2012 SEASON PRESS RELEASE

DOWNLOAD AN ELECTRONIC SEASON BROCHURE

CABARET | ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT | THE ADVENTURE OF TREASURE ISLAND | HAIR |
SEE HOW THEY RUN | THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL | CABARET PERFORMANCE SERIES

2012 Season Tickets

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CABARET [MUSICAL]

BOOK BY Joe Masteroff
BASED ON THE PLAY BY John Van Druten & STORIES BY Christopher Isherwood
MUSIC BY John Kander  & LYRICS BY Fredd Ebb

MAY 10 – 12, 7:30pm
MAY 16 – 19, 7:30pm
MAY 20, 5:00pm
MAY 23 – 26, 7:30PM 

Kicking off the 60th Anniversary season in May is the musical CABARET.  CABARET was first presented on the Circle stage at the John Ball Park Pavilion in 1977.  Based on Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Stories, featuring a book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, the musical CABARET is the story of Cliff, an American writer who comes to Berlin at the dawn of the Hitler era. He falls in with the denizens of the decadent Kit Kat Klub, and takes as his roommate the club's former star attraction, Sally Bowles. As he struggles to write a novel, he witnesses the blindness and self-deception of a group of people who allow Nazism to gradually take control while they are emotionally and spiritually "fast asleep." A spectral cabaret emcee comments on the story in a series of increasingly pointed nightclub songs.  The Tony Award winning score features such hits as "Willkommen," "So What," "Don't Tell Mama" and the title song, “Cabaret.”  Circle will truly be honoring to its roots by presenting this production in the round, where audiences are seated on all sides of the stage.

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $23
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $25

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ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT [COMEDY]

BY Jeff Daniels

JUNE 7 – 9, 7:30pm
JUNE 13 – 16, 7:30pm
JUNE 17, 5:00pm
JUNE 20 – 23, 7:30pm

When the Soady clan reunites for the opening day of deer season at the family's Upper Peninsula camp, thirty-five-year-old Reuben Soady brings with him the infamous reputation of being the oldest Soady in the history of the Soadys never to bag a buck. In a hunting story to beat all hunting stories, ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT spins a hilarious tale of humor, horror and heart as Reuben goes to any and all lengths to remove himself from the wrong end of the family record book.

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $21
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $23

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HAIR [MUSICAL]

BOOK & LYRICS BY Gerome Ragni & James Rado
MUSIC BY Galt MacDermot

JULY 12 – 14, 7:30pm
JULY 18 – 21, 7:30pm
JULY 22, 5:00pm
JULY 25 – 28, 7:30pm 

HAIR defines the '60's generation by examining a group of young adults struggling for generational and personal identity.  HAIR features music by Galt MacDermot with a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado.  The musical tells the story of a group of friends choosing to speak up and sing out.  A celebration of life, a love letter to freedom, and a passionate cry for hope and change; the first great rock musical, it has some of the most rousing and soulful songs ever written for the stage, including “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Easy to be Hard,” “Good Morning Starshine,” “Aquarius” and the infectious title song, “Hair.”  “HAIR” was previously produced by Circle during the 1989 summer season.

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $23
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $25

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SEE HOW THEY RUN [FARCE]

BY Philip King

AUGUST 9 – 11, 7:30pm
AUGUST 15 – 18, 7:30pm
AUGUST 19, 5:00pm
AUGUST 22 – 25, 7:30pm

Previously presented by Circle during summer of 1980, SEE HOW THEY RUN is British farce at its best, complete with slamming doors, mistaken identities and, of course, missing trousers.  The play, well known for being fast and funny, is set in the idyllic village of Merton-cum-Middlewick, where the village inhabitants are preparing themselves for the imminent threat of Nazi invasion.  Resident busy-body, Miss Skillon, becomes convinced that her beloved vicar’s actress wife is having an affair and attempts to expose her. Add an escaped German prisoner of war, a handsome actor, the visiting Bishop of Lax, a rotund locum priest and some meddling neighbors and you have all the ingredients for a classic British comedy.

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $21
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $23

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THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL
[MUSICAL COMEDY]

MUSIC & LYRICS BY David Nehls
BOOK BY Betsy Kelso 

SEPTEMBER 6 – 8, 7:30pm
SEPTEMBER 12 – 15, 7:30pm
SEPTEMBER 16, 5:00pm
SEPTEMBER 19 – 22, 7:30pm

2012 Audience Choice Musical!

THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICALwill not only be making its Circle Theatre debut, but its Grand Rapids theatre debut as well.  This outrageous musical comedy, with music and lyrics by David Nehls and a book by Betsy Kelso, is set in the fictional town of Starke, Florida, in the Armadillo Acres trailer park.  TRAILER PARK centers around regular guy Norbert and his agoraphobic wife, Jeannie, whose marriage is threatened by Armadillo Acres’ newest resident – a hot young stripper named Pippi. This hilarious country-rock and blues musical about adultery, ’80s nostalgia, spray cheese, road kill, hysterical pregnancy, a broken electric chair, kleptomania, strippers, flan, and disco is an absolute hootenanny of a show.  It is the theatrical equivalent of a bag of Doritos, complete with orange residue left on your fingertips: You know every minute is bad for you, but you can't get enough!

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $23
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $25

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THE ADVENTURE OF TREASURE ISLAND 
[MAGIC CIRCLE]

DRAMATIZED BY Max Bush
TAKEN FROM THE STORY BY Robert Louis Stevenson

JUNE 28, 7:30pm 
JUNE 29, 10:00am & 1:00pm 
JUNE 30, 10:00am & 1:00pm
JULY 1, 1:00pm & 3:00pm

Circle is once again teaming up with longtime Magic Circle collaborator Max Bush to present THE ADVENTURES OF TREASURE ISLAND. TREASURE ISLAND was previously presented as part final season at the John Ball Park Pavilion in 2003.  The story, taken from the Robert Louis Stevenson classic tells the tale of young Jim Hawkins who longs for adventure and dreams of sailing.  When the old sea dog Captain appears with his tales and treasure map, Jim is thrust into the intrigue and begins to live his dreams.  Jim takes the map, eludes pirates and sets sail for the mysterious Treasure Island.  Aboard ship, he meets Long John Silver with whom he develops a strong friendship that is to be tested and threatened, and we wait to see if Jim will indeed defeat the pirates and secure the treasure. 

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $8
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $10

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2012 CABARET
PERFORMANCE SERIES 

The Cabaret Series performs on select Monday evenings throughout the summer and begins at 7:00PM

IN THE MOOD:
[big band & swing]
May 21
Join us for a romantic and thrilling journey through the greatest hits of the big band era, featuring the River City Jazz Ensemble and vocalists Larry Young and Cassandra Caye.  In the Mood features timeless songs like “Come Fly With Me,” “Route 66,” “Kalamazoo,” the title tune “In The Mood” and more.

UNPLUGGED:
[acoustic]
June 11, July 23, & September 10
Circle is turning down the distortion and turning up the melody with an evening of acoustic music!  Hear some of GR’s top-notch talent perform some of your favorite acoustic favorites and some unexpected renditions!  Some of the artists we’ll be paying tribute to are Paul Simon, The Doobie Brothers, Huey Lewis & the News and Tom Petty.  Don’t miss this unique musical event.

MOONSHINE SERENADE:
[classic country]
June 18, & August 13
Join Kelly Carey for a night of hilarious comedy and songs from the Golden Era of Country Music.  Featuring artists like: Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, LeAnn Rimes, Dixie Chicks, Rascal Flatts and more!  Put on your boots and hat and grab a can of Coors Light because we’ll be pickin’ and sangin’ till the cows come home!

LET IT BE:
[a beatles tribute]
July 16, August 20 & September 17
Circle Theatre forever changed the theater scene in West Michigan, so in its anniversary season, we pay tribute to another icon of our time: The Beatles!  Hear some of Circle’s brightest stars singing your favorite tunes by this legendary foursome.  Covering their multi-decade long career as a group as well as tunes from the solo careers of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

TICKET PRICES:
Season Ticket Holders: $15
Non-Season Ticket Holders: $17