The Merry Wives of Windsor
Foiled seduction, plans gone awry, and plots to deliver comeuppance. The pompous Falstaff attempts to woo the wives of two wealthy merchants in order to increase his own personal fortune. Mistresses Page and Ford quickly discover his plot and conspire to make a mockery of, and fool Falstaff.
Event information
Shakespeare in the Arb performs every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from June 5 through June 29. It is a 3 hour outdoor, moving performance that takes place within Nichols Arboretum.
All tickets are general admission lawn style seating. Please bring a chair or a blanket. Audience members should be prepared for weather conditions, periods of sitting, standing, and 2 miles of walking to various locations in the Arboretum. Expect inclines and slopes, staircases, grass, gravel, and mulch as part of the terrain. The play will proceed in many forms of weather.
Tickets and admission
Tickets are available in advance of the performances via the Michigan Union Ticket Office online, in person at the Michigan Union or by phone at (734) 763-8587.
Ticket prices are $25 general admission/$20 members/$15 student & youth. Youth under 5, free. Join us for Youth Day on June 23 for discounted $5 tickets for youth ages 5-18.
All tickets are held at Will Call, Nichols Arboretum Visitor Center, 1610 Washington Heights. Ticket pick up is 5:00pm-6:00pm with showtime promptly at 6:30pm.
Tickets
Choose the date that works for you! We offer performances each weekend throughout June. Ticket sales open in May and will be sold through the Michigan Union Ticket Office.
June 5th - 8th
- Thursday, June 5, 2025
- Friday, June 6, 2025
- Saturday, June 7, 2025
- Sunday, June 8, 2025
June 12th - 15th
- Thursday, June 12, 2025
- Friday, June 13, 2025
- Saturday, June 14, 2025
- Sunday, June 15, 2025
June 19th - 22nd
- Thursday, June 19, 2025
- Friday, June 20, 2025
- Saturday, June 21, 2025
- Sunday, June 22, 2025
June 26th - 29th
- Thursday, June 26, 2025
- Friday, June 27, 2025
- Saturday, June 28, 2025
- Sunday, June 29, 2025
Parking
While there is no designated parking lot for Nichols Arboretum, there are some nearby options:
- M28 – School of Public Health II East.
1500 Washington Heights, permit required 6am-5pm M-Fri - Metered Parking on Observatory or Washington Heights.
$2.20/hr M-Sa 8am-6pm, free after 6pm - M86 – Ann Structure on the corner of E. Ann St and Glen Ave.
15 minute walk to the Arb, permit required M-F 6am-6pm - M5 – Catherine Structure on the corner of Catherine St and Glen Ave.
15 minute walk to the Arb, permit required M-F 6am-6pm
Tickets Held at Will Call
Tickets are held at Will Call for pick up between 5:00pm-6:00pm, located at the Nichols Arboretum Visitor Center, 1610 Washington Heights.
Receipts of sale from the Michigan Union Ticket Office (digital or printed) must be redeemed at Will Call for a ticket lanyard between 5:00pm and 6:00pm. All tickets are sold in advance through the Michigan Union Ticket Office, in person, online or via phone.
The performance begins promptly at 6:30pm and runs until approximately 9:30pm.
Cancellation Policies
Updated Weather Policy
Should inclement weather prevent an outdoor performance of Shakespeare in the Arb, the show will move to the Kate Mendeloff stage in the Keene Theatre. This vibrant, lively performance will feature all the same wonderful actors, jokes, and music (with minimal costumes and props), allowing the audience to experience the play in a more intimate space without worrying about the weather.
In the event of a venue change to Keene Theatre, the performance will commence at 7:30 PM, one hour later than scheduled at the Nichols Arboretum. Seating in the Keene is limited to 110 persons. Ticket holders who are unable to be accommodated at the Keene Theatre will receive a refund for the face value of their tickets.
Ticket holders who prefer not to attend a performance that has moved to the Keene Theatre will also be entitled to a refund of the face value of their tickets. Service fees are non-refundable. A decision regarding the change of venue will be made by 4pm on the day of the performance, and emails will be sent to all ticket holders shortly thereafter.
Other extenuating circumstances may still result in a cancellation of the play at any location, whereby refunds will be issued. We regret that we cannot offer exchanges on tickets for alternate performance days.
In the event of a cancellation, refunds of the face value of tickets will be processed by the Michigan Union Ticket Office. Ticket holders will be notified via email.
No refunds or exchanges can be offered for a production that has not been canceled.
Accessibility
Shakespeare in the Arb scenes take place in a variety of locations throughout the Arb. Audience members should be prepared for periods of sitting, standing and approximately a mile of intermittent walking. Routes to play scenes are unpaved gravel paths, and include some slopes and stairs.
ADA compliant toilets are available at the Arb Visitor Center, before or after the play or a 10-15 minute walk from most scenes. Port-a-johns are available at the river landing, a 5-10 minute walk from most play scenes.
Transportation by golf cart is available on a reservation basis. Contact Alexis Ford, event coordinator at [email protected] or 734-647-8391 for reservations or other accessibility questions.