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ENCORE MICHIGAN


"What Does 1776 Mean to You?" Detroit Opera Asks at Cranbrook Art Museum
Detroit Opera to present John Cage’s "Apartment House 1776" at Cranbrook Art Museum, May 21–24 DETROIT, MI – Detroit Opera’s 25/26 opera season will conclude with John Cage’s Apartment House 1776, an immersive operatic experience staged inside the galleries of the Cranbrook Art Museum on May 21, 22, 23, and 24. The production will be directed by Alexander Gedeon and will feature performance artist Selena Kearney; Detroit Opera Resident Artists Mia Mandineau, Brianna J. Robin
Apr 63 min read


Five Extraordinary Women Take Center Stage at Detroit Repertory Theatre
Eclipsed, written by Black Panther star Danai Gurira Debuts March 27 The Detroit Repertory Theatre continues its 69th Season with the Michigan Premiere of Eclipsed by Danai Gurira. The production opens on March 27, 2026, at 8pm with a Champagne Afterglow, and runs through May 17, 2026, with four shows a week on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. In Eclipsed , five extraordinary women, who have formed an unlikely sisterhood, struggle to negotiate power, protection and peace a
Apr 32 min read


Honesty & Complexity Take Centerstage as Theatre Nova Debuts New World Premiere
Theatre NOVA presents the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of THE JONBENÉT GAME by Tori Keenan-Zelt Cassandra Wilson and Maggie Alger, Photo by Sean Carter Photography ANN ARBOR, MI -- Theatre NOVA, Ann Arbor’s resident nonprofit professional theatre specializing in new plays presents the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of THE JONBENÉT GAME by Tori Keenan-Zelt, running March 27-April 19, 2026. When best friends Molly and Rae were 12, they se
Apr 12 min read


Step Afrika! Dances into the Detroit Opera House this Fall
DETROIT, March 9, 2026 – Step Afrika! will bring its unique blend of dance, songs, storytelling, and humor to the Detroit Opera House on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Audience participation has been a part of the step tradition since the company’s inception in the 1990s, and members of the audience will be invited to clap, stomp, cheer, and participate in call and response with the artists. Tickets for Step Afrika! start at $39 (plus fees) and go on pre-sale March 10 at 12 p.
Mar 93 min read


The Inspired Acting Company Invites Audiences to come HOME
An Exciting Production Opened Last Weekend in Walled Lake L to R, Bryana Hall, Tayler Jones, & Dan Johnson in HOME. Photo by Sean Carter The Inspired Acting Company opened a new production of Home by Samm-Art Williams. Opening Friday, March 6, Home is a lyrical and emotionally resonant story of resilience, identity, and belonging. The play follows Cephus Miles as he journeys through love, incarceration, displacement, and ultimately the search for dignity and home. In this
Mar 91 min read


Muskegon Arts and Culture Coalition Contribute Nearly $50 Million to Local Economy
The Muskegon Arts & Culture Coalition (MACC) is a collaborative network of leading arts and cultural organizations dedicated to strengthening the region’s economy, enhancing quality of life, and attracting and retaining talent throughout Muskegon County. Newly compiled 2024 data highlights the Coalition’s impact across the region. These activities generated a total estimated economic impact of nearly $50 million reinforcing the arts and culture sector as a key contributor to
Mar 33 min read


Planet Ant Takes Aim at Hallmark tropes in new comedy HOW ROMANTIQUE
HAMTRAMCK, MICH – March 6, 2026 - Planet Ant Theatre presents How Romantique , a sharp-witted spoof of the “small-town homecoming” genre. A brand-new original production from the Planet Ant Home Team, the play runs March 6th – 21st, offering a hilarious collision between rustic romance and high-stakes corporate scandal. In a comedic twist on the classic Hallmark movie formula, Emily Burnett stars as Memory, a high-flying entrepreneur in the vein of Elizabeth Holmes. When her
Mar 22 min read


Youth Voices Make a Statement in Bold Exploration of Missing Youth, Trafficking and Social Change
Teen Hype Presents Annual Play Unseen Teen HYPE is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated annual theatrical production, Unseen . For just under two decades, Teen HYPE has produced youth-led theatrical productions. This dynamic play will take place at the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center (1000 Northline Road, Taylor, MI) on Thursday, March 5, and Friday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. (for students and educators), and Friday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. (for the
Feb 233 min read


An Exciting Young Voice Leads an Experienced Ensemble Cast at Tipping Point Theatre
This past weekend Tipping Point Theatre opened their production of BROKE-OLOGY by Nathan Louis Jackson – a powerful play about two brothers trying to balance their aspirations with the responsibilities of caring for an aging parent. Leading this production is Jesse Boyd Williams , a young Metro Detroit native who is not only making his directorial debut at the professional theatre scene, but is the youngest director in Tipping Point Theatre’s nearly 20-year history. Writt
Feb 164 min read


Flint Rep. Finds New Leadership in Established, Steady Hands
FIM Flint Repertory Theatre names Nicole Samsel Producing Artistic Director Nicole Samsel is no stranger to the theatre. Currently in the middle of her fifth season with the Flint Repertory Theatre, she is an award-winning theatre artist and producer. And, last week, Samsel was named Flint Rep's new Producing Artistic Director. Samsel began working for FIM as Flint Rep.'s Managing Director and assumed responsibilities as Interim Artistic Director after the departure of Mic
Feb 92 min read


Woodie King, Jr. (1937-2026) - The Godfather of Black Theatre
Woodie King, Jr. (1937-2026) was a pioneering director, producer, writer, and institution-builder whose work permanently created a safe place of Black artists in American theatre. To me, he was my friend, mentor, and surrogate father.
Feb 24 min read


The Activism Within Our Art
While Dr. King maintained very public friendships with artists like Belafonte and Sidney Poitier, it could be argued that his less visible relationships with more progressive artists like Langston Hughes were equally as impactful.
Jan 233 min read


A Classic Show for a Perfect Holiday Getaway -- ANNIE at Stratford
The Stratford Festival's ANNIE runs through December 14th *Sponsored Content Members of the company in Annie. Stratford Festival 2025. Photo: Ann Baggley. It’s December — that time of year when families gather around the TV and replay holiday classics. A Christmas Carol , Rudolph , A Year Without a Santa Claus — these are the films many of us return to every season. More modern family hits like Toy Story and The Incredibles follow the same winning formula: youthful energy
Dec 6, 20254 min read


Alma College Shutters Theatre Program; Announcement Catches Students Off-Guard
Announcement delivered in mid-September leaves students and alumni surprised as the theatre program winds down, and department leadership exits. Alma College has notified students and faculty that it will close its Theatre academic program, placing the major into immediate teach-out and ending formal coursework in the discipline. The decision, announced to students in mid-September, means the department will no longer admit new theatre majors and will phase out all theatre c
Nov 21, 20253 min read


Shakura Dickson - You Just Want to Keep Talking to Her
Shakura Dickson Brings Heart, Humor, and Heritage to The Stratford Festival's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — Catch It Before the Curtain Falls *Sponsored Content Shakura Dickson as Christine Colgate with members of the company in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Stratford Festival 2025. Photo: David Hou. “People just need to laugh right now—and they will definitely get one with our show. It’s fast, it’s funny, and you’ll leave feeling lighter than when you came in.” — Shakura Dickson Som
Nov 4, 20255 min read


From Detroit to Broadway, a Top Ten Countdown: Part Two (the Final 5)
Between the 1950s and the 1990s, more than 30 Broadway musicals got their start in Michigan before moving to New York.
So, this week, we wrap up our countdown with the Final Five (no, it's not March). Here are the Top 5 Broadway shows (and one honorable mention) that got their start here in Michigan.
Oct 28, 20253 min read


From Detroit to Broadway, a Top Ten Countdown: Part One (#10 –#6)
For decades, Broadway shows got their start in Detroit, relying on Michigan audiences to help producers gauge the songs that worked, the scenes that didn’t, and whether or not their production would be a success.
This week, Encore Michigan starts a countdown of the Top 10 shows that got their out-of-town tryout here in the Mitten before going on to Broadway success. Take a look, and see what shows you recognize. You just might be surprised.
Oct 21, 20253 min read


Spotlight: Preserving Tradition, Inspiring Movement — The Croswell Opera House & CARE Ballet.
From the stage lights of Adrian’s historic Croswell Opera House to the graceful artistry of Grand Rapids’ CARE Ballet, Michigan is home to organizations that preserve the richness of the past while shaping the future of the performing arts.
Oct 13, 20254 min read


Spotlight: Building Confidence, Creating Access — Performing Arts Workshops (PAW, Inc.) and Jackson School of the Arts
Michigan Arts Orgs to Support | October 6, 2025 Two Michigan organizations — Performing Arts Workshops (PAW, Inc.) in Niles and Jackson...
Oct 6, 20254 min read


Fall Theatre Vibes: Your Stratford Weekend Escape
Summer might be over, but Stratford is just heating up. Crisp fall air, turning leaves, and world-class theatre make this the season’s...
Sep 24, 20252 min read
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