Daniel Bartram (left) of Taylor plays Eugene Jerome with Joshua LaPeer of Allen Park as his older brother Stanley. The Southgate Community Players will perform Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” at 8 p.m. Feb. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at Davidson Middle School, 15800 Trenton Road in Southgate.
By Sue Suchyta
The Downriver Actors Guild will present the intense drama “Extremities” at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, 21, 27 and 28 in the Out of the Box Theater, at 1165 Ford Ave. in Wyandotte.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Due to mature language and sexual violence and content, children under age 14 will not be admitted without a parent or legal guardian.
For more information call (313) 303-5269 or go to www.downriveractorsguild.net.
The intense drama is about a woman who, after surviving an assault by a rapist in her own home, turns the tables on her attacker.
“The show really keeps you on the edge of your seat, and challenges the audience to look at our definition of a victim and how we as a society treat victims of rape,” Director Denny Connors said. “It’s one of those shows that will have you thinking as you leave the theater.”
Connors said the Guild hopes to have local agencies on hand after the show to answer questions and hand out information about resources for victims of sexual assault and abuse.
Theater volunteer Ann Tisot Mann said they also would like to have someone from a martial arts school talk about self-defense classes.
“We are trying to promote the show as a means of public awareness,” Mann said. “It is quite an intense show with a great message. We’d love to spread the word around (to) college (students) and young adults. This is not a ‘red hat lady’ show.”
The cast includes Carolyn Sohoza of Allen Park as Marjorie, the woman who is attacked and Lee Michaels of Taylor as Raul, the attacker.
Marjorie’s roommates are played by Carol-Ann Black of Lincoln Park as Terry and Debbie Aue-Delgado of Taylor as Patricia.
SOUTHGATE COMMUNITY PLAYERS STAGE ‘BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS’
The Southgate Community Players will present Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical comedy “Brighton Beach Memoirs” at 8 p.m. Feb. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at Davidson Middle School, 15800 Trenton Road in Southgate.
Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for seniors and students. For more information call (734) 282-4727 or go to www.scponstage.com.
The play is the first in a trilogy about Eugene Jerome, a 15-year-old aspiring writer preoccupied by thoughts of baseball and sex. The trials and tribulations of growing up in a crowded Jewish household provide both heartache and laughter.
The cast includes Daniel Bartram of Taylor as Eugene, Kelly Klug of Lincoln Park as Kate Jerome, Richard J. Alder Jr. of Westland as Jack Jerome and Joshua LaPeer of Allen Park as Stanley Jerome.
Liza Boos of Lincoln Park will play Blanche Morton, with daughters Nora and Laurie played by Trenton residents Taylor Towers and Taeryn McCardell.
HEIGHTS HOLDS AUDITIONS FOR ‘YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN’
The Dearborn Heights Civic Theatre will hold auditions for its spring musical, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 23 and 24 at the Berwyn Center, 26155 Richardson in Dearborn Heights.
The show will run April 13, 14, 20, 21 and 22 and will be directed by Marc Walentowicz, with musical direction by Brian Londrow and choreography by Laura Tyler.
The show details the life and times of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
There are featured roles for four men and two women plus six supporting roles.
The main roles include Charlie Brown, a loveable loser; Sally Brown, Charlie Brown’s younger sister; Linus Van Pelt, Charlie Brown’s blanket-toting best friend and Sally’s love interest; Lucy Van Pelt, Linus’ bossy older sister; Schroeder, a pianist and Lucy’s love interest; and Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s dog.
Featured roles include Woodstock, a yellow bird and Snoopy’s best friend; Peppermint Patty, a freckle-faced tomboy devoted to Charlie Brown; Violet, Lucy’s best friend; Marcie, Peppermint Patty’s bespectacled best friend; Pig-Pen, a character covered in grime; and Shermy, Pig-Pen’s friend. More characters may be added based on audition turnout.
Those auditioning should be prepared to do a cold reading from the script and perform a dance audition following a brief tutorial with the choreographer.
Singing auditions will be based on selections from the show. Men may be asked to sing “Happiness” or “Snoopy” and women may be asked to sing “My New Philosophy” or “Happiness.”
GREEN DAY’S BROADWAY MUSIC ‘AMERICAN IDIOT’ AT OPERA HOUSE
Green Day’s groundbreaking Broadway musical “American Idiot” will be onstage Jan. 17 to 22 at the Detroit Opera House.
Tickets are available by calling 1-800-982-2787, at the Fisher Theatre box office and through ticketmaster.com.
For more information, call (313) 872-1000 or go to www.BroadwayInDetroit.com or www.AmericanIdiotTheMusical.com.
Winner of one Grammy and two Tony awards, “American Idiot” is the story of three boyhood friends searching for meaning in a post 9/11 world.
The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award-winner Mayer (“Spring Awakening”).
Featured songs include, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday” and the title track “American Idiot” from Green Day’s 2004 Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum album.
Original Broadway cast member Van Hughes will star as Johnny, with Jake Epstein as Will and Scott J. Campbell as Tunny.
Original Broadway cast member Leslie McDonel will play Heather, with Gabrielle McClinton as Whatsername and Nicci Claspell as The Extraordinary Girl.
“I am thrilled that soon we will get to share ‘American Idiot’ with audiences across North America,” director Michael Mayer said. “The creative team and I couldn’t be happier with the stellar group of actors we’ve assembled.”