LEWISBURG — Once again this summer, the Gaspipe Theater Company will offer a production of a Shakespeare play in three Valley communities. Tonight, the performance will be at Bloomsburg’s Town Park, Friday night’s show is at Brandon Park in Williamsport, and Saturday night’s show is at Hufnagle Park in Lewisburg. All are at 7 p.m. and free to the public.

This year’s production, “Much Ado About Nothing,” is an example of the debt some modern romantic comedies owe to the Bard. The play features sharp dialogue, quick comebacks, mistaken identities and double entendres, all crucial elements of movie and television comedies for years.

The action in “Much Ado” revolves around two couples, one of which is in love and the other seems to be moving in that direction. One relationship is undone by scheming of false friends, while in the other, friends maneuver to bring the second couple together.

Much of the action results from people overhearing bits of conversation and jumping to erroneous conclusions, a common device in modern comedies.

The romantic couple of Claudio and Hero are the victims of a cruel rumor, while Benedick, a confirmed bachelor, and Beatrice, a feisty, smart woman seeking the perfect mate, hold each other at arm’s length with one zinger after another.

“The wit is what holds it all together,” said Danielle Scott, who is producing the show along with her husband Derek. The Scotts have been the guiding hand behind Gaspipe, but this year they’ve stepped back a bit. Each has a role in the show but no directing duties.

“We needed something light-hearted after doing the Scottish play (MacBeth) last year,” she said.

Much ado is being directed by Pete Zerbe, of Lewisburg.

“We were talking last year about what we might do this year,” Zerbe said. “I sort of volunteered to direct it.”

Zerbe has never directed before, and he characterized the experience as “a whirlwind.”

“It’s been a tall task,” he admitted. “I’ve got strong actors. Coordinating it’s been fun.

“I’ll need to take some time off afterward, but I’ll do it again.”

Because they move the show around to different venues, Gaspipe productions use minimal scenery and props, challenging their audiences to imagine the setting.

The cast includes 19 people from Lewisburg, Milton, Northumberland, Selinsgrove and Mifflinburg, including a number of veterans of Gaspipe productions. Among them are Ben Hartman, Andrew Shaffer and Jennifer Buck, playing Benedick, Don Pedro and Beatrice, respectively.

“They have most of the zingers, especially Beatrice and Benedick,” said Zerbe.