The Brass Tacks Ensemble Announces Shakespeare Plays for 2017 Season

The Brass Tacks Ensemble (Artistic Director James Ingagiola and Executive Director Isaac Ellis) is pleased to announce the 2017 season will feature three of William Shakespeare's best plays--Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, and Measure for Measure--comedies that all take a serious, nearly tragic, turn before the lights go down.

Through the laughter, we find characters trying to stake a claim to true love, true friendship, and true justice--and ultimately coming to terms, as we all do, with what life throws at them. We hope you will join us for a season that promises to raise questions about what we value most and the (sometimes absurd) lengths we will go to achieve them.

"The BTE's 2017 season is a bold step forward for our theater company, and we could not be more excited," commented Ingagiola. "Now more than ever, we are demonstrating our commitment to the growth of theater artists with a yearlong series of workshops on acting and directing for our first-ever Brass Tacks troupe. The sixteen strong, talented artists that make up our 2017 troupe will practice various techniques and hone their skills, eventually bringing all that work to the stage in three of Shakespeare's plays. If you like your Shakespeare well-acted and well-told, you will not want to miss these three productions. It will be a season like none you have ever seen."

Much Ado About Nothing will run April 21 - May 7, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the CCC (1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI). Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students (with ID). For reservations, email btereservations@gmail.com or call or text (734) 926-5376.

The Merchant of Venice will run August 3 - 5, Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Kerrytown Concert House (415 N Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI). Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students (with ID). For reservations, visithttp://www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com/ or call (734) 769-2999.

Measure for Measure will run November 3 - 19, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the CCC (1600 Pauline Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI). Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students (with ID). For reservations, email btereservations@gmail.com or call or text (734) 926-5376.

The 2017 Troupe members include: Brittany Batell, Amy Bogetto-Weinraub, Mary Conley, Isaac Ellis, Craig Ester, Ethan Gibney,Sara Long, Veronica Long, Kathleen E. Marinan, Maegan Murphy, Amanda Photenhauer, Anne S. Rhoades, Russ Schwartz,Kate Topham, Aaron C. Wade, and Elizabeth Wagner.

Since 1999, with their inaugural production of King Lear, The Brass Tacks Ensemble has been dedicated to producing shows that strip away the excess and focus on the essentials of theater: Actor. Text. Audience. The Brass Tacks Ensemble is devoted to connecting to the audience through the essential elements of theater to spark the imagination; presenting established and original works with a focus on clarity, universality, and entertainment; and providing actors, directors, designers, and writers the opportunity to develop as artists.