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Previous Productions

Year
Show
Teaser
2004
Much Ado
About Nothing
“WILD BILL” SHAKESPEARE’S MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING !
Messina, Colorado, 1875: Don Pedro (Garth Mitchell) has returned with a company of riders to the ranch of territorial governor, Leonata (Kalynn Carlton) for whom they have been chasing down cattle rustlers. One of Don Pedro’s men, Claudio (Jason Atchley), is sweet on Leonato’s daughter, Hero (Heidi Unger). Another of Don Pedro’s men, Benedick (Peter Ambrose) pretty much hates all women folk, especially cantankerous Beatrice (Jo Sanburg). Don Pedro decides, with the help of their mutual friends, he shall bring Benedick and Beatrice together. All is not sunshine and daisies, however; Don Pedro’s bastard brother, Don John (Tony Ryan), lives up to his title by wrecking Claudio’s and Hero’s wedding plans. The sheriff, Constable Dogberry (J.D. Jacob) and his deputy, Verges (Chance Jacob) may or may not be able to save the day. The setting is the Wild West, but the language is all Shakespeare. Join the Magic Circle Shakespeare Players as they present the first of their annual outdoor productions of the works of William Shakespeare to various communities on the Western Slope. Directed by Peter Ambrose, the cast of “Much Ado About Nothing” also features David Ambrose, John Ambrose, Chuck Bonnet, Sutton Mitchell, Chris Russell, and Shanna Syme.

Performances of “Much Ado About Nothing” are scheduled for Mountain Village on 12 June, Delta on 13 June, Lake City on 18 July, Paonia on 25 July, and our end-of-season performance in Montrose on 15 August (at Rotary Park.).
2005
The Tempest
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S THE TEMPEST

"Full fathom five thy father lies..." The Tempest is the last play Shakespeare wrote by himself. By 1611 his prodigious output had come to an end, and he was ready to return to Stratford. As a valedictory to a stunning career, one could not ask for a better effort. In this tale of castaways stranded on a deserted isle are some of the greatest archetypes of popular culture. Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan and powerful wizard, is clearly the inspiration for Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi; the monstrous Caliban, surely as much a prototype for Shelley's Frankenstein as Prometheus; Ariel, the "airy sprite" who is Tinkerbell, Jiminy Cricket, and Forbidden Planet's Robbie the Robot all-in-one. Prospero declares that, "We are such stuff as dreams are made on": a fitting epigraph to Shakespeare's life and work.

Performances of "The Tempest" are scheduled for Delta on 4 July, Lake City on 9 July, Fruita on 17 July, Mountain Village on 18 July, Montrose on 23 July, Paonia on 24 July, and our end-of-season performance in Mountain Village on 20 August.
2007
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Although "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is set in ancient Athens, it is one of Shakespeare's most English of plays, drawing on country legends of fairies and sprites, and a company of "rude mechanicals" - craftsmen who put on a play that is a parody of "Romeo and Juliet." The plight of a quartet of mixed-up lovers is compounded by the interference of quarrrelsome fairies; but as in all of Shakespeare's comedies, all turns out right in the end: lovers are united, spouses reconciled, and order is restored. As Puck notes in his farewell: "If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended..."

Performances of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" are scheduled for the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens (Elizabeth Harris Amphitheater) in Grand Junction on June 18 and 25 and also on July 2. Each performance will begin at 5:30 p.m.
2008
As You Like It
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S AS YOU LIKE IT

Duke Frederick, CEO of the Dominion Corporation has wrested control of the company from his brother Duke Senior, who has lost his fortune, but happily lives on the streets with a loyal retinue. Enraged when Orlando, the son of a despised former rival, wins a wrestling match, Frederick resolves to kill him. Hearing of this, Orlando flees to the streets. Frederick also banishes his brother's daughter Rosalind, whom he had cared for in consideration of his daughter, Celia, to the streets, fearing her growing popularity among the corporate community. Loyally, Celia accompanies Rosalind in hopes of finding Duke Senior in the city's Arden Park. Having fallen in love with Rosalind at the wrestling match, the exiled Orlando, who has tagged everything in sight with declarations of his devotion to Rosalind, is in fact being schooled in courtship by an equally smitten Rosalind, herself disguised as a boy.

Performances of "As You Like It" are scheduled for the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens (Elizabeth Harris Amphitheater) in Grand Junction on October 4 at 1:00 p.m., Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m., on Oct. 10 at 7:00 p.m., and also on Oct. 12 at 4:30 p.m.
2009
The Merry Wives Of Windsor
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Legend has it that Queen Elizabeth so enjoyed Sir John Falstaff from “Henry IV” that she asked to see Sir John in love, so Shakespeare gave her “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” In this decidedly unromantic tale Falstaff seeks not love, but money, by seducing two of the wealthiest wives in Windsor. However these two are anything but easy prey: they hatch scheme after scheme to thwart his advances. Further complicating matters is the insanely jealous husband of one of the wives, who plots to catch his faithful wife fooling around with Sir John. A cast of supporting characters spouting some of the most outrageous (intentional) accents this side of a Monty Python skit round out this Shakespearean sitcom.

Performances of “The Merry Wives Of Winsdor” are scheduled for Delta on July 31, Montrose (at Cerise Park) on August 2, Grand Junction on July 7 and 8, and our end-of-season performance in Paonia on August 9. All performances will begin at 6:00 p.m.

This page was designed by Caisa Sanburg; Last updated on 07/29/10.