This is the weekend for FUN free theatre outdoors!

We loved RUTHLESS at MSU Summer Circle tonight. It's a musical diva smackdown, clambering over the top, spoofing Gypsy - and so much more (In his note, Director Deric McNish also mentions A Chorus Line, The Bad Seed, All About Eve, and even TV Shows  Dance Moms and Toddlers in Tiaras.) The (im)moral of the story is that the key to show-biz success is ruthlessness — and these ladies have it in spades and spangles and feathers and furs. 

One "lady" was marvelously portrayed by a glamorous Ryan Bennet (Edna Turnblad, eat your heart out.) Sarah Goeke was sensational as the quintessential housewife/mother... or IS she? Her second-act transformation was a delight. Brianna Buckley was the deliciously vicious theatre critic and grandmother. Well differentiated wacky double roles were well played by Katherine Schooler and Caitlin Dunlap. Matching these MSU-trained "pros" was the extremely talented, appropriately ruthless and terminally cute Lauren Kreuer, a tiny 6th grader who will amaze you with her talent, voice and presence.
The Costumes were wonderful (Stephanie Eubank) and the two keyboardists were more than musicians, popping in as added characters (Dave Wendelberger, who was also music director, and Mark Schenfisch.)

Ruthless continues its musical mayhem at 8pm Thurs/Fri/Sat. south of the Auditorium building, corner of Auditorium and Farm Lane. 

DON'T FORGET - Rob Roznowski's new original script "children's show" THE SUMMER CIRCLE is a fast-paced, fun, homage to theatre and imagination and inclusiveness and plays beFORE Ruthless at 6:30 Friday and Saturday. ALL ages will love this show. 
As for bringing kids and staying for Ruthless, grade-school age and up could surely appreciate it, even without getting the references. 
I have not been able to see THE WEIRD, the "late show" which also plays Friday and Saturday at 10 pm. That one is "adults only."

DETROIT is not really about Detroit. It's a portrait of the despair and decline of inner city suburbs... or maybe America as a whole? Perhaps "Detroit" is just a symbol of a place that has seen better days. (The Detroit music was a nice touch, though - Jason Painter Price.)

The acting is excellent all around: Andrew Head, Brianna Buckley, Beau Bielski, Jenna Jo Pawlicki — with Michael Hays delivering a final nostalgic testament to the way the neighborhood used to be. The acting was so good, the show almost seemed to be a series of acting exercises, as each character clutched at different straws of "escape" from the crumbling insecurity of their lives, lying to each other and themselves. It was appalling, bewildering -- and sometimes funny — but the characters commanded our attention, despite the disjointed nature of the plot.

Kudos to director Mark Colson for orchestrating the momentum of this show as it grew from awkward first friendship to chaotic desperate bonding and anarchy. It is NOT for the kiddies or the prudish: "adult language," sex, drugs, booze, rock'n'roll... all that fun stuff.

ReMEMber, if you DO have kiddies, Rob Roznowski's Summer Circle show, absolutely charming for ALL ages, plays 6:30 to 7:30 Fridays and Saturdays before Detroit this weekend and before Ruthless next weekend.

Rob Roznowski's entertaining and insightful children's/family script, The Summer Circle, can be enjoyed on many levels by many ages. Our 5, 6 and 7 year old grandchildren thought it was "awesome" and two of them were even recruited from the audience to play the visiting cousins "Nancy and Clancy" on stage. Great fun. (The Sea Monster prop/special effect was a favorite - not to mention the gummy-worm "leeches".)

Author Rob's director's notes call this "the entirely fictionalized history of how Summer Circle Theatre began." It features circular plot-lines around a circle of friends, a circle of a a lake, the circle of the seasons and the circular cycle of creating and dissolving of the "families" created by theatre — and summer cottages. 

With a change of hat or scarf, Mandy Myers became "Mother" in four different families. "Scotty" (Andrew Head) was a powerhouse of boyish charm, energy and enthusiasm as he made the great compromise of befriending... Girls - and a diverse selection of them: (I hope I'm getting the right names matched with the characters; they each did a great job bringing a childlike sincerity to their "type:") the overdramatic Sharon (Anna Morreale), the studious Gertrude (Madelayne Shammas), and the beautiful princess Laurinda (Katherine Schooler). 

Laurinda seemed to be the clone of my princess granddaughter; they were even wearing the same tiered-tulle ballet skirt and t-shirt in pink and blue. She was the "actress" and "beautiful girl" star of every skit. Others took on script writing, props, directing, special effects...  illustrating how theatre teaches important social lessons of cooperation, creativity and inclusion.

The show runs only an hour and plays Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 pm, before the main 8pm show at Summer Circle. I heartily recommend it -- even if you don't have children to bring. You'll get there early and be able to claim the best seats for the following "adult" show - and be thoroughly entertained and inspired by this "appetizer". 

The Summer Circle continues 6/20, 6/21, 6/27, 6/28 @ 6:30 PM and is appropriate for all ages.

Don't miss the rest of Summer Circle -- FREE outdoors next to the Auditorium building on Farm Lane at MSU; park in the lot on Auditorium Lane. Bring blankets, folding chairs and/or sit on the bleachers. 

The second mainstage production is one of today’s most celebrated and controversial plays, Detroit by Lisa d’Amour. Ben and Mary see sudden signs of life in the deserted house next door.  When they meet the new neighbors they become caught in an urban nightmare adventure that will change their lives.  (Runs 6/18-21 @ 8 PM appropriate for mature audiences only.) 

The season ends with the hilarious musical Ruthless by Marvin Laird and Joel Paley. This campy musical spoofs “The Bad Seed”, “All About Eve”, “Gypsy”, “Valley of the Dolls” and more as it tells the story of possibly homicidal eight year old Tina Denmark and her desperation to play Pippi Longstocking in the school musical. (Runs 6/25-28 @ 8 PM appropriate for all ages.) 

The late night offering is The Weird by one of today’s hottest playwrights Roberto Aguirre Sacasa. It is a collection of short one-acts devoted to horror and suspense with visits from swamp creatures, vampires and Rosemary’s baby.  Spooky fun.  (Performs 6/13, 6/14, 6/20, 6/21, 6/27, 6/28  @ 10:00 PM approximately and is appropriate for ages 14 and older)