AMHERST, MA: English history as Shakespeare conceived it takes on all the excitement of the struggles for power that characterized the political and military world of the early 1400s in Hampshire Shakespeare Company’s production of Henry IV, Part 1 which opens its 2009 Shakespeare Under the Stars season under the direction of Ann Garner.  The show is in previews June 24 and 25, and opens June 26, running through July 5 on the outdoor stage in the meadow at The Hartsbrook School, 193 Bay Road in Hadley. Curtain time is 7:30 pm Wednesdays through Sundays, rain or shine (the show will move indoors in the event of rain).  General admission tickets are 16; students and seniors $10; children to age 18 are $6.  Preview performances are open to the public: tickets are $10 adults, $5 children. For further information, go to www.hampshireshakespeare.org, or call 413-848-2882.

Henry IV, Part I introduced the beloved character of Sir John Falstaff to Elizabethan audiences. The bawdy knight serves as a foil to young Prince Hal, who must play out a struggle between the old world ideals of chivalry and divine right, represented by his rival Hotspur, and the new politics associated with Machiavelli and merit which culminate in the English hero, Henry V (Prince Hal). Steve Kallaugher plays Falstaff who threatens to lead the young prince (Andrew McClelland) astray; King Henry IV (Dan Popowich) is reassured of his son’s true royal nature by the prince’s defeat of the rebellious Hotspur (Owen Hayden) on the field of battle and his repudiation of his decadent lifestyle.

Tickets are available at the door and at Amherst Books, 8 Main St., Amherst, MA (413) 256-1547; Broadside Bookshop, 247 Main St., Northampton, MA (413) 586-4235, and Odyssey Bookshop, Village Commons, Rte. 116, South Hadley, MA (413) 532-3142.

All seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis, and the performance goes on rain or shine. In the event of rain, the show moves indoors to the spacious and comfortable setting of Peining Hall.Our venue is handicapped-accessible. Chairs are provided, and audience members can also choose to sit on the grass (bring your own blankets). Seat cushions are available for rental. Picnicking before the performance is permitted. At intermission, a selection of refreshments and snacks is available. No alcohol please.

Hampshire Shakespeare Company is a community-based organization with part-time seasonal professional staff.  The company brings together professional, amateur and student performers, offering audiences and actors a range of theatrical experiences from the most profound to the most playful. Our summer performances are held on the campus of The Hartsbrook School on an open-air stage with a
majestic view of the Holyoke Range.