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Michigan Arts Orgs to Support | June 3, 2025

Updated: Jun 5




The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, a statewide institution with a history of serving Michigan audiences, now in need of support from the audience they serve.



This week is a little different.  Instead of focusing on two arts organizations, we’re going to uplift one in particular need of assistance.  Many of us are familiar with the Michigan Shakespeare Festival.  For the past three decades, MSF has served the broader Michigan community, presented high-quality theatre, and employed artists across the state.  


Recently, MSF announced the cancellation of their 2025 season. 


This stunning shift came just a week before they were slated to begin rehearsals for this season, sending shockwaves across the Michigan arts community.  




“It has been a perfect storm of events,” wrote the MSF Board of Directors in a public statement.  “...grants disappearing, donors pulling back due to the current economic uncertainty, and lower-than-expected ticket sales as our patrons look to their wallets and know they need to save.” 


We [Encore Michigan] launched this weekly feature as a means to uplift arts-producing and servicing organizations across the state in need of support. This industry isn’t easy, but the path is made easier when we all work together. So, let’s all come together and support an org that really needs it.  





The Michigan Shakespeare Festival | https://www.michiganshakespearefestival.com | @michshakesfest

 

“The Michigan Shakespeare Festival’s mission is to inspire and entertain diverse audiences with evocative, interesting, and epic productions of classical theatre’s greatest plays.” 


About:

As the Official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Michigan, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival is a professional Equity theatre company (LOA/LORT) dedicated to producing world-class classical plays.  


A Brief History: 

  • The Michigan Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit professional theatre. Originally named the Jackson Shakespeare Festival, it started in 1995 as an outdoor summer event in Jackson's beautiful Ella Sharp Park. A replica Globe was constructed in 1996, and audiences flocked to experience Shakespeare in Jackson.


  • New Artistic Director John Neville-Andrews changed the name to the Michigan Shakespeare Festival in 1998, reflecting the growing statewide popularity. Two years later the MSF added members of the Actor's Equity Association, making the event a fully professional Shakespeare company.



  • In 2003, the festival's growing reputation as a regional classical theatre led Governor Jennifer Granholm and the Michigan Senate to designate the MSF "The Official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Michigan."


  • In 2004 the Festival moved to an indoors venue, taking up residence at the Potter Center at Jackson College. In 2010 Jance L Blixt succeeded Neville-Andrews as the Artistic Director, and a third classical play was added to the MainStage Season. At the same time the High School Tour was added, performing for students throughout the year in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.


  • In 2015, the Festival added a three-week run in Canton, MI, at the Village Theater in Cherry Hill. The festival has now grown from one weekend to a six-week season during July and August. Since its inception, the summer festival has entertained more than 95,000 patrons.



Ways to Support:

MSF invites support in a variety of ways.  From Sponsorships to Patreon membership or volunteerism, your support is always appreciated.  Visit SPONSORSHIPS | michshakesfest or DONATE | michshakesfest for more information.


Do you work for or know of an organization that needs support?  Use this link to submit them for the weekly feature.  


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