Madison Shakespeare Company Celebrates Ninth Summer With ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Nine years after its inaugural production of Julius Caesar, Madison Shakespeare Company is celebrating another summer of firsts when All's Well That Ends Well opens on Friday July 23 at the Madison Country Day School amphitheater in Waunakee. As the fourth installment of MSC's ongoing summer comedy series:

• All's Well is MSC's first presentation of a Shakespeare "problem play."

• All's Well is MSC's first public performances at the Madison Country Day School Amphitheater, a little-known outdoor performance space near the Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park and the Yahara River.

• All's Well has not been fully staged for south-central Wisconsin audiences since 2010

• Six cast members make their first Madison Shakespeare Company appearance in All's Well

"Much of the Shakespeare we're offered is just a few scripts, over and over. We try to elevate the underdogs and the underappreciated plays for audiences who may only get a chance to see these plays once in a decade, if that," said Madison Shakespeare Company producer Jason Compton.

All's Well That Ends Well tracks the romantic entanglements of Helena and Bertram, who cross Europe and a raging war in pursuit of happiness. Helena is convinced their best and only prospects are with each other. Bertram has other desires. But when Helena saves the king's life and takes Bertram's hand in marriage as her reward, their misadventures begin.

The cast features MSC veterans including Madeleine O'Keefe (Helena), Matt Reines (Bertram), Sarah Z. Johnson (Countess), and Ben Seidensticker (First Lord Dumaine), with first-time MSC performers including Donavon Armbruster (Lafeu), Riz Moe (Second Lord Dumaine), Meaghan Heires (Mariana), and Audrey Peek (Widow). The production is directed by Kendra C. Thompson.

This production was originally planned for Summer 2020, but rescheduled due to pandemic response.

All's Well That Ends Well will be performed Fridays through Sundays, July 23 through August 1. Friday performances begin at 6:30 PM, with weekend performances at 4 PM. Audience is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for best comfort in the beautiful natural performance space.

Additional details including reservations are available at https://madisonshakespeare.org/allswell and a media gallery is available.