NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival today announced a special addition to its 2015 season. Offering a three-night-only run of performances in early March, NDSF will present Romeo and Juliet tied to its 2015 theme: “Love, Loss, and Laughter.” Professional actors will perform a 75-minute version of Shakespeare’s famous love story while incorporating live acoustic music. Performances will be March 5, 6, and 7 at 7 p.m. in Notre Dame’s Philbin Studio Theatre.

The year holds increased opportunities for seeing live theatre with an added summer production, and “…we’ve begun producing beyond the summer,” says NDSF Ryan Producing Artistic Director Grant Mudge. “In this second year of our NDSF: ON TOUR program of abridged Shakespeare plays, we wanted our loyal Festival audiences to have a chance to see the show.”

The six-member cast will lead workshops and perform in area schools including Clay High School (South Bend), Concord High School (Elkhart), Elkhart Central High School, Elkhart Memorial High School, Plymouth County High School, and Stanley Clark School (South Bend).

In addition to Romeo and Juliet, upcoming NDSF productions at Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center include the new comedy William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged), written and directed by internationally recognized playwrights Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, beginning August 4, and Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, directed by Drew Fracher, beginning Aug. 18.

During the summer months, the NDSF also stages two free productions: ShakeScenes for community actors of all ages, and the annual Young Company production featuring college and university students. The 2015 Young Company includes students from Notre Dame, St. Mary’s, the University of Iowa, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Guthrie Theatre’s University of Minnesota-affiliated BFA program. The Young Company will produce the comedy Love’s Labor’s Lost, directed by West Hyler, in his second summer leading these early-career artists. Hyler is best known for his work on Broadway, including Jersey Boys and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

For tickets, or to learn more about all of Shakespeare at Notre Dame’s 2015 productions, visit shakespeare.nd.edu or call the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Ticket Office at (574) 631-2800.