The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival, one of the area's most popular outdoor theatrical events, is celebrating a decade of performances.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company together with California Lutheran University will present two classics this summer. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be performed Fridays through Sundays, June 30 through July 16 and "Othello" performances will be held Fridays through Sundays, July 21 through Aug. 6.

Visitors will be immersed in the Shakespeare experience as festival grounds open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking and preshow entertainment with musicians, dancing, juggling and sword-fighting demonstrations.

The most often produced of all of Shakespeare's comedies, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was the first presentation of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival in 1997. The revival this year has been recreated by director Lane Davies, who originally conceived the staging for the Santa Susana Repertory Company.

"In the fall of 1996, I came to Michael (Arndt) with the idea of doing this play in Kingsmen Park on the CLU campus as a sort of a 'pilot' festival," Davies said. Although the festival started out with no real stage, no sound support and almost no money, it soon gathered some help from friends, he said.

Local actress Annie Lockhart brought into the fold promoter Ken Amorosano, who obtained a $10,000 grant from the Los Angeles Times. Ever since, Davies said, "people came and they loved the festival."

In February, the Santa Susana Repertory Company, which is affiliated with the Kingsmen, presented Davies' new version of "Midsummer" at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza's Scherr Forum. That production, which featured many of the original cast members from 1997, will be the one performed at the festival this summer.

"It seemed a perfect way to celebrate 10 years of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival with a revival of our inaugural production," Davies said.

This re-creation is set on a plantation in the 1930s Deep South. The play brings together young lovers struggling against their parents, comical country bumpkins trying to produce a play, and meddling spirits portrayed as Confederate-era ghosts. It's a great family introduction to the works of Shakespeare, according to organizers.

"Othello," a love story of passion, betrayal, jealousy and death, is one of Shakespeare's greatest works. The Moor Othello, a conquering and powerful general, marries the beautiful young Desdemona against her father's wishes. Plotting by Othello's trusted but treacherous lieutenant, Iago, turns Othello's love for Desdemona to all-consuming jealousy. Set in the exotic world of the Mediterranean, Italy and Cyprus, this production will bring excitement and spectacle to the Kingsmen stage.

"In celebrating 10 years of presenting quality professional performances of the plays of William Shakespeare, The Kingsmen Shakespeare group will honor those organizations and persons who have helped the festival grow," said Arndt, CLU drama professor and founder of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival. "Over 100,000 people have

enjoyed the festival atmosphere in beautiful Kingsmen Park, which will be expanded this year. Our pre-show entertainment will contain many additional activities and performances for children and adults."

Admission is $10 for adults and free for those under 18. Lawn box seating is available for $65 and $50. For ticket and lawn box purchase information, call (805) 493-3455 or check the festival's website at www. kingsmenshakespeare.org.

The CLU campus is located at 60 W. Olsen Road in Thousand Oaks. Alcohol is prohibited on the campus.

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company, a professional nonprofit theater organization, also coordinates apprentice programs for professional and aspiring Shakespearean actors, sponsors Theater in Education programs in local schools and

organizes summer theater camps for youth.