Mr. Marmalade
Actors' Theatre, Grand Rapids
Jan. 28-30, Feb. 4-6, 8 p.m.
$22
actorstheatregrandrapids.com, (616) 234-3946
If people are to take away anything from Noah Haidle's Mr. Marmalade, it should be noted how much the exchange from artist to audience is worth.
Haidle, East Grand Rapids' native son, is a successful playwright based in New York who has built a career writing the unconventional. The thoughts and ideas behind a show like Mr. Marmalade are not for everyone. Ironically, that includes the characters themselves.
The events center on the imagination of Lucy, a neglected child of divorce. Played by Krystina Schripsema, she describes Lucy as, "a very mature four year-old, especially with the way she speaks and most of the situations she deals with in the play."
Those situations are indeed very mature, ranging from her mother's many late night trysts, to her friendship with a suicidal five year-old, to her adoption of a complete mess of an imaginary friend. Jon Clausen, the actor who plays Mr. Marmalade is very solemn when discussing of the show's language, "That frankly, should never be a part of a conversation between preschoolers."
Lucy's ground zero level exposure to the pervasive sex, drugs, and violence that are a part of her home weigh heavily on the only thing over which she has any control - her imagination. What would normally shock most adults is presented within the spaces of Lucy's mind as child's play.
The piece is rife with adult themes, and the juxtaposition of those ideas against the backdrop of a child's imagination is what makes for an emotionally pleasing experience for theatre goers, according to the show's director, Shelly Urbane.
Urbane hopes the audience will see the dark comedy for what it is - a comedy, and audiences will walk away with an understanding that, "Children see and hear everything adults do, and what they observe will manifest through their imaginations."
The show, which is Schripsema's second and Clausen's first for Actors', will add to the long standing tradition the theatre has gained for showing significant works which do better off the beaten path.
Keep in mind, while the show was written to play up a child's sensibilities, this show is not for children. Instead, bring an open mind and be prepared for a surreal journey.
Other Theatre Listings
Menopause Musical
Miller Auditorium, Kalamazoo
Jan. 29-31
$42, show times at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
millerauditorium.com, (269) 387-2300
Just in case you missed it last time around, Menopause the Musical will complete another cycle when it comes back to Kalamazoo. Full of song parodies spanning four decades, four ladies try to make sense, or rather, make fun of "The Change." What usually takes half a lifetime to reach is explored in an hour and a half in what can only be described as the polar opposite to The Vagina Monologues. Laughs, lingerie, and ladies singing; that's exactly the kind of hot flash Michigan needs in late January.
Moon Over Buffalo
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
30 N. Division Ave NE, Grand Rapids
Jan. 15-31
$14-$15
grct.org, (616) 222-6650
Moon Over Buffalo seeks to answer a seemingly simple question: Is there life after theatre? Ken Ludwig's fractured fairy tale for actors gives theatergoers a peek at life behind the curtain. George and Charlotte Hay are older, struggling actors who may have a new shot at stardom when they get a call from Hollywood. Blending physical comedy with classic farce, Moon Over Buffalo was a successful run on Broadway, and one audiences will not want to miss it.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre
329 S. Park St, Kalamazoo
Jan. 15-30
$9-$22
kazoocivic.com, (269) 343-1313
Audiences were treated to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee when Broadway Grand Rapids brought the touring company to town last April. Now it's Kalamazoo's turn. The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre will be performing their interpretation of the Tony Award winning musical with lots of hometown talent. While this sure fire hit will please audiences, it might be best to leave the little ones at home since some of the humor may be ironically inappropriate.
