.png)
.jpg)
LUDINGTON — The Ludington High School Drama Club will bring the works of William Shakespeare into the modern world when it presents “The Shakespeare Project” Nov. 12-15 at L.F. Peterson Auditorium.
The production features some of Shakespeare’s most recognizable scenes and monologues, reimagined in contemporary settings. The hour-long performance is designed to introduce audiences to Shakespeare’s works in an entertaining and accessible format.
“I’m very excited to be doing some Shakespeare!” said Christine Plummer, Ludington High School drama director. “This play is a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare for those who may not have had the opportunity to see any of his works. It’s only an hour long and is placed in a contemporary setting.”
Rather than presenting a single Shakespearean play, “The Shakespeare Project” brings together scenes from several of the playwright’s best-known works, giving them unexpected modern interpretations.
The famous balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet” becomes a late-night telephone conversation, while the three witches from “Macbeth” are portrayed as bag ladies. The courtship scene from “The Taming of the Shrew” is transformed into a wrestling match, and the confrontation between Prince Hal and Hotspur from “Henry IV” is presented through stylized combat.
Meanwhile, Marc Antony’s famous speech from “Julius Caesar” becomes a press conference.
The production also incorporates some of Shakespeare’s most recognizable soliloquies and sonnets, introducing audiences to the language, humor and drama of Elizabethan literature.
The student cast includes Isabella Sanderson, Scarlett O’Hearn, Vivian Hicks and Avish Iteen as chorus members.
Rachel Reed, Liana Wickham and Brooke Nehm portray the three witches from “Macbeth.” Reed also portrays Jaques, while Nehm plays the Nurse.
Kyle Dahlquist portrays Prince Hal and Richard III, while Grayson Cogle plays Hotspur.
Matilda Nasson portrays Kate and Portia, while Anna Adams portrays Kate and performs Sonnet 23. Simon Wickham portrays Petruchio and Marc Antony, while August Ridley portrays Petruchio and Romeo. Ella Rowe plays the referee and Juliet.
Lucas Sailor portrays Puck, and Anya Lubana portrays Hamlet.
The production’s stage manager is Katy Rittenhouse, with Olive Hargett serving as backstage manager. Olivia Outwater is responsible for lighting, and Madalyn Rittenhouse handles sound. The running crew includes Jasmyn Strouse and Lauryn Payne.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, Nov. 15.
All performances will take place at Peterson Auditorium at Ludington High School.
Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.
__________________
Become a subscriber and help keep local news coverage alive
For generations, local newspapers were supported by subscriptions. Today, while Mason County Press and Oceana County Press remain free to everyone, the cost of producing quality local journalism continues to rise.
If you value independent local news coverage, we invite you to help sustain it by subscribing to the MCP/OCP Daily Briefing for $12 a month — about 40 cents a day — or $120 a year.
Your subscription helps support the reporters, photographers and editors who cover local government, schools, community events, sports, breaking news and the stories that matter most to Mason and Oceana counties. In return, you’ll receive the MCP/OCP Daily Briefing each morning with the day’s headlines, along with occasional breaking news and special email editions.
Monthly subscriptions are available for $12 per month.
Click here to subscribe monthly.
Annual subscriptions are available for $120 per year.
Click here to subscribe annually.
If you prefer to pay by check, mail your $120 annual payment to:
Media Group 31, LLC
P.O. Box 21
Scottville, MI 49454
Please include your name, mailing address, email address and telephone number so we can activate your subscription.
Subscription payments must be received before service is activated.
Whether you choose to subscribe or continue enjoying our free content, thank you for reading Mason County Press and Oceana County Press. Your readership—and your support—helps ensure that independent local journalism remains available to everyone in our communities.
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026 by Media Group 31, LLC, P.O. Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. All rights reserved. No portion of this story or its images may be reproduced in any form, including print, broadcast or electronic media, without the express written permission of Media Group 31, LLC.
As a news organization, Media Group 31 maintains published content as part of the public and historical record. Accordingly, stories are not removed after publication. At the editor’s discretion, stories may be updated or corrected as new information becomes available. Updates may be made by revising the original story or by publishing a follow-up story. Media Group 31, LLC reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. Please refer to our Use Policy for additional information.
