Shakespeare by the Sea is miles from the ocean this year, but organizers are hoping the change of venue will help, not hurt, the 18-year-old annual show.

The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival normally puts on one of the Bard’s plays for free each summer at the oceanfront Carlin Park in Jupiter. But construction of an amphitheater made the park off-limits this year so the festival has moved south to the Sunset Cove Amphitheater in South County Regional Park west of Boca Raton.

With the new venue at the opposite end of the county, the festival’s organizers know they risk losing some regular patrons. But they’re hoping to pick up a new following in southern Palm Beach County, said Kermit Christman, the producing director of the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival.

If that goes well, Christman said, the show could go on the road next summer and perform its chosen play in Jupiter and Boca Raton.

“You’re playing both north county and south county and developing new audiences,” he said. “There are probably many people in Boca Raton who have not driven up to see Shakespeare by the Sea in north county.”

The play kicked off its three-week run July 10. A total of 450 people came the first two nights, and rain washed out the Saturday performance. But on Sunday, the clouds blew out and a thin rainbow stretched over the amphitheater.

By 7 p.m., about 75 people had gathered on the wide green lawn, most of them high school students in Florida Atlantic University’s summer honors program in Jupiter. Bunny and Paul Kessler were excited by the new venue because it cut their travel time in half. The Boynton Beach couple has been driving to Jupiter for the past five years to see the show.

“It’s delightful,” Bunny Kessler said. “They’ve never failed to surprise us.”

The show will run Thursday through Sunday and July 24-27.

Stephanie Horvath can be reached at or 561-243-6643.

INFORMATIONAL BOX:

If You Go

What: Shakespeare by the Sea performs The Comedy of Errors

Where: Sunset Cove Amphitheater, 12551 Glades Road, Boca Raton

Show dates: Thursday-Sunday and July 24-27

Show times: Gates open at 6:30 p.m.; play starts at 8 p.m.

Price: Free

Information: Lawn chairs and blankets are allowed. Pets and outside food and drink are not.