February 2025
2/2-3 - 7pm Auditions for How I Learned to Drive directed by Diane Cooke - RWT

2/6 - 3/16 - A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter. Directed by Jasmine Rivera. First weekend: Thurs @ 7:30 is Pay-What-You-Wish; Fri @ 7:30, Sat & Sun @ 2 are $22. First weekend followed by talkbacks with director. Remaining weeks: Thurs @ 2, Fri @ 7:30, Sat @ 2 & 7:30, Sun @ 2, tickets start at $44. Discounts available. - WT

2/11-16 - 7:30pm Tue-Fri; 2pm & 7:30pm Sat; 1pm & 6:30pm Sun - MJ - Great Hall - WTN

2/13-16 & 20-23 - 7pm Thur, 8pm Fri/Sat; 2pm Sun - First Date, musical, Director: Crystal Carlson - Black Box - RWT

2/14 - 7pm - Acts of Love 3.0 (original 1-act audio plays) - AAF

2/15 @10 am & 2/17 @ 6pm - AUDITIONS for Pride and Prejudice at Schmidt Community Center 5925 Wise Road, 49011 script by Andrew Davies based on the 1995 TV Adaptation; shows are June 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th, 6 shows total. Sign up here to audition and then you'll get emailed your audition form: https://signup.com/go/KWiGcVK   Rehearsals once-a-week, Thursdays, with a few Saturday morning rehearsals as needed. Rehearsals begin 2/27 at 6:00 -9:00 pm. - ALI

2/15-23 – 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, 7:30pm Wed-Thu, 2pm Sat 22nd, 9 to 5 The Musical, Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, Book by Patricia Resnik, MSU Auditorium Fairchild Theatre – MSU 

2/19 - 6:30-8:30pm - Audition Workshop to prepare for Holes - $15 members; $20 non-members - AECT 

2/20 & 21 6:30-8:30pm AUDITIONS for Holes (Ages 9-18) Audition sign up required - AECT

2/20-23 - 7pm Thur/Fri; 2 & 7 pm Sat;  4pm Sun - Crowns - Director Vanessa Cunningham Sanders; musical director LaVonte Heard at The Bread House, Bethlehem Temple Church 1518 S. Washington, Lansing, 48910. Tickets through Eventbrite for $45; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tpac-presents-crowns-by-regina-taylor-tickets-1119279588379?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
No tickets at the door. www.tpacworldwide.org  Transcendence Performing Arts Center, Inc. (TPAC) 

2/21-23 & 2/27 - 3/2- 7pm; 2pm Sundays - Mankind by Robert O’Hara, directed by John Lepard - PCTC

2/21 - 3/1 - 7pm Fri/Sat; 2pm Sun - Crime and Punishment Adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus From the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Director: Andy Callis - Black Box Theatre Gannon Bldg. - LCC

2/22 - Saturday 3pm and 7pm 101 Dalmatians, performed by actors 8-12 years old. Grace Bible Church  -  MTC

2/28-3/9 - 7:30pm Fri & Sat; 2pm Sat & Sun - Into the Woods - LEB



** AECT - All-of-us Express Children’s Theatre -  www.cityofeastlansing.com/allofus - 517-319-6957 - [email protected]

** AAF - Audio Air Force - radio shows - www.audioairforce.com - Dave Downing - 517-881-9746  EVO - Evolve Theatrics - evolvetheatrics.com, [email protected], 517-490-4567  

ALI - Alive Theatre l [email protected]. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAliveTheatre


LCC - Lansing Community College Arts - www.lcc.edu/showinfo, 517-483-1122  

LEB - Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts - 122 E. Main St., Owosso, MI - LebowskyCenter.com - 989-723-4003

MTC - Midway Theater Company - midwaytheatercompany.org - 517-316-5272

MSU - Michigan State University Department of Theatre - www.theatre.msu.edu - 517-432-2000


PCTC - Peppermint Creek Theatre Co. - www.peppermintcreek.org - 517-927-3016

RWT - Community Circle Players at Riverwalk Theatre,  www.RiverwalkTheatre.com, 228 Museum Drive 
517-482-5700


TPAC Transcendence Performing Arts Center, Inc. LaVonte Heard, CEO - The Bread House, 1518 S. Washington, Lansing, 48910-  www.tpacworldwide.org

WT - Williamston Theatre - 122 S. Putnam St. Williamston 48895 - 517-655-SHOW (7469) www.williamstontheatre.org  

WTN - Wharton Center for Performing Arts at MSU - 517-432-2000 or 1-800-Wharton or www.whartoncenter.com

* Performs at Stage One, 2200 Lake Lansing Rd., Lansing, MI 48912

** Performs at E.L. Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823

​

As we plan to attend dear friend Gordon Hicks Clarks’ Karaoke Memorial at 7pm tonight at One North on West Saginaw, I’m also remembering yet another Theatre Stalwart.

This one has been a Community Circle Players supporter from way back to the Okemos Barn days, and an active volunteer at Riverwalk up to recent times. Jan Lockwood left the planet December 30 at the age of 84. I’m assuming it was complications from her pulmonary sarcoidosis. Thanks to Mike Siracuse for sharing with me this post by Jan’s daughter in law:

​"Almost 13 years ago at our wedding (Eric and Cindy Lockwood) Janet Jordan Lockwood told me this is the photo she wanted to be remembered by when she passed. With great sadness, that day is today (December 30).  After a slow, steady decline following her son Matt Lockwoods death in May 2023 and a more rapid decline in the last few weeks, Jan was hospitalized December 26 and passed early this morning. She was a force of nature, great mom and grandma, supportive friend and the very best mother in law. She was an avid reader, a political and theater hound and sports fan. Funny and pragmatic to the end, she was cheered that she wouldn't be alive for another Trump presidency. Matt and Jan were huge Lions fans and we are hoping that by joining forces in the beyond, this will be the year they win the Super Bowl. Rest in peace Queen."

I don’t have any info on memorial service or donation instructions, though Jan is on the Estes Leadley site https://estesleadley.com/obituaries/janet-j-lockwood/ which promises a full obituary to come — but I will be donating to Riverwalk, which seems appropriate considering her history. See Matt Ottinger’s wonderful database http://lansingtheatre.org/Lansing/JanLockwood and know that her history goes back even further than Matt’s info —to the 70’s at least… maybe 60s?. If you send a check to Riverwalk, PO Box 12249 with “in memory of Jan Lockwood” on the memo line, Jan and her donors will be listed in programs for a year.

Big Band Saturday Night at Portland Theater
An evening of jazz and swing music with The Lansing Concert Band Big Band

Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Portland Theater: 231 Maple Street • Portland, Michigan
All tickets general admission, $10 | A portion of proceeds will benefit the theater's ongoing building renovation projects. 
Available at the door or presale at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/portland-civic-players/big-band-saturday-night-1407175076%0Ahttps://portlandcivicplayers.com/

Join us for an evening of jazz and swing favorites in celebration of the Portland Civic Players’ 70th anniversary!  The LCB Big Band’s repertoire includes beloved tunes from the Great American Songbook, made popular by the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and many more. The 20-piece big band is directed by Jim Kaspzrak; featured vocalists Kelly Sandula-Gruner and Dan Templin (Clique Vocals). 

Portland Community Theater is wheelchair accessible.
 http://lansingconcertband.org
​

Midway Theater Company will be busy in 2025:

Winter Theater Classes
Join Cole and Sarah Grace Groot for Drama and Choreography Theater Classes!
These are for all ages and all levels of experience. 
Find out more about these new Tuesday night offerings, starting January 14, here:
https://midwaytheatercompany.org/midway-academy



Auditions for our next community show, Into the Woods, are coming up!


Anyone 16 and older is welcome to audition. Check out our calendar to see all rehearsal and performance dates and times, then sign up for an audition spot! All audition materials will be emailed to you once you sign up. (Do not confuse this audition with Lebowsky auditions in Owosso. These are at Grace Bible Church on the west side.)
Into the Woods Audition Sign Up




101 Dalmatians Kids

We had a wonderful response to our first-ever kids’ show! Forty eight young actors aged 8-12 will be joining us for eight weeks of theater-training with Midway Academy that will culminate in two performances on February 22. Watch our Facebook and Instagram for updates on their progress.

Midway Theater Company
https://midwaytheatercompany.org
​

Riverwalk Theatre is preparing to open the fast-paced comedy, "Lustful Youth." This riotous farce features a small cast of skilled actors all playing multiple parts. The show opens on January 9th and runs through the 19th.

When TV statistician Walt (TJ Kelly) is contracted by his boss Tony (Lewis Elson) to create a hit soap opera, he's given conditions meant to push the show out as fast as possible and guarantee a network hit: One, the show must include broad subjects that everyone likes. Two, nothing that is written into the show may be unwritten; mistakes must be written around. With the help of his muse, Dill (Rachel Steffens), he writes the bizarre soap opera "Lustful Youth,” creating outrageous caricatures inspired by real people in his life. Soon the lines between fiction and reality blur and chaos ensues. Do people like the show? Will Walt find success? Also, why the heck are there pirates? Tune in on January 9th to find out!
“R.I.P. Shakespeare. You would have loved Lustful Youth.” - Rachel Steffens (Dill). Lustful Youth is a larger-than-life romance, with violence, and comedy. First-time director Kait Wilson has typically music directed or acted in shows in the past. She was inspired to direct Lustful Youth after joining an improv troupe in 2010 run by the show’s playwright, Mike Eserkaln, and subsequently viewing Mike’s production of the show. Wilson is thrilled that both the cast and crew are dedicated to breathing life into her uproarious vision.

“Lustful Youth is a ridiculous comedy that manages to be over-the-top and heartwarming at the same time. The actors have the characters to life in their own unique and creative ways, and the production team has been completely committed to making sure all of the theatrical elements work together to help tell this hysterical story. Riverwalk Theatre is an amazing and supportive community and I’m privileged to be able to contribute to their 36th Season!”

This cast is full of well-known Lansing performers, all incredibly talented in their own right. TJ Kelly is well-cast as the Walter, , doing everything he can to write something people will enjoy. The small size of the cast enables every supporting
performers to shine, each playing multiple characters. For instance, Lewis Elson flawlessly swaps between British and American accents to differentiate between Walter’s boss “Tony,” and Lustful Youth’s character “Jake I.” Allison Meyer shows off her wide acting range as well, playing both Tony’s timid intern, “Deb,” and “May,” the stereotypical soap opera “sexpot” character on Lustful Youth.

Friendly faces can be seen backstage as well, with Riverwalk’s favorite Matt Ottinger in charge of sound design. Costume Anna and Kristine Maier have been having fun putting together a wide variety of costumes, ranging from typical office wear to over-the-top pirate garb. 
The show includes both intimacy and violence so actors need to get comfortable trusting one another onstage. Thankfully, the physical and emotional safety of these actors is supported by Connor Kelly, fight choreographer, as well as Shannon Bowen, intimacy coordinator. These two play a large role in making sure the moments that look the most unscripted are both safe and predictable for those involved with production.

Lustful Youth won’t be a show you want to miss! With a little bit of something for everyone, the show manages to be both funny, and strangely touching. Grab those tickets now!

Show Dates:
Thursday, January 9th, 7:00 P.M.
Friday, January 10th, 8:00 P.M.
Saturday, January 11th, 8:00 P.M.
Sunday, January 12th, 2:00 P.M.
Thursday, January 16th, 7:00 P.M.
Friday, January 17th, 8:00 P.M.
Saturday, January 18th, 8:00 P.M.
Sunday, January 19th, 2:00 P.M.

Standard tickets for this performance are $15. Senior/Student/Military tickets are available for $12, as well as Children's tickets (12 and under) for $10. Tickets can be purchased both in the box office, and on our website: http://www.riverwalktheatre.com