UGA Presents brings one of the nation’s most celebrated touring theater ensembles to Athens when The Acting Company visits the University of Georgia for two performances at the Fine Arts Theatre.
The company will present William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m., followed by “Great Expectations,” adapted by Nikki Massoud from the novel by Charles Dickens, on Jan. 31 at 2 p.m.
Founded in 1972 by John Houseman and Margot Harley, The Acting Company is renowned for its repertory model, in which a single ensemble performs multiple productions in rotation. This approach allows audiences to witness the full range, agility and imagination of the actors as they transform across vastly different worlds, stories and characters in a single weekend.
“It is the perfect way to experience the virtuosic brilliance of an ensemble,” said Devin Brain, producing artistic director. “The actors must use every trick of voice, body, costume and language to conjure all of these different identities for an audience.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” directed by Michelle Athens, is a playful, poetic exploration of love, desire and transformation. Filled with mischievous fairies, confused lovers and unforgettable comic turns, the production highlights the timeless humor and emotional depth beneath Shakespeare’s magical comedy.
Brain calls the play “a crowd pleaser by any measure,” noting its ability to entertain while asking enduring questions about how love shapes — and complicates — peoples’ lives.
The repertory continues with “Great Expectations,” directed by Brain, a dynamic adaptation that brings fresh urgency to Dickens’ sweeping coming-of-age story. Centered on the orphan Pip and his longing for belonging and advancement, the production balances romance, mystery and moral reckoning while exploring themes of class, ambition, identity and hope.
Rather than a nostalgic portrait of Victorian England, the adaptation emphasizes Dickens’ flair for storytelling and theatrical momentum.
“Despite being filled with danger, these plays are stories of hope,” Brain said. “They entertain us, even as they bring us face to face with ourselves.”
Both productions feature the same accomplished ensemble, including Michael Stewart Allen, Mallory Avnet, Madeleine Barker, Christian Frost, Sam Im, Angie Janas, Shunté Lofton, Pauli Pontrelli and George Anthony Richardson, with repertory understudies Devan Kelty, Krista Grevas and Kleo Mitrokostas.
The Acting Company’s national tour of the two productions premiered in December 2025 at Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, California, before traveling to communities across the United States. Over its 50-year history, the company has performed for more than four million people, launched the careers of nearly 500 actors and earned numerous honors, including a Tony Award for Excellence in the Theater.
Both Athens performances are supported by Pinnacle Bank. UGA professor and playwright John Patrick Bray will give a free pre-performance talk before “Great Expectations” in Fine Arts Building Room 200 from 1:15-1:45 p.m. on Jan. 31.
Three ways to get tickets
- Purchase tickets online at pac.uga.edu.
- Call the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Five-minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)
Audience members can create their own series of three or more performances for 10% off. UGA Presents single tickets start at just $30 with promo code PAC30, and UGA student tickets are $15.
Information about accessibility and venue amenities is available on the PAC website. Parking is free.
To learn more about all UGA Performing Arts Center events, visit pac.uga.edu.