LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Is marriage a fate worse than hanging?

This is just one of many disturbing, yet thought-provoking questions you may ask yourself when you come to see Shakespeare at the Lake’s production of “Measure for Measure” this summer.

Performances take place at Library Park in Lakeport on July 29 and 30, and at Austin Park in Clearlake on Aug. 4, 5 and 6.

Although this is the eighth annual Shakespeare at the Lake, or SATL, production, this year boasts a few notable firsts.

Up until now, all of the live SATL shows have been lighthearted comedies, but “Measure for Measure” is the first drama.

Really, it’s considered a very dark comedy, exploring themes of power (and its abuse), justice (or injustice) and mercy (or lack thereof).

Sex, religion, and mistaken identity (a Shakespearean trademark) are also sprinkled in, for good measure.

Another first for SATL is the addition of preshow entertainment. Faire Measure, a string quartet featuring Renaissance-era music, will delight audiences starting about an hour before the actors take the stage. Bring your appetites, because local food and drink vendors will be set up and ready ahead of time as well.

When SATL went online in 2020 and 2021, the cast included several actors from outside Lake County. However, this is the first live production featuring a leading actor hailing from outside the county.

Phaedra Swearengin, who portrays the dichotomous Duke, travels from Willits multiple times a week for rehearsal. Though new to SATL, she is not new to Shakespeare. This is her sixth time playing a lead in one of the Bard’s great works.

Other new cast members include Adam McGee, who plays the ruthless Angelo, and his partner, Krista Kenny, portraying the saintly Isabella. McGee and Kenny were encouraged to audition by Adam’s daughter Catilynn, a spirited and energetic high schooler.

Luke Del Bosco, another talented young high schooler, is a welcome addition to SATL. Claire Jacobs (recently seen onstage in “Fishwrap”), Lillian Bowers, Emily Fordham, Dan Fossa (a Mr. Lake County contestant) and Ashley Haubner are also brand new to the Shakespeare at the Lake experience.

Along with the many new faces, you may recognize a few actors from previous SATL performances. Alan Fletcher, Kaleb Sanderson and Barbara Clark have been in multiple productions, and Ed Borg joins the cast for the eighth time. If you did the math, that means he has been in every single production.

“Now it’s just a habit,” Borg said.

Cast members, both new and veteran, are thoroughly enjoying the rehearsal process. They’ve described it as “engaging, educational, intense,” and “challenging.” Discovering who their characters are and how they relate to one another is a fascinating exercise.

Director John Tomlinson “makes you reach deep to figure out who your character is and why he does what he does. It's not always comfortable, but it's always worth the journey,” Borg explained.

Making sense of what can seem like a foreign language is the central task of the actors, with the help of Tomlinson. “We spend a lot of time analyzing the text so that the performers really know what the characters are saying,” added Jacobs. “If we don't know what we're saying, how is the audience supposed to understand?”

It is the goal of the cast, crew, and production team that audiences will not only understand, but thoroughly enjoy, this year’s presentation of “Measure for Measure.”

Performances are free of charge. Preshow entertainment and food/beverage sales begin at 6 p.m.

Shakespeare at the Lake is a coproduction of the Lake County Theatre Co. and Mendocino College, with generous support from the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, the city of Lakeport, the city of Clearlake and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit the Lake County Theatre Co. website at www.lctc.us.

Laura Barnes is the producer for Shakespeare at the Lake.