Theater Events for the period Nov. 18 – 27

Professional Theater:

A Christmas Carol Nineteenth century London comes alive as Ebenezer Scrooge encounters the Spirits of Christmas in this original adaptation by Geoffrey Sherman. Presented Wednesday through Sunday at the BoarsHead Theatre, Lansing, Nov. 26 – Dec. 23. Tickets: $25 – $33. 517-484-7805. www.boarshead.org.
A Christmas Carol The timeless Dickens’ classic returns for yet another holiday season. Presented Friday through Sunday (with performances scheduled on certain Wednesdays and Thursdays) at Meadow Brook Theatre, Rochester, Nov. 26 – Dec. 23. Tickets: $20 – $36. 248-377-3300. www.mbtheatre.com.
Blithe Spirit The dead won’t go away in No‘l Coward’s farce, where if one wife is too manyÉhow about two? Performed in Repertory at the Hilberry Theatre, Detroit, through Dec. 11. Tickets: $15 – $22. (313) 577-2960. www.theatre.wayne.edu/t_hilberry.html.
Coming to Life Five feisty old ladies in the Harvest Moon Retirement House assert their quirky personalities in a discussion group formed to create some activity. Presented Thursday through Sunday by the Detroit Repertory Theatre, Detroit, through Dec. 26. Tickets: $17. 313-868-1347. www.detroitreptheatre.com.
Cycling Past the Matterhorn A British psychic wants to avoid her own reality by moving to America. Staged Thursday through Sunday by the UDM Theatre Company, a mix of student and professional actors, at the Marygrove College Theatre, Detroit, Nov. 18 – Dec. 5. Tickets: $14. 313-927-1563. http://theatre.udmercy.edu.
Duck Hunter Shoots Angel A tabloid journalist searches for two Alabama swamp poachers who believe they shot a celestial being. Presented Tuesday through Sunday at the City Theatre, Detroit, through Jan. 2. Tickets: $35 – $40. 313-872-1000. www.nederlanderdetroit.com.
Faust A desperate doctor cries out to the devil, and Mephisopheles appears with a tempting offer. Contains brief nudity. Staged by the Michigan Opera Theatre at the Detroit Opera House, Detroit, Nov. 17, 19 – 21. Tickets: $28 – $113. 313-237-7464. www.michiganopera.org.
Forbidden Christmas Everything is subject to mockery in this whimsical blend of musical parodies. Presented Tuesday through Sunday at the Century Theatre, Detroit, through Dec. 31. Tickets: $30.50 – $39.50. 313-963-9800. www.gemtheatre.com.
Forever Tango Through music, dance and dramatic vignettes, the Tango’s colorful, often checkered past, is explored. Presented at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $29.50 – 47.50. 248-399-2980.
The Full Monty The raucous, heartfelt story of six unemployed steelworkers who go to great lengths to make some cash and help out a friend in trouble. Presented Tuesday through Sunday at the Fisher Theatre, Detroit, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $30.50 – $68. 313-872-1000. www.nederlanderdetroit.com.
He is Christmas A pastor and his congregation tell the story of the birth of Jesus with an African-inspired storytelling style. Staged Thursday through Sunday by the Plowshares Theatre Company at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit, Nov. 26 – Dec. 24. Tickets: $15 – $30. 313-872-0279. www.plowshares.org.
Menopause The Musical A joyful musical parody about four women who have nothing in common except a certain shared experience! Presented Tuesday through Sunday at the Gem Theatre, Detroit, for an open run. Tickets: $39.50. 313-963-9800. www.gemtheatre.com.
The Merry Wives of Windsor Multiple suitors and practical jokes abound in one of the few Shakespeare comedies written in prose and set in an actual country. Performed in Repertory at the Hilberry Theatre, Detroit, through Dec. 18. Tickets: $15 – $22. (313) 577-2960. www.theatre.wayne.edu/t_hilberry.html.
Mother Courage and Her Children Bertoit Brecht’s masterpiece that follows Anna Fierling and her family during the Thirty Years War in Eastern Europe. Performed in Repertory at the Hilberry Theatre, Detroit, Nov. 19 – Jan. 29. Tickets: $15 – $22. (313) 577-2960. www.theatre.wayne.edu/t_hilberry.html.
The Mystery of Irma Vep Two actors play all eight characters in this campy tribute to Gothic horror films. Presented Wednesday through Saturday at the Purple Rose Theatre Company, Chelsea, through Dec. 18. Tickets: $17.50 – $32.50. 734-433-7673. www.purplerosetheatre.org.
Oklahoma The rivalry between cattlemen and farmers is explored in what’s been called the great American musical. Presented at The Whiting, Flint, Nov. 23 & 24 only. Tickets: $29 – $59. 810-237-7333. www.thewhiting.com.
Period of Adjustment The Tennessee Williams comedy about a man whose wife left him who plays marriage counselor to a newly-married couple. Staged Thursday through Sunday by BlackBag productions at the Blackbird Theatre, Ann Arbor, through Nov. 20. Tickets: $17. 734-332-3848.
The Producers Mel Brooks’ musical comedy proves that if you stage an excellent show about staging a crappy show, people will comeÉin droves! Presented Tuesday through Sunday at the Stranahan Theater, Toledo, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $57 – $66. 419-381-8851. www.stranahantheater.com.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular The Rockettes and their beloved holiday production returns to entertain families for its eighth season. Scheduled for 52 performances at the fabulous Fox Theatre, Detroit, between Nov. 26 & Dec. 26. Tickets: $20.50 – 65.50. 313-471-6611. www.olympiaentertainment.com.
She Loves Me A hilarious romance unfolds as two feuding store clerks unknowingly exchange love letters through the personals section of a newspaper. Presented Thursday through Sunday at Performance Network Theatre, Ann Arbor, through Dec. 26. Tickets: $24.50 – 34.50. 734-663-0681. www.performancenetwork.org.
The Shape of Things Neil Labute, one of America’s best new playwrights, asks the question: What is art? Presented Thursday through Sunday at Planet Ant, Hamtramck, through Nov. 28. Tickets: $10 – $15. 313-365-4948. www.planetant.com.
Tesserae One-Act Play Festival Three one-act plays display the acting talents of the internationally acclaimed Mosaic Youth Theatre. Staged Thursday through Sunday at the General Motors Mosaic Theatre, Detroit, Nov. 18 – 21 only. Tickets: Pay what you can. 313-872-6910. www.mosaicdetroit.org.
Topdog Underdog Two brothers share a passion for street life, hustling 3-Card Monte and all the problems faced when each tries to be the “top dog.” Staged Thursday through Sunday by the African Renaissance Theater at the Redd Apple Gallery, Detroit, Nov. 25 – Jan. 2. Tickets: $15 – $40. 313-567-0712.
Tuesdays at 4:00 Adult actors and playwrights create original works based on their experiences with the mental health system. Staged Thursday through Sunday by the Fisher Players at the Matrix Theatre Company, Detroit, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $8 – $15. 313-967-0999. www.matrixtheatre.org.
The Wizard of Oz Last season’s box office hit is further explored in a more spacious location. Staged Thursday through Sunday by Planet Ant Theatre at the Hastings Street Ballroom, Detroit, through Dec. 19. Tickets: $10 – $15. 313-365-4948. www.planetant.com.

College/University Theater:

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg How do you deal with a child who is severely brain-damaged and how does that affect a marriage? Presented Thursday through Saturday at the WSU Studio Theatre, Detroit, through Nov. 20. Tickets: $9. 313-577-2972. www.theatre.wayne.edu/t_studio.html.
She Stoops to Conquer Courtship in the country means ludicrous misunderstandings and missed chances in this period play by Oliver Goldsmith. Staged Thursday through Sunday by Oakland University’s Dept. of Music, Theatre and Dance in the Varner Studio Theatre, Rochester, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $12. 248-370-3013. www2.oakland.edu.

Civic/Community Theater:

Charley’s Aunt The classic masterpiece filled with mistaken identities, sight gags, physical humor and a man dressed as a woman. Presented by the Farmington Players, Farmington Hills, Nov. 19 – 21, 26 – 28, Dec. 2 – 5 & 9 – 11. Tickets: $13. 248-553-2955. www.farmingtonplayers.org.
Death of a Salesman An aging traveling salesman is forced to face his failures. Staged Thursday through Sunday by Stagecrafters at the Baldwin Theatre, Royal Oak, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $14 & 16. 248-541-6430. www.stagecrafters.org.
Escanaba in Da Moonlight The Soady clan reunites for yet another season of deer hunting in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Presented Thursday through Sunday by the Avon Players, Rochester Hills, through Nov. 20. Tickets: $14. 248-608-9077. www.avonplayers.org.
Escanaba in Da Moonlight Reuben Soady suffers the indignation of being the only Soady for generations never to bag a buck at the family’s camp in the Upper Peninsula. Staged Friday through Sunday by the Marshall Civic Players at the Franke Center for the Arts, Marshall, through Nov. 21. Tickets: $12. 269-781-0001. www.marshallcivicplayers.org.
Flowers for Algernon A mentally challenged man takes part in an experimental procedure to increase his intelligence. Staged Friday through Sunday by The Park Players at the North Rosedale Park Community House, Detroit, through Nov. 20. Tickets: $10 – $22. 313-837-9082.

Theater for Young Audiences:

Crane Maiden A poor but honest you man scaes the life of a wounded crane, unaware that it’s really a beautiful young woman. Staged every Saturday in Nov. by PuppetArt at the Detroit Puppet Theater, Detroit. Tickets: $5/children, $7/adults. 313-961-7777. www.puppetart.org.
The Frog Prince Romp through the swamp with a prince who’s been turned into a frog. Presented Friday through Sunday at the Riverwalk Theatre, Lansing, Nov. 26 – Dec. 12. Tickets: $6/adults, $4/children. 517-482-5700. www.riverwalktheatre.com.
Jim Fitzsimmons – Magician A fast-paced presentation of excitement, music, live doves and a magic bunny! Presented at Performance Network Theatre, Ann Arbor, Nov. 20 only. Tickets: $7/children, $10/adults. 734-663-0681. www.performancenetwork.org.
Jim West’s Dinosaurs Fossil, the puppet dinosaur detective, mixes fun and facts about everyone’s favorite prehistoric creatures. Presented at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Clinton Twp., Nov. 20 only. Tickets: $10. 586-286-2222. www.macombcenter.com.

Improvisation/Late Night/Interactive/Dinner Theater:

Escanaba in da Moonlight It’s opening day of deer hunting season in Upper Michigan, so will Rueben Soady once again fail to bag a buck? Staged Friday and Saturday by Starbrite Theatrical Productions at the 14th Street Grille and Bar, Madison Heights, through Nov. 20. Tickets: $39.50 includes dinner. 248-589-9900. www.starbriteprod.com.
Improv Inferno A new comedy lounge in Downtown Ann Arbor with four nights of fun: Thursday hosts The Lava Club and “The Catfight,” with the area’s hottest improv groups; Friday and Saturday features “The Damnation Game,” and at Midnight, “The X Show”; and open mike night rules on Sunday with “Get Up Stand Up.” Tickets: $5 – $10. 734-214-7080. www.improvinferno.com.
Jesus Cake, Fat-Pants and the Theory of Relativity It’s the day before Thanksgiving and two artists are prepping themselves, one glass of whisky at a time, to deal with their families. Presented Thursday through Saturday as a late night production in the Mosh Pit, located at Performance Network Theatre, Ann Arbor, Nov. 26 – Dec. 4. Tickets: $10. 734-663-0681. www.performancenetwork.org.
Late Night Catechism 2 New sins of the new millennium are discussed by the Good Sister who returns in a sequel filled with hysterical insights into the Catholic school experience. Presented Wednesday through Sunday in the Music Box at The Max, Detroit, through Dec. 5. Tickets: $12 – $38. 313-576-5111. www.detroitsymphony.com.
Monday Night @ Planet Ant The Ant’s resident improvisational troupe, the Improv Colony, is joined each week by a Guest Team that performs the evening’s first act. Presented every Monday night (except holidays) at Planet Ant, Hamtramck. Tickets: $5. 313-365-4948. www.planetant.com.
The Plastic Happy An original one-act play that challenges how we all find happiness. Presented Thursday through Saturday as a Late Night program at Planet Ant, Hamtramck, Nov. 18 – 27. Tickets: $5. 313-365-4948. www.planetant.com.
The Reality Buffet Short plays selected by the audience are based upon the lives, perspectives and experiences of Detroit’s acting and improv communities. Staged every Sunday evening by Motoprism at the Matrix Theatre, Detroit. Tickets: $10. 313-967-0999.
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding The Nunzio and Vitale clans come together to celebrate a sacred event, but crazy relatives reign at the reception. Staged by the Detroit Actors Guild at Freedom Hill’s Ralph A. Liberato Hall, Sterling Heights, Nov. 27, Dec. 2 – 4, 9 – 11, 16 – 18 & 30. Tickets: $60, which includes a full Italian dinner by Andiamo’s. 586-268-7820. www.freedomhill.net.

AUDITIONS, NOTICES AND CLASSES:

Michigan Classical Repertory Theatre – “The Way of the World,” Dec. 4 & 5, 734-477-0000; St. Clair Shores Players – “Anatomy of a Murder,” Dec. 8 & 9, 586-775-8892.