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: Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘Birthday Club’ is Cause for Celebration!
January 15, 2023 by Leave a Comment
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...]
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: 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...]
Fan-Favorite Musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ kicks off Meadow Brook Theatre’s 56th season
September 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Out-of-this-world musical runs Oct. 5 through Oct. 30, 2022, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI. While working as an assistant in a floral shop, shy Seymour stumbles across a new breed of plant. He names it “Audrey II,” after the coworker he has a crush on. But Audrey II isn’t as “proper” as Audrey. In a deep, R&B voice, it promises unending fame and fortune to Seymour as long as he supplies it with BLOOD! But just what does Audrey II have in mind for Seymour... and the … [Read more...]
Meadow Brook Theatre to Hold Auditions for Children in ‘A Christmas Carol’
August 24, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Auditions are on September 10th on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Mich. Rochester's favorite holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol returns to Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) for its 40 Year Anniversary! Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and a handful of ghosts will once again grace the streets of London to deliver a message of unity and giving. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, original adaptation and staging by Charles Nolte, will run at Meadow Brook Theatre on the campus of Oakland … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Meadow Brook Theatre’s ‘A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline’ is an Emotional, Must-See Experience
May 31, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Patsy Cline’s professional musical career lasted 15 years before tragedy struck, but the legacy she left behind is still impacting artists and fans to this day. Cline wasn’t just a singer, but also a gifted storyteller and fierce advocate for others, which is evident in A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, by Dean Regan, running at Meadow Brook Theatre (MBT) on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI from now until June 19, 2022. This show is more of a concert experience than a … [Read more...]
Broadway’s Felicia Finley closes Meadow Brook Theatre’s Season with ‘A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline’
May 9, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Felicia Finley in 'A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline' at MBT. Photo courtesy of Sean Carter Photography Musical telling the life story of the country music legend using her songs runs May 25 through June 19, 2022, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester. A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline transports audiences through the music legend’s life, from her hometown of Winchester, Virginia to the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall. Little Big Man, a disc jockey from Virginia uses her greatest hits, … [Read more...]
Michigan Premiere of ‘The Pin-Up Girls’ at Meadow Brook Theatre
April 5, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Memorable musical runs April 20 through May 15, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester. Leanne and her friends are entertaining at their local VFW hall when they come across a collection of letters from the past hundred years. The singers are moved to put on a show inspired by the letters home from soldiers, sailors, and airmen spanning from World War I through Afghanistan. Songs range from “You Made Me Love You” and “Please Mr. Postman” to “Push It” and “Single Ladies.” The … [Read more...]
