HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED YET?
Earlier this week we began our first-ever GETTING TO KNOW YOU survey on EncoreMichigan.com, and to be honest, the response has been a bit lower than expected. The purpose for the survey is really two...
View ArticleSAD NEWS
I received the following e-mail this morning from Frannie Shepherd-Bates, artistic director of the Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company of Detroit: I'm writing to let you know that we lost one of our own...
View ArticleFUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
In my previous entry I noted that I'd provide additional details regarding Ava Rodgers' funeral arrangements, and here they are, again courtesy of Frannie Shepherd-Bates:The funeral will be held at the...
View ArticleA NEW CHRISTMAS TRADITION?
Last week I attended the opening night performance of Cirque Dreams Holidaze at the Fox Theatre, and it wouldn't surprise me if the show became a regular holiday tradition in Metro Detroit.Although...
View ArticleCATCHING UP
One of the unfortunate side effects of having more shows to review than one person can handle is the fact that I can't see every show I'd like to see; there just isn't enough time. So with a few weeks...
View ArticleGOODBYE, WHOLE ART THEATRE
The economy has taken its toll on yet another Michigan arts organization - Kalamazoo's Whole Art Theatre. Known for being one of the most progressive community theaters in the state - it was often at...
View ArticleSOME MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS
It's been a few weeks since I last posted. Although I've had lots to say, I've had little time to say it - so I'm playing "catch up" with some not-so-random thoughts.It's always fun to be in the...
View ArticleMORE RENEGADES IN 2010
Late last summer I was privileged to be invited to participate in the Renegade Theatre Festival in Lansing's Old Town District. I had a blast, and it was a pleasure watching the area's professional,...
View ArticleYET MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS
Yes, I've been absent from this blog for a few weeks. But here's why: January and February have been the busiest ever - with 123 professional, amatuer and collegiate shows opening (which translates to...
View ArticleTHREE STRIKES
This past weekend was one of the strangest the theater community has experienced in recent memory. In no particular order:Tipping Point Theatre's Julia Glander encountered a situation that most actors...
View ArticleA MYTH SHATTERED?
Last fall, tongues wagged and bets were placed when six brave professional theaters decided to buck tradition and open shows over the Thanksgiving weekend. Why? Because experience over the past decades...
View ArticleDAMN DAMMED
Last weekend I had no shows to review, so I ended up in at Tipping Point for the final performance of The Lady with All the Answers - which I loved. The story of Ann Landers, actress JuliaGlander...
View ArticleMY WISH LIST FOR THE NEW SEASON
I had an interesting conversation recently with a reader who questioned why I mention certain "flaws" in my reviews - such as actors who don't wait for laughs to die down before continuing their lines,...
View ArticleTHE DOG-GONE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION
One of the shows I was looking forward to most this season was one I had never seen before. Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead received a lot of press when it first arrived in New York a...
View ArticleOH, WHAT A DAY
At about 12:30 this morning I was asked, "So...what's your typical day like?" My response was to laugh. "There IS no such thing as a typical day," I said. And the last 36 hours or so perfectly...
View ArticleTHE GERM OF AN IDEA...
As regular readers of my reviews on EncoreMichigan.com already know, I unexpectedly found myself at The Jewish Ensemble Theatre this past Saturday night for the United States professional premiere of...
View ArticleTHE END IS NEAR...
Yes, the end is near - of the 2009-10 theater season, that is. So the last shows we'll review for purposes of The 2010 Wilde Awards will be those that open the weekend of May 14-15.Shows that open (or...
View ArticleJUST THE FACTS
I get a report that tracks which articles on EncoreMichigan.com visitors go to once they reach the home page. It also tells me where the traffic comes from. The data is presented as a three-month...
View ArticleTHE GOSPEL TRUTH
There's a reason why Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is the state's top theater training program for young people - and the answer has been on display this weekend and last at the Detroit Film...
View ArticleSTARTING JUNE WITH RANDOM THOUGHTS
THOUGHT 1: When you see 70 to 80 shows a year, it's rare to see the same show twice, but that's what happened last Friday night when I headed to the Hilberry Theatre to see Palmer Park for the second...
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