Theatre NOVA Announces Return to In-Person Productions for 2021-2022

Theatre NOVA, Ann Arbor's resident nonprofit professional theatre, has announced its return to in-person productions.

Founding Artistic Director Carla Milarch said, "We're back and better than ever! We couldn't be more thrilled to be heading back into the rehearsal room and theatre to prepare our first in-person production since March of 2020. We're grateful to the community for their support in getting through the pandemic intact and financially viable. In particular, we're thrilled to present four plays that feature the work of our own Michigan playwrights, composers, and arrangers."

True to their mission of raising awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and playwrights, it will be a season of Michigan and world premieres, with three Michigan premieres (plays being produced for the first time in Michigan) and two world premieres (plays making their debut for the first time.) We're proud to produce the hottest new plays at affordable prices, including pay-what-you-can tickets available for those who need them.

For the health, safety, and well-being of their patrons, staff, and artists, COVID safety measures will be in place. All of the artists and staff participating in the season will be required to be fully vaccinated, and patrons must bring proof of vaccination and wear a mask while in the building. Unvaccinated patrons will not be admitted. This policy is subject to change at any time, in accordance with fluctuating local, state, and federal guidelines. Please check their website for their current policy before attendance.

Theatre NOVA also offers a subscription program as the best way to see quality programs at a discounted price. Subscribers save up to 20% off single ticket prices and guarantee their seats for all their plays this season. In addition, 2019-2020 season subscribers will receive a credit for the shows they missed due to the mandatory shutdown mid-season in 2020.

Theatre NOVA's 2021-2022 season opens September 17 with the Michigan premiere of "Lifespan of a Fact" by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, which runs through October 10, 2021. Jim Fingal had one job: to fact-check renowned essayist John D'Agata's piece for the high-profile magazine where he interns. But the more Jim digs, the more "alternative facts" he discovers in the article. Soon he finds himself in an all-out battle of truth versus fiction with the famous author. Based on the true story of D'Agata's essay "What Happens There," "The Lifespan of a Fact" is a hilarious examination of how sometimes cold hard facts do not necessarily lead to the truth. Directed by Carla Milarch. Featuring Andrew Huff, Justin Montgomery, and Diane Hill.

The season continues October 28 through November 7, 2021, with a limited engagement of "Sing Happy!" featuring music by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with musical arrangements by R. MacKenzie Lewis. A fundraiser for Theatre NOVA and presented in concert, "Sing Happy!" is a celebration of the work of Broadway's famous duo, Kander and Ebb. An ensemble of singers will take the stage with showstoppers from "Cabaret," "Chicago," "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and many others while weaving a tale of strength and determination. Directed by Diane Hill, with Music Direction by R. MacKenzie Lewis. Featuring Jason Briggs, Kristin Clark, John DeMerell, K Edmonds, Diane Hill, Elizabeth Jaffe, Sarah Stevens, Connor Thomas Rhoades, and Roy Sexton.

For the holidays, Theatre NOVA presents "An Almost British Christmas" by Carla Milarch & R. MacKenzie Lewis, running December 3, 2021 through January 2, 2022. This year they update the panto that started it all with their holiday romp through the frozen tundra of the North Pole. Set on one famous foggy Christmas Eve, kids ages 2 to 102 will delight in this rollicking musical theatre entertainment. Complete with colorful holiday characters, dastardly villains, original tunes and parodies of popular songs, slapstick comedy, and audience participation, this beloved Theatre NOVA tradition is fun for the entire family. Directed by Carla Milarch.

Opening the new year is the world premiere of "Arabic to English" by David Wells, running January 28 through February 20, 2022. In a high-stakes trial, an Arab American man is accused of fraudulent marriage to gain a visa. Losing in court will send him to a country he barely knows. His interpreter, a young Arab American woman, is on the verge of entering a storybook American life, about to marry his white American trial lawyer. When romance blossoms between the interpreter and the defendant, it may be up to her to decide which words to translate and which to leave unspoken. Directed by Carla Milarch. Featuring Fedor Kinaya, Ronya Rose, and Joseph Sfair.

March 25 - April 17, 2022, they will present the Michigan Premiere TBA of a hot new play that we're very excited about. Details will be released as soon as they are available.

In late spring, from May 20 through June 12, 2022, Theatre NOVA will present the Michigan premiere of "Relativity" by Mark St. Germain. In 1902, Mileva and Albert Einstein had a daughter. After 1904, the child was never seen or spoken of again. When a reporter interviews Einstein about his mysterious family history forty years later, even more personal secrets unfold. This delightful comedy by the author of Freud's "Last Session" explores questions about exceptionalism, family, and the responsibilities of the heart. Directed by Carla Milarch. Featuring Anne Damman, Ellen Finch, and Phil Powers.

Finally, Theatre NOVA's seventh show in its 2021-2022 season of premieres will be the world premiere of "God Kinda Looks Like Tupac" by Emilio Rodriguez, running July 15 through August 7, 2022. When a young black high school student creates an unconventional portrait of God for a student art exhibition, her white and Latina teachers must decide whether to encourage her provocative approach or convince her to choose a more traditional path. But is it her expression that needs rethinking - or those that want her to assimilate? A fresh and funny exploration of political correctness and societal expectations that turns code-switching upside down. Directed by David Wolber.

Theatre NOVA is located at 410 W Huron St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. To accommodate families with children, "An Almost British Christmas" will hold performances on Fridays at 7:30 p.m, Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

General admission tickets for plays are $22. Tickets for the holiday musical panto are $25 for adults and $10 for children, and "Sing Happy!" tickets are $30. In addition, Theatre NOVA continues to make theatre accessible by offering pay-what-you-can tickets for those who need them at all performances, excluding their fundraiser, "Sing Happy!"

Tickets, memberships, flex passes, and subscriptions may be purchased online at www.TheatreNOVA.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person one hour before each performance. Seating in the theatre will begin 30 minutes before each performance. There is ample free parking, and quick access to the city's restaurants, bars, bakeries, and coffee shops. New patrons can find Theatre NOVA across Huron Street from Ann Arbor's YMCA, through a parking lot entrance on the north side of the street. For more information, visit www.TheatreNOVA.org.

Theatre NOVA's mission is to raise awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and playwrights and to provide resources for playwrights to develop their craft by importing, exporting, and developing new work.

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