This weekend, theater and nature fans can take in one of the Bard's greatest works with Half Dome as a backdrop. Yosemite National Park is hosting a program of Shakespeare performances for Earth Day weekend.

UC Merced Professor Katherine Steele Brokaw and University of Warwick Professor Paul Prescott are adapting and directing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the second year of "Shakespeare in Yosemite."

Yosemite ranger and UC Merced alumna Jessica Rivas will be part of the cast for the production.  She became a ranger through the UC Merced Yosemite Leadership Program.

The play will be performed once on the UC Merced campus and also in the park for the annual Earth Day Festival April 20-22.

Performances will be held on:

• Wednesday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater (UC Merced)
• Friday, April 20 at 2 p.m. in the Lower River Amphitheater (Yosemite NP)
• Friday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. in the Half Dome Village Amphitheater (Yosemite NP)
• Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m. in the Lower River Amphitheater (Yosemite NP)
• Saturday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Half Dome Village Amphitheater (Yosemite NP)
• Sunday, April 22 at 2 p.m. in the Lower River Amphitheater (Yosemite NP)