book by Terrence McNally
music by Stephen Flaherty
lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow

Strikingly ambitious and brilliantly written, Ragtime simply ignites the stage.  From the grandeur of its opening prologue, to its heart-rending conclusion, this epic musical beautifully paints a nostalgic and powerful portrait of American life at the turn of the 20th Century. Based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel, Ragtime seamlessly intertwines the stories of three remarkable families; one upper-middle class WASP, one Jewish immigrant, and one African American, all caught in the social clashes of the period. The Tony Award winning score includes Wheels of a Dream, Back to Before and Make Them Hear You. Touching and triumphant, Ragtime is an American classic. (Adult Themes)

MACBETH
October 12 - October 27 2007     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by William Shakespeare

Four hundred years after it was written, Shakespeare’s dark depiction of ambition, guilt and murder continues to cast a powerful spell over audiences. Indeed, something wicked this way comes as Macbeth’s bloody rise to power unfolds in the last of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies. While Macbeth responds to the prophecies of the play’s famous trio of witches, Lady Macbeth’s ambition and thirst for power leads her into an unnatural realm of witchcraft, insomnia and madness. Poetically rich, this “tale told by a genius” offers a glimpse into the psychology of murder and the disintegration of a flawed hero into moral decay. (Adult Themes)

Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL
October 26 - November 4 2007     [ Peformance Schedule ]

Book by David Simpatico
Original songs by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Ray Cham, Greg Cham, Andrew Seeley, Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts, Bryan Louiselle, David N. Lawrence, Faye Greenberg and Jamie Houston
Music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle
Based on a Disney Channel Original Movie written by Peter Barsocchini

Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, you’re going to love this spunky, funny musical phenomenon. Everything is cool for Troy Bolton, basketball star at East High. That is until he meets the new girl in school, the beautiful but shy brainiac Gabriella Montez. After discovering they share an interest in singing, they audition for the drama club’s school musical. But the cool kids and even some adults try to coax the star-crossed couple back onto the basketball court and into the library. With positive themes like the importance of expressing yourself, believing in yourself and following your dreams, this new family-friendly musical is sure to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

STARS AND STRIPES
November 9 - November 11 2007     [ Peformance Schedule ]

Due to the overwhelming response to last year’s USO Show, our Senior Class Reader’s Theatre will once again present a musical tribute to the brave men and women who have served and who continue to serve in the Armed Forces. Though similar in tone to its predecessor, Stars and Stripes will feature all new songs of hope and inspiration as well as patriotic stories and remembrances. We hope you’ll join us for this stirring tribute to America’s finest.

THE WIZARD OF OZ
November 23 - December 16 2007     [ Peformance Schedule ]
Children of all ages will be transported over the rainbow as this musical fantasy comes to the Civic just in time for the holidays. Complete with technicolor sets, beautiful costumes and astounding special effects, this stage adaptation of the MGM classic will magically bring to life Dorothy’s adventures in the merry old Land of Oz. So, click your heels together three times and prepare to join Dorothy and her friends as they journey down the yellow brick road in search of happiness. With a heartwarming score that includes, If I Only Had a Brain, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead and Over the Rainbow, The Wizard of Oz is a theatrical treat for the whole family and Toto, too.

ON GOLDEN POND
January 11 - January 26 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by Ernest Thompson

Lovable curmudgeon, Norman Thayer, Jr., and his spirited wife, Ethel, have spent the last 43 summers at their family’s lakeside cottage in Maine. As they settle in for another summer respite they are visited by their estranged daughter, Chelsea who, en route to a European vacation, leaves behind her fiancé’s troubled young son. Colliding generations soon forge common ground, but when Chelsea returns to discover Norman showering the young boy with the love she never knew, years of bitter memories and resentment rise to the surface. An intimate family drama laced with humor and heart, this heartwarming play explores growing up, growing old and growing closer.

AVENUE Q
January 18 - February 17 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx | book by Jeff Whitty
based on an original Concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx originally produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffery Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group

Believe it or not, the first Tony Award-winning Broadway show ever to boast “full puppet nudity” is coming to Kalamazoo. We have been chosen as the first community theatre in the country to pilot this exciting new work. So, brace yourself! It’s a little bit naughty and a whole lot of fun, kind of like Sesame Street meets South Park. Life may suck on Avenue Q, but for a bright-eyed college graduate named Princeton, this is his new neighborhood. A tiny bank balance and a bunch of weird and wonderful friends and neighbors lead Princeton on a hilarious journey of self-discovery. They may look familiar but these puppets and their human counterparts have an irreverent take on life in the big city. If you’re looking for a refreshing dose of political incorrectness, you’ll want to be first in the queue for Avenue Q. (Adult Themes, Situations, and Language)

SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD
February 8 - February 23 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by Ken Ludwig

This fast-moving new play by the author of Moon Over Buffalo and Lend Me a Tenor is at times poignant and funny, sophisticated and silly and high-brow and low-brow. It’s 1934, and Shakespeare’s most famous fairies, Oberon and Puck, have magically materialized on the Warner Brothers lot in Hollywood. As they wander around the set of Max Reinhardt’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they are instantly smitten by the glitz and glamour of show biz and are ushered onto the silver screen to play (who else?) themselves. With a little help from blonde bombshells, movie moguls, and arrogant “asses” the two are tossed into loopy love triangles, with raucous results. The mischievous magic of moviedom sparkles in this hilarious comic romp.

TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING
February 29 - March 8 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

based on the book by Judy Blume
adapted for the stage by Bruce Mason

Peter Hatcher has some problems at home. But it isn’t his mother, who’s always studying art history. And it isn’t his father, who watches TV just for the commercials. No, Peter’s biggest problem is Fudge, his disgustingly adorable baby brother. Fudge is always in Peter’s way and messing up everything he sees, whether he’s scribbling all over Peter’s school project, trying to fly off the jungle gym, or stealing the limelight in the Toddle Bike commercial. And when Peter’s pet turtle Dribble turns up gone.... all gone… everybody’s only worried about Fudge, who ate him, instead of Dribble, who got eaten! Based on the acclaimed novel by Judy Blume, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing reminds us that sibling rivalry isn’t always sweet… especially when your brother is Fudge!

THE ODD COUPLE
March 7 - March 22 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by Neil Simon

Laughter abounds when best pals Oscar Madison and Felix Unger become the most mismatched roommates in the history of theatre. Felix is fussy and fastidious to a fault, proving that cleanliness is next to insanity. Oscar on the other hand is a slovenly sportscaster who can wreak havoc on a room simply by walking into it. When Felix shows up on Oscar’s doorstep after being thrown out by his wife, Oscar suggests that he move in with him. The two men try to adapt to each other’s idiosyncrasies and even try to rekindle their social lives by ensnaring the legendary Pigeon sisters, with side-splitting results. You won’t want to miss this classic comedy.

THE FOURSOME
March 28 - April 13 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by Norm Foster

Get ready to tee off for 18 holes of laughter in this life-affirming comedy by Norm Foster, one of Canada’s most beloved and prolific playwrights. When four former college friends get together for their 25-year class reunion, they decide to catch up on the good ol’ days while playing a round of golf. It turns out to be a game of clever one-liners and rib-tickling one-upmanship as the fearless foursome share the birdies, bogeys, and sand traps of life after college. By the time they reach the clubhouse these four ordinary guys, in varying degrees of mid-life crisis, gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the lives they’ve lived since graduation. Warm, witty and wise, this winning comedy is a hole-in-one for both men and women.

HOLLYWOOD ARMS
April 4 - April 19 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]
by Carrie Hamilton and Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett is one of America’s most beloved comediennes. But before the laughter there was a life filled with chaos and dysfunction. This touching play serves as an affectionate tribute to the woman who raised the beloved comic genius, Carol’s strong-willed grandmother. Abandoned by her alcoholic father, the budding performer shared a shabby one-room apartment with her “Nanny” while her disillusioned mother lived down the hall. Escape from her troubled home life could be found on the roof of their rundown apartment house where she created her own magical world at the foot of the Hollywood Hills. Sad, funny and always real, this is the story of one young girl’s journey from shattered hopes to realized dreams, and the broken family who loved her. (Adult Themes)

LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL
May 2 - May 4 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

by Ketti Frings
from the novel by Thomas Wolfe

Based on the teenage years of writer Thomas Wolfe, this dramatic tale of a young man’s personal growth is driven by his family: a mother who obsesses over her material holdings while building barriers; his father, a stonecutter imprisoned by his failures; and a brother who never breaks away. Ultimately, the young man, Eugene, experiences love in all its wrenching psychological forms and escapes a lifetime of solitude by confronting the forces that shape his future.

HOLES
May 9 - May 18 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

Adapted from the award-winning book by Louis Sachar, this finely written play focuses on Stanley Yelnats, a troubled kid who is sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake. The warden tells the boys that they must dig holes five feet wide by five feet deep in order to “build character.” But Stanley soon realizes that this isn’t the real reason they’re being subjected to such treatment. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something, and Stanley will do his best to dig up the truth.

LITTLE WOMEN, THE MUSICAL
May 16 - May 31 2008     [ Peformance Schedule ]

book by Allan Knee
music by Jason Howland
lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott

The amazing bond forged in the warmth of family is celebrated in this new musical version of the Louisa May Alcott classic. Brimming with beautiful melodies and youthful energy, the story of Jo March, her sisters and their beloved Marmee plays out against the bleak backdrop of the Civil War. It is a heartwarming look at a group of sisters with very different personalities and values as they strive to keep the ties of family devotion alive. Along the way, their dreams are tempered and twisted but often realized in the most unexpected and uplifting ways. You won’t want to miss this richly sentimental favorite.