On Saturday, September 7th, Public Arts Midland and Creative 360 will bring the performing arts outside to all of Midland with the first ever Performance in the Park event. Local actors will bring the hilarious The Comedy of Errors to life in a whole new way, supported by the talents of a wide range of performing groups from the Great Lakes Bay Region.

The event will kick off at noon on Saturday, September 7th with the first of two performances of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy, followed by the White Pines Celtic Bagpipers at 2:30 pm, a sword fighting demonstration by The Friction Theatre Company at 3:00 pm, a devised performance based on a modern Shakespeare by EVOC productions at 3:30 pm, a presentation of Indian Dance with Sangeeta’s Dance & Music of India at 4:00 pm and Vanishing Elephant Players presenting Shakespeare sonnets at 4:30pm. Throughout the day our traveling troubadour, Brightyn Jude, will wander and entertain with guitar, ukulele and vocals and a live woodworking demonstration will add to the fun. The second performance of The Comedy of Errors will start at 5 pm.

The catalyst for the event, which marks the first of many annual performances in the park, was a partnership between Public Arts Midland, an initiative of the Midland Area Community Foundation, and Creative 360, a local non-profit arts and wellness center. The Grove Park site was chosen for its central location and accessibility, particularly with the recent opening of the Changing Places fully accessible restroom facilities in the park.

“Our vision is to produce Shakespeare that is accessible to everyone, and we have a special twist to the original play that will definitely increase understanding and make you laugh,” said the show’s director, and Creative 360’s Performance Events Coordinator, Laura Brigham. “The Comedy of Errors is the perfect show for everyone. It is big and silly and filled with mistaken identities and physical comedy.”

The two performances of The Comedy of Errors are free of charge and will take place at Grove Park in Midland, MI on September 7th at 12pm and 5pm. All other groups will perform between 2:00-5:00. Please contact Creative 360 if you have any questions. Follow Public Arts Midland and Creative 360 on Facebook for updates.