From Shakespeare at the Castle in Alliance, to Akron, to North Canton, Mount Union drama students are participating in productions all over the area! Theatre majors Amy Ali and Addie Wisnewski will be in a production of “Hair” playing Mary and Crissy, respectively, at the Akron Civic Theater Knight Stage. The show will take place on June 17-18, 24-25 at 8 p.m., tickets can be ordered online here.

Ashley Burtscher, a public relations major and music and theatre minor, will be playing Marty in “Grease” at Stagedoor Studios in North Canton. The show will run June 17 at 8 p.m. and June 18 at 1 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets for this event are sold out.

Kevin Kern, associate professor of theatre, is also working in professional theatre this summer. Kern is directing the musical "Mamma Mia" for the Bigfork Playhouse, on the banks of Flathead Lake. Now in its 63rd season, the Bigfork Summer Playhouse is a traditional summer stock house, with five shows running in repertory.

“It’s a beautiful place to create live theatre”, said Kern, “I was thrilled to get this gig. Directing the Abba musical is a big switch from Shakespeare At The Castle, but the change of pace is refreshing."

Kern will be back in Alliance to play Polonius in Shakespeare At The Castle’s production of "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" this August, at Glamorgan Castle in Alliance, directed by Dave Kaye.

“That Mount Union has a professional theatre in residence each summer is quite extraordinary, and places us among ranks of much larger universities with similar opportunities,” Kern said.

Students in the production will have the opportunity to work beside and learn from professional actors, with some students in in roles such as Horatio (played by Clay Yoder, theatre major) and Laertes (played by Robbie Rush, theatre major). The show will run from August 4-7 and tickets go on sale June 27 at 10 a.m. For more information on the production, click here.