A full afternoon of free outdoor performances! At 2 p.m., Richard III, a fast-paced thriller in a bold new 50-minute adaptation, is brought to life by puppets, blending medieval and Renaissance spectacle. Puppetry offers the perfect way to get inside one of Shakespeare’s most over-the-top villains and makes the play’s dark material accessible, exhilarating, and tinged with theatrical delight. At 5 p.m., The Merry Wives of Windsor has Mistresses Page, Ford, and Quickly outwitting the boastful braggart Falstaff, making his scheming attempts at seduction and extortion spectacularly backfire. This fast-paced comedy is cut to a lively 40 minutes, focusing solely on Falstaff’s foibles, and features musical interludes throughout by Early Music Now. For the many activities happening before and between the performances, visit the Optimist Theatre's website!