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3 Great West Michigan Summer Theatre
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There are some things we do because they are new and
innovative. There are some things we do because they are steeped in tradition
and participating in them gives us pleasure. Going to the Augusta Barn
Theatre is both of those things. Going to the Augusta Barn Theatre is
a West Michigan tradition, and that’s how we love it. It is one
of those where places where we look for changes but hope there are none.
We appreciate interns guiding the cars into the lot and anticipate walking
up the hill to the theatre. We love visiting on the lawn in the warm
summer evening, being escorted to seats by the same actors we will soon
see on the stage, seeing the bat fl ying through the auditorium, hearing
the traditional curtain speech, and heading for the cabaret show after
the play — all these things are the traditions of the Barn. Yet,
we also seek the innovative. This year’s shows are just that. The
big news is that the Barn Theatre is producing The Producers, the biggest
Broadway show of the last couple of decades. The second show of the season,
it will open on June 12 and run through 
24th. If you have never seen
The Producers, you owe it to yourself to attend the Barn’s version
of the show. It is classic Broadway theatre and a laugh a minute. A comedy,
Tom, Dick, and Harry opens the season on May 29 and will be replaced
by the Producers. Dan Goggin’s Nunsense — The Mega Musical
will conclude the fi rst half of the season beginning June 26 through
July 8. There are other changes to note at the Barn. One of the huge
trees had to be torn down and was 
replaced by a beautiful wishing well
created by Brendon Ragotsy and Fred Gillette, the Barn’s Technical
Director. If you have trouble negotiating the hill, there is a new golf
cart to escort people to the door. Additionally, the Barn notes with
sadness the passing of Howard McBride, long time business manager and
actor — a huge loss to the Barn Community. Many of the regular
company members will be returning this year, as well as guest artists
and new interns. The Barn Theatre’s website www.barntheatre.com
tells of several Barn actors who are performing in New York or on road
shows. Barn patrons love to keep track of those who appear regularly
at the barn. Season tickets will be available May 14, and can be purchased
by calling the ticket offi ce 269- 731-4121. The Augusta Barn Theatre
is located on M89 between Galesburg and Augusta. Brendon and Penelope
Ragotsky welcome you to another Barn Theater season at Michigan’s
oldest professional Equity summer stock theatre. Some things are new,
some things are old, everything is just right.
There
are so many reasons to visit Saugatuck and Douglas. One of the most exciting
is to go to the Mason Street Warehouse, now
in its 4th season. They have specialized in edgy, innovative theatre
not otherwise available in Southwest Michigan. The theatre is housed
in the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on the main street as you enter
Saugatuck. Newly renovated, the theatre seats 300 in what was the former
freezer of an old pie factory. Kurt Stamm, the Artistic Director, has
brought nine regional premiere works and three world premieres to our
region with equity actors and interns. This season’s lineup is
innovative and exciting. The season opens with the regional premier of
the musical, Altar Boyz, which is still playing in New York. It will
run from June 22 through July 8 when it will be followed by the social
satire, 
The
Food Chain which opens on July 13 through July 29. Lucky Stiff, which
runs from August 3 through August 19 is a musical mystery
farce. The season closes with another regional premiere, Shout, a celebration
of the music of the 60s. The Mason Street Warehouse Theatre, which calls
itself “an uptown theatre in downtown Saugatuck,” hires actors
from New York and Chicago as well as from the Grand Rapids area to fi
ll its main roles. Interns are hired for the summer from area universities
to complete the casts. Check out the lineup online at 
Charles Burr, the Artistic Director of the Tibbits Opera
House in Coldwater, has a simple charge— to “make summer
theatre happen.” He does that by auditioning more than 1300 people
for the 20 roles in this summer’s productions. He also hires another
20 people to design, costume, and light the four evening productions
and four children’s “ P o p c o r n T h e a t r e ” productions.
He then chooses the kind of classic theatre that has made the Tibbits
Opera House well known on the summer theatre circuit, called by USA Today,
one of the “10 great places to see the lights way off Broadway.” Once
all those things are in place, the task is then to produce the kind of
theatre that has made the Tibbits the marvelous destination it has been
for the last 125 years. This year’s lineup proves that the Tibbits
is just that…a great place to see theatre. The Cole Porter musical,
Can-Can, with its great song, “I Love Paris,” will begin
the season on June 28. It is followed by the drama, Picnic, and the musical
Sweet Charity. The awesome and gruesome 
musical, Little Shop of Horrors
with its man-eating plant and 1960s music closes out the season. Families
will love the Popcorn Theatre shows on Friday and Saturday mornings all
summer long. These productions include Peter Rabbit and Friends, Patricia
Polacco’s Union City, Aladdin, and Music at the Roots. Coldwater
has good shopping, delightful restaurants, and grand Victorian homes.
It is a wonderful destination in itself. Add the Tibbits into the mix,
and visitors will have an amazing Southwest Michigan experience. The
Tibbits is one of the longest running theatres in Michigan; some of America’s
most beloved actors have trod its boards. Make it one of your summer “must
dos”. Find the summer schedule on the website www.tibbits.org or
by calling 517-278-6029
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