Welcome to THE RUNDOWN, a quick hit highlight of what's on stage in Michigan. Spring is almost here and there are no signs of slowing down. With plays, musicals, and one-night-only concerts, Michigan stages just don't know how to quit.
It's a Steam Train, Coming Down the Track!
PLACES PLEASE, THIS IS YOUR PLACES CALL!
Here's THE RUNDOWN for Thursday, March 20, 2025.
CLOSING SOON
DOUBLE TAKES | Planet Ant Theatre | Runs March 7-22
Planet Ant Theatre presents Double Takes, a world premiere dark comedy brought to you by Michele Harte and the Planet Ant Farm Team.
Two crestfallen strangers find themselves in peculiar situations after they each have separate, unsuccessful suicide attempts. In a world where every time someone takes their own life, another dies too, they each realize that it could be best to form a suicide pact with someone else who craves death. After setting out to find the perfect person for their pacts, they find each other. Through devising the perfect plan to seal their fates, they form an unforeseen emotional connection.
Written & Directed by: Michele Harte
DETROIT '67 | Detroit Public Theatre | Runs March 18-27
Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ‘67 is back for 5 performances only following a short week-long tour.
It's 1967 in Detroit. Motown music is getting the party started, and Chelle and her brother Lank are making ends meet by turning their basement into an after-hours joint. But when a mysterious woman finds her way into their lives, the siblings clash over more much more than the family business. As their pent-up feelings erupt, so does their city, and they find themselves caught in the middle of the '67 riots.
Tickets are only $25, and availability is limited!
Written by: Dominique Morisseau
Directed by: Brian Marable
CHERRY BOMBS & BOTTLE ROCKETS | Saugatuck Center for the Arts | Runs May 22-23
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is enthusiastically welcoming everyone's favorite raunchy redhead, tupperware slinging, storyteller - Dixie Longate to the stage for her final tour.
Cherry Bombs & Bottle Rockets, the new show from DIXIE LONGATE is a web of storytelling and laughs that only America’s favorite southern redhead can create.
THE WHARTON CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS
TWO TRAINS RUNNING | March 22 | ONE NIGHT ONLY
Experience The Acting Company’s vibrant new production of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running: an unforgettable exploration of community and identity during the civil rights movement.
“Perfection … a work by a writer at the peak of his powers.” —Variety
The Tony® nominated production captures the joy and perseverance of an urban community navigating transformation demonstrating why Wilson remains one of America’s essential voices.
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER'S NEW ORLEANS SONGBOOK | March 25
Prepare to be transported to the lively streets of New Orleans with Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS, New Orleans Songbook: an evening of soul and Mardi Gras spirit celebrating the composers and inspired songs of the Crescent City.
Luther S. Allison, pianist and music director for Jazz at Lincoln Center's New Orleans Songbook, earned his Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University in 2019. He also won a Grammy Award in 2024 as an accompanist for Samara Joy on her album Tight. He’ll be returning to East Lansing as part of the New Orleans Songbook tour, with a performance at Wharton Center on March 25, 2025.
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NOW PLAYING
A DRIVING BEAT | Flint Repertory Theatre | Runs March 14-30
FIM Flint Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere production of A Driving Beat by Jordan Ramirez Puckett, March 14 - 30 at FIM Elgood Theatre.
Developed in Flint Rep’s 2023 New Works Festival, A Driving Beat follows Mateo, a 14-year-old boy with brown skin, and Diane, his white adoptive mother, on a road trip from their home in Ohio to his birthplace in San Diego. Throughout the journey, they are forced to reconcile their differing identities and what it means to be a family.
Written by: Jordan Ramirez Puckett
Directed by: Courtney Burkett
HYSTERICAL! | The Detroit Repertory Theatre | Runs March 14-May 4
The Detroit Repertory Theatre presents Hysterical! Inspired by true events, the play tells the story of a school cheerleading squad and what they think will be the "best year ever"... until chaos strikes. One by one, each of the girls begins to suffer from uncontrollable tics and outbursts as a mysterious illness ravages the squad. Featuring laugh out loud hijinks and epic choreography, this is a story so crazy it has to be seen.
Written by: Elena Stauffer
Directed by: Leah Smith
ENGLISH | Tipping Point Theatre | Runs March 12 - April 6
Tipping Point Theatre’s (TPT) 17th theatrical season continues with English, by Sanaz Toossi, another Michigan premiere! In an Iranian classroom for adult English learners, the teacher, Marjan, leads four students through a linguistic playground as they
prepare for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam.
Will “English only” expand or limit what they truly want to say? This comic and heartfelt play about language and identity won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize.
Written by: Sanaz Toosi
Directed by: Suzi Regan
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RIPCORD | Open Book Theatre | Runs March 14-April 6
Open Book Theatre Company in Trenton will ignite the stage March 14 through April 6 with a production that promises equal measures of riotous humor and genuine heart in Ripcord, a play by David Lindsay-Abaire.
The story follows prickly Abby, who is forced to share her room at Bristol Place Senior Living Facility with the sunny and chipper Marilyn. What begins as a seemingly harmless bet between the two quickly escalates into hilarious battles and a wild adventure that unveils unexpected depths and surprising friendships. The show features Connie Cowper and Linda Rabin Hammell as the warring roommates.
Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by: Kevin T. Keller
SENSE & SENSIBILITY | The Encore Musical Theatre Co. | Runs Feb 27-March 16
The Encore Musical Theatre Company is proud to present the Michigan premiere of Sense & Sensibility, a romantic new chamber musical based on the novel by Jane Austen. Fresh from critical acclaim and multiple awards in Chicago, where it was lauded for its lush score and elegant storytelling, Sense & Sensibility brings Jane Austen’s timeless novel to life. Chicago critics hailed it as “mesmerizing” (Chicago Tribune) and “utterly charming” (Chicago Sun-Times), with the production earning accolades for its nuanced adaptation and emotional resonance.
Book, music, and lyrics by: Paul Gordon
Directed by: Matt Bogart
COCK |The Ringwald Theatre | March 7-31
The Ringwald Theatre is proud to announce its production of Mike Bartlett’s seminal play Cock (aka The Cockfight Play), playing the Ferndale venue Fridays-Mondays from March 7-31, 2025.
John has been in a stable relationship with his boyfriend for several years. But when he takes a break, he accidentally falls in love with a woman.
Torn between the two, filled with guilt and conflicting emotions, he doesn’t know which way to turn.
Written by: Mike Bartlett
Directed by: Joey Bailey
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COMING SOON
MY MOTHER AND THE MICHIGAN/OHIO WAR | The Purple Rose | April 3-March 25
The Purple Rose Theatre Company announces the third production of their 34th season, My Mother and the Michigan/Ohio War a World Premiere comedy written by Paul Stroili.
Izzy’s history buff husband Freddy had a dream: a full-scale reenactment of The Michigan-Ohio War. But when a bizarre papier-mâché accident leaves Izzy a widow, she calls on her Wolverine daughter and Buckeye son to see Freddy’s vision realized.
Written by: Paul Stroli
Directed by: Susan Angelo
LOVE, WAR, AND JAZZ | AUXmedia | Runs March 29, 2025
A new staged concert by Detroit Music Awards winner Tracy Kash will premiere in Kalamazoo on March 29, 2025. Love, War and Jazz is a new musical by Detroit
playwright and filmmaker Heather Buchanan that is based on a true story.
“This musical is a highpoint of my career,” Kash said, “allowing me to explore a full range of musical possibilities to tell this story.”
The production features Detroit producer/director Grover McCants, vocalists Angela Celeste May & Smada Adams.
COSI FAN TUTTE | Detroit Opera | Runs April 5-13
Detroit Opera will present three performances of Così fan tutte, in a new staging by Artistic Director Yuval Sharon, April 5, 11 and 13.
The production is a futuristic take on Mozart’s dark comedy about human relationships—an exploration of artificial intelligence, with Don Alfonso’s “school for lovers” recast as a laboratory where the four lovers are his robotic inventions, created with the support of Despina. Will this laboratory of lovers lead to a breakthrough for “Humanity 2.0,” or are human habits of jealousy and deceit hardwired into us?
Conductor: Corinna Niemeyer
Director: Yuval Sharon
DRESS REHEARSAL, THE SHOW | Planet Ant Black Box | Runs March 28-April 5
What do you do when your lead actor quits the night before the big show? In this case, you throw in a brand-new one—completely unprepared.
Dress Rehearsal is a must-see for fans of live improv, unpredictable comedy, and interactive theater. Each night, a different special guest is thrown into the lead role with no script, no rehearsal, and no clue what’s coming next.
Written & Directed by: Robyn Whitelaw
ECLIPSED: THE SUN, THE MOOD, AND GLADY'S ATKINSON SWEET | Theatre Nova |
Runs April 11-May 11 | www.theatrenova.org
Theatre NOVA is thrilled to present the World Premiere of ECLIPSED, a play documenting the all-too-real 1925 case of an African American married couple and their friends charged with first-degree murder following the attack on the Sweet's Detroit home by over 700 white neighbors. Although much has been written about Dr. Sweet and the two Sweet trials, litigated by Clarence Darrow, this play imagines the perspective of Gladys Sweet and the women who populated her life. It is about what women do, and have always done, in the shadows.
"Years of research, writing, and workshopping have finally resulted in an experience that I think audiences will find both moving and edifying." - D.L. Patrick
Written by: D.L. Patrick
Directed by: Bryana Hall
WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT | Tipping Point Theatre | March 30
White Rabbit Red Rabbit is an "audacious theatrical experiment" that offers a communal and interactive experience between performer and audience. Harnessing the power of storytelling, the play
crosses geographical borders and invites understanding and sympathy – especially as we navigate current power structures, privilege and ideological differences. This co-production between Tipping Point and Renaissance City Rep features a performance by TPT Artistic Director Julia Glander.
“Performing is always a leap of faith. You have to trust your brain, body, heart and soul that you've done your research, been guided at rehearsal and are ready to embark on a journey at every performance.” -- Julia Glander
Written by: Nassim Soleimanpour
A JUKEBOX FOR THE ALGONQUIN | Farmers Alley Theatre | Runs April 3-20
Farmers Alley Theatre presents the Kalamazoo premiere of A Jukebox for the Algonquin, a brand-new comedy with heart.
At a senior living community in the Adirondack region of upstate New York, a small group of residents decide they’re not quite ready to go “gentle into that good night.” This band of displaced former city dwellers from Brooklyn and The Bronx devise a plot to prove that “old” is not a New York state of mind.
Written & Directed by: Paul Stroili
THE GROWN UPS | Detroit Mercy Theatre Company | Runs April 4-13
Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) presents The Grown Ups at the Marlene Boll Theatre inside Detroit’s Boll Family YMCA.
The play follows a group of camp counselors in the world of a remote sleepaway camp as they navigate the highs and lows of camp life. As they swap stories by the fire, form unlikely bonds, and challenge each other’s perspectives, an unsettling presence looms, forcing the counselors to examine their own values
and the unpredictable forces beyond the campfire’s glow.
“This is one of those plays that I hope audiences discuss the entire drive home,” -- Andrew Papa
Pappa, director and department chair continued, “...What can we do to ensure the story of the show doesn’t become a reality?"
Written by: Simon Henriques and Skylar Fox
Directed by: Andrew Papa
MANY STORIES, ONE STAGE | Pontiac Youth Theatre | April 11
Pontiac Youth Theatre (PYT) invites the public to attend its ‘Many Stories, One Stage’ Gala, a memorable evening celebrating the power of youth in the performing arts. This special event will feature masterfully produced performances by talented young artists, an afterglow reception, and live entertainment. Proceeds from the Gala support PYT’s performing arts training program, which provides access to arts education, mentorship, and a peer community for Oakland County students ages 8-18.
BROADWAY'S NEXT HIT MUSICAL | The Wharton Center for Performing Arts | April 22
Every song is fresh, every scene is new, and every night is different with Broadway's Next Hit Musical, an immersive, unscripted comedic performance. Broadway’s Next Hit Musical will appear at Wharton Center on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 7:30PM.
During Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, audience members control the fate of all nominees at "The Phony Awards," a fictitious and improvised version of the Tony Awards®. The audience engages with incredible actors on stage by writing down made up song titles for the master improvisers to present as "nominated songs" for this coveted award.
AND THAT'S THE RUNDOWN! There is so much going on across the state, and WE KNOW this isn't a comprehensive list. So, if you think there's something we missed, please reach out.
Until Next Time. Break Legs!
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