A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Local mortals, fairies, and theater lovers are advised to clear their calendars. The Clark County Public Library is thrilled to sponsor a special, free-to-the-public performance of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, presented by the acclaimed Rustic Mechanicals.

The performance will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM at the Cardinal Community Center in Winchester.

As part of their highly anticipated 2026 Howl at the Moon Tour, the Rustic Mechanicals—West Virginia’s Shakespeare troupe—promise an afternoon of high-energy antics, romantic chaos, and accidental donkey transformations. For those unfamiliar with the plot: four star-crossed lovers run away to an enchanted forest, a crew of well-meaning but clueless bluecollar actors try to rehearse a play, and the local fairy royalty decides to meddle with everyone’s love lives using magical flower juice. What could possibly go wrong?

"Lord, what fools these mortals be," famously observed Puck, the play’s resident mischief-maker. The Rustic Mechanicals embrace that foolishness wholeheartedly, stripping away the stuffy, textbook reputation of Shakespeare and replacing it with the raw, raucous energy Shakespeare originally intended.

"We are incredibly proud to bring world-class, professional theatre straight to our community at no cost to our patrons," said Angela Turner of the Clark County Public Library. "Libraries are about storytelling in all its forms, and the Rustic Mechanicals have a unique gift for making 400-year-old text feel fresh, hilarious, and completely accessible to modern audiences of all ages."