Canton Observer for May 11, 1995 - Canton Public Library

K R M WYGONIK
Marquis Theatre
presents magical tale
E d
Lendrum is Prince Peter and Lauren
McCsbe. Princess Priscilla, in Marquis
Theatre * musical adaptation of Hans
Christian Andersen's The Princess and the Magic
Pea." opening 7:30 p.m. Friday at the historic
theater. 136 E. Main St.. downtown Northville.
Both Livonia residents, Lendrum and McCabe
are joined by chorus members Delaney Coyne and
Michelle Butkovkh. Also featured in the caat are
Jacqui Waahburn. (Zelda). Sarah Zakariah
(Queen Sarsaparilla). Katlli Fortune (Zorina), Linday
Fortune (Mary), and Matthew Britten
(Witch's crony) of Farmington Hills.
The show continues 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. May
13. 20. 27 and June 3.10. and 17. and 2:30 p.m.
Sundays. May 21 and June 4. Tickets are $6. Call
(810) 349-8110.
The Princess and the Magic Pea" tells about a
royal kingdom in a state of national emergency as
their Prince searches for a "true princess" to marry.
But bow do you tell a real princess from a non
princeaa? With the help of a magic pea, placed
under a bed of many matreaaea, the true princess
will be revealed!
• Mary Jane Doerr's story about Toaca" focuses
on just a few of the local stars in thia thrilling
Michigan Opera Theatre production. Also cast in
the show are Dean Unick of Farmington Hills,
Tracey Conrad of Livonia, and Michaella Dionne
of Bedford. If we left anyone out, be sure to let us
know.
• St Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center will be presenting
"La Fete Au Jardin." — The Garden Party
"96, which features food from over 56 of metro
Detroit's finest restaurants, and wine from around
M o w
I
See SB
Local restaurants cater to
mom on MotherDay.
Check out Entertaining
Chokes to find out what's
on stags in your
community.
Kids, writs and teli us why
your pet is a hero to win
tickets to the new mode
*Gordy, m about a pig who
saves a boy's lift.
Readers share ^Wish You
Were Here'pictures, and
memories of vacations to
places near and far away.
Blue Dog drummer Alex
Trojano is learning a
whole new discipline for
The Lovely Uebowite
Qsmt+rm 9
°*mU. to tMP?
CATCH THE
H E A T W A
• AT MERCY
Martha Reeves shows the Mercyaires
a few steps during rehearsing for
the May 21 benefit concert. Reeves visited
Mercy High to rehearse with the girls
on May 2.
BY KULY WYGONIK
STAff Wxrrra
Martha Reeves, who waa recently
inducted to the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame for her contrite
Motown, including
in the Streets," now
haa a scholarship to bar name.
will be performing st
Mercy High School on May 21 to
help raise money for the newly
esUbliahad "Martha Reeves
Scholarship Fund for tuition assistance,
and instrumental music."
All concert proceeds will go
to the fund.
Those who purchase $60 patron
tickets will get the beat eeata
in the house. They'll also be Invited
to a champagne and appetiser
afterglow where they can
meet Reeves and the other stars
of the show.
"Martha Reeves is doing this
to help die school. She's not
doing it for money," said Roberta
Campion choreographer for the
school's singing and dancing enthe
Mercyaires, which to
o juniors and seniors by
audition only. "A k* of people hi
the community think that all the
kids who go to Mercy are rich,
but some parents work two jobs
to send their kide to school hers.
The scholarship fund will help
Reeves snd Msrcy High
School, which to celebrating
50th anniversary this year, _
acquainted in February during
the "Golden Oidtas'HPHHH
"The Mercyaires do a Motown
medley that begins with 'Heat
Wave* and ends with 'Dancing in
the Streets,' which are both Martha
Reeves tunes," said Campion
who is stoo alu
rector. "So we asked bs» to
honorary chairman of our auction.
She attended, asm the girls
performing
microphone.
Everyone loved it.
"Our musk department chairman,
Larry Tsevens. who also directs
the Mercyairee, called bar,
and asksd if she would be willing
to do a benefit concert for tuition
scholarships, snd she aaid W
After fraduating from
Northeastern High achool In Detroit,
Reeves joined several girl
groupa. William Olnwim el
"Hitavllle, USA" approached her
snd imirtH >he come to work
for him. That led to a meeting
with Barry Gordy, and the rest is
Motown history.
Shell be performing at Mercy
High School with her sisters, the
Also on the program are the
Mercyaires, the Honorable
Myron H. Wahls and his jess
trio, snd "Dr.
16-pseos "Big
Or-
By day, Wahls to a Court of
Appeals Judps in Detroit, in hia
ing "Georgia" with • jam trio.
Wahls also performs regularly
with jam great Lionel Hampton.
Martha and the Vandella's will
be porfeflag In the second half
of the program. The grand finale,
of ooume, will be her rock and roil
j In the Streets."
and bar sisters visited
High School twice to
with the Mercyaires for
the grand finale, a musical ssJute
will involve all of the groups performing
In the <
4 Opera great stuff' for local singers
BY MAS Y JANE DOER*
SrtriAL *
The whole world to a stags for Michael Parr of
Livonia, and Parker Plague of Canton, aa they step
into their ooetumee for Michigan Opera Theatre's
enormous production of the Gisoomo Puccini favorite
Toeca."
An Allstate claims processor by dsy, Parr, who
plays a prieet in 'Toaca," haa found himself in
with the Michigan Opera Theatre
chorus as he prepares for an opera career.
to great stuff," aaid Parr, 28, about this
"Toaca"
7 A graduate of Albion Collect, with degrees In
buaineee and meth. Parr said be got hooked on opera
in a sophomore musk appreciation ooures.
Now, nothing to par for the eouroe. The tenor, the
of three brothers, to single and fleses his
i working, studying, snd singing.
he ran 12 miles ia a March of Dimes
marathon before singing : in MOT'S thj three-hour-long
production of "Don Giovanni."
"It gsts busy, hut I enjoy it," aaid Parr, a 1908
•ratkuata of ChurchfD High School to In Livonia He
Metropolitan Open star
of he has
grader at Walker EU
to atoo caat In Toaca,"
love and
the crafty actions of the
Italy.
like a oinaaroom to him
K
"Hang the Moon" at the Purple Rooe Theater in
Chelsea, and Italian history in MOT'S Toaca"
He's also appearing In a Greek tragedy "The Tbebens,"
at the Hilberry Theatre in Detroit.
"I am just a normal Uds," said Plagua That's an
understatement. Even though he's currently involved
in three shone. Plague maintains sn A aver
aft and doee his homework between acanee. For
Toaca," he studied Italian history and learned
how to sing "Ts Deuma"
As a member of the children's chorus. Plague
finds himself In the middle of the recreation of the
tragedy, learning about the evils of Rome's horror
house "Caatel SantAngek." Everything to in Italian
and Plague knows every detail of the complicated
plot.
"Now. this to gross," said Plague deecribing how
the infamous chief of police propositions the tempeetuoua
Toaca in eichengs for her lover's life.
"Singing in Italton to easy, ones you get the hsng
of it," said Plague.
Thia to the first time be has suag ia an Italian
opera, but not his first time performing with a live
pit orchsotra. Plague has appeared at the Fisher
Theatre in "King sad I," and with the Dearborn
Players Guild in "Oliver."
"I can't help singing the music all the time. It is
in my mind and is subconscious." mid Plague
Plague to not without friends snd family on the
Masonic Temple etsgt. Hia voioe teacher Joeeph
Pokoraki of Rocheeter Hills to the Act 01 jailer and
hia father, Kerry Plague, to a supra.
!/
KJCEI.IT WYGONIE, Eorron
i :JI:I-»53-2106
IN
CONCERT
2 p.m Sunday,
May 21
1 Benefit concert
for Mercy High School,
29300 W. 11 Mile Road.
Farmington Hills
Ttekmts: $10 general
seating, $20 reserved.
$50 patron, includes
reserved seating and
champagne afterglow,
following concert. Call
(810) 476-3270
DAY, MAY 11, 1995
Totca"
j Michigan Opera Theatre
production al the Masonic Temple Theatre.
500 Temple. Detroit.
_ r 8 p.m. Saturdays. May 13 &
May 20; 8 p.m. Wednesday. May 17; and 2
p.m. Sunday. May 21.
TUskots: $20 to $49 Purchase twg full-price
tickets, and each child, under the age of 12.
can sit with parents for $10 each Call (313)
' 874-SING or Ttcketmaster (810) 645-6666
Plague hates to be aaked what he will be when he
grows up. Perhaps that is because be to so grown up
already.
Ukrainian-born soprano Maria Guleghina makes
her MOT debut in the title of role of Floria Toaca.
Other principal parte are played by Richard di
Rensi (Cevaradoesi). Richard Cowan (Baron Scar
pia>. Donald Conrad Hartman, Scott Piper and
Lawrence Formoea. Toaca" to directed by Harry
Silverstein. Music director is Steven Mercurio.
Mary Jane Doerr of Troy is s full-time teacher
and freelance writer who tpecuduee in opera and
mueical theater