The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey has announced its 2014 season.

The roster includes seven productions over the course of the season, which runs from May through December: "The Tempest," "Henry VIII" and "Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare, "The Devil's Disciple" by George Bernard Shaw, "The Alchemist" by Ben Jonson, "Wittenberg" by David Davalos, and, on the outdoor stage, "The Learned Ladies" by Molière. The shows are performed on the theater's Main Stage at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University in Madison, and one summer production is performed on the popular Outdoor Stage, the Greek amphitheater on the campus of The College of Saint Elizabeth.



"The ambitious lineup demonstrates the Theatre's unwavering dedication to all classic literature, from the familiar to the forgotten, the recognizable to the rediscovered, with works by Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Ben Jonson, Molière, and contemporary playwright David Davalos," the theater said in a news release. The season begins in late May and continues through December.

Here's a look at the season ahead provided by Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The Season

The 2014 season kicks off with William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," directed by Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte. "This was the first show that I directed at this Theatre in 1991, and this June I am excited to once again explore the play with a new vision." Prestigious company veteran Sherman Howard, an actor Monte describes as "a force of nature in himself," will portray Prospero, the powerful magician who rules over his enchanted island home. "The Tempest" will begin performances on May 28.

This summer, the Shakespeare Theatre's Outdoor Stage will ring with laughter as the "It Girls" of the 17th century (who bear a hilarious and uncanny resemblance to the "It Girls" of the 21st century) frolic and flirt in Molière's comedic delight "The Learned Ladies." Directed by Brian B. Crowe, who created the last season's holiday masterpiece "Pericles," "The Learned Ladies" will open June 18 at the beautiful, family-friendly amphitheatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth.

Just in time for Independence Day and the celebration of New Jersey's 350th anniversary, company veteran Paul Mullins will direct George Bernard Shaw's only play about America — "The Devil's Disciple." Set in the revolutionary tumult of Colonial America in 1777, an unlikely anti-hero makes the ultimate sacrifice, causing Loyalists and patriots alike to question the true meaning of honor. "The Devil's Disciple" will open July 2. Next on the Main Stage, Monte will direct her adaptation of the side-splitting but rarely-produced Ben Jonson masterpiece "The Alchemist." The rowdy, bawdy comedy about con men in 1610 demonstrates how little has changed about greed or gullibility in the affairs of mankind. Mr. Jonson's astute portrayal of three tricky gullers and the parade of outrageous characters they gull exemplifies the satirical wit of one of Shakespeare's greatest contemporaries. "The Alchemist" will begin Aug. 6.