PAST PRODUCTIONS 2008-09

SPEECH & DEBATE

by Stephen Karam
Sept 5 - Sept 22, 2008

Even though they go to the same high school, misfits Solomon, Diwata and Howie have never met. But when a shocking gay sex scandal involving one of their teachers brings them together through an unexpected chain of events, they realize three voices are stronger than one. And since their school has no speech and debate squad, maybe this is their chance to be heard at last – by the school and even the world.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MIGHIGAN
Review by David Blackburn

MULTIMEDIA

THE NORMAL HEART

by Larry Kramer
Staged Readng
Sept 11, 2008

Who Wants Cake? is proud to announce the a special one-night-only reading of Larry Kramer’s searing drama, The Normal Heart. The production will benefit Steppin’ Out, promoter of AIDS Walk Detroit (www.aidswalkdetroit.org). The Normal Heart chronicles the beginnings of the AIDS epidemic and the formation of the nation’s first AIDS service organization. The play was originally staged at New York’s Public Theatre on April 21, 1985. It is a tale of the fear, denial, anger, love, and, ultimately, heroism of those whose lives were forever changed during those first terrifying years of the AIDS crisis.

PRESS

BETWEEN THE LINES
Preview by Donald V. Calamia

LOVE & HUMAN REMAINS

by Brad Fraser
Oct 17 - Nov 10, 2008

Seven Detroit friends are on the prowl - for relationships, fun, love, or sex (gay, lesbian, straight, with a dash of S&M mixed in for spice!). All the while, a serial killer is on the loose. As one-night stands lead to bad feelings, and the stalker becomes the stalked, the true nature of love becomes entangled in the true nature of lies, and it becomes apparent that the killer is dangerously close to them all. A unique and thrilling Detroit Urban Legend!!

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by David Blackburn

AWARDS

2009 Wilde Award Nominees
Best Production with LGBT Themes or Characters
Best Performer in a LGBT Production - Joe Bailey
Best Performer in a LGBT Production - Melissa Beckwith

THE SANTALAND DIARIES (2008)

by David Sedaris
Dec 5 - Dec 22, 2009

Who Wants Cake? is proud to announce the return of David Sedaris’ side-splitting, anti-holiday treat. The Santaland Diaries gives an horrific account of a resting actor (Joe Plambeck) and his seasonal employment in the Christmas Grotto in a famous department store. In Season's Greetings, meanwhile, a housewife (Joe Bailey) is composing her annual Christmas newsletter, detailing the important events of her year ... not least of which is the arrival of her husband's sexually precocious Vietnamese love child. A distinctively different and totally fabulous double bill.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by D.A. Blackburn

DEATHTRAP

by Ira Levin
Jan 9 - Feb 2, 2009

Seemingly comfortably ensconced in his charming Connecticut home, Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a "dry" spell that has resulted in a string of failures and a shortage of funds. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college - a thriller that Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway hit. Sidney's plan, which he devises with his wife's help, is to offer collaboration to the student, an idea that the younger man quickly accepts. Thereafter, suspense mounts steadily as the plot begins to twist and turn with devilish cleverness, and with such an abundance of thrills and laughter, that audiences will be held enthralled until the final, startling moments of the play.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by D.A. Blackburn

Photo Gallery

THE BAD SEED

by Maxwell Anderson
Feb 20 - Mar 16, 2009

The Bad Seed presents the sordid story of 8 year-old Rhoda Penmark, perfect on the outside and rotten to the core within. Rhoda wears frilly dresses, sports perfect blonde braids, and has her curtsies down pat. She likes to play the piano and sit quietly in the arbor, reading. She’s also a psychotic killer whose mother must make a decision tougher than Sophie’s Choice in order to stop her murderous rampage! Who Wants Cake? offers an over-the-top version of the classic play which stars 2 Wilde Award winners: Joe Plambeck as the evil Rhoda and Detroit-favorite Laurel Hufano as the ever-drunk Mrs. Daigle! With so many wild twists and turns, this is one event not to be missed!

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by Donald V. Calamia

METROMIX
Q & A by Robert Del Valle

MULTIMEDIA

AWARDS

2009 Wilde Award Winner
Best Performance in a Supporting Role - Laurel Hufano

2009 Wilde Award Nominees
Best Comedy
Best Actor in a Comedy - Joe Plambeck

CLICK POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Bailey; Special Costuming by Michelle Becker

THE HARDY BOYS AND THE MYSTERY OF WHERE BABIES COME FROM

by Christopher Durang
March 13 - March 28, 2009

The Hardy Boys and the Mystery of Where Babies Come From, directed by Joe Bailey, presents the story of Joe and Frank Hardy. Marvel as they try to figure out why Nancy Drew has a bun in the oven and how it may have gotten there, since she doesn’t bake and all. Wanda’s Visit, directed by Lisa Maxine Mellinn, is a visit you hope you never have to endure. And Stye of the Eye, directed by Michael Carnow, is a glorious send-up of the hyper-masculine theatrical worlds of David Mamet and Sam Shepard (with a little Agnes of God thrown in for good measure).

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by D.A. Blackburn

THE DETROITER
Review by Heather Bonner

MULTIMEDIA

Photo Gallery

CLICK POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directors: Joe Bailey; Michael Carnow; Lisa Maxine Mellinn. Special Costuming: Michelle Becker

KILLER JOE

by Tracy Letts
March 4 - March 27, 2009

Following the buzz of last year's smash hit Bug, Who Wants Cake? offers another powerhouse Tracy Letts play - the pitch black, trailer-trash comedy Killer Joe. Killer Joe tells the story of the dysfunctional Smith family, desperately and disastrously trying to organize the murder of one its members for financial gain. Into their world comes Killer Joe Cooper (Joel Mitchell), full-time cop and part-time assassin. But when they are unable to pay up, Joe asks for a retainer that is all too close to home. Alternating between humor and menace, Killer Joe is at once clever, suspenseful, subtle, complex, deeply funny and riveting.

REVIEWS

DETROIT FREE PRESS
Review by John Monaghan

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by Martin F. Kohn

THE DETROITER
Review by Heather Bonner

MULTIMEDIA

AWARDS

2009 Wilde Award Nominees
Best Actor in a Drama - Joel Mitchell
Best Actress in a Musical - Christa Coulter
Best Set Design - Michelle Becker

CLICK POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Plambeck, Stage Managed by Sandy Menzel, Lighting Design by Michael Rollins, Fight Choreography by Kevin Young; Set Design by Michelle Becker; Sound Design by Joe Plambeck

SONGS FROM AN UNMADE BED

Lyrics by Mark Campbell with music by Debra Barsha, Mark Bennett, Peter Foley, Jenny Giering, Peter Golub, Jake Heggie, Lance Horne, Stephen Hoffman, Gihieh Lee, Steven Lutvak, Steve Marzullo, Brendan Milburn, Chris Miller, Greg Pliska, Duncan Sheik, Kim D. Sherman, Jeffrey Stock, Joseph Thalken
May 9 - June 1, 2009

One lyricist and 18 composers join forces to create a unique music/theatre event in Songs from an Unmade Bed, a solo work that propels a smart, resilient, wry, and ultimately romantic gay New Yorker (WWC? favorite, Jamie Richards) through the heartaches and triumphs of love in the big city.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by Donald V. Calamia

MULTIMEDIA

Photo Gallery

CLICK ON POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Plambeck, Music Direction by Michael Smith; Choreography by Jerry Haines; Piano by Amy Condit; Set Design by Michelle Becker; Light Design by Michael Rollins. 

CAST: The Man - Jamie Richards

TRAINSPOTTING

by Harry Gibson based on the Irvine Welsh novel
May 29-June 22, 2009

Irvine Welsh’s novel, Trainspotting, exploded onto the scene in 1993, stunning audiences with its bleak and darkly humorous depiction of the decaying friendships of a bunch of no-hopers, heroin addicts and petty criminals attempting to escape the boredom of their lives. Harry Gibson’s theatrical adaptation debuted in 1994 to great acclaim before Danny Boyle’s 1996 film version made Trainspotting a cultural landmark. The story follows Renton, Sick Boy, Tommy and Begbie as they embark on an horrific journey to the heart of a world peopled by psychos, junkies, and drunk Scottish fathers.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by D.A. Blackburn

METRO TIMES
Review by Corey Hall

MULTIMEDIA

AWARDS

2010 Wilde Award WINNER
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama - Melissa Beckwith

CLICK POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Bailey; Set Design by Michelle Becker

THE BOOK OF LIZ

by The Talent Family: Amy & David Sedaris
July 10-Aug 3, 2009

Comedy writers, siblings, and outrageously hilarious, David Sedaris and Amy Sedaris team their considerable talents for The Book of Liz, a wild, wacky (but ultimately sweet) parable about the adventures of Sister Elizabeth Donderstock (the delightful Jaime Moyer), who is Squeamish and has been her whole life. She makes cheese balls (traditional and smoky) that sustain the existence of her entire religious community, Cluster Haven. However, she feels unappreciated among her Squeamish brethren and decides to try her luck in the noisy and bustling outside world.

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by Donald V. Calamia

MULTIMEDIA

AWARDS

2010 Wilde Award Nominees
Best Comedy
Best Actress in a Comedy - Jaime Moyer
Best Costumes - Michelle & Tommy LeRoy

CLICK POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Bailey; Co-Directed by Jamie Warrow; Set Design by Michelle Becker; Special Costuming by Tommy LeRoy

ANNE FRANKENSTEIN: THE MUSICAL

by David Holstein
July 17-Aug 1, 2009

Poor Anne Frank. She's bored hanging out in that dusty attic hiding from those Nazis. What's a girl to do? Why, make a monster version of herself and sing, of course!!! Don't miss this hilarious little morsel of theatre playing late night this summer at Ferndale's fabulous Ringwald Theatre!!

REVIEWS

ENCORE MICHIGAN
Review by Donald V. Calamia

MULTIMEDIA

Anne Frankenstein: The Musical Photo Gallery

CLICK ON POSTER FOR PHOTO GALLERY

Directed by Joe Plambeck