theater - The Eastern Echo

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.

Broadway's "Hamilton" is setting records, breaking down barriers in theater

By Emily Slomovits · Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015

It’s rare that a Broadway musical makes a splash in the pop culture world outside the theatre community.

The cast of "Junior High" from left to right: Taylor Morrow, Dakotah Myers, Justin Myers, Michael McDonald, Gabby Morris, Rachel Kindred, Christina Gee, Oren Levin, Travis Ealem, Nikkolo Romero and Gabriela Ciavattone.

Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young to perform “Junior High”

By Kelsey Hawkins-Johnson · Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015

Experience the world of adolescence in Eastern Michigan University’s Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young’s (ADTY) production of the musical, “Junior High.” ADTY has been touring to local elementary, middle and high schools for more than forty years.

Neighborhood Theatre Group needs $8,000 to finish season

By Sasha Brown · Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015

Eastern Michigan’s alumni, students and local professional actors are a big part of Ypsilanti’s newest theatre company, Neighborhood Theatre Group (NTG). Kristine Anne Danko and Aaron Dean, the founders of this company, have brought their talent to Ypsilanti after leaving the Chicago theater scene. EMU alumni included in the Neighborhood Theatre Group are Bradley James Drozdowski, Marissa Kurtzhals, Christopher Zavac, Mary Hourani, Eric Hohnke, Chris Jakob and Dawn Peterson.

'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.

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.

EMU Drama professor teaches and performs with great success

By Emily Slomovits · Monday, Aug. 31, 2015

There’s a saying, “Those who can’t do, teach.” However, we know that the two are not mutually exclusive.

Purple Rose Theatre debuts thought-provoking play about zombies

By Emily Slomovits · Sunday, June 28, 2015

For as long as humans have told stories, there have been cultural obsessions with monsters.

New local theater troop to present 'Beaver's Long Strange Trip'

By Afua Osei-Bonsu · Sunday, May 31, 2015

A young theater movement has given rise to many new theaters around Ypsilanti including Mix, Dreamland Theater and the newest member, The Neighborhood Theatre Group. On Friday, June 5, at 7:30 p.m., The Neighborhood Theatre Group will present a reading of Beaver’s Long Strange Trip at the Back Office Studio (BOS) located at 13 N.