he thought provoking drama Orson's Shadow by Austin Pendleton will debut at Planet Ant November 25 with performances through December 19. Tickets ($10-$20) are on sale now at www.planetant.com. A complete performance schedule follows this release.
An extremely thought provoking drama, Austin Pendleton's Orson's Shadow takes a look at the relationships between some of the most respected and sought after souls of twentieth century stage and screen. It is 1960 and the Royal Court Theatre in London is producing Eugene Ionesco's "Rhinoceros" starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright. The show is set to be directed by Orson Welles. But as his career is withering Olivier's is thriving which leads to a roller-coaster ride of conceit, manipulation, jockeying for position, love, jealousy, and hilarity. In Orson's Shadow, Pendleton has created an informed study of accuracy and wisdom by adding subtlety, realism, triumph and decline to this clever drama without becoming "over the top."
Orson's Shadow is directed by Charles Reynolds (Detroit) with stage management by Eric Aberasturi (Detroit), costume design by Barbie Weisserman (Farmington Hills) and lighting design by John Jakary (Detroit). The cast features Dax Anderson (Hamtramck), Johnathan Davidson (Detroit), Joel Mitchell (Berkley), T.M. Rawlins (Bloomfield), Kelly Rossi (Grosse Pointe Park) and Bryan Spangler (Detroit). Performances run November 25 through December 19 with show times at 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday evening with an 8:00pm performance on Wednesday, November 25 and 2:00pm Sunday matinees on December 6 and 13. Tickets ($10 - $20) are available now online at www.planetant.com or in person at the Planet Ant box office 30 minutes prior to show time based on availability.
Wednesday, November 25 @ 8:00pm (Opening weekend special $10)
Friday, November 27 @ 8:00pm (Opening weekend $10)
Saturday, November 28 @ 8:00pm (Opening weekend $10)
Friday, December 4 @ 8:00pm
Saturday, December 5 @ 8:00pm
Sunday, December 6 @ 2:00pm
Friday, December 11 @ 8:00pm
Saturday, December 12 @ 8:00pm
Sunday, December 13 @ 2:00pm
Friday, December 18 @ 8:00pm
Saturday, December 19 @ 8:00pm
After Saturday performance of Orson's Shadow Planet Ant will host late night improvised shows. Tickets ($5) are available online at www.planetant.com or in person at the Planet Ant Box Office after the show.
Planet Ant 2014 - 2015 Season
As it has done for more than 20 years, Planet Ant continues to highlight local writers, directors and performers this season. The theatre's Main Stage Series features full-length original and published works with an 8:00 pm show time Friday and Saturday and 2:00 pm Sunday. Late Night Series presentations feature one-act original and experimental material with a 9:00 pm show time Friday and Saturday evening. Tickets are $20 for Main Stage performances and $10 for Late Night performances and can be reserved or purchased online at www.planetant.com or in person at the theatre on the night of the performance based on availability.
Two angry young men sit behind a Vermont coffee shop and discuss music and Bukowski. When a lonely high-school student arrives on the scene, they decide to teach him everything they know. A play with music about friendship, art, love and death
March 18 - April 9, 2016
TBA: An original Planet Ant Home Team Sketch Show
Directed by Mike McGettigan
Main Stage Series
Members of the Planet Ant Home Team will write and original two-act multimedia sketch comedy show utilizing stage, screen and song.
May 6 - May 21, 2016
Fish Dinner 3 by Quintin Hicks
Directed by Dave Davies
Late Night Series
The Wilde-Award winning one-man show, Fish Dinner returns to Planet Ant Theatre for the third and final chapter: Fish Dinner 3. Detroit Second City alum Quintin Hicks stretches the limits of character performance and improv to introduce you to a world of unique and unforgettable characters. Side-splittingly hysterical, with pockets of poignant tragedy, expect to see some familiar faces and perhaps a few new ones!
June 3 - June 25, 2016
Alone with Friends by Margaret Edwartowski
Directed by Kelly Komlen
Main Stage Series
A successful romance novelist relies on her relationship with her main character as she maneuvers through the writing of her latest novel and the re-evaluation of her reclusive life
July 8 - July 23, 2016
The Best of Ant Farm
Late Night Series
A one act anthology of the best original pieces submitted to Planet Ant's Ant Farm program, which provides a space for local writers to have staged readings of their works.
Improv Mondays The Planet Ant Improv Colony has generated over twenty original comedies and continues to perform every Monday night in Michigan's longest-running improv comedy show - Improv Mondays. At 8:00 pm the show kicks off with a guest improv troupe followed by a performance by Planet Ant's resident Home Team. The night closes with The Ant Jam, an opportunity for anyone to improvise on the Planet Ant stage. Tickets are $5 at the door.
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