MSF Announces Major 2017 Season Details at Saturday Night's Triumphant PRIVATE LIVES

The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the Official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Michigan, designated by the Governor and State Legislature, continued their 2017 "Lend Me Your Ears" reading series with Noel Coward's sophisticated comedy PRIVATE LIVES. The reading, held at Jackson's Symphony Orchestra Hall (which also houses the offices of the MSF), featured touring company actors Derek Ridge and Sara Long, long-time artistic associate David Blixt, and Producing Artistic Director Janice L Blixt.

Over wine and hors d'oeuvres, Blixt also made further announcements concerning the 2017 Mainstage season (announced last July 9) including the unveiling of the official poster. The 2017 Season will open with THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, starring David and Janice Blixt in the roles where they met 20 years ago, directed by retired Artistic Director and Artistic Associate John Neville-Andrews, and featuring festival favorites Janet Haley as Bianca, Brandon St. Clair Saunders as Tranio, Shawn Pfautsch as Grumio, and Alan Ball as Gremio. The second production of the season will be the political thriller JULIUS CAESAR starring Robert Kauzlaric (last season's glorious Richard II) as Brutus, Saunders as Cassius, and introducing Lee Palmer as Caesar. The non-Shakespeare classical play will be Chekhov's THE SEAGULL in a new adaptation by Janice L Blixt and the MSF Company from a new translation by Alexandra Christykova LaCombe and will feature Janet Haley and Shawn Pfautsch as Arkadina and Trigorin.

Also returning are Tobin Hissong, Ian Geers, and Eric Eilersen (all featured in last season's THE KILLER ANGELS), and the MSF will be introducing Risha Tenae as Masha, Detroit's own Christopher L Martin, and Lauren Grace Thompson.

The MSF's award-winning design team of Jeromy Hopgood (Scenic Design), Kate Hopgood (Composition and Sound Design), David Allen Stoughton (Lighting Design), Suzanne Young (Costume Design, SHREW), Melanie Schuessler (Costume Design, CAESAR), and Darice Damata-Geiger (Costume Design, THE SEAGULL) return to the Festival.

The MSF will open July 6 at the Baughman Theatre in Jackson and re-open July 28 at the Village Theatre of Canton. The 2018 Season will be announced at July 8th's Gala Opening of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

Tickets for THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, JULIUS CAESAR, and THE SEAGULL are now available: Online at www.MichiganShakespeareFestival.com

By Phone in Jackson at 517-796-8600

By Phone in Canton at 734-394-5300

Jackson Run: Baughman Theatre

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - July 6 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW -- July 7 at 7:30 pm

JULIUS CAESAR - July 8 at 2:00 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - July 8 at 7:30

JULIUS CAESAR - July 9 at 2:00 pm

THE SEAGULL - July 13 at 7:30 pm

THE SEAGULL - July 14 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW-- July 15 at 2:00 pm

JULIUS CAESAR-- July 15 at 7:30 pm

THE SEAGULL-- July 16 at 2:00 pm

THE SEAGULL-- July 20 at 7:30 pm

JULIUS CAESAR-- July 21 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW-- July 22 at 2:00 pm

THE SEAGULL-- July 22 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW-- July 23 at 2:00 pm

Canton Run: Village Theatre

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW-- July 28 at 7:30 pm

THE SEAGULL: July 29 at 2:00 pm

JULIUS CAESAR: July 29 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW: July 30 at 2:00 pm

JULIUS CAESAR: August 3 at 7:30 pm JULIUS CAESAR: August 4 at 7:30 pm

THE SEAGULL: August 5 at 2:00 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW: August 5 at 7:30 pm

JULIUS CAESAR: August 6 at 2:00 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW: August 10 at 7:30 pm

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW: August 11 at 7:30 pm

JULIUS CAESAR: August 12 at 2:00 pm

THE SEAGULL: August 12 at 7:30 pm

THE SEAGULL: August 13 at 2:00 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).

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