Air conditioning was not a luxury for 16th century women in Shakespeare’s plays.

The actresses in “Shakespeare on The Lawn: Regina Monologues — The Nobel Women of Shakespeare,”an event at the Salisbury House, 4025 Tonawanda Drive in Des Moines, won’t have the luxury either. Actress Kim Grimaldi says the biggest challenge of the heat will not involve her costume or wig but her make-up.

“I’ll just be trying to keep my make-up on,” says Grimaldi, a Des Moines Resident, who plays Queen Elizabeth in the play, among a few other characters.

The Salisbury House in Des Moines is a historical house where plays, music and many festivals take place. Lorenzo Sandoval, director of the play, says the house seemed like the perfect place for the event because of the old architecture and the magical atmosphere.

Grimaldi will not be the only one worrying about the heat and all the layers of clothing. Alissa Tschetter-Siedschlaw, who plays Cleopatra, will be wrapped tightly in a corset that she can’t even sit down in.

Tschetter-Siedschlaw explains the show does not start until the evening, and as the sun goes down, it becomes much cooler and more bearable.

This is the second year “Shakespeare on The Lawn” will take place, and last year, more than 200 people showed up each night for the evening — despite the summer heat.

“Regina Monologues — The Nobel Women of Shakespeare” concentrates on the important role women had in Shakespeare’s plays, Sandoval says.

The play is a combination of original works of Shakespeare with additional commentary throughout the play from the actresses. The commentaries were written by Sandoval.

“Some of the greatest roles were women, and often they are overlooked. Most focus ends up going to Hamlet, Macbeth or Richard III,” Sandoval says.

The play begins with the witches from Macbeth conjuring up Queen Elizabeth and Cleopatra who comment on women’s roles in the plays.

Bits and pieces from “Macbeth,” “Merchant of Venice,” “Antony and Cleopatra” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” will be acted out while Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth discuss how women behave in them.

Grimaldi, who graduated from Marymount College in Kansas, had never performed any Shakespeare in her acting career, and says she was ready to take on the challenge last year at the first “Shakespeare on The Lawn.”

“It’s not the nightmare I thought it would be,” Grimaldi says.

Tom Milligan, a Des Moines resident, plays several of the characters in the play, including Marc Anthony.

He says he has never performed Shakespeare, at least not since he was in high school, but was excited about the chance to do so. This is also his second year with “Shakespeare on The Lawn.”

“It’s a different experience from what I normally do,” Milligan says, who has been a local professional actor for 35 years, including performing in two one-man shows.