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Professional Theater News from Around Town:

Musical comedy makes cancer a laughing matter

HAMTRAMCK – Hamtramck's Planet Ant Theatre is pleased to announce the return of "Cancer! The Musical" after a sold out run at the Abreact Theatre. Second City cast member, Shawn Handlon and his brother Thomas Donnellon, a cancer survivor and surgeon at Saint Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital, wrote the book for this rousing musical. Second City Musical Director John Edwartowski composed the original score.
"Cancer! The Musical" takes a light hearted look at the dreaded disease by following the stories of lab rats awaiting injections, a cancer researcher seeking the cure, a cancer surgeon struggling to save a very special patient and a wicked pharmaceutical executive. This show will make you laugh, cry and tap your toes along with its fun and inventive original music.
"Cancer! The Musical" runs April 28 through May 20 (Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.) at Planet Ant Theatre, 2357 Caniff in Hamtramck.
Tickets are $15 or $10 for students and seniors.
For tickets or information, call Planet Ant Theatre at 313-365-4948 or log on to http://www.planetant.com.

Michael Holmes' 'Judy Show' returns for a spring fling

SAUGATUCK – Performer Michael Holmes brings his popular "Judy Show" back to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts' Bertha Krueger Reid Theater on Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m.
Joined by pianist Mark Kahny, Holmes will bring Judy Garland, Billie Holiday, Carol Channing and Bette Davis to life for an evening of song, dance, comedy, and not-to-be-forgotten show biz stories.
"The Judy Show Spring Fling" features Holmes – as Garland – recreating television's great "Judy Garland" variety show with guest appearances by some of Hollywood's most famous female stars – all also performed by Holmes. This "Judy Show" takes audience members on a musical tour of some of the world's most romantic cities for love and lovers, including San Francisco, Chicago, and London.
Holmes has performed his one-man cabaret act across the United States from Hawaii to Manhattan, and appears throughout the year at the SCA.
The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the cultural, educational, economic and social enrichment of the greater lakeshore community in southwest Michigan. It is located at 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck, MI.
Reserved seats for the Judy Show are $15 and can be purchased at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. As the "Judy Show" regularly sells out, advance ticket sales are strongly suggested.
For tickets or additional information, call 269-857-2399. To learn more about the SCA, visit http://www.sc4a.org.


Theater for the Entire Family:

Popular children's TV show brings live tour to City Theatre

DETROIT – Gooby, Toofy and Woozy, also known as the fun-loving trio, "My Bedbugs," will embark on their first-ever live tour this spring! They've steadily grown in popularity on PBS, and now "My Bedbugs" will take to the stage as they embark on a national tour, "My Bedbugs" present "J. Edgar's Birthday." These fun critters will play Detroit's City Theatre at noon Saturday, May 6.
"My Bedbugs" are three siblings who share imaginative adventures from their bedroom. They are accompanied by J. Edgar, who teaches them to solve problems through music and imagination. With their cuddly pillow, Snoozy, by their side each day is full of fun and games.
This brand-new stage show includes all the gang performing favorite scenes from popular "My Bedbugs" TV episodes. Kids will also get to meet a surprise who helps everyone learn a very special lesson.
Airing locally on Detroit Public Television, "My Bedbugs" is a quality children's program that unites education and entertainment. Each episode delivers a collection of songs and playful adventures for young audiences to enjoy and is designed to strengthen developmental skills.
Whether on stage or screen, "My Bedbugs" entertains and educates kids ages 3-8 with energetic characters, music, and animation. Since the debut on Detroit Public Television in 2004, the award-winning show has been picked up steadily by PBS stations across much of the U.S. and Canada.
The "J. Edgar's Birthday" tour is the company's first national tour and it is scheduled to reach more than 70 venues by the end of the year.
Tickets are $9.50, and they may be purchased at the City Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, Hockeytown Authentics in Troy and at all Ticketmaster locations, including Marshall Field's.
For additional information, call 313-471-6611 or log on to http://www.olympiaentertainment.com.

'Dora's Pirate Adventure' comes To East Lansing

EAST LANSING – Ahoy! After visiting over 60 markets in 2005, Dora the Explorer continues to set sail in her live musical voyage, "Dora's Pirate Adventure!" Presented by Nickelodeon Theatricals and ThemeSTAR, "Dora's Pirate Adventure!" is based on the number one preschool show on commercial television and is coming to MSU's Concert Auditorium on Sunday, April 30 for two shows at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
In "Dora's Pirate Adventure!," Dora, her best buddy Boots the Monkey, and the rest of their friends embark on an exciting trip to Treasure Island. For the first time ever, the family-friendly stage show will feature Dora's cousin, Diego – a nature and science expert. The audience will help them navigate over Music Mountain, through silly Singing Bridge and help them confront the Pirate Piggies. Along the way, the audience will use their map-reading, counting, musical and Spanish-language skills to successfully help Dora reach the treasure. All ends happily onstage with a "yo-ho-ho!"
Dora is a seven-year-old Latina heroine, whose adventures take place in an imaginative, tropical world filled with jungles, beaches and rainforests. Dora explores her world just as pre-schoolers do everyday. Both the TV and stage shows are designed to actively engage their audiences using a variety of learning techniques.
"The unprecedented success of the first 'Dora the Explorer Live!' is tremendously gratifying to our entire creative team," says Joanna Hagan, senior vice president – theatrical production, Clear Channel Entertainment. "We are thrilled to have this award-winning team together again bringing theatrical magic to families across the country."
Tickets to the show are $10.50-$26.50.
For tickets or other information, call 517-432-2000 or log on to http://www.whartoncenter.com.

Kzoo Civic Youth Theatre presents 'The Land Of The Dragon'

KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Civic Youth Theatre will present "The Land of the Dragon," May 5-13th in the Suzanne D. Parish Theatre, 426 South Park Street, Kalamazoo.
In this stylized Chinese play, a scheming aunt and her chancellor keep the lovely Princess Jade Pure prisoner in her own castle in order to steal the throne. Road Wanderer, a minstrel, passing through the country with his pet dragon, learns of her plight and rescues her, only to be rewarded with contempt. He soon comes to see Jade Pure as thoughtless and unkind and leaves her behind. Realizing her mistake and knowing she must marry soon in order to become Empress, Jade Pure tries to find him. She decrees that only someone with a pet dragon may court her. Jade Pure's aunt has Road Wanderer imprisoned so she can steal his dragon. Still others create false dragons, all so they can win the throne. Will Jade Pure see through all this deception? Will Road Wanderer escape from captivity in time to save Jade Pure, his dragon, and the throne of the Southern Kingdom? This delightful, ancient Chinese tale is sure to intrigue young audiences.
Directed by Zac Thompson, the cast features over 40 students from around the area.
Order your tickets today by calling the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre Box Office at 269-343-1313 or visit http://www.kazoocivic.com.


Community Theatre Corner:

Kzoo Civic to present 'Morning's At Seven'

KALAMAZOO – The Kalamazoo Civic Senior Class Reader's Theatre will present the delightful comedy, "Morning's at Seven" on Friday, May 5 at 2 p.m.; Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m., in the Carver Center Studio Theatre, 426 South Park Street, Kalamazoo.
Following the success of "Ladies of the Corridor" and "An Evening with Irving Berlin," the Civic is gearing up for another exciting Senior Class production. "Morning's at Seven" is Paul Osborn's love letter to just plain folks (specifically four sisters in a small Midwestern town in 1938). It will not only make you feel great about yourself, it will let you finally forgive every member of your family who has ever wronged you.
Directed by Kristen Tyrrell, the cast features Ralph Robrahn as Theodore Swanson, Vickilee Miller as Cora Swanson, Liz Dykhouse as Aaronetta Gibbs, Gail Somerville as Ida Bolton, Bob Husser as Carl Bolton, Gary Willoughby as Homer Bolton, Kitty Kachniewicz as Myrtle Brown, Cynthia Stech as Esther Crampton and Fred Peppel as David Crampton.
Tickets will be available at the door.
For additional information, call the business office at 269-343-2280 or visit http://www.kazoocivic.com.


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