August 28, 2007

Cooley Announces Second Edition of 'Stages of the Law' Theater Series

Series expands partnership by adding dinner component featuring three Lansing restaurants

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School and leaders from three Lansing theatre groups today announced the continuation of a collaboration called Stages of the Law – a three-part series featuring classic stage plays with a theme involving ethics. The series, underwritten by a $10,000 Cooley sponsorship, marks the continuation a one-of-a-kind partnership among the theatre groups.

The stage play series will include:

• The Best Man – Riverwalk Theatre (October 11-21, 2007)
• Doubt – BoarsHead Theater (October 24-November 18, 2007)
• Jane Eyre – Lansing Community College (LCC) Performing Arts (March 21-30, 2008)

“We were thrilled with the success of the first edition of Stages of the Law and are excited about the upcoming performances,” Thomas M. Cooley Law School President Don LeDuc said. “Cooley recognizes the valuable contribution that our local theatre groups make to our community and is proud to support the second season of Stages of the Law.”

The Stages of the Law series is expanding in its second season to include entertainment off the stage, adding a dinner component by partnering with area restaurants to provide special offers and discounts to theatre patrons on the nights of the live performances. Participating restaurants include The Firm, Restaurant Mediteran and Clara’s Lansing Station.

Tickets for the series went on sale this morning. The ticket package for the entire series cost $37 per person, $22 for students.

Continuing a theme from last year, one showing of each play will be accompanied by an educational session presented by a Cooley professor regarding the ethical dilemmas featured in the play.

In addition to being a unique partnership that entertains and educates, the series is a classic example of area businesses coming together for a benefit of a region.
“Downtown entertainment is vital to the success of the area’s growth,” said Kevin Green, executive director of Lansing’s Primary Shopping District. “We’re seeing a resurgence in downtown and a partnership such as the one between Cooley and our three theatre organizations is a great example of why this resurgence is occurring.”

Cooley has been a longtime contributor to the Lansing arts scene, dating back to its initial years under the direction of its first president, Judge Thomas E. Brennan

"We're excited to be part of this theatrical adventure,” Riverwalk Theatre representative Tom Ferris said. “It's really a tribute to Judge Brennan's foresight. It was his idea to have Cooley host our production of Inherit the Wind when we were raising funds to build the Riverwalk. I had the privilege of directing that show and Judge Brennan played the judge. Riverwalk is proud to be a part of this collaboration with Cooley, BoarsHead and LCC which will raise the profile of live theatre in downtown Lansing."

Many in the theatre community have noted the general excitement that comes with the prospect of the theatres working together to develop a stage play series.

“The Stages of the Law is about connection and expansion,” said Andy Callis, who heads the theatre department at Lansing Community College. “On one level, in a literal way, our audiences and our theaters are connected with each other. But on a personal level, we connect with the issues raised by the different plays and our knowledge of law is expanded and deepened in a way uniquely possible in the theater. It helps us understand and connect to the humanity underlying these themes.”

BoarsHead Theater’s managing director, Marlene Shelton, commented about the great connection between its play, Doubt, and the overall Stages of the Law theme. “Doubt is an ideal choice for inclusion in the Stages of the Law series.  The audience instinctively becomes jury and judge weighing each word, each gesture, bringing their own values and prejudices to the mix and ultimately deciding for themselves if there is any “doubt” about the accused.  When watching this play on Broadway, I thought how smart of (author John Patrick) Shanley not to have an intermission where audience members would be tempted, much like a jury, to discuss the case before them.” 

Tickets can be purchased at Riverwalk Theatre (517-482-5700), 228 Museum Drive off Michigan Avenue across from the Lansing Center, or the Arts Tickets Office (517-372-0945) and BoarsHead Theater (517) 484-7805, both at 425 South Grand in the Center for the Arts.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country and includes the largest African-American and second-largest minority student enrollment.  Founded in 1972, it operates J.D. programs in Michigan's capital city in Lansing, in suburban Oakland County, and in downtown Grand Rapids.  Today, Cooley Law School has over 12,000 graduates across the nation and worldwide and also offers joint degree and Master of Laws programs.  Additional information about Cooley can be found at www.cooley.edu.