Downtown Muskegon Blog

Behind the Scenes - Civic Theater Continues to Roll

Downtown is the cultural heart of Muskegon, and while Muskegon Civic Theater might not be the first presenter that may come to mind, there is no reason why that should not be the case. For over 24 years Muskegon Civic Theater has been drawing crowds to downtown Muskegon to experience their high quality productions that provide an excellent resource to expose our community to the joy of theater. With another production debuting this week, Main Street met with Ginny Sprague, Managing Director of MCT, to get a peek into this organization, which really is a downtown jewel.

MS: So what’s the show this weekend and what’s the big hook to get us all down there?


GS: Our production of Deathtrap by Ira Levin, the author of Rosemary’s Baby, will open on Thursday, February 21st and run through Sunday, March 9th in the Beardsley Theater. Curtain times are 7:30 pm Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 3:00 pm on Sundays.

While audiences are used to action on the movie screen, there is nothing like experiencing a classic thriller in a live theatre setting. The audience is an imp
ortant part of the experience! This great story has plenty of suspense, chills, plot twists, and even laughs for our audience. Director, J.C. Howe writes that, “You may well survive the performance. If you do, do not reveal the ending.”

MS: How does this show fit into what’s taken place this season and what is to come?

GS: Muskegon Civic Theatre has four shows in our regular season. We typically produce three shows in the Beardsley Theater, a smaller venue within the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. These shows are a small musical, a comedy and a drama; Crowns, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Deathtrap, respectively for this season. In the spring we produce a large musical on the Frauenthal stage, which will be The Wizard of Oz on May 1-4, 2008.

MS: What makes community theater so special, and how does that landscape shape up here in Muskegon?

GS: The great thing about community theater is that it brings together your friends, neighbors, and co-workers in the creative process for the enjoyment of more of your friends, neighbors and co-workers! Live theatre utilizes musical, acting, technical skills such as lighting and sound design, and artistic talents such as painting, sculpture, sewing, and construction to list just a few! The Muskegon area has a wealth of talent both on the stage and backstage! Come to one or our productions and marvel at the talent in our community!

MS: Tell us some great local stories that MCT has been a part of.

GS: MCT works with other area arts organizations to promote the arts and cultural life in Muskegon. This past October, as part of the Muskegon Area Arts & Humanities Festival, we collaborated with the Muskegon Museum of Art on a production called Chicks and Ducks. We always try to promote the Muskegon area, and offer our assistance and participation in projects that promote our wonderful community. In addition to our theatrical productions, we also have an Education Division which provides instruction in theater arts for school age children, summer theater arts camps, a Repertory Touring Company and special outreach programs such as Theater on Wheels.

MS: Ginny, while your group may not be the biggest presenter on the block, we sure do appreciate your contribution. I know personally that MCT shows have been fantastic venues to teach local audiences about important stories and the value of theater. Keep up the great work.

MCT: We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an historic time in the history of Muskegon.

Check it out on the web

Muskegon Civic Theatre
Overview of Deathtrap

posted by Dan & Sarah @ 12:39 PM