Dearborn High School Theatre presents Neil Simon’s comedic farce “Rumors” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 to 22, with Jesse Good (left) as Glenn Cooper, Christos Andreou as Ken Gorman, Jack Rutledge as Ernie Cusack, Layla Salmassi as Cookie Cusack, Ameena Toumi as Cassie Cooper, Aislinn O’Neil as Chris Gorman, Sophia Lamb as Claire Lanz, Giovanni Bitonti as Lenny Ganz, and Robert Milligan and Abdullah Yousif, double cast as Officer Welch.
Local stages offer many entertainment options the weekend before Thanksgiving as Dearborn High School presents Neil Simon’s comedic farce “Rumors,” Lincoln Park High School performs Anya Reiss’ adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic drama “The Seagull,” and the Fisher brings the North American tour of “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” to the Fisher Theater.
DEARBORN HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS NEIL SIMON’S ‘RUMORS’
Dearborn High School Theatre presents the Neil Simon comedic farce “Rumors” Nov. 19 to 22 at the high school, 19501 W. Outer Drive.
Directed by Greg Phillip Viscomi, the show is set during a couple’s 10th anniversary party with eight of their closest friends.
Viscomi said “Rumors” is a great comic farce.
“I previously directed it over 20 years ago so, I thought it was time to bring it back,” he said.
Viscomi said the play begins with an unconscious host and a missing hostess and the cook, with rumors swirling as to what has happened and why.
“As each couple arrives at the party, the first couple to arrive attempts to keep what has happened a secret from the others,” he said. “People coming and going, crashes in the kitchen, a stolen car, and gunshots going off eventually bring the police and add to the confusion.”
Jack Rutledge, who plays Ernie Cusack, his first main role, said learning how to perform in scenes in which he has no lines is an interesting challenge.
“The most enjoyable aspect has been being able to scream when my character’s lines call for it,” he said.
Layla Salmassi, who plays Cookie Cusack, said it’s challenging to create her character’s reactions.
“At times she says things so clueless it’s difficult to even react in any way that’s not pretending to be dense,” she said. “The comedic aspect is the most difficult part to get, so if people to laugh, that means we did an amazing job.”
Robert Milligan, who plays Officer Welch, said he hopes seeing the show provides young audience members with a positive introduction to live theater.
“I hope that they gain a passion for the theatre and want to pursue it in the future, the very same passion that I gained for the theatre after I watched my first live show many years ago,” he said.
The cast includes Christos Andreou as Ken Gorman, Giovanni Bitonti as Lenny Ganz, Jack Rutledge as Ernie Cusack, Jesse Good as Glenn Cooper, Ameena Toumi as Cassie Cooper, Aislinn O’Neil as Chris Cooper, Sophia Lamb as Claire Ganz and Layla Salmassi as Cookie Cusack.
Robert Milligan and Abdullah Yousif are double cast as Officer Welch, while Emmy Lahay and Maddy Minor are double cast as Officer Pudney.
Tickets are available by phone, at 313-827-1647 and at the box office prior to performances.
General admission is $12, with $10 tickets for college students with identification, and $8 tickets for students 18 and younger and seniors 65 and older. The show is recommended for those 13 and older.
The box office opens an hour before curtain time, with the house opening 30 minutes prior to show time.
Lincoln Park High School presents Anton Chekov’s “The Seagull” at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22 at the high school’s auditorium, 1701 Champaign Road.
LINCOLN PARK HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMS ANYA REISS’ ADAPTATION OF ANTON CHEKHOV’S ‘THE SEAGULL’
Lincoln Park High School presents Anya Reiss’ adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” Nov. 21 and 22 at the high school, 1709 Champaign Road.
Director and theatre teacher Geoffrey Kopp said the show is a classic tale of unrequited love, artistic ambition and generation tension, with raw emotion and sharp, modern language.
“Set in a world where art and ego collide, ‘The Seagull’ explores the inner lives of a group of interconnected characters, writers, actors, and dreamers, grappling with their desires, disappointments and the pursuit of meaning,” Kopp said. “Reiss’s adaptation retains the heart of Chekhov’s original while offering a fresh, relatable lens that resonates deeply with today’s audiences, particularly young artists searching for identity and purpose.”
Kopp’s assistant director is Beth Wondolowski, with student assistant director Gianni Espinoza. Jamie Wamble is the technical director.
Espinoza said Kopp elevates the artistry of the school’s theater program and set a remarkable standard for the student thespians.
She said the students’ greatest challenge has been achieving realism while acting in the production.
“Chekhov’s work demands authenticity and emotional truth, which has pushed all of us to grow as artists,” she said. “We’ve met that challenge with passion and commitment.”
Emi Hernandez, who plays Konstantin, said capturing her character’s anger has been her most significant acting challenge.
“There is a ton of drama and very funny scenes,” she said. “I hope people talk about the drama and sadness and everything.”
The cast includes Sha’Niah Marsh as Arkadina, Gianni Espinoza as Trigorin, Emi Hernandez as Konstantin, Aalayeah Whitfield as Nina, Airy Adams as Masha, Mason Crouse as Sorin, Sean Espinoza as Medvedenko, Danna Rubio-Barraza as Shamrayev, Raul Servin as Dorn and Dorothy Lopez as Polina.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door.
Broadway in Detroit presents “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” Nov. 21 to 23 at the Fisher Theater in Detroit. For tickets and more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.
FISHER THEATER HOSTS THE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OF ‘TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL’
The biographical jukebox musical “TINA – The Tina Turner Musical” comes to the Fisher Theater Nov. 21 to 23 for a limited three-day, five-show run.
The musical is a comeback story about a woman who defied racism, sexism and ageism to retain her stature as rock and roll royalty. It celebrates her resilience and triumph over adversity as it fills the stage with her amazing music, including “The Best,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Proud Mary,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” “Private Dancer,” “Addicted to Love,” “Disco Inferno” and “A Fool in Love.”
Turner won 12 Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold more than 100 million records in a career that spanned 65 years.
Show dates and times are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22, 2 p.m. Nov. 22, 1 p.m. Nov. 23 and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 23 at the Fisher Theater, 3011 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit.
For tickets and more information, go to BroadwayInDetroit.com.