The Interlochen Summer Arts Festival has long been known for great music and has attracted some of the biggest names in the business: classical virtuosos, rock legends, folk icons, country superstars and more. Summer cultural offerings will expand even more this year when Interlochen establishes a professional theatre company to present Twelfth Night.

The Interlochen Shakespeare Festival will draw on the resources of Interlochen Center for the Arts to present bold and innovative interpretations of the classics. Interlochen faculty member William Church will serve as artistic director. A core ensemble of faculty, staff and alumni will fill the roles of performers, designers and crew. The company will offer an initial run of eight performances in Harvey Theatre this summer, with the hope of possible future performances under the stars.

"As faculty, we still value the opportunity to perform," said Church. "It is wonderful to do so while also working alongside some of our most exceptional former students. The Interlochen Shakespeare Festival will tap into the talent of our faculty and alumni while also helping us reach new audiences."

The creation of an annual professionally-produced Shakespeare production will give theatre arts a prominent role in the Summer Arts Festival, while filling an artistic void in northern Michigan. It will also provide Interlochen Arts Camp students an opportunity to watch their instructors perform, deepening the teacher-student relationship and enhancing the educational experience. In conjunction with this event, Interlochen College of Creative Arts will offer a workshop for educators about teaching Shakespeare to high-school aged students.

The Interlochen Shakespeare Festival is just one highlight of the summer season, which kicks off June 20 with Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jesse Harris (who wrote Norah Jones’ smash "Don’t Know Why") and will also include acclaimed artists such as the Canadian Brass, Loretta Lynn, Rick Springfield, Bonnie Raitt and Sumi Jo. Interlochen audience favorite Olga Kern will return to perform with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, which will also feature guest conductor visits by Joann Falletta and Andrew Litton. Other acts scheduled for the summer include the Golden Dragon Acrobats of China, Kun-Yang Lin Dancers, the Capitol Steps comedy troupe and more.

Click here for a complete performance schedule or to order tickets.

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