Oh, Caesar...

I just spent hours in the park on a beautifully chilly June night. I was drinking Sangria, eating yummy food, and watching a little Shakespeare. I would like to be cultured, and indeed I am in my own roundabout way, but to be honest, Shakespeare doesn't do that much for me-- nor do plays. That being said, i went last year for the first time to see Shakespeare in the Park and I eagerly awaited it this year.

One of my favorite things about St. Louis is that things are free. I appreciate this because I am poor, but mostly I appreciate that there are people and organizations and companies who believe that certain things should be free. It's the old Peale concept of a common culture, and I like it. We do share experiences by experiencing culture, and we each take something different away.

I don't know of too many other cities that have free admission to all their public museums. Or that have parks like Tower Grove and Forest Park-- parks that are huge and beautiful and free, and ones that are used so often by so many for so many diffferent things. We can go to the Science Center, the zoo, the Art Museum, and the History Museum all for free. That's a great city. And then occasionally, you get these little bonuses-- like Shakey.

So the production was good. But to be honest, a night sitting in the park, alternately staring at the sky and at small children playing in their parents laps-- that was better. I love looking at people, thinking about where they come from, who they are to each other, how they got to where I am. And I love that such a revered cultural artist's work can be viewed, in all its splendor and original intention-- for free.

Even though Ceasar dies, I say long live the arts in St. Louis.

Oh, and by the way, they are matching donations dollar for dollar-- also pretty cool.