A mix of ’60s flair and Shakespearean dialogue will hit Stephens Auditorium when the Aquila Theater Company arrives today to perform their updated version of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

“I think the company presents great classical work for the younger generations to appreciate,” said Sara Huber, Iowa State Center marketing director, about the Aquila Theater Company’s adaptation.

The company was founded in 1991 and has received critical acclaim for its productions of classical theater including “King Lear” and “Comedy of Errors.” Many of its productions, however, are not average versions of Shakespeare’s plays.

The company updates the plays, changing the costumes and general setting to new time eras such as the psychedelic ’60s, as is the case in “Much Ado About Nothing.”

“Shakespeare would really appreciate it,” Huber said.

Other adaptations the company has put on include the 1920s Turkish gangster-themed “Comedy of Errors” and Ronstad’s “Cyrano De Bergerac,” complete with a crowd of puppets and a stage bathed in primary colored lighting.

“Much Ado,” one of Shakespeare’s famous romantic comedies, is set in Sicily. The men of the village return from war to the comforts of home. The story centers around the couples Count Claudio and Hero and Beatrice and Benedict. And then there is the cynical Don John who interferes with the lovers throughout the play.

“It’s really about a game of cat-and-mouse, boys chase girls, girls chase boys,” Huber said.

Many of the characters experience various forms of deception throughout the play, discovering what happens when love and jealousy collide.

Tickets are on sale at the Iowa State Center Ticket Office and all Ticketmaster centers. For more information, call 515-294-3347 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. For more information on the Aquila Theater Company, visit www.aquilatheatre.com.