Busy Summer for EKU Theatre Program

Published on May 25, 2017

Building on the success of its High School Theatre Intensive and last summer's Celebration of Shakespeare, Eastern Kentucky University Theatre will offer a camp for younger students this summer and present a production of “The Tempest.” 

The High School Theatre Intensivewill be held July 16-22. Students from across the Commonwealth will build acting skills working alongside EKU Theatre faculty and guest artists. They’ll attend live theatre performances and produce their own showcase on the Gifford Theatre stage. Rising high school juniors and seniors may earn EKU academic credit through the Intensive.

“We’re so proud of our Intensive students, and love following their success,” said EKU Theatre Program Director Alana Ghent. “They have a passion for performance, and many have gone on to great things at the Governor’s School for the Arts, here at EKU, and even at prestigious conservatory programs like NYU’s Tish School of the Arts.  Wherever they go, we’re glad to be part of their journey.”

Application and scholarship information are available at www.theatre.eku.edu.

For a new feature this year, EKU Theatre will partner with the Richmond Area Arts Council to offer Summer Shakespeare Camp July 10-14. This week-long day camp for grades 3 and up offers students a window into the magic of Shakespeare with“A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Over the course of the week, campers will engage with the language of the Bard, get crafty with theatre arts and then perform an abridged version of the show. Information and registration are available at www.artsinrichmond.com.

This year’s Shakespeare in the Ravine will feature performances of “The Tempest” July 20-22. Directed by EKU faculty member Matthew Lewis Johnson and featuring EKU theatre students in design, stage management, and acting positions, “The Tempest” is a “magical feast for the imagination ... a final meditation on loss and the magic of forgiveness,” Ghent said. “Incorporating live music and audience interaction, the performance will bring to life some of the most beautiful language in the canon in a lively performance for the whole family.” Admission is free.

More information about all EKU Theatre summer programming is available at www.theatre.eku.edu.