What to know about Detroit’s small but lively theater scene

Hey there! Welcome back to all things culture and community. As always we’re here to connect you to all Detroit has to offer its residents.

Readers have mentioned an interest in live theater coverage, and we’re happy to oblige. We’re theater newbies ourselves, so let’s learn more about that scene together. And coming up at the end of the month, we did find a performance we’re excited about — y es totalmente en español.

How to become a theatergoer in Detroit (and why you should)

Entertainment in Detroit has always been a point of pride for the city, particularly music. But lesser known is live theater, even with dozens of theaters scattered in and around Detroit.

There are three different types of theaters. Most people are familiar with touring houses like the Fisher Theater , where shows that are part of a larger theater run stop in town and bring what can be big name productions or actors. Then there are alternative theaters like Matrix Theatre Co. or The Ringwald in Ferndale known for their improv or experimental shows, pushing the envelope with social commentary.

Equity theaters have also made a name for themselves in the city. These theaters only work with actors and stage managers unionized with the Actors’ Equity Association for their shows. Detroit Repertory Theatre , Detroit Public Theatre and Plowshares Theatre Co. are all Equity theaters in the city.

Interested in tapping into your inner Shakespeare, but don’t know where to start? I chatted with Leah Smith, executive artistic director of the Detroit Repertory Theatre, about the city’s live theater scene, attending shows and more.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Outlier: Why is having a vibrant live theater presence in Detroit important?

Theater is a new coverage area for us, so we’d love to know if you’re into it. Are you a theater kid at heart or IRL, or simply curious to learn more about Detroit’s performing arts scene? Email me: samya@outliermedia.org ! Just a 🎭 emoji will do, but extra credit if you tell me what kinds of stories you’d like to read or the last play you saw.

Leah Smith: Live theater brings people face to face with each other. In the pandemic years, we were literally told to stay away from each other. Now, more than ever, I think coming to the theater is so important in bringing us back together, getting away from the devices we thought were keeping us entertained.

Live theater enlightens us. It brings us in the same room to witness stories that we may see ourselves in or see cautionary tales of what decisions not to make. It does something for the community.

What does a typical show season look like?

Each theater is a little different. At the Detroit Rep, our season begins in October or November and runs through the end of June or July. Currently, we’re doing eight-week runs of each show with four showings a week.

Everything is different (since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic). We used to do six performances per week, but now we do four as we rebuild.

How can people stay up to date on the plays happening?

There isn’t an easy answer to that.

First and foremost, they have to do their research and find those Equity theaters. There’s the Actors’ Equity Association website , but that list is national so you would search by state and city, then go to each individual Equity theater’s website.

There’s another online source called Encore Michigan that reviews and lists everything that’s happening in theater.

Is there any audience etiquette that people should be aware of?

Theater is a sacred artistic space. Come prepared to be in community with strangers. Come prepared to open your hearts and your mind, and maybe meet some new people to talk about what you’ve just experienced.

Other than that, every theater is different. At the Rep, we’re trying to create an environment that’s very much about community and mingling with strangers. Part of our mission is to democratize the art and make it completely accessible for anyone. We’ve been doing it for 67 years.

But there’s no dress codes. Of course, turn your cell phones off, and keep your mind and heart open.

What’s an Equity theater?

The Detroit Repertory is a regional Equity theater. “Equity” refers to the Actors’ Equity Association . It’s the labor union for professional actors and stage managers. There are a number of Equity theaters across the state of Michigan.

Detroit Repertory is producing theater entirely from local professional talent. We provide jobs to unionized professional actors and stage managers in and from Detroit.

Is there a difference in Equity theaters?

Yes. A lot of people don’t know that our actors here on these stages are actually working artists. They’re not doing it for free in the Equity theaters.

Each Equity theater negotiates with the union based on how much they sell their tickets for, how big their houses are, how large their cast size is and how many shows they produce per season. Actors and stage managers receive a guaranteed minimum salary, plus pension and health benefits.

The minimum salary varies, but you’re basically looking at how many hours a week your contract asks the actors to be rehearsing or performing. So if their minimum workweek is 24 hours like a part-time job, it’ll be a couple hundred dollars a week.

I think all of the Equity theaters would say that we’re trying to create the possibility of a professional life in the theater for people who actually live here in Michigan, as opposed to the old cliché of going to one of the coasts and trying to build a professional life as an actor or a stage manager, or a theater-maker in general.

One quick recommendation

Spanish speakers and musical theater lovers, this one’s for you. If you’re willing to travel west to Ypsilanti for some live theater, stop in for Black and Brown Theatre’s newest musical “Luna vacía.”

The play is an interpretation of a Caribbean folktale similar to “The Giving Tree,” explaining why the moon only appears at night performed entirely in Spanish.

“There’s a little bit of R&B, a little bit of funk, pop and Latin music. We have a little bit of everything going on,” said Emilio Rodriguez , a University of Michigan theater and drama lecturer. Rodriguez said now was the perfect time to do a Spanish-only play.

“Michigan is this wonderful mix of different people, and if we lean into and celebrate that, hopefully we can realize we all have a lot in common.”

The musical features University of Michigan theater students Nova Brown , Drew Perez-Harris and Natasha Rodriguez . The students also work with professional actors Daniel Lugo and Miriam Navarrete .

“American media is very targeted toward English speakers,” said freshman Natasha Rodriguez, who plays Valeria in the play. “That displays a twisted reality that only one kind of thing can be cool or inspiring. There’s so much beauty in so many different cultures, so I think it’s really important for us to be sharing a timeless story.”

“Lucia vacía” opens for one night only on March 30 at 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Performing Arts Center in Ypsilanti. Tickets are free, and seating is first come, first serve. Run time is about one hour.

Live theater quick hits

🪄 Detroit Repertory Theatre just began its run of “ Annabella in July ,” a magical fantasy about perception and identity. The show runs on weekends through May 5.

🎵 Cher once said, “Until you’re ready to look foolish, you’ll never have the possibility of being great.” Hear more words of wisdom from the “Believe” singer at “The Cher Show,” a biographical, Tony Award-winning jukebox musical . It runs at the Fisher Theatre through March 24.

🏠 Looking to root for a down-on-his-luck drug addict? Stop by Matrix Theater’s production of “Material Advantage, an irreverent comedy and social commentary set in Detroit’s eastside. The show runs through March 24.

🏳️‍🌈 Remember what it was like to be sixteen and in love? The Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale will give you that warm feeling in its coming-of-age play “Beautiful Thing” running through April 1. Don’t forget the tissues, ya big softie.

Correction: This article was changed after initial publication to reflect the fact that not all local equity theaters have a policy to work only with local actors.

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