The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) and University of Detroit Mercy’s Department of Performing Arts is pleased to announce its 2022-23 season entitled “Believe,” featuring three mainstage works to be performed at The Marlene Boll Theatre. The season will also feature performances and workshops as part of the University of Detroit Mercy’s TheatreLab, a second stage series, performed at University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus.
Building on the success of two national awards from the 2022 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival while celebrating 145 years of producing theatre, the DMTC continues to pride itself on being student-focused through producing professional-quality productions.
“In selecting our 52nd season, we remain committed to productions that grow and celebrate the skills of our students as well as tell stories relevant to the community around us,” said Greg Grobis, DMTC managing director, associate professor of theatre and chair of the Department of Performing Arts. “We are delighted to offer the community a chance to support our students through this season of hopeful, funny and engaging productions.”
This season features two productions by female playwrights and one production entirely created by our Theatre Company. Additionally, the posters for Season 52 have been created by award-winning Detroit artist Desiree Kelly, named by Crain’s Detroit Business as a “Twenty in their 20s” honoree in 2019.
“We are beyond thrilled to have Desiree lending her incredible talent in giving a vision to our season,” said Grobis. “Her unique creativity pairs well with the inspiring and relevant stories we seek to tell.”
Detroit Mercy Theatre Company’s Season 52 mainstage season performances are:
Airness — written by Chelsea Marcantel and directed by Mycah Artis
- Performance dates — Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 4-6, 2022
- The Michigan premiere of this charismatic comedy follows a group of air guitar competitors as they move through competitions, love, loss and finding the inner rock star inside themselves.
Pride & Prejudice — written by Kate Hamill, based on the novel by Jane Austen and directed by Sarah Hawkins Rusk
- Performance dates — Feb. 10-12, 17-19, 24-26, 2023
- Bold, surprising, boisterous and timely, Pride & Prejudice enters the world of the Bennet family as outspoken sister Lizzy navigates love with the handsome and impossibly aggravating Mr. Darcy.
Unheard Voices: Afro-Brazilian Diaspora — written & directed by Greg Grobis
- Performance dates — April 20-23, 2023
- The world premiere of Unheard Voices will illuminate Afro-Brazilian voices while raising awareness of the social, political, spiritual and cultural experiences that compose communities in Salvador, Bahia – Brazil. In association with the Theatre for Social Change class, this multi-media production will address social justice issues while using methods from Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. This project will be created from experiences during the 2022 Fulbright Hays Brazil GPA Trip.
Detroit Mercy Theatre Company’s TheatreLab second stage performances:
Third Annual Titan Slam
- October 1, 2022
- Join the Department of Performing Arts and the DMTC as students and alumni display their talents through monologues and compete for prizes. This event is in conjunction with the University of Detroit Mercy’s 2022 Homecoming celebration.
Detroit Mercy Animated Short Film Festival
- Dec. 16, 2022
- Calling all animated film lovers! The culmination of the Voice Acting class is a presentation of short animated films created and voiced by students.
Student-led Theatre Lab Production
- March 17, 2023
- A full-length production produced by DMTC students.
Other Department of Performing Arts events include the Community Chorus Concerts Dec. 6, 2022 and April 4, 2023.
Additional information about Season 52 and special events associated with our mainstage productions, visit www.udmercy.edu/life/theatre. Tickets go on sale in Sept 30, 2022.
All mainstage productions are performed at The Marlene Boll Theatre inside the Boll Family YMCA, 1401 Broadway, Detroit, 48226. Performance times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. TheatreLab performances will be at University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus, 4001 West McNichols Road, Detroit, 48221. Purchase tickets online at www.DetroitMercyArts.com or by calling the ticket office at 313-993-3270. Learn more at: www.udmercy.edu/life/theatre.
Artwork for Season 52 of Detroit Mercy Theatre Company by Desiree Kelly Art.
