The Allen Park-based Creative Characters Youth Theatre, sponsored by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, present a dinner theater interactive murder who-dunnit “The Romanian Uranium Mystery.” Audience members will see clues during the performance, and will have a chance to question suspects Katelyn Philpot (left) of Brownstown as the Countess; Mary Elizabeth Kaminski of Southgate as the Busybody; and Allen Park residents Lynn Hefflefinger as Buffy Beaumont, Jacqueline Fenton as Inspector Clueles, Joshua LaPeer as Goldy Digger and Sara Sych as Juliet Redheart. The show will be performed at 7 p.m. March 4 and at 5 and 7 p.m. March 5 at the Allen Park Community Center, at 15800 White St. The $10 ticket includes a meal. For more information, call (313) 595-5972 or go to www.creativecharacters.org.
By Sue Suchyta
Do you like murder mysteries, baseball or hip hop? Whatever your tastes, there’s something sure to please you on a local stage.
The Allen Park Creative Characters Youth Theatre, sponsored by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, will present an interactive dinner theater murder spoof “The Romanian Uranium Mystery.” Based on clues they observe on stage, audience members will have a chance to question the murder suspects.
The cast includes Katelyn Philpot of Brownstown as the Countess; Mary Elizabeth Kaminski of Southgate as the Busybody; and Allen Park residents Lynn Hefflefinger as Buffy Beaumont, Jacqueline Fenton as Inspector Clueles, Joshua LaPeer as Goldy Digger and Sara Sych as Juliet Redheart.
The show will be performed at 7 p.m. March 4 and at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 5 at the Allen Park Community Center, at 15800 White St. The $10 ticket includes a meal. For more information, call (313) 595-5972 or go to www.creativecharacters.org.
WSU BONSTELLE PRESENT ‘FLOW’
Wayne State University’s undergraduate theater company will present Will Power’s “Flow,” an urban fairy tale with a hip hop sensibility, for one more weekend at the Bonstelle Theatre. The show, which opened Friday, will continue through next Sunday, with 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday shows and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.
Directed by Aku Kadogo, the show, which Power originated and performed as a one-man show, is debuting for the first time as an ensemble piece.
Following the tradition of African storytellers, the cast tells their followers of their struggles for survival in an unforgiving present day urban environment.
The ensemble members are onstage often, whether leading a story or providing backup support in mime or movement.
The show is not a hip hop “concert” – it is more of a series of stories told to a hip hop cadence, with the ensemble quickly changing characters and costumes to act out the stories being told in simple fashion with minimal props or scenery.
The talented and diverse cast is led by Tashif “Sheefy McFly” Turner as Power. Turner’s biography credits him with two hip hop and rock show performances a month at venues in Detroit’s Midtown, Hamtramck and Ferndale.
The ensemble also includes Robert Hammond as “New Groun,” who plays a Native American in an urban environment who despairs over the desecration of the land. Hammond impresses the audience early on in the show with his acrobatic flips across the stage.
Derell Jones is Besombee is also impressive for his versatility and energy.
The other strong ensemble members include Ciarah Mosley as Swea P, Indigo Colbert as Jacoba, Donald Davenport as Breeze, Bridgette Jordan as Ole’ Cheesy and Jackson McLaskey as Preacha Man.
The Bonstelle Theatre is at 3424 Woodward. For more information, call the box office at (313) 577-2960 or go to www.bonstelle.com.
‘LOOONG GONE’ BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN: MITCH ALBOM’S ‘ERNIE’ IS A TRIBUTE TO HARWELL
“Ernie,” Mitch Albom’s much anticipated new play dedicated to Ernie Harwell, will premiere April 28 at the City Theatre in Detroit, inside the Hockeytown Cafe building, 2301 Woodward, just one block from Comerica Park where the show is set.
In the play, Harwell is about to walk onto the field when a young boy asks the broadcaster to give one final “broadcast of his life.”
The play will feature actual footage from historic baseball moments, and will boast many unmistakable Harwell calls.
“Ernie’s story transcends sports,” Albom says. “It’s a story of 20th century Americana and a love affair with baseball and a childhood sweetheart. Ernie went through the Depression, World War II, the segregation of sports – he also called some of the grandest moments ever witnessed on a ball field. It’s an honor to bring such a rich character to the stage – especially for so many fans who loved him.” Albom’s vision for the play was to stage it in Michigan with local talent. Tony Caselli will direct the project, with Will Young as Ernie and T.J. Corbett as the boy.
With a $20 ticket price, the show is also affordable. In addition, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to several of Harwell’s favorite charities. “Ernie” show tickets may be purchased online at OlympiaEntertainment.com, at all Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster.com and at the City Theatre box office. Call (800) 745-3000 to charge tickets by phone, or (313) 471-6611 for additional information.
To take advantage of the “doubleheader” experience, customers can purchase their “Ernie” show tickets online at OlympiaEntertainment.com, Ticketmaster.com or the Fox Theatre Box Office. At that time, a redemption code will be given for use on Tigers.com or at the Comerica Park Box Office to receive a $5 savings on select seating at all regular season home games excluding Opening Day.
Game tickets only will be available for pickup at the Comerica Park Box Office and patrons must present their “Ernie” show ticket stub. Tickets for the “doubleheader” experience will go on sale March 5, when regular season individual Tigers game tickets are available.