Still Got It Players Gamble on FATHER BINGO Today

FATHER BINGO, a musical comedy written by Bill Nilsson, a Dearborn Heights resident, is scheduled as the opening production for the groups 2013 - 14 season. What makes this a unique opportunity is that the musical has only been present twice previously. FATHER BINGO made it's World Premiere in 2006 at the Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts. Directed by Debbie Lannen and featuring the Original Vandellas as the Bingo Mamas, it opened to over 3000 ticket holders and acquired a 93% approval rating. Quite unheard of for a new musical. Since then, Debbie Lannen did some revisions on the book and presented it a second time in Novi, MI. Again, the audiences raved.

The Spotlight Still Got It Players will be the Next Theatre Company to present this musical and Debbie Lannen will once again be directing with James Abud as Music Director and Valerie Mould as choreogrpher. Ms. Lannen has made more revisions and is confident the third time will be the charm. Producing a musical the scale of FATHER BINGO is a huge financial risk as well. The Partnership for the Arts and Humanities as well as the original producer have confidence in the Spotlight Still Got It Players and Ms. Lannen. Both organizations have made donations so that the production can be presented with a live orchestra and new set design and costuming.

FATHER BINGO is a musical about risks and miracles. everyone is looking for salvation. A parish priest fights to save his church and rejuvenate the congregation. A mayor tries to win the hearts of the voters in support of gambling- his idea of the city's winning ticket. A woman searches for the perfect match. Overseeing all of this is the Man Upstairs. Spotlight Still Got It Players is ready to gamble that FATHER BINGO will be their winning ticket!

Performance Schedule:
Weds & Thurs. August 21 & 22, 2013 at 1:00PM
Fri. & Sat. August 23 & 24, 2013 at 7:00PM
Sat. & Sun. August 24 & 25, 2013 at 2:00PM

Village Theatre at Cherry Hill is located at 50400 Cherry Hill Rd. Canton, MI. Call 734-394-5300 or 734-394-5460. Tickets available online at www.canton-mi.org/villagetheater.

Ancillary group of the Spotlight Players, Still Got It Players is designed for the seasoned actor (age 50 and up). As actors grow older, their character choices become a bit more limited, so our group strives to offer appropriately-aged characters within their productions. It is a group designed to provide a creative outlet for the senior actor as well as offer a full theater experience for audiences of all ages. http://www.spotlightplayersmi.org/still-got-it-players.html

Pictured: (top) Linda Trygg, Michael Burden, and Lanna Collins; (bottom) Robin Hoover, Lee Thomas, and Karen Curtsinger.