If the Shady Shakes have their way, a new spring tradition they plan to inaugurate on April 4 will bring in the much-needed funds to make that dream a reality--the first annual Shady Shakespeare Golf Tournament.

The company was formed in 1999 by Sara Betts, Jeff Day and Dinna Myers, and they have since called Sanborn-Skyline County Park in Saratoga their home. The group has traditionally performed one Shakespearean production each year toward the end of summer, free of charge to the public, and the company is excited to finally be expanding its season this year.

"This summer we're essentially doubling our season. We'll be doing two productions instead of one, which is right in line with our goals. We've been looking to grow for a while now, so we're really excited," says Betts, the group's artistic director.

Betts says the group is happy to be putting together the group of ensemble actors it has always wanted--six actors have been asked to join the company permanently and be the core performers in every production the company presents. This is allowing Shady Shakespeare to finally move toward "repertory style," in which each of the two shows they will present this summer--The Merry Wives of Windsor and Measure for Measure--will get its own opening weekend, and then the two shows will alternate performance nights through the end of the season.

"Our hope for doing that is to run our group much like Shakespeare ran his troupe," Betts explains. "He had a group of dedicated artists. Someone might play Hamlet one night and a spear-thrower the next."

Although Shady Shakespeare would like to expand even further and have productions in the winter season as well, Betts says for now the company's off-season has to focus entirely on fundraising--and they hope the new golf tournament will give the group a leg up.

Kicking off on April 4 at 8 a.m. at the Los Lagos Golf Course in San Jose, the Shady Shakes will offer members of the community the chance to have a day of golf, lunch and prizes, with all proceeds benefiting the Shakespearean troupe. A one-time cost of $85 per person gives participants 18 holes of golf, a cart, green fees, bottled water and luncheon after the tournament.

Betts says fundraising events are really what keeps the group going. Everyone in the company, except for the actors is a volunteer. In addition to such events, the volunteers work hard every off-season applying for grants, selling ad space in their programs and soliciting donations from corporations and members of the community.

The Los Lagos Golf Course is at 2995 Tuers Road in San Jose. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. To register for the first annual Shady Shakespeare Golf Tournament, visit www.shadyshakes.org.