No Child... is almost here!

Sunkari Clifford Sykes as Janitor at the Matrix
Mainstage Season Preview Party, 8/25/13

(School.  Morning.  JANITOR enters, mopping floor as he sings.)

JANITOR: Trouble in mind.
                  I'm blue.
                 But I won't be blue always.
                 Cuz the sun's gonna shine
                  In my back door someday.

(To audience.) Hear that? Silence.  Beautiful silence, pure silence.  The kind of silence that only comes from spending years in the back woods. We ain't in the back woods (though I'm thinking 'bout retirin' there).  It's 8:04 A.M. - five minutes before the start of the day.  And, we on the second floor of Malcom X High School in the Bronx, USA.  Right over there is my janitor's closet, just right of the girls' bathroom where the smell of makeup, hair pomade and gossip fills the air in the morning light.  

Now, you might say to me, "Jackson Baron Copeford the Third.  Boy, what you doin' up dere on dat stage? You ain't no actor." That I know and neither are these kids you about to meet. (He clears his throat.) What you about to see is a story about a play within a play within a play.  And a teacher (or as she likes to call herself - a teaching artist - just so as people know she do somethin' else on her free time).  The kids call her Ms. Sun and in two minutes from now she gonna walk up them stairs towards the janitor's room and stop right at Ms. Tam's class.  She gonna be something they done never seen before.  Now I know what you're thinking:  "Oh, Baron.  I know about the public schools.  I watch Eyewitness News." What I got to say to that?  HUSH! You don't know unless you been in the schools on a day-to-day basis. HUSH! You don't know unless you been a teacher, administrator, student, or custodial staff.  HUSH!  Cuz you could learn a little sometin'. Here's lesson number one: Taking the 6 train, in eighteen minutes, you can go from Fifty-ninth Street, one of the richest congressional districts in the nation, all the way up to Brook Ave. in the Bronx, where Malcom X High is, the poorest congressional district in the nation.  In only eighteen minutes. HUSH!

That is an excerpt from the opening monologue of No Child... by Nilaja Sun - our first production of the 2013-2014 Mainstage Season.  Sunkari (pictured above) is one of TWO actors in the show.  He plays the janitor.  Morgan Breon is the other cast member.  She plays the other FIFTEEN characters.  We got a little taste of the brilliance of both of them at the preview party about a week ago, and I gotta tell you - even if I had no interest whatsoever in live theatre, the state of our public school system, or arts-infused education, I would STILL consider this an amazing performance.  The ease with which Morgan flows from character to character to character - all of varying ages and ethnicities - is completely unbelievable and absolutely worth the price of admission.

I'm pretty excited about the design elements of this production, too - especially the set!  Here's the rendering that Scenic Designer Adam Crinson provided us with at the last production meeting:

Pretty cool, right?  I think it'll look FANTASTIC in our space!  In other news, we got the season brochure out at the end of last week, so, if you're on our mailing list, you should be receiving it soon!  (And if you're not on our mailing list but would like to be, send an email to mmcmahon@matrixtheatre.org letting Molly know that you'd like to join it!)  In it, you'll see some information about our new Season Ticket program we're offering, so if the season selections interest you, give us a call and we'll set you up with a great discount for tickets to all of the shows.   I also picked up the No Child... postcards this morning, so check your mailboxes for those at the beginning of next week - we'll be dropping them off all around town, too, so keep your eyes peeled!  We're getting down to crunch time on sponsorship and ad sales, too - if you or anyone you know is interested is purchasing an ad (at drop-dead-AWESOME rates!!!), you can contact Molly McMahon at 313-967-0999, ext. 7 for information.  Trust me - it is definitely #worthit.  And just in case you thought we weren't working hard enough around here, I just flagged about a dozen plays to read for next season's selection process.  It never ends around here, and I LOVE IT.  Have a great day, everybody!  ~ Megan 

Time is FLYING!

Hey, everybody!

Can  you believe we're more than halfway through AUGUST?!?! How is that even possible?!  The school year is getting started, which means the Matrix Mainstage Season is gearing up for production, too!  We've been working hard around the office, and CAN'T WAIT for you to see what we have in store for you this year!

If you want a sneak peek, come check out our Matrix Mainstage Season Preview Party this Sunday, August 25th from 2-4pm - it's a garden party in the Matrix Greenspace, right next door to the theater!  We'll have some light appetizers and desserts and we found some recipes for refreshing beverages that sound DELICIOUS! As for the preview part of the party, we'll be showcasing short scenes from each of the three mainstage season productions: No Child..., Visiting Mr. Green, and Collected Stories.  We'll also have ticket blitz opportunities, where you can purchase single tickets or season subscriptions at fantastic discounted rates.  And the best part?  Admission to the Preview Party is FREE!  (We simply ask that you call our box office at 313-967-0599 or email mmcmahon@matrixtheatre.org to let us know you're coming so that we know how many people to plan for.  Easy, right?  Right!)  If you can't make it to the preview party but would like to purchase single tickets ahead of time (we think it might be a good idea), click here for a calendar of performances.  Or, if you want to take advantage of our first-time-ever-offered season ticket plan, call us at the box office number above!

As far as everything else goes, the marketing team has been working on ad sales and sponsorships quite a bit over the last few weeks, and we are pleased to announce that we already have two "Ensemble Member" sponsorships for the production season!  Thanks so much to The Brennan Group and Green Dot Stables for supporting and believing in us - we won't let you down!  If you or someone you know might be interested in purchasing an ad (at an extremely affordable rate) or sponsoring our production season (again, very affordable), let us know!  Contact Molly McMahon at 313-967-0999, ext. 7 for info.  She'll send you a super-fun packet of materials and information for your perusal.  (Megan had a lot of fun learning some graphic design programs this summer and is very pleased with how all of the materials turned out, so the more, the merrier!)

The brochures are in and will be mailed out by the end of this week, so check your mailbox for it next week - and, if you're not on our mailing list but would like to receive snail mail announcements or email updates from us, click here and join in on the fun!  But for now, we're off to seal some envelopes.  Wooo, glue sticks!

Have a great day, everybody - we hope to see you on Sunday!

Summertime!

The summer here at Matrix may have a dark stage, but there is a lot going on upstairs! Here at Matrix, we use the summer for planning and organizing the wonderful upcoming season. Prepping the season includes planning out and putting on fun events to keep Matrix alive in the city.

This past weekend, Matrix Theatre Company came together with the UAW and the NAACP in the city to commemorate the 50th anniversary of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech that he practiced right here in Detroit. The march down Woodward Avenue, from Forest down to Hart Plaza, featured the Matrix Theatre Company’s giant puppet versions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, and Dr. Ralph Bunche. The march was a huge success due to the great efforts of Maryann Angelini and Mary Naoum, and we want to thank everyone who came out and supported this momentous anniversary. Here’s a couple of pictures from the event!

Here's Matrix Theatre's giant hero puppet Ralph Bunche with Matrix Board Presiden Sue Sattler, IHM (right), long-time Matrix supporter Mary Beth Seymour (left), and our fabulous puppet walkers!

A. Phillilp Randolph marches behind the UAW group, Women Creating Caring Communities, with open arms.

Pretty cool, right?

One of the things we do during the summer months is our Summer Creativity Camps! Kids (ages 8-18) can join the Matrix School of Theatre for a couple of weeks over the summer as we begin our second year of the Detroit Dreaming Initiative and focus on “Building the City” through performance, playwriting, and puppetry. In these fun and engaging summer intensives, youth and teens will work with professional artists and use the great art of theatre to explore the community and their place in shaping its’ future. Check out our website for dates, times, and more information!

Adding to all the excitement around here, we have a new intern! Jennifer came to us from Troy, MI and will be helping Megan throughout the summer with media, marketing, and whatever else she can get her hands on. She’s very excited to be working with the amazing staff at Matrix and looks forward to a fun and educational summer!  Thanks for being here, Jenn!

Looking for some fun trivia?  Today in history, acclaimed poet, short story writer, novelist, dramatist, and lyricist Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio. Go ahead, go quiz somebody.

Okay, off to work on that season brochure!  

BIG events, BIG changes

Happy Friday, everybody!

When last we met, we were gearing up for the Cabaret, featuring Kate Brennan, Harvey Reed, and Paul Keller, and WOW was it a great night!

The whole staff came together and helped make the night a wonderful success, and we heard nothing but compliments from the attendees!  (And, rumor has it, the food was even. better. than last year!)

Now that we're over that major hump, though, we have two HUGE - or should I say "giant" - things going on this weekend!  First, have you heard about the march down Woodward Avenue commemorating MLK's 1963 march and rally?  He practiced his famous "I Have a Dream" speech right here in Detroit - 50 years ago (!!!), and tomorrow morning, the NAACP, the UAW, and the city of Detroit will come together to remember Dr. King and his message as they march down Woodward Avenue from Forest down to Hart Plaza.  And who better to lead that march than Matrix Theatre Company's giant puppet versions of Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, and Dr. Ralph Bunche?!  That's right, look for our giant heroes tomorrow, marching side-by-side with thousands of people in support of our freedoms!  It's a free event, so come check it out!

The other truly giant piece of importance happening tomorrow is that our Executive Director and Co-Founder, Shaun Nethercott, is leaving her post as ED and traveling cross-country with her husband (Co-Founder Wes Nethercott)!  The pair will be on the road early tomorrow afternoon and will make their way to Portland, Oregon to begin their travels (on BICYCLES!!!) all the way to Portland, Maine.  (I know, right?!)  When they get back - in early January - Shaun will return to Matrix at the CEO, which means there's a bit of a ripple effect here in the office:  I (Megan Buckley-Ball) am being promoted to Artistic Director, Andrea Scobie, though keeping the same title of Director of Education, will take on some added responsibilities within her School of Theatre domain, and Jake Hooker, the newest addition to the staff, will make the move from Operations Manager to Director of Operations.  Though we've played around with a couple of nicknames for this shared leadership plan, nothing has really stuck... yet.  (Though "the triad" was dangerously close.)

Sooooo.... like the subject of today's blog states, there's a whole lot of BIG stuff going on right now at Matrix.  Onward we go!

Happy 1st day of summer!

Sometimes it rains....

What a beautifully rainy day!  I hope none of you got caught in this downpour, but I know that all of plants that were put in or cut back last week during the Neighborhood Beautification Day effort appreciate the nice long drink!

We're inching forward on work for next season, but now that the Dreaming at Daybreak: A Matrix Morning at Marygrove event is behind us and Frog Belly Rat Bone has closed, we only have one more big event before we go dark for the summer!

This is an event that we're super excited about, and all of the proceeds go toward the 2013-2014 production season!  Cool, right?  PLUS, it's a really great night of music and laughs and food and drink and FUN!!!

This is the second time we've done an event like this, and believe me when I say that it was a BLAST last year!  (And the food this year is going to be even BETTER!)

Once we get past this cabaret event, things really slow down in the office for the production side of the company.  School of Theatre summer camps start up the week after the 4th of July, so the education department is busy-busy prepping for all those kids to head our way, but the production office will get a little quiet.  Some great news, though, is that we'll have a volunteer intern hopping on board to help us out with planning for next season as of MONDAY!  We're so excited to welcome Jennifer to the team!

Oh, boy... now to swim home for the day.... 

Have a great one, everybody!

The work is never done!

Whew!  Now that the 2013-2014 season has been selected, we can sit back and relax, right?

WRONG!

There's so much to do! We took a tiny bit of time today to strengthen our social media presence and visibility, which are just big words that mean we made an Instagram page AND a Google+ page!  Fun!  We'll be using these sites along with our Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest pages to let people know what we're up to.  And don't you worry - even though we're getting close to being dark at the theatre (lingo for not having any shows going on), we'll still be updating all of these sites quite a bit over the next few months.  So hop on at the ground floor, everybody, and start following us TODAY!  =)

And, in case you need to feel a little bit better about yourself, head on over to our Instagram page and check out what it took to pick our three selections for next season.  Yowza!  That was a WHOLE LOT of reading, folks!

Now that the season is set, we're focusing on getting directors, stage managers, designers, and actors in place for the productions.  While this, in and of itself, is no small feat, the Detroit area mass general auditions are coming up unbelievably fast, which puts a tough deadline on us for finding those directors!  We're not too worried, though - if you saw our facebook post today, you saw that we only need to fill one more director slot.  (PS, anybody that might be interested, email your directing resume to mbuckley@matrixtheatre.org)

We know that the upcoming season is going to entail an enormous amount of work on our part, but all we have to say to that is:

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!  

We got this.  And you're going to love it!

Here's a sneak peak!!!

Sorry we've been so quiet for so long, but we've been REALLY busy around here!  We've been getting ready for next season, and boy do we have some GREAT selections.  The official press release will be sent out this week, but here's a sneak peak!  

The Matrix Theatre Company's 2013-2014 Main Stage Season is:

No Child... by Nilaja Sun
September 20 – October 13
No Child… examines the day-to-day life within an inner city high school and the effect that a teaching artist has on a sophomore class during a six week residency in their classroom.  The goal is to teach them drama and ultimately produce a performance of Our Country’s Good.   Combining humor and heartbreak, this play takes a realistic – yet optimistic – look at the plight of urban education and the future of not only its students, but also our country as a whole.  This play is not to be missed by anyone who is concerned with the state of our education system… and how we might fix it. 

Visiting Mr. Green by Jeff Baron 
November 1 – November 24
Mr. Green is an elderly retiree, orthodox Jew, and a recent widower.  Following the death of his wife, he retreats from his life and allows himself and his apartment to go to ruin.  When he wanders out into traffic one day, he is nearly hit by a car driven by Ross Gardiner, a young, gay man climbing his way up the corporate ladder.  Found guilty of reckless driving, Ross is ordered to six months of community service, all of which is to be served by visiting the cantankerous Mr. Green once a week to help him around his home.  What ensues is an often funny and very touching story about not growing up according to parents’ plans, the value of following traditions versus rethinking old rules, and what happens when you push love away because it doesn’t conform to certain conditions.

Detroit Dreaming Film Festival
January 30 - February 2
Big budget films have been shot in Detroit for decades - and for good reason!  Detroit has a plethora of visually unique landscapes and backdrops for every scene you can imagine.  As Detroiters, we know that for ever one landscape we see in the final cut, there are a thousand unique stories that aren't getting told.  That's why the Matrix Theatre Company piloted the Detroit Dreaming Film Festival (DDFF) this past winter: to give local and Detroit filmmakers the opportunity to be the voice for our city's stories.  Coming on the heels of last year's successful inaugural festival, Matrix Theatre Company will once again host the DDFF, which showcases locally-made films about the city and people of Detroit, giving local filmmakers a chance to attract new audiences, gain community feedback, and win awards.  This festival enables Detroit to be properly represented by way of sharing the myriad of experiences and perspectives our city has to offer as we look towards the future.

Collected Stories by Donald Margulies
February 21 – March 16 
Collected Stories explores the relationship between Ruth, a renowned writer and college professor, and her student-turned-protégé and assistant, Lisa.  Over the course of six years, Ruth mentors Lisa away from her insecurities and into becoming a successful writer.  After Lisa makes the shift from student to colleague, she publishes a novel that threatens to destroy their fragile relationship.  Both women are forced to intimately confront ideas of love, success, and failure as they debate questions regarding creative freedom: Do we have a right to our own life stories once we share them?  Are one’s personal experiences suitable for use by another in their own creative process?  Is it ever okay to plagiarize someone’s life?

And there you have it!  We have a few more exciting announcements to make, too - those will be coming over the next couple of weeks.  But in the meantime, have you heard about the Cabaret performance we have here on June 14th?  Matrix Theatre is proudly presenting Kate Brennan in "The Melody Lingers On," a jazz cabaret celebrating some of the great melodies of our time... according to Kate!  This one-night-only performance will take place on Friday, June 14th at 7:30pm at Matrix Theatre, and features Harvey Reed as Musical Director and Paul Keller on bass.  Tickets are availably by calling our box office at 313-967-0599 or visiting www.matrixtheatre.org!

Get your tickets while you can!

That's right! Phoenix opened this past Friday to RAVE REVIEWS!  The Free Press gave us three out of four stars (you can read the full review here), and Carolyn Hayes from Encore Michigan gave us an awesome review, too!

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors (65+), BUT if you are purchasing an adult ticket and you use your smart phone to check in on Foursquare, Yelp!, Facebook, or Twitter and then show the box office attendant, you'll get 10% off your ticket price!  How easy is that?!

And really, what else is there to do right now anyway?

So what are you waiting for?

An invitation?

Great!  Glad we got that worked out.  

So we'll see you at the theater!

Nothing to fear but fear itself...

I'm betting FDR wasn't talking about relationships when he said that famous line in his inauguration speech, but it certainly sets the mood for the theme of our upcoming show!  

Have you ever met someone that you really liked?  Someone in whom you saw some serious romantic potential?  Did you go for it, or did you stop yourself?  Were you afraid of being hurt?  Were you so afraid of what *might* happen, that you didn't let anything happen at all?   These are some of the topics we touch on in the very sweet, incredibly disarming production of Phoenix that opens one week from today!  

Starring Samer Ajluni (Dr. Miranda, Death and the Maiden) as Bruce, and Tricia Turek (New to the Matrix stage!) as Sue, this production might just make you think twice about stopping yourself before you even get started. 

Samer Ajluni as Bruce and Tricia Turek as Sue in
Scott Organ's Phoenix, opening March 1st at Matrix Theatre!

A few days ago, we posted a letter addressed to "Dear Abby," written by Bruce.  We put it up here and on our Facebook page, and got some really great responses!  Today, it's Sue's turn.  Take a look at what she has to say, and then add a comment with your advice for her!  And when you're done with that, head on over to our website to reserve tickets - or better yet - purchase tickets to see this light, funny show!  (Also, it'll run right around 90 minutes in length, so it's the PERFECT opportunity to grab dinner or a couple drinks after the performance!  Looking for some suggestions on where to go?  We'll be happy to help you out with that when you reserve your tickets!  313-967-0599)

Dear Abby,

I met a guy in a bar four weeks ago, and we really hit it off - so much so that we ended up spending the night together.  I enjoyed his company very much but have not been in touch with him since.  I travel a LOT for work, which it makes it extremely difficult to be in any type of relationship.  I just didn't want to get his hopes up.  However... I just discovered that I am pregnant.  It is definitely his.  He thinks he is unable to have children.  Do you think he deserves to know that he can?  Do I owe that to him?

Sincerely, 

Not Sure What To Do

Our very own "Dear Abby" column!

Hello, Matrix fans!  

The countdown is on, and we're only

10 DAYS AWAY 

from Phoenix making its Michigan debut

on Matrix Theatre's stage on March 1st!

Did you get your tickets yet?  

The show is about Sue and Bruce, 
two people living in New York City that meet by chance.  

But following a GREAT night together, 
Bruce doesn't hear from Sue.  

Check out the "Dear Abby" letter below, and 
leave your advice in the comments section!  
Come back on Friday for the "other side" of the story!

Dear Abby,

Ok, so I had drinks one night with a woman I met at this party.  We were playing this trivia game, getting along, talking for hours, and one thing led to another...and we ended up, how shall I put this... co-mingling... in bed.

Needless to say, I am really into her, and she, well... apparently not so much, as far as I am concerned.  I have not heard from her, and this happened a month ago...

Any advice on how I could change her mind about this chance meeting, for whom this awesome night would never have happened?  I really feel like there's something there that makes it worth it.

Sincerely,

Frustrated in NYC

Talking about L*O*V*E! (Or maybe not...)

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Tomorrow is Valentine's day, and, in sticking with the theme of our upcoming show, Phoenix, 

we want to hear about your best (or worst) first date story!  

You can submit your story by commenting on this blog post, or by going to our facebook page and commenting there.  We will be using the anonymous stories to create an art installation of sorts in the lobby for opening night (which we think will look pretty cool), but it will only work if you help us out by submitting your story!  And think of how much fun it will be to read all the great stories while you're waiting for the show to begin!

Oh, the places we'll go!

How does Phoenix, Arizona sound?

Well, okay, maybe we won't *actually* go to Phoenix, but with a little imagination, we'll take our audiences there!  In our upcoming play, Scott Organ's Phoenix - coming soon to Matrix Theatre's stage - we'll follow the story of Sue and Bruce; two people living in New York City.  They go out on a... well, maybe it isn't a date... we'll call it drinks.  They go out for drinks.  One thing leads to another and, well, you know... And four weeks later, which is where the play begins, Sue has some pretty important stuff to say to Bruce.

Phoenix rehearsals started last night at Matrix Theatre Company, and we're REALLY excited about this one!  Here's a couple of shots from the first read-through:

From left to right:  Tricia Turek playing Sue, Samer Ajluni playing Bruce,
David Woitulewicz (stage manager), and Stephanie Nichols (director).

Samer Ajluni, reading the part of Bruce
 in the first read-through of Phoenix.

Does Samer look familiar?  He should, if you had the chance to see this past fall's Death and the Maiden on the Matrix stage!  But don't worry - we'll treat him a little better this time... and he'll get to wear more clothes.  ;)

Karen Kron, Samer Ajluni, and Patrick Loos in
Death and the Maiden, Fall of 2012

We can't wait for all of you to meet Tricia - she's very sweet and a great actress!

Tricia Turek, reading the part of Sue
in the first read-through of Phoenix.

And to think back even further, Stephanie Nichols might look VERY familiar to some of you, as well - especially those of you that saw Samuel Beckett's Happy Days, directed by our very own Dr. Shaun Nethercott.  Stephanie played the part of Winnie in that show.

Stephanie Nichols as Winnie in Matrix Theatre's
Happy Days, circa 2009.

She looks a lot happier when she's not buried up to the waist in a mound of dirt, wouldn't you say? ;)

Stephanie Nichols, director, and David Woitulewicz, stage
manager, at the first read-through for Matrix Theatre
Company's production of Scott Organ's Phoenix.

Check back here often for updates on how the show is coming along, as well as some upcoming contests where you could win SUPER COOL prizes!  Oh, and you wanted the info on when the show is happening?  

Look for this postcard in your mailbox over the next week or so!  And check out info about the show here!