"As You Like It" on the Common

Why it matters: It's one of Boston's biggest annual arts events, drawing approximately 50,000 attendees to the Parkman Bandstand each summer.

• Over nearly 30 years, around a million people have seen a Shakespeare play on the Common.

Catch up quick: The Bard's romantic comedy sees Duke Senior clash with his power-hungry brother Frederick while his daughter Rosalind and her cousin Celia flee to the forest and encounter Orlando.

• Disguises and surprises ensue.

Zoom in: Director Steven Maler says the play has contemporary relevance and highlights themes of authoritarianism and community resilience.