This is the second year the company has set up camp at Sanborn to host a free 12-show series, a setting that provides the ultimate atmosphere for a forest-based play, surrounding the stage with nature's own trees, plants, and babbling brook.

"Once we knew we were in this spot, we made sure to use it. It is perfect for this play," says Dinna Myers, company co-founder and managing director.

Audiences evidently feel the same way, as the grounds have been packed since the series opened on Aug. 12 and will likely continue to be so until the play closes on Sept. 14.

Weaving four story lines together, A Midsummer Night's Dream takes place in Athens, where humans, fairies, and other creatures are involved in a series of tricks and talks that lead the characters through love, disgust, acceptance, and back again. Filled with human folly and fairy humor, the energetic cast makes lively use of the space and material, aiding the company on its way to becoming an established troupe.

"We are still developing, but I've had some of the most rewarding experiences working with this company," says James Lucas, who is a board member and plays the role of Oberon, king of the fairies. "It's a struggle—it takes a whole year for us to get to this point of putting on the shows. It is a lot of work, but so amazing."

"It takes a long time to build a company," Myers says. "We only perform one show a year now, but we've committed to two shows by 2005. It's rapidly growing and becoming stronger."

In addition to expanding the company itself, Shady Shakespeare also aims to enlarge the quantity of local Shakespeare lovers.

"Shakespeare is not meant to be read," says Midsummer director Doll Piccotto. "To read it is just unbearable, it's boring. That's why kids get so frightened of it. So if I can bring one person here who says they hate Shakespeare and have them enjoy it, then I'll die happy."

As one of the younger cast members, Melinda Marks, who plays the malevolent troublemaker Puck, says she would never have been a fan of Shakespeare if her experience had started with simply reading the text.

"It is so much better to learn by performing," she says. "To convey these words on stage is a privilege that you don't get from straight text analysis. It's about getting a grasp on the ideas and what the characters are about."

Getting a feel for Shakespeare's characters is not an easy task, however.

"Shakespeare didn't give any stage direction," Piccotto says. "It's like solving a big mystery, so I encourage my cast to think on its feet. You have to be a scholar, a detective. It's extra work, but it's worth it."

To convey meaning that might not be easily understood, the actors rely heavily on gestures and emotive facial expressions to bridge the gap for audiences.

"We spend a lot of time on text, analyzing the character itself. You especially have to do that with a character like Puck, because it's hard to know if everything is as much an accident as it seems," Mark says.

"Oberon is one of my dream roles," Lucas says. "But it's difficult because once you go into the text, they are some of the most beautiful words, but [the fairies] are doing very evil things." To illuminate Oberon, Lucas uses body language to bring his wicked charm to life.

"This company is teaching Shakespeare as much as it is creating a beautiful piece of theater," he says.

After all, Myers adds, educating an audience in addition to entertaining is the lifeblood of community theater.

"Before doing this, my life didn't make any difference. But when I do this, my life makes a difference. When I hear a kid's laugh, or one person in the audience gasp, it is everything to me."

A Midnight Summer's Dream will be performed at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12, 13, and 14. Sanborn-Skyline County Park is located at 16055 Sanborn Road, Saratoga, 95070. Admission is free; parking is $4 per vehicle. For more information, visit http://www.shadyshakes.org.