Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Launches The Muse of Fire Project with Performances of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
Lehigh Valley High School Students Bring the Bard's Beloved Comedy to Life this Holiday Season on the Main Stage at DeSales University
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is proud to announce the launch of The Muse of Fire Project, a groundbreaking educational initiative that places high school students from across the Lehigh Valley at the center of a fully-realized Shakespeare production. Performances of Much Ado About Nothing will take place December 20 at 7:00 PM and December 21 at 2:00 PM on the Main Stage at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University, in Center Valley, PA.
This innovative program represents an expansion of PSF's educational outreach, giving local high school students the rare opportunity to perform on a professional stage while working alongside professional directors and artists. After weeks of rehearsals at the Allentown Public Library, these young artists are preparing to present their modern take on Shakespeare's witty romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.
“When you bring together talented high school students from across multiple districts and give them the tools to not just perform Much Ado About Nothing, but to truly inhabit it, something magical happens,” said Kim Carson, PSF’s Director of Education and Community Engagement, who is also directing the production. “Students who may have seen Shakespeare as a barrier are now breaking through it with courage, creativity, and passion. These young artists are proving that classical theatre isn't locked in the past; it's alive, vital, and waiting for the next generation to carry it forward.”
The project offers students hands-on experience in all aspects of theatrical production, whether they act, build, design, or run crew, and features a talented group of young artists from over a dozen schools across the region.
Performance & Ticket Details:
What: William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
When: December 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM and December 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Where: Main Stage, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, on the campus of DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
Tickets: Purchase your $10 tickets here. Tickets are general admission and can also be purchased at the box office on the dates of the performance.
To learn more about The Muse of Fire Project and PA Shakespeare Festival’s education initiatives please contact Kim Carson, Director of Education and Community Engagement at kim.carson@pashakespeare.org.
For more information about Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and its upcoming 2026 Summer Theatre Series visit www.pashakespeare.org.