May the creek not rise over Williamston Theatre — one of my favorite things

  By Susan G Parcheta 

One of the fun perks about blogging is that I get to write about my favorite things. High on that list is Williamston Theatre, mid-Michigan’s professional theatre in downtown Williamston.

You might be wondering about the blog title. Well, it goes along with the title of the current play by award-winning playwright Joseph Zettlemaier  –  And the Creek Don’t Rise.
It’s a fantastic play; and attending the first night (our preview night tradition) was – as it always is – a fun and memorable visit with the Williamston Theatre family.

Going to WT productions is one of my favorite things. After three seasons of play going, I’ve come to feel part of the WT family; and I love how they’ve transformed and inspired the community.  So, the existence of this creative force here, I see as vital for the benefit of all of us who live in mid-Michigan.
As I was chatting with friends (newbies to this WT force) at the performance, I was thinking about the impact of the theatre on Williamston and surrounding communities. Five years later, despite a lagging economy, it’s still going; it’s still contributing its dynamic and creative spark, with its mission being to kindle that spark in us.

But, oh, how I hope “the creek don’t rise” over Williamston Theatre. I want it to go on forever.  The thought was running through my mind as I looked over the play program; I was also picturing the letter that WT Director John Lepard had written to patrons a few weeks earlier.


In these economic times, you could call WT a true miracle…something like, It’s a Wonderful Life, but I’ll get to that in a minute. First I’ll share a part of the letter:
“It is because of you, your patronage and your support,” said Lepard, “that we have survived for five years, have been able to grow and have expanded the Williamston Theatre community to include over 8,000 people last season alone. You have helped make the Williamston Theatre what it is today.”

The part that touched my heart the most, though, was what he said about the creative spirit in Michigan. “The pulse of the creative community in this state is strong,” he said. I agree. Yes, it’s great to know the spirit of creativity is alive and well in mid-Michigan; and it’s great to know there’s a place where all that creativity can come alive, inspire and possibly – probably – no doubt about it – change lives.

“Our theatre truly IS your theatre, Lepard    emphasized. “Please continue to support the work that we do for the benefit of the state of the arts in Michigan. Share the Williamston Theatre with your family and friends, bring them to a show, forward our e-mails to them and consider a tax-deductible contribution to the Theatre now. Gifts of all sizes make up 50% of our annual revenue and help to support the Williamston Theatre programs. You and thousands of your neighbors keep the spirit alive.”

OK, I’m starting to do that.  Our longtime friends, who went with us this time, raved about And the Creek Don’t Rise. I smiled afterward, as I do believe they are hooked, as much as we are.

Zettlemaier’s plays are finding enthusiastic audiences, who are taking a liking, or so it seems, to being involved in the birthing process of a new play. I’d been grasping that idea, myself; and I was pleased to find my view confirmed when Lepard spoke to Paul Wozniak of Lansing’s City Pulse:

“But now people know we’re going to do new works and they’re kind of excited about it — especially for the previews. They love to be the preview audience in a brand-new play so they can have a little bit of input into what’s going on.”
Here’s WT’s own synopsis of the play, making its world premiere in Williamston:

Thomas D Mahard, John Lepard and Kate Peckham

In “The Creek Don’t Rise,” Rob and Maddie, longtime Michiganders and one of the many casualties of economic downsizing, find themselves experiencing a severe case of culture shock after they move to a small town in Georgia for a new job. When their friendly next-door neighbor invites Rob to join him in a Civil War reenactment, a simple and comical misunderstanding ignites a hilarious private civil war between the neighbors that threatens to demolish the couple’s new life before it even begins. Michigan playwright Joseph Zettelmaier’s heartwarming tale is a story of survival, acceptance and embracing a new homeland. 

I liked Donald V Calamia’s review for Encore Michigan. I liked his comments on the trio of actors.

“Lepard is a master at delivering asides and quips, he writes: “and one has to wonder if Zettelmaier wrote the role of Rob with Lepard in mind. (It’s a perfect fit for the lanky actor.)”

John Lepard

(I was thinking the same thing, as I was watching the script unfold that first night. Although, I’ve found that Lepard is such a skillful actor, that he can make almost any role seem like it was written for him.)

“Peckham” adds Calamia, “earns plenty of laughs with her ‘there’s no doubt what I’m trying to tell you’ facial expressions. And her intense focus never wavers.”

(Yes, he’s right about that. She is a no-nonsense character, with the compassionate veterinarian personality. I remembered her brilliant performance in Tally’s Folly.)

“Mahard is thoroughly delightful as their proud and gentlemanly Southern neighbor,” says Calamia. “But keep a close watch on his face, because even the slightest change reveals much about his character’s motives.”

Thomas Mahard as Doc

(I like his observation about that; and I was also thinking about how many wonderful characters Mahard must have played throughout his theatre career. That was our first Mahard experience. I can see why Lepard  was excited to work with him. Mahard is well known for his portrayal of Scrooge at Meadow Brook Theatre every year.)
Calamia talks about the director: “The production is well-served by director Joseph Albright, last seen in Williamston’s While We Were Bowling. Zettelmaier’s script is ultimately a story about human connections, and Albright expertly delivers both its warmth and its humor with great care and affection. His pacing is excellent, as well.”

(Yes, I did recognize Joseph Albright from While We Were Bowling, and also I enjoyed him in It Came From Mars.)

Joseph Albright, Suzi Regan, Edward O'Ryan

As for Lepard, he was enthused about the production’s run this summer, after the preview performance weekend. “People have been really liking this play,” said Lepard.  “We had a great weekend and learned a lot from our preview audiences. I think this will do well for us this summer.”

Lepard refers to the WT tradition of inviting comments from the audience after the preview shows. The cast and crew get input from all angles and perspectives…so that the show you see on the first few nights could be quite different than the shows later on.

I’ve always noted that the shows are so well done on the first night, though, that it doesn’t factor in on our tradition to attend that show; we love the fun of the first night.

Tony Caselli, artistic director at WT, often takes charge of the audience with those after-performance discussions.  He’s been branching out beyond WT this spring with the direction of Mitch Albom’s play, Ernie, about the legendary Detroit Tigers Baseball announcer Ernie Harwell. Caselli says it’s going great, and audiences are loving it down at the City Theatre in Detroit, across from Comerica Park through August 21.

Now for the biggest blessing — a  miracle, to me, actually –  of the upcoming season.  Here’s the scoop from WT: Back by popular demand!  John Lepard returns to the Williamston stage in his award-winning role as George Bailey, Mr. Potter, and the entire population of Bedford Falls in this theatrical re-telling of the classic holiday film, It’s A Wonderful Life.  Superbly adapted from the most irresistible and entertaining “what if” story of all time, this one-man tour de force reminds us of the power of perspective, friendship and faith.  A holiday experience for the whole family.

As I wrote in an article about attending that performance,  two y ears ago for LivingstonTalk ,  I wished  Lepard’s This Wonderful Life could have been bottled like a fine wine  — to  enjoy whenever I needed a George Bailey fix. I’ll reprise that again, when the show comes up. But, trust me, this performance is exactly how they describe it; and you won’t want to miss it.
A year before that, WT began to etch a soft spot in my heart when I wrote my first article about John Lepard and the WT family for the Fowlerville News & Views. That soft spot’s been growing ever larger over the past three years, as I’ve experienced more theatre in that time, than I ever had before.
There’s something about Williamston Theatre that grabs a hold of you and keeps calling you back. Artistic director Tony Casselli put it into words in the program for “And the Creek Don’t Rise” – which probably is the most articulate way anyone could.

“What makes us a family is the shared belief that our lives are worth exploring! When it works, theatre provides us not with a distraction from life, but with an explosion of life! Together, with each play, we build a moving, exhilarating new experience – a new lens to see our world through – our own private worlds, and the world s of those around us. Whether we laugh, or cry, or praise or condemn – when it’s done right, what happens  in this space  launches us one step closer to understanding our world and the people in it.”

And the Creek Don’t Rise is about family, Rob and Maddie , starting over in a new hometown in Georgia.

“Back in 2006,” writes Caselli, “with our first production, we opened the doors to this building with the same goals and hopes.”

When asked about the future of WT, Lepard paints a positive picture. “Like a lot of theatres, we had a tough year, but we are hanging in there. Since we have not overextended ourselves through this economic downturn, we have been able to employ the people
we need to survive.”

Founding Four:Chris Purchis, Tony Caselli, Emily Sutton-Smith, John Lepard

Williamston Theatre is still run by the core four who founded it in 2006: Executive Director John Lepard, Artistic Director Tony Caselli, Development Director Emily Sutton-Smith, and Managing Director Chris Purchis.
“We keep building audience,” Lepard said, when asked about WT’s future. “If we stay on pace, we should be fine.  We also have a great season coming up, and I really think it will be our best year yet.”

Amazingly, said a Williamston couple we know (who’ve  supported the theatre since the beginning),  many area residents still are not aware of this  magnificent cultural treasure in their midst.  Just before posting this blog, I asked them. Yes, they said, so many have no idea this professional theatre exists, tucked around the corner of the Main Four in downtown Williamston.
God willing, “And the Creek Don’t Rise” over Williamston Theatre,   the pace Lepard speaks of will quicken, with many new theatre goers discovering this artistic jewel in the middle of  our Michigan Mitten – - and making it one of their favorite things.

Performance Information
‘And the Creek Don’t Rise’
Williamston Theatre
Through Aug. 14
8 p.m. preview performance Thursday, July 14; all seats $15
Regular performances begin Friday, July 15 at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; 3 p.m. Saturdays (except July 23), 3 p.m. July 21.
$24 Friday and Saturday evenings; $20 matinees; $18 Thursdays; $10 students; $2 off regular price for seniors
www.williamstontheatre.org
(517) 655-7469
WT Links
‘Creek’ speak – John Lepard interview with Paul Wosniak in City Pulse
Encore Michigan – review by Donald Calamia
Tony Caselli and Mitch Albom about “Ernie”
WT Artistic Director  Tony Caselli’s WT Journal
Joseph Zettlemaeir’s Dead Man’s Shoes receives national recognition
Joseph Zettlemaier about ‘Creek’ in his own words
2011-2012 Season at Williamston Theatre
Hear WT Artistic Director Tony Caselli talk about the new season
Tony Caselli invites you to WT 2011-2012 Season
About the founders of WT
City Pulse ‘The Omnipresent  John Lepard’
Detroit Free Press review of  ‘And The Creek Don’t Rise’
Lansing State Journal talks up ‘And The Creek Don’t Rise’
Williamson Theatre feature by Cyndi Lieske in Williamston Magazine

(This article first publishedJuly 21, 2011 at www.LivingstonTalk.com )