LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST and MEASURE FOR MEASURE Set for 2014 Charlotte Shakespeare Festival

The ninth annual Charlotte Shakespeare Festival opens with a musical, 1960s staging of William Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost from May 29 to June 15 at The Green. The festival moves indoors to the Booth Playhouse from August 7 to 24 with a 1970s staging of Measure for Measure.

William Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost
Four best friends attempt to swear off women and devote themselves to study for three years. But when a princess and her hot friends show up at their doorstep, will they be able to keep their vow, or will they jump head over heels in love? Directed by Charlotte Shakespeare founder Elise Wilkinson, this hilarious, Beatles-inspired musical romp is set in the 1960s.

May 29 - June 15, 2015
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays - 8 p.m. showtime
Sundays - 5 p.m. workshop; 6:30 p.m. showtime
The Green, 400 S. Tryon St., Charlotte

William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure
Step aside, Shaft. Get down, Foxy Brown. Here comes Isabella, and she's fighting for justice. When the young Isabella learns that Angelo, the acting mayor of Vienna, has condemned her brother to death, she pleads for his life only to be on the receiving end of an indecent proposal from the pious Angelo! What happens next brings Isabella into the bizarre and seedy underbelly of Vienna. Inspired by the exploitation films of the 1970s, Los Angeles-based director Tiger Reel brings a fun and funky vibe to this, one of the Bard's darkest - and most modern - comedies.

August 7 - 24, 2014
Thursdays - 7:30 p.m. showtime
Fridays - 8 p.m. showtime
Saturdays - 2 p.m. (workshop following) and 8 p.m. showtimes
Sundays - 3 p.m. showtime
Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tyron St., Charlotte

All performances and workshops are free, but donations are encouraged ($5 minimum suggested). Seating is first-come, first-served and opens 90 minutes prior to curtain at The Green and 45 minutes prior at the Booth. However, advance donors can reserve seats for a minimum $25 donation. Local musicians, performing artists, storytellers and poets will entertain audiences beginning 45 minutes prior to each performance.

Love's Labor's Lost is appropriate for all ages, although an adult should accompany children. Measure for Measure is appropriate for anyone aged 13 and up. Sundays on The Green and Saturday matinees at the Booth are particularly good days to bring children and teens, as the workshops help them understand the text and gives them an opportunity to ask questions about the production.

Charlotte Shakespeare is a professional theatre company that produces accessible, intimate and entertaining performances of both traditional and modern classics. While Shakespeare is at the core of its repertoire, the company also produces plays from other periods that reflect timeless truths about the human condition and honor Shakespeare's genius for storytelling and language. For more information, visit www.charlotteshakespeare.com. Connect on Facebook or Twitter for frequent updates.