The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) 31st season continues with William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” in previews July 13 and 14, opening July 15 and continuing through Aug. 7, Schubert Theater, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University.

Shakespeare’s spirited comedy offers a tale of two courtships. Beatrice and Benedick elevate the art of the quarrel in their duel of glittering wordplay, while Claudio and Hero have their true love put to the test.

“Much Ado About Nothing,” written at the height of Shakespeare’s career along with the beloved comedies “Twelfth Night” and “As You Like It,” is one of the Bard’s most popular and most performed plays.

Pfeiffer, after directing PSF’s 2021 acclaimed outdoor production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” returns for his 23rd PSF season.

Pfeiffer’s directing credits include PSF’s “Twelfth Night,” “As You Like It” and “The Taming of the Shrew” and at Arden Theatre Company, People’s Light and Delaware Theatre Company. Pfeiffer is a two-time Barrymore Award winner for Best Director and the F. Otto Haas Award.

Shakespeare wrote “Much Ado About Nothing” in the late 1590s, after theaters in London had been closed down for two years be cause of an epidemic of the plague. Pfeiffer notes the parallel between 1590s’ London and today:

“Where we are at in this moment in time allows us to have perspective on what’s different from what the Elizabethans felt, and also how totally the same it is.”

Pfeiffer says that audiences then were “craving respite from their fears and their troubles” and that yearning for reprieve is part of the play itself, which begins at the end of a war.

When the soldiers come home, among them are the young Claudio (Gabe Moses), who falls in love with Hero (Taylor Congdon), and confirmed bachelor Benedick (Akeem Davis), whose history with Hero’s cousin Beatrice (Brett Ashley Robinson) has led to a long-standing feud between the two.

While Claudio and Hero are quick to become engaged, it takes a little help from their friends for Beatrice and Benedick to realize their feelings for each other. All appears to be well, until the villainous Don John (Sean Close) threatens to undo the happiness of each couple.

“If I had done ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ three years ago, I would not have had as great an appreciation for that feeling of coming out of darkness into something that feels like relief or feels like light,” Pfeiffer says.

Theater-goers must wear face masks in Labuda Center.

There are talk-backs after July 21, 28 and Aug. 4 performances.

The 2 p.m. Aug, 6 performance provides open-captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing and audio descriptions for patrons who are blind or visually impaired. Tickets are half- price for patrons using these special services. Information: box office manager Kyle Schumaker, 610-282-3654, ext. 1.

“Much Ado About Nothing,” 7:30 p.m. July 20 - 22, 27 - 30; Aug. 3 - 5; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. July 17, 23, 31, Aug. 6; 6:30 p.m. July 19, 26, Aug. 2, and 2 p.m. July 24, Aug. 7. Tickets: www.tickets.desales.edu; 610-282-3192

“Game” on at The Pines:

The Lehigh Valley premiere of “Game Show” continues through Aug. 21, The Pines Dinner Theatre, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown.

Set during a live broadcast of a fictional, long-running TV game show, “Game Show” puts the audience in the role of the TV studio audience, in which theater-goers are picked as contestants to play the trivia-based game and win prizes.

In addition to watching and playing during the broadcast where anything can and does happen, the audience is witness to the backstage back-stabbing antics that go on during commercial breaks. “Game Show” is co-written by Jeffery Finn and Bob Walton, with music by Bob Walton.

“This is a brand-new show for us,” says Stacy Bechtel, Pines music director. “We are super-excited to dive into this one.”

Tickets include a seat for the show. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and beverages are available for purchase. Dinner and the show happen concurrently. Theater-goers are welcome to BYOB.

“Game Show,” 12:30 p.m., dinner; 1:30 p.m., show, Wednesdays, Thursdays; 6:30 p.m., dinner; 7:30 p.m., show, Fridays, Saturdays, and 12:30 p.m., dinner; 1:30 p.m., show, Sundays, through Aug. 21. Tickets: www.Pinesdinnertheatre.com; 610-433-2333

NCC Summer Theatre children’s show:

Northampton Community College Summer Theatre’s children’s show, “The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” continues through Aug. 6, Norman Roberts Lab Theatre, Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem Township.

The show, directed by NCC Sumer Theatre Producing Artistic Director Bill Mutimer, is inspired by Judith Viorst’s classic book of the same title. The family-friendly musical centers on the adventures of young Alexander, whose morning starts with gum in his hair and includes bad experiences the rest of the day.

The wearing of face masks is optional.

“The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” 10 a.m. July 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 30, Aug. 3, 4, 6; 1 p.m. July 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5. www.ncctix.org; 484-484-3412

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com.