Theatre Under the Trees is back with a production of "The Taming of the Shrew."

Director Michelle Norton is spicing up the familiar Shakespearean play by shifting the scene to the 1920s.

"I wanted to take a fresh look at an old play," she said. "Women were more independent in the '20s. It reflects well for this play."

"The Taming of the Shrew" is a tale of two sisters, Bianca and Kate. Their father wants to marry them off -- but despite Bianca's many suitors, he insists on marrying off the very stubborn and difficult Kate first. Bianca's suitors convince the visiting Petruchio to woo Kate.

The DreamWrights Youth & Family Theatre group will perform "Shrew" at various parks in York County. The 18 local actors range in age from 8 to adult.

Challenging:--> Thaddaeus Fillmore, who plays Grumio, a servant to Petruchio, said the most challenging part of performing outside is learning to block out the distractions. The sounds of cars, airplanes, weather and other people in the park can compete for the audience's attention.

"It's definitely more challenging with the outdoors," said Thaddaeus, 26, of Fairview Township. He and his wife, Heather, are both participating in the production.

The second challenge is that no two parks are the same, he said.

"The stage is always changing. You really have to adapt on the fly every single night."

Several of the venues have alternate locations if the weather is bad, but unless the director sees lightning, the show is likely to go on as planned.

"In most cases we just roll through the crummy weather," said Heather Fillmore, 25.

This "Shrew" will take the audience to the boardwalk and the beach. The women will wear flapper costumes while the men don big hats, suits, vests and jackets. Ragtime tunes will heighten the '20s mood. Norton said her favorite song in the play is "I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate."

Shakespeare's words:--> The language, however, will stay true to Shakespeare, Norton said.

"I really love Shakespeare the way he is," she said. "I just have fun playing with the look."

Although the Bard's language can be confusing for some, the audience should be able to follow the plot, said Heather, who plays Kate. The actors have worked hard to gain a deeper understanding of the language, which helps them accurately portray the characters' emotions, she said.

The shows are free, which makes it easy for Shakespeare novices to catch more than one performance and gain a thorough understanding of the play, Norton said.

"It's a rare opportunity to see anything for free these days," she said.

The cast members are in it for the joy of acting, not a paycheck, which keeps the atmosphere light and fun.

"We've got some really talented little kids," Thaddaeus said of the youngest cast members. "They have a lot of energy."

The energy should keep the audience's attention throughout the show, he said.

"I think they'll be entertained," he said. "It's really funny, and hopefully a little bit of culture as well."

-- Reach Mary Beiler at 854-1575 or news@yorkdispatch.com.

Catch the show

Theatre Under the Trees returns this summer with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" by DreamWrights Youth & Family Theatre.

All performances begin at 6:30 p.m. except the final show, which begins at 2:30 p.m. The shows are free, but donations will be accepted.

Starred (*) locations have alternate stages in case of rain. Attendees are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and a picnic.

For more information or directions, contact DreamWrights at 848-8623.

Friday: Gifford Pinchot State Park

Saturday: William Kain County Park*

Sunday: Cousler Park*

Tuesday: John Rudy County Park

Thursday, July 30: Sam Lewis State Park*

Friday, July 31: Lincoln Park in York City

Saturday, Aug. 1: Stewartstown Community Park*

Sunday, Aug. 2: DreamWrights, 100 Carlisle Ave. (2:30 p.m.)