New Outdoor Theater Festival Debuts in Redmond This Weekend

Redmond's performing arts scene is heading outdoors this weekend with the debut of a new theater festival at .

"Acts Out" will take place from 2 p.m. to dusk on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and feature free performances ranging from improv to Shakespeare. A full schedule is available on the event website.

Joshua Heim, arts administrator for the City of Redmond, said the festival is part of a renewed effort by the city to try out new arts programming and see how the community responds. The first Acts Out event is being piloted to determine whether Anderson Park will be a good fit for future outdoor performances.

“We’re also kind of testing to see if audiences will support it,” Heim said.

The city is partnering with several local theater groups, including , Jet City Improv and Seattle Shakespeare Company, to present the festival.

The three-day event kicks off Friday with an artist talk and workshop presented by Lucia Neare, a renowned performance artist. Known for her whimsical performances that include audience members, Neare has never given a workshop before, Heim said.

All performances at the festival are free and family-friendly. More information is available at www.actsout.com.