Western Washington University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” directed by WWU Theatre professor Maureen O’Reilly, from Apr. 22-25 and Apr. 28-May 2 in the Old Main Theater.

“Two Gentlemen of Verona” is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays. While the original play takes place in Verona and Milan, the setting of this production is in the American West, where the values of a pioneering spirit and rugged individualism parallel those in the original play. The locales have been updated to include Verona, now set in Oklahoma, and Milan, now set in New Mexico, to support the Old West concept; and the cast of characters features cowboys, cattle ranchers, cowgirls and bar girls.

This array of characters is involved in a thought-provoking plot in which many of them make huge mistakes about love and friendship, but learn from these mistakes on the way to a happy ending.

“There is vitality...