​Well, as a registered “Shakespeare hater,” I loved it.  

LCC’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is Shakespeare Specialist Mary Job’s last LCC play as a faculty member director — and she does Shakespeare’s Pop Hit up proud. She and her cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream romp through The Bard's challenging language with a cartoonish flair, falling in and out of love with theatrical zeal. This is set in the 50’s with entertaining attire including poodle skirt, pedal pushers and more. (Costumes Chelle Peterson)

Crisscrossed lovers pursue and resist each other through fairy-magic turn-arounds. Hermia (Liv Challa) is – in love with Lysander; Helena (Storm Hawthorne) is in love with Demetrius; Lysander (Avery Martin) is in love with Hermia; and Demetrius (Lukas Nowak) is Dad’s (Charles Hoogstratten’s) choice to marry Hermia … can he be turned around? Tod Humphrey’s Oberon has a beef with Tamara Miller Drane's Titania and invokes playful magic with the help of giddy, impish Puck (Logan Natvig) resulting in the famous donkey-headed love scene.

My favorite subplot is “The Mechanicals” (now with 50’s appropriate “jobs”; Bottom is a car salesman) preparing their play-within-a-play wedding entertainment for the marriage of Theseus (Robert A. Jakob) and Hippolyta (Mani Colazzo). This gang is comic relief on top of what’s already a funny mess of star-crossed lovers. Alaina Wilson, Eric Vincent, Gregory Trimmer, and Rylan Houle are all entertaining accessories to Connor Kelly as the exuberantly over-the-top delicious ham actor, Bottom. The fairies are adorable: Ashley W. Morris, Carlisle Shelson, Dinah DeWald, and Sarah Lehman (with a quick-change turn around as Philostrata, the wedding planner.)

Kudos to choreographer Lauren Mudry and Combat Director Emma Quick for adding to the action-packed blocking. Sets were simple, evocative and quick-change (Set Bob Fernholz and Rebecca MacCreery) Iffy weather earlier in the day sent our performance into Dart Auditorium. Assuming future shows will be “under the stars” at the outdoor amphitheater behind Dart Auditorium - bring blankets and/or folding chairs. A Midsummer Night’s Dream continues at 7pm, free of charge, through Sunday the 29th. And come back for the 10-minute Play Festival of short scripts written by LCC students and staff July 23-27.

Many thanks to reviewer Tom Klunzinger (who may be a little “prejudiced” toward my family? But hey, I couldn’t write this myself, so…) - Jane


It's difficult not to feel giddy about the joint performing debut of Lansing's tri-generational Royal Family of Theater: Jane Shipley Zussman, her daughter Emily Shipley Stevens and Jane's granddaughter Natalie Shipley. The occasion is Friday's opening of a new playscript version of Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice" about five sisters working through marriage, morality and misconceptions in 1813 Regency England, presented by the relatively new Alive Theatre at the Alfreda Schmidt Community Center.

The real "discovery" of this event is Emily Stevens, returning to the stage after some 20 years of living a normal life. As the matriarch Mrs. Bennet, she totally commands the stage whenever she's on. We want more!
Excellently holding their own in this large-cast sort-of-ensemble are Lexy Irving as Lizziie, Austin Elieff as Mr. Darcy and many others, particularly Natalie Shipley as the spirited Lydia and Jane Zussman as the imperious Lady Catherine. Each actor finds fun aspects of their character to present.
While the set is sparse, the pastel costumes are alluring to view and the hairstyles are elegantly achieved. There's even a fair bit of dance during the party scenes!
About that music... they do well to have period music lapping into the time needed for many scene changes which are a major flaw with this particular script, no doubt explained by the fact that the writer, Andrew Davies, previously did the screenplay and here forgets that a stage version doesn't do well with too many quick scenes.
This results in what should be a two-hour show running for nearly three hours.
Nevertheless, you'll enjoy your trip back to meet the Bennet family and the eternal foibles of teenaged girls becoming respectable (?) young women.

Pride and Prejudice continues at Alfreda Schmidt Community Center, 5825 Wise Road between Jolly and Miller roads; parking lot and entrance on the south side of the building.


• Saturday, June 21 @ 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
• Friday, June 27 @ 7:00 PM
• Saturday, June 28 @ 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Tickets ($20/$17.50 for ages 63+ & student) at the door or at https://masterarts.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200485595
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Thanks to reviewer Abbie Tykocki!
Bold, outrageous, and certainly not for the easily offended ("I'm not sure you're going to like this" I heard from a well-heeled couple sitting behind me) The Book of Mormon is a wildly irreverent, sharply satirical, and surprisingly heartwarming musical from the creators of South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) and Avenue Q's Robert Lopez. Premiering in 2011, the show follows two young Mormon missionaries sent to Uganda, where their expectations clash hilariously with harsh truths. The young men, who dreamed of a Lion King-esque journey to Africa, are soon confronted by the realities of HIV/AIDS, famine, warlords and...maggots. 
Those unfamiliar with the satirical geniuses behind this work might be wondering how such topics could become a laugh-out-loud winner of NINE Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The writers combine crude humor, incisive cultural critique, and Broadway flair to tap-dance outside the boundaries of traditional musical theatre. The result is a fearless and razor-sharp commentary on faith, culture, and the power of storytelling. The jokes are fast and direct, the music is catchy and theatrical, and this touring company absolutely nails the sometimes challenging vocals and often high-energy...dare I say spirited... dance numbers! There are also a heap of hilarious, thinly-veiled references to many other hit shows, making the show a fun Easter-egg hunt for musical theatre aficionados. 
I was very excited to read that MSU Department of Theatre alum Kevin Mazur had recently joined the company as a swing and was hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but alas, no swings on opening night. Get your tickets and see if you get to watch Kevin do his thing! MSU Theatre fans may remember his turns in American Idiot or Summer Circle Theatre. Since graduating at the height of Covid, Kevin has been touring and performing regionally. He is giving a workshop in the SCT Courtyard today (June 20) at 11am that is free and open to the public. 
You have only five more chances to see The Book of Mormon at Wharton Center and according to their ticketing site, there are "not many seats left" so don't sleep on this one. Tickets are available online at https://www.whartoncenter.com or by calling 1-800-WHARTON. 

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​Thanks to Molly Woods for this Summer Circle review:

"Piggie, your trumpet sounds like my Aunt Molly with a head cold." States Gerald the Elephant. I gave a sideways glance to my nephews, ages 6 and 4, who joined me at the opening night of "Elephant & Piggie's 'We Are In A Play!'" the last show for the MSU's Summer Circle Theater. Luckily, there was no pointing or laughing at their Aunt Molly, I must not sound like a trumpet when I have a head cold.

"Elephant & Piggie's "We Are In a Play" is a story of friendship between Piggie played by Nicole Jenosky, and Elephant played by Alexis Mendez. In energy filled song and dance, with the assistance of the fabulously stylish Squirrelles, played by Gracie Duffy, Anastasia Breen, and Cayla Joy, the two friends discuss uncertainties in life, helping one another, and the ups and downs of sharing. 

I highly encourage families with kids of all ages (my mother also joined us, so I was also a kid at the show) to find an opportunity this weekend to attend one of the three remaining performances. A show of bright colors, lively music, and one of my favorite parts of live theater: audience participation. Very much a children's show, but having clever bits of dialogue that adults would appreciate. You don't need to take my word for it; the response from my 6-year-old nephew: "It was awesome, and cool. I really liked that I could talk to the squirrels, Elephant and Piggie.” 

The cast was fantastic in allowing meet-and-greet time with the audience after the show. They truly listened and responded to the detailed stories the kids had to share with them and posed for so many pictures.  My 4 year old nephew had to say that he "Really liked Piggie in pink clothes". Compliments to costume designer Angie Wendelberger in her creativity in design and color schemes, particularly the Squirrelles' clever outfits of fancy dress and fur.

June 20, 21, and 22nd, at 7pm on Friday and Saturday, 4pm on Sundays, performances are located at the Summer Circle Courtyard, 542 Auditorium Road, East Lansing. In the event of rain, performances will be in the auditorium building. The outdoor seating is general admission, first come first serve amphitheater style seating, blankets or comfy, camp chairs are recommended.  Parking and attendance are free of charge, with donations accepted. There will be concessions available and a 50/50 raffle.

Be prepared to come early, Lansing Makers Network will have a craft table prepared with a "Elephant and Piggie' themed make and take craft project. Be prepared to stay late for the Friday and Saturday shows, the "After School Special Improv' group will have entertainment.