The Farmington Players Present a Mitch Albom Comedy: AND THE WINNER IS 10/2-17

Mitch Albom, famous for his Detroit Free Press columns and his best selling books, is also an established playwright. The Farmington Players Barn is proud to be the first Community Theater to perform his touching comedy that teaches lessons we all need to learn, about the quality of life.

Guy Sanville, the artistic director of the Purple Rose Theater, once said about this play, "Mitch uses humor as a window into the human heart."

And The Winner Is runs October 2nd - 17th at The Farmington Players Barn on 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills. Tickets are on sale now at farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the box office at 248-553-2955.

Directed by Tim Timmer of Wayne, the show follows movie star Tyler Johnes, who dies the night before he could have won an Oscar. He wakes up in a strange bar where nothing is as it seems. Tyler strikes a deal with a heavenly gatekeeper to send him back so he can attend the Academy Award ceremony. Along the way, he drags a host of wacky characters on one wild and crazy journey.

Albom wrote And The Winner Is as his second comedy; one that critics have raved about for the hilarious jabs the playwright takes at values in Hollywood.

Director Timmer says, "I have read this play one hundred times and each time I find a different aspect of it touching and endearing. I hope the audience comes away with a very good feeling and thoughts of taking the opportunity to re-value their lives."

"Special Opening Night Charity Event"

On Opening Night October 2nd, the Barn will hold a Red Carpet event to raise money for S.A.Y Detroit, one of Albom's favorite charities, which helps the homeless. Detroit Actress Sarab Kamoo, who is a former Farmington Player, will attend the ceremony to support the show that she co-starred in, when it premiered in 2005 at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea. Kamoo is an accomplished actress who has appeared in plays throughout Michigan and also in films. She is currently starring in, A Sleeping Country which runs through September 27, at the Tipping Point Theater in Northville.

Opening Night at The Farmington Players Barn will also include a mock academy awards type pre-show, in which paparrazi stalk some stars as the actors do interviews on the red carpet before squealing fans. Audiences can also enjoy a special "After-Glow" party, following the show. Additionally, the Barn will raffle off an autographed copy of Albom's new true story "Have a Little Faith." It's the author's first non-fiction book since the smash hit, "Tuesdays With Morrie." The work explores Albom's personal journey into the world of faith, as he observes how men reach down deep, in their fight to survive.

The Barn will donate $2 from each ticket sold to S.A.Y. Detroit, along with the theater's portion of the 50-50 money. All money from the book will go to the charity as well.

"S.A.Y. DETROIT"

Albom formed S.A.Y Detroit following the Super Bowl in Detroit in 2006. He was appalled by a news story he read saying homeless people would be given a special "Super Bowl Party" to keep them off the streets, but they would be returned to the streets after the big game.

S.A.Y. Detroit stands for "Super All Year Detroit." The group's mission is to distribute money to shelters for projects designed to help people in need. Some key projects include building a kitchen at the Michigan Veterans Foundation Shelter, and a day care center for children of homeless women.

On December 17, 2008 the group opened Detroit's first free medical clinic dedicated strictly to homeless children and their mothers.

"Great Theater Bargain"

And The Winner Is continues The Farmington Players' 56-year tradition of producing compelling live performances. The Barn also serves as one of the best bargains in the region. Tickets sell for $15 with discounts for students and groups of ten or more. Special discounts of $2 off the price of a ticket are available for seniors only on Senior Sunday, October 4th and for everyone on "Thrifty Thursdays," October 8th and 15th.
The Farmington Players began as an off-shoot of the American Association of University Women. Their first production, The Torchbearers, was performed at a local church. Later in the 1950s, after performing in various city and educational locations, The Farmington Players moved into an old dairy barn located on the site of their present facility on West Twelve Mile Road.

Initially, productions were staged downstairs on a dirt floor. Over the years, improvements to the original Barn transformed it into a more finished space, with the theater itself eventually moving upstairs into a traditional and finished setting.

Since 1953, The Farmington Players have staged more than 180 different musicals, dramas, mysteries and comedies, all as a community theater with 100% volunteer membership.

Residents of Farmington, Farmington Hills and beyond have come to recognize the group as a true community resource. Since the completion of its all-new, state of the art facility in 2003, The Farmington Players Barn Theater has expanded its mission, serving as the site for city-sponsored events such as youth theater camps in the summer, concerts with organizations as varied as Blackthorn and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and as a meeting place for various groups.

The Barn is located at 32332 W. 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills. The big white structure sits on the north side of 12 Mile, halfway between Orchard Lake and Farmington Roads.

 

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