Fun Friday--How About a Little Shakespeare??

Shakespeare may have famously written that "all the world's a stage," but even the Bard himself would concede that New York is the best place to be for your summer theater fix.

For traditionalists, the Royal Shakespeare Company brings its 44-actor ensemble and set, modeled after the original in Stratford-upon-Avon, to Lincoln Center. From July 6 to August 14, the troupe will perform five plays--As You Like It, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet and The Winter's Tale--with tickets from $40 to $200.

If you prefer more authentic scenery, there's the much-beloved summer tradition of Shakespeare in the Park. This season's slate, running through July 30, includes Measure for Measure and All's Well That Ends Well. Tickets are free, but prepare to line up with your fellow soliloquy seekers (or try your luck online with the Public Theater's new virtual ticketing system).

And my all time favorite!! If you're up for a road trip, check out performances of Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival hosted at the beautiful, 19th-century Boscobel estate in Garrison (through September 4; $33 for adults.)

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival has a great offer that will not only put you on one of the most spectacular sites along the Hudson River, on the grounds of Boscobel House & Gardens, where you can enjoy a picnic dinner, but will also entertain and inspire you with an evening of Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it. This season, the Festival’s 25th, will feature Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Around the World in 80 Days. The Wall Street Journal says” “If you’re searching for the best of all possible times … you’ll have trouble topping the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. I can’t think of another outdoor festival that has a higher overall batting average. Hudson Valley’s deliberately informal productions are a model of cultural populism at its most engaging and effective.” The Festival is offering readers of StacyKnows.com a special discount of 15% off for all weeknight performances, Tuesday through Friday, from June 14th through July 1st. All you need to do to get the discount is purchase your tickets through the Box Office and mention the code: STACY KNOWS. The Box Office number is: (845) 265-9575. For a full schedule of performances go to www.hvshakespeare.org).

Make your plans now, before the curtain falls.