A family simply trying to make ends meet is at the center of “Detroit ‘67,” a drama written by Dominique Morisseau and being performed by Grand Rapids’ Ebony Road Players. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Detroit riots, and the community came out to see a show that strongly reflected the Motown era and, in many ways, eerily mirrored today’s society as well.
“Gypsy” is beloved as the pinnacle of mid-20th century musicals, and despite the increasing distance from the era of vaudeville, remains relevant for its complex female characters and depiction of the tumultuous nature of the mother-daughter relationship, a theme that will never die, as well as its enduring numbers (music by Jule Styne with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim), such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Let Me Entertain You,” that have become standards.
The night was magical at Civic Theatre as the Grand Rapids theater community came together to celebrate the Grand Awards, a local, annual event that awards outstanding actors and shows in the city.
Visceral Dance Chicago’s company name could be perceived as intending to mean felt in the gut, or instinctive. One can’t help but walk away from a performance feeling the profound sense that this company’s work is all that and more.
Can anyone argue that there isn’t evil in this world? Where it comes from and how it moves through us are perhaps questions worth asking, but regardless of the answers, we all must carry on and make meaning of our lives despite the impossible task of making sense of the evil and darkness that surrounds us — and perhaps is perpetrated by us.
Fifty years ago, racial tension was at an all-time high and people were starting to get fed up with the government and police system (sound familiar?). Riots erupted in Detroit and lasted nearly four days, killing 43 people and injuring more than 1,000.
This month, The Witches of Eastwick will grace a college campus for the first time ever.
This month, the traveling troupe of Wicked is coming to Grand Rapids for a three-week round of performances — a dream come true for our mid-sized city. Not only are fans already buying out tickets for the shows, but the cast is excited to be here too.
As Beethoven’s hearing retreated, he retreated from society as well, unable to bear the thought of an incurable condition or asking people to speak louder.
For 50 years, Opera Grand Rapids has assembled the region’s finest vocal talents, animated timeless stories and characters onstage, and sustained a grand artistic tradition in the community.
Artists and artisans flock to the Park Trades Center in search of a space to create and be inspired.
The Muskegon Museum of Art’s Regional Exhibition Best of Show winning piece exemplifies the caliber of work chosen for the 89th annual show.
To connect and integrate more deeply with all generations and cultures, arts organizations across the United States are spending more time and energy building their engagement efforts with today’s youth. While these organizations have a strong interest in increasing participation among younger adults, they often struggle to sustain interest and attendance. To better understand the motivations of young people, arts organizations in the area are providing opportunities for teens to lead through their own artistic expression. We talked with a handful of local organizations about what those opportunities look like and why they matter.
Holland Symphony Youth Advisory Committee
Dixie Longate embodies everything brilliant about drag. She’s beautiful, buxom and bawdy; she throws shade at everyone in the room and makes them laugh so hard they nearly pee their pants; her entire show is a wildly satirical cultural critique of heteronormativity and capitalism — while simultaneously capitalizing on both; and yet, in the end, she’s really just a big ball of love who makes everybody feel good for having been in her company.
