Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, a touring theater company, will perform Richard III on Friday, Nov. 13, and Measure for Measure on Saturday, Nov. 14. at Colby College. The curtain will go up on the SSE performances at 8 p.m. in Colby's Strider Theater.

Tickets are $3 for general admission and $2 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the box office from 4 to 6 p.m. during the week of the production or by mailing a check to the Performing Arts department at Colby. For ticket information call the box office at 872-3358.

The Virginia-based touring company has been acclaimed for its vibrant energy and its innovative yet relevant approach to the Bard. Using universal lighting, limited sets and modern costumes, SSE attempts to present Shakespeare plays as they were seen during the Elizabethan era. The 11 cast members play characters of both genders and take on many different roles in each performance.

Since its founding in 1988 the troupe has performed to rave reviews in Canada, France, Germany, England, Scotland and the United States. A Boston Globe article called SSE "simply fresh, fine theater" that is "profoundly exciting."

Its straightforward plot and memorable characters make Richard III one of Shakespeare's most compelling plays. It also is considered to have been Shakespeare's first commercial success. Measure for Measure is, according to the SSE, "one of Shakespeare's most subversive and unsettling plays." A classic comedy set in Vienna, the play reflects the complexity of humanity, giving audience members the chance to form widely different interpretations of the show.