Michigan Shakespeare Festival Launches 'Season Of Rebellion' Tonight

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Michigan, brings a Season Of Rebellion to the Great Lakes region with As 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.

All three shows are presented in repertory from July 9th through August 14th in both MSF summer venues: The Potter Center at Jackson College in Jackson and The Village Theatre in Canton. Pay-What-You-Can and 2-For-1 previews are available for each production starting today, July 7th.

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.

Headlining the Season Of Rebellion, As You Like It follows cousins Rosalind and Celia as they flee tyranny, running to the forest of Ardenne where they discover a society created outside the strictures of the city, finding their true loves and their true selves.

The prequel to last year's smashing Henry IV, 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.

Returning performers Alan Ball, Janet Haley, Brandon Saunders, and Eric Eilerson join Michigan favorites Tobin Hissong, Larissa Marten, Allison Megroet, Kate Suffern, Michael Phillip Thomas, Terrance Wayne Wilburn, and Brandon Wright, with the return of Dwight Tolar and Robert McLean to Michigan theatre, and the debut of Ian Geers, Anu Bhatt, Matt Daniels, and Jacob Schrimpf on the MSF stage. For the first time, director Kauzlaric also performs this season, playing the titular tragic king in Richard II.

Artistic Associates Jeromy and Kate Hopgood continue in their roles of Scenic Designer and Composer, while David Allen Stoughton returns as Lighting Designer. Costumers Aly Renee Amidei, Patty Branam, and Suzanne Young join the MSF company: Katherine Adams, David Blixt, Meredith Deighton, Aaron Delnay, Christine Franzen, Brittney Gillespie, Elise Kauzlaric, David Koltunchik, Lauren Montgomery, Anthony Petrucci, Sera Shearer, Betty Thomas, and Scott Tobin. Stefanie Din stage manages.

Tickets for As You Like It, Richard II, and The Killer Angels are now available:

Online at www.MichiganShakespeareFestival.com

By Phone in Jackson at 517-796-8600

By Phone in Canton at 734-394-5300

Preview performances of As You Like It - July 7 & 8 at 7:30 pm

Preview performances of Richard II - July 9 & 10 at 2 pm

Preview performances of The Killer Angels - July 14 & 15 at 7:30 pm

Reduced price Flexpasses for all three shows are available by calling the venue in which you plan to attend the productions (cannot be used across sites, good at one venue only).