Shakespeare in the Arb performs A Midsummer Night’s Dream, celebrates 10th anniversary

The annual Shakespeare in the Arb production, put on by a cast consisting primarily of University of Michigan students directed by Professor Kate Mendeloff celebrated its 10^th anniversary this year.

In honor of a decade of Shakespeare in the Arb, the crew offered four extra performances of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” every Thursday through Sunday throughout the month of June.

The popular show took place at 6:30 p.m. in Nichols Arboretum. A crowd of more than 250 attended the performance on Friday, June 25, the largest turnout so far this year. The tickets sold out very quickly and more than 100 people were turned away.

Mendeloff and dozens of other volunteers led the crowd on a near mile long hike through the hills and woods of the Arb to the different scenes of the play. The weather was warm and the sun shined brightly on the tall trees which provided a backdrop on what you could call the world’s largest stage.

Check out the Ann Arbor Journal in print on Thursday, July 1 for a photo page.

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Fairies frolic among tall pine trees Friday June 25 during Shakespeare in the Arb's 10th anniversary performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The show sold out to more than 250 people.

Sean FitzGerald, performing as Demetrius acts out a scene with Elise Randall, performing as Helena on a winding pathway in the Arb.

Eva Rosenwald performs as Titania, the Queen of Fairies during a scene deep in the woods of the Arb.

Tony Alvarez of Ann Arbor laughs during a scene in the peony garden. “It was fun and it was a very nice day” Alvarez said.

Kaela Parnicky, performing as Hermia, hugs Chris Anderson, performing as Lysander during a scene in the peony garden.

Ann Arbor Summer Festival Opening Day – with audio slide show

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival‘s Top of the Park in downtown Ann Arbor opened Friday with extreme face painting, music performances and severe storms.

The event began at 5 p.m. with face painting by Body Masterpiece and performances by Tokyo Sexwhale and Mucca Pazza. The sky began to turn dark and severe thunderstorms moved in as My Dear Disco took the stage around 9 p.m., bringing the event to an early end. An estimated 3,000 people attended the opening day events.

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival continues through July 11. Click here for a full schedule of events.

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People sit in the grass Friday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Ingalls Mall.

Dominik Trobaugh, 9, of Saline gets his face painted by Leah Reddell of Body Masterpiece from Colorado Friday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Ingalls Mall.

A young boy lines up with other members of Mucca Pazza Friday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Ingalls Mall. "Look, he's playing bear-itone" said a member of Mucca Pazza.

Cierra Lichtenbergen, 8, of Massachusetts laughs and dances with her aunt Sarah Wetherby of Ann Arbor as her boyfriend Wayne Kung of Ann Arbor watches Friday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Ingalls Mall.

Mucca Pazza leads the crowd in singing Friday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival on the steps of Rackham Auditorium.