Four new chess tables with seating have been added at Freimann Square in an effort to promote chess as all-inclusive, multigenerational recreation for people of all ages. 

Installed on the Main Street side of the Freimann Square Fountain, all four tables feature chess boards painted on the surfaces. Players can bring their own pieces and walk, bike, drive, or ride to the centrally located park. 

Tables are available to the public on a first come, first served basis. Two of the four tables offer wheelchair access.

“Chess is known as the game of kings, but the great thing about chess is that it is available to just about anyone,” said Steve McDaniel, director of the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department. “(Chess) is seeing renewed promotion to diverse groups from local chess clubs and players.”

 A celebratory event is being planned in collaboration with local chess clubs Take A Stan, FortChess, and Three Rivers Chess, as well as Purdue Extension this fall.

Fort Wayne Dance Collective hiring interns

Fort Wayne Dance Collective is seeking an arts administration intern and a development intern to support the organization. Both positions are part-time from until May, with approximately 10 to 12 working hours a week. Application deadline is Sept. 16. Go to fwdc/jobs for more information.

Live theater this weekend

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Parlor City Shakespeare Company): Sept. 9-11 on the Parlor City Plaza in Bluffton. The production is a collaboration between the Creative Arts Council of Wells County and Bluffton NOW. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with performances starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. Bring lawn chairs and picnics. The Hideaway will sell beer and wine slushies to those 21+ but no outside alcohol will be permitted.

Steel Magnolias (Fort Wayne Civic Theatre): Sept. 9-18, at the Arts United Center. The comedy about a southern hair salon is filled with snappy and hilarious conversations and more than a few verbal collisions, until a tragedy proves that these southern ladies are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. Rated PG.

 The Little Prince (all for One productions): Sept. 9-18, at the PHP ArtsLab, 300 E. Main St. This new adaptation of the classic French children’s novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupery about an aviator stranded in the Sahara. A mysterious young boy appears, demanding, “Draw me a sheep.” The pilot, desperate to repair his plane, has little patience for the boy at first. But the more he learns of the prince’s home, his travels and his struggles, the more intrigued he becomes to understand the boy. Rated G for all ages.