Love: It's Complicated

Staging Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream outdoors during the summertime makes more than perfect sense — it truly sets folks up for a most dreamy evening (even if some of those reverie-induced vapors arise merely out of the humidity). Right now at Frontier Park (along South Riverside Drive in St. Charles), the trees are as full of leaves as brand-new down pillows are of feathers, the river air is thick like barbecue sauce, and the Riverside Shakespeare Theatre Company (www.riversidetheatreco.com) provides all of the summery Bard that you require — at least, for six days. The group puts forth its take of Dream Thursday through Saturday this week (June 17 through 19) and Friday through Sunday (June 25 through 27) next week; all of the theatrical journeys begin at 6:30 p.m., except the final one, which is a 2 p.m. matinee. This dreamy tale of mixed-up couples promises to entertain as these lovers romp through the woods and (eventually) straighten out their matters of the heart — nothing like a tale of arranged marriage, a love potion gone awry and elopement to raise the mercury a bit! Each performance is preceded by entertainment courtesy of Monkey Tales Theatre, and all of the good times are absolutely free. Just bring a lawn chair or blanket, some eats and drinks (or cash to purchase some from the onsite vendors), and your love of Shakespeare, and prepare to enjoy a night in the park!
June 17-19; June 25-27, 2010