One of the great things about having Max Granitz as our intern this Fall is his forward-looking perspective. In this post, Max ponders the future of theater. What might the next "My Dearest Friend" or "Chapatti" look like?

Theater in the Digital Age
By Maxwell Granitz
 
Virtual reality on your mobile phone. Increasing dependence on technology. More users on social media than ever before. It is the digital age, and, really, has been since the beginning of the 21st century. Technology advances on us daily. In the year 2017, and the future, considering the above, and that criticism of the arts and calls for their defunding come from all sides, how can live theater truly enter the digital age, and remain a cornerstone of American and global culture(s)?
 
In 2011, the Menier Chocolate Factory, an independent nonprofit theater in London, known for producing new iterations of existing works, produced a modern interpretation of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin. Drawing inspiration from the Tron films and incorporating lasers, projections and neon lights into the set, the title character’s Odyssean quest took place in a digital underground rather than the height of the Holy Roman Empire.

In early 2016, the London production of composer Duncan Sheik’s stage adaptation of American Psycho opened on Broadway. It was generally panned by critics and closed after only 81 total performances. In images of the set, however, it comes across as something not necessarily common in Broadway theater. The design and lighting plots (shown in this image from the opening number) reflect the worldview and modern attitude of anti-social protagonist Patrick Bateman.

My name is Maxwell Granitz. I am thrilled to begin my tenure as the intern for GEM Theatrics over the next fifteen weeks. As a self-identified patron of the arts, I look forward to using the skills I have gained as a writing major at Grand Valley State University in advancing the arts in West Michigan and beyond.

Gary and I originally met in April of last year, at the first scheduled reading for Grand Valley’s production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him during the rehearsal process through the first half of the fall semester. He was a paternal figure to many in the cast and a joy to work with.
 
A part of the writing major curriculum at Grand Valley is the completion of a for-credit internship, which is designed to build upon the skills students have gained in class. I reached out to Gary in late February, remembering that he co-owned GEM Theatrics with his wife, Mary Beth. By the end of the following month I had signed on to complete my internship through him. I felt the best use of my talents would be in a performing arts setting that would allow me to see the theater in new ways.

My love for theater started when I was eight or nine, and has developed into a passion which has seen me through some very trying periods of my life. I have been fortunate to perform in four productions, and while I have perhaps less experience on-stage than others my age, each time I get to do a show is a wonderful experience. And I have attended some truly incredible performances as an audience member, including many plays at Grand Valley/in West Michigan, on Broadway, and even on London’s West End.

Following graduation from Grand Valley in April, I hope to begin full-time employment with a performing arts organization in New York, and pursue graduate-level study in performance at some point in the next few years. I look forward to these upcoming months with GEM Theatrics, and being able to engage readers with content that will both inspire and produce meaning.

We at GEM Theatrics are thrilled to welcome Maxwell Granitz as our new intern for the next four months.

Max is currently a Senior at Grand Valley State University, majoring in writing. Max also has a profound interest in theater. Gary worked with Max last Fall when Gary was a guest artist at the GVSU Shakespeare Festival, playing the part of Escalus in Measure For Measure, and Max was part of the student cast.

Max will be in charge of the regular blogs on our website and Facebook, as well as editing our brochures and suggesting upgrades to our website. Max will also be working on a script for consideration by GEM Theatrics for production at a future date.

We're thrilled to have Max working with us and we think you'll be thrilled with the content he will share with you in the coming months!

In August, we finished up our three weekend run of Love Letters by A. R. Gurney at The Snug Theatre in Marine City, Michigan. It was our third year there, entertaining folks on the "Sunrise Side" and we had, as always, a great time! Our sincere thanks to Tom and Kathy Vertin for hosting us again. The venue is terrific and the patrons very appreciative of what we do. We hope to be asked back in the seasons to come!

As everyone is sick of hearing by now, it's election season! And that means -- more opportunities to catch My Dearest Friend by Mary G. Kron! We have three performances of the complete Two-Act version of the show coming up in the next couple of weeks.

On Thursday, November 3, 2016 we will be hosted by the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in Midland, Michigan. This beautiful library has a 200 seat auditorium and a raised stage. The show starts at 7 pm and admission is free!

The following week, we will perform the show twice for folks in West Michigan at the Mason County District Library in Ludington, Michigan on November 12, 2016. Shows are at 3 pm and 7 pm and admission is again free! We'll be in the West Shore Bank Room.

We hope to see lots of our GEM Theatrics friends at one or both of these shows. We'll be celebrating the 281st birthday of John Adams (October 30, 1735) and the 252nd anniversary of the marriage of John and Abigail (October 25, 1764), as well as the lynch pin of our Democracy - the election of a President by a vote of the people!

Stay tuned to this space for an announcement of our upcoming show for the Lake Effect Fringe Festival!

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!

​GEM Theatrics has been relatively quiet since we completed our run of Old Love in Marine City this past July.  We performed the one act version of My Dearest Friend in July at the Women's City Club here in Grand Rapids, and were thrilled to come away with a booking in celebration of the local Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter's 120th anniversary next May, as a result of that performance.  We performed the full length version in September at Delta College in September to commemorate Constitution Day, and had a great audience!

Most recently, our skills and talents have taken us further afield and somewhat away from the pursuits of our own company.  Mary Beth directed Becoming Dr. Ruth for Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids during August, which played to packed houses and rave reviews during its two week run in September.  They say 90% of good directing is great casting, and I was certainly fortunate in having the wonderful Lori Jacobs, who so wonderfully brought Dr. Ruth to life in this tough one-woman show.  She was a joy to work with! The show was so successful, that an additional performance has been scheduled for October 15, 2015 at Temple Emanuel in Grand Rapids, MI.   Tickets are still available at: http://jtgr.org/tickets.htm

We both finish out October performing in a couple of original 10-minute plays directed by our friend Sue Bradford out in Lowell, MI.  We're having a great time working with old friends and new in a dinner theatre production of Play Bytes by Playwrights: 10-Minute Plays all on a theme of Things That Go Bump in the Night, produced by the LowellArts! Players.  We play parents of a "problem child" in Kids These Days, by local playwright, Matt Tawney and Gary plays a dad who has come to help his son in Reunion, by Chicago playwright J. Weintraub. All will be great Halloween fun!  Hope you can join us!!

Tickets for these shows are available at: www.lowellartsmi.org

Well, here we are, right in the middle of our run of Norm Foster's Old Love at The Snug Theatre in Marine City, Michigan. We've finished seven of our 11 performances and we've played to packed houses, enthusiastic audiences, and even standing ovations! One very kind patron declared her experience "The best $20 ever spent in the theatre!" We couldn't be happier -- well, yes we could: We could sell out for the final weekend! Advance ticket sales are good, but lots of seats are still available for shows Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening, and Sunday afternoon. Go to www.riverbanktheatre.com for tickets.
While you're at it, why don't you do what we do -- explore the Sunrise side. One of the treats of doing what we do is that there are lots of opportunities to explore. And explore you should, too.

Living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we're justly proud of all West Michigan has to offer -- Urban venues, small towns, orchards, asparagus, beaches, big water, and lighthouses, among other things. But, we in Michigan are fortunate to be nearly surrounded by beautiful waterways and that's true on the Sunrise side, too. MB and I spent part of our hot and sticky Saturday in the gateway to the Eastern shore waterway, Port Huron. There's lots to do in Port Huron, but we focused on attractions near the base of Lake Huron. There are always freighters to see on the lakes and Port Huron is a great place to see them up close and personal.
But, there are other things to do by the water. Lots of people don't know that Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, the movie camera, the phonograph, among many other useful gadgets, spent a part of his boyhood in Port Huron. As a youth, he worked for the railroad, selling newspapers, candy, and other items to passengers on the commuter line. He also began his experiments during this period and the railroad gave him the use of a car to conduct his  tests while the train was in action. The railroad depot where he worked has been restored and made into a museum, with a railroad car/laboratory and a statue of Tom as youngster.

It has been said that the preserved correspondence of John and Abigail Adams is so extensive that one could choose a date almost at random and find something interesting discussed. Well, we at GEM Theatrics are not ones to let such a challenge just rest on its laurels. For the next several weeks, we're going to try this experiment and see where it leads.
May 18, 1778 found Mr. and Mrs. Adams separated, as they so often were -- this time by the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier that year, John had been appointed to replace Silas Deane as part of the Commission to negotiate an alliance with the French to be allies in the colonies' war for independence. Deane, it seems, could not get along with Benjamin Franklin. As it turned out, Adams would fair no better, but that is a story for another time.

      I wanted to share a few, quick thoughts with all of our friends, fans and family about what it takes to be a two-person production company.
      I know a lot of you are theatre people, and you know what it takes to "put on a show, kids!", right? For those of you who are not theatre people:  you need a script, permission from the playwright to produce it, upfront money to pay the royalties, a director and a cast.  That's the start.  In our case, you also need a venue - for us, it's the Dog Story Theater, a cozy, little black box here in Grand Rapids.  OK!  So, go! First off, we're the directors and the cast; easy enough.  Our rehearsal space is the dining room - no rent!  But then again, the rehearsal space is the dining room...
     A set designer, a costume designer, a props master? Sound designer, lights?  It's all us.   I usually handle costumes and props.  The set we figure out together, Gary's in charge of music and sound effects design and handles lighting and projections, if we have them.  For this show, we need some pretty specific lighting, so he's attending a special lighting workshop at the Dog Story tomorrow night led by their lighting guru, Chuck Fortenbacher.
     Publicity?  Well, again that would be us!  Postcards and posters designed and printed?  Check!  Time to actually distribute that material?  Well...we're still figuring that out!  Press releases?  Mostly taken care of at this point - oh, and you'll be getting that MailChimp newsletter this weekend, that I stayed up until 
2:00 a.m. last weekend to write!  So please don't trash it - read it and pass it on to a friend!!!
      That about covers all the elements needed to get a production off the ground. Well, there's that pesky rehearsal process, which when there's no big, bad authority figure of a director cracking the whip, it becomes all about discipline.  The house is a mess, the laundry needs to be done, the sink is full of dirty dishes, and you don't get to leave that all behind and waltz out the door to rehearsal - remember, rehearsal is in the dining room!  Put on the blinders and go to work!  
      Learn your lines!!! No book holder here to give you a line when you call "LINE" (or make those nasty, little 'line notes' she hands you on a Post-it, or legal-sized sheet of paper at the end of the night!!  Pros & cons, right?  Oh, and there's also not a stage manager, so props pre-set, quick changes, where things need to be back stage so you can get them when you need them where you need them onstage - we figure all that out during rehearsal.
      Mostly, it's about time and time management.  We both have day jobs, (well this semester, Gary's got three night classes) and we only have so much time together in the old dining room/rehearsal hall, and a finite number of waking hours a day to dedicate to memorization.  So, when one of us is working, the one that's not, works on lines - in theory.  
      So, together we spent  Friday afternoon shopping the Goodwill Stores for costumes, ran some lines.  Today, between the two of us, we spent most of the day working on wardrobe and publicity, ran some lines, Gary got groceries and made a great dinner,  I taught a sewing class, we had a very productive Act I rehearsal...the sink is still full of dirty dishes and there's a load of clothes in the washer!
      Come watch us play - February 13 - 15 at the Dog Story Theater!  You'll have a greater appreciation for how we got there - AND we promise to know our lines!