Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s first season begins July 1

The newly-formed Santa Cruz Shakespeare begins its first summer season on July 1 in the Sinsheimer-Stanley Festival Glen at UC Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Shakespeare grew out of Shakespeare Santa Cruz, a 32-year-old theater series shuttered last year by UCSC due to funding issues. A crowdsourcing campaign helped bring the festival back in its new incarnation.

Santa Cruz Shakespeare opens the season with “As You Like It” on July 1, followed by “the Merry Wives of Windsor,” which opens on July 13. The theater company also will present two special performances of “The Fringe Show: The Beard of Avon,” a comedy by Amy Freed, July 29 and August 5.

Tickets are available online at www.santacruztickets.com.

This year’s season also includes discussions with the actors and directors, a two-day Shakespeare summit, and more.