My son is 11, and hilarious.  So I’m stepping in the shower as he’s getting out (well, I sort of rushed him in a "Towel off Tiny, the rest of us have to shower" kinda way), and as I step in I notice the settings are weird. 

"Max, why are the HOT and COLD both up so high?"

"Oh, when I take a shower, I turn the HOT and COLD up all the way, then I just adjust them down a tiny bit at a time until it’s right." 

*sigh*

So, with the water in the shower looking more like liquid money just washing down the drain, we held an impromptu little lesson in "How To Shower Without Wasting Money Or Water". 

Y’know… raising kids presents new and exciting challenges every day… and little reminders that it’s the little details that make the big differences!

REVIEW: And The Creek Don’t Rise

Williamston Theatre

Williamston ends season with sure-fire hit!

By Donald V. Calamia 

On paper, Williamston Theatre’s current production of And The Creek Don’t Rise sounds like a delightful summertime comedy. For starters, it’s the world premiere of a script by local playwright Joseph Zettelmaier, whose previous efforts earned him local and national accolades. Then there’s the cast – each of whom is among the best Michigan’s industry has to offer. Then to top it off, the behind-the-scenes folks are fine artisans excellent at their crafts.

So with a pedigree this good, how could it miss, I asked myself on the drive to Williamston.

By 9:45 p.m. or so on opening night I had my answer – and based on the comments I overheard while standing in the theater’s lobby after the performance, I suspect most people agreed with me: And The Creek Don’t Rise is a sure-fire, don’t-miss hit!

Zettelmaier’s warm and charming story opens in Carson, Georgia where Rob (John Lepard) and Maddie (Kate Peckham) Graff have relocated from Michigan. Maddie, a veterinarian, arrived weeks before her unemployed and slightly older husband, and he’s having a tough time adjusting to their new life. When their closest neighbor, retired doctor and Civil War re-enactor Dr. Benjamin Boggs (Thomas D. Mahard), comes a ‘calling with a housewarming gift to welcome them to town, friction immediately develops between the men. And the "friendly" rivalry that ensues takes North-South aggression to hilarious, but potentially life-threatening extremes.

Zettelmaier, whose recent work includes It Came From Mars and Salvage, once again tackles fresh territory – this time, a fish-out-of-water story. And he does so by creating fully fleshed-out and believable characters that everyone can identify with and relate to. After all, who among us hasn’t felt out of place at one time or another – at a new job, after moving into a different neighborhood or even at a party? But as usual, it’s Zettelmaier’s crisp dialogue that especially sparkles – enhanced by the superb delivery by the show’s three actors.

Lepard is a master at delivering asides and quips, and one has to wonder if Zettelmaier wrote the role of Rob with Lepard in mind. (It’s a perfect fit for the lanky actor.)

Peckham earns plenty of laughs with her "there’s no doubt what I’m trying to tell you" facial expressions. And her intense focus never wavers.

And Mahard is thoroughly delightful as their proud and gentlemanly Southern neighbor. But keep a close watch on his face, because even the slightest change reveals much about his character’s motives.

The production is well-served by director Joseph Albright, last seen in Williamston’s While We Were Bowling. Zettelmaier’s script is ultimately a story about human connections, and Albright expertly delivers both its warmth and its humor with great care and affection. His pacing is excellent, as well.

Daniel C. Walker’s set – mostly the exterior of the Graff’s house, plus various moveable set pieces – and Reid G. Johnson’s lighting design effectively work together to tell the story. (What impressed and surprised me was the hospital bed: It was the quietest I’d ever seen; you never hear it come rolling onto the stage during a scene change.)

As the play opens, Rob calls his new hometown a place "where culture goes to die." That’s certainly not the case with Williamston. Rather, with such fine programming courtesy of the Williamston Theatre, it’s a destination where people can visit for a fine cultural experience!

You know what a great night is?

Coming home from a wonderful night at the theatre, and finding out that your wife has baked a homemade rhubarb/berry pie…
…and there’s a piece waiting for you…
…and it’s still warm from the oven.

Awesome.

I’m really excited about the lineup for next season – a new play, a new musical, some heartfelt warm fuzzies, some serious topics, some dark biting humor,  just the right amount of make-you-misty-eyed-lump-in-your-throat moments, and a whole lotta laughs!

The Williamston Theatre
2011-2012 Season

The Dead Guy 

by Eric Coble

Directed by Tony Caselli
A co-production with the Michigan State University Department of Theatre
September 29 – October 30, 2011

•The Pitch: You get one million dollars to spend over the next seven days. A camera crew follows your every move and broadcasts your adventures on national television.

•The Hook: At the end of the week…you die.

•The Best Part: The viewing audience gets to vote on the method of your death! For hard-luck Eldon Phelps, the deal is irresistible. But does America have the stomach for this much reality? 

A wicked satire, this hilarious dark comedy skewers "reality television" and our national obsession with it.

*Contains Mature Language and Themes

This Wonderful Life

by Steve Murray
Directed by Tony Caselli
November 25 – December 23, 2011 

Back by popular demand!  John Lepard returns to the Williamston stage in his award-winning role as George Bailey, Mr. Potter, and the entire population of Bedford Falls in this theatrical re-telling of the classic holiday film It’s A Wonderful Life.  Superbly adapted from the most irresistible and entertaining “what if” story of all time, this one-man tour de force reminds us of the power of perspective, friendship and faith.  A holiday experience for the whole family.

“If you’re impressed…you should be.” – Martin Kohn, EncoreMichigan

Dead Man’s Shoes 

by Joseph Zettelmaier
Directed by David WolberA co-production with Performance Network Theatre
January 26 – February 26  

A World Premiere from a Michigan playwright!

The year is 1883.  The notorious outlaw Injun Bill Picote has escaped from prison, along with a hard-luck drunk named Froggy.  The unlikely partners endure trials and bizarre misadventures as they set out to right a terrible wrong in this outrageous new dark comedy about life, friendship and vengeance in the Wild West.  As Bill’s past catches up with him, and Froggy helps him discover his long-ignored conscience, a question arises: Is the hope of a better life stronger than the need to avenge the death of a friend? What starts out as a sweeping epic tale boils down to an incredibly funny, insightful and deeply personal journey for two men… and a pair of shoes.

*Contains Mature Language and Themes

The Usual: A Musical Love Story
Directed by Tony Caselli

Book and Lyrics by Alan Gordon 
Music by Mark Sutton-Smith

March 22 – April 22, 2012

 
The World Premiere of an exciting new musical!
Take one lonely guy, add a shot of lonely girl and a dash of spunky bartender, blend and serve!  Two strangers, each unhappy with their love lives, have a chance encounter in a bar where “the usual” isn’t usual at all. Join Kip, Valerie and Sam as they navigate the treacherous waters of dating, romance and relationships.  This modern musical journey through love and life will keep you coming back for more.

*Contains Mature Themes

The Understudy
By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Rob Roznowski
May 17 – June 17, 2012

Jake is a mid-level action film star seeking legitimacy by acting in a Broadway play.  Harry is a middle-aged journeyman actor who may or may not be just a little bitter about understudying a mid-level action film star in a Broadway play.  Roxanne just wants to run the rehearsal without anyone killing anyone else. Take a trip behind the scenes as a trio of theatre professionals struggle to balance ego, art and commerce in this biting, thoughtful comedy that highlights the ridiculous and fleeting nature of fame. 
*Contains Mature Language

Red, White and Tuna
By Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard
Directed by John Lepard
July 12 – August 19, 2012

Reprising their roles from our smash-hit production of Greater Tuna, the hilarious team of Aral Gribble and Wayne David Parker return for the outrageous summertime sequel, once again portraying the entire population of the town in this quick-change comedy.  The 4th of July in Tuna, Texas means it’s time for the Tuna High School Class Reunion, and the return of some of your favorite Tuna residents, like Petey Fisk and Reverend Spikes, as well as some outlandish newcomers!  You won’t want to miss this loving, side-splitting satire of life where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.

Williamston Theatre presents Songs, Friends and Fun: A Fundraiser for the Williamston Theatre