Press Kit 

 
 
 
Ewing Theatre 
48 Sunset Rd, Bloomington, IL 61701 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Media Contacts 
Sage Ozment-Herr, Sarah Rinker, Josh Rinehart, Shaylin Quaid 
(309)-438-2535 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Press Kit 
Table of Contents
 
● Pitch Letter​ (pg. 2) 
 
● News Releases 
○ “Pride & Prejudice” (pg. 3) 
○ “Caesar” (pg. 5) 
○ “As You Like It” (pg. 7) 
 
● Public Service Announcements 
○ “Pride & Prejudice” (pg. 4) 
○ “Caesar” (pg. 6) 
○ “As You Like It” (pg. 8) 
 
● ISF Backgrounder​ (pg. 9) 
● Newsletter​ (pg. 10-11) 
● Postcard​ (pg. 12-13) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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April 30, 2019 

 
The Pantagraph 
Nancy Steele Brokaw 
nbsteele@pantagraph.com 
 
Hello Nancy, 
 
I am reaching out on behalf of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in hopes that you would be 
willing to promote their summer shows. The festival features three Shakespearean 
classics, “Pride and Prejudice,” “Caesar” and “As You Like It.” The Illinois Shakespeare 
Festival is a unique opportunity for local audiences to enjoy classical theatre at a 
professional quality while staying in the area.  
 
I have included some brief overview of the festival to help you write an article that 
promotes it to your Pantagraph readers.  
 
The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is proud to host three shows this year. “Pride and 
Prejudice” is based off of the classic Jane Austen novel which follows the love story 
between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. This year’s modern adaptation of “Caesar” 
follows the assassination of Julius Caesar and his perpetrators’ downfall with media 
playing a key role. “As You Like It” is a timeless comedy that follows the chaotic love story 
between Rosalind and Orlando as she disguises herself as a man to help him win her heart.  
 
I enjoy the way you cover the local arts community in Bloomington-Normal, specifically 
your latest piece on Harvey at Illinois State University caught my attention. If you have 
any questions or would like to grab a cup of coffee, feel free to reach out to me by phone 
or email.  
 
Best,  
 
Josh Rinehart 
Illinois Shakespeare Festival  
(815) 993-5672 
jdrine1@ilstu.edu 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3

NEWS PROVIDED BY 

Illinois Shakespeare Festival   
Sage Ozment-Herr 
Phone: (815) 830-6086 
Email: snozmen@ilstu.edu 
   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL TO DEBUT “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. –Jane Austen fans ardently rejoice with the debut of Illinois 
Shakespeare Festival’s “Pride and Prejudice” at the Ewing Theatre on Friday, July 5.  

The debut show at 8 p.m. will feature a two-act play that portrays the classic love story 
between characters Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. “Pride and Prejudice” is led by 
Director Deanna Jet and actors Aidaa Peerzada and Fred Geyer star as Ms. Bennet and 
Mr. Darcy. 

“This play really brings life to Jane Austen’s timeless words and characters,” said Director 
Deanna Jet. “My cast is a truly remarkable group of people, and we’re all so excited to 
share this show with the community.” 

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival will present three total plays during their 2019 summer 
season which feature “Pride and Prejudice,” “As You Like It” and “Caesar.” Various dates 
for “Pride and Prejudice” range from July 5 to August 8. 

The Ewing Theatre is located on 48 Sunset Rd. on the corner of Emerson Street and 
Towanda Avenue in Bloomington, Illinois. Parking will be available for all guests. 

For more information about this event, please contact Sage Ozment-Herr at (815) 
830-6086. To purchase tickets to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, visit 
https://illinoisshakes.com 

### 

About Illinois Shakespeare Festival 

For over 40 years, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has brought the community of 
Bloomington-Normal together with three large-scale stage productions every summer. 
Founding fathers Cal Pritner, Don LaCasse, Dean Bolen and Tom Jacob began the Festival 
in 1978, a keynote ​of ​Bloomington’s arts sector. Examples of past productions include “A 
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Macbeth. 
 4

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PSA 

Use: July 1– July 30 

Time: 30 seconds  
Organization: Illinois Shakespeare Festival 
Title Example: Illinois Shakespeare Festival Presents “Pride and Prejudice” 
  
ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL MOST ARDENTLY (ar-dent-ly) PRESENTS THE 
THEATRICAL (the-at-ri-cal) ADAPTATION (ad-apt-a-tion) OF JANE AUSTEN’S NOVEL 
“PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.” 
  
RUNNING JULY 5TH THRU AUGUST 8TH AT THE EWING (ew-ing) THEATRE IN 
BLOOMINGTON, “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” FOLLOWS THE TUMULTUOUS 
(tu-mult-tu-ous) ROMANCE BETWEEN WITTY ELIZABETH BENNET AND POMPOUS 
(pom-pous) MR. DARCY. WILL ELIZABETH AND MR. DARCY CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO 
REASON… OR TO THEIR HEARTS? 
  
“PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” IS A SHOW FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. UNDER THE 
DIRECTION OF DEANNA (De- anna) JET, A TIMELESS LOVE STORY COMES TO LIFE. 
  
FOR TICKETS, CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT (309) 438-2535 OR VISIT 
ILLINOISSHAKES.COM 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5

NEWS PROVIDED BY 

Illinois Shakespeare Festival   
Shaylin Quaid 
Phone: (618) 593-3027 
Email: sdquaid@ilstu.edu 
   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL TO DEBUT “CAESAR” 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. –Fans of “Caesar” will experience a modern-day take on the classic 
tragedy at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival on Friday, July 12th.   

The preview show begins at 8 p.m. and will feature a two-act play that follows Julius 
Caesar’s assassination, and his perpetrator’s downfall. 

Bringing “Caesar” to a modern-day audience, the adaptation uses media as a powerful tool 
for their characters entrenched in political warfare. Quetta Carpenter, the director 
responsible for the adaptation says, “Using media in this adaptation refreshes the classic 
tragedy, while also keeping the story relatable to younger audiences.” 

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival will present three total plays during their 2019 summer 
season which feature “Pride and Prejudice,” “As You Like It” and “Caesar.” Various dates 
for “Caesar” range from July 12 to August 10. 

The Ewing Theatre is located on 48 Sunset Rd. on the corner of Emerson Street and 
Towanda Avenue in Bloomington, Illinois. Parking will be available for all guests. 

For more information about this event, please contact Shaylin Quaid at (618) 593-3027. 
To purchase tickets to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, visit https://illinoisshakes.com 

### 

About Illinois Shakespeare Festival 

For over 40 years, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has brought the community of 
Bloomington-Normal together with three large-scale stage productions every summer. 
Founding fathers Cal Pritner, Don LaCasse, Dean Bolen and Tom Jacob began the Festival 
in 1978, a keynote ​of ​Bloomington’s arts sector. Examples of past productions include “A 
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Macbeth.” 
 6

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PSA 

Use: July 1– July 30 

Time: 30 seconds  
Organization: Illinois Shakespeare Festival 
Title Example: Illinois Shakespeare Festival Revamps “Caesar” 
 
ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PUTS A MODERN-DAY SPIN ON THE CLASSIC 
TRAGEDY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S “CAESAR”.  
  
RUNNING JULY 12TH THRU AUGUST 10TH AT THE EWING (ew-ing) THEATRE IN 
BLOOMINGTON, “CAESAR” FOLLOWS JULIUS CAESAR’S BRUTAL ASSASSINATION 
AND HIS PERPETRATOR’S DOWNFALL. 
  
THIS ADAPTATION OF “CAESAR” REFRESHES THE CLASSIC TRAGEDY BY USING 
MEDIA AS A TOOL FOR POLITICAL WARFARE, AND APPEALS TO YOUNGER 
AUDIENCES WITH IT’S MODERN-DAY SPIN. THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN ENJOY A 
SHAKESPEARE CLASSIC THIS SUMMER! 
  
FOR TICKETS, CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT (309) 438-2535 OR VISIT 
ILLINOISSHAKES.COM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7

 
NEWS PROVIDED BY 
Illinois Shakespeare Festival   
Josh Rinehart 
Phone: (815) 993-5672 
Email: jdrine1@ilstu.edu 
   
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL TO DEBUT “AS YOU LIKE IT” 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Get ready for a summer full of laughs as Illinois Shakespeare 
Festival presents the classic comedy “As You Like It,” opening on June 27.  

The preview show begins at 7:30 p.m. and features a two-act play that portrays the 
shenanigans of Rosalind and Orlando’s romance. Rosalind, disguised as a man, must teach 
Orlando how to to win her heart. Chaos ensues as Rosalind struggles to keep her secret 
concealed.  

“I consider ‘As You Like It’ to be one of the first rom-coms,” says director Robert Quinlan. 
“It’s just such a fun show and the fact that it still has audiences laughing today really 
speaks to its timelessness, I think.” 

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival will present three total plays during their 2019 summer 
season which feature “Pride and Prejudice,” “As You Like It” and “Caesar.” Various dates 
for “As You Like It” range from June 27 to August 9. 

The Ewing Theatre is located on 48 Sunset Rd. on the corner of Emerson Street and 
Towanda Avenue in Bloomington, Illinois. Parking will be available for all guests. 

For more information about this event, please contact Josh Rinehart at (815) 993-5672. 
To purchase tickets to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, visit https://illinoisshakes.com 

### 

About Illinois Shakespeare Festival 

For over 40 years, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has brought the community of 
Bloomington-Normal together with three large-scale stage productions every summer. 
Founding fathers Cal Pritner, Don LaCasse, Dean Bolen and Tom Jacob began the Festival 
in 1978, a keynote ​of ​Bloomington’s arts sector. Examples of past productions include “A 
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Macbeth.”   
 8

ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PSA 

Use: July 1– July 30 

Time: 30 seconds  
Organization: Illinois Shakespeare Festival 
Title Example: Illinois Shakespeare Festival Presents “As You Like It” 
 
ILLINOIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL IS EXCITED TO PRESENT THE TIMELESS COMEDY, 
“AS YOU LIKE IT.” 

RUNNING JUNE 27TH THRU AUGUST 9TH AT THE EWING (ew-ing) THEATRE IN 
BLOOMINGTON, “AS YOU LIKE IT” FOLLOWS THE ROMANTIC SHENANIGANS 
(shen-ANN-ih-gens) BETWEEN ROSALIND AND ORLANDO.  

AFTER FALLING IN LOVE WITH ORLANDO, ROSALIND...DISGUISED AS A MAN... 

TEACHES HIM HOW TO WOO HIS WAY INTO HER HEART. “AS YOU LIKE IT” IS SURE 
TO MAKE THE WHOLE FAMILY LAUGH AND CREATE MEMORIES THAT LAST THE 
SUMMER.  

FOR TICKETS, CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT (309) 438-2535 OR VISIT 

ILLINOISSHAKES.COM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9

Backgrounder: ​Illinois Shakespeare Festival: Everything You Need to Know 

 
History 
The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, or ISF, is a repertory company that has been up and 
running since 1978 and will be celebrating its’ 42nd birthday this summer. ISF was born on 
a temporary wooden stage on the grounds of the Ewing Cultural Center and could only 
host an audience of roughly 250 people. The planning and dreaming that was required to 
make the ISF a reality was extensive and was kickstarted by the then ISU Department of 
Theatre Chairperson, Cal Pritner. By the mid 70’s the festival was elevated to new heights. 
 
Current Events 
As of today, the festival produces three mainstage productions each year and free 
family-friendly performances as well. The festival also attempts to provide numerous 
community events throughout the summer months. Over 10,000 patrons are exposed to 
the professional portrayal of civic engagement and economic attention through the 
performances put on by the festival. In recent years the festival has performed many of 
the renowned Shakespearean plays such as ​A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, a ​ nd 
Macbeth.  
 
What Else Does ISF Do? 
While also performing during the regular season, the festival also provides “Theater for 
Young Audiences” which are shows that are performed on the grounds of the Ewing 
Cultural Center and are free of charge to the community. The Illinois Shakespeare Festival 
also has a touring group known as “Bard in a Box” which travels and performs to schools 
and community groups. “Bard in a Box” performs 40-minute versions of Shakespeare plays 
and can conduct workshops following the performance to enhance the knowledge of the 
audience on Shakespeare's work. As of 2017, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival launched a 
K-12 program called “Midsummer Days Camp” which allows students to perform 
Shakespeare plays on the same stage as the professionals.  
 
Get Involved 
The festival provides a multitude of opportunities for Illinois college students to become 
involved in the productions through internships. The internships can be anything from 
stage management to performance production. Students that participate in the internship 
are exposed to the world of professional theater and provided with numerous networking 
and skill building opportunities.  
 
Leaders of ISF and Their Goals 
The Illinois Shakespeare Festival cannot be achieved without the hard work and 
dedication of the professional actors, producers, designers, and board of directors. The 
festival society board consists of nearly 20 people some of which are affiliated with Illinois 
State University. The main goal ISF has every year is to provide quality and accessible 
productions of a variety of productions to bridge the gap between the arts and the 
community.