CANTON — The American Shakespeare Center will return to St. Lawrence University for its 27th-annual visit with three new plays.

The performances, part of the “Mortal Fools Tour,” will take place Oct. 4-6 in the Peterson-Kermani Performance Hall.

The actors will perform “Imogen (Cymbeline)” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4; “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5; and, John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6.

All shows are free and open to the public although tickets are required.

"Imogen" catapults onto an epic journey when her father, King Cymbeline, banishes her soulmate. Featuring a band of tough but loveable woodsmen, an evil queen, noble battles, and unexpected plot twists, this late Shakespearean play enchants audiences with a story about a powerful princess who will do anything for love.

In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Shakespeare casts a theatrical spell powerful enough to make audiences of all ages believe in anything. This mischievous comedy of lovers, heroes, fairies, and rude mechanicals is his tribute to humankind's power of imagination, and reveals that the "course of true love" can alter with just one touch of magic.

"The Grapes of Wrath" features an Oklahoma drought during the Great Depression which forces the Joad family to flee their home for the promise of a new life in California. Will hope prevail through the hardships and heartbreak? Steinbeck’s classic novel comes to life in this Tony-award-winning stage adaptation.

Every year, the American Shakespeare Center, home to Blackfriars Playhouse, tours three vastly different plays across the United States. Since 1988, these tours have brought Shakespeare’s original vision to life, including universal lighting, doubling and cross-gender casting.

Tickets are required and are available online at bit.ly/UniversityTheatreSeason only.

For more information, contact the Department of English at 315-229-5125 or visit www.stlawu.edu/english/shakespeare.