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Health & Fitness

Grosse Pointe Theatre Continues To Amaze!

Another crazy stretch of theater is underway as Grosse Pointe Theatre's unprecedented 66th season reaches the halfway point. The group has already staged an impressive seven productions since last September ... and impressive is exactly what all seven shows have in common. 

From Broadway classics to GPT originals, the first half successes have set the bar high for the second half shows still to come. The main stage at Fries Auditorium has seen audiences rise as one to congratulate the casts and crews that brought September's "Gypsy," November's "84 Charing Cross Road" and December's "White Christmas" to over 8,000 highly impressed patrons. GPT playwrights crafted touching, well devised scripts for the September workshop "secrets" and the historical peek back at 17th and 18th century Grosse Pointe in October's sold out "Legends of the Lake." The November workshop "Little Women - The Musical" was a delightful production, and GPT's Youth On Stage program, a program that continues an impressive growth, staged a wonderful December show, "Wild Wild West."

Impressive? You bet, but you ain't seen nothin' yet! Starting this weekend there will be five more plays in various stages of production that will equal or surpass the fabulous shows already completed.

Saturday through Monday GPT will have a record turnout of singers and actors auditioning for the May blockbuster, "Les Miserables," which will be presented for a GPT-record 14 performances. 

Sunday, January 19 marks the opening of Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical revue, "A Grand Night For Singing," running through February 1 in the Grosse Pointe War Memorial's Fries Auditorium.

The February workshop, "Rent" is preparing for their performance following GPT's annual membership meeting on Monday, February 10, in the War Memorial's Crystal Ballroom. GPT's membership meetings are free and open to the public with refreshments and snacks provided!

GPT's "Off Broadway" group, The Purdon Studio Theatre, is staging "Bartleby the Scrivener - A Story of Wall Street" and is deep into rehearsals for their engaging show, running February 20 through March 1 at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House.

And the hilarious March show, "The Fox on the Fairway," is finishing up their first week of rehearsals (Mon-Wed-Fri eves, stop by) and beginning set construction in the Fisher Road scene shop on Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings.

The winter semester of Youth on Stage is ramping up for their April show, "Around the World With Alice," GPT's annual 10-Minute playwright competition will conclude at the April general membership meeting featuring the staging of the top three scripts, and the 2014-15 season is taking shape as possible directors are under consideration (FYI - the GPT Board is still looking for interested directors). And if you're not tired yet there is a Tap Dance workshop starting Saturday afternoon, January 25th for both new tappers and experienced to get prepared for two more shows featuring tap in our next season.

Not surprisingly, GPT is always looking for theater wannabes to help out; onstage, backstage, in the scene shop and in the costume room. A warning ... once you get involved you'll have too much fun, make great new friends and become theater lovers like the rest of the members. Stop by GPT's home at 315 Fisher Road, Grosse Pointe, and say 'hi.' They'll find something for you to do.

The magic number is (313) 881-4004 for tickets, questions and information. You can also check out their website, www.gpt.org for information on shows, news and other programs, and you can also pick your seat and buy tickets for all of these highly acclaimed productions. 

Grosse Pointe Theatre has been doing this for 66 years, and if you've been to some of the other fine stages in town most will agree, no one does it better than GPT!

Mike Trudel

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