A full house on opening night at Avon Players Theatre was treated to an evening of playwright Neil Simon’s wise-cracking comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor, running until March 29, 2025, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. With more than 30 plays to his name, Neil Simon racked up many awards over his illustrious career, including Tony Awards for writing The Odd Couple and Biloxi Blues and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Lost in Yonkers. In 1983, Simon was the first living playwright to have a … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Calamity and Comedy Collide in Avon Players’ ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’
Dear Crabby, What’s All the Hype About ‘Hamilton?’
Dear Crabby, Lately, my newsfeed has been filled with people geeking out over Hamilton the musical. Since all the theatres are closed, I can’t figure out what all the fuss is about. Do you have any clue? Thanks, K. George Will Dear K. George Will, I know we’ve all been sheltering at home these past few months, but it sounds like you’ve also been sheltering under a rock. First, a little background for those of you who slept through American history. Good old Alexander Hamilton is … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Oakland University’s ‘Urinetown’ Merges Merriment and Misery into One Mind-Blowing Musical Production
Urinetown is a musical I’ve heard a lot about over the years but never found the time to see — until now. Oakland University School of Music, Theatre and Dance get their 2019-20 season off to a phenomenal start with their production of this Tony Award-winning musical running now through Oct. 20 in the Varner Studio Theatre. Have you ever thought about paying for the privilege to pee? Probably not, but this concept served as the inspiration for Urinetown. In the mid-90s, Greg Kotis (Lyrics and … [Read more...]
Dear Crabby, Has Hollywood Run Out of Original Ideas?
Dear Crabby, When I was watching the Tony Awards®, I noticed a number of the musicals are based off movies. For example, “Mean Girls,” “Pretty Woman,” and “Tootsie.” That got me thinking about how it seems recently there are more and more remakes happening in TV and movies. It seems to be everywhere. So, are the folks in Hollywood just lazy or have they run out of original ideas? Thanks! Chanel Changer Dear Chanel Changer, I was asked something similar last year and at the time I … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Life, Love, and the ‘Company’ You Keep is at the Heart of Avon Players’ Latest Production
How do you solve a problem like Bobby’s? That’s the question on the minds of his married friends and the women in his life. And what is Bobby’s problem? He’s 35 and still single (gasp!). Welcome to composer Stephen Sondheim’s Company; an eccentric look at modern love in 1970's Manhattan and the closing production of Avon Players’ diverse 2018-2019 season, running now through June 1. When Company debuted on Broadway in 1970, it earned a record-setting 14 Tony Awards® nominations, of which … [Read more...]
Witness History Aboard Avon Players’ ‘Titanic’
More than a century after the disaster, the story of the “unsinkable” Titanic continues to capture the public’s imagination. With lush music and gripping drama, Avon Players kicks off its 71st season with the musical depiction of the tragedy, Titanic running Friday, September 8 through Saturday, September 23. Based on the infamous 1912 maritime disaster in which a large passenger liner struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank, resulting in more than 1500 casualties, Titanic chronicles … [Read more...]
Go Behind the Scenes with Oakland University’s Production of ‘A Chorus Line’
A Chorus Line, perhaps the ultimate backstage musical, winner of nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, will open at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, in Varner Studio Theatre at Oakland University. A Chorus Line, which is a stunning musical-vérité about dancers auditioning for the chorus of a Broadway show, is a powerful metaphor for all human aspiration. It highlights the achingly poignant ambitions of professional Broadway ‘gypsies’ to land a job. When it opened, the show’s … [Read more...]
Dear Crabby, When Will Women Be on Money?
Dear Crabby, I was in Starbucks the other day and pulled out a $10 bill to pay when I remembered, weren’t they going to replace Alexander Hamilton with a woman’s picture? And if so, when will it happen? Thanks, Diana Diez Dear Diana Diez, That’s right. I had forgotten about the proposed switch-a-roo myself. I love history. In fact, I earned a medal in sixth grade for memorizing all the presidents and their bios and reciting it in front of the whole school, so I’m very qualified to … [Read more...]