The Tony Award-winning musical “Suffs” comes to Detroit April 14 to 26 at the Fisher Theater. For tickets and more information go to us.atgtickets.com/Detroit.
An eclectic array of offerings is poised to open on local stages, as the musical “Suffs” comes to the Fisher, the Theatre Company at Detroit Mercy presents “I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire,” Theatre and Dance at Wayne presents “Pardise Lost” through a modern lens, and the talented teens at the Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center explore the lure of immortality in “Tuck Everlasting.”
THE MUSICAL ‘SUFFS’ COMES TO THE FISHER
The Tony Award-winning musical “Suffs” tells the story of the determined American women who fought for the right to vote, as well as their fight for equality, a battle that continues today.
The women in the story are both brilliant and stubborn, while flawed, passionate and funny, who built strong friendships, endured heartbreak and forged a movement that both brought them together and tore them apart.
It explores the internal conflicts of the movement as well as the generational divides and its racial tensions.
The 19th Amendment, which was ratified in 1920, gave women in the United State the right to vote.
The show was created by Shaina Taub, the first woman to ever independently win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score in the same season. She also won the Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 14 to 18 and 21 to 25, and 6:30 p.m. April 19 and 26, with 2 p.m. April 18 and 25 and 1 p.m. April 19 and 26 matinees. To order tickets online, go to us.atgtickets.com/Detroit.
The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company presents, “I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire” April 10 to 19 at the Detroit Mercy Black Box Theater, with Riley McDevitt as obsessed fan Shelby Hinkley.
UDM PRESENTS, ‘I’M GONNA’ MARRY YOU TOBEY MCGUIRE”
The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company closes its first season on the McNichols campus with Samantha Hurley’s “I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire” April 10 to 19 at the new Black Box Theater in the student union.
Set in 2004, the dark comedy/farce follows Shelby Hinkley, an obsessed eighth-grader who kidnaps actor Tobey Maguire and handcuffs him in her basement.
Shelby discovers that Maguire is not the charming character he plays in Spiderman, but has a tumultuous, troubled personality. It also explores teenage obsession and longing.
Detroit Mercy Theatre Company managing director Sarah Rusk said the show is both heartfelt and hilarious.
“Shelby truly believes Tobey Maguire is her destiny, and through her obsession we get a look into the complicated emotions of growing up during the Y2K era,” she said.
Director Cassandra Svacha said Riley McDevitt, who plays Shelby, and Joe Pacitto, as Tobey, play roles with demanding comic weight, timing, pacing and physicality.
“Comedy at that level really is athletic: it takes precision, stamina, awareness and trust,” she said. “When it works, it feels effortless to the audience, but there’s a ton of discipline underneath it, which all of these young actors are handling beautifully.”
Svacha said the show will create a wave Y2K nostalgia for those who remember the early 2000s.
“The play is set just before the rise of social media as we know it today, and it explores the beginnings of para-social obsession, wrapped in the music and pop culture that defined that era,” she said. “For me, the music in the show is a reminder of how deeply music can mark moments in our lives, instantly transporting us back in time.”
Svacha said the experience will be different for younger audiences.
“The world of the play feels heightened, absurd, and unbelievable,” she said. “I honestly will be very interested in to hear what they walk away feeling, considering that sense of distance they have to what is now a ‘historical era.’”
McDevitt said that while the show will generate a lot of laughter, it also does a good job of exploring celebrity culture and parasocial relationships.
A parasocial relationship is a one-sided psychological bond that may occur when a fan feels a close tie to a public figure who does not know they exist and describes an unreciprocated, illusionary relationship.
“Being able to play this character and let loose has been such a fun time for me, but one of the hardest parts was getting over the initial embarrassment, considering a lot of things that she does and says are not things I would do or say,” she said. “Throughout the rehearsal process, it got a lot easier and I found myself even adding onto these things in little ways.”
McDevitt said while she hopes people find the show wacky and funny, she hopes they appreciate the message about celebrity culture and parasocial relationships as well.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 10, 11, 17 and 18, with 2 p.m. April 12 and 19 matinees.
The play is rated R and contains adult language and situations, including drug use, suicidal ideation and sexual situations. A full list of subject matter can be found by visiting udmercy.edu/life/theatre/tobeymaguire.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for seniors, faculty, staff and alumni, and $10 for veterans and students. To order online, go to detroitmercyarts.universitytickets.com.
Theatre and Dance at Wayne presents Erin Shields’ “Paradise Lost” April 17 to 26 at the Hilberry Gateway Studio Theater, a reinvention of John Milton’s epic poem of free will versus divine power as seen through a contemporary lens. For tickets and more information, go to onstage.wayne.edu.
WSU PRESENTS ‘PARADISE LOST’
Playwright Erin Shields reinvents John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost” through a contemporary lens, setting the stage for the battle of free will versus divine power as Satan tempts humanity.
The show blends sharp wit, modern feminism and classic mythology as it challenges the traditional notions of good versus evil while exploring oppression, rebellion and knowledge.
With rich language and a fresh perspective, it reimagines a classic tale with a modern relevance.
During the run of the show, Theatre and Dance at Wayne is partnering with organizations that support survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the community by highlighting the work of the YWCA Interim House, Detroit’s only domestic violence shelter, and will be collecting items and gift cards for First Step, which provides safety, advocacy and comprehensive services for domestic violence survivors. To see the organization’s wish list, go to www.firststep-mi.org/donate/mostneeded.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 17, 18, 24 and 25, and 7 p.m. April 23, with 2 p.m. April 22 and 3 p.m. April 26 matinees, at the Hilberry Gateway Studio Theater, 4715 Cass Avenue in Detroit.
Tickets are $29 for adults, $24 for seniors, alumni and WSU employees, and $19 for students, with a $4 surcharge per ticket.
To order tickets, go to onstage.wayne.edu.
The Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center presents the musical “Tuck Everlasting” April 17 to 25 at the Trenton Village Theater, 2447 W. Jefferson in Trenton. For tickets or more information, go to dypac.com.
DYPAC PERFORMS THE MUSICAL ‘TUCK EVERLASTING’
The Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center presents the musical “Tuck Everlasting” April 17 to 25 at the Trenton Village Theater, 2447 W. Jefferson Ave. in Trenton.
The musical, with a book by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle, music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, is based on the Natalie Babbit novel about a girl, Winnie, who discovers a family with the secret to immortality, who must decide whether to join them or lead a traditional life.
Their immortality, which occurs from drinking from a magical spring, causes them to live in secrecy to protect the world from the burden of living with eternal life.
The show, directed by Mary Zaleski, features ages 13 to 19 in the cast.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. April 17, 18, 24 and 25, with a 2 p.m. April 19 matinee.
Tickets are $18 for preferred seats (closer to the stage), with other seats $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors and $10 for wheelchair patrons. To order tickets, go to: cur8.com/16162/project/136713.
For more information, go to dypac.com.