What would have been the Michigan Shakespeare Festival's 30th season has been canceled only days before actors were scheduled to start rehearsals.
In a message on its website, the festival's board of directors blames disappearing grants, less money from donors and lower-than-expected ticket sales.
Producing Artistic Director Janice Blixt says the board is trying to determine if it will be able to resume production next year.
"We might be able to come back," Blixt said. "But then again, they might also decide that in this current climate, it might be best to close our doors. That decision has not been made."
The nonprofit professional theater group now known as the Michigan Shakespeare Festival was started in 1995 as the Jackson Shakespeare Festival. In 2015, they added performances in Canton, and eventually moved the festival there for several years. This year's event was scheduled to take place at Wayne State University.
Michael J. Barnes chairs the school's Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State. He thought this year would mark the move of the festival to Detroit.
"It was really designed to be the start of a collaboration, that we would be their long-term home," Barnes said.
He hopes the festival can find a way to overcome its financial problems and resume performances in the future.
"It's been around for over 30 years and has been the official Shakespeare festival of the state," Barnes said. "It would be a real tragedy to lose it."
Information about refunds for those who purchased tickets for this summer's performances is available on the festival website.
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