Our Super-Season 2017-2018
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 PM
Sundays at 2:00 PM
POPCORN FALLS by James Hindman
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN meets GREATER TUNA in this wacky backstage comedy about the mishaps and mayhem of putting on a play. Welcome to Popcorn Falls, a small American town, whose only claim to fame - their namesake waterfall - has dried up. Now bankrupt, their last chance is a large grant that can only be used if the town produces a play in a week. Led by the Mayor and the local handyman, the enterprising townsfolk try to rise to the challenge and prove that art can save the world. Jeff Priskorn and Jonathan Jones play 15 roles in this hilarious new play by Michigan native and Broadway actor James Hindman and directed by Daniel C. Walker.
January 20 - February 12, 2017​
CLUTTER by Brian Cox - World Premiere
How do you tell the story of your life? And what if the characters in the story tell it differently than you remember? In this funny and theatrical play about sex and marriage, a man sits at a desk, sorting through the clutter of his life - a book, a flashlight, a wedding ring. Sifting through the relics of his failed marriage, he attempts to piece together some understanding of where things went wrong, with the help of two actors who play younger versions of himself and his wife. As he relives and reenacts each moment, from hilarious to heart-wrenching, he must ultimately take stock of his life and his marriage, and decide whether the story to tell is a tragedy or a triumph. Featuring Phil Powers, Tory Matsos, and Artun Kircali. Directed by Diane Hill.
March 24 - April 16, 2017
THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE by Matthew Lopez
The smashing success from The Ringwald Theatre - He’s young, he’s broke, his landlord’s knocking at the door, and he’s just found out his wife is going to have a baby. To make matters even more desperate, Casey is fired from his gig as an Elvis impersonator in a run-down, small-town Florida bar. When the bar owner brings in a B-level drag show to replace his act, Casey finds that he has a whole lot to learn about show business, walking in heels, and himself. “Yes, there are many laughs. But there also are some very serious and poignant moments that, dare I say, might cause the audience to shed an involuntary tear or two?” -EncoreMichigan.com Featuring Nick Yocum, Vince Kelley, Richard Payton, Meredith Deighton, and Joe Bailey. Directed by Brandy Joe Plambeck.
June 9 - July 2, 2017
THE REVOLUTIONISTS by Lauren Gunderson
Four beautiful, bad-ass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution. At the height of the Reign of Terror, playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, activist Marianne Angelle and former queen Marie Antoinette hang out, plot murder and try to beat back extremist insanity in Paris. This political fantasia by the author of I and You considers how far we should go to keep society from sliding off of the rails. Featuring Diane Hill, K Edmonds, Sara Rose, and Melissa Beckwith, directed by David Wolber.
August 25 - September 17, 2017
RESISTING by David Wells - World Premiere
From the playwright of the smash-hit IRRATIONAL comes this hard-hitting and topical play about systemic racism in the American legal system. Based on a true story, a young black woman who begins to film an incident of police brutality is subjected to shocking treatment herself and becomes embroiled in a legal case that never should have been. As the case unfolds, she and her idealistic, white public defender must decide whether the personal cost of justice is one they are willing to pay.
Featuring Tayler Jones, Annie Dilworth, Will Bryson, and Patrick O’Lear, directed by Billicia Hines.
October 27 - November 19, 2017
THE YEAR WITHOUT A PANTO CLAUS by Carla Milarch and R. Mackenzie Lewis - World Premiere
2017 was a bummer of a year. When Santa gets depressed, he decides to pack it in and disappear. Two of his elves search far and near looking for some genuine Christmas cheer. Arriving at a few decidedly un-Christmas-y locations, they face the wrath of the Miser (Heat and Snow) twins, the town’s grumpy citizens, and a mysterious Russian bombshell named Vixen. From the team that brought you An Almost British Christmas and Sugar Plum Panto, this hilarious romp is just what the therapist ordered to add a little levity to your holiday season. Bring the whole family to laugh, boo, hiss, and sing your way through another fun-filled night of heroes and villains, updated pop songs, holiday favorites, and merriment. The Year Without a Panto Claus features Ramona Burns, Lisa Michaels, Scott Screws, William Powers and Coleman Grengs, and it is directed by Melissa Freilich.
December 1 - 31, 2017
CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne
This spellbinding, romantic journey begins with a simple encounter between a man and a woman. But what happens next defies the boundaries of the world we think we know—delving into the infinite possibilities of their relationship and raising questions about the difference between choice and destiny. “Who knew that higher physics could be so sexy, so accessible—and so emotionally devastating?” New York Times. Directed by Carla Milarch.
January 26 - February 18, 2018
THE DEVIL'S MUSIC
The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith - Michigan Premiere
Theatre NOVA presents the Michigan premiere of this hit Off-Broadway musical celebration of the legendary Bessie Smith, whose life was as large and outrageous as her talent. The Devil’s Music re- imagines Bessie’s final electrifying evening after she and her band are turned away by a whites-only theatre. This is a musical celebration not to be missed, packed with a trove of Bessie’s all-time hits—songs like “I Ain’t Got Nobody,” “St. Louis Blues,” and “Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do.” Featuring K Edmonds. Directed by Lynch Travis.
March 30 - April 22, 2018
MRS. FIFTY BAKES A PIE by Linda Ramsay-Detherage - World Premiere
Stuck in an abusive marriage, a middle-aged 1960s housewife stumbles into a dominatrix's session and discovers a source of personal power that surprises everyone around her. Bondage and baking mix in a hilariously twisted revenge fantasy as her alter-ego "Mrs. Fifty" doles out the punishment her husband deserves and helps her discover that a woman's place isn't just in the kitchen. Directed by Daniel C. Walker.
June 1 - June 24, 2018