Bainbridge Performing Arts is taking William Shakespeare’s words back to their roots this month, returning the Bard’s most beloved comedy to the stage for which it was intended.

None at all.

This year’s fourth annual BPA summertime Shakespeare production, “Much Ado About Nothing,” will once again grace the meadow at Bloedel Reserve starting at 7 p.m. Friday, July 8 — with a special pay-what-you-can performance on Thursday, July 7.

In the play, young lovers Hero and Claudio are to be married in one week. To pass the time, they conspire with Don Pedro to set a lover’s trap for the avowed bachelor Benedick and his favorite sparring partner Beatrice. Meanwhile, the evil Don John schemes to break up the wedding by accusing Hero of infidelity. In the end though, all the scheming and drama turns out to be “much ado about nothing.”

The outdoor summer productions have quickly become staple season events, said this year’s director, returning BPA favorite, Kate Carruthers.

This play in particular, she added, may be her favorite bit of Shakespeare.

“There are so many paradoxes and inconsistent things,” she said.

“But that’s how love and life is. There’s always all kinds of inconsistencies and paradoxes and so there’s all kinds of comedy and tragedy in this play — or near tragedy. And there’s every aspect of love. There’s male/female, male/male, father/daughter. He sort of looks at every way love is expressed well or poorly.”

The production is about two hours long with one intermission and patrons are advised to bring their own seats; preferably low chairs or blankets and pillows.

Audience members should be prepared for a short walk between the parking area and meadow itself. Space is limited and seating is first-come, first-served. As there is no parking close to the stage, patrons requiring handicap access can make use of a shuttle drop off at the stage area.

Gates will open at 6 p.m. Patrons may enter the grounds earlier by paying a reduced same-day-only rate of $5, valid after 4:30 p.m. Patrons must be on the Will Call list or present their tickets to Bloedel Reserve to take advantage of this offer though.

Picnics will be allowed in the meadow after 6 p.m., and beer and wine will be available for purchase. Outside alcoholic beverages will not be permitted during the July 8, 9, 15, 16 and 23 shows.

Seeing Shakespeare outside, Carruthers said, is a truly unique and timeless experience.

“There’s just something magical about Shakespeare outside,” she said. “And the community seems to have really responded to it.”

Carruthers, who was part of the cast in the first summertime Shakespeare show, “The Tempest,” said she was interested in taking the helm from the moment she saw this play on the season lineup.

“I did a lot of Shakespeare in college,” she said. “I’ve been to a lot of Shakespeare and I’ve studied a lot of Shakespeare, but I’ve never directed Shakespeare until this one.”

Also returning for this year’s show is Kristiann Jacobson. She has participated in all four productions as either cast, crew or both, and she is also performing the duties of text coach — practically a necessity to properly perform the works of the Bard.

“My job is to make sure that the actors know what they’re saying and that when they say it it’s as clear as possible so people can understand,” Jacobson explained.

The summer show was immediately popular, she remembered, and has only become more a seasonal favorite since.

“It’s been kind of charmed from the beginning,” she said. “We had people who wanted to come. We had people who wanted to see it and the people who came were smart. Sometimes you play Shakespeare and the audience, you can tell, just don’t get any of it and audiences here are very smart and they get all the jokes that you didn’t even know where jokes at first.”

Tickets, $25 for adults and $20 for youth, students, military and teachers are on sale now at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org. Call 206-842-8569 for more information.