USC Aiken Theatre Troupe Takes Shakespeare on the Road

Traveling Production to Visit Area High Schools

Aiken, SC (09/24/2019) — The University of South Carolina Aiken's Theatre Department is launching a unique educational program, taking William Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night's Dream to area high schools this fall.

Students at Fox Creek, Ridge Spring Monetta, Aiken Scholars Academy, Strom Thurmond, South Aiken, and Lexington High will get to see the performance, right on their own campuses.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn what it takes to put together a touring show. It also serves as great recruiting tool for the theatre department," said Paul B. Crook, director of the show.

The university production includes a 60-minute adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy by Cass Foster, followed by a question-and-answer session between students and performers.

The public can enjoy a free performance of A Midsummer's Night's Dream Nov. 1 - 2, at 6 p.m., in The Alley downtown. In case of inclement weather, performers and audience will move inside to the Municipal Auditorium, located in The Alley.

This performance is made possible, in part, through support from the City of Aiken and the Aiken Downtown Development Association.

The USC Aiken theatre program was founded in 1986 by Professor Jack Benjamin. The aim is to help students further their theatre education.

The University Theatre, which is part of USC Aiken's Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, with a concentration in theatre degree, seeks to provide a solid theatre-generalist foundation that combines the philosophical with the practical, placing a unique emphasis on student-generated work. Rigorous course work, coupled with practical application in production, prepares students to take the next step in their career -- whether that be academic or professional.

For more information about the production e-mail: PaulC@usca.edu .

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