What better way to stage A Midsummer Night’s Dream than amid summer’s lush landscapes? The Vermont Shakespeare Company agrees. Local thespians take advantage of this ideal setting with open-air performances of the Bard’s famed comedy. Brimming with wit and wordplay, the productions reflect VSC’s mission "to connect the beauty of our natural world to the magic of live theater." Fast-paced, physical staging brings the adventures of lovers, actors and meddling fairies to life — including the mischievous Puck, who declares, "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

Price: $15-25; free for kids under 12 with ticketed adult.