List of plays, musicals, and operas now showing and coming soon ...
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
January 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28
Thursdays - Saturdays: 8pm, Sunday Matinee: 2:30pm - Tickets: $18
Drama - "The expression of a brooding point of view of life with dramatic impact, "Cat" is one of the most successful plays of our times, filled with basic truths. Big Daddy celebrates his 65th birthday; a happy occasion with somber undertones filled with greed, loneliness and truths the family cannot face. One of the most delicately wrought exercises in human communications."
Fallen Angels - by Noel Coward
March 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25 - Tickets: $18
Comedy - "This is Coward at his inimitable best. Jane & Julia, both happily married, both had a brief affair with Maurice, a French charmer. Maurice shows up in London and the machination of the two friends, their husbands, Maurice and Saunders, the know-it-all maid, will provide you with 2 hours of continuously insane hilarity. A debonair, sophisticated evening you won't want to miss."
The Full Monty - by Terrence McNally & music by David Yazbeck
April 27, 28; May 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13 - Tickets: $20
Musical Comedy - "Six steel workers from Buffalo, New York are unemployed and in despair. They stumble upon a Chippendale-like show that's very popular with the local women. Though they can't dance and aren't buff physical specimens they decide to give it a shot. To make it more interesting, they decide to go the full monty (meaning "all the way" – nude). Will they? Won't they? All will be revealed, well, maybe!"
The Best Man by Gore Vidal
January 12 - 27, Thursday through Saturday at 8:00pm, second Sunday at 2:00pm
Tickets: Adult=$14, Senior=$12, Student=$12
"The New York Post describes the plot as follows: "…William Russell, the ex-Secretary of State, is a wit and scholar with high liberal principles, beloved of the eggheads and suspected by practical politicians. Joseph Cantwell is a ruthless and hard-driving young man, a dirty fighter who will let no scruples stand in the way of his ambitions. And Arthur Hockstader is an ex-President, who loves politics for their own sake, admires a rough-and-tumble battle more than a chivalrous one, and is determined to have the final say in the selection of his party's candidate…The ruthless young man has got hold of papers indicating that his rival once suffered from a mental crackup, which he is all set to use. Then his scrupulous antagonist comes across some incriminating evidence about Cantwell, which he is loath to produce. The scruples don't appeal to the ex-President, who enjoys seeing the boys fight. All of this provides the framework for some vivid and interesting scenes in which Mr. Vidal contrasts the minds, emotions and fighting spirits of the two candidates…""
Never Too Late by Arthur Long
March 9 - 24, 2007, Thursday through Saturday at 8:00pm, second Sunday at 2:00pm
Tickets: Adult=$14, Senior=$12, Student=$12
"This Broadway hit is about a married man in his fifties who suddenly learns he's becoming a father again. His last child, a girl, was born 24 years ago and, considering the boob she married, he finds the prospect of another unthinkable. His daughter and son in law live with him; she gets up for breakfast at lunchtime and he is curiously addicted to solitaire. It's not only the impending birth that startles him; his previously meek little wife begins to lay down the law. There's to be a nursery, a new bath, and she's to have her own checking account. Such dour capitulation you'll never see again. "Good old fashioned domestic farce.... plain and simple laughter." N.Y. Daily News. "It fractured the first nighters... They'll love it in community playhouses, college productions and high school senior plays." N.Y. World Telegram and Sun."
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Book By: Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, Music By: Stephen Sondheim
May 4 - 19, 2007, Thursday through Saturday at 8:00pm, second Sunday at 2:00pm
Tickets: Adult=$16, Senior=$14, Student=$14
" "Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight!" Broadway's greatest farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written – the perfect escape from life's troubles. “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom."
The Lady With All the Answers
January 10, 12 & 13 and May 4-25 2007
Weekday matinees: $40, evenings: $43. Prices include dinner, show and tax. Call ahead for reservations. Group discounts available for 20 or more.
" "Dear Ann Landers..." For decades, renowned advice columnist, Ann Landers, answered countless letters from lovelorn teens, confused couples and a multitude of others in need of advise. No topic was off-limits, including nude housekeeping, sex in a motorcycle helmet, the proper way to hang toilet paper, sibling rivalries, addiction, religion and wandering spouses. Landers regaled her readers with direct, insightful and often humorously honest responses. Late on a 1975 night in Lander's Chicago apartment, an ironic twist of events confronts her with a looming deadline for a column dealing with a new kind of heartbreak-her own. As she shares her struggles to complete the column with us, we learn as much about ourselves as we do about the wise, funny, no-nonsense woman whose daily dialogue with America helped shape the social and sexual landscapes of the last half-century."
Debbie Does Dallas
Now through February 3, 2007
Weekday matinees: $40, evenings: $43. Prices include dinner, show and tax. Call ahead for reservations. Group discounts available for 20 or more.
"This modern morality story is about an All-American small town Texan sweetheart named Debbie Benton. Debbie is the captain of her cheerleading team, but dreams of the big time by becoming a Texas Cowgirl Cheerleader. The only thing holding her back from realizing her dream is enough money to get to the big city of Dallas. There are NO naughty words or nudity but this play is for the 18 year olds and up!! Bring your imagination and get ready for a tremendous show and delicious dinner. Bring a group to enjoy this one!"
Escanaba in da Moonlight - A comedy by Jeff Daniels
February 16-April 27, 2007
Weekday matinees: $40, evenings: $43. Prices include dinner, show and tax. Call ahead for reservations. Group discounts available for 20 or more.
"Now in its 4th year anniversary at Ms. Rose's, this comedy is about five Yoopers and their escapades at a ramshackle deer camp on the eve of the Opening Day of the 1989 hunting season...what a hoot!! Don't miss this one!"
Cobb - by Lee Blessing
Performances begin in March, 2007
"We are presented with three Cobbs. That is, Cobb at three stages of his life: the eldest, Mr. Cobb, stricken with cancer; the middle-aged Ty, all business smarts and savviness; and the plucky Peach, the player in his prime. Though they go back and forth from 1886 through 1961, all are speaking, from beyond the grave. And they all have their own version of events in Cobb's life. A fascinating study of the one of the most disliked figures in baseball - and yet he was the first player voted into the Hall of Fame! Presented during Baseball's Spring Training."
Belles of the Mill Book by Rachel Rubin Ladutke, Music and Lyrics by Jill Marshall-Work. Adapted from the play "The Belles
of the Mill" by Rachel Rubin Ladutke.
Performances begin in May, 2007
"Based on the real-life events of 1912 when immigrant female workers in the mill-town of Lawrence, Massachusetts decided to strike for decent pay in the face of police brutality, the National Guard, and town officials. Ultimately successful, their victory came at a great personal cost to the families involved. A powerful, stirring musical. A "Best of the 'Fest" selection at the 2002 Midtown International Theatre Festival."
Menopause the Musical
January 24 - 28
Standard Ticket prices are: Ground Floor = $40.00 per seat, Balcony = $36.00 per seat
"Hilarious celebration of women and the Change."
Over the River and Through the Woods - Written by Joe DiPietro The author of I Love You, Your Perfect, Now Change.
January 26, 27, & February 2, 3, 2007 - Curtain Time 8 P.M.
Matinee February 4, 2007 - Curtain Time 3 P.M.
Fassett Middle School; 3025 Starr Avenue; Oregon, OH 43616
"Get ready to laugh as Nick, a young, single Italian-American from New Jersey announces his great promotion to both sets of his grandparents, whom he visits for dinner every Sunday. The only problem is that he must move to the West Coast. As the grandparents cook, conspire and cajole to get him to, Nick gets to know and love them even more."
Gilligan's Island the Musical Book by Sherwood Schwartz and Lloyd J. Schwartz, Lyrics by Laurence and Hope Juber
April 20. 21, 27, 28, 2007 - Curtain Time 8 P.M.
Matinee April 29, 2007 - Curtain Time 3 P.M.
Fassett Middle School; 3025 Starr Avenue; Oregon, OH 43616
"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale..."
"Only this time you'll hear a tale that features original songs and a brand new story line! Everybody’s favorite castaways are back in a fun, music filled show that will delight the entire family. Gilligan and the rest try their best to get rescued from their tropic island nest, and along the way discover hieroglyphics, love and an out-of-this-world close encounter that could destroy the planet. Can Gilligan really save the known universe? Be sure to experience this funny, charming new musical for yourself, “you’re sure to get a smile”....All from the creator of the classic TV series!"
The Misanthrope by Moliere
February 23 – 25 & February 28 – March 4
Center Theatre, 7:30 pm (Sundays, 2 pm)
"Moliere’s richly sophisticated comic drama skewers hypocrisy and cynicism, remaining as timely as ever."
Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love by Brad Frasier
April 13 – 15 & 18 – 22
Center Theatre, 7:30 pm (Sundays, 2 pm)
Adult content
"The complex piece by a Canadian playwright about the difficulty of finding love or identity in an uncertain and often bloody world juxtaposes the characters’ search for love against the hunt for a serial killer."
Shifting Skins: Tales of Transformation
February 15, 16, 17 at 8 p.m. and February 17 & 18 at 2 p.m.
Eva Marie Saint Theatre, University Hall
"A melange of dance and theatre inspired by traditional Asian folk talkes, music and dance, this evening is a co-production of the Department of Theatre and Film and the University Performing Dancers of the School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies. Featuring The Tale of the Bird Belly Princess, an original story by Honolulu playwright Sean T. C. O'Malley choreographed by Tammy Starr, and The Ice Wolf , by Joanna Halpert Kraus."
Unity (1918) by Kevin Kerr
March 15, 16, 17 at 8 p.m. and March 17 & 18 at 2 p.m.
Joe E. Brown Theatre, University Hall
"As the deadly Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918 threatens the town of Unity, Saskatchewan, the residents take drastic action to protect their community. Their feelings of hope and terror, isolation and ostracism, have particular resonance today, in the age of SARS and the Avian flu. Canadian playwright Kerr received the prestigious Governor General Award for this work. This event is made possible by the Canadian Studies Center with the assistance of the Government of Canada."
Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb
March 29, 30, 31 at 8 p.m. and April 1 at 2 p.m.
Eva Marie Saint Theatre, University Hall
"This award winning musical combines the rich traditions of musical cabaret performance (which is by turns frivolous, amoral, outrageous, and politically charged) with the wild, reckless romance of an American writer and a "divinely decadent" cabaret singer in Berlin as the Nazis rise to power. Entertaining and thought-provoking, Cabaret is a dynamic musical rollercoaster. This event is a collaboration with the College of Musical Arts."
Treehouse Troupe Theatre for Young People Turto and the Hare: A Story about Sportsmanship by F. Scott Regan
April 12-14 at 7:30 p.m. and April 15 at 2 p.m.
Joe E. Brown Theatre, University Hall
"The Treehouse Troupe, BGSU's touring theatre program for young audiences, brings this exhuberant retelling of the tale of the the Tortoise and the Hare to campus for a weekend of performances for children of all ages."
The Phantom Of The Opera
Jan 3 — Jan 28, 2007
"With some of the most lavish sets, costumes and special effects ever to have been created for the stage, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera directed by Harold Prince traces the tragic love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer shamed by his physical appearance into a shadowy existence beneath the majestic Paris Opera House. Adapted from Gaston Leroux's classic novel of mystery and suspense, this award-winning musical has woven its magical spell over standing room audiences in more than 100 cities worldwide and is now the longest-running show in Broadway history. Phantom comes to Toledo to take your breath away."
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Feb 15 — Feb 18, 2007
"This irresistible musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel's favorite son, paints a picture of betrayal and hardship, prophecy and forgiveness. Take a rainbow ride through biblical Egypt on the wings of Andrew Lloyd Webber's (CATS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, EVITA) uplifting music and the humor and poetry of lyricist Tim Rice (Oscar®-winning lyricist of Disney's ALADDIN)."
Chicago
Mar 7 — Mar 11, 2007
"Come on, babe - experience it live and in person! The one, the only CHICAGO. It's Broadway's most popular musical -a razzle-dazzle tale of sin and celebrity. And now, you can see it LIVE.The recipient of six Tony Awards®, two Olivier® Awards, a Grammy® and thousands of standing ovations, CHICAGO is the sensation that just keeps getting bigger and bigger."
From Russia with Love
February 10, 2007, 7:30p.m.
Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle
Toledo Opera's 2007 Opera Gala will transport you to the land of the czars, where multi-colored spires and onion domes of ancient monasteries mark the horizon. All the pomp, power and pageantry of Imperial Russia will come to life in this stirring choral and orchestral spectacular!
Bells ring out from towering belfries in the majestic Coronation Scene from Mussorgsky's operatic masterpiece of political intrigue, Boris Godunov. At the other end of the spectrum are the enchanting melodies of Borodin's Polovetsian Dances, perhaps better known to us as music from the Broadway musical, Kismet.
Internationally renowned bass Stefan Szkafarowksy will conjure romantic heroes in selections from the golden age of Russian opera. Featured will be music by Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov – the most glorious names in a grand operatic tradition.
Accompanied by the full Toledo Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Grammy Award-winning conductor Thomas Conlin, the magnificent Toledo Opera Chorus will contribute its burnished splendor to this evening of fantasy and romance – an emotional journey never to be forgotten!
Tosca
April 28 & May 4, 2007, 7:30p.m.
May 6, 2007, 2:00p.m.
Sung in Italian with projected English translations.
Tosca is a violent drama based on Victorien Sardou's hit play La Tosca, which was written as a star vehicle for the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt. In the translation from play to opera, the action was tightened, and most of the political motivation was cut.
Although Floria Tosca is supposed to be a beloved Roman opera star, in reality it had been illegal for women to appear on the operatic stage in the papal capital from the seventeenth century until 1798—about three years before Tosca is set. Roles written for women singers, and performed by them in other parts of Italy, were taken in Rome by castratos (male sopranos and altos surgically altered before adolescence so that their voices did not break). Star castratos like Marchesi and Velluti were wildly popular with the Roman opera-going public. Moralistic revolutionaries banned the castratos when the Roman Republic took over in 1798. After the fall of the Republic in 1799, the castratos returned, but the women stayed, thus allowing singers like Floria Tosca to make their Rome debuts.
Puccini’s Tosca is a strong dramatic work, combining lush melodies and a gripping plot with the color, pageantry and power of the nineteenth century Roman Catholic church. Floria Tosca’s faith is central to her character and enhances the contrast with Scarpia’s lechery, greed and cruelty. Tosca has remained one of the most popular opera in the repertoire ever since its January 14, 1900 premiere.
(Adrian, Michigan)
She Loves Me
February 9 - 11 and 16 - 18, 2007.
Friday & Saturday performances at 8:00 PM and Sunday performances at 3:00 PM.
"A heart-warming musical that opened on Broadway in 1963, with songs by Bock and Harnick (the songwriting team for Fiddler on the Roof), received five Tony Award nominations and was revived on Broadway in 1993, capturing another nine Tony Award nominations. This intimate show is considered by many the most charming musical ever written and is perfectly suited for the Croswell’s “Valentine’s Day” production. Georg and Amalia are two feuding clerks in a European parfumerie during the 1930s who secretly find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals, little knowing their respective correspondents are none other than each other. She Loves Me is a romantic comedy with an endearing innocence and a touch of old world elegance and nostalgia, yet as universal and relevant as ever in this age of Internet romances. The Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan film “You’ve Got Mail” was based on this musical."
Tuesdays with Moorie
March 16 - 18, 2007.
Friday & Saturday performances at 8:00 PM and Saturday & Sunday performances at 3:00 PM.
"Based on the book by Michigan writer Mitch Albom – a constant on The New York Times Bestseller List for more than four years with more than five million copies sold and an Emmy-winning television film presented by Oprah Winfrey – Tuesdays With Morrie is the autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, and accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morrie’s appearance on a television news program and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie and what starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life."
(Monroe, Michigan)
Urinetown
Friday, March 23 rd at 8:00
Saturday, March 24 th at 8:00
Sunday, March 25 th at 2:00
"Don't let the title put you off-it's a spoof, it's great fun- and it's a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. A hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom. If you're in town, you must see this Tony Award winning musical satire! Produced by the River Raisin Centre MusicTheatre Company."
(Chelsea, Michigan)
Escanaba in Love by Jeff Daniels
Extended through January 20, 2007. The only dates left with seats available are Jan 14, 17, and 18.
"For the many fans of Escanaba in da Moonlight, the wait is finally over! The PRTC is proud to announce the World Premiere of Jeff Daniels’ eleventh new play. Visit the Soady deer camp in the midst of World War II, forty years before the original. Meet the love of young Albert Soady Jr.’s life, Big Betty Baloo - the woman destined to become the mother of Reuben and Remnar Soady - along with a whole new cast of wacky Yoopers."
The Subject Was Roses by Frank D. Gilroy - February 8 - March 17, 2007
February 8 - March 17, 2007
"Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the NY Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the Tony for Best Play in 1965, this play is a subtle portrait of a family in the wake of WWII. A son who left as a pampered boy returns from the war as a man in his own right. His parents compete for his affection while trying to mask the tension in their marriage. Finally, both mother and father must face the choice between clinging to their child or recognizing the man he’s become."
When the Lights Come On by Brian Letscher
April 5 - June 2, 2007
"When The Lights Come On is a World Premiere play by former Division I football coach Brian Letscher exploring the high-stress coaching world and the things these driven men do to the women in their lives. Tommy Leonard needs to focus on signing a brilliant new recruit to save his career. His new wife Jamie wants a baby now. Surrounded by the insanity of the coaching world, it’s hard to make the right call."
Sea of Fools by Matt Letscher
June 21 - September 1, 2007
"The talents of actor Matt Letscher return to the Purple Rose next summer with his newest play, Sea of Fools. Set in the height of the McCarthy era, this World Premiere farce glimpses a company of actors who live in an elaborately-constructed fantasy world. As they mourn the passing of their leader, an undercover FBI agent infiltrates the funeral in the guise of a gossip columnist’s assistant. The entire company freely admits to being “Commies,” and when Elia Kazan joins the party, it’s anyone’s guess what that actually means."
Purple Rose Theatre ticket info:
Preview Prices
Wednesday & Thursday at 8 PM: $20.00
Friday & Saturday at 8 PM: $25.00
Saturday at 3 PM & Sunday at 2 PM: $25.00
Regular Prices
Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8 PM: $25.00
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM: $35.00
Saturdays at 3 PM & Sundays at 2 PM: $30.00
Wednesdays at 3 PM & Sundays at 7 PM: $25.00
Student matinees at 11 AM: $12.50
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current date: 20-Nov-2008 1:33 P.M.