“Escanaba In Love” comes to St. Dunstan’s Theatre!, originally uploaded by FatherDalton.
Jeff Daniels’ Escanaba in Love
comes to St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Cranbrook
A Prequel to the enormously popular “Escanaba in da Moonlight”!
Jeff Daniels has a knack for telling great stories about Michigan – and St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild has a knack for presenting top-notch productions of his plays. This time, the Soady Deer Camp returns to the St. Dunstan’s stage with Escanaba in Love March 16-31 2012.
This hilarious comedy is the prequel to Escanaba in Da Moonlight, which St. Dunstan’s produced in 2010. Escanaba in Love brings the same Yooper humor, but this time adds a little romance. The play takes place during World War II where we are introduced to an 18 year old Albert Soady, Jr. played by Ryan Dawley (Royal Oak). He is celebrating his final hunting season before joining the U.S. Army when he falls head-over-heels for the legendary Big Betty Balou, played by Deb Dworkin (Farmington Hills). The question is, does she have what it takes to become part of Escanaba’s “royal” family?
The role of “Salty” Jim Negamanee will be played by Thom Griffin (Ferndale), who is the same actor who played Jimmer Nagamanee in Escanaba in Da Moonlight – so that makes him his own Grandfather! Also joining the cast is Al Rosie (Birmingham) as Alphonse Soady and John Tonkovich (Canton) as Albert Soady, Sr.
Director Mark Walters (Birmingham) is thrilled to be at the helm of another Jeff Daniels play at St. Dunstan’s. He also directed last season’s production of Tropical Pickle and 2010’s Escanaba in Da Moonlight. He is looking forward to directing his third straight Jeff Daniels play and says “Escanaba in Love is sure to tickle your funny bone while pulling on your heart strings.”
Escanaba in Love was written by Jeff Daniels and premiered at The Purple Rose Theatre in 2006, in Chelsea, Michigan. Daniels calls Escanaba in Love a “backwoods Romeo and Juliet,” because what’s being hunted in this prequel is not a buck, however, but a girl.
St. Dunstan’s will present Escanaba in Love on March 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 30, and 31. All performances are at 8:00 p.m. except for March 25, which is at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are general admission and cost $20 each for adults and $18 each for students and seniors. Group rates are also available. To reserve tickets call 1-888-71-TICKETS or visit www.StDunstansTheatre.com.
St. Dunstan’s is located at 400 Lone Pine Road between Lahser and Cranbrook roads. Parking is available in front of the theatre or across the street at Christ Church Cranbrook.
St. Dunstan’s Theatre Guild of Cranbrook is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the ideal of excellence in local theatre, and offers theatrical productions open to the public between October and June each year.
