Coming to Detroit: The Band’s Visit
Hey Detroit! Have you heard the news? The Band’s Visit is making its Detroit debut at the Fisher Theatre April 19 – May 1, 2022. Mark your calendar, because tickets go on sale Friday, February 25.
Broadway In Detroit announced today that tickets for the tour of THE BAND’S VISIT, featuring music and lyrics by Tony® and Drama Desk Award®-winner David Yazbek, will go on sale on Friday, February 25, 2022. Starting at $35, tickets may be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
THE BAND’S VISIT is one of four musicals in Broadway history to win the unofficial “Big Six” Tony Awards®, which include Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical.
THE BAND’S VISIT tells a joyful, offbeat story of a band of musicians who arrive in a town way off the beaten path. Under the spell of the desert sky, with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected ways. With a Tony- and Grammy-winning score that seduces your soul and sweeps you off your feet, performed by thrillingly talented onstage musicians, THE BAND’S VISIT rejoices in the way music makes us laugh, makes us cry, and ultimately, brings us together.
Award-winning Israeli film actor Sasson Gabay will reprise the role of Tewfiq, the role he created in the 2007 film of THE BAND’S VISIT and has played on Broadway and in more than 17 cities on the First National Tour. Joining him to lead the company is the critically acclaimed actress Janet Dacal (Prince of Broadway, Wonderland, In The Heights) in the role of Dina.
The cast will also include Joe Joseph as Haled, Clay Singer as Itzik, Yoni Avi Battat as Camal, Coby Getzug as Papi, Joshua Grosso as Telephone Guy, Kendal Hartse as Iris, David Studwell as Avrum, Billy Cohen as Zelger, Layan Elwazani as Julia, Marc Ginsburg as Sammy, Ariel Reich as Anna,and James Rana as Simon along with Ali Louis Bourzgui, Loren Lester, Dana Saleh Omar, Nick Sacks, and Hannah Shankman.
THE BAND’S VISITworld premiere opened to critical acclaim at the Atlantic Theater Company in December 2016 and opened at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore theatre in November 2017. It went on to play 589 regular performance and 36 previews, breaking the all-time box office record at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre twice and winning 10 Tony Awards® before closing in April 2019. The production was featured in over 20 “Best Of The Year” lists including The New York Times, Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly. The First National Tour launched in June 2019 and played 17 cities before the touring entertainment industry was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With music and lyrics by Tony Award®-winner David Yazbek, and a book by Tony Award®-winner Itamar Moses, THE BAND’S VISIT won “Best Musical” awards from the Tony Awards®, Drama League, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, the Outer Critics Circle, the Lucille Lortel and the Obies. It is based on the screenplay by Eran Kolirin and is directed by Tony Award®-winner David Cromer.
The creative team also includes Patrick McCollum (Choreography), Tony Award®-winner Scott Pask (Set Design), Sarah Laux (Costume Design), Tony Award®-winner Tyler Micoleau (Lighting Design), Tony Award®-winner Kai Harada (Sound Design), Charles G. LaPointe (Hair Designer), Tony Award®-winner Jamshied Sharifi (Orchestrations), Andrea Grody (Music Supervisor & Additional Arrangements), Dean Sharenow (Music Supervisor & Music Coordinator) and Adrian Ries (Music Director).
THE BAND’S VISIT original Broadway cast album received the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The musical is also the recipient of a 2019 Daytime Emmy Award for a performance of “Answer Me” on NBC’s “Today”.
For more information, visit TheBandsVisitMusical.com. Follow @TheBandsVisit.
THE BAND’S VISIT replaces Ain’t Too Proud as the final show in Broadway In Detroit’s 2021-22 Subscription Series. Ain’t Too Proud will now become part of the Broadway In Detroit 2022-23 Series to be announced.
Performance times for THE BAND’S VISIT appearing April 19 – May 1, 2022, at the Fisher Theatre, located at 3011 West Grand Blvd., in Detroit are:
- Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday evening performance at 7:30 p.m.
- Open captioned performance on Sunday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for THE BAND’S VISIT start at $35 includes facility and parking fees) and go on sale Friday, February 25, 2022. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
Movie Review: Marry Me
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner love is in the air, and you know what that means—it’s time to break out all our favorite romantic comedies and this year you can add a new one to your list. Marry Me starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson opens in theaters and will be streaming on Peacock starting February 11. And, if you read nothing further in this review, read this: Marry Me is the must-see romcom of the year, plus the music is UNREAL.
If you know me, or have been following along for awhile you know that romcoms are my favorite. That being said, let me be completely honest with you. When I saw the trailer for Marry Me, I wasn’t excited—at all. I personally am not a fan of Owen Wilson at all, and a movie staring him along side Jennifer Lopez just seemed like a let down and poor casting. I gave Marry Me a fair shot and it did on disappoint.
On the surface it seems like Marry is an odd pairing, and that’s because it is. Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson don’t look like the couple that would ever get together in any reality. But it makes for an interesting story line. A pop sensation falls for the “average” guy. We all know the pairing of JLo and Owen Wilson is weird, but somehow the movie makes you want them together and love them together.
It’s easy to see that Marry Me was created for knowing Jennifer Lopez would be cast as the main character. She’s playing a role that is her real reality. A pop singer who is at the top of her game trying to maneuver through life and figure it out. Her singing and performance abilities are at the forefront of the film and you can’t deny they’re incredible. Like most popstars Jennifer Lopez is falling for all the wrong guys, until the right one comes into her life in the most unusual way—and you can’t help but want it to work. The best part it’s not like other romantic comedies you’ve seen in the past. It’s unexpected and that’s what keeps you wanting more.
The Marry Me soundtrack is sung by Jennifer Lopez and throughout the movie you see her performing and recording the sounds. My favorite song from the movie is called Love of My Life—I just can’t stop listening to it! The best part it’s not like other romantic comedies you’ve seen in the past. It’s unexpected and that’s what keeps you wanting more.
If you’re looking for a fun romantic comedy that will give you all the warm fuzzies you want, then Marry Me is it. Marry me is in theaters and streaming on Peacock tomorrow, February 11th. I have already watched it twice!
Marry Me Synopsis
Packed with original songs by Jennifer Lopez and global Latin music star Maluma, Marry Me arrives next Valentine’s Day with Lopez starring as musical superstar Kat Valdez and Owen Wilson as Charlie Gilbert, a math teacher—total strangers who agree to marry and then get to know each other. An unlikely romance about two different people searching for something real in a world where value is based on likes and followers, Marry Me is a modern love story about celebrity, marriage and social media.
Kat Valdez (Lopez) is half of the sexiest celebrity power couple on Earth with hot new music supernova Bastian (Maluma, making his feature-film debut). As Kat and Bastian’s inescapable hit single, “Marry Me,” climbs the charts, they are about to be wed before an audience of their fans in a ceremony that will be streamed across multiple platforms.
Divorced high-school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) has been dragged to the concert by his daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman, Big Little Lies) and his best friend (Sarah Silverman). When Kat learns, seconds before the ceremony, that Bastian has cheated on her with her assistant, her life turns left as she has a meltdown on stage, questioning love, truth and loyalty. As her gossamer world falls away, she locks eyes with a stranger—a face in the crowd.
If what you know lets you down, then perhaps what you don’t know is the answer, and so, in a moment of inspired insanity, Kat chooses to marry Charlie. What begins as an impulsive reaction evolves into an unexpected romance. But as forces conspire to separate them, the universal question arises: Can two people from such different worlds bridge the gulf between them and build a place where they both belong?
The film also stars John Bradley (Game of Thrones), Michelle Buteau (Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Mulan).
Marry Me is directed by Kat Coiro (Dead to Me, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, upcoming She-Hulk) from a screenplay by John Rogers (The Librarians) and Tami Sagher (NBC’s 30 Rock) and Harper Dill (The Mick) based on the graphic novel by Bobby Crosby. The film is produced by Jennifer Lopez p.g.a. and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas p.g.a. (Hustlers, Maid in Manhattan) for Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions, by John Rogers for Kung Fu Monkey Productions and by Benny Medina (Hustlers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). The film’s executive producers are Alex Brown, Willie Mercer, Pamela Thur and J.B. Roberts.
Broadway Review: Disney’s The Lion King
Last night my friend and I headed to the Detroit Opera House in the heart of Detroit, Michigan to see the World’s #1 Musical The Lion King. If you read anything in this post it should be this: go see Disney’s The Lion King Broadway performance. The singing, dancing, props, stage effects were like nothing I have ever seen in a Broadway performance. I can’t recommend going to this show enough.
You can catch Disney’s The Lion King
at the Detroit Opera House
Now – February 20, 2022.
I heard The Lion King on Broadway is weird, is it?
Same! I heard that too, and I found it a bit strange seeing as The Lion King on Broadway is World’s #1 Musical. Let me tell you The Lion King on Broadway is the World’s #1 Musical for a reason, it’s INCREDIBLE. The actors really sound like the characters I remember in the Disney animated version, the costumes and makeup are unreal. People who think its weird, boring, creepy are out of their minds. This show is like nothing I have ever seen before, and I already want to go see it again.
Is The Lion King on Broadway worth seeing?
Yes, 100000% The Lion King on Broadway is worth seeing. Hands down its the coolest production I have ever seen. I still can’t get over how it immerses you, because they utilize the entire theater. If you put any show on your must see Broadway list it should be The Lion King.
About The Lion King
Approaching 24 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, 25 global productions have been seen by nearly 110 million people. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), The Lion King has made theatrical history with six productions worldwide running 15 or more years, with four of those running 20 or more years.
Performed over its lifetime in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese), by the end of 2021, there will be ten productions of The Lion King around the world, including Broadway, London, Paris, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, on tour across North America, Japan and the U.K. & Ireland, with a separate production touring internationally. Having played over 100 cities in 21 countries on every continent except Antarctica, The Lion King’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.
The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards®: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical. The Lion King has also earned more than 70 major arts awards including the 1998 NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, the 1999 Grammy® for Best Musical Show Album, the 1999 Evening Standard Award for Theatrical Event of the Year and the 1999 Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Choreography and Best Costume Design.
The show’s director, costume designer and mask co-designer Julie Taymor continues to play an integral part in the show’s ongoing success. The first woman to win a Tony Award for Direction of a Musical, Taymor supervises new productions of the show around the world.
The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs from The Lion King animated film along with three new songs by John and Rice; additional musical material by South African Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer; and music from “Rhythm of the Pride Lands,” an album inspired by the original music in the film, written by Lebo M, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer. The resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging from the Academy Award®-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to Lebo M’s rich choral numbers.
Elton John, Lebo M, and Hans Zimmer all collaborated on the 2019 version of the film, executive produced by Julie Taymor and Thomas Schumacher, which has gone onto extraordinary worldwide success.
The book has been adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated The Lion King feature, and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay. Other members of the creative team include: Michael Curry, who designed the masks and puppets with Taymor, Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Michael Ward (hair and makeup design), Anthony Lyn (associate director), Marey Griffith (associate choreographer), Clement Ishmael (music supervisor), Doc Zorthian (production supervisor) and Binder Casting/Mark Brandon, CSA (casting). Anne Quart serves as co-producer.
Broadway Review: Hairspray
Hairspray is playing in Detroit at the Fisher Theatre Now – January 30, 2022. The show is colorful, bright and super lively. The night I went Tracy was played by the understudy Faith Northcutt. Reading that on the sign I never felt so annoyed. The MAIN character was going to be played by an understudy, what a disappointment. But it turns out it wasn’t a disappointment at all. Despite this being Faith Northcutt’s National Tour Principal Debut as Tracy Burnblad you would have never known. The craziest part, Faith Northcutt had NEVER actually run through the show before she went on. You wouldn’t have even known that, she was absolutely fantastic.
If the understudy for Hairspray can go on and rock the house, imagine what the you’ll see when the whole company goes on and is healthy! Hairspray would make the perfect girls night out.
Coming to Detroit: Waitress
Hey Detroit, have you heard the news? Waitress is coming back to Detroit for a limited one-week engagement and I can’t wait. Waitress opens March 15-20, 2022 at the Music Hall in Detroit and tickets start at $29!. Mark your calendars because tickets go on sale Friday, January 21, and are available online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying encounter with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.
Waitress opened April 24, 2016 at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Based upon the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, WAITRESS is the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, with a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles (composer of “Love Song” and “Brave”), choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award®-winner Diane Paulus. The WAITRESS Tour features Choreography Re-created by Abbey O’Brien, Tour Direction re-created by Susanna Wolk, and includes Scott Pask, Scenic Design; Suttirat Anne Larlarb, Costume Design; Ken Billington, Lighting Design; Jonathan Deans, Sound Design; Wigs by Richard Mawbey; original music supervision by Nadia DiGiallonardo, with tour music supervision by Ryan Cantwell. Arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo and Sara Bareilles, and Orchestrations by Sara Bareilles and The Waitress Band. Waitress is produced by NETworks Presentations LLC. Casting by Stewart/Whitley.
“WAITRESS is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly, and is “Warm, witty, wise and hilarious. A wonderful treat.” according to London’s Express Online!
“It’s an empowering musical of the highest order!” raves the Chicago Tribune. Don’t miss this uplifting and hilarious musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.
For more tour information, please visit WaitressTour.com
Performance times for WAITRESS, appearing March 15-20, 2022 at Music Hall, located at 350 Madison Avenue, in Detroit are:
- Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Open captioned performance on Sunday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for WAITRESS start at $29 (includes facility fee) and go on sale Friday, January 21. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
For group sales (10 or more) please email broadwayindetroitgroups@theambassadors.com or call 313-871-1132.
Tickets for the open captioned performance may be purchased in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office or by phone at 313-872-1000, ext. 0.
Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.
Broadway In Detroit uses Ticketmaster as its sole, authorized ticketing agent. Individual tickets purchased from a ticket broker or “third party” ticket reseller involves risk and may not be authentic, sold at box office prices, or with correct performance and venue information. Broadway In Detroit box offices cannot verify tickets sold through a third party or ticket reseller. Broadway In Detroit is also unable to contact third party purchasers with pertinent updates or changes regarding performances.
Following the lead of Broadway and concert venues across the country, Broadway In Detroit theatre patrons will be required to show photo identification and proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of the performance date or proof of full Covid-19 vaccination before they will be admitted into the venue. Additionally, all patrons will be required to wear a mask while inside the theatre regardless of one’s vaccination status.
All ticket purchasers will receive a Broadway In Detroit Health & Safety Guide via email in the weeks prior to their performance. This guide will also be posted on the company’s website (BroadwayInDetroit.com) and available at the Fisher Theatre box office. It will have the latest information on the company’s health and safety protocols as well as information on what to expect when you arrive at the theatre.
NETWORKS PRESENTATIONS (Producer) is an industry leading producer of touring musical theater productions committed to delivering quality entertainment to audiences worldwide. Having produced national and international tours over 20 years, NETworks’ productions include Cameron Mackintosh’s The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon; The Band’s Visit, A Bronx Tale, Blue Man Group Speechless Tour Fiddler on the Roof, Once On This Island, Nickelodeon’s The SpongeBob Musical, and Waitress.
Fashion meets Food 