By Sue Suchyta
Something’s coming, something good: Wyandotte’s Downriver Actors Guild announced the “Addams Family” musical cast last week, and holds auditions for “Beauty and the Beast” early this week, while Southgate Community Players have announced the cast and begun rehearsal for “West Side Story.”
DAG ANNOUNCES ‘ADDAMS FAMILY’ CAST
DAG announced the cast of “The Addams Family” musical last week.
Directed by Valerie Haas, the show runs Oct. 16 to 18 and 23 to 25. Shows run 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
“The Addams Family” musical follows Wednesday Addams when she falls in love with a “normal” young man and must introduce his family to hers. When her love life seems doomed, Fester and the ancestral ghosts step in to help out.
The show features David Waggoner as musical director, Debbie Schlehuber as vocal director, and Ivy Tarnoski as choreographer.
The cast includes Allen park residents Chris Chavez as Gomez Addams and Carolyn Sohoza as Morticia Addams.
Tony Primeau of Wyandotte is Fester, with Jeanne Edwards of Carleton as Grandmama, and Mindy Padlo of Gibraltar as Wednesday.
Logan Skidmore of Monroe is Pugsley, with Mitchell Sturm of Taylor as Lurch and Cole Haas of Inkster as Thing.
The Beineke family includes Chris Washburn of Dearborn Heights as Lucas, Jami Krause of Wyandotte as Alice, and Jeffrey Hollon of Trenton as Mal.
The ancestral ensemble includes Allen Park residents Nathan Vasquez, Kayla Chavez, Emily Braun, and Abby Demorow; Alex Rosen of Lincoln Park; Abby Hill of Farmington Hills; Andrea Vanderhorst of Trenton; and Riley Klauza of Brownstown Township.
For tickets or more information, call 734-407-7020, or go to downriveractorsguild.net.
DAG HOLDS AUDITIONS FOR ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’
DAG scheduled auditions for the Disney musical “Beauty and the Beast” Aug. 23 and 24, with performances running Dec. 4 to 6 and 11 to 13.
For more information, go to downriveractorsguild.net. Directed by Debbie Aue, Belle and the spell-cursed Beast learn the meaning of love and sacrifice in the classic tale.
Wendy Fichter is the music and vocal director, with Jane Beier as choreographer.
SCP ANNOUNCES ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ CAST
“Could it be? Yes it could. Something’s coming, something good.”
So begins a song from “West Side Story,” a much-loved musical Southgate Community Players have cast and begun rehearsing.
The show runs at 8 p.m. Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21 at Davidson Middle School, 15800 Trenton Road in Southgate.
With a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and libretto and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the story draws its inspiration from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
The original ground-breaking choreography was created by Jerome Robbins.
Set in 1950s Upper West Side New York City, two idealistic young lovers find themselves caught between two warring street gangs, struggling to survive in a world of hate and prejudice.
Directed by Chris Rollet, the show features the musical direction of Rich Alder, and the choreography of Tina Brow.
The cast includes Emily Noble of Wyandotte as Maria, Brandon Dominguez of Allen Park as Tony, Tamara Marla of Southgate as Anita, and Christopher Gawel of Detroit as Bernardo.
Rian McDonald of Southgate is Riff, with Brandon Van Houten of Allen Park as Diesel, Zachary Morgan of Southgate as Baby John, Ana Pauli of Lincoln Park as Anybodys, Brandon Hardecki of Woodhaven as Action, with Brendun Deer of Melvindale as A-Rab.
Merritt Solomon of Lincoln Park is Graziella, with Aly Balan of Flat Rock as Velma, Kiera Woodman of Brownstown Township as Minnie, Kellie Runkle of Allen Park as Clarice, and Anne Renforth of Taylor as Pauline.
Holly Knick of Allen Park is Rosalia, with Sydney Villanueva of Woodhaven as Consuelo, Sarah Noble of Wyandotte as Francisca, Amanda Johnson of Rockwood as Estella, and Destiny Frank of Southgate as Margarita.
Rick Town of Flat Rock is Doc, with Southgate residents Nathaniel Benjamin and Austin Sulkey, and David MacDonald of Wyandotte, as Sharks.
SCP will produce “The Odd Couple” Feb. 5, 6, 12 and 13, and “Guys and Dolls” May 6, 7, 13 and 14 on their main stage, and the youth productions “Disney’s Aladdin Jr.” Sept. 18, 19, 25, and “James and the Giant Peach” March 11, 12, 18 and 19.
For more information, call 734-558-8812 or go to scponstage.com.
DETROIT PUPPET THEATER LAUNCHES 18TH SEASON
PuppetART Center and the Detroit Puppet Theater will launch its 18th season net month with puppet princesses and tigers on strings as the puppeteers and artists create magic at 25 E. Grand River in Detroit’s Theatre District.
“Sleeping Beauty” opens the season, with Sept. 12, 17, 29 and 26 shows, followed by “Turtle Island” Oct. 3, 10, 15, 17 and 24.
“Firebird” rises Nov. 7, 14, 19, 21, 28 and 29, followed by a 2-month run of “Snow Queen” Dec. 5, 12, 17, 19, 20, 26, and Jan. 9, 14, 16, 23, 30 and 31.
“Oh, Anase” runs Feb. 6, 13, 18, 20, 27, and 28, followed by “Mouk’s Adventures” March 5, 12, 17, 19, 20 and 26.
“Crane Maiden” runs April 2, 9, 14, 16, and 30, with “Dreamtigers” performing May 14, 15, 21 and 22.
The June show is still undecided, while the July show, “Banana for Turtle,” runs July 9, 14, 16, 23, 30, and 31, and “Kolobok” runs Aug. 6, 13, 18 and 20.
Performances are 10 a.m. Thursdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
For tickets or more information, call 313-961-7777, or go to puppetart.org.