Spring has finally arrived on the Augustana campus, but students remember all too well that a sad tale's best for the long, dreary winter.

And Shakespeare thought so too.

Although it is one of his lesser-prized works, A Winter's Tale is nonetheless an intriguing romance.

"What I love so much about this work is that it gives audiences the total Shakespearean package – it's a late Romance, so it doesn't conform to one genre," director Jayna Fitzsimmons said.

"It has all of the things we love about Shakespearean tragedy – betrayal, jealousy, high stakes – and everything we love about Shakespearean comedy – physical humor, characters in disguise and, of course, a happy ending."

 In the play, King Leontes of Sicilia is overcome with jealousy when he suspects his friend King Polixenes of sleeping with his wife, Hermione. Leontes thus abandons his queen and child. His lost daughter Perdita is raised by a shepherd who is ignorant of her royal heritage. Then much to his father, King Polixenes', displeasure, Prince Florizel falls in love with the unknown princess. Fate then steps in to untangle the mess of secrets and misfortune.

Put simply, the play is about how a family, torn apart by jealousy, overcomes tremendous odds to magically reunite.

"Shakespeare is making a statement about the destructive force of jealousy, and that is what I think makes this play so great," senior Liz Yackel-Juleen, who plays the queen, Hermione, said. "This jealousy exists in some way, shape or form in all our lives."

But with the legendary playwrights works also come his distinct language.

"It's like speaking music," Yackel-Juleen said. "But it means nothing if the audience does not understand."

The language challenged the cast, but, once mastered, it lent the unique Shakespearean quality to the production.

"The language is so different, so we all have to work together to find the best way to tell the story," Fitzsimmons said. "Shakespeare's work is very generous – the text is rich and gives us a lot to work with, but it also leaves plenty of room for imagination and creativity."

One such character who gets to utilize the creative freedom is sophomore Josh Thies, who plays the pick-pocketing rogue, Autolycus.

"It gives me the chance to play – to do the absurd just because I feel like it," Thies said. "When I get to explain in graphic detail how one of the characters is to be killed, it's fantastically gruesome."

Conquering such a play in a short production period called for a focus in order to complete the set and costumes while perfecting the script.

"I am hugely impressed with the students who worked on this show – onstage and off. This is not an easy show, and they've all risen to the challenge," Fitzsimmons said.

This will be the final production presented by the Augustana Theatre and Music Departments this academic year.

For senior Martha Stai, who plays Paulina, the production is bittersweet.

"I could not have asked for a more meaningful show to bookend my Augustana theatre career," Stai said.

A Winter's Tale will show at 7:30 p.m. May 4-7 and at 2:30 p.m. May 7-8 in the Edith Mortenson Center Theatre. Tickets are available at www.augietickets.com.