There is Still Time to Catch Cornerstone’s “Much Ado About Nothing”!

From the Cornerstone University Theatre website:

From the cast of “Much Ado About Nothing” – Jordan Van Dyke and Sarah Bobis as “Margaret” and “Ursula”

Shakespeare’s classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.

As the play begins, Leonato, a nobleman living in the idyllic Italian town of Messina, prepares to welcome friends home from a war. When the soldiers arrive at Leonato’s home, Claudio quickly falls in love with Leonato’s daughter, Hero. Meanwhile, a witty war of insults in resumed between Benedick and Beatrice (Leonato’s niece). Claudio and Hero become engaged and in the week before their wedding, friends pass the time with a series of tricks set up to make Beatrice and Benedick stop arguing and fall in love.

The villain of the play, Don John, sets out to disrupt everyone’s happiness. He sets a trap for Claudio, convincing him that Hero has been unfaithful. The enraged Claudio humiliates Hero by abandoning her at the altar. Friends of Hero hide her away and convince Claudio that she has died of shock and grief. Leonato tells Claudio that as his punishment, he must declare Hero’s innocence and marry Leonato’s niece. Claudio prepares to marry the mysterious, masked woman he thinks is Hero’s cousin. When Hero reveals herself as the masked woman, Claudio is overwhelmed with joy. Benedick asks Beatrice to marry him; after some arguing she agrees. The joyful lovers all have a merry dance before they celebrate their double wedding.

Production Information:
Last show! Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets:
$8 General Public | $5 CU Community (current students, staff and faculty)

Location:
Matthews Performing Arts Center, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
3000 Leonard NE, Grand Rapids, Mich.

CU Theatre Presents: “Black Comedy” Running Now

Looking for some fun theatre this weekend? Check out CU Theatre’s Black Comedy!

A 90-minute farce staged under a reversed lighting scheme:

The action begins in the dark until a short circuit occurs, illuminating the stage to reveal the characters in a “blackout.” Only the audience can see what’s really happening – a chaotic, disastrous and frantic romp with unexpected visitors, mistaken identities and surprises lurking in every dark corner!

Brindsley, a young sculptor, and his debutante fiancee Carol have borrowed some expensive, antique furniture from his neighbor Harold’s flat without his permission in order to impress an elderly millionaire art collector coming to view Brindsley’s work, and Carol’s father, Colonel Melkett. When the power fails, Harold returns early, and Brindsley’s ex-girlfriend, Clea, shows up unexpectedly, things slide into disaster for him.

Written by: Peter Shaffer

Directed by: Jennifer Hunter

Cast:

Brindsley Miller – Josiah Duff

Carol Melkett – Laura Barbieri

Miss Furnival – Paige Bourne

Colonel Melkett – Brandon Alberda

Harold Gorringe – Kris Roop

Schuppanzigh – Matt Praschan

Clea – Anna Van Hoff

Production Information and Dates:

April 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12, 2014 • 7:30 p.m. | April 6, 2014 • 2:30 p.m.

Matthews Performing Arts Center, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary | 3000 Leonard NE | Grand Rapids, Mich.

Tickets:

$12 adults | $10 students/seniors | $5 CU students (must present valid ID) Go to Cornerstone’s website for more information on tickets.

Special Events:

Alumni Reception – Friday, April 11. Connect with fellow alumni during intermission while enjoying refreshments that take their cues from “Black Comedy.”

Friday Night Talk Back – April 11. The directors, cast, crew and production staff give you insider information on the show.

 

 

“Little Shop of Horrors” by Cornerstone University Theatre

A down-and-out floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood.

Soon, “Audrey II” grows into an ill-tempered, R&B-singing carnivore who offers Seymour fame and fortune in exchange for feeding the plant’s growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination!

One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time, this affectionate spoof of the 1950s sci-fi movies has become a household name, thanks to a highly successful film version and a score by the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who redefined the animated musical film with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Audiences may also be familiar with the 1986 film version directed by Frank Oz. Charming, tuneful and hilarious, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Little Shop of Horrors will not fail to keep you entertained!

Production Dates: Nov. 21, 22 & 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Peter Wege Auditorium, Wealthy Theatre | 1130 Wealthy SE | Grand Rapids, Mich.

Tickets:

$12 adults | $10 students/seniors $5 CU students (must present valid ID)

Special Events:

• Friday Night Talk Back – Friday, Nov. 22   The directors, cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors give you insider information on the show.

Learn more on Cornerstone University’s website or on the Cornerstone University Theatre’s Facebook page.

 

Opening at Cornerstone University: “The 39 Steps”

From the Cornerstone University website:

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced who-dunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This 2-time Tony^® and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, more than 150 zany characters (played by a talented cast of four), an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good old-fashioned romance! A man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she’s a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on the man’s tail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale! A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft, The 39 Steps amounts to an unforgettable evening of pure pleasure!

Click here for a sneak peak at this fast-paced comedy!

Adapted by: Patrick Barlow
From the novel by: John Buchan
From the movies of: Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited, and an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon

Guest Director: Deb Keller
Stage Manager: Anné Hanson
Assistant Director: Sarah Walton

Dates:
Sept. 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 at 7:30 p.m. | Sept. 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets:
$12 adults | $10 students/seniors
Order online or call 616.516.0000.

Cast:
Hannay: Ian Grell
Clown 1: Kirk Laing
Clown 2: Shane Hurst
Annabella/Margaret/Pamela: Paige Bourne
Live Voices/Radio Announcer: David Frazee

Special Events:
Learn more about these and other events by visiting Cornerstone’s Special Events page.

• Opening Night Dessert Reception – Friday, Sept. 21   Enjoy delicious post-show desserts and meet the cast and crew of the show!
• Friday Night Talk Backs – Sept. 21 & 28   The directors, cast and crew of The 39 Steps give you insider information on the show.
• Alumni VIP Reception – Sept. 28  Spend intermission with fellow alumni, enjoying refreshments that take their cues from The 39 Steps.

“The 1940’s Radio Hour” at Cornerstone University Opens This Weekend

Looking for a fun musical holiday treat? Check out Cornerstone University’s The 1940’s Radio Hour.  From the Cornerstone website:

The 1940’s Radio Hour
Book by Walton Jones. Based on an idea by Walton Jones and Carol Lees. Music by various composers.

This holiday season, bring your family to a new Christmas tradition: The 1940’s Radio Hour. Full of dancing, singing, laughter, and some of the greatest 1940s songs ever written, including “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Jingle Bells,” “Blue Moon” and the unforgettable “Merry Little Christmas.”

Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane into a backdrop of World War II, setting the stage for swinging big band music and old fashioned situation comedy of a bygone year. It’s Christmastime in 1942 when pop music meant “Strike Up the Band” and “Ain’t She Sweet.” A harassed producer copes with a drunk lead singer, the delivery boy wants a chance in front of the mike, the torch singer raises temperatures in the studio, and the trumpet playing sound effects man chooses a fighter plane over Glenn Miller. A Christmas must!

Production Dates and Times:

Dec 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 at 7:30pm
Dec 4 and 11 at 2:30pm

To purchase tickets and get more information, go to the Cornerstone University website, or check them out on Facebook.