(Photo: Courtesy MSF; Artistic Associate Janet Haley as Jacques in “As You Like It” and Artistic Associate Rob Kauzlaric in title role of “Richard II”)
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Michigan, kicks off its “Season Of Rebellion” in Jackson with special savings on preview performances. Productions includeAS YOU LIKE IT, RICHARD II, and the Civil War drama THE KILLER ANGELS, a play by Karen Tarjan based on Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the Battle of Gettysburg. Reduced pricing is made possible through the sponsorship of two Jackson area businesses, JTV and the Commercial Exchange. JTV is underwriting “Pay What You Can” preview nights while the Commercial Exchange is sponsoring “Two-For-One” preview tickets.
All three MSF productions will be presented in repertory at each of the MSF summer venues: The Potter Center at Jackson College in Jackson from July 9th through July 24th and The Village Theatre in Canton from July 29th through August 14th.
The classic Shakespeare comedy AS YOU LIKE IT is directed by award-winning Artistic Associate Robert Kauzlaric, while both the rare gem RICHARD II and the Michigan Premiere of THE KILLER ANGELS are helmed by MSF’s award-winning Producing Artistic Director, Janice L Blixt.
AS YOU LIKE IT headlines the Season of Rebellion with the story of cousins Rosalind and Celia as they flee tyranny, running to the forest of Ardenne where they discover other wronged souls who have created a society outside the strictures of the city, finding their true loves and their true selves.
HENRY IV, the prequel to last year’s smashing the action of RICHARD II, begins when the feckless king seizes the land of a recently murdered relative, and England’s nobles decide to revolt, placing a crown upon the head of Richard’s cousin Bolingbroke instead. This leads to civil war, prison, and murder.
Michael Shaara’s 1974 Pulitzer Prize-Winning novel THE KILLER ANGELS tells the story of the 4 days of the Battle of Gettysburg, from June 30, 1863, as the opposing troops moved into position through July 1, 2, and 3 when the bloodiest of Civil War battles was fought. This epic novel, adapted by award-winning playwright Karen Tarjan, makes a glorious and stirring stage event in its Michigan theatrical premiere.
Preview Tickets for AS YOU LIKE IT, RICHARD II, and THE KILLER ANGELS are only through the Jackson College box office at by phone at 517-796-8600.
Pay-What-You-Can Preview performances sponsored by JTV
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AS YOU LIKE IT–July7at7:30pm
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RICHARD II – July 9 at 2:00 pm
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THE KILLER ANGELS – July 14 at 7:30 pmTwo-for-One Preview performances sponsored by the Commercial Exchange
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AS YOU LIKE IT–July8at7:30pm
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RICHARD II – July 10 at 2:00 pm
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THE KILLER ANGELS – July 15 at 7:30 pm