Playwright William Shakespeare would have done just fine in the 21st century.

He was a post-modern man in his day, already thrilling his audiences with stories of sex, lies and the 1595 version of rock 'n' roll.

Today at 7 p.m., the Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company will perform one of Shakespeare's history-based tragedies, "The Life and Death of King Richard II," during a free show in the atrium of the Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center in Casper.

Directed by Diane Springford, the Nic performance is part of the company's nine-city, statewide summer tour.

The play opens with a murder mystery, continues with two cases of political upheaval, and is full of greed the whole way through.

King Richard II, then, wouldn't have agreed with the Nic's decision not to charge its patrons for the performance.

"We are very excited to have such a talented and passionate company perform here at the Nicolaysen," said Holly Turner, executive director of the museum. "We are thrilled that they are willing to present and it's a wonderful service that they're providing for Wyoming. We also want to congratulate them for their excellence."

Tickets for the show are not necessary, since it's a free performance. For more information on the show, call the Nic at (307) 235-5247.

For more information about the Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company, call (307) 332-2905 or visit www.wyomingshakespeare.com.

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0616 or megan.lee@trib.com.