guests for over 100 years in picturesque Forest Park. The Muny's lineup includes Broadway hits like Jersey Boys and family favorites like Disney's Frozen. But beyond putting on impressive performances, this theater desires to make the arts accessible for all, giving away over 1,400 free seats for each show and offering teacher and military discounts.
10. Oregon Shakespeare Festival |
Ashland, OR
For 90 years, the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival has mesmerized patrons with its productions of Shakespearean favorites like As You Like It and Julius Caesar. Its outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre, most recently remodeled in 1992, features a massive, Tudor-style backdrop with four different acting levels on stage and 1,198 seats, making it one of the largest professional theaters in the country.
About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards
Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.
Our Featured Panelists
Diane Dobry
Diane Dobry worked in PR for 20 years and taught college-level PR and journalism. International travel began with a Fulbright award and expanded to teaching in Hungary, importing wine to the U.S., teaching an online course with a Hungarian viticulture professor and receiving a SUNY Chancellor's Award for Internationalization. A content creator, Diane covers travel, food, wine and "spirits." Her articles have appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Pink, Big Blend Radio, FWT, and Florida and New York newspapers and tourism publications. She reviews books for a research foundation and creates varied content for her websites and on Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram.
Anietra Hamper
Having worked in television news as an anchor and investigative reporter, Anietra Hamper is now an award-winning outdoor writer specializing in global fishing. Anietra writes for travel and outdoor publications and is a vetted member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA). She does public speaking and production work, and she is the author of Secret Columbus (Reedy Press), 100 Things To Do In Columbus Before You Die (Reedy Press) and a contributing author to the bi-lingual book Yangzhou Through American Eyes. Anietra is based in Gahanna, Ohio, and is the owner of ThreeWordPress. Follow her @anietrahamper or on Facebook.
Tom Manus and Kristi Flick Manus
Tom Manus and Kristi Flick Manus are freelance travel writers for print and online publications, along with their website smalltownplussize.com. Kristi is a Madison-area native while Tom happily adopted Wisconsin after their marriage in 1995. After living in many states across the country, they moved to Eau Claire. They enjoy exploring different cultures, history, roadside attractions and nature through road trips on backroads and two-lane highways. Along with international travel, they have visited 48 states, with only Hawaii and the elusive Rhode Island remaining.
Susan R. Pollack
Susan R. Pollack is an award-winning freelance travel writer and photographer with decades of experience. She worked 36 years at The Detroit News and has freelanced for publications including the Dallas News, Toronto Star, Delta Sky, Golf for Women, Midwest Living, Lakeland Boating, Jetsetter (HK), Michigan Blue, quirkycruise.com, WanderwithWonder.com, thewinebuzz.com and others. An avid golfer, foodie, museum buff and mahjong maven, she has visited six continents and all 50 states from her home base in Metro Detroit. Susan is also a copy editor for Jonglez Publishing's "Secret" guide series, including Singapore, Los Angeles, Boston and Kuala Lumpur. Follow her on Facebook.
Jill Robbins
Jill Robbins is an expert writer focusing on family and adventure travel as well as practical tips to help everyone get the most value out of their vacation experience. Jill's work has appeared in AAA Texas, Southern Living, Business Insider, Fodor's Travel and more. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and two sons, but she's usually somewhere else. Learn more about her travels at www.jillgoes.com.
Jan Schroder
Jan Schroder is an Atlanta-based travel writer and Editor-in-Chief of The Travel 100, a monthly digital publication. She also publishes the Girl on the Go blog. An award-winning journalist, Jan is a former newspaper columnist and author of several books. During her freelance career she contributed to Fodor's, Orbitz, ShermansTravel, WestJet Magazine and Global Traveler magazine. Dancing the tango in Argentina and hiking in the Azores are at the top of her bucket list. Follow her @janschroder.
Aly Walansky
Aly Walansky writes regularly about food news and trends. She has been a food journalist for over twenty years and has covered everything from budget shopping to recipes to culinary travel content for national publications that include the Food Network, Southern Living, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, The Kitchn and more. She was ranked among top 10 journalists of 2023 and top 10 freelance journalists in 2024, as well as #1 food journalist of 2022, by Muck Rack. Follow her at alywalansky.substack.com.
Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.