The Rundown | August 14, 2025- Now Playing!
- John Sloan III
- Aug 14
- 14 min read
Welcome to THE RUNDOWN, a quick hit highlight of the shows now playing on stage in Michigan. Hard to believe we're already in the middle of August. But as we gear up for a new 2025-56 season, companies across the state are still keeping us entertained. So come on, it's that time again, Get On Up and Go See A Show!
Used to Ramble Through The Park
Shadowboxing in the Dark
Then You Came and Caused a Spark
That's a Four-Alarm Fire Now
PLACES PLEASE, THIS IS YOUR PLACES CALL!
Here's THE RUNDOWN for Thursday, August 14, 2025.
OPENING THIS WEEKEND
CHRONOS & KAIROS | Renaissance City Repertory Theatre | Runs August 15-24
Renaissance City Repertory Theatre presents Chronos & Kairos. Two plays in repertory. One Classical. One Contemporary.
First up, is the production Oedipus The King, running August 15-17. A plague ravages the Greek city of Thebes. The citizens turn to their King for help and guidance. As Oedipus begins to unravel the mystery that engulfs the land, it becomes clear there is a high cost for getting to the truth; a truth that will lead to severe consequences and unexpected outcomes.
The second production in this series is the North American premiere of Hungry.
Mother and Father are worried about their Son. The Son hasn't spoken in quite a while.
And he might be a psychopath.
In this dark, absurdist comedy, Greek playwright Charalampos Giannou employs classical dramatic elements to spin a contemporary story of familial dysfunction and deprivation.
Directed by: David Gram
*Sponsored Content
STRATFORD in August! The Stratford Festival continues robust programming in August with Global Theatre Week, Readers and Writers Week, and the return of Dante’s Inferno and More!
STREAMING
TI'MON | The Obsidian Theatre Festival
The Obsidian Theatre Festival, the flagship program of the GhostLight Arts Initiative (GLAI), is proud to announce the streaming release of Season 4 Feature content. Having gained national recognition as a platform for emerging Black voices, OTF continues to break new ground through the streaming of original plays, musicals, music, and conversation.
This year's streaming schedule kicked off with the debut of TI’MON, a bold new musical by Ashlee and Ziyan, centered on the immigrant experience, family, and imagination. What makes this piece truly unique is the accompanying behind-the-scenes documentary following the development process with dramaturg Kanoa Sims. TI’MON premiered on Tuesday, July 22nd on the GhostLight YouTube channel . The full feature piece which is now available to stream on obsidianfest.org.
THE GOLDEN LOC | The Obsidian Theatre Festival | Premiering August 19
Prentiss Matthew III's award-winning play for young audiences, The Golden Loc, is set to premiere on August 19th. The piece, which was presented as part of The Obsidian Theatre Festival's 4th Season, was directed by Asia Mark and starred local actors Khalia Damali, Jarquita Evans, DeNitria Gibson, Tayler Jones, Princess Beyonce Jones, Chelsea King, and QueenMakeeda Taylor as "Zia".
The show received the "Best Play" award in 2024 from BroadwayWorld Michigan and recently became available for production through Plays For New Audiences.
Written by: Prentiss Matthews III
Directed by: Asia Mark
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NOW PLAYING
ORDINARY DAYS | The Penny Seats Theatre Company | Runs through August 23
The Penny Seats Theatre Company is proud to announce the opening of Ordinary Days the beautiful, thought-provoking musical by Adam Gwon, as its anchor summer musical this season. Opening on Friday, August 8 at Cahoots Event Center in downtown Ann Arbor, this fast-paced show takes us through the intersecting lives of four New York denizens, as they hunt for fulfillment, happiness, love, and cabs. Ordinary Days is an original musical for anyone who's ever struggled to appreciate the simple things in a complex place. It celebrates how 8.3 million individual stories combine in unexpected ways to make New York City such a unique and extraordinary home.
Directed by: Phil Simmons
Music Direction by: Rebecca Biber
RADICAL EMPATHY | Theatre Nova | Runs through Aug. 24
Theatre NOVA, Ann Arbor’s resident nonprofit professional theatre specializing in new plays presents the World Premiere of Radical Empathy by Ann Arbor playwright, David Wells, running Aug 1-24, 2025.
When an American college professor’s TED Talk on empathy goes viral, he meets an Iraqi man who becomes a fixture in his virtual classroom.
Carla Milarch, Founding Artistic Director, says:
"I am very proud to have been the leading producer of Dave Wells’ plays over the past 10 years. His plays are always beloved by NOVA audiences, for their humor, strong sense of justice, and for thier (yes) empathy..."
Written by: David Wells
Directed by: Briana O'Neal
BERT & TRIXIE VISIT THE VET | The Purple Rose Theatre | Runs June 20 - Aug. 31
The Purple Rose Theatre Company (PRTC) announces the final production of their 34th season, Bert & Trixie Visit the Vet a World Premiere comedy written by Matt Letscher.
Four pets in a veterinarian’s waiting room plan an escape when they suspect one of them is in danger. A comedy about what it means to truly be free. This production of “Bert & Trixie Visit the Vet” contains adult content and may not be suitable for children under the age of 13.
Written by: Matt Letscher
Directed by: Rhiannon Ragland
CADE WILLAMON'S REAL GHOST ADVENTURES | Planet Ant | Runs Aug 7-23
This August, step into the shadows of the St.Aubin Street Massacre in Cade Willamon’s Real Ghost Adventures, a groundbreaking immersive paranormal experience debuting at Planet Ant Theatre. Combining haunted house chills, escape room puzzles, and a live interactive séance, this live theatrical event invites audiences to help Cade Willamon confront the 95 year old curse of the St. Aubin Street massacre.
After suffering an intense illness, psychic medium Cade Willamon was transported by vision to a purple theatre and to buried artifacts in its basement—all tied to a century old massacre that claimed the cult leader Benny Evangelista and his family.
NEW SUMMER LINEUP | Tipping Point Theatre | Beginning July 17
Tipping Point Theatre (TPT) announces a brand-new collection of summer performances beginning on July 17, 2025. “You can count on Detroit talent to bring the fun” states TPT Artistic Director Julia Glander. “We are excited to kick back with the Planet Ant Home Team led by Tipping Point Theatre favorite, Dave Davies, for three nights of improv comedy to lead off our Summer Sessions. Then, returning Detroiter Michelle Murphy transports audiences back to her 13-year-old self at summer camp in her critically-acclaimed one person show, Keeper. Plus, audiences can enjoy our outdoor patio and courtyard with a beer or a glass of wine before each show—a true Michigan summer treat!”
THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL | www.stratfordfestival.ca
THE ART OF WAR | Runs through September 27
The Stratford Festival is thrilled to present a powerful and moving Canadian play that examines the role of art in the face of conflict and the shaping of national identity. Playwright Yvette Nolan’s The Art of War follows the journey of Nick, a young Canadian artist sent to the front lines of the Second World War, not to fight, but to observe. Armed with paintbrushes and canvas, Nick is tasked with capturing the lived experiences of Canada’s soldiers during one of the most defining periods in the country’s history.
Written by: Yvette Nolan
Directed by: Keith Barker
MACBETH | Runs through Nov 22
Robert Lepage returns to the Stratford Festival with a bold new production of Macbeth, Shakespeare’s compelling tale of unchecked ambition. Created in collaboration with Lepage’s company Ex Machina, the show features Tom McCamus in the title role and Lucy Peacock as Lady Macbeth.
Six years in the making, this fast-paced production will grab you with its startling opening scene and keep you in its grip through the thrilling final moments. It sees the clan loyalties and blood feuds of medieval Scotland come to vivid life in a biker gang war setting. In this story of a ruthless warrior empowered by prophecy, Shakespeare dramatizes the consequences of psychopathic ambition with a stark clarity that continues to shock audiences centuries later.
“Macbeth is always timely,” says Lepage, “because whatever the political system or the moment in history, there is always a Macbeth somewhere – an ambitious person who transforms a society into a dictatorship.”
Directed by: Robert Lepage
ANNIE | Runs May 27 - Dec. 14
The sun will come out tomorrow when the Stratford Festival begins its 2025 season with the fabulous musical Annie.
Ever-optimistic Annie makes it her job to improve the lives of everyone around her – except maybe Miss Hannigan, who has made life a misery for all the little girls in her care at the New York Municipal Orphanage.
Annieofficially opens on May 27 and runs until November 2 at the Festival Theatre.
“Where we came from and where we want to go define who and what we aspire to be – our vision shapes us,” says director Donna Feore.
“Annie... embodies the best of every human reaction to adversity and she speaks to us in a language so simple and clear that it’s hard to deny her power.”
Directed & Choreographed by: Donna Feore
Musical Direction by: Laura Burton
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS | Runs May 29 - Nov 23
Prepare for the Avon Theatre to be transformed into the glamorous French Riviera as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels hits the stage tomorrow, offering huge laughs and high energy. It showcases exhilarating performances by Shakura Dickson as Christine Colgate, Jonathan Goad as Lawrence Jameson, Liam Tobin as Freddy Benson, Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Muriel Eubanks, Derek Kwan as Andre Thibault, and Michele Shuster as Jolene Oakes.
Shakura Dickson ("Christine") sat down recently for an interview with Encore's John Sloan III. Stay tuned for the piece dropping soon!
THE WINTER'S TALE | Runs May 30 - September 27
Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino’s production of The Winter’s Tale starts performances today, opening the Tom Patterson Theatre for the 2025 season. Filled with sprightly comedy, heartwarming serendipity and fantastical surprises, this beautiful play features a stellar cast led by Graham Abbey as Leontes, Yanna McIntosh as Paulina and Sara Topham as Paulina.
Blinded by jealousy, King Leontes falsely accuses his pregnant wife of infidelity, setting into motion a series of catastrophes that will destroy his wife and son and leave his infant daughter abandoned to the elements on a distant island. Seeing the folly of his ways, Leontes vows to live out his days atoning for his actions. Sixteen years later, the king is offered an unlikely chance at redemption.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES | Runs through Nov 16
Grab a glass of raspberry cordial and join us for a story of love, family and friendship as Kat Sandler’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables makes its world première at the Stratford Festival. Directed by Sandler and led by Caroline Toal, Tim Campbell and Sarah Dodd, the east-coast charmer plays at the Avon Theatre.
Generations of readers have fallen in love with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s timeless tale about the red-headed orphan longing for a forever home.
Written & Directed by: Kat Sandler
FORGIVENESS | June 18 - Sept 27
Forgiveness, the story of two families profoundly affected by the events of the Second World War, starts performances at the Stratford Festival today. This deeply moving stage adaptation, written by Hiro Kanagawa and directed by Stafford Arima, is based on the Canada Reads-winning memoir Forgiveness: A Gift From My Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto.
Led by Yoshie Bancroft and Jeff Lillico, the play spans two generations and two families who in their union live as a testament to the power of choosing forgiveness over hatred.
Written by: Hiro Kanagawa
Directed by: Stafford Arima
SENSE & SENSIBILITY | June 19 - Oct 20
Mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen with a trip to the Stratford Festival for a beautiful and captivating production of Sense and Sensibility. Filled with simmering gossip, swooning assemblies and fierce wit, Kate Hamill’s stage adaptation of the classic novel hits the stage today. Directed by Daryl Cloran and led by Jessica B. Hill and Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane, this tale of sisters bound by love is a pure Regency Period delight.
“This is a story about love in its many forms. Romantic love. Love between sisters. Love between a mother and her daughters,” says Cloran
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COMING SOON
ROMEO & JULIET | Fenton Shakespeare In The Park | Runs August 22-31
The Fenton Shakespeare in the Park Festival returns for two weekends with Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s most well known tragic love story. The play is produced by Fenton’s Wishing Well Theatre and performed by a professional company of home-grown actors.
Performances take place at downtown Fenton's Rackham Park.
This program is sponsored by the The Community Foundation of Greater Flint: Fenton Fund, The Laundry, The City of Fenton, Fenton Arts Council: Arts are the Heart, Fenton’s Open Book, and Fenton Trading Post
Ticket prices are $30 for general admission (or $25 if you purchase ahead online), $23 for students, seniors, and children.
IF WE WERE BIRDS | Renaissance City Repertory Theatre | August 25 (one night only)
If We Were Birds is a shocking, uncompromising examination of the horrors of war, giving voice to a woman long ago forced into silence, and placing a spotlight on millions of female victims who have been silenced through violence. Erin Shields’ award-winning play is an unflinching commentary on contemporary war and its aftermath delivered through the lens of Greek Tragedy.
Written by: Erin Shields
Directed by: Laura Quigley
NO BANDWITH: ONE MAN, ONE NIGHT, THREE DECADES OF HITS | Detroit Opera | October 11 | www.detroitopera.org
Following a smash sold-out run this summer, Grammy-award-winning legend Raphael Saadiq is thrilled to announce the expansion of his highly-acclaimed one-man show No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits with twenty-two new Fall tour dates. The tour comes to the Detroit Opera House on October 11. Fresh off back-to-back sold-out nights at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City, Los Angeles’ historic United Theater on Broadway, and two homecoming nights at Oakland’s Fox Theater, Raphael Saadiq’s No Bandwidth Tour will see him extending his run after garnering widespread acclaim.
Praised by NPR’s KQED as “a masterclass in intimacy, vulnerability, and musical excellence,” the one-man-show offers a powerful blend of storytelling and emotionally evocative experience, with Saadiq guiding audiences through his celebrated 30+ year career. Attendees experience a rare glimpse into the life of the multi-talented artist, producer, instrumentalist, composer, and song writer with never-before-told stories and performances celebrating his catalog from the early 90s to today - including Tony! Toni! Toné!, Saadiq’s solo albums, and selections from his ground-breaking production work.
RANSACKING TROY | The Stratford Festival | Runs August 21-September 28
The Stratford Festival proudly unveils the world première of Ransacking Troy, a powerful and provocative new work by award-winning playwright Erin Shields. In this bold reimagining of Homer’s epic poems The Illiad and The Odyssey, Shields flips the lens on the Trojan War, offering an alternate ending told not through the eyes of warriors but through the voices of the women at its heart.
Exploring timeless themes of war, power and resilience, Ransacking Troy recasts a familiar myth through a fresh, urgent perspective. As the women navigate a world reshaped by absence, they ask: what comes after war, and who gets to decide?
Written by: Erin Shields
Directed by: Jackie Maxwell
DANGEROUS LIAISONS | The Stratford Festival | Runs August 22 - October 25
Seduction, power and betrayal take center stage this season as the Stratford Festival presents a provocative new production of Dangerous Liaisons, Christopher Hampton’s masterful stage adaptation of the classic novel. Under the direction of Esther Jun, this opulent tale of aristocratic excess unfolds on the eve of the French Revolution, as two cunning lovers engage in a ruthless game of desire and deceit.
Bold, elegant and biting, Dangerous Liaisons is a richly layered period drama that lays bare the intoxicating allure and ultimate cost of power without conscience. Don’t miss this thrilling new production of a timeless theatrical masterpiece.
Written by: Christopher Hampton
Directed by: Esther Jun
A BEAUTIFUL NOISE | The Wharton Center | Runs Sept 16-21
Producers Ken Davenport, Bob Gaudio, and NETworks Presentations are thrilled to announce the smash hit musical, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL. The Broadway hit makes its East Lansing premiere at Wharton Center for Performing Arts from September 16-21, 2025.
Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chartbusting, show-stopping American rock icon. A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer, choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett, and written by four-time Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten.
THE SEVEN CASTAWAYS | Planet Ant Theatre | Runs Sept 5 - 14
Detroit playwright Sean Paraventi ventured deep into a memory from his early childhood for inspiration for his latest comedy - and first musical - The Seven Castaways. Although inspired by one of his favorite TV shows as a kid, this play ain’t the Gilligan’s Island you remember.
The Seven Castaways updates the story to modern times. The characters may seem familiar, but they are also shockingly different. You will definitely recognize some themes from the TV show but here are some others you may have only imagined, in the more twisted corners of your brain.
Written by: Sean Paraventi
Directed by: Cassandra Svacha
DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL | The Wharton Center | Sat., Nov 1
The New York Times Critics’ Pick Dog Man: The Musical, based on the best-selling book series by Dav Pilkey, returns to Wharton Center on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming production following the chronicles of Dog Man. With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. But while trying his best to be a good boy, can he save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings?
THE GOOD ONES | Planet Ant Theatre | Runs Sept 5-20
The Good Ones is a witty and dramatic tale describing a young woman’s grief-and her best friend’s selfish attempt at aiding her through it. Through realistic dialogue and a gripping adventure—The Good Ones shines light on exploiting trauma and friendship betrayal.
After the sudden and tragic death of her older sister, Anna is no longer going on a much awaited road trip to Chicago to visit her sister’s new home. That is, until her childhood best friend Lucas decides to take her on a cross country road trip to the city to help her find closure.
Written & Directed by: Dani Poppe
"AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER" IN CONCERT |
Wharton Center | October 7| www.whartoncenter.com
Nickelodeon, GEA Live, and Senbla today announced Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert – The 20th Anniversary Tour (www.avatarinconcert.com) will land in East Lansing at Wharton Center for Performing Arts on Tuesday, October 7, at 7:30PM. Audiences will be immersed in a two-hour performance with a live orchestra that brings the show’s iconic musical score to life in perfect harmony, paired with visual highlights and favorite moments from all three seasons of the series.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | The Wharton Center | Runs Oct 14-19
Tickets for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the first North American production of the musical presented by Disney in over 25 years, are now on sale to the public. Based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning animated feature film, Beauty and the Beast premiered on Broadway in 1994 and still ranks as the 10th longest-running show in the industry’s history. Nominated for nine Tony Awards®, winning for Best Costume Design, Beauty remains one of the highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time. Beauty and the Beast, directed & choreographed by Matt West, features Alan Menken’s Academy Award-winning score, songs by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (including the Academy Award-winning title song and the show-stopping “Be Our Guest”), plus songs written especially for the stage by Alan Menken and Tim Rice (including “If I Can’t Love Her” and “A Change In Me”).
AND THAT'S THE RUNDOWN! There is so much going on across the state, and WE KNOW this isn't a comprehensive list. So, if you think there's something we missed, please reach out.
Until Next Time. Break Legs!
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