September 6, 2006

Cooley Brings Stages of the Law Theatre Series to Lansing with Major Sponsorship

One showing of each play to feature an educational session presented by a Cooley professor on an aspect of the law featured in the stage play.

(center) President Don LeDuc

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School and leaders from three Lansing theatre groups today announced a collaboration called Stages of the Law – a three-part series featuring classic stage plays with a theme involving the law. The partnership, underwritten by a $10,000 Cooley sponsorship, marks the first time that the theatre groups have come together on a project.

The stage play series will include:

• "To Kill a Mockingbird" – Riverwalk Theatre (Oct. 12-15 and 19-22)
• "Adam’s Rib" – Lansing Community College
  Performing Arts (Nov. 3-5 and 10-11)
• "Voice of Good Hope" – BoarsHead Theater (March 14 - April 8)

“As Cooley’s role continues to grow in the Lansing community, we felt that it was important to continue our support of the arts while adding an educational element,” Cooley President Don LeDuc said. “In addition to the thought-provoking plays that will be displayed by each of these theatre groups, one showing of each play will be accompanied by an educational session presented by a Cooley professor and other legal professionals on an area of the law featured in the play.”

Tickets for the series went on sale this morning. The ticket package for the entire series costs $42 per person, $23 for students.

“This is an exciting step for the Lansing-area arts scene,” Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said. “All three of these theatre groups have rich histories, but by teaming up to develop this series, this creates incredible opportunities to build our downtown arts community.”

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 power of these three theatres joining with Cooley is an exciting demonstration of the vibrant cultural energy in this community," said Gary Knippenberg, dean of the Liberal Studies Division at Lansing Community College.

BoarsHead representative Kristine Thatcher added, “Cooley Law School is providing the foundation for an unprecedented collaboration among three area theatres. Stages of the Law will not only focus on three rich plays with law as their theme, but it will also bring the community together through forums with experts in the field of law who will share their accumulated knowledge in a unique way. We will be able to examine the philosophy of law, its guiding principles and the democracy that brought about the laws we have in place.”

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.

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Cooley has three campuses across Michigan; its campus in downtown Lansing, its downtown Grand Rapids campus in west Michigan and its Rochester/Oakland University campus in southeast Michigan. In addition to the Juris Doctor program, students at Cooley can also pursue a Master of Laws degree in taxation or intellectual property.