Commission approves plan to demolish Royal Oakโs Main Art Theatre
Itโs hard to imagine downtown Royal Oak without the Main Art Theatre, but that could soon be the reality if the buildingโs owner gets what it wants. The plan Tuesday (April 12) night is to tear down the iconic theater and replace it with a five-story mixed-use development, which went before the cityโs planning commission.
โCelebration of Black Storiesโ: Hereโs how you can watch the Obsidian Theatre Festival
DETROIT โ You can attend the inaugural season of the Obsidian Theatre Festival from the comfort of your own home. When the COVID pandemic led to live performances across the world being shut down, it wasnโt just the actors who were sidelined. John Sloan, III, is the Producing Artistic Director of the Obsidian Theatre Festival. He said when live theater shut down it made him rethink theater. The Obsidian Theatre Festival is available for anyone to watch the original productions.
Mosaic Youth Theatre introduces young Detroiters to the performing arts
More often than not, the arts are the first thing cut, but one program in Detroit has solved that budget problem. The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit on Antietam Avenue has educated an estimated 10,000 young people since it was founded. National philanthropic organization The Lewis Prize for Music awarded three grants in 2021 to support the arts for young people. Competing against hundreds of programs across the country, the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit earned a $500,000 grant spread over the next three years. More information on the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit can be found on its official website here.
An open spot for all to express themselves in the heart of the D
In 2015, two actors/educators started 4th Wall Theatre Company. Katie Mann and Annie Klark started the company for actors with special needs. The organization gave these actors a place to really shine on stage and teaches them everything from acting to singing to dance. Mann and Klark have opened chapters in Pittsburgh and New York and are looking to open more. Katie Mann and Annie Klark sat down for an interview with Tati Amare to explain how anyone can get involved.
Fun movies for New Years
You likely have a long 3-day weekend coming up and itโs the perfect time to relax and zone out with a good movie. Movie reviewer Greg Russell gave us some fun movie suggestions. Jack is the single guy who has an apartment, but all the married guys he works with want to use his apartment to have a party. Then his old lover ends up at his apartment and they find out they were meant for each other. Watch the video to see what else Greg recommends you watch for New Years!
Opera adapts to pandemic, hosts drive-thru show in a parking garage -- and the results are stunning
DETROIT โ When one thinks of the opera, images of a parking garage are unlikely to come to mind, but some unexpected creativity during the pandemic allowed people to experience the opera from their vehicle. This proves it: When you canโt pack people into a theater, you find another way to perform. Michigan Opera Theatre opened its season in late December this way. Each act performed on a different level of the opera house garage. Watch nextREAD: Michigan Opera Theatre names Yuval Sharon new artistic director
Metro Detroit live theater performers cope with having their careers put on hold
DETROIT โ The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are being felt everywhere -- especially in the creative industries and live theater. A lot of people were affected when the lights went out on live theater. For nine months, theaters have been dark, seats have been empty and they have no concrete day to return. Detroit Public Theater got creative a few months back. It produced two shows with a NY Public Theater and broadcast them on public TV.
Ann Arbor high schoolers to perform 8 virtual plays this weekend
ANN ARBOR โ The Pioneer Theatre Guild will be performing a series of short plays via livestream this weekend and tickets are free. In a year marked by remote learning, the PTG has also adapted the way they perform. The group dedicated the video to the outgoing senior class whose final season was marred by the pandemic. This weekend, the performances are inspired by the Play at Home project -- a national effort by a group of theatre companies to commission a series of short plays for local communities. Even through the Zoom screen, I still felt included and connected to those that were a part of the project.
Halloween Drive to present spooky scenes at Dominoโs Farms
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ On Friday and Saturday, drive through Dominoโs Farms Petting Farm while watching spooktacular scenes at the Halloween Drive. Attendees will drive along a marked path and stop to watch three theatrical Halloween-themed scenes performed by the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre and Dexter Community Players. Drive-thrus will happen between 7-11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, and from 4-6 p.m. and 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. Find more information about Halloween Drive here. Dominoโs Farms Petting Farm is at 3001 Earhart Rd.
Oxford 7 theater to reopen next month after permanent closure
OXFORD, Mich. โ As movie theaters prepare to reopen on Oct. 9 following closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Oxford 7 theater is reopening its doors after it shut down permanently in March. With the pandemic and previous owners filing for bankruptcy, it was uncertain if the theater would come back. โEverybody thought it was going to be closed forever,โ said Oxford 7 general manager Jay Z. Douglas. โI did not know how important this theater truly was to the community until I announced that it was reopening." You can watch Tim Pamplinโs full story in the video above.
Ann Arbor childrens theater to present weekly Wild Swan Variety Show in July
ANN ARBOR, Mich. Throughout July, Ann Arbors Wild Swan Theater will host a weekly virtual variety show for young audiences. The 30-minute shows are free and will be streamed through Facebook Live on the Wild Swan Facebook page. Wild Swan actress Sandy Ryder will be joined by musicians San Slomovits and Emily Slomovits. Currently, the Wild Swan Theater is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of the theater is to make professional theater accessible for everyone through lowered ticket prices, accessibility measures and outreach programs.
'Chariots of Fire,' 'Lord of the Rings' actor Ian Holm dies
FILE - In this Dec. 12, 2012 file photo, actor Ian Holm appears at the premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" in London. Holm, the acclaimed British actor whose long career included roles in Chariots of Fire and The Lord of the Rings has died, his agent said Friday. Holm died peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by his family and carer, his agent, Alex Irwin, said in a statement. (Photo by Jon Furniss/Invision/AP, File)LONDON Ian Holm, an acclaimed British actor whose long career included roles in Chariots of Fire and The Lord of the Rings has died. Holm died peacefully Friday morning in a hospital, surrounded by his family and carer, his agent, Alex Irwin, said in a statement.
Shakespeare in the Arb canceled as it prepares to mark 20th anniversary
ANN ARBOR Summer in Nichols Arboretum is defined by the beautiful peony garden, long hikes and performances of Shakespeare in the Arb. The unique live theater production has canceled its 2020 season that was set to run June 14 through July 8 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the collaboration between Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Nichols Arboretum and University of Michigans Residential College was set to celebrate its 20th anniversary with an adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream.We hope to bring this special 20th anniversary celebration of Shakespeare in the Arb back in 2021, said organizers in on the events website. In the meantime, well be featuring special Shakespeare in the Arb content on our website and social media in June.Shakespeare in the Arb performances have no stage. Instead, actors guide the audience through the scenic 120-acre Nichols Arboretum, incorporating scenes of nature and vast panoramas into the play.
Ann Arbor Pioneer students record song from canceled spring production remotely
ANN ARBOR A recent video posted by Ann Arbor Pioneers Theatre Guild gives meaning to the phrase the show must go on.When senior Dana Steiner learned that the groups spring production of Les Miserables was canceled, she pitched the performing-in-place idea. I am a senior at Pioneer and this would have been my last musical with my younger brother and my PTG family. To help everyone record their parts, I sent out an instruction video and sample recordings of every ensemble vocal track, Steiner said in a statement. Every cast member who wanted to participate recorded themselves singing their part a cappella while listening to the accompaniment in headphones. I got sent each video individually -- 35 total -- at the beginning of May and spent weeks editing them all together.Wed say it was a big success.