Starbucks and Shake 38 Offer a Unique Happy Hour Today

If you're in the market for an unusual post-work activity on this pleasantly mild Monday, you're not going to find much that's more unusual than a free coffee shop performance of Shakespeare's Cymbeline. This strange story of love, betrayal, attempted murder, voyeurism and divine intervention is set partially in the mountains of Wales during an imminent Roman invasion. It's odd structure and convoluted plot make it one of the least-performed Shakespeares, so take advantage of today's 5 p.m. reading at the Clayton Starbucks (2 North Central Avenue), which comes courtesy of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and its third annual Shake 38 celebration.

This is day four of the five-day Shake 38 Festival, which features local actors and citizens reading all 38 of Shakespeare's plays in public places. Shakespeare Festival St. Louis organizes the event as a lead-in to its performance of Othello in Forest Park, which opens this Thursday night.

But that's Thursday; you have lots more Shakespeare to enjoy before then. In addition to this evening's Cymbeline, you could take in Coriolanus in Tower Grove Park (6 p.m., presented by Thursday Night Shakespeare) and Muddy Waters' rendition of Measure for Measure at 7 p.m. at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company. Tuesday features eight performances between 2:30 and 7 p.m., in locations as diverse as the St. Louis City Juvenile Detention Center and Main Street in Columbia, Illinois; See the full schedule here. Now get out there and see some Shakespeare -- it's good for your heart.