After a two-year hiatus the mid-Michigan tradition is back for its 60th Anniversary celebration of FREE theatre. We are so excited to see you back at the Summer Circle Courtyard!
PIPPIN
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed by Rob Roznowski
Music Direction by Dave Wendelberger
Pippin becomes a soldier for his father’s army, but is upset by the killing and murders his father to stop the war. Now King, he is even more lost and unsure about what he wants in life and turns away from everything, including love, before discovering that what he has been searching for has been there all along. For All Ages.
June 9, 10, 11 at 8PM & June 12 at 6:30PM
PRE-SHOW ACTIVITY
Join Rebecca Kegler from Fresh Air Fitness on Thursday, June 9 from 6:16 – 7:45PM in the SCT Courtyard for a low-impact breathing, mindfulness, and health session.
DISTRACTED
Written by Lisa Loomer
Directed by Ryan Welsh
Nine-year-old Jesse can’t sit still. His teacher thinks it’s Attention Deficit Disorder, Dad says, “He’s just a boy!” and Mama’s on a quest for answers. A hilarious and poignant look at a modern family and an epidemic dilemma: Are we so tuned into our 24/7 info-rich world that we’ve tuned out what really matters? For Ages 13 and up for profanity and adult themes.
June 16, 17, 18 at 8PM & June 19 at 6:30PM
PRE-SHOW PERFORMANCE
Greater Lansing Ballet Company will give a free performance on Sunday, June 19 from 5:45 – 6:10PM in the SCT Courtyard.
THE ONE-ACT PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, & Henry Shields
Directed by Brad Willcuts
Welcome to opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has accident-prone thespians battling against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call. Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, it’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter! For All Ages.
June 23, 24, 25 at 8PM & JUNE 26 at 6:30PM
PRE-SHOW PERFORMANCE
Greater Lansing Ballet Company will give a free performance on Sunday, June 19 from 5:45 – 6:10PM in the SCT Courtyard.
WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT
Written by Nassim Soleimanpour
No director. No rehearsals. No set. A different actor reads the script cold for the first time at each performance. Forbidden to leave his country, playwright Nassim Soleimanpour distilled the experience of an entire generation in a wild, utterly original play. A generation born amidst the hardship of the Iran-Iraq war. A generation of computer-literate, well-informed young people who have never known an Iran other than the Islamic Republic.
WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT has been translated into more than 25 different languages and been performed over 2000 times by some of the biggest names in theatre and film including actors John Hurt, Whoopi Goldberg, and Nathan Lane. Adult themes and Suicidal Ideation.
LATE NIGHTS @ 10PM:
June 17 – Christopher Eastland
June 18 – Mona Eldahshoury
June 24 – Oscar Quiroz
June 25 – SteFannie Savoy
SCT KIDS CAMP PERFORMANCE
Summer Circle Theatre is provides a FREE summer kids camp to 60 lucky rising 1st through 6th grade Mid-Michigan students. This five-day camp is taught by Michigan State University Department of Theatre faculty and undergraduate and graduate students. It offers instruction in acting, design, music, and dance. The camp culminates in a free public performance!
June 24 at 6:30PM
Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors
All Summer Circle Theatre productions are FREE and open to the general public.
All of the MAINSTAGE shows are at 8:00 p.m. except for Sundays which start at 6:30 p.m.
The Kids Camp Performance and Theatre for Young Audiences start at 6:15 p.m.
Late night shows start around 10:00 p.m.
Parking is FREE and available in the lot across the street from the Auditorium Building.
There is tiered, amphitheater-style seating but we suggest bringing your own blanket and/or lawn chairs for maximum comfort.
Concessions will be available. Feel free to bring your own picnic as well!
If it rains during the performance, the production will be moved into the Auditorium Building and performed on the Fairchild or Studio 60 stage.
On Sundays, stay for the talkback after the show and meet the cast!
A Michigan State University Tradition: 1960 - 2022
For sixty years the MSU Department of Theatre has been producing free performances of a wide variety of shows outdoors on the MSU campus. Presenting a blend of old favorites, musicals, and provocative new plays, Summer Circle Theatre (SCT) provides a professional venue for MSU students that offers free theatre to Mid-Michigan audiences. SCT presents shows of varying styles using the talents of community members and professional artists. Beyond theatrical productions, SCT is committed to offering free programming including a Kids Camp and special activities to create a summer destination for arts, education, and entertainment.
FREE Summer Circle Theatre remains dependent on donations from loyal patrons to maintain the quantity and quality of its town and gown productions. Please consider becoming a Friend of Theatre at MSU. Interested in setting up a gift: Please contact Christine Radtke, Sr. Director of Development in the College of Arts & Letters at radtkech@msu.edu or (517) 353-4725