By SUE SUCHYTA
Mike McGettigan of Dearborn and Shawn Handlon of Harper Woods, co-authors of more than 50 original plays, debut a new work and perform in “See You Next Doomsday” April 10 at Planet Ant for a four-week run.
Performances are 8 p.m. April 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, and May 1 and 2, and 2 p.m. April 19 and 26 at the theater, 2357 Caniff in Hamtramck.
Tickets are $10 opening weekend, and $20 for the balance of the run. To order online, go to planetant.com.
Directed by Lauren Bickers of Hamtramck, “See You Next Doomsday,” has the protagonist, Oliver, stranded on a nightmarish future Earth, where he must evade cannibals, racist robots and bloodthirsty mermen until he escapes the dying planet aboard the spaceship of a friendly alien named Richard Gere.
In addition to McGettigan and Handlon, the cast includes Jade Fearn of Hamtramck, Michael Hovitch of Ferndale, and Moni Jones of Northville.
MOTOR CITY YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS ‘SHREK JR.’
The Motor City Youth Theatre will let its “Freak Flag Fly” in the musical “Shrek Jr.” Written by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, the show is based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks animated film and the book by William Steig.
The cast, age 6 to 16, present “Shrek Jr.” at 7 p.m. April 10, 11, 17 and 18, and 2 p.m. April 12 and 19 at the playhouse, 27555 Grantland in Livonia.
Tickets are $12.50 for adults and $11 for children and seniors. To order tickets online, go to eventbrite.com. For more information, call 313-535-8962 or email [email protected].
Shrek, an ogre, has learned early on that people fear what they do not understand. He lives alone in his swamp until the evil Lord Farquaad exiles the kingdom’s fairytale misfits into his domain. To get his land back, he agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded tower for Farquaad. Along the way, he finds unexpected allies in a chatty donkey and a feisty princess, and rediscovers himself on a journey filled with adventure, romance and humor.
MOT PRESENTS ‘THE MERRY WIDOW’
The Michigan Opera Theatre continues its spring season with Franz Lehár’s rollicking operetta, “The Merry Widow,” with world-renowned soprano Deborah Voigt making her MOT debut in the title role.
The four performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 11, 15 and 18, and 2:30 p.m. April 19 at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway in Detroit.
Tickets are available through the MOT box office at 313-237-7464 or online at michiganopera.org.
The work is in English, with English supertitle projections.
“The Merry Widow,” Hanna Glawari, is very wealthy, and should she remarry, her wealth would revert to her husband. To keep the money in her native land, her peers seek to find her a domestic suitor, to dissuade her from marrying a foreigner.
Romantic, lilting waltzes weave throughout the storyline, setting the pace.
The cast includes Roger Honeywell as Count Danilo Danilovitch, Richard Suart as Baron Mirko Zeta, Amanda Squitieri as Valencienne, Aaron Blake as Camille de Rosillon, Adrian Rosas as Vicomte Cascada, David Moan as Raoul St. Brioche, Jason Graae as Njegus, Tim Bruno as Kromov, Darren DeWitt as Pritchitch, Zachary Coates as Bogdanovitch, Clodagh Earls as Olga, Claire DiVizio as Sylviane, and Diane Schoff as Praskovia.
Kelly Robinson directs the opera, with conductor Gerald Steichen.
A free opera talk begins one hour prior to each performance.
WRCJ-FM 90.9 will broadcast live the opening night performance.
MITCH ALBOM’S ‘ERNIE’ RETURNS TO CITY THEATRE
Mitch Albom’s play “Ernie,” based on the late legendary Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell, returns for a fifth year to the City Theatre, inside the Hockeytown Café, 2301 Woodward in Detroit, for a month-long summer run.
Show times will allow patrons to see both the play and a home Tigers game. Performances are at 8 p.m. July 9 to 11, 16 to 18, 23 to 25, July 30 and 31, and Aug. 1; at 2 p.m. July 11, 18, 25 and Aug. 1; at 3 p.m. July 12 and July 19; at 1 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 2; and at 5 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 2.
Theatre tickets are $20 and $25, and the ticket stub entitles attendees to a $5 game ticket discount at the Comerica box office. To order, call 800-745-3000, go to OlympiaEntertainment.com, or any Ticketmaster location.
“Ernie” happens on Harwell’s last night at Comerica Park in September 2009, prior to his parting speech. Before he walks out onto the field, a boy coaxes Harwell to give one final broadcast – the “broadcast of his life.”
The performance features classic footage from historic baseball moments, and includes many familiar Harwell calls. Included are Harwell’s meetings with the Great Bambino and Ty Cobb. It also delves into details of the Tigers’ 1968 and 1984 World Series.
T.J. Corbett returns to play the Boy, with Peter Carey playing Ernie.
“We remain amazed and humbled at the continued interest in the show,” Albom said. “It speaks to the timeless nature of Ernie’s style and humanity.”