Plays

Women’s SafeHouse: A realist performance about the violence against women in Turkey

By Kelsey Hawkins-Johnson · Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015

Told through reading and performance, audio and visual components, the two-act play “Women’s SafeHouse” opened for the first time in America at Eastern Michigan University’s Frank Ross Laboratory Theatre in Quirk Hall on Monday night. “Women’s SafeHouse,” written by Turkish playwright, Tuncer Cucenoglu, depicts a modern tragedy about 11 women and their stories at a safehouse in Istanbul, Turkey where they fell as victims of violence and abuse.

NBC's live performance of The Wiz sets records

By Kelsey Hawkins-Johnson · Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015

Hailing from New Jersey and casted as the well-known sweet girl of Kansas was newcomer, Shanice Williams, who performed Thursday night in NBC’s The Wiz Live. With her plaid skirt and natural curly hair, Williams portrayed a new version of Dorothy.

'Little Shop of Horrors' exceeds expectations

By Emily Slomovits · Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015

In my three years at EMU, I’ve seen some wonderful theatre. But, the current main stage production, “Little Shop of Horrors,” is the best show I’ve seen here, hands down. Júlia Miyahara, a freshman majoring in international affairs, said, “I really like this musical, because it touches on a lot of real-life issues like poverty and domestic violence... I had very high expectations for this production, and it exceeded them by a lot.” The show is somewhat paradoxical – on one hand, it’s a frothy, entertaining and stylized show with catchy Motown music, while on the other, it’s a dark, grim, sometimes scary look at the lengths people will go to in order to get what they want.

Wild Swan Theater to perform original 'Rosie the Riveter' play

By Sasha Brown · Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

Eastern Michigan University’s English professor, Emeritus Jeff Duncan, wrote the play, We Can Do It!: A Rosie the Riveter Revue. It is to be performed at 4-6 p.m.

Kasey Donnelly as Audrey and Nick Whittaker as Seymour.

Little Shop of Horrors to debut this Thursday

By Emily Slomovits · Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015

The leaves are turning bright colors, a chill is in the air, and creepy decorations of ghosts and goblins are showing up on many neighborhood lawns.

Eric Hohnke and Marissa Kurtzhals will be starring in the show.

EMU Alumni to perform original sketch show

By Sasha Brown · Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015

Eastern Michigan University alumni, Kristin Anne Danko, Eric Hohnke and Marissa Kurtzhals, are to participate in their very own, originally written theatrical performance, The Big Game Weekend. Danko will be directing the performance and Hohnke and Kurtzhals will be starring as fifteen different characters, including themselves.

Purple Rose Theater produces another high quality performance

By Emily Slomovits · Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015

Whenever I see a play at Chelsea’s Purple Rose Theatre, I can count on the acting, sets, costumes, and everything about the production to be the highest quality.

‘Shaking Earth’ shows, discussion this weekend

By Mariya Gefter · Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013

It’s that time of year again when Americans are reminded of how far this country has come in terms of facing adversity and restoring equality. Even with reminders like Martin Luther King Day, we often don’t realize how many hardships and struggles have been left out of our history books.

Pease set ablaze

By Liz Cianfarani · Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012

I’m a typical ex-band geek from high school. I’m not versed in every well-known piece from the Baroque period, but I know some major works of major composers. Unfortunately for Igor Stravinsky enthusiasts, I knew nothing about his works except for “The Nutcracker.” But, Eastern Michigan University’s Department of Music and Dance changed all of that.