Four years ago something magical happened to the Schroon performing art scene  -- a gift in the form of a troupe of talented actors with a passion for all things Shakespeare. And Schroon is in for a double treat this weekend!

So was born the Adirondack Shakespeare Company, aka ADK Shakes, and with it a tradition of bringing the works of Will to a whole new audience here in the Adirondacks.

From performing scenes in our  Town Park, to bringing  back to life live theatre on the long abandoned stage at Scaroon Manor, this little company that could, shook things up.

And along the way, they attracted a loyal fan base of kids and adults, with their unique approach to re-inventing the productions of Will Shakespeare, while maintaining their authenticity.

The company opened their 2013 season at the Ticonderoga Festival Guild, where they performed  The Course of True Love,  which Schroon Lake fans can see at Scaroon Manor on August 3.

And Scaroon Manor will be the place to be this Sunday, with an original play written especially for kids of all ages: Celtic Fairy Tales, a free performance with paid admission to the Park. The show is written by Tara Bradway, the ADK Shakes Artistic Director, who also performs.

True North Yoga’s Deb Philp caught the show in Shroon on Thursday.

“It was wonderful. The three kids who watched it with me (ages 9-11) all enjoyed it. Tara did an amazing job interweaving the tales into the broader plot. As usual, the actors were extremely professional and entertaining, ad-libbing when appropriate and inviting participation from their young audience at times. They really keep the kids engaged.”

Celtic Fairy Tales is just one of many performances  this summer performed throughout the Adirondack Park.

Schroon fans are in for another treat tomorrow night (Saturday)  at the Boat House when the company will do a staged reading of Much Ado About Nothing at 7:30pm.  Admission is by donation only and all funds raised will go to help stage and support their Fifth Anniversary Summer Season in 2014.

And coming this fall, Adirondack Shakespeare Company presents fall programming for the first time!

From Tara:

We are currently scheduling performances to tour throughout the region, including our debut at the Wood Theater in Glens Falls. We are pleased to announce that our first fall title will be William Shakespeare’s charming comedy, Love’s Labour’s Lost .

If you can't make it to a performance, and would like to make a donation, find out how, here!