By Holly Van Houten, Peter Kjenaas and Kat Fair

From June 22 through July 23, the Mountain Shakespeare Festival again offers great summer entertainment under the stars in the Pine Mountain Village Gazebo.

This season audiences will get the chance to enjoy Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s tragic romance, and the hilarious Bullshot Crummond, a delightful parody of 1930’s detective movies, by Ron House, Diz White, John Neville-Andrews, Alan Shearman and Derek Cunningham.

Romeo and Juliet is the quintessential tale of lovers valiantly fighting against forces trying to thwart their love. They are indeed star-crossed, and no matter what they do or where they turn, their fates are sealed.

Part of the tragic tug these two young characters exert on our hearts stems from that inevitability. From the first lines of the play, the outcome of their fortunes is clear. But there’s always hope that this time Romeo and Juliet might indeed “defy the stars” and foil the destiny decreed by parents, society and the universe.

Bullshot Crummond is an entirely different kettle of fish. These crazy characters and the hilarity that ensues as they attempt to replicate the sort of “special effects” normally reserved for film will have audiences howling with delight.

A formula for synthetic diamonds, evil spies, courageous heroes, damsels in distress and nasty hit men make for a fastpaced show of laughs and fun.

Buckle up your swords and your belly laughs, the Mountain Shakespeare Festival brings you both this year. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors (over 65) and students. All children under 10 are free. Call 242-6904 for more information and ticket reservations, or go to the festival website at www.mountainshakes.org.

This is part of the June 24, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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