PRESS RELEASE — School may be out for the summer, but the students of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s School of Theatre Arts are still hard at work breathing new life into a literary classic and a rock n’ roll adaptation.

Join Civic Theatre as they close their 2018/19 season with performances of All Shook Up and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, presented by the theatre’s Summer Repertory Theatre Intensive (SRTI) from July 26 – August 4! The SRTI program allows young creatives, ages 13-19, the chance to craft, produce and perform in a main stage production, coached by theatre professionals. Students are given the opportunity to learn the art of performance through specialized dancing, singing, and acting classes. Those with an interest in the technical aspect of theatre are participating in hands-on classes in set and costume design, lights and sound, and backstage crewing. Multiple weeks of work culminate in a showcase of stunning proportions, and this year’s lineup is guaranteed to delight!

ALL SHOOK UP

What happens when you combine Shakespeare with Elvis?  You get All Shook Up, an upbeat musical loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Midsummer Nights’ Dream.  The show was created when the estate of Elvis Presley invited writer Joe DiPietro to create a musical around the catalog of songs made famous by the King. 

This musical romp will whisk you back to 1955 when everyone was jivin’ to the jukebox. A case of mistaken identities and mixed-up couples create a web of comedy and confusion, and it’s anyone’s guess if everyone will find their happily-ever-after by the last song.

Guest Director, Krista Price notes, “All Shook Up is an upbeat and fun show for all ages.  It will have you toe-tapping in your seats.  This production has been a delight for the talented actors and crew to bring to life, and we can't wait to share it with our audiences!"

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Journey with Alice and meet many fascinating and mysterious Wonderland residents such as the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and many others!  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, based on the classic novel by Lewis Carroll. This lively play follows Alice on a confounding journey through a world of talking animals and a corrupt queen. It’s a fantasy story that transcends generations.

Appropriate for all ages, Alice’s Adventures features original music created specifically for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre production by local composer, Todd Lewis.  In addition to a talented cast, a variety of media to bring Wonderland to life including projection, puppetry, music, and dance. 

Guest Director, Kristen Thomas states, “Eleven talented young artists play more than twenty-five characters in this production.  The creativity, hard work, and imagination of this ensemble and our professional design team - and just a little bit of magic - will bring Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to life on Civic's stage this summer!”  

Don’t delay! Reserve your tickets for both productions today and let Civic Theatre’s aspiring stars of stage sweep you off your feet.

For information on Grand Rapids Civic Theatre or to purchase tickets, call 616-222-6650 or visit grct.org.