Eaton Rapids, MI (population: 5200 or so), holds a unique place geographically: it’s further from any great lake than any other city in the state of Michigan. So it wasn’t inevitable that Bryanna Manning, who was raised there, would grow up to paint Lake Michigan.

Even as artificial intelligence threatens to infiltrate more and more of the entertainment industry, our West Michigan music community continues to prove how strong and irreplaceable it is, with this year’s Best of the West Music winners showing a true commitment to craft and community.

Thirty years ago the musical Rent took Broadway by storm, receiving massive critical acclaim and becoming an instant classic phenomenon that brought a new generation to musical theatre.

The musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on tour this week at DeVos in Grand Rapids makes good on its extraordinary promise of recreating Jazz Age opulence. 

“Movement is as fundamental to human existence as breath” is the idea that drives Southwest Michigan-based professional contemporary dance company CPR Dance: Inhale Movement. Now in their fifth year, their most recent performance, 5oma, explored emotions, meaning-making, and voice, both literal and figurative.

As important as our local performance art organizations are, they’re nothing without an audience. So, Revue spoke with a few devoted attendees to learn what it is that keeps drawing them back.

Teen angst has been a worthy dramatic subject long before social media became so toxic that countries around the world began legislating its use for young people.

Deos Ballet, one of West Michigan’s most exciting performance arts organizations, launches its new season at the end of this month. The 2026/2027 season features six shows ranging from classic ballet to pure madcap humor, from ancient Greece to modern science, and from vengeance beyond the grave to the pleasures and perils of lying on the beach with a book.

We have big Broadway shows, intimate and progressive plays, live performances with symphonies, dancers taking to the stage, and powerful art exhibitions. Here’s our guide to arts events for May and June.

In addition to being marvelously entertaining, fairy tales endure because they help children grow and develop emotional resilience, teach moral lessons, and ultimately lead to a greater understanding of what it is to be human.