Water Works Theatre Company Announces 2012 Schedule

Water Works Theatre Company announces that tickets are on sale now for its 12th annual Shakespeare in the Park program in Royal Oak's Starr Jaycee Park. Michigan's biggest outdoor theatre event will feature two weeks of performances and workshops headlined by Shakespeare's classic Henry V, August 2-12. A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed as the company's daylight family show August 4-12. And Water Works is bringing back its free presentation of Shakespeare's sonnets, Summer Sonnets. Tickets ($6-$20) are on sale now at www.waterworkstheatre.com.

William Shakespeare's Henry V, August 2-12 (Tickets: $20) Shakespeare's Greatest Hero
Directed by Sara Catheryn Wolf, starring Michael Brian Ogden as Henry.
Henry V is a story of a man becoming a king. A prince who spent his youth carousing in pubs with thieves and prostitutes, he was a disappointment to his father, whom no one thought would amount to much. Now, he's a young king who desperately needs to prove himself to his subjects, his enemies, and himself. He has his faith, his common touch, and his tenacity to overcome overwhelming odds. The stakes are high: his battle with France will make him the greatest failure or the greatest king England has ever seen.

Sara Catheryn Wolf and Michael Brian Ogden are both veterans of the Shakespeare in the Park stage. Wolf, who made her first Water Works appearance in 2002's Taming of The Shrew, is doing double duty this season as Artistic Director for the company and director of Henry V. A Wayne State University graduate, she has appeared on stages throughout Metro Detroit and is a member of Actors' Equity Association.

Michael Brian Ogden has appeared as the enigmatic Mercutio in Water Works' Romeo and Juliet, and as the hero Macduff in Water Works' Macbeth, also directed by Wolf. He is a regular actor and playwright at The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea and other Detroit area stages. He a Wayne State University graduate and a member of Actors' Equity Association.

"Having Wolf and Ogden working together again on Henry V is a coup for us. Their sheer talent and deep experience on stages throughout the area, and especially in our custom designed Starr Jaycee Park outdoor theatre, will make this one of our very best productions." said Water Works founder and Executive Director Ed Nahhat.

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, August 4-12 (Tickets: $6)
Show times: 1:00 pm Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 pm Tuesday and Wednesday
Directed by Barton Bund
An hour of fun for the whole family, A Midsummer Night's Dream will take you to a magical world of love and mischievous mayhem. Star-crossed lovers, magic spells, and hysterical fun for all ages. When the spirits of the wood wage war, no one is safe from the spell of love. Five actors play dozens of roles in this startlingly original production from director Barton Bund.

This is Bund's second directing credit for Water Works after directing 2010's hilarious Two Gentlemen of Verona. Bart's recent directing credits include At Home At The Zoo for Detroit Ensemble Theatre, Twelfth Night for Shakespeare West, Women in Love for the Blackbird Theatre, and his original musical Patty Hearst. He has appeared in Williamston Theatre's award-winning production of Oedipus, and takes the title role of "Macbeth" this summer in Ann Arbor's Shakespeare West festival.

Summer Sonnets, August 4-12 (Tickets: FREE), August 4, 5, 11 and 12
Show time 3:00 pm
Directed by JM Etheridge
Water Works own playwright, Audra Lord, has taken Shakespeare's sonnets and created an original one-act play. What happens when a former movie diva gets pushed out of the limelight by a younger star? What happens when rabid fans invade, wreaking havoc on the diva's life? What happens when the diva and star discover that they share a boyfriend? No, it's not TV's "SMASH," it's "All About (A Midsummer's) Eve," Water Works' Summer Sonnets production.

Water Works Academy July 30 - August 3. Tuition: $200 per student
Water Works Academy is a one-week intensive for high school and pre-college students, giving young actors the chance to create their own play in the park using a "summer stock" company approach. Working professionals will guide students as they embark on the tasks of writing, directing, designing and performing a one-of-a-kind piece of theatrical magic on the Shakespeare stage in Starr Jaycee Park. The academy workshops will run July 30 - August 3 from 9am - 3pm.

KidsAct! August 6-11. Tuition: $200 per student
After selling out last summer, KidsAct! returns for its 10th season August 6-10 from 9am - 3pm. This exciting outdoor educational program gives performance-minded youngsters (entering grades 1-8) the summer dream of a lifetime. Water Works' professional staff will encourage natural confidence and inspire creative expression, helping students discover the basics of Shakespeare, safe stage combat, dance, improv and scene work. This is a one-of-a-kind performance workshop in an outdoor setting, culminating in a free-admission show on the Shakespeare in the Park professional stage.

Water Works Theatre Company, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theatre company that provides professional caliber experience to the emerging professional theatre artist. The company is proud to be presenting its 12th annual Shakespeare in the Park without the aid of local tax payer dollars. For more information log on to: www.waterworkstheatre.com.

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