QUEEN Comes to the Stage in Dexter as the Encore Musical Theatre Company Pays Tribute to the Rhapsody
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DEXTER, Mich. — The Encore Musical Theatre Company launches its 18th season with Queen Tribute, a four-performance concert celebrating one of the most influential and electrifying rock bands of all time. Performances take place Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, September 12 at 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, September 13 at 2 p.m. at The Encore in downtown Dexter.
The concert is directed by Geoff Packard and stars Jason Briggs, Arielle Crosby, Leah Gittlen, and Chris Joseph, with music direction and arrangements by R. MacKenzie Lewis. The performers will be joined by a powerhouse live band featuring Clifton Williams on guitar, Aidyn Connor on bass, Daniel King-McDonald on drums, and Lewis on keys. Lighting design is by Rachel Slupe, sound design by Chris Goosman and Jasper Watson, and Olivia Goosman stage manages. The Encore's Tribute Concert Series is sponsored by Dexter's Pub and will be performed in The Maas Theatre at The Encore.
Known for its theatricality, musicianship and larger-than-life performances, Queen created a sound that defied easy categorization, blending rock with elements of opera, pop, glam and progressive music. Formed in London in 1970, the band featured Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon and went on to become one of the best-selling and most enduring rock acts in music history.
Queen's catalog includes some of rock's most recognizable songs, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Somebody to Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Killer Queen,” “Under Pressure,” and “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera, featuring “Bohemian Rhapsody,” became a landmark recording, while Queen's legendary 1985 performance at Live Aid helped cement its reputation as one of the world's great live bands.
At The Encore, audiences can expect a concert built around Queen's extraordinary music and the theatrical spirit that made the band unique.
“Queen's music is incredibly theatrical, musically ambitious and fun,” said The Encore Artistic Director Dan Cooney. “It's exactly the kind of music that lends itself to the intimate, live experience we love creating at The Encore.”
Queen Tribute is the first offering of The Encore's 18th season, which continues with a full slate of professional musical theatre productions and tribute concerts throughout 2026–27. The Saturday performances currently offer the best ticket availability, but audiences are encouraged to reserve their seats soon.
Tickets are available at TheEncoreTheatre.org or by calling the Encore Box Office at 734-268-6200. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., and two hours prior to performances.
