SHOW GUIDE

April 10 to 19, 2020Bonstelle Theatre

Inside

THE PLAYSynopsis and Characters 2Background and Porduction History 3

THE CREATORSP.L. Travers 4

CURRICULUM SUPPORT Activities presented assist in achieving the Michigan Common Core State Standards (MI-CCSS)

Speaking and Listening 5/6Writing 6/7History/Social Studies 7Differentiated Learning Activities 8/9

THE THEATRELocation and Seating 10First Time Visitor’s Guide 11

MORE TO SEE 12

Dear Educators

Wayne State University is proud to produce plays for young people’s enjoyment and to actively explore the beauty, diversity, complexity and challenges of the world around them through the dramatic arts. We wish to support the development of their creative voice, imagination, and understanding of drama and its role in our global society.

This play guide is designed to be a tool in helping you prepare your students for our performance as well as extend the production experience back into the classroom.

Activities presented assist in achieving the Michigan Common Core State Standards (MI-CCSS).

Your comments and suggestions about this guide, presentation and/or programming are welcome. Email theatrepr@wayne.edu.

Your Students’ Role

You may wish to have a discussion with your students before attending the play. Remind your students that they have an important role to play at the performance being the audience. It is because of the audience that the theatre exists. It will be their energy and response that will directly affect the actors onstage.

Young audiences should be reminded that live theatre is not like watching TV, a movie or DVD; the actors cannot pause or be rewound, there are no commercial breaks for running to the bathroom, the volume cannot be turned up to hear better if someone other than the actors are talking.

Encourage your students to listen and watch the play. They can laugh and cheer for their favorite characters. At the end of the play, applause is appropriate and is the opportunity for your students to thank the actors while the actors are thanking you for the role you played as the audience.

Theatre and Dance at WayneMaggie Allesee Department of Theatre and DanceCollege of Fine, Performing and Communication ArtsWAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

BOX OFFICE Hilberry Theatre, 4743 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-2972 ADMINISTRATION 4841 Cass Ave., Ste. 3206, Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-3508MARKETING 4841 Cass Ave., Ste. 3206, Detroit, MI 48202 313-577-3010 John Wolf, Chair and Executive Producer

theatreanddanceatwayne.com | theatreanddance.wayne.edu

SHOW GUIDECopyright 2018

DRAMATURG Taylor Benjamin GRAPHIC DESIGN Thomas Karr

All rights reserved. With the exception of classroom use by teachers and individual personal use, no part of this Show Guide may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Some materials published herein are written especially for our Guide. Others are reprinted by permission of their publishers.

SHOW GUIDE • 2

The Play

Synopsis

One of the most popular Disney movies of all time is capturing hearts in a whole new way: as a practically perfect musical!

Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins delighted Broadway audiences for over 2,500 performances and received nominations for nine Olivier and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

The jack-of-all trades, Bert, introduces us to England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane and Michael have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she must teach the family members how to value each other again. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michael aren’t the only ones upon whom she has a profound effect. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that “Anything can happen if you let it.”

Mary Poppins is an enchanting mixture of irresistible story, unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance numbers and astonishing stagecraft. This show is a perfect opportunity to showcase a strong, iconic female performer, as well as unique special effects and illusions.

CharactersMARY POPPINS

BERT

MICHAEL BANKS

JANE BANKS

GEORGE BANKS

MRS. WINIFRED BANKS

ADMIRAL BOOM / BANK CHIARMAN

KATIE NANNA

MISS ANDREW

MISS LARK

MRS. BRILL

MRS. CORRY

NELEUS

ROBERTSON AY

THE PARK KEEPER

THE BIRD WOMAN

ENSEMBLE

The PlayThe Background and Production History for Mary Poppins

Productions

Mary Poppins had its world premiere at the Bristol Hippodrome in London with a limited engagement from September 18, to November 6, 2004. The production, starring Laura Michelle Kelly and Gavin Lee, then moved to the Prince Edward Theatre on December 15, running more than three years until January 12, 2008. With a very successful production, the producers’ eyes turned west, and the New Amsterdam Theatre housed the Broadway premiere on November 16, 2006. Initially starring Broadway performer, Ashley Brown, and returning player, Gavin Lee, it made minimal changes to the songs and staging. After almost seven years of success, the Broadway production closed on March 3, 2013, to make room for Disney Theatricals’ new production of Aladdin.

For the touring productions of the show, the sets were significantly reduced in size and intermediate scenes were removed to accommodate for smaller houses. The first tour began in the UK on June 4, 2008, playing until April 18, 2009. The US tour started in Chicago on March 25, 2009, featuring performances from the leads of the Broadway production, Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee. Like its Broadway equivalent, the tour was extremely successful, playing its last performance in Anchorage, Alaska, on June 2, 2013.

Mary Poppins has also seen a significant amount of play outside of the UK and the US. The first foreign-language production opened on October 18, 2008, in Goteburg, Sweden, performed entirely in Swedish. Other locations for international productions include Finland, Mexico City, Australia, Japan and France. The first regional production of the musical was staged at the Dunfield Theatre Cambridge in Ontario, Canada.

Cultural Influence

Mary Poppins is the first Disney Theatrical show to open in the UK. It is also the first show to open in collaboration with another theatre company.

At the time of writing, Mary Poppins was the 30th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Mary Poppins was the first live-action Disney movie to be adapted to the stage. Its success gave Disney Theatrical confidence to adapt other live-action films: High School Musical, High School Musical 2, and Newsies.

SHOW GUIDE • 3

Inspiration

Mary Poppins is a musical based on the book series by P.L. Travers of the same name and, more notably, the 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. The stage show features many of the original songs made famous by the Oscar-winning duo of Richard and Robert Sherman, with additional music and lyrics from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, respectively, and a book by Julian Fellowes, creator for the television series, Downton Abbey.

The genesis of the musical came at the hands of mega-producer, Cameron Mackintosh (Les Misérables, Cats, Miss Saigon). In 1993, he met with Pamela Travers, the author of the original book series, to get her permission to musicalize the stories of Mary Poppins. When Travers agreed, he got in contact with Disney Theatrical in 2001, sparking a partnership that would allow the show to use music from the original movie.

Around 2002, Stiles and Drewe (Olivier winners for Honk!) had heard about the new collaboration and wrote a demo song entitled “Practically Perfect” for the producers. Once they listened to the song, they were brought onto the creative team. Fellowes was then brought aboard for his “clear understanding of the social niceties of the English class system that prevailed in the Edwardian era.” Rounding off the production team for original production were director, Sir Richard Eyre, and Bob Crowley, a multi-Tony winner who had previously worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Ballet and Royal Opera. A workshop of the musical was held at the end of 2003 at the Old Vic Theatre, using the cast from a recently closed production of My Fair Lady.

The stage adaptation pulls some elements from the original book that were eliminated from the film, including the walking statue and the ladders to the stars. Several scenes from the film were omitted, most notably the scenes of Uncle Albert laughing on the ceiling and the dancing penguins in “Jolly Holiday,” which were replaced with dancing statues and a trip to Mrs. Corry’s shop, respectively.

The musical generally places more emphasis on Jane and Michael being naughty children and on their parents having more of a dysfunctional relationship. Mrs. Banks is no longer a suffragette, but a former actress, and Mr. Banks’ back story is much more fleshed out.

A handful of musical sequences have also been placed in a different chronology, including bumping up “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” to the middle of the show, rather than the end.

The Creator of Mary Poppins: P.L. Travers WHO WAS P.L. TRAVERS?

P.L. Travers was born on August 9, 1899, in Queensland, Australia. Her rich fantasy life propelled her to write stories and poems at an early age, and after a brief stint in the theater, she moved to London, England, to pursue a literary life, hobnobbing with Irish poets such as William Butler Yeats. The Mary Poppins tales sprang from Travers entertaining young visitors, combined with a love of mythology. The Disney film Mary Poppins made the notoriously private and prickly Travers immensely wealthy, but also unhappy. She died in London on April 23, 1996.

EARLY LIFE

P.L. Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff on August 9, 1899, in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. Her mother, Margaret Agnes Morehead, was the sister of the Premier of Queensland. Her father, Travers Goff, was an unsuccessful bank manager and heavy drinker who died when she was 7.

Called Lyndon as a child, Travers moved with her mother and sisters to New South Wales after her father’s death, where they were supported by a great aunt (the inspiration for her book Aunt Sass). She lived there for 10 years, although boarded at Sydney’s Normanhurst Girls School during World War I.

Travers had a rich fantasy life and loved fairy tales and animals, often calling herself a hen. Her precocious reading led her to undertake The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and her writing talents emerged during her teens, when she began publishing poems in Australian periodicals.

Adopting the stage name Pamela (popular at the time) Lyndon Travers, she gained a modest reputation as a dancer and Shakespearean actress. Her wealthy relatives, however, did not approve; feeling that Australians lacked humor and lyricism, she left for London, England, to seek the literary life.

LIFE AS A WRITER: ‘MARY POPPINS’

Having begun her journalism career in Australia, Travers was able to parlay her voyage into travel stories for homeland papers. Once in England, she began publishing articles in various papers, including poems that she had submitted to The Irish Statesman. Its editor, George William Russell, pseudonymously known as AE, became a lifelong supporter of Travers.

Travers had a love of Irish mythology, perhaps stemming from her father’s stories when she was a child, so the friendship had a special significance.

Through Russell, she also became friends with poet William Butler Yeats, and further explored her mythological interests studying with mystic G.I. Gurdjieff.

Travers’s first published book, Moscow Excursion (1934), utilized her travel-writing experience, but the book that would make her famous followed close on its heel.

Recovering from a lung ailment in the country, she regaled two visiting children with tales of a magical nanny, complete with a parrot-head umbrella as a form of transportation and the ability to have tea parties on the ceiling.

She published the story, Mary Poppins, that same year (1934), and it was an instant success. Seven more books in the series followed over the ensuing years: Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935), Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943), Mary Poppins in the Park (1952), Mary Poppins From A to Z (1962), Mary Poppins in the Kitchen (1975), Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane (1982), with the last being Mary Poppins and the House Next Door in 1988, all with illustrations by Mary Shepard (daughter of the original illustrator of Winnie-the-Pooh), despite their difficult relationship.

During World War II, Travers worked for the UK’s Ministry of Information, and near the end of the war lived on a Navajo reservation in Arizona, acquiring an Indian name that she always kept secret.

Despite the success of the Poppins books, Travers continued to write other material—young adult novels, a play, essays and lectures on mythology and symbols—partly because she feared not being taken seriously as a writer. She also served as writer-in-residence at colleges such as Radcliffe and Smith, though she was not popular. The 1964 Disney movie Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, made Travers immensely wealthy, though she reportedly wept at the premiere.

A 2013 film, Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as Travers, tells the behind-the-scenes story of book to film.

PERSONAL LIFE

Notoriously private and prickly, Travers never married, but she had a longtime roommate, Madge Burnand, who many speculated was a romantic partner. In 1939, Travers adopted a son, Camillus, one of twin Irish boys. (He later ran into his twin in a pub—a shock, as he knew nothing of his real background.)

In 1999 author Valerie Lawson released a biography on Travers entitled Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P.L. Travers, which excavated the details of her very private life.

DEATH AND LEGACY

In 1977 Travers was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. She lived to age 96, dying in London from the effects of an epileptic seizure, on April 23, 1996.

She had planned to write Goodbye, Mary Poppins, to terminate the beloved governess, but instead heeded the outcry from both children and publishers.

SHOW GUIDE • 4

P.L. Travers

Curriculum SupportSPEAKING AND LISTENING[Sharing of any writing project orally in class will also fit under the Speaking and Listening (SL) Standard]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1, 2.1Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade level topics and txt with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, [9-10.1, 11-12.1]Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in small groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and text, building on others; ideas and expressing their own clearly [and persuasively].

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1, [2.4]Describe people, places, things and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feel-ings clearly [audibly in coherent sentences].

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4, [4.4, 5.4]Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount and experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details [to support main idea or theme] speaking clearly at an under-standable pace.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4, 7.4, 8.4Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details: appropriate eye contact, adequate volume and clear pronunciation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4, 11-12.4Present information, findings, and supportive evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience and range of formal and informal task.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.6, 7.6, 8.6, 9-10.6, 11-12.6Adapt speech to a variety of context and task, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Pre-Show Questions:1. Have you ever seen a musical before?2. Have you ever performed in a musical? In school, youth theater or camp?3. What theatrical elements set musical theater apart from other genres of theater?4. Why do we sing? Why do we dance?5. When do you sing and dance?6. How do you think the actors and creative team (director, composer, designers) will bring

this musical to life on stage?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.9, 2.9, 3.9, (5.9, 6.9)Compare and contrast the adventures and experience of characters in stories. (in different forms or genres in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics)

Travers in the role of Titania in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, c. 1924

Travers, with Walt Disney and Julie Andrews, at the premiere of Disney’s film adaptation of

Mary Poppins (August 26, 1964)

SHOW GUIDE • 5

SPEAKING AND LISTENING continued

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what the perceive when they listen or watch.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.7Compare and contrast a written story, drama or poem to its audio, film, staged or multimedia version, analyze the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g.lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.7Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by thedirector or actors.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry) evaluating how each versioninterprets the source text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.(6.2) 7.2, 8.2, [9-10.2, 11-12.2]Determine (a theme) two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their devel-opment over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; [including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account: provide an objective summary of the text.]

WRITING

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3, 2.3, 3.3Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thought, and feelings, use temporalwords to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3, 5.3, 6.3, 7.3, 8.3, 9-10.3, 11-12.3Writes narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequence.

WRITING continued

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1, [2.1]Write opinion piece in which they introduce the topic or name of book they are writ-ing about, state an opinion, supply a reasons for the opinion, and provide somesense of closure. [use linking words to connect the opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section]

Curriculum Support

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mary Poppins

1. It took about 20 years for Mary Poppins to get made.

2. Walt Disney had a personal connection to the film. His

daughter convinced him to make the film.

3. Walt often called the Sherman Brothers on the phone and asked

them to play one of the songs from the movie.

4. Dick Van Dyke didn’t have much experience with singing

and dancing before playing Bert.

5. The “Step In Time” sequence was only supposed to last two

minutes.

6. Matthew Garber (Michael) was actually afraid of heights.

7. Disney knewJulie Andrews was a (practically) perfect fit for Mary after seeing

her on the Ed Sullivan Show.

8. Mary Poppins won five Academy Awards.

9. The song “Sister Suffragette” convinced Glynis Johns to play

Mrs. Banks.

10. The special effects were ahead of their time.

SHOW GUIDE • 6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1, 4.1, 5.1Write opinion pieces on topics or text, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1, 7.1, 8.1, [9-10.1, 11-12.1]Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. [Write an argument to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or text, usingvalid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence]

HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3Evaluate various explanation for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textural evidence acknowl-edging where the text leaves mattersuncertain.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6Identify aspects of a text that reveals an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g. loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of partic-ular facts)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.6Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respectiveaccounts.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6Evaluate author’s differing points of views on the same historical events or issues by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning and evidence.

Post Show Questions1. What was the musical you saw about (the plot)?2. Who were the main characters?3. Who were your favorite characters? Why?4. What was your favorite part of the performance?5. Were there any aspects of the show that stood out to you (e.g. sets, lighting, costumes, music, and/or dancing)?6. What did you like most about those aspects of the show?

Curriculum Support

SHOW GUIDE • 7

Curriculum SupportDIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES(modify as needed to meet the needs of your students)

Let’s Go Fly a Kite!

Historians believe that the first kites were built in China about 3,000 years ago, using materials, such as bamboo and silk. Kites may have been brought from China to Japan and other Asian countries, historians say, as part of early religious festivals or ceremonies. In fact, the earliest significance of kites was primarily religious. They were widely considered to be useful for ensuring a good harvest or scaring away evil spirits. Throughout the years, as the popularity of kites spread from Asia to Europe and beyond, they became more widely known as children’s toys and came to be used primarily as a leisure activity.

Eventually, scientists discovered that kites were also useful for conducting scientific experiments, particularly those involving weather and aerodynamics.

In the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci discovered how to use a kite to span a river. Leonardo da Vinci’s method was later used, by 10-year-old Homan Walsh, in the construction of one of the world’s first suspension bridges at Niagara Falls, New York. In 1749, Scottish scientist Alexander Wilson used several kites, attached in a row, to measure and compare air temperature at different altitudes. Benjamin Franklin used kites to pull boats, carriages, and sleds in experiments with traction and to experiment with electrical energy in the atmosphere. In 1901, Gugliemo Marconi used a kite to help transmit the first trans-Atlantic wireless telegraph message.

Kite technology also led to the invention of the airplane, the parachute, and the helicopter. It may even have contributed to the U.S. victory during World War II. Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Block used kites built by Lieutenant Paul Garber to practice shooting at moving targets and to pass important papers from ships to flying aircraft.

Even today, kites are not the exclusive province of children or enthusiastic amateur fliers. Adults around the world participate, individually and in teams, in kite-making and kite-flying competitions and in kite-powered buggy races. Those competitions are governed by strict rules and monitored by organizations, such as The American Kitefliers Association. Still other kite enthusiasts are involved in kite aerial photography. And each spring, the Smithsonian Institution holds a Kite Festival on the Mall near the Washington Monument, draws thousands of visitors to our nation’s capital.

FUN FACT!

April is National Kite Month and Go Fly a Kite Day falls on the closing performance on April 19, 2020. It’s practically perfect timing for our magical production.

SHOW GUIDE • 8

Curriculum SupportDIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES(modify as needed to meet the needs of your students)

SHOW GUIDE • 9

REPORT THE NEWS ON CHERRY TREE LANE:

The Cherry Tree Lane Gazette

Mary Poppins takes place in London, England in 1910, a time before text-messaging, the Internet, television, or radio. People got their news through newspapers. During the time of Mary Poppins there were dozens of newspapers published in London, each one with a different style and viewpoint, read by people from all walks of life.

Create a neighborhood newspaper for the street where the Banks family lives. Study the front page of a modern newspaper to see what the front page might include, such as the date, a motto, weather and what the newspaper is titled.

Ideas for articles can include:

• Current Events: Use the library or the Internet to research what was happening in the world in 1910 and how it would affect your favorite Mary Poppins character.

• Interviews: Create fictional interviews with different characters from Mary Poppins. First, write out a series of questions you would ask one of the characters, then have a classmate pretend to be that character and answer the questions.

• Advice Columns: Give advice as if from Mary Poppins and Mr. Banks. Split your class in half. One half can write letters to Mary Poppins or Mr. Banks, asking for advice on such topics as: “Chores: Why or Why Not?”, “Is Home-work Important?”, “How Should We Treat Our Toys?”, etc. The other half should write responses in the voices of Mary Poppins or Mr. Banks.

• Crossword Puzzle: Develop a puzzle or work search with words and terms from Mary Poppins.

• The Winds of Change: Create a weather report - is it good to fly kites? What are the winds of change coming to Cherry Tree Lane?

• Comic Strips: Design a comic strip or one-panel comic portraying a scene from Mary Poppins.

“YET NOW IN OUR MIDST THERE’S WELL, I CAN’T EXPLAIN, BUT SOMETHING IS UNSETTLING IN CHERRY TREE LANE.”

-MR. BANKS

The Theatre

The Bonstelle Theatre3424 Woodward AvenueDetroit, MI 48201

The Bonstelle Theatre is a 1,036 seat Broadway style theatre named after Laura Justine “Jessie” Bonstelle who was an American theatre director, actress, and company manager of the Detroit Civic Theatre. Prior to moving to Detroit in 1924, she was a producer and leading-actress on Broadway. In 1956, Wayne State University purchased and renovated the theatre to house plays and musicals each year.

The theatre has an orchestra seating level (main floor) and a balcony (second floor). Your seats will be assigned by the Group Sales Manager so if you have any specific needs, please let them know in advance.

Accessibility: A ramp is available from the parking lot and from Woodward Avenue to the lobby of the Bonstelle Theatre.

Assisted-Listening Devices: We offer, free of charge, assisted-listening devices for those patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. These are available from the House Manager.

Seating: Wheelchair-accessible seating is available. Patrons wishing to purchase these seats may call the Box Office at 313-577-2972 to make arrangements.

Restrooms: A wheelchair-accessible restroom is located in the lobby, to the right as you exit the seating area and next door to the wheelchair-accessible entrance.

SHOW GUIDE • 10

SHOW GUIDE • 11

The TheatreFirst Time Visitor’s Guide

IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME AT THE THEATRE?Welcome! We can’t wait to have you join us. Live performances are an inspiring, riveting experience. For some, that can be intimidating. We hope this section provides you with answers to commonly asked questions but don’t hesitate to contact us if you need anything further.

START TIMESOut of respect for the audience, we strive to start shows on time. The starting time is often referred to as the “curtain.”

We urge our audience to arrive at least a few minutes before curtain to allow time to find your seats and get comfortable. Arriving late may mean disrupting the rest of the audience because our ushers must use flashlights to safely guide you to your seats. You may also be asked to sit in another location to avoid disturbing others.

You’re welcome to arrive 30 minutes early.

CAN I BRING DRINKS OR SNACKS INTO THE THEATRE?Few things are as distracting as the noise from a candy wrapper or a spilled drink making the floor sticky.

This is why we ask that you finish any drinks or snacks in the lobby, although bottled water is acceptable inside the theatre.

CAN I TAKE PHOTOS OR RECORD VIDEO OF THE SHOW?No. Elements of the show may be copyrighted, so it’s illegal to photograph or film the show. If caught taking photos or video, you will be asked to delete the recording.

A more significant reason we ask you to refrain from taking pictures or filming the show is that it’s very disruptive to your fellow audience members.

The glow of a camera dramatically lights up the theatre. However, we encourage you to take photos before the show, at intermission, or afterward and share your experience on social media. Be sure to tag us!

Facebook: /TheatreandDanceatWayneInstagram: @theatreanddanceatwayneYoutube: WayneStateTheatres

WHAT ABOUT MY CELLPHONE/TABLET?A ringing or the glow of a cellphone or tablet screen takes the audience (and the performers) out of the show.

Please turn your device to airplane or silent mode or, even better, turn them off, so that everyone can enjoy the show.

RESTROOMSWe don’t want you to miss out on any of the action of the play, so please visit the restroom before the performance begins. Restrooms are located in the lobby.

DURING THE PERFORMANCEPlease feel free to have honest reactions to what is happening on stage. You can laugh, applaud and enjoy the performance. However, please don’t talk during the performance; it is extremely distracting to other audience members and the actors. Save discussions for intermission and after the performance.

IF I ENJOY THE SHOW, WHAT’S NEXT?We’re thrilled you enjoyed the show! The best thing you can do is tell your friends about your experience.

Word of mouth is the number one way people learn about us, so telling others how much you enjoyed yourself is truly appreciated.

Share your experience on your favorite social media site, call a friend, or tell your colleagues at work.

More to seeOur season is full of exciting plays, musicals, and dance concerts. Included below is a list of each production and specific weekday morning matinee performance. If you’d like to bring a school group to any of these, please contact our group sales manager at 313-577-0852 or visit our website to submit your reservation online. If you’d like to come to a public performance, call the box office at 313-577-2972 or order your tickets online at theatreanddanceatwayne.com.

A CHRISTMAS CAROLBonstelle TheatreDickens’ beloved holiday tale returns for its fourth year!

Field Trip DatesWednesday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.Thursday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m.

Scrooge and his ghostly guides are back for a fourth year of this beloved holiday tale. A Christmas Carol follows miserly old Scrooge when he’s visited by his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Warned that his humbuggery will curse him in the afterlife, Marley sends the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to help Scrooge reform his curmudgeonly ways. Will the old codger redeem himself? Can the spirits inspire him to a greater purpose? Utilizing magical special effects and a mechanically marvelous set, A Christmas Carol will delight everyone who experiences it. Based on Charles Dickens classic story, this 75-minute long production is written by John Wolf and Tom Aulino.

TOBACCO ROADUnderground at the HilberryThe Underground at the Hilberry is accessible by stairs. If you have a mobility concern, please call the box office (313-577-2972) 24 hours in advance so we can assist you.

Field Trip DatesTuesday, March 24 at 10 a.m.Wednesday, April 1 at 10 a.m.

Erskine Caldwell’s celebrate American novel, Tobacco Road, comes to life in an adaptation by Jack Kirkland.

It follows a family of Georgian farmers who struggle during the Great Depression as their once profitable tobacco crop slowly dies. Jeeter Lester, the father, lives in squalor with his wife Ada, their two children, Dude and Ellie May, and his mother. When the family learns that their house and property are now owned by the bank, Jeeter is given a chance to earn money so that they may keep living there, but he refuses. Desperate to save their family, the once-proud father makes sacrifices that will impact their lives in ways unimaginable.

Disney + Cameron Macintosh’sMARY POPPINSBonstelle Theatre

Field Trip DatesTuesday, April 14 at 10 a.m.Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m.

Pop open your umbrellas and take flight with us as everyone’s favorite, and practically perfect, nanny takes the stage in this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical adventure. Mary Poppins is an enchanting story that follows the Banks family as they struggle with life in Edwardian England just after the turn of the 19th century. The children, Jane and Michael, are terribly ill-behaved. Mrs. Banks is lonely and bereft, aching for dreams long ignored. And Mr. Banks just wants to live an orderly, well-established life. Helping them is the mysterious nanny who can talk to birds, magically transform a gloomy park into a painterly scene, and, just maybe, with a spoonful of sugar, get the Banks back on track.

THE WINTER’S TALEShakespeare’s wistful tale of loss and romanceHilberry Theatre

Field Trip DatesTuesday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m.Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m.

Including one of Shakespeare’s most famous and funny stage directions, “’Exit, pursued by a bear,” The Winter’s Tale is a romance, a comedy, and a fairy tale that has entertained audiences for 400 years. The story begins in Sicilia where the king accuses his wife of having an affair with his childhood friend. As his unfounded jealousy consumes him, he puts his wife on trial and abandons their newborn girl, Perdita, in the wild. But as with all fairy tales, the child survives and, now living in Bohemia, she blossoms into a free-spirited young woman. It’s there that she meets and falls in love with a young man who may just be the son to her father’s former friend. In a magical twist that must be seen to be believed, she might just find the homecoming she’d never expected.

COMPANY ONE DANCE CONCERTBonstelle TheatreOne performance only!

Field Trip DatesFriday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m.

Bring your class to the historic Bonstelle theater! Company One’s morning dance concert is for schools and community groups. The engaging concert is also open to the public. Through movement, spoken word, and the creative process the dancers will engage you in an experience to remember. Come ready to see, think, and wonder. The show is great for aspiring artists, as well as, students studying history, humanities, anthropology, social sciences, and more. K-12 and special education students welcome. Stick around after the show for a Q and A with the dancers!

STAGE KISSby Sarah RuhlHilberry Theatre

Field Trip DatesTuesday, May 5 at 10 a.m.

When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. Stage Kiss, by renowned playwright Sarah Ruhl, is a charming tale about what happens when characters share a stage kiss — or when actors share a real one.

“A gift and a rarity: a superb new romantic comedy that’s moving, smart and flat-out hilarious… You will have difficulty breathing. Stage Kiss is that funny.” — Jesse Green, New York Magazine