He’s back. That is the most celebratory part of last weekend’s opening performances of “The Taming of the Shrew” staged by Ten Bucks Theatre Company at Indian Trail Park in Brewer. Shakespeare, homegrown and more or less on the river again, is back in our midst. We had grown accustomed to the Maine Shakespeare Festival each summer, but when it was canceled indefinitely last year, local bardophiles wondered who would fill the gap.

Any of us could have toddled down to Theater at Monmouth, just outside of Augusta, where “As You Like It” and “Antony and Cleopatra” are both playing this summer.

But is there anything like having Shakespeare in your own back yard?

Fortunately, Ten Bucks has answered that question with a resounding no. That is to say, they demanded that Shakespeare be revived locally – out of their commitment to the community and their desire to put on plays.

Lucky for us.

The weekend was, however, unlucky for the cast, which had hoped to open Friday night and was rained out. Saturday night’s performance was bumpy, but by Sunday, the troupe hit its stride, at least in the rollicking first half. (The second half was not as well-rehearsed or -staged.)

As a venue, Indian Trail Park had its problems, too. Helicopters plowed through the sky on one side of the green, and truckers blasted down the road on the other. Once the lights went down, it was mosquito heaven. The outdoor setting requires the actors to use microphoness, which have malfunctioned since the beginning of the run.

Despite these shortcomings, Ten Bucks has created an atmosphere that is intimate and friendly in a natural amphitheater with a backdrop of tall trees rippled by the wind and visited by little yellow birds who zipped by during one performance. As settings go, it’s a pastoral pocket filled with the promise of magic and romance – Shakespeare’s stock in trade when it comes to comedies. Chez Cherry, the set designer, works beautifully with the natural elements, adding a platform stage with gilded Italian touches and creeping flowers.

The production, directed by Sharon Zolper, had real promise in it, too, on Sunday. In the natural light of day and, later, in the glow of Josh Luce’s nighttime stage lighting, the show was like a jewel sparkling on a summer night. The cast is unmistakably a community group, but several of the lead players bring enough experience to the stage that they help make others shine, too.

Christopher Franklin, as Petruchio, is like a young Kenneth Branagh – unleashed and swashbuckling. He’s bigger than his enemy-love Kate, played with animal-like growls and childish temper tantrums by Lily Christian. Kate is never an easy role. Women often like her fervor, but not the way she seems to fold into obedience by the end of the story. Christian brings poise to the role but doesn’t illuminate Kate’s final choice.

The delight of this play, however, comes from the supporting actors – which is often the case in Shakespeare’s comedies. John Greenman, as Baptista, Robert Libbey as Grumio, and Dominick Varney as Hortensio are unstoppably funny onstage. The biggest laughs come from their masterful ability to combine physical humor with solid delivery and character. Other supporting actors – Jenny Bragdon as Bianca, Josh Schmersal as Lucentio, Allen Adams as Tranio, and George Bragdon as Biondello – also contribute colorful strokes.

Unfortunately, the entire show suffers from that one major glitch: Mikes that work only intermittently. The director and producers are working on the problem in the hope of improving sound quality by Friday, when the show begins a second weekend run and then closes Sunday. Obviously, this compromises the experience, but even with the strain on your ears and patience, you may find yourself pulling up a blanket or folding chair anyway because, hey, the Bard is back in town.

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Ten Bucks Theatre Company will present “The Taming of the Shrew” at 7 p.m., July 16-18, at Indian Trail Park in Brewer. For information, call 884-1030 or visit www.tenbuckstheatre.com. Alicia Anstead can be reached at 990-8266 and aanstead@bangordailynews.net.