Shakespeare At The Castle
The Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle and the ActorsNET of Bucks County are pleased to present two nights of outdoor theatre on the grounds of Fonthill Castle with a special modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor, on Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8, 2023.
This modern telling of Shakespeare’s madcap farce takes place in 1963 at the Windsor Hotel Resort in South Fallsburg, NY. Shakespeare’s bright and breezy comedy of sexual jealousy, where clever women are forced to put up with dull, egocentric men, is given a 1960s sitcom reboot against a landscape of summer resort leisure and that new “dirty dancing” music trend.
The Merry Wives of Windsor touches on modern themes like love and marriage, jealousy and revenge, social class and wealth, and explores these themes through irony and sarcasm.
“We are thrilled to be bringing Shakespeare back to the spectacular outdoor setting of Fonthill Castle”, says Marjan Shirzad, Chief Operating Officer of the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle. “It is a delight to partner with ActorsNET of Bucks County once again and present two nights of lively theatrical performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor in an unforgettable venue. Audiences should not miss this opportunity to experience live theater under the stars at this beloved Bucks County tradition”.
Cat Miller, General Manager of ActorsNET of Bucks County, adds, “We are very excited to return to Fonthill Castle to perform The Merry Wives of Windsor this year, and cannot wait to bring our theatrical talents to new audiences this summer!”
This special production by the most famous playwright in the English language is staged on the grounds of Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, PA. Built between 1908-1912, Fonthill Castle was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer, and was both a residence and showplace for Mercer’s collection of tiles and prints. The castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete and features forty-four rooms, over two hundred windows, and eighteen fireplaces. Fonthill Castle's interior features Mercer's renowned, hand-crafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the
Arts and Crafts movement. Fonthill Castle is operated by the Bucks County Historical Society, and is open daily for guided tours.
Two ticket options for The Merry Wives of Windsor offer an opportunity for Preferred Seating with chairs on-site, or Lawn Seating where guests provide their own blankets.
Tickets are $30 for Preferred Seating and $20 for Lawn Seating and tickets are available online at mercermuseum.org/shakespeare, as well as at the door on a first-come, first-serve basis.
All outdoor performances are rain or shine (except in the case of severe, hazardous weather) and tickets are 100% non-refundable and non-transferable - please plan accordingly.
On-site parking is available via the Swamp Road (Rt. 313) entrance, between North Street and East Court Street.
For tickets and information, please visit mercermuseum.org/shakespeare.