Oldest Theater in Michigan Gets Ready for Ambitious 2017 Season

A mix of one-night concerts, new Broadway musicals and classic favorites will be on the menu when the Croswell Opera House in Adrian, Michigan, reopens in May after several months of being closed for renovations. The Croswell, which opened in 1866, is the oldest theater in Michigan.

The 2017 season will begin with a grand reopening series consisting of three concerts. Adrian native Shonn Wiley will return to the Croswell on May 6, with Under the Streetlamp, a band formed by four cast members of the musical "Jersey Boys." The band, which tours the country and has been featured on numerous PBS specials, has become known for its tightly woven harmonies as it covers the doo-wop hits of the '50s and '60s, including the Drifters, The Beach Boys, and the Four Seasons.

Under the Streetlamp will be followed by two locally produced concert events: "Best of Broadway" on May 14, featuring hits from the musical theater canon, and "Jukebox Legends" on May 20, featuring rock 'n' roll from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

June will kick off the Croswell's live theater season with a three-weekend run of the musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Based on the novel by Ian Fleming and the 1968 film, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is a family-friendly story with songs by The Sherman Brothers, the composers who wrote the music for "Mary Poppins."

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" will open June 10 and run for three weekends.

The July musical will be "In the Heights," the first musical written by "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Set in the largely Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York, the show uses salsa-inspired music to tell a story about community and family. It received four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 2008. "In the Heights" will run from July 14-23.

July will bring an old favorite back to the Croswell stage. "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, is a fast-paced farce set in ancient Rome. It was last performed at the Croswell in 1999. "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" will run from Aug. 11-20.

In September, the Croswell will present the stage version of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." The musical, which is packed with rousing dance numbers and spectacular scenic effects, ran for more than 13 years on Broadway. "Beauty and the Beast" will open Sept. 22 and run through Oct. 1.

In October, the Croswell will inaugurate its new black-box theater spacewith a production of a new play by Michigan playwright Terry Hissong, "The Family Digs." Two two-act comedy tells the story of an archaeologist father, his freeloading New Age-aficionado son and his exasperated daughter as they deal with what could be the world's greatest archaeological discovery. "The Family Digs" will be presented in collaboration with Westfall-Hissong Productions and will run from Oct. 13-22.

"Developing new work is an important part of the Croswell's mission," Righter said, noting that the theater has premiered several new shows in the past, most recently Michael and Betsy Lackey's musical "Obsession" in 2011. "We want to be known not just for doing the classic plays and musicals, but also for being a place where new work can flourish."

The Croswell's 2017 Christmas show will be "Meet Me in St. Louis." Based on the classic MGM film of the same name, "Meet Me in St. Louis" is the story of a family at the turn of the 20th century as they anticipate the wonders of the 1904 World's Fair. It includes memorable numbers like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," The Boy Next Door," "The Trolley Song," and of course the title number. It will open Thanksgiving weekend and run through Dec. 3.

The Croswell was first opened in 1866 as the Adrian Union Hall. It was converted into a movie theater in 1919, a role it filled for nearly 50 years. The 2017 season will be the Croswell's 50th season since it was revived as a home for live theater in 1968.

The Croswell is at 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian, MI 49221. For more information, call 517-264-7469 or go to croswell.org.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!