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Get the Puck Outta Town: Ride to Shakespeare at the Forest Theater

What do sock hops and Shakespeare have in common? I’m not sure, but I intend to find out when I ride out to the Mountaineers Forest Theater on Sunday, Aug. 17. I’m heading for a 2 p.m. production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the Shakespeare comedy of mistaken identities that features an impish character named Puck.

The outdoor amphitheater would seem a perfect place to stage the play, which is set in the woods outside of Athens. But wait a minute! In this Rock-and-Roll version created by Arne Zaslove, the play takes place instead in a 1950s high school gymnasium on prom night. The words are Shakespeare’s, but the scene is all poodle skirts and leather jackets, set to a soundtrack of classic 50s rock music.

Join me for the short, eight-mile ride out to the theater to see the show. We’ll be meeting at the Bremerton ferry dock at 11 a.m. and returning by 6 p.m. You’ll need money for the ferry, the play and lunch (concessions are available there, but you can bring your own picnic lunch if you’d like).

Contact me at bill@bikingpugetsound.com for details on how to join in this fun Sunday afternoon event.