The Farmington Players to Present MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, Opening 12/13

A deathbed confession begins to blow the lid off the Nowak family "miracle," unraveling a secret kept for decades. This revelation is at the heart of "Miracle on South Division Street," a hilarious comedy (with a terrific twist) opening Friday February 13th at the Farmington Players Barn in Farmington Hills, Michigan and running through February 28th.

Imagine the guy next door erecting a life-size shrine in his front yard and the rest of the community flocking to it as a symbol of hope and faith. It's easy to envision this occurring in a Buffalo neighborhood in 1942 at a time when Americans needed so desperately to "believe." The family legend began when Grandpa Nowak witnessed a "holy vision" right in his barbershop, which inspired a commemorative shrine on his property that served as a source of family and pride in the Polish neighborhood for years.

Miracle on South Division Street by Tom Dudzick, provides a breezy look at ordinary people with extraordinary dreams - people who consider themselves to be "special" and "chosen." Director Suzanne Rogers of West Bloomfield says,"It's sort of a Polish version of Seinfeld-Moonstruck-My Big Fat Greek Wedding!"

Rogers sees it partly as a play about "faith and family". "What is a miracle?" she asks. "Do they exist? In what or whom do you put your faith? How do you maintain faith in a world of chaos?"
The "Shrine" that makes the Nowaks the talk of the town gives them their identity. But when they gather to discuss daughter Ruth Nowak's plans to write a play about that family "miracle," a deathbed confession shakes their faith to its core.

Margaret Gilkes of Farmington Hills plays the kind-hearted family matriarch Clara who runs a neighborhood soup kitchen and offers "healing soup" prepared on "holy ground." Clara's daughter Ruth is the free-spirited budding playwright destined to make her mark on the world. She is played by Margaret's real-life daughter Katie Gilkes-Bigwood of Farmington Hills. Ruth's sister Beverly (Kristi Schwartz of Canton Township) is the opposite of her sibling, a skeptical traditionalist who works as a ketchup bottler. Michael Soave of Ferndale plays the "baby of the family" Jimmy, (a garbage collector) who is thinking about marrying outside the faith. His biggest struggle is keeping the peace among all the women in his life.

Rogers says the comedy is also "about divisions: divisions in families (even loving families), divisions between young and old, Catholics and Jews, conservatives and liberals, tolerant and intolerant." Such divisions certainly develop in both heartfelt and hilarious ways while the Nowaks reveal layers of secrets and lies while embracing life's delightful surprises. As the family shares stories amidst a shrine, some soup and a series of secrets, this comedy contains just the right mix of ingredients to leave us all laughing about our own families back at home.

"Miracle On South Division Street" is sponsored by Varsity Automotive Group. Tickets are on sale at the box office (248) 553-2955 and also online at farmingtonplayers.org

The opening night performance of Miracle on South Division Street (Friday February 13th) benefits Manna Community Meal, a soup kitchen in Detroit where director Suzanne Rogers volunteers to help others in need. In a unique twist on our popular 50/50 drawing, money collected during the Barn's 50-50 raffle will be generously matched by Varsity Automotive Group. As always, the 50-50 winner will receive half the pot, but matching funds will be donated to the soup kitchen.

Additionally, the Barn will provide a post-show dessert bar for the patron afterglow party with treats from On The Rise Bakery, which is sponsored by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. This venture is run by members of the ROPE (Reaching Our Potential Everyday) program. These are men who have recently been released from prison or have completed a substance abuse treatment program and desire to truly change their lives.

Miracle On South Division Street is sponsored by Varsity Automotive Group. Reserved seats are available at www.farmingtonplayers.org and at the box office (248) 553-2955.

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