Fickle friends find a fun finish in the forest after flirting, fighting and falling for foxy femme fatales.
Poignant and charming, the Bard’s oldest romantic comedy has a very modern theme: Making friendships work in the face of romance. Bosom buddies (“hopeless romantic” Proteus and cynical Valentine) travel from Verona to Milan, leaving behind Proteus’ beloved, Julia. In Milan, “the two gents” both fall for Silvia, who is (begrudgingly) engaged to Thurio, but falls in love with Valentine. Jealous Proteus betrays Valentine, causing him to be banished by Silvia’s father, the Duke, so that he alone can woo Silvia. Meanwhile, in order to win back Proteus, Julia disguises herself as a boy and travels to Milan, where she is befriended by Silvia. At the play’s climax, everyone travels to the woods in search of the banished Valentine (who has become King of a band of marauding outlaws). Can friendship survive romance? Come out and see how the “two gents” fare in the face of disapproving dukes, cross-dressing dollies, surly servants, marauding murderers and flailing friendships! (PG)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
“The course of true love ne’er did run smooth”
Mischievously-magical monsters make a merry mess of mortal marriage
Nothing is as it seems when the human and fairy worlds collide in this, the Bard’s most entertaining and enduring comedy! The King and Queen of the Fairies are having a marital spat and the human world is thrown into chaos as they wage war: Hapless Helena loves Demetrius, who used to love her 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 (desperate for Hermia) and Helena (desperate for Demetrius). Add a mysterious sprite 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! (G)
No Holds Bard II: Live Free or Bard Hard
"Comedy is hard, but the bard is harder...(harder than granite harder)"
The (3) people (who actually saw this show) have spoken and we listened. Back by overwhelming (ish) demand, the Bard is kicking Ass (that means you, Nick Bottom!) and taking names (whaddup, Coriolanus?) in this sequel to the hilarious sketch comedy improv show that was a 2009 fave (sort of) and puts the audience in the spotlight with re-vamped versions of the Bard’s faves intercut with games, quizzes and skits. G Rated
July 22nd-24th
5th Anniversary SURPRISE.
Check back later for more details.
July 29th-August 14th
Twelfth Night
“If music be the food of love, play on!”
Disguised dame’s desire for Duke drives duchy’s denizens to distraction in this delirious drama!
Lyrical, emotional, bitter-sweet (and hugely funny) Twelfth Night has long been regarded as Shakespeare's most perfectly constructed comedy - a delicious concoction of cross dressing and confusion where everyone is in love with the wrong person: Orphaned Viola loves Duke Orsino who loves Lady Olivia who (first) loves “Cesario” (Viola disguised as a man) then Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother--who she believes to be Cesario) who is beloved by Pirate Queen Antonia (Orsino’s arch-enemy). Meanwhile Olivia’s servant Maria pines for Sir Toby, a drunken conman in love with the money he is bilking from foppish Andrew Aguecheek (who is in love with Olivia)-- and all three are in love with tricking pompous butler Malvolio into believing that Olivia is in love with him! Throw in music, dance and a fun-loving fool named Feste and you have the recipe for a frothy delicacy of unparalleled sweetness and side-splitting satisfaction. (PG)
Macbeth
“Blood will have blood”
Wickedness wins as weird witches and wifely wiles warp winning warriors’ will
On a dark, desolate Scottish heath three witches confront the great general Macbeth and his lieutenant Banquo, predicting that, while Macbeth will one day become king, Banquo will beget legions of rulers. Thus begins Shakespeare’s shortest but most complex tragedy, as the witches’ prophecies open a Pandora’s box containing ruthless ambition, violence, regicide, intrigue, cowardice, heroism, betrayal, murder, insanity, overthrow and mayhem. Macbeth’s story is about what happens when dark overtakes light, evil triumphs over goodness and the natural laws of order and humanity are perverted and ignored. The tragedy of Macbeth is not only that it deals with the perversion of human nature in 11th century Scotland, but that this tale “full of sound and fury” still resonates with (and is relevant to) our world today.
Robin HooD 3-D
The interactive spoof-a-rama where the audience decides the plot!
Rebellious Robin and renegades repel regents and rogues in rip-roaring ridiculousness
Bring your family to this fresh, fast-paced, and funny adaptation of one of literature’s most thrilling and romantic adventures as Robin Hood and the Merry Men “steal from the rich and give to the poor”--all while thwarting the evil aims of nefarious villains, coming to the aid of distressed damsels and righting wrongs in Sherwood Forest. Hot on the heels of 2009’s runaway hit, “The Three Musketeers 3-D”, this is an action-packed update of a beloved classic that is part Monty Python-like spoof, part beloved British pantomime…but with an interactive twist unique to our theatre: The action “freezes” at crucial plot points so that the audience can vote on which way the show will go. Love or Hate? Death or Life? Humor or Sadness? Win or Lose? The fate of the characters (and the direction of the play) rests in the audiences hands!
All Summer Long
Sugar-coated Shakespeare
“The sugar-coated learning experience with the Bard at the center”
PART OF THE “FOCUS ON THE FAMILY” SERIES!
(Fridays & Saturdays 7/2-8/14)
2 person teams of our professional actors perform songs, monologues, scenes and poems from classical literature and Shakespeare interwoven in a tapestry of fun, participation and learning. Featuring the most popular content of the last 4 years. Shown in revolving repertory at 10:00 am under the tent in Town Square Fridays & Saturdays July 3rd-August 15th. G Rated
Poignant and charming, the Bard’s oldest romantic comedy has a very modern theme: Making friendships work in the face of romance. Bosom buddies (“hopeless romantic” Proteus and cynical Valentine) travel from Verona to Milan, leaving behind Proteus’ beloved, Julia. In Milan, “the two gents” both fall for Silvia, who is (begrudgingly) engaged to Thurio, but falls in love with Valentine. Jealous Proteus betrays Valentine, causing him to be banished by Silvia’s father, the Duke, so that he alone can woo Silvia. Meanwhile, in order to win back Proteus, Julia disguises herself as a boy and travels to Milan, where she is befriended by Silvia. At the play’s climax, everyone travels to the woods in search of the banished Valentine (who has become King of a band of marauding outlaws). Can friendship survive romance? Come out and see how the “two gents” fare in the face of disapproving dukes, cross-dressing dollies, surly servants, marauding murderers and flailing friendships! (PG)
Nothing is as it seems when the human and fairy worlds collide in this, the Bard’s most entertaining and enduring comedy! The King and Queen of the Fairies are having a marital spat and the human world is thrown into chaos as they wage war: Hapless Helena loves Demetrius, who used to love her 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 (desperate for Hermia) and Helena (desperate for Demetrius). Add a mysterious sprite 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! (G)
Lyrical, emotional, bitter-sweet (and hugely funny) Twelfth Night has long been regarded as Shakespeare's most perfectly constructed comedy - a delicious concoction of cross dressing and confusion where everyone is in love with the wrong person: Orphaned Viola loves Duke Orsino who loves Lady Olivia who (first) loves “Cesario” (Viola disguised as a man) then Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother--who she believes to be Cesario) who is beloved by Pirate Queen Antonia (Orsino’s arch-enemy). Meanwhile Olivia’s servant Maria pines for Sir Toby, a drunken conman in love with the money he is bilking from foppish Andrew Aguecheek (who is in love with Olivia)-- and all three are in love with tricking pompous butler Malvolio into believing that Olivia is in love with him! Throw in music, dance and a fun-loving fool named Feste and you have the recipe for a frothy delicacy of unparalleled sweetness and side-splitting satisfaction. (PG)
Bring your family to this fresh, fast-paced, and funny adaptation of one of literature’s most thrilling and romantic adventures as Robin Hood and the Merry Men “steal from the rich and give to the poor”--all while thwarting the evil aims of nefarious villains, coming to the aid of distressed damsels and righting wrongs in Sherwood Forest. Hot on the heels of 2009’s runaway hit, “The Three Musketeers 3-D”, this is an action-packed update of a beloved classic that is part Monty Python-like spoof, part beloved British pantomime…but with an interactive twist unique to our theatre: The action “freezes” at crucial plot points so that the audience can vote on which way the show will go. Love or Hate? Death or Life? Humor or Sadness? Win or Lose? The fate of the characters (and the direction of the play) rests in the audiences hands!
