Don Calamia
Two tigers, two gays and too much fun
So maybe Rev. Jerry Falwell WAS correct – that gays really ARE the cause of America's ills that brought on the tragedy of 9/11. Okay. I'm joking about that. And so, too, is the cast of "To Catch a President," the very funny original comedy directed [...]
From the boardroom to the stage: Affirmations CEO bends genders in 'The Rocky Horror Show'
FERNDALE – First she followed Jan Stevenson as executive director of Affirmations, but now Leslie Ann Thompson is walking in the steps of yet another short list of talented women who have shattered age-old gender barriers with great success. Only [...]
A few good men are needed for new musical revue
CANTON – Local playwright and composer Paul Bruce is looking for a few good men. Six of them, in fact, for the upcoming production of "A Perfectly Normal Boy," a new musical revue that celebrates every gay man's life in under 30 musical [...]
Screwball comedy delights at Planet Ant
Inventor, world explorer and recluse Earl Screwsbury has died, and a posthumous gathering of his six closest associates at his posh estate has them curious. They are to be the inheritors of his vast wealth, Screwsbury tells them via a pre-recorded [...]
Steamy 'Rocky Horror' sizzles in Ferndale
If there's a community where doing The Time Warp just makes total sense, it's fabulous Ferndale. And now through Halloween – how perfect! – that's exactly what's happening at the new Ringwald Theatre, courtesy of The Actors' Company. And what a [...]
Everyone's a winner in 'Spelling Bee'
One of the rituals of growing up – at least back when a certain cranky critic was young – was participating in the annual spelling bees held at most schools throughout America. While most of us got the first word or two correct – such as "cow" and [...]
Sharp script, performances at Planet Ant
Since its initial publication in 1897, Bram Stoker's "Dracula" has served as the template upon which most modern-day vampire stories have been built. But what if the novel was based on a set of real diaries written by Dr. John Seward – and only the [...]
Gay themes not the kiss of death for St. Dunstan's Guild
BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Gays in theater? We're everywhere, of course. But gay plays and characters? That's a somewhat different story – especially on community theater stages throughout Southeast Michigan. While many amateur troupes – if not most – stick [...]
Beer takes good care of Williams' classic
I'll let you in on a little secret: I cringe every time I'm scheduled to review Tennessee William's "The Glass Menagerie." It's not that I detest the script; it truly is a masterpiece. But over my 30-plus years as an avid theatergoer (and 25-plus as [...]
Too many concepts, not enough focus
There's no doubt in my mind that one of the most creative souls working today in the local theater community is Mike McGettigan. With three recent Wilde Awards and a handful of nominations already under his belt, every production this young [...]
Boomity-boom: Yooper laughs at StarBrite
As Great Grandpa Alphonse Soady used to say, "If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em, eh?" Okay, nowhere does the long dead, legendary founder of the Soady family deer camp say anything close to that in Jeff Daniels' "Escanaba in da Moonlight." But I [...]
Wanted: stories of Midwestern women
An original production under development for this coming spring by the Williamston Theatre will tell stories by and of women in the Midwest, but there's one important ingredient that's needed before the project can come to fruition: your [...]