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OTHER VOICES - NEWS & PREVIEWS: Sept. 2, 2010
Jeff Daniels, Purple Rose featured on cable golf show Heritage Newspapers (Sept. 2, 2010)
'Boeing-Boeing' actors talk up life at the Purple Rose Heritage Newspapers (Sept. 2, 2010)
Remembering Ron Allen: 'Godfather of open mics' and more Metro Times (Sept. 1, 2010)
Winners announced: The 2010 Wilde Awards
DETROIT - It was, as predicted, One Wilde Night. Actors, directors, designers and managers from throughout Southeast and Mid-Michigan came together Sept. 1 at Detroit's Historic Gem Theatre for The Ninth Annual Wilde Awards, which honored the best productions, performances and technical designs of the recently concluded 2009-10 professional theater season. Sponsored by Between The Lines, the state's gay and lesbian weekly newspaper, Comerica Bank and EncoreMichigan.com, the night featured live and pre-recorded entertainment, delicious hors d'oeuvres, special guest appearances and - of course - two dozen awards.
Winners in 23 categories were selected by EncoreMichigan.com's team of theater critics who reviewed 128 productions at 33 theaters. Of those, 56 productions staged by 24 theaters were honored with at least one nomination. Four special awards were also presented.
(CLICK HERE to see a complete list of nominations.)
"It was a night of surprises - as well as an evening of fun and friendship," said producer and host Donald V. Calamia. "It's the one night of the year that the professional theater community puts aside their friendly rivalries and celebrates their accomplishments. And there were certainly many good reasons this year to celebrate!"
A complete list of winners is below. Check back later for complete details of The Ninth Annual Wilde Awards.
Winners: The 2010 Wilde Awards
Best Actor - Comedy
Jacob Hodgson - It Came From Mars, Performance Network Theatre & Williamston Theatre
Best Actor - Drama
John Lepard - This Wonderful Life, Williamston Theatre
Best Actor - Musical
Mitchell Koory - Evil Dead: The Musical, Who Wants Cake? Theatre
Best Actress - Comedy (tie)
Kate Willinger - The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company
Best Actress - Comedy (tie)
Suzi Regan - The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, Performance Network Theatre
Best Actress - Drama
Julia Glander - The Lady With All the Answers, Tipping Point Theatre
Best Actress - Musical
Sarah Litzsinger - Sweeney Todd, The Encore Musical Theatre
Best Support - Comedy
Lynnae Lehfeldt - The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company
Best Support - Drama
Melissa Beckwith - Trainspotting, Who Wants Cake? Theatre
Best Support - Musical
Aaron T. Moore - Little Shop of Horrors, Performance Network Theatre
Best Teamwork
James Bowen & John Michael Manfredi - K2, Performance Network Theatre
Best Design - Costumes
John D. Woodland - Good, Hilberry Theatre
Best Design - Lights
Andrew Hungerford - K2, Performance Network Theatre
Best Design - Sets
Kristen Gribbin - Enchanted April, Meadow Brook Theatre
Best Design - Sound
Quintessa Gallinat - This Wonderful Life, Williamston Theatre
Best Design - Props
Charles Sutherland - It Came From Mars, Performance Network Theatre & Williamston Theatre
Best New Script
Jeffrey Jackson - Two Point Oh, Detroit Repertory Theatre
Best Comedy
Boeing-Boeing - Travis W. Walter, director; Meadow Brook Theatre
Best Drama
K2 - Tim Edward Rhoze, director; Performance Network Theatre
Best Production of a New Script
It Came From Mars - Tony Caselli, director; Performance Network Theatre & Williamston Theatre
Best Original One-Act Comedy
The Opal Show - Shannon Ferrante, director; Go Comedy! Improv Theater
Best Musical
Little Shop of Horrors - Carla Milarch, director; Performance Network Theatre
Best Touring Production
Jersey Boys - Broadway in Detroit/Fisher Theatre
Best Play with LGBT Themes or Characters
Rent - Jamie Richards, director; Who Wants Cake? Theatre
Critics' Choice Award
The Purple Rose Theatre Company - Design & Technical Excellence, Gravity
Publishers' Award for Excellence
Access.Opera - Michigan Opera Theatre
Jim Posante Community Pride Award
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre - the Laramie Project
The "What's the Buzz" Award:
Suzan M. Jacokes & Jaime Moyer
Breathe Art Theatre Project's 2010-11 season: 'The Secrets We Carry'
DETROIT/WINDSOR - Breathe Art Theatre Project is proud to announce its seventh cross-border season, The Secrets We Carry. The 2010-2011 season features two Michigan premieres as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning script. From a dark comedy about the end of the world to an affecting story of suburban marriage to a sharp political thriller, each play confronts our secretive nature with suspense, humor, pathos and humanity.
In addition to the three-show season, Breathe Art is proud to announce a workshop presentation of artistic partner Kevin Young's new play, Harness.
Season and individual show tickets are on sale now. Reserve online at www.BreatheArtTheatre.com, by e-mail at breathearttheatre@gmail.com or by phone 248-982-4121(Detroit), 519-255-7600 (Windsor).
Breathe Art Theatre Project performs at The Furniture Factory, 4126 3rd Street, Detroit, MI 48201 and Mackenzie Hall, 3277 Sandwich St., Windsor, Ontario N9C 1A8. All performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
About Breathe Art Theatre Project
Breathe Art Theatre Project performs in Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, making it one of the few professional cross-border theater companies in North America. Breathe Art Theatre Project produces contemporary works based on the principles of ensemble collaboration that showcases the works of actors, directors and designers from Detroit and Windsor. The company, formed in 2004 by a collective of actors, directors and designers, produces challenging and socially relevant theater with an intimate relationship between the audience and the actors. In 2010, Breathe Art Theatre Project was voted as Real Detroit's Best Theatre Company.
Breathe Art Theatre Project's artistic partners are Valerie Bonasso, Courtney Burkett, Michael Carnow, Sergio Forest, Katie Galazka, Joel Mitchell, Demetri Vacratsis and Kevin Young.
Breathe Art Theatre's 2010-2011 Season
boom by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
Directed by Diane Hill
A comedy about the end of the world
"Sex to Change the Course of the World" A grad student's online personal ad lures a mysterious journalism student to his subterranean research lab under the pretense of an evening of "no strings attached" sex. But when a major global catastrophic event strikes the planet, their date takes on evolutionary significance. An epic and intimate comedy that spans over billions of years, boom is a dark comedy about the end of the world.
Cast: Jeffery Steger, Jaye Stellini, Courtney Burkett
Oct. 1 Oct. 17 in Detroit at the Furniture Factory
Oct. 22-23 in Windsor at Mackenzie Hall
Harness by Kevin Young
Directed by Kevin Young
World premiere workshop
Two best friends find themselves trapped on the side of a mountain with little hope for survival. As their hopes dwindle, their conversation takes a sharp turn, and unanswered secrets emerge. Act two takes us to a beach paradise five years earlier where the two find themselves in much happier times. Through a gradual reveal, we discover how the actions of the past create the consequences of today.
One-night only. December TBD
Yankee Tavern by Steven Dietz
Directed by Michael Carnow
A political thriller
Just when you thought you'd heard every crazy conspiracy theory, a stranger walks into the Yankee Tavern and orders two beers, one for himself and one for his unseen friend. There, inside the walls of this crumbling New York tavern, a young couple finds themselves caught up in what might be the biggest conspiracy of all. Steven Dietz's acclaimed and already widely produced dramatic thriller is a fierce, funny and ultimately mind-bending work of theatrical power that grips you until the final word.
Feb. 11 Feb. 27 in Detroit at the Furniture Factory
Mar. 4-5 in Windsor at Mackenzie Hall
Dinner With Friends by Donald Marguiles
Directed by Valerie Bonasso
A Pulitzer prize winning drama
A funny yet bittersweet examination of the married lives of two couples who have been best of friends for years. When an affair threatens to break up one of the pairs, the ramifications are wide-reaching for both couples. This Pulitzer Prize winner is a touching, poignant play about the "unspoken sorrow that can sneak up on you in middle age" (New York Times).
Apr. 22 May 1 in Detroit at the Furniture Factory
May 6-7 in Windsor at Mackenzie Hall
Planet Ant announces 2010-11 season
HAMTRAMCK - Planet Ant Theatre continues its commitment to new artists and new work in its 2010 - 2011 Season: Criminal Hearts, Nightmare Box, Dance Xanax Dance, Hylomorph and a season closer to be announced later this fall. The critically acclaimed Late Night Series continues with work from Box Fest Detroit and Colony Fest winners, as well as Second City alumnus Quintin Hicks. And as always, Planet Ant brings top notch improv with the Winter and Summer Colony Fests and every Monday night.
Criminal Hearts by Jane Martin is set in an upscale Chicago apartment in 1994, where agoraphobic Ata Windust survives on pizza, Dr. Pepper and her love of sharpening pencils. That is, until Bo crawls through her window in hopes of taking her for everything she has. In this quirky, comedic mix of Thelma and Louise and The Grifters, an unlikely friendship unfolds between a lifelong victim and the burglar who woke her up. Directed by Will Meyers, Criminal Hearts runs Sept. 10 - Oct 2.
Nightmare Box is a macabre collection of eerie tales with a heart...it just may not be beating. Written by local playwrights and directed by Planet Ant veteran Shawn Handlon, it'll be a night fit for the season. Nightmare Box runs 0ct. 15 - Nov. 6.
Dance Xanax Dance marks Lauren Bickers' first main stage production as writer/director after her critically acclaimed Timeless: the Danceical and Sirs. In this world premiere, a fading, rag-tag, road-worn child star travels to the Midwest on a magical journey in search of the illusive pure energy of Christmahanakwanzika. During the season of heightened joy, depression and 24-hour sales, is life really better living through chemistry? Find out Nov. 26 - Dec. 18.
>Hylomorph brings Yasmine Jaffri back to Planet Ant as director of this meta/scientific journey into the horrors of potentialities. Catch this world premiere written by Maggie Smith Feb. 25 - March 19, 2011.
The season closer will be announced later this fall and will be directed by Planet Ant's new artistic director, Inga Wilson. Show dates are April 22 - May 14. Stay tuned! It'll be worth the wait!
Planet Ant's Late Night Series gives local actors, directors and playwrights a chance to showcase their talent and try something new. Working without a budget and receiving the space as is, each production is given an opportunity to create something bold and exciting. The show created by Summer Colony Fest winner A.R.M. runs Jan. 7 - 22, with Mike McGettigan directing. Fish Dinner runs April 1 - 16, starring Second City Detroit alumnus Quintin Hicks, directed by Dave Davies. Box Fest winner Andrea Scobie will direct June 3 - 19. The show created by the Winter Colony Fest Winner, to be decided January 2011, will run July 8 - 23.
The Colony marches on every Monday night at 8pm for $5. And be sure to mark your calendars for Planet Ant Improv Colony Holiday Blowout Dec. 20, Winter Improv Colony Fest Jan. 24 - 29 and Summer Improv Colony Fest July 26 - 30.
All main stage tickets are $20 general admission. Shows run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with additional Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. (excluding Nightmare Box, which will have additional Saturday midnight performances). Planet Ant is also happy to announce an Industry Night one Tuesday at 8 p.m. for each show. Discounts are available for seniors, students and Hamtramck residents.
All Late Night Series shows run Friday and Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission, no discounts.
Reservations can be made by calling 313-365-4948, emailing reservations@planetant.com or texting 313-288-8828. For more information, log on to www.planetant.com.
Tipping Point kicks of its All American Season with classic Neil Simon comedy
NORTHVILLE Barney Cashman isn't looking for trouble. He's just worried that life is passing him by. The gentle owner of a successful seafood restaurant is sure he can spice up his life with an extra-marital fling, and when his mother's New York City apartment becomes available one day a week, Barney is sure his dreams have come true.
The hilarious and unsuccessful attempts at an affair that unfold and the life lessons Barney learns along the way reveal a tender man who just can't succeed at sinning in Last of the Red Hot Lovers, the season-opening production at Northville's Tipping Point Theatre.
The show opens with special previews Sept. 2-3 and continues Thursdays through Sundays until Oct. 16.
Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers is a timeless comedy from one of the best-known classic American play¬wrights. It kicks off Tipping Point's 2010-11 season full of award-winning shows penned by American writers. It stars Dave Davies and Sandra Birch under the directorial debut of James R. Kuhl.
Davies starred in Tipping Point's first production, Don't Dress For Dinner, and was recently seen in The Dinner Party and Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some). Birch, who is a former resident artist at Chelsea's Purple Rose Theatre, was last seen at Williamston Theatre in Home: Voices from Families of the Midwest and It Came From Mars. She is making her debut at the Tipping Point with this production.
Tipping Point Theatre is located at 361 E. Cady St., Northville. The curtain rises at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with matinees at 3 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. and Sunday.
Preview tickets are $20 each. Tickets for regular shows are $28-$30 for adults and $26-$28 for students and senior citizens. All are on sale now and available by calling the box office at 248-347-0003. For additional information, log on to www.tippingpointtheatre.com
The All-American Season
Tipping Point's All-American Season also includes the family classic Wiley and the Hairy Man, the hilarious Guys on Ice and the poignant Proof, The Cocktail Hour and Crimes of the Heart. Season-PASS tickets, good for five show starting at $115 for any Thursday night, Saturday or Sunday Matinee, are now available for purchase. Other Season-PASS options are available by calling the Tipping Point Theatre box office.
'True West' opens The Abreact's 10th anniversary season
DETROIT - The Abreact is proud to announce the opening of its 10th anniversary season with True West by Sam Shepard.
A tale of desperation and rivalry, True West is the riveting story of two brothers meeting for the first time in five years in mom's kitchen. Austin, a professional screenwriter and happy family man (or so it seems), encounters a sudden realization as his older brother, Lee, a vagabond who's been spending a lot of time "out on the desert" enjoying a life of crime, shows Austin that they are more alike than he really thinks.
True West features many familiar faces, including Joel Mitchell, Chris Korte, Eric Maher and Linda Rabin Hammell. Direction is by Charles Reynolds.
Performance dates 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3 - 25 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19.
Admission is by donation only; free refreshments are included.
For reservations, e-mail reservations@theabreact.com or call 313-378-5404 or 313-485-0217. For additional information, log on to www.Theabreact.com.
The Abreact Performance Space is located at 1301 W. Lafayette, #113, Detroit, MI 48226.
OTHER VOICES - NEWS & PREVIEWS: Aug. 29, 2010
UMS seeks ushers for all Ann Arbor performances
ANN ARBOR The University Musical Society is seeking volunteer ushers for its 2010-11 season. During the season, UMS will present over 60 performances in eight primary venues in Ann Arbor, including Hill Auditorium, Rackham Auditorium, the Power Center, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, the Michigan Theater and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Anyone interested in becoming an usher must attend one orientation session. All orientation sessions will be held in Auditorium 3 of the Modern Languages Building on the University of Michigan central campus (812 E. Washington, Ann Arbor).
UMS utilizes a large volunteer usher staff for all of its Ann Arbor presentations. Currently, over 400 volunteers assist patrons in seven Ann Arbor venues.
For more information, contact the UMS Front of House Coordinator at 734-615-9398 or fohums@umich.edu.
NEW Usher Orientation (did not usher in the 2009-10 season with UMS):
- Thursday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Tuesday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Thursday, Sept. 9, 6 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Saturday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
RETURNING Usher Orientation (ushered in the 2009-10 season with UMS):
- Thursday, September 2, 6:00 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Tuesday, September 7, 6:00 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Thursday, September 9, 8:00 p.m., Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
- Saturday, September 11, 12:00 noon, Modern Languages Building Auditorium 3
Three more shows extended at Stratford
Mike Nadajewski in Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Photo: David Hou
STRATFORD, Ontario - The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is delighted to announce that the Tom Patterson Theatre's 2010 season will be extended by one week to Oct. 3. Demand for tickets for all three productions at the theater has been extremely strong.
"I'm delighted that these three productions have proven such a hit with our audiences. Jacques Brel was a true poet for our times, and our success with the show that bears his name so brilliantly directed by Stafford Arima, a newcomer to the Festival proves once again that poetry belongs on stage," says Artistic Director Des McAnuff.
"For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, beautifully staged by another Festival newcomer, Chris Abraham, deepens our already warm and long-standing relationship with Michel Tremblay, arguably Canada's leading playwright. Finally, it has been such a pleasure to welcome back Marti Maraden, who has given us in The Winter's Tale a tremendously sensitive and entertaining production of one of Shakespeare's most moving plays."
"Excellent reviews and word of mouth have kept ticket sales for all of the shows at the Tom Patterson Theatre moving very swiftly," says General Director Antoni Cimolino.
"Having sold-out houses is, of course, a mixed blessing for any theater company while it is most rewarding to see such great demand, it's very hard to have to turn away patrons eager to buy tickets. These extensions will create some much-needed supply."
For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again will have two additional performances:
- 2 p.m. Sept. 28; and
- 8 p.m. Oct. 2.
The production Tremblay's moving tribute to his mother features a tour-de-force performance by Lucy Peacock, exquisitely supported by Tom Rooney.
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris will also have two additional performances:
- 8 p.m. Oct. 1; and
- 2 p.m. Oct. 3.
This musical revue features touching, funny and heart-wrenching performances by four masters of song and stage: Jewelle Blackman, Make Nadajewski, Nathalie Nadon and Tony Award-winner Brent Carver.
The Winter's Tale will have one additional performance:
- 2 p.m. Sept. 29.
Ben Carlson, Yanna McIntosh and Seana McKenna lead a stellar cast in this poignant Shakespearean tale of love, loss and redemption.
Last week the Festival announced an encore performance of The Tempest, featuring Christopher Plummer as Prospero. Scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 13, it will raise funds for the Festival's New Play Development activities.
Six other shows have already been extended this season: Kiss Me, Kate, Evita, Peter Pan, Do Not Go Gentle, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and King of Thieves
Tickets for all performances are available by calling 1-800-567-1600 or visiting www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com.
OTHER VOICES - NEWS & PREVIEWS: Aug. 27, 2010
Michigan Renaissance Festival packs in plenty of weekend fun The Flint Journal (Aug. 26, 2010)
New Theatre Project celebrates International Day of Peace with film and staged reading
YPSILANTI - In celebration of the United Nations' International Day of Peace, The New Theatre Project will present two special events in September: a free screening of the film Theatre of War on Sept. 8 and a staged reading of the greatest anti-war play of all time, Mother Courage and Her Children on Sept. 19.
Theatre of War documents the life and work of Bertolt Brecht with commentary and scenes from the recent Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline production of Mother Courage in Central Park. This free screening will be shown on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library's Freespace at 343 South Fifth Avenue. Come to view the film and learn more about the staged reading event. Seating is limited, but can be reserved by contacting the box office at tickets@thenewtheatreproject.org or calling 810-623-0909.
The staged reading of Mother Courage and Her Children, an English version by Tony Kushner, will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 at Frog Island Park in Ypsilanti. The cast will include Terry Heck as Mother Courage, John Seibert as the Cook, and Lynch Travis as the Chaplain. Joining them will be a distinguished ensemble of some of Southeastern Michigan's greatest actors, which at press time includes Pirooz Aghssa, Samer Ajluni, TNTP's managing director Matt Andersen, Joe Bailey, New Ensemble member Amanda Lyn Junquist, New Ensemble member Caleb Kruzel, Daniel Millhouse, Joe Olson, Joe Plambeck, Linda Rabin-Hammell, Brett Radke, Chelsea Sadler, Lee Stille and Maria Thomas. The staged reading will be directed by Austin Michael Tracy.
The New Theatre Project is delighted to welcome Dr. Pirooz Aghssa to host a preshow discussion. Aghssa has taught at Eastern Michigan University for 11 years where he has directed, among many others, Angels in America: Millenium Approaches by Kushner and Brecht on Brecht; the latter was covered by the International Brecht Society. In 2009, Aghssa's review of Kushner's The Intelligent Homosexuals Guide to Capitalism and Social-ism with a Key to the Scriptures at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis was published in the International Brecht Society's Quarterly.
Ypsilanti's Frog Island Park is attached to Riverside Park just behind Depot Town.
Tickets are on sale now for just $10. Tickets reserved within one week of the performance and at the door will be sold for $15. Tickets can be reserved by contacting the box office at tickets@thenewtheatreproject.org or 810-623-0909.
In the case of inclement weather, audience members should check the Web site, www.thenewtheatreproject.org, after 8 a.m on Sept. 19 for an alternate rain location. The reading will only be moved inside for serious weather at the time of the performance and will be still held in the park in the event of a drizzle or serious weather conditions earlier in the day.
At press time, the participating theater companies are the Blackbird Theatre, the Magenta Giraffe Theatre Co., Performance Network Theatre and Who Wants Cake? Theatre. Any other local companies wishing to participate in the event can contact keith@thenewtheatreproject.org for more information. Additional non-profit peace action groups are expected to join the event as well.
Detroit's Gem Theatre wishes you 'Plaid Tidings' beginning Nov. 10
DETROIT - The Historic Gem Theatre invites you to spend your holidays with them at Forever Plaid Tidings, a special holiday sequel to the critically acclaimed Forever Plaid. Tickets ($27.50 - $32.50) go on sale Friday, August 27. The special holiday production will open in previews Nov. 10 and run through New Year's Eve.
In this holiday sequel, the Four Plaid's - Frankie, Sparky, Jinx and Smudge - are back again from the great beyond to continue their supernatural journey, which began February 1964 when the Plaids, a semi-professional harmony group, were on their way to their first big gig. While driving in their cherry-red 1954 Mercury convertible, they were slammed broadside by a school bus filled with eager Catholic teens from out of Harrisburg. The teens were on their way to witness the Beatles make their U.S. television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, and miraculously escaped uninjured.
The harmony group, however, was killed instantly. But with a little luck and a hole in the ozone layer, the boys were allowed to return to earth 20 years later to perform their final show - and then return to heaven to keep harmonial balance - until now.
For some reason, in 2010, the boys return to the Gem Theatre in Detroit, though they aren't sure why. But with a little help from friends like Rosemary Clooney, they discover long forgotten dreams, and as they fulfill them, they will bring a little holiday harmony in a discordant world. Celebrate with the boys as they perform in their very own hilarious Christmas special featuring a whole host of truly heaven-sent holiday music, including a new holiday classic written for the show.
Plaid Tidings was conceived by Forever Plaid creator Stewart Ross and originally premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. Since then, Plaid Tidings has had successful performances all over the country.
"It would be hard to find four characters more warm and dear...The sweet and sentimental feel of the show and its comic nature, give it universal family appeal. Add to that the spirit of the holiday season, and one has a recipe for successful show," said John Lariviere of Taking Broadway.
Preview performances of Plaid Tidings are scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m.; tickets for these performances are $20. Regular performances begin Thursday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. and will continue through Friday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. There will be no performances Thursday, Nov. 25 and Dec. 20-26.
Performance times and ticket prices are as follows:
- Wednesday & Thursday: 8 p.m. ($27.50)
- Thursday: 2 p.m. ($27.50)
- Friday & Saturday: 8 p.m. ($32.50)
- Saturday & Sunday: 3 p.m. ($32.50)
Additional performances have been scheduled Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m.
Tickets ($27.50 - $32.50) go on sale Friday, August 27 through the Gem Theatre box office (313-963-9800), Ticketmaster charge by phone (1-800-982-2787), at all Ticketmaster Ticketcenters and online at www.Ticketmaster.com. Call the Gem Box office for dinner and group discount packages.
About The Historic Gem & Century Theatres
The Historic Gem & Century Theatres, Elwood Bar & Grill and Colony Club are the gems in the heart of Detroit's entertainment district offering theater packages, dinner, lunch, brunch, wedding packages, special events, boxed lunches, tours and more! For more information, call 313-963-9800; visit online at www.gemtheatre.com, or in person at 333 Madison St., Detroit MI 48226.
OTHER VOICES - NEWS & PREVIEWS: Aug. 25, 2010
'Playing Dead' with Ted Raimi at the DIA My Fox Detroit (Aug. 25, 2010)
On sale Friday: Tickets to Fiddler and Rain at the Fox
DETROIT - Two audience favorites, Fiddler on the Roof and Rain A Tribute To The Beatles return to the stage as part of the My Foxtown Theater Series at Detroit's Fox Theatre. Tickets to both go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27.
Fiddler on the Roof, The Tony Award-winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, embarks on its National Tour with a stop at the Fox Theatre Wednesday, Oct. 6 through Thursday, Oct. 7. Tevye's wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score that weaves the haunting strains of Sunrise, Sunset and the rousing If I Were A Rich Man with the exuberant Matchmaker, Matchmaker and triumphant Tradition. When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own.
Rain, the acclaimed Beatles concert, returns to Detroit's Fox Theatre by popular demand for one performance on Friday, Jan. 21, 2011 at 8 p.m. Rain covers the Fab Four from their very first Ed Sullivan Show appearance through the Abbey Road album, through the psychedelic late '60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. Rain is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience, as a fusion of historical footage and hilarious television commercials from the 1960s light up video screens and live cameras zoom in for close-ups.
Tickets to Fiddler on the Roof ($30.50-$60.50) and Rain ($30, $45, $55 & $75) go on sale Friday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at www.OlympiaEntertainment.com, the Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, Hockeytown Authentics in Troy (without service charge), at all Ticketmaster locations and www.Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call 1-800-745-3000. For a group discount or to save up to 20 percent when purchasing three or more shows in the My Foxtown Theater Series, call 313-471-3099.
For additional information, call 313-471-6611.
Encore performance of 'The Tempest' scheduled for Sept. 13
Christopher Plummer as Prospero. Photo: Andrew Eccles
STRATFORD, Ontario - The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce an encore performance of The Tempest, featuring Christopher Plummer as Prospero. The performance is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, the day after the production was slated to close. Proceeds from the production will support the Festival's new play development activities.
"I feel extremely fortunate to have worked with Christopher Plummer one of the greatest classical actors of our time on this magical project," says Artistic Director Des McAnuff. "The critical acclaim and the response at the box office have been tremendously gratifying. We know first-hand that this production has turned many people on to the joys of Shakespeare and classical theater and this is core to our mandate at the Festival. I'm delighted that we are able to offer this extraordinary encore in support of new play development, a cause very dear to my heart."
"In mid-August we found ourselves in a wonderful, yet difficult, position: The Tempest was sold out for the rest of its run," says General Director Antoni Cimolino. "Every day our box office was hearing from people eager even desperate to get tickets to see the show and we had to disappoint them. Now this fundraising performance allows us to offer one more opportunity to see this extraordinary production. Need I say: get your tickets fast!"
A range of ticket prices will be offered for the performance. There will be a limited number of A+ seats made available for $250, including a signed copy of Plummer's memoir, In Spite of Myself. The remaining A+ seating will be offered at $175. A seating is priced at $125 and B seating at $95. Everyone will receive a copy of the Festival's 2010 season poster featuring an image of Plummer as Prospero.
A post-performance reception will be held in the Festival lobby.
Tickets are now on sale and are available by phone or in person. The $250 tickets will not be offered online. To order visit www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com, call 1-800-567-1600 or visit the box office at the Festival Theatre, 55 Queen Street, Stratford.
OTHER VOICES - NEWS & PREVIEWS: Aug. 22, 2010
'The Nuclear Family' brings improv theater to Saugatuck Kalamazoo Gazette (Aug. 22, 2010)
Coming Sept. 1: The 2010 Wilde Awards
LIVONIA Professional theaters from throughout Southeast and Mid Michigan will share the spotlight Sept. 1 when The 2010 Wilde Awards are presented at Detroit's Gem Theatre. Sponsored by Between The Lines, Michigan's weekly newspaper serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied communities, EncoreMichigan.com and Comerica, The Wilde Awards were established in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan's professional theaters.
The awards symbolize the close relationship that exists between the LGBT and theater communities, explained Susan Horowitz, the newspaper's co-publisher and editor-in-chief. "Gay people can be found at all levels of the theater community, from the executives to the performers, and from the designers to the customers in the seats. We're inseparably intertwined, and that's why Pride Source Media Group is the primary sponsor of this important event. It's our way of getting together once a year and celebrating our unique connection."
The awards also focus attention on a struggling industry that has been hit hard by the state's depressed economy. "Yet despite the loss in grants, donations and in many cases paying customers, our professional theaters continue to produce top-quality work, and we want to thank them for staying and working in Michigan," Horowitz said.
Nominations in 23 categories were based on reviews of 128 productions staged by 33 Southeast and Mid-Michigan professional theater companies during the 2009-10 season, said BTL Theater and Arts Editor Donald V. Calamia. "My team of critics and I visited theaters from Detroit to Lansing and Jackson to Mount Clemens and many points in between, and what we found was a level of quality unsurpassed anywhere. It was a great season overall, which made it difficult for us to narrow the work we observed to only a handful of nominations."
This year, 56 productions staged by 24 theaters are honored with at least one nomination. Top honorees include Ann Arbor's Performance Network Theatre (with 21 nominations), Ferndale's Who Wants Cake? Theatre at The Ringwald (14), West Bloomfield's The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company and Chelsea's The Purple Rose Theatre Company (tied with 9), and Detroit's Hilberry Theatre (8).
One show dominates the nominations, Calamia noted. "Every year there seems to be one show that generates all 'the buzz' from both within the theater community itself and among its patrons, and this year it circled around Performance Network's Little Shop of Horrors. And as predicted, it walked away with more than twice the number of nominations than its nearest rivals."
But also of importance, Calamia said, "Twenty-four shows received a single nomination, which proves, to me at least, that quality theater is happening in all of our theaters not in just a select few or in those with the biggest budgets. And for theatergoers, thats great!"
In all, 96 performers, directors, designers and playwrights are competing in 23 categories. Plus Calamia, said, there are a handful of additional awards that have not been announced. "We always like to shake things up a bit, and this year is no different."
The awards show, Horowitz and Calamia promise, will once again be an unforgettable night. "The Wilde Awards is always a much-anticipated event, with good food, top-quality entertainment, special presenters and plenty of surprises. As always, attendees can expect it to be yet another Wilde Night!"
The doors of The Gem Theatre will open Sept. 1 at 6:30 p.m. with an hors d'oeuvre and cocktails reception. The awards show, hosted by Calamia and co-host Suzan M. Jacokes, will begin promptly at 8 p.m. and will be followed by a dessert afterglow.
Tickets to The 2010 Wilde Awards are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Seating is limited, so Horowitz encourages interested attendees to reserve their tickets early.
Tickets may be purchased online at http://boxofficetickets.com or www.pridesource.com or by calling 888-615-7003, ext. 10. The Gem Theatre is located at 333 Madison St. in Downtown Detroit.
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