"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves"   In our inaugural season, the Main Stage will be home to two of the Bard’s most-beloved and well-known plays, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.  Performances are Thurs, Fri & Sat nights, July 13th-August 19th, in revolving repertory. We also offer matinees of our children's show SUGAR-COATED SHAKESPEARE at 2pm every Tues. and Sat., July 8th-Aug 19th. All shows take place at the Mary Devlin/Margaret Harmony "Women of Grace" Outdoor Stage (adjacent to the WV Rec Dept/Elementary School) PERFORMANCES ARE RAIN OR SHINE: (Indoor stage onsite for the evening shows) FOR KID'S SHOW: (Above Aglio Restaurant, Town Square, if rain)

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM “The course of true love never did run smooth…Lord, what fools these mortals be!" Nothing is as it seems when the fairy and human worlds collide in this, the Bard’s most entertaining and enduring comedy! In the human world, hapless Helena loves Demetrius, who used to return her love but now loves her best friend Hermia, who loathes him and is, in turn, in love with his friend Lysander.  Hermia’s bossy parent, however, has other ideas and is forcing her to marry Demetrius!  Seeking asylum in the enchanted woods, the two lovers run off to elope, followed closely by Demetrius, followed in hot pursuit by Helena, desperate to regain his affection.   On top of that, the King and Queen of the Fairies are having a marital spat and the rest of the world is thrown into chaos as they battle it out--with star-crossed consequences for the human lovers. Add a mysterious being named Puck armed with a powerful love potion, a bedraggled troupe of clueless day-laborers-turned-amateur performers and you have a midsummer night’s scream of a love-struck comedy!

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING “Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps!” It is love at first sight for Claudio and Hero and dislike at first sight for quick-witted Beatrice and boastful Benedick.  As Claudio and Hero try to come together and Beatrice and Benedick try not to kill each other, their friends and family complicate matters and add to the fun! Long-considered to be one of the Bard’s most famous couples, Beatrice and Benedick are verbal adversaries who share a merry wit and contempt for conventional love.  Intelligence, humor, and humanity are on display as they repel, revolt, tease and trick one another through-out the evening. “Will they or won’t they, does she or doesn’t she?” are the questions that will have you guessing to the end as you sit ringside at this, one of the worlds’ most famous “Battle of the Sexes”. Shakespeare’s most popular "problem play", the night is filled with misperceptions, disguises, false reports and good characters behaving very, very, very bad!   "MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" is RED "MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING" is BLUE July 2006   August 2006   Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

SUGAR-COATED SHAKESPEARE (CHILDREN’S MATINEES)    “A candy-coated learning experience with the Bard at the center!”  If Shakespeare’s hometown had a “Sesame Street”, these characters would live there!  Professional actors interweave sonnets and songs in a tapestry of participation, fun and learning.  It’s an entertaining way to fall in love with the classics!  Appropriate for children (and adults!) of all ages. Tuesday & Saturday at 2pm, July 8th-August 19th SPECIAL JULY 4th PREMIERE TIME: 12:30pm   This ain't your Momma's Shakespeare!     Proud member of “Waterville Valley Arts in the Mountains” (www.wvaf.org) Proud to be part of "Friends of the Arts" (www.friends-of-the-arts.org) In partnership with the Waterville Valley Recreation Department (www.watervillevalley.org/recreation)

Theatre Under the Stars/Shakespeare in the Valley 39 Alden Drive  Campton, NH 03223   603-726-0098 Member of the National Assoc. of Shakespearean Theatres, NE Theatre Conference and the NH Theatre Assoc.