Varner Hall, on the campus of Oakland University (OU), has spent the last two years going through much-needed renovations and is finally ready for its close-up. To celebrate, the esteemed OU School of Music, Theatre and Dance is staging the Varner Act II Gala — a show-stopping musical revue under the direction of Teri Hansen in the Varner Studio Theatre. Hansen, a visiting assistant professor, brings a wealth of screen (Film/TV) and stage (Broadway/London's West End) experience to this fresh … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Varner Act II Gala Honors Oakland University’s Musical Past While Shining a Bright Spotlight on its Future
November 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment
REVIEW: ‘Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure’ Brings Murder and Comedy Together for a Killer Good Time
October 8, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may have tired of his ‘consulting detective,’ but Sherlock Holmes still mesmerizes audiences. And nowhere was this more evident than at the Michigan Premiere of Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure running now through October 29, 2023, at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. Picking right where they left off this summer with Noises Off, MBT kicks off their 57th season with this wickedly funny … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Oakland University’s Multilingual ‘¡Farsa/Farce! (An Affair of International Laughter)’ is Relevant in Any Language
October 6, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Oakland University Department of Theatre opened its 2023-2024 season with one of the most unique productions in recent memory — ¡Farsa/Farce! (An Affair of International Laughter) which runs now until Oct. 15 in Varner Studio Theatre on the campus of Oakland University (OU). Directed by David Gram, ¡Farsa/Farce! encompasses two plays. The first is El suplicio del placer (“The Agony of Ecstasy”) by Mexican playwright Sabina Berman, and the second is Non tutti i ladri vengono per nuocere (“The … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Avon Players’ ‘The Full Monty’ is Cheeky Fun
September 16, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Friday night, in front of a packed audience, Avon Players Theatre put the adage — ‘Fortune favors the bold’ — to the test with the comedy musical, The Full Monty running now until September 30, 2023, in Rochester Hills, MI. If The Full Monty sounds familiar, chances are you have either heard of or seen the 1997 British comedy film of the same name. In 2000, the Americanized version of the story hit Broadway as a musical with the book by Terrence McNally and score by David Yazbeck. And just … [Read more...]
REVIEW: ‘Noises Off’ Brings Down the House at Meadow Brook Theatre with Hijinks and Hilarity
June 5, 2023 by Leave a Comment
This season, Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) has taken audiences on a journey that has included the blues (Blues in the Night), honky tonk (Honky Tonk Angels), complex relationships (Birthday Club, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand), and a killer plant (Little Shop of Horrors). However, they may have saved the best for last with Noises Off, which runs until June 25, 2023, at Meadow Brook Theatre on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Mich. Written by English playwright Michael Frayn in … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Avon Players’ ‘First Date’ Makes the Right Impression
May 27, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Adam Silorey as Aaron and Lori Smith as Casey in 'First Date.' Photo courtesy of Bryan Clifford These days, dating – especially first dates – are akin to maneuvering through a minefield. There is constant second-guessing over where to meet, what to wear, and what topics are ‘safe’ to discuss. All while in the back of your mind, you’re wondering, “Will this finally be THE ONE that gets you off the dating merry-go-round? Avon Players’ presentation of the rom-com musical First Date hysterically … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘Honk Tonk Angels’ Will Restore Your Faith in the Power of Dreaming Big
April 30, 2023 by 1 Comment
In 2021, Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) premiered FANCY, a Country Jukebox Musical. The following year they doubled down with A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. And in 2023, MBT proves that good things come in threes with the divinely inspirational Honky Tonk Angels, running through May 21, 2023, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Angela (Stacy White) shows what housewives from Texas are made of. Photo credit: Sean Carter Photography Written by Ted Swindley, this … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Family Dynamics are the Foundation of ‘Harry Townsend’s Last Stand’ at Meadow Brook Theatre
March 26, 2023 by 1 Comment
As kids, we can’t wait to get older and be able to do grown-up things like drive, stay up late, or have ice cream for breakfast. Yet, somewhere in all the excitement of spreading our wings, we forget that as we age, so do our parents. This role reversal is at the heart of Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, running until Sunday, April 16, 2023, at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. Written by George Eastman, Harry Townsend’s Last Stand focuses on … [Read more...]
‘Harry Townsend’s Last Stand’ at Meadow Brook Theatre
March 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Touching drama runs March 22 through April 16, 2023, on the campus of Oakland University. Harry Townsend likes his life just the way it is and doesn’t see any need for things to change. When his son, Alan, comes to visit, that’s all he seems to want to do. Harry Townsend’s Last Stand explores the relationship between father and son, displaying the complexities of family life with wit and wisdom to make the audience feel that they’re part of the relationship. Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, … [Read more...]
Avon Players’ ‘Misery’ Highlights the High Price of Fame
March 11, 2023 by 2 Comments
There is a well-known adage advising people not to meet their heroes because they’ll only end up disappointed. And nowhere is this sentiment truer than in the story of Avon Players’ latest production, Misery running now through March 25, 2023, in Rochester Hills, MI. Misery is a best-selling book by famed horror novelist Stephen King, which went on to become an iconic film starring Kathy Bates and the late James Caan. The Broadway play is written by William Goldman and starred Laurie Metcalf … [Read more...]
