FERNDALE – We'll never know whether it was Divine Providence or the intercession of St. Genesius – the patron saint of actors – that caused Joe Bailey to stop at a red light near the intersection of northbound Woodward Avenue and Nine Mile one afternoon last fall. But that one, seemingly innocuous action had consequences – and as a result, downtown Ferndale will soon be home to The Ringwald Theatre, its first-ever resident professional theater company.
"I was driving home from work and saw the lease sign in the window," Bailey recalled recently. "I had been sweet on a location in Royal Oak, and was really pushing for that."
But Bailey – the artistic director of Who Wants Cake? Theatre – was curious, so he called the number in the window and arranged to see the space. "As soon as they opened the door – it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. It's so big and open. It seemed to be just what we were looking for. And you can't beat the location."
So the troupe signed a lease and were handed the keys this past November 1. "When we got the keys we were all issued rose-colored glasses at the same time," he laughed. "I really thought we'd be open by the end of November, bless my heart. But it turns out people out there are not on the same time schedule I'm on."
There were architects to hire and plans to draw up. Then the plans had to be submitted to the city for review. Changes, of course, had to be made, and the plans resubmitted. And then inspections had to be scheduled. "The wheels of bureaucracy turn very slowly."
Part of the problem, Bailey said, was that city officials had no frame of reference for what the troupe was trying to do. "It's been a learning experience for both sides."
Opening the theater is the culmination of a dream Bailey has had ever since returning home to Michigan in 2003. After 10 years in Los Angeles, New York and many stops in-between as an actor, "I needed a home. I was tired of living out of a suitcase. So I came back and decided to start a theater company," he said.
With his partner Joe Plambeck – whom he met while on the road – the two founded Who Wants Cake?, named after an episode of Comedy Central's "Strangers With Candy" series starring Amy Sedaris. Why, exactly, Bailey wouldn't elaborate. "It's really not nice unless you see it in the context of the show," he chuckled. "It just seemed to fit for us."
The troupe's first production was "The Normal Heart," staged in June 2005 as a benefit for the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project. Next was "Crimes of the Heart" in February 2006. But it was a highly successful run of "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" last summer at Xhedos Cafe that proved there was a market for live theater in downtown Ferndale. "That's what propelled us into this endeavor – the biggest one of our lives!"
Although both Bailey and Plambeck are gay, they don't refer to The Ringwald as a "gay theater." "We're interested in doing dynamic, new shows; reinterpretations of classics; and doing shows that blur the lines between sexual identity, race and class," Bailey said. "My main focus is doing stuff that's relevant, that's fun, that's challenging – and that doesn't necessarily get done here, either ever or often."
If current plans stay on track – and a certificate of occupancy is issued in time – the doors will open April 27 with "Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy," a parody of the 1987 movie. That will be followed June 1 – a date that's immovable, Bailey promises – by "Southern Baptist Sissies." And ambitious plans call for nearly a dozen other shows through June 2008.
In a rather unorthodox move, shows will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday through Monday. "We're half a block down from the Woodward Avenue Brewery, and Mondays are half-off food night there. So we're hopefully going to partner with them to capitalize on that."
Tickets for plays will be $15; $20 for musicals.
http://www.whowantscaketheatre.com.
PREVIEW:
The Ringwald Theatre
The Ringwald Theatre expects to open – barring any unforeseen occupancy problems – April 27 with "Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy," for a four-week run. The theater is located at 22742 Woodward Ave., a few doors south of Nine Mile Road on the east side of the street, in downtown Ferndale. Metered parking is available behind the theater. Call (248) 556-8581 to verify performance dates.
