Tony Baksa may have selected the perfect play for the first performance of Hamburg Theater Under the Stars: “Picnic.”

The 1953 play by William Inge, which was made into a 1955 movie starring William Holden and Kim Novak, will be performed at 7 p. m. Sept. 3 through 5 and at 2 p. m. Sept 6 in Memorial Park at Lake and Union streets.

“The outdoor setting is making it perfect,” said Baksa, the artistic director. “The whole play takes place in a backyard; there are no interior scenes.”

Actors will take full advantage of the park setting on and off the stage, including the caretaker mowing the lawn, he said.

All performances are free, and the audience is encouraged to bring dinner, come early and set up chairs and blankets a la “Shakespeare in Delaware Park.”

There are themes for each performance. The Sept. 3 show is a “sneak peek,” with senior citizens urged to attend. The following night, village businesses will be supporting the event. Sept. 4 will be Pizza Night, with local pizza vendors offering their slices. The Sept. 6 show will be an ice cream social matinee.

“There’s been a lot of challenges with this,” said Baksa, adding that the group is getting some assistance from the Kavinoky Theatre.

Baksa, along with Jon Appleby, Glenn Kajioka and Greg Wichlacz, came to the Hamburg Village Board in July with their proposal for the presentation.

Set in the 1950s, the play, with two acts and a 10-minute intermission, is both comedy and drama, he said.

“It’s one of those plays I think everyone will like,” he said.

Should any of the performances be canceled because of weather, the rain date will be at 7 p. m. Sept. 10.