Milica Govich

In the blue collar Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn sits a rundown neighborhood institution called The Alamo; the last great American bar. Today, with an aging clientele, the place is fighting to keeps it's doors open and the only hope seems to be the arrival of artist/gentrifiers who are moving into the neighborhood and wanting to adopt the bar as an entertainment hangout. Bay Ridge locals and The Alamo regulars don't want to surrender their bar, much less their neighborhood, to these young neo-carpetbaggers. The Alamo paints a humorous and dramatic portrait of eight working class Bay Ridge natives who always seem to find themselves on the front lines of change in America.

Neighborhood bars have always been a gathering place for locals to share drinks and camaraderie in a place far from the responsibilities of work and home life, or in spite of them. Fans of the popular TV show "Cheers" no doubt remember how hanging out in a place where "everyone knows your name" often seemed better than anywhere else in your life. McRae's new play takes place in the blue-collar Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn in a rundown neighborhood institution called THE ALAMO, which its patrons refer to as the last great American bar. But times change and so do neighborhoods, and McRae paints a humorous yet heartbreaking portrait of eight working class Bay Ridge natives who always seem to find themselves on the front lines of change in America, even in their favorite hangout.

In 'Harris Cashes Out!' we meet Harris Wellborn who wrote a musical that lasted for just one performance off-Broadway…40 years ago. Now he's barely getting by, surviving on the charity of his overbearing sister and living in a run-down apartment. Then a wacky neighbor enters his life, and her conniving boyfriend has got the perfect plan to cash in on Harris' near-fame.

In "Harris Cashes Out!" we meet Harris Wellborn who wrote a musical that lasted for just one performance off-Broadway…40 years ago. Now he's barely getting by, surviving on the charity of his overbearing sister and living in a run-down apartment. Then a wacky neighbor enters his life, and her conniving boyfriend has got the perfect plan to cash in on Harris' near-fame.

"In the Next Room or the vibrator play," by Sarah Ruhl, opens tomorrow (Friday, June 22) and runs through July 15 at Performance Network Theatre, directed by Suzi Regan and featuring John Seibert, Leslie Hull, Aphrodite Nikolovski and Hazen Cuyler. See below for photos from the show!

These days, economic survival is top of mind for many non-profit arts organization. But in the midst of announced theater closures, and lay-offs nationwide, Ann Arbor's professional theater has some good news to report.