Four County Players to Open 52nd Season With Shakespeare at the Ruins: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

To open their 52nd theatrical season in Barboursville, Four County Players, in collaboration with Barboursville Vineyards, will present Shakespeare at the Ruins: The Comedy of Errors by Williams Shakespeare, directed by 'Derby' Thomas, running July 12 through July 27 at the Historic Barboursville Ruins.

About Shakespeare at the Ruins:

The beloved, nationally acclaimed Shakespeare at the Ruins collaboration between Four County Players and Barboursville Vineyards returns - after celebrated productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream (2019) and As You Like It (2022), and a previous 13-year hiatus. Started in 1990 by Sarah Smith Bossong, Shakespeare at the Ruins grew to be a time-honored tradition for theater lovers near and far-with many visitors traveling across the country to witness the annual summer production. Due to wear and tear on the historic grounds over time, Shakespeare at the Ruins ended its annual productions in 2006 with All's Well That Ends Well (fittingly). Now, with generous support from Barboursville Vineyards, Mary Lou and Charlie Seilheimer, and Orange County Virginia Tourism, Four County Players is thrilled to return for another magical summer. Performances will be on-site in the beautiful Barboursville Vineyards, at the historic ruins Governor James Barbour's mansion, designed by Thomas Jefferson and destroyed by fire on Christmas Day, 1884. Nestled in the beautiful boxwoods surrounding the Barboursville Ruins, audiences will be treated to a magical midsummer evening-complete with picnics, local food trucks, Barboursville wines, and an unforgettable performance of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies.

About the Play:

In The Comedy of Errors - one of Shakespeare's earliest and most fast-paced works - two long-separated twins, their two tricky servants (also twins), a jealous wife, and her lovelorn sister romp through this madcap comedy. Filled with mistaken identities and slapstick humor, this production will have audiences laughing from the first confusion to the last.

This production is directed by 'Derby' Thomas, and is produced by Kim Dukes, Wendy Novicoff, and Linda Zuby. Kristen Franklin Heiderstadt serves as Event Director, with Assistant Event Director Erin Batten. Rounding out the production staff are Anna Grey Hogan as Production Stage Manager, Sophia Schlicht as Assistant Stage Manager, Linda Zuby and Amy Goffman as Costume Designers, Kerry Moran as Scenic Designer, Pete Davies as Lead Carpenter, David Hutchins as Lighting Designer and Lead Electrician, Maggie Wratchford and Larry Friedland as Fight Choreographers, Linda Hogan as Properties Designer and Wardrobe Manager, Gary Warwick White as Production Manager, Devynn Thomas as Assistant Production Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, and Nick Edelman as Shop and Build Supervisor. Jennifer Phelps serves as Theater Operations Manager and Edward Warwick White serves as Marketing and Merchandise Director.

The cast of merry players includes Matt Hagerman, Kate Johnson, Andy Davis, Joey Wharton, Shinji Elspeth Oh, Hope King, Jayda Everett, Paulius Sinkora, Jesse McCain, Marc Hogan, Guy Aiken, Stephanie Finn, Patrick Bruns, Bill Hines, Susanna Johns, Ben Brantley, and Adeline Sokolowski.

William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors opens July 12, 2024 and runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at the Historic Barboursville Ruins through July 27, 2024. Gates open at 6PM, with performances starting at 7:30PM.

Tickets are $25. Tickets may be purchased online or through the theater's Box Office. Tickets must be purchased in advance. All seats are general admission.

Alumni Night/Pay-What-You-Will Preview:

Thursday, July 11 will be Shakespeare at the Ruins Alumni Night and Pay-What-You-Will preview. If you participated in a previous Ruins production (1990 - 2006, 2019, 2022), we invite you to attend a preview of The Comedy of Errors, and join us for a group picture (wear your SATR t-shirts if you have them)! Alumni should RSVP to 4countyplayers@fourcp.org in advance. Please specify that you are a SATR alumnus and share the name(s) of the production(s) and role(s) in which you participated. This preview is also open to the public, but please RSVP.

Palladio Picnics:

Palladio Restaurant will be offering a picnic dinner takeout for two priced at $95. Available for purchase by advance reservation only. To reserve a picnic dinner, contact book@palladiorestaurant.com. Note that picnic dinners must be reserved at least one week in advance of the performance you will attend and will be available for pickup on-site at the performance.

Food Trucks: Every performance will have at least one local food truck on-site. Food trucks will include: Bavarian Chef, Catch the Chef, Carpe Donut, and Two Brothers Southwestern Grill.

Alcohol Policy: Barboursville Vineyards will have a wine station on-site for patrons to purchase Barboursville wines by the glass or by the bottle. No other alcohol is permitted per ABC law.

Pet Policy: No animals allowed on premises with the exception of service animals.

Children's Ticket Policy: If your child needs their own seat, they need a ticket. The Comedy of Errors is suitable for audience members of all ages who have the ability to use good theater etiquette. However, we do not recommend this show for children under 6 years of age.

Rain Policy: Rain cancels. The theater will make the announcement via our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fourcountyplayers) and website (www.fourcp.org), as well as a message on the Box Office voicemail. If a rain cancellation is made, audience members may contact the Box Office via email (4countyplayers@fourcp.org) to discuss rescheduling options. We do not plan to schedule any rain make-up performances.

DIRECTIONS: Access to Shakespeare at the Ruins is only by way of Mansion Road off of Governor Barbour Street. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARDS. Follow the signs to Mansion Road. It is marked with a white gate, welcome banner, and flags. This entrance will lead you down a dirt road to the parking field and boxwood entrance to the backside of the Historic Barboursville Ruins. Parking attendants will be on-site to assist you. IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to bridge work, there will be some road closures in the area. All traffic to SATR must enter via Rt. 20. Access to Mansion Road will remain clear.

Four County Players is Central Virginia's Longest-Running Community Theater, and prides itself on being a cultural destination for Charlottesville and the surrounding areas. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the Box Office at 540-832-5355, visit our website at www.fourcp.org, or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fourcountyplayers.

To post a comment, you must register and login.