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I fondly remember the 2018 award-winning production of These Shining Lives at Riverwalk Theatre’s Black Box, directed by Susan Chmurynsky. So does current director/star Christine Hull who has masterminded another wonderful production of this moving play by Melanie Marnich. It chronicles the true story of “the radium girls” of the 1920s and 30s who found empowerment and camaraderie along with disease and death from exposure to radium from their jobs painting clock dials.

Lighting and costumes were a big part of creating the mood and setting the era. An ominous lit clock with moving hands loomed over green/red mood colors and the black-lit glow in the dark effect was dramatic. Historic news articles and photographs on two large projection screens were a frequent reminder that this is a true story. (I’m told these were gleaned from a website created by the daughter of the attorney who defended the women in court.) The time progression necessitated many costume changes that evolved from 20s to 30s style — kudos to costumer Deb Ramirez and her assistants.


Christine Hall is the triple-threat for this show, not only nailing the challenging role of Catherine Donahue, but also directing the show, and founding this NEW THEATRE which plans to offer future uplifting shows. More info at http://www.facebook.com/TheAliveTheatre  

Rebecca Morgan, Mandy Jaster and Lexy Irving play Catherine’s charmingly distinct co-workers, Frances, Charlotte and Pearl. Joshua Price is her devoted/frazzled/bereft husband. Timothy Van Brugen demonstrated a wide acting range playing both the “bad doctor” and the “good doctor” along with the judge. Luke Mason seemed particularly sincere and realistic as the conflicted supervisor Mr. Rufus Reed, the flashy Radio Announcer, and our hero, lawyer Leonard Grossman. 

These Shining Lives shines on through February 3 - 7:30 with 2pm Saturday matinees at Grace Bible Church. 1000 S Canal Rd, just south of West St. Joe Hwy, Lansing, MI 48917

Tickets $15 at https://masterarts.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200443939 
It is recommended for age 12 and older due to heavy themes.

If you want to have a wonderful time with some terrible people, get your tickets SOON to 
Evolve Theatrics’ Chicago, celebrating the celebrity of glitzy murderesses in the Jazz Age. The Kander and Ebb music is memorable and the Bob Fosse trademark moves are appropriately slinky and cool. (Choreography by Andrew Muylle)

Director Helen Hart and the Evolve team get extra points for being fast on their feet and reworking/instant-understudying for mixed small roles held by cast members zapped by illness at the last minute. I was told ahead of time and still hardly noticed. The show must go on!

Wikipedia tells us that "The musical Chicago is based on a play of the same name by reporter and playwright Maurine Dallas Watkins, who was assigned to cover the 1924 trials of accused murderers Beulah Annanand Belva Gaertner for the Chicago Tribune. In the early 1920s, Chicago's press and public became riveted by the subject of homicides committed by women. Several high-profile cases arose, which generally involved women killing their lovers or husbands.”

And these killers were the stars of the show. Velma (Meghan Malulsek) and Roxy (Ember Stokes) along with their motley gaggle of glam cellmates (Abigail Tykocki, Lou Sears, Makayla Marrison, Leah Thelen, Nicole Martin) Their Cell Block Tango was a show stopper. 

Meghan was sultry and polished as Velma, with a killer voice, to boot — collaborating with the cynical schmoozing shyster lawyer, Billy Flynn, well played by Ian Whipp. Upstart murderess Roxy Hart has the nerve to upstage Velma’s murder-fame. Ember Stokes was disarmingly underhanded and angel-voiced as Roxy, though she seemed “too young” to me… but I’m probably warped by having seen a 50-year-old Gwen Verdon do the role in 1975.
Juicy supporting roles included the prim “lady” reporter Mary Sunshine played by Scot Muncaster; Matron Mama Morton, wheeler-dealer of the cell block (Joyce E. Kramer-Cox) and the sweet patsy we love to ignore, Mr. Cellophane (Marty Snitgen).

The set was minimal so the mood and era was created by lights and costumes. A huge, light up Chicago sign created by the late Dan Southwell for the company's 2013 production was restored by Bob Hill for this show. Costumes were fab and flashy (Terry Selman). 

First Christian Church is a small-ish venue and it is filling up fast. Seating is general, so get there at least a half hour early for any chance at the front row. Note the at the show is rated PG-13. Get tickets at http://evolvetheatrics.com First Christian Church is northwest of Frandor, 1001 Chester Road north of the corner of Covington Court. The church parking lot is north of the building and fills up fast. Additional parking is off Covington, just south of the church. Doors are open on both north and south sides of the church.

Mamma Mia is certainly a crowd pleaser, bringing all the Dancing Queens in the Wharton Center audience to their feet in an enthusiastic standing ovation that expanded into a disco party through the FABulous curtain call sequence. 

The show spangles a who’s-my-father mother-daughter mystery with retro glam and disco delights. It was sometimes hard to tell where crisp, creative choreography ended and fun physical-action direction began. Whatever I call it, the show was action-packed and high on style and sass. (Choreographer Anthony Van Laast; Director Phyllida Lloyd)

The set is two units of simple white buildings twirled and positioned with minimal furniture whisked around by extremely fast set-ninjas. Simple, but very effective and beautifully lit for all the show's many moods. (Production designer Mark Thompson; lighting designer Howard Harrison.) 

Though this is a “juke box musical” built around ABBA songs, it has a worthy plot with twists and turns and some food for thought about marriage and sex. Alisa Melendez is the angel-voiced Sophie, plotting to meet her mystery father and planning her wedding to the charming and talented Grant Reynolds. 

Christine Sherrill is Sophie's down-to-earth diva/mom/entrepreneur, Donna, who has definitely NOT lost her glam, especially when teamed with her gal group Donna and the Dynamos. The other two Dynamos are a true delight and lifted the comedy level whenever they were on stage: Jalynn Steele as the seductive “cougar” Tanya, and Carly Sakolove as the “out of shape” but still a dervish dancer, Rosie. Bob Marnell, Jim Newman and Victor Wallace offered distinctive portrayals of the possible fathers, each with his own appealing character.

Mamma Mia brings disco joy to Wharton Center’s Great Hall through January 21. Tickets at  
https://www.whartoncenter.com