Mountain Shakespeare Festival Runs Through July

  • Romeo and Juliet is being presented by Director Peter Kjenaas and the Mountain Shakespeare Festival with 19 local youth and seasoned adult actors. Uniquely, the leads are played by teenagers close to the ages of the characters in the play. Above, Colton Fair plays Tybalt. [Photo by Patric Hedlund for The Mountain Enterprise]

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    Romeo and Juliet is being presented by Director Peter Kjenaas and the Mountain Shakespeare Festival with 19 local youth and seasoned adult actors. Uniquely, the leads are played by teenagers close to the ages of the characters in the play. Above, Colton Fair plays Tybalt. [Photo by Patric Hedlund for The Mountain Enterprise]

  • Bullshot Crummond is a smart and hilarious comedy, produced with topnotch talents with exquisite comic timing. Do not miss this opportunity to enjoy a delightful evening with friends at the theater. Above, David Stenstrom, Snannon Norris and Peter Kjenaas, playing evil and valor. [Mel Weinstein photo for The Mountain Shakespear Festival]

    Image 2 of 2
    Bullshot Crummond is a smart and hilarious comedy, produced with topnotch talents with exquisite comic timing. Do not miss this opportunity to enjoy a delightful evening with friends at the theater. Above, David Stenstrom, Snannon Norris and Peter Kjenaas, playing evil and valor. [Mel Weinstein photo for The Mountain Shakespear Festival]

Two plays performed by the Mountain Shakespeare Festival will have you laughing one night and crying the next.

Bullshot Crummond will split your sides with laughter at the antics of the British man of action Hugh “Bullshot” Crummond and his evil German foes Count Otto Von Brunno and Lenya Von Brunno. The Von Brunnos’ plot to destroy the international diamond market by kidnapping synthetic diamond expert Professor Rupert Fenton is seized upon by Crummond and the professor’s lovely daughter. Total pandemonium ensues. “Before Bond, there was Bullshot,” say many promos for this hilarious romp.

Most know the story line of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Two lovers are kept apart by hostilities between their families, leading to tragic and deadly consequences.

Mountain Shakespeare Festival Director Peter Kjenaas says this production of Romeo & Juliet is different from others in that the actors are very close in age to their characters.

This, he says, makes the play far more real. Teenagers are playing teenagers who, in many ways, have similar problems.

The performances run throughout July. See the schedule here for show times. At only $12 per ticket, this is very affordable, top-quality theater right here on the mountain! For tickets call 661-242-6904 or visit www.MountainShakes.org to buy online.

Don’t miss the Bard’s Fair for Kids on Sunday, July 17 at 10 a.m. in Pine Mountain Village

—Gary Meyer

This is part of the July 15, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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