SHAKESPEARE AT THE ROSE
ABOUT THE ROSE
In 2010, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp completed construction on The Rose, a replica Elizabethan Theater. The Rose, named for one of London's first theaters of the Elizabethan period (circa 1587), is a synthesis of various popular 16th century English theaters. Its design is based upon surviving sketches and documents from that period. Blue Lake's Rose is one of only a handful of Elizabethan replicas around the world. At approximately 1/2 the size of Shakespeare's Globe Theater in London, The Rose has a traditional thrust stage, a Juliet balcony, seating for approximately 600 in two galleries, plus the yard in front of the stage that can hold up to 150 groundlings. The theater is completely authentic with no electricity or indoor plumbing, save an emergency sprinkler system. Pigeon Creek is the only company which gives public performances in the Rose, which is most frequently in use by the campers who attend the Blue Lake Fine Arts camp throughout the summer.
2025 Rose Season
Pigeon Creek first performed at the Rose in the summer of 2012, and has now formed a regular partnership with Blue LakePublic Radio to offer a summer Shakespeare series each year. Ticket revenue from the Rose performances benefits - WBLV 90.3 & WBLU 88.9 - Blue Lake Public Radio. The Rose is used primarily for the instruction of middle school and high school level campers throughout the summer. Pigeon Creek's open to the public performances offer West Michigan audiences the very rare opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s plays performed in the theatre architecture from the Bard’s own time period.
For more pictures of the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company in action at The Rose, check out our Photo Gallery
