Ruby Lewis (left) as Scaramouche and Brian Justin Crum as Galileo star in “We Will Rock You,” the Queen and Ben Elton rock theatrical, through Sunday at the Fisher Theatre. Featured songs include “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We are the Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You.” For tickets, call 800-982-2787 or go to www.ticketmaster.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Monty Python’s absurd musical comedy “Spamalot” takes off on a comic romp at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday at Dearborn High School.
Tickets are $7 for students and senior citizens, $10 for college students with identification and $12 for general admission. Call the DHS theater box office at 313-827-1647 to reserve tickets. “Spamalot” may not be appropriate for children under 12.
Billed as “lovingly ripped off” from the movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Spamalot” is a farcical and funny tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Produced and directed by Greg Phillip Viscomi, “Spamalot” features musical direction by Carmelle Atkins and choreography by Jennifer McPherson, with Jeff Oshnock conducting the DHS orchestra.
The cast features 41 students, including seniors Joe Read as King Arthur, Victoria Johnson as Sir Robin, Ben
Apostle as Sir Galahad and Charles Bell as the Black Knight.
Seniors Mary Charara and Christina Pizzimenti share the role of the Lady of the Lake, featuring Pizzimenti Thursday and Saturday, and Charara Friday and Sunday.
Featured juniors include Cameron Cherry as Sir Lancelot, Mary Dillon as King Arthur’s Squire Patsy and Christian Plonka as both Sir Bedevere and the Lord of Swamp Land Castle.
Gina Soave plays Not Dead Fred, Alec Sheldon is Prince Herbert and Andrew Oswald is the Historian.
Julianne Saad is the Minstrel, with Lauren Ebels as the Village Mayor and Emma Garber as a featured dancer.
‘WE WILL ROCK YOU’ AT THE FISHER
“We Will Rock You,” a rock theatrical featuring the music of Queen and the comedic writing of Ben Elton is onstage through Sunday at the Fisher Theater.
Tickets start at $35 and are available by calling 800-982-2787, going online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com or at the Fisher Theatre box office, 3011 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit.
Set in a future world dominated by a global giant that insidiously enforces conformity through its online dominance, Bohemians try to rediscover the mysteries of rock music suppressed by the worldwide regime.
Two young rebels, Galileo, played by Brian Justin Crum, and Scaramouche, played by Ruby Lewis, flee the indoctrination and search for the legendary Hard Rock Café, and later Graceland.
The first act is slow and generally uninspiring until the two rebels find the Bohemians, and the first act ends with the promising, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” performed by the company.
Fortunately, the second act picks up the pace, and has much more action and plot development. It also features the songs “Another One Bites the Dust,” and “Fat Bottomed Girls,” ending with “We Will Rock You,” “We are the Champions” and, as an encore, “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Other featured performers include Jacqueline B. Arnold as Killer Queen, a half-human, half-cybernetic organism and self-indulgent despot, with P.J. Griffith as Khashoggi, her evil enforcer.
As a humorous pair of futuristic wannabe rockers, Erica Peck as Oz and Jared Zirilli as Brit are entertaining.
The show will appeal to fans of the band Queen’s music. If, however, their music doesn’t move you, take a pass on this show.
DAG ANNOUNCES 2014-15 SEASON
The Downriver Actors Guild, which closes its current season with “Jesus Christ Superstar” the first two weekends of June in its newly renovated theater at Biddle and Superior, announced its adult and youth seasons for 2014-15 last week.
The season starts with a one-night comedy, “Tough Cookies,” Oct. 4, followed by the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” Oct. 31 to Nov. 9 for two weekends. The Halloween performance will feature a party. Casting will be in August.
“Miracle on 34th Street – the Musical” runs Dec. 12 to 14 and 19 to 21 with auditions in September.
“The Odd Couple,” with late fall auditions, will run Feb. 6, 7, and 13 to 15, with “Bye, Bye Birdie,” a teen musical, running Feb. 27 and 28, and March 6 to 8.
“The Music Man,” with February auditions, runs May 8 to 10 and 15 to 17, 2015 with a Mother’s Day special planned.
The adult comedy “Noises Off,” with auditions in late spring of 2015, runs Aug. 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16.
For young actors, age 3 to 10, wishing to act in a youth workshop show, “Winnie the Pooh,” will run Oct. 17 to 19, with “Welcome to the Jungle” running June 5 to 7, 2015.
Children age 8 to 14 may audition in December for “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley,” which runs March 22 to 22 and 27 to 29.
DAG is accepting applications for directors, vocal directors, choreographers, orchestral directors and producers for “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Miracle on 34th Street – the Musical,” “Bye, Bye Birdie” and “The Music Man.” Contact Debbie Aue to apply, or for more information, at [email protected].
DYPAC’S ‘ARISTOCATS KIDS’ RUNS THROUGH APRIL 12
The Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center presents Disney’s “The Aristocats — Kids” now Saturday at the Trenton Village Theatre, 2447 W. Jefferson in Trenton.
Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, $12 for others and $15 for special “tomcat” seating. For information, call 734-362-8153. For more information, or to buy tickets, go to www.dypac.com.
Based on the 1970 Disney film “The Aristocats,” the show runs 90 minutes with intermission.
PS CENTER STAGE PLAYERS TAKE ON CINDERELLA, ROBIN HOOD
PS Center Stage Players present Thomas Hischak’s “Cinderella Inc. – A Little Work Never Hurt Anyone” and Mary Lynn Dobson’s “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” weekends through April 11 at Jo Brighton Auditorium, 4460 18th St. in Wyandotte.
Directed by Penny Lynn Siler, tickets are $8 for students and seniors, and $12 for general admission.
For tickets, call 734-285-8107 or go to pscenterstageplayers.com.
LOCAL ACTORS IN ‘GUYS AND DOLLS’ AT BONSTELLE
Local talent abounds in Wayne State University’s undergraduate spring musical “Guys and Dolls” running April 11 to 19 for two weekends at the Bonstelle Theatre, 3424 Woodward Ave. in Detroit.
Tickets are $20 and $25, and available by calling 313-577-2960 or at wsushows.com.
Set in 1950s New York City, “Guys and Dolls” is a classic American musical comedy with song favorites like, “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Luck Be A Lady,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
Gamblers, nightclub dancing girls and missionaries mix it up and stymie a local police officer trying to close down the “oldest established” floating crap game in town. Romance is also in the air, as gambling guys meet their match with a missionary miss and a nightclub doll.
Matthew Miazgowicz of Dearborn plays Nicely-Nicely Johnson, a small-time gambler whose horse bet boasting is featured in “Fugue for Tinhorns” as the show opens.
Hot Box girls performing at a New York City 1950s era nightclub include Maria LoPiccolo of Riverview, Hope Morawa of Lincoln Park and Lisa Youngs of Wyandotte. Samantha York of Dearborn performs in the ensemble.