The Village Players of Birmingham to Present MAME

The Village Players of Birmingham continue with their 2016-2017 season as they perform Jerry Herman's musical comedy, MAME.

Book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee

Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman

Based on the novel "Auntie Mame" by PatRick Dennis

Mame Dennis is a larger-than-life personality living the high life in the Roaring Twenties in New York City. She has a collection of eccentric, wealthy society friends and her life is one endless party. Her brother in Iowa dies unexpectedly, and she suddenly finds herself the guardian of his 12 year-old son, Patrick, which leads to all sorts of misadventures.

Mame Is an ebullient and irresistible story of the joy of living life to the fullest packed with Jerry Herman songs that are in perfect accord with the positive attitude of the story, and includes the most memorable title song ever written.

This show will be sure to put a song in your heart and dance in your step as you cheer and celebrate the personality of one of the most vivacious characters on the musical stage... Auntie Mame Dennis.

The show is directed by Village Players veteran director Michael A. Gravame who recently directed last year's hit Sweeney Todd. He states; "I have always loved big splashy musicals that have memorable tunes you walk out of the theatre singing and humming along to. Mame is no exception. I have always had a great fondness for the film Auntie Mame starring Rosalind Russell, however, I did not get familiar with the musical onstage until years later when I saw the musical at DC at the Kennedy Center starring Christine Baranski. It was then I said to myself, someday I have to direct this show."

The theme of this wonderful musical is to live life to the fullest and not give a fig about what anyone thinks. To march to the beat of your own drum and to make life exciting, enjoyable and exhilarating

The character Mame Dennis (Patty Ward) is all about optimism, the power of positive-thought and sheer joie-de-vivre to everyone that meets her, influencing and improving the lives of them all. She is ageless, timeless, graceful, beautiful, kind and elegant. This character cuts across all barriers, whether of age, color, creed or gender.

The talented cast of Mame includes local veteran actors and some exciting new faces to the Village Players stage, starring Patty Ward as Auntie Mame Dennis from Bloomfield Hills and Jonas Annear from Birmingham as Young PatRick Dennis, with Sue Chekaway from Bloomfield Hills as Vera Charles, Kathleen Duffy from Royal Oak as Agnes Gooch, Tony Battle from Royal Oak as Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside, Eric Rodman from Sterling Heights as Older Patrick, Daniel Murray from Birmingham as Ito and John Unruh from Rochester as Mr. Babcock.

The two-act musical runs approximately two and a half hours with one 20 minute intermission.

Show Dates October 28, 29, November 4, 5, 9, 11, 12- 8:00 PM / October 30, November 6, 12, 13 - 2:00 PM

Ticket Prices - $21.00 which includes a $1 Facilities Improvement Fee (FIP) for each ticket purchased and a $1 processing fee for each ticket order. Birmingham Village Players is located at 34660 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI 48009. To order tickets call the box office at (248) 644-2075 or order online via the website www.birminghamvillageplayers.com.

About The Village Players

The Village Players of Birmingham, a 501 (c)3 nonprofit community theater celebrating its 93rd season, presents high quality dramatic, comedic, and musical productions. All community members are invited to participate on stage, backstage or as an audience member in the theater's main stage, youth theater, and Playwrights at Work productions and programs. The Village Players has been entertaining the community from its location at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham since 1926.

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