Join us on the first Tuesday of every month as we explore a variety of great plays … classics as well as new works! Some plays may contain mature subject matter.
Shakespeare in Love, adapted for stage by Lee Hall: October 2 at 7 p.m. Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block… the deadline for his new play is fast approaching but he’s in desperate need of inspiration. That is, until he finds his muse – Viola. This beautiful young woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing (including breaking the law) to appear in his next play. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Will’s love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece.
She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen: November 6 at 7 p.m. A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.
Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris and The Eight: Reindeer Monologues by Jeff Goode: December 4 at 7 p.m. Santaland Diaries is a brilliant evocation of what a slacker’s Christmas must feel like. Out of work, our slacker decides to become a Macy’s elf during the holiday crunch. At first the job is simply humiliating, but once the thousands of visitors start pouring through Santa’s workshop, he becomes battle-weary and bitter. In The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, the elves of the North Pole dish about the real Santa.
Morning After Grace by Carey Crim: February 5 at 7 p.m. Hilarious and heart-warming, this unconventional new comedy tackles love, loss, and coming to terms with growing old. After hooking up at a funeral, Angus and Abigail find themselves waking up the next morning wrapped in sheets on Angus’ sofa. Strangers just the day before, Abigail thinks she may finally be ready to take another chance on love, but Angus has a few issues to work through first. Enter neighbor Ollie, formerly a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers who now enjoys golf and yoga. Nothing is as it seems with this trio and every disclosure reveals a new perspective. Set in a nearby Florida retirement community, this charming and big-hearted comedy takes us on an unexpected journey toward a new lease on life.
The Zoo Story and The American Dream by Edward Albee: March 5 at 7 p.m. Edward Albee, who died in 2016, was one of America’s most incisive playwrights. The Zoo Story explores themes of isolation, loneliness, miscommunication as anathematization, social disparity and dehumanization in a materialistic world. The American Dream, one of Albee’s earliest plays, is a satire of American family life.
Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks: April 2 at 7 p.m. Topdog/Underdog is a play about two African American brothers struggling to make ends meet. Abandoned by their parents when they were teenagers, Lincoln and Booth, now in their thirties, were forced to learn to survive relying only on themselves.
For more information about the First Tuesdays Play Reading series, call 517-264-7469 or email jrighter@croswell.org.