THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP

A Gothic Farce by Charles Ludlam

OCTOBER 7, 2004 – DECEMBER 18, 2004

A delightfully campy tribute to Gothic horror films, liberally stealing from “Wuthering Heights,” “The Mummy’s Curse” and Hitchcock’s “Rebecca,” two actors play all eight of the play’s characters, racing through a literal quick change marathon complete with nasty werewolves, sneaky vampires and damsels in distress. Throw in a few crazy plot twists, and “The Mystery of Irma Vep” guarantees fun for everyone.

Directed by Anthony Caselli

CAST:

  • John Seibert
  • John Lepard
  • Set Designer: Vincent Mountain
  • Properties Designer: Danna Segrest
  • Costume Designer: Darcy Elora Hofer
  • Lighting Designer: Reid G. Johnson
  • Sound Designer: Joel Klain
  • Stage Manager: Amy Hickman

PRESS QUOTES

“From rapid costume changes, to hidden dungeons, to an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, Irma Vep is a non-stop carnival of the damned funny”

– On Stage

“Both Lepard and Seibert are terrific, camping up their various roles (as well as the scenario’s melodrama) while bustling through scenes with unflagging energy.”

– The Ann Arbor News

“John Seibert and John Lepard are outstanding, no matter which characters they’re playing… Director, Anthony Caselli, who has done a magnificent job of bringing this all together, has absolutely recaptured the spirit of Camp culture.”

– Between the Lines

NORMA & WANDA

a World Premiere by Jeff Daniels

JANUARY 20, 2005 – MARCH 19, 2005

Two very different sisters get themselves into an outrageous pickle with an old high school boyfriend, a chaotic church social and a secret family recipe for Christmas sausage.

Directed by Guy Sanville

CAST:

  • Sandra Birch
  • Terry Heck
  • Chris Korte
  • Grant R. Krause
  • Michelle Mountain
  • Jim Porterfield
  • Set Designer: Daniel C. Walker
  • Properties Designer: Danna Segrest
  • Costume Designer: Christianne Myers
  • Lighting Designer: Dana White
  • Sound Designer: Quintessa Gallinat
  • Stage Manager: Amy Hickman

PRESS QUOTES

“Norma and Wanda, Jeff Daniels’ ninth play for the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, delivers just what you might expect from the playwright: a good laugh, clever plot and some beautifully staged theatre.”

– The Detroiter

“Norma and Wanda is wacky and farcical, with plenty of physical comedy and hilarious one-liners, but lurking behind the seemingly silly façade lies a universal truth you won’t expect.”

– Ann Arbor Observer

“Wonderful, just wonderful.”

– Lansing City Pulse

BUS STOP

An American Classic by William Inge

APRIL 7, 2005 – JUNE 4, 2005

During a winter storm a busload of weary travelers are forced to shack up at a roadside diner until morning. In the ensuing hours a warm play enfolds about the intersecting lives of eight ordinary people including a pair of young lovers and their struggles with love, loneliness, acceptance and growing up.

Directed by Guy Sanville

CAST:

  • Molly Thomas
  • Jean Lyle Lepard
  • Grant R. Krause
  • Inga R. Wilson
  • John Lepard
  • Phil Powers
  • Paul Hopper
  • Brian Letscher
  • Set Designer: Daniel C. Walker
  • Properties Designer: Danna Segrest
  • Costume Designer: Darcy Elora Hofer
  • Lighting Designer: Dana White
  • Sound Designer: Quintessa Gallinat
  • Stage Manager: Katie M. Doral

PRESS QUOTES

PRESS QUOTES

“Thanks to outstanding set design, performances and direction, the Purple Rose production brought Inge’s message home with the immediacy and resonance of a heavyweight punch.”

– The Chelsea Standard/Dexter Leader

“The sense of this being a real roadside diner is so strong one can almost smell the exhaust of the bus just outside the door.”

– Lansing City Pulse

“The production has the feel of a labor of love…Little did I know, though, that this affection is contagious; for I found myself, during the course of the evening, falling hopelessly in love with the show, too.”

– The Ann Arbor News

AND THE WINNER IS

a World Premiere by Mitch Albom

JUNE 23, 2005 – AUGUST 27, 2005

Oscar-nominated movie star Tyler Johnes wakes up in a bar solely inhabited by an old Irishman named Seamus. It’s the eve of the Academy Awards, and when Tyler can’t seem to leave the bar, Seamus explains that Tyler has died, and that the bar is a cosmic way station.

Directed by Guy Sanville

CAST:

  • Jerri Doll
  • Paul Hopper
  • Sarab Kamoo
  • Patrick Michael Kenney
  • Grant R. Krause
  • Wayne David Parker
  • Set Designer: Vincent Mountain
  • Properties Designer: Danna Segrest
  • Costume Designer: Christianne Myers
  • Lighting Designer: Reid G. Johnson
  • Sound Designer: Quintessa Gallinat
  • Stage Manager: Michelle DiDomenico

PRESS QUOTES

“Hopper in particular showcases excellent comic timing, but he also – along with Kamoo – injects a sense of grounded human decency that provides the play with a richer texture, and a greater resonance.”

– The Ann Arbor News

“Truly a rare and special thing…one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen.”

– The Detroit Monitor