😉🎭 Theatre kids are gonna LOVE this

It’s Wednesday, Boston.

🌭 PSA: If you want one of these ICONIC hot dog Red Sox hats (which are reselling for nearly $200 on eBay, BTW), you can get one PLUS a Fenway Frank for with your ticket to one of these upcoming games. Emily (B-Side’s self-proclaimed hot dog connoisseur) obv already bought hers.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Mayor Wu wants the receipts

• JetBlue’s biggest sale of the year

• Meowtucket mania

Up first…

ARTS & CULTURE

This one’s for the theatre kids

When Shakespeare said “all the world’s a stage” … we’re pretty sure he was talking about Shakespeare on the Common. The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is BACK with free performances of “As You Like It” on the Parkman Bandstand from July 23 to Aug. 10. 

Here’s what to know:

🎭 Shakespeare on the Common is a Boston summer tradition. After all, it’s been going on for 29 years. For program veteran Maurice Emmanuel Parent, who’s playing Duke Senior/Duke Frederick in this year’s show, the public location is part of the allure. “The most dedicated loyal theatergoer … is sitting on a park bench next to someone who's like, ‘what is Shakespeare?’” he said. “That’s what it should be.” 

💌 This year’s play, “As You Like It,” is basically a rom-com. Or … as close as we’re gonna get from a 17th century dude. But Parent said the tropes remind him of a modern-day romantic comedy. Think: First love, love at first sight, fake dating, and secret identities. And like any good rom-com, there’s a happy ending (NOT a spoiler, this play is 400 years old, people!).

😅 Just skimmed it in high school? Here are the Sparknotes. Meet Rosalind and Orlando: Two hotties who are crushing on each other. Amidst political chaos, they separately flee to the Forest of Arden. But there’s just one problem: To stay safe, Rosalind has disguised herself as a young man. So, when she bumps into Orlando in disguise, she does what any gal would do: Pretends to be a love guru and gives him flirting lessons. Chaos, hilarity, and a lot of loOoOOve ensue. 

🧐 Yes, it’s in Shakespeare-speak. But that doesn’t mean it’s out-of-date. Although the actors will be dropping some “thines,” “haths,” and “ayes,” their delivery is intentionally modern to keep things entertaining and help the audience follow along.

⌛ In fact, a lot of the themes are timeless. In a moment when people are being punished for how they look and love, Parent thinks the message of throwing off societal expectations and escaping into nature will resonate with younger viewers. This play shows us that “nature was here before the society that tells you how you're supposed to be, how you're supposed to look, how you're supposed to act. Nature predates that and nature will outlive it,” he said.

👀 Interested? Like we said, it’s totally free, and most days, the curtain rises at 8 p.m. Pro tip: Bring your own blanket, chair, and snacks for prime viewing. Check out the full schedule here.

POP QUIZ!

🤔 Let’s see if you were paying attention in English class. Which Shakespeare play is the iconic line “to be, or not to be” from? 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

📝 Mayor Michelle Wu really said “show us the receipts.” And by receipts, we mean Josh Kraft’s tax returns. On Tuesday, Wu publicly called for Kraft to make good on one of his early campaign promises and reveal his income, investments, and assets to the public. While candidates aren’t *technically* required to share them, it’s pretty standard practice (here are the deets from Wu’s). Withholding them could make Kraft look shady, especially given his family’s ~extensive~ local business portfolio. Now, the ball’s in Kraft’s court.

💃 Boston’s hottest happenings are at … City Hall Plaza? YUP. If you’re looking to fill your Q3 and Q4 calendar, the plaza’s newly-dropped arts and culture event lineup isn’t a bad place to start. On the docket: A slam theatre variety show this week(!), LGBTQ+ open mics, a four-day Latinx heritage festival, a freestyle rap circle, an all-day queer line dancing convention, and a series of public chess tournaments. And there’s a whole lot more (over two dozen events, to be exact) where that came from. Check out the full list here.

✈️ Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday … except this. JetBlue’s biggest sale of the year is here, and for the next two days, you can snag 25% off TONS of tickets. Here’s how it works: Through July 24, you can use code SAVE25 while booking on JetBlue’s website to redeem the deal. But there are a few caveats: The discount applies to nonstop, base airfare flights between Aug. 12 and Nov. 20, minus Friday and Sunday travel. Other than that, the world is your oyster … literally. Book here!

🍺 West End Johnnies? That’s The Drunken Clam to you. The bar’s basement has been officially transformed into a Family Guy-themed pop up through September 21. Think: An IRL replica of the show’s iconic bar serving themed drinks and bites (the “No No Nooo” cocktail is literally served in a mini bathtub, IYKYK), plus a bunch of photo ops. You can also catch trivia and karaoke nights every Wednesday and Thursday. But like any themed pop-up, it’ll cost you: Specifically, $18 for a 90-minute slot, which includes a drink. Grab tickets here. 

THINGS TO DO

Mid-week check in

🧘 Lymph Flow Yoga in the Park | Wednesday, July 23 | 6-7 p.m. | Copps Hill Terrace | Join us for a specialty lymph flow yoga class and on-site giveaway! B-Side Members get an extra entry into the giveaway. No registration required. 

🎨 Community Art Night | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 6-8 p.m. | Boston Public Market | Making friends can be hard. That’s why we’re hosting this watercolor painting night with BPM’s Laurel Greenfield Art. B-Side members get $5 off, a free drink, and a take-home watercolor kit!

👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 The Dating Game Live | Monday, Aug. 11 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Aeronaut Brewing | We’re teaming up with Aeronaut Brewing to host an IRL version of the 60’s dating show The Dating Game! Click here to apply — you must be bi or pan to participate in this round! Apply to play here.

At B-Side events like the ones above, members get perks like discounted entry, free drinks, B-Side swag, and more. Stay tuned for more meetups, and become a member to get your perks! 

ONE LAST THING

Meowtucket mania

Amanda McGonigle has one goal: Make sure JD Vance never knows peace. 

That’s why she started her IG account @catsonacouch last summer to try and beat his follower count. So when he announced a swanky fundraiser on Nantucket this week, she organized a day of counter protesting called … Meowtucket. 

Meowtucket’s mission was to protest the Trump administration, amplify the island’s marginalized groups, and … bother Vance and his guests wherever they ended up. The strategy: Along with a more traditional rally, print 4,000 fake “wanted” posters with those JD Vance memes (you know the ones) and paste them pretty much everywhere. 

Here’s a peek into how the day unfolded.  

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🐱Thanks for reading! Politics aside, this gets an A+ for pettiness.

🗳️ The results are in: If B-Siders were deciding Boston’s next mayoral election, it’s safe to say Mayor Wu would win: 89% of readers said they’d vote for her if the election were tomorrow. One reader said: “Wu train all the way baby!!!!!”

🎟️ 🥳 Don't forget to grab your tickets to Best Day Ever, our Aug. 2 food, music, and shopping extravaganza at Artists for Humanity!

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].