ONLY ONE WEEKEND LEFT! COME TO THE SNUG THEATRE AND WATCH US PLAY! TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE!  WWW.RIVERBANKTHEATRE.COM

We're usually pretty busy thinking about our performances when we tour with a show, but we try to get out and about at least a little bit and see what the area we're performing in has to offer. This past weekend, Mary Beth and I had the chance to spend some time it two quaint Villages: Algonac, Michigan and Sombra, Ontario, Canada.

Marine City and Algonac, Michigan were, during the 18th and 19th Centuries, devoted to shipbuilding. Both cities were home to firms that built ships designed to move passengers and freight among and across the Great Lakes. In the 20th Century, Algonac moved into a different sort of shipbuilding - racing boats. Beginning in the 1920s, two partners, Chris Smith and 'Gar' Wood built wooden racing boats - the Miss Americas. Those boats set water speed records of over 120 mph. Later, Smith separated from Wood and formed the Chris Craft company, makers of premier wooden speedboats and pleasure craft.

This boat-making history is memorialized in the Algonac City Park, located right on the St. Clair River. There are statues commemorating Smith and Wood and the Algonac shipbuilding tradition, along with a soldiers' memorial.

We’ve just finished our first of three weekend performances of Love Letters by A. R. Gurney, at The Snug Theatre in Marine City, Michigan. Love Letters plays at The Snug Theatre for two more weekends. Shows are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 3:00 pm. There’s also a special Saturday matinee on August 27 at 3:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.riverbanktheatre.com and by phone at: 810-278-1749.

The Snug has been our summer home for three years now and we’re very excited to be back performing our signature piece for folks on the Sunrise Side of the state in this terrific venue. Some history may be in order.

Opened in 2013, The Snug Theatre is the brainchild of Tom and Kathy Vertin, transplanted Metro Detroit-area residents who now live on historic and picturesque Harsen’s Island – a beautiful spot in the middle of the St. Clair River. Tom and Kathy bought a building that wasn’t being utilized in downtown Marine City, renovated it, and turned it into the 98-seat venue we love so much. We first performed there in 2014 with My Dearest Friend and were fortunate to be asked to return the following year with Canadian playwright Norm Foster’s Old Love.

But, the Vertins weren’t finished enlarging the theatre scene in Michigan’s Thumb area. Last year, they acquired the long-dormant Marine City Bank building. The early 1900s building has terrific architecture and wonderful stylistic elements inside. The Vertins have kept the best, including the original bank vault, and have remodeled the remainder to create The Riverbank: a state of the art 179-seat theatre where the company produces large-scale musicals, like the upcoming The Drowsy Chaperone.

The addition of the two theatres to the downtown area has sparked renewed interest in downtown shopping, which has been a boon to both established businesses and new ventures. We at GEM Theatrics are encouraged to see the power that theatrical entertainment can have on a city.

Now, Tom and Kathy are branching out even more. The last administrative hurdles have been cleared for them to turn an old car dealership location into a brand new boutique hotel. This location will allow visitors a prime venue to serve as a hub for visiting all the charming towns along the St. Clair River. We see exciting times ahead!