Amherst – Young love –and its tragic and comedic outcomes – dominates the plays that make up Hampshire Shakespeare Company's Shakespeare Under the Stars 2008 summer season. Romeo and Juliet, under the direction of Bob Laviolette, features a cast of exceptionally talented young actors joined by Company veterans in this familiar tale. Previews for the show are Wednesday and Thursday, June 25 and 26; the show opens June 27 through July 13. Curtain time is 7:30 pm at the Hartsbrook School, 193 Bay Road, Hadley, with shows running Wednesday through Sunday.
The second show of the season, the romantic comedy As You Like It, is directed by Chris Rohmann. Previews are July 16 and 17, with opening night on Friday, July 18, running through July 27. The Hampshire Shakespeare Young Company production of As You Like It runs August 1-3.
General admission tickets are $16; students and seniors $10; children to age 18 are $6. Preview performances are open to the public: tickets are $10 adults, $5 children. Tickets for the Young Company performances are $5.
The performances are held on the outdoor stage in the Meadow at Hartsbrook, and seating is on a first-come basis. In the event of rain the performance will be moved indoors.
For further information, go to www.hampshireshakespeare.org, or call 413-788-4750. Hampshire Shakespeare's summer season is sponsored by Integrity Development and Construction, Millennium Press, and 88.5FM~WFCR, NPR News and Music for Western New England and 640AM~WNNZ, WFCR's AM Broadcast Station.
