Anton Anderssen - Page 4

The Michigan Philharmonic performed its annual Phright Night concert last Saturday at the PARC in Plymouth; as always, it was a huge success. The symphony harvested some scary tunes at its beloved Halloween POPS concert.  Maestro Nan Washburn entered the building on her motorized scooter, drawing thunderous applause from patrons. She opened the concert using a large wooden spoon as her conductor's baton, then quickly switched it out with a professional one.  The selections were wonderful, and very much a treat for the ears.

If you like your Halloween entertainment a little on the wacky-creepy side, you will love Broadway in Detroit's “A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER” now on stage at the beautiful Fisher Theatre. A musical about a serial killer could never be more funny. This show won four Tonys at the 68th Tony Awards in June 2014, including Best Musical. It is based on the 1907 novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal by Roy Horniman and its screen adaptation, the 1949 British film Kind Hearts and Coronets. Characters in the play are penned after real-life English aristocrats, primarily a frivolous British Prime Minister.

Cedar Point's fall festival of fright is here, and family fun is lurking around every corner! This is scary theatre at it's best, with costumes to die for. From The Great Pumpkin Fest to Haunt, the spectacular 20th year of HalloWeekends is set to delight and scare beginning Friday night, Sept. 16.

Any time you hear the word 'Disney,' you know you can expect something magical about to happen. Oh yes, it is happening now at the Baldwin Theatre in Royal Oak, where DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID musical is now on stage. This show is spectacular, with brilliant costumes, lively music, and a tale of relatable family dynamics. Stagecrafters never fails to deliver a first-class performance; this show will rock your soul and warm your heart.

Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are on the verge of destruction, as prejudice and judgment come into play. The Musical is based on actual experiences from the novelist James Michener, who wrote 'Tales of the South Pacific' while stationed on Espiritu Santo island.

The Downriver Actors Guild will be taking a step back in time when the tunes were 'Outta Site' and 'Going Steady' was a teenager's biggest concern. It's the 60's, and Leader of the Pack is sure to please. Leader of the pack celebrates the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, and her doo wop sounds that skyrocketed to the top of the 60's music charts. This high-spirited show sponsored by Biker Bob's Harley Davidson of Taylor will take you down memory lane with some of the sixties most popular hits including, Chapel of Love,' 'Da Do Ron Ron,' 'Be My Baby,' 'Hanky Panky,' Do Wah Diddy,' 'And Then He Kissed Me' and, of course, the title song 'Leader of the Pack.' Some of the most talented young adults in the downriver area will grace the stage to bring this story to life.

Back by popular demand, THE BOOK OF MORMON, returns to Detroit for a limited engagementNovember 1 - 13 at The Fisher Theatre. Tickets are now on sale at The Fisher Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-982-2787, and online at www.broadwayindetroit.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

We live in the Alps during the summer, in a little chalet with a magnificent view of the Dolomites. There is something majestic about those snow-capped peaks. From our hotel in Denver, we can see a similar view of the Rockies. When I saw that SOUND OF MUSIC was playing at the Buell I just had to see the performance, which is part of the national tour. Oh, it was stunning! No one could ask for a better production!

I love Mormons. I met my first church member while I was a teenager, studying my family history. They archive practically every family tree ever recorded. It has something to do with their religion, but they don't really like to talk about it, similar to their stance on magic underwear. Now on stage at The Wharton Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University is the wickedly cutting, outrageously hysterical 'Book of Mormon,' a musical satire that unearths all those little idiosyncrasies associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This performance was magical, I could almost feel the mana imbued in the actors' magic underwear. One of the stars, Cody Jamison Strand plays Elder Cunningham, gave a performance to die for.

The love story endures, even after 100 years, and patrons of the Detroit Symphony who come to enjoy concerts on the lawn at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford Mansion are in for a special this year. In honor of their 100th wedding anniversary, the love between Edsel and Eleanor Ford has been forever captured in bronze with the unveiling of a new sculpture at Edsel & Eleanor Ford House ; the unveiling occurred June 13. A tribute to the Fords' legacy, the life-sized sculpture of the pair walking arm-in-arm was placed in the estate's garden where Edsel and Eleanor enjoyed spending time together.

Passionately spreading Aloha Spirit throughout Metro Detroit for 45 years, award-winning hula dancer and teacher, Fran 'Pi'lani' Price proudly presents the 35th Annual Ferndale Hawaiian Dance Extravaganza on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the Ferndale High School auditorium.

Now on stage at Downriver Actors Guild in Wyandotte is the exuberant musical Camelot. Filled with spectacular color, easy to love tunes, graceful and festive costumes, Camelot has a forbidden love story iconic of the Middle Ages.

The Batabano Cayman Islands Festival is a spectacle of color, dance, music, food, drink and celebration. Held annually in May, Miss Cayman Islands shares her passion about this theatrical event.

The Macomb Symphony Orchestra (MSO) presents its third concert of its season on Sunday afternoon, April 10th, 3:00 p.m., at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts (located on Garfield at Hall Road in Clinton Township).

On Saturday night, Avon Players held its annual potluck preview, showcasing its 2016 2017 season. Each director had an opportunity to present a scene or two from his/her show, with guest actors pinch hitting for the main characters. One production, Forever Christmas, is unique; it is the creation of theatre genius John Deierlein, and simply cannot be seen at other venues. This show, in particular, is the must-see event at Avon Players next season. It may be difficult to secure tickets for Forever Christmas unless patrons purchase tickets well in advance.  Call 248-608-9077 for ticket information or kindly visit http://www.avonplayers.org/ to purchase tickets online for upcoming shows. The season brochure for 2016 2017 has been printed, but is not yet uploaded to the web site. It will be mailed to previous subscribers automatically.

The Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra exceeded all expectations on February 13 when it presented BROADWAY VALENTINE, a salute to some of the best love songs on Broadway.  Carefully chosen by Maesto Nan Washburn,  the program included selections from My Fair Lady, Les Miserables, Evita, Superstar, Grease, Rent, Jersey Boys, Beauty and The Beast, Lion King, and others. Adding the spectacular program, vocalists Kylee and Geff Philipps sang with some of the selections.

There's a new Cinderella in town, not the meek maiden who loses her glass slipper as she flees the Prince's castle; this gal has moxie, and she' accompanied by a rather outspoken Michael Moore character. Together, they set out to change the world. Now on stage at the Detroit Opera House is a reimagined Cinderella, with a new script by Douglas Carter Beane. Forget the Julie Andrews, Lesley Ann Warren or Brandy version we grew up with. This politically-charged version shows a Cinderella who definitely fights for social justice, and her Michael Mooresque comrade has no fear of the one percenters. Kaitlyn Davidson and Andy Huntington Jones star in this sumptuous musical; this is spectacle at its finest. Adding new characters to the mix allows others to evolve heuristically. The new and improved Cinderella resonates with modern sensibilities, adding to the time-honored splendor of both the damsel and those about her.

When I was a child, I was a paper boy. I schlepped a stack of 100 papers all around the little town 5 miles from my home; I earned a little bit of money and I still have that savings stash today. It wasn't as if I really needed the money, it was more a lesson about the need to be useful in society. But in New York City, 1899, things were a lot different. At that time, youths sold newspapers in order to survive. This was how orphans and children of unemployed fathers were able to buy food for the day. Many of these kids lived on the streets. Disney's musical NEWSIES tells the plight of these youths. The plot is both a love story and a lesson in capitalism gone sour, bolstered by magnificent dancing and Disney-quality songs. NEWSIES is inspired by the real-life 'Newsboy Strike of 1899,' when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers. The show won Best Choreography and Best Original Score at the 2012 Tony Awards. Ending this weekend at the Fisher Theatre, NEWSIES is as perfect as a musical can get.

On Saturday night, The Downriver Actors Guild performed a special presentation of Beauty and The Beast at the Catherine A Daly Theatre on the Avenue in Wyandotte Michigan. The guest of honor, Catherine Daly, greeted patrons at the event. Mrs. Daly is the mother of the financier who holds the mortgage on the theatre used by the Downriver Actors Guild. The special patron event included 150 friends of the Daly family and was accompanied by a pre-glow, scrumptious spread of desserts and hors-d'oeuvres. The performance Saturday evening was spectacular. Kayla Aue brought the house down with her riveting portrayal of Belle, the book-loving beauty who follows her heart with a passion. Aue's spoken voice and singing voice were addictively magnificent; oh how wonderful it would be to hear her in a special concert backed by a full symphony.