GVSU celebs to be in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

In honor of its 15th season, Grand Valley's Shakespeare Festival will present a very special production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the play staged in the festival's very first year.

With a concept derived from the Indian film style Bollywood, this fall’s production directed by Karen Libman, associate professor of communications, will be a fantasy-laden romp, with color, charm, clever visual comedy and many memorable moments.

Another special feature of each performance will be a Grand Valley “guest actor” pulled from the ranks of faculty, staff or students. These “celebrities” will perform in the play-within-the-play in Act V.

“They won’t say but a few lines,” said Libman, “but it will be so much fun to have these folks onstage with us! What better way to celebrate this university-wide event.”  The list of celebrities and the dates they will perform, includes:

• September 26: 7:30 p.m., Jeff Chamberlain, director of the Honors College

• September 27: 2 p.m., Andy Beachnau, director of Housing
• September 27: 7:30 p.m. Shelley Irwin, producer and host, WGVU
• September 28: 2 p.m., Chris Barbee, director of Alumni Relations
• October 2: 7:30 p.m., Fred Antczak, dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• October 3: 7:30 p.m., Wendy Wenner, dean of College of Interdisciplinary Studies
• October 4: 2 p.m., Henry Matthews, director of Galleries and Collections 
• October 4: 7:30 p.m., Autumn Trombka, president of Student Senate
• October 5: 2 p.m., Jon Jellema, associate vice president for Academic Affairs

Grand Valley alumna Melissa Slack returns as guest stage manager and Chris Hayes from the London Theatre Workshop will spend a week working with students. Brian Webb Russell, previously seen as Shylock in Grand Valley’s 2002 production of “The Merchant of Venice,” will also be in residence as an equity guest actor for the production.
Tickets for “Midsummer Night’s Dream” are $14 general admission, $12 alumni, faculty, staff and seniors, $6 all students. Contact the Box Office at x12300, from noon-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit www.gvsu.edu/shakes .

A special 15th Season Anniversary Reception will be held in the Kirkhof Center after the opening night performance on September 26. Tickets for the reception are $10 or two for $15. For more information, contact Libman at [email protected] or call x13668.

Performances of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ begin on Friday.