Sir John Falstaff, the likeable, roguish fat man who weaves in and out of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts One and Two, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor, is at the center of Ojai Shakespeare Festival's Falstaff, playing Aug. 3-19. Adapted from the Henry IVs and subtitled "The apprenticeship of good Prince Hal," Falstaff plays the Libbey Bowl mainstage at 7:30 PM. Much Ado About Nothing, performed by the Fest's interns, plays on the theatre's green before Falstaff performances.

Richard Winterstein stars as Falstaff with Travis Brazil as his Prince Hal. Also in the cast are Jesse Lovejoy (Henry IV), Debbie Court (Mistress Quickly), Rebecca Rasmussen (Pistol), George P. Miller (Bardolph), and Anthony Anselmi (Hotspur).

John Slade directs and adapted Falstaff. Rasmussen directs Much Ado About Nothing.

Designing Falstaff are Lisa Foley (costumes), Scott Siedman (sets) and Dana Kilgore (lighting). Marleen Luckman is the stage manager.

Tickets to Falstaff are $12-$18; Much Ado costs $8. For resevations, call (805) 646-WILL. The Ojai Shakespeare Festival is on the web at http://www.ojaishakespeare.org. — By Christine Ehren