Soulful musical runs February 15 through March 12 on the campus of Oakland University Three different women and one man who does them wrong create the perfect opportunity for Blues in the Night, the latest musical to run at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. Conceived and originally directed by Sheldon Epps, with original vocal arrangements and musical direction by Chapman Roberts and orchestrations and additional vocal arrangements by Sy Johnson, … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘Birthday Club’ is Cause for Celebration!
January 15, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) kicks off the new year in a big way with the Michigan premiere of the jubilant Birthday Club, running now through Sunday, February 5, 2023, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. From the pen of playwright Phil Olson, Birthday Club is set in the present day and features Cheryl (Lynnae Lehfeldt), Emily (Debbie Williams), Abbie (Tamara PiLar), and Kathy (Dani Cochrane). For five years these women have been gathering at Cheryl’s house to drink, … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Make a Date to See the Fearless and Funny ‘Calendar Girls’ at Avon Players
January 14, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Singer/songwriter Neil Sedaka was right on the money when he sang, “I love, I love, I love my calendar girl.” Or in this case, I loved the opening night of Avon Players’ spirited production of Calendar Girls, running now until Saturday, January 28 in Rochester Hills, MI. If the name of this play sounds familiar, chances are you may have seen the 2003 movie starring Dames Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. Inspired by real-life events, the action mainly takes place in the quaint village of … [Read more...]
Michigan Premiere of ‘Birthday Club’ at Meadow Brook Theatre
January 2, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Comedy runs January 11 through February 5, 2023, on the campus of Oakland University Throughout the year, five women gather to celebrate their birthdays. They celebrate, commiserate, and support each other as they negotiate through marriage, work, divorce, birth, and kids, sure that with enough work—and another drink—they can solve any problem that comes their way. One by one they talk about personal, work, and family issues. Then one shares a surprising secret and the vodka hits the fan. … [Read more...]
Avon Players Presents Heartwarming Comedy ‘Calendar Girls’
January 2, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Friends navigate loss by taking bold actions and find that the world is watching See how far a group of friends will go to bring attention to a good cause and how that attention alters their relationships as Avon Players presents Calendar Girls running January 13-28. When Annie's (Lesa Bydalek) husband John (Anthony Sherman) dies of leukemia, she and best friend Chris (Joy Oetjens) resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room in remembrance of him. With help from … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ Celebrates Community and the Resiliency of the Human Spirit
November 30, 2022 by Leave a Comment
As the Bible and The Byrds famously stated, ‘For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.’ For those of us in the metro Detroit area, this means once again it is that magical time of year for seeing A Christmas Carol, running now through December 24, 2022, at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. L to R: Conrad Nichols (Tiny Tim), Tamara Della Anderson (Spirit of Christmas Present), Thomas D. Mahard (Ebenezer Scrooge), … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Avon Players ‘A Few Good Men’ Inspires with Commanding Performances that Electrify
November 12, 2022 by Leave a Comment
“A pushy broad, a smart Jew and a Harvard mouth" walk into a military courtroom to take on the United States Marine Corps in Avon Players’ powerful production of A Few Good Men, running from now until November 26, 2022, in Rochester, Mich. L to R: Lance Cpl. Harold Dawson (Matt Druminski), PFC William Santiago (Kyle Kiesler), and PFC Louden Downey (Jacob Rayl) find themselves caught up in deadly lies and deceit. Photo courtesy of Avon Players' Facebook. Thanks to the popularity of the 1992 … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Oakland University’s ‘A New Brain’ Probes Deep into the Insecurities that Plague Us All
November 5, 2022 by Leave a Comment
It is rare to be able to review a show blind and even more unexpected to come away having thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite the underlying seriousness of the subject matter, A New Brain did exactly that and you only have this weekend to catch the remaining performances in the Varner Lab Theatre on the campus of Oakland University (OU). In her notes, director Rachel M. Stevens discusses the process with which the OU School of Music, Theatre and Dance (SMTD) went about curating the shows for this … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Quirky and Charming, Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Gives Audiences Plenty to Root For
October 7, 2022 by Leave a Comment
The campy noir musical Little Shop of Horrors has invaded Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. from now until Oct. 30, 2022. Confession: I have never watched the movie or attended a live performance before, so this review is about as unvarnished as it comes. Also, I’m glad my first exposure was courtesy of MBT's talented cast and crew because this production is fantastic! Little Shop of Horrors is absurdly funny. It shouldn’t work. You shouldn’t … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Avon Players’ Season Debut ‘Bright Star’ Radiates Optimism in the Face of Love, Loss, and Longing
September 10, 2022 by 1 Comment
Avon Players opens a new season with Bright Star, a musical that takes the audience on a sweeping emotional journey, now through September 24 in Rochester Hills, MI. Bright Star is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the mid-1940s, with flashbacks to 1923. While there are dual storylines intertwining throughout the performance, the main plot point belongs to idealistic Alice Murphy (Caitlin O’Brien) and the trajectory of her life from an innocent teenager to a mature, but … [Read more...]
