Farmers Alley Theatre is proud to open our 12th season with a newly reimagined chamber version of one of literature’s greatest tales by two of Broadway’s legendary composers, Lerner & Loewe’s soaring classic, Camelot. Borrowing from the Arthurian legends, this fantastical masterpiece has been paired down for a smaller cast (fitting perfectly in our intimate space) while still maintaining the rich and lush score made famous over 60 years ago with songs like “If Ever I Would Leave You”, “I Loved You Once in Silence”, and of course, “Camelot”. So gather around the Round Table once more with Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot as this legendary love triangle makes its way to Farmers Alley this October. Excalibur!
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Based on the hit children’s book by Mo Willems, join us for a rockin’ show about being comfortable in your own skin – or suit.
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An iconic singer-songwriter gets a brand-new sound this November as Farmers Alley Theatre welcomes CAROLE’S KINGS, the world’s first all-male Carole King tribute. With lush orchestrations, witty banter, and a cast of three incredibly talented New York stage veterans, CAROLE’S KINGS is a dynamic act jam-packed with chart-topping sensations such as “The Locomotion,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “You’ve Got A Friend,” and many more.
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Farmers Alley Theatre gives another innovative spin on a classic with our holiday season offering It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Frank Capra’s beloved film comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast, complete with foley artists creating real-life sound effects and multiple actors playing different roles throughout its broadcast. Inside our famous cabaret set-up (complete with desserts and coffee), the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. Bring the whole family to the theatre as this American Viewing Tradition arrives this Holiday Season to Farmers Alley Theatre.
Added Show - Saturday, December 14 at 2pm | Saturday, December 21st at 2pm | Sunday, December 22nd at 7pm
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Motherhood takes the mic this January with DOES ANYBODY HAVE A MAP? Motherhood in stories and song. Through original monologues, music and film, this brainchild of Julie Nemitz, Nancy Stefanick, and Whitney Weiner explores motherhood in a unique way only the women’s voices of our
Kalamazoo Community can. This original production will be stuffed with relatable humor and heartfelt poignancy.
FRI 730pm | SAT 730pm | SUN 2pm
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A delicious slice of American life comes to Farmers Alley Theatre this February in the Michigan premiere of The Cake. Della makes cakes, not judgement calls. But when the girl she helped raise comes back to North Carolina to get married to another woman, Della’s life gets turned upside down. She can’t really make a cake for such a wedding, can she? Written by Bekah Brunstetter, staff writer and story editor for NBC’s wildly popular hit, “This is Us”, The Cake is a savory dramedy that is smart, balanced and leaves us audience feeling moved and enlightened.
The Cake is performed without an intermission. Due to language and subject matter, The Cake is best enjoyed by audiences 15 and up.
"The play's tight narrative construction is apparent from the opening scene, which immediately seduces us with Della's bubbly charm. What's refreshing and heartening about The Cake is its characters' willingness to face their differences and limitations head-on. This is us as we could be, if we'd all just try a little harder." -Los Angeles Times
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One of theatre’s most celebrated playwrights is on display, as Farmers Alley Theatre remembers the late Neil Simon with his humorous and heart-wrenching Pulitzer Prize Winning work, Lost in Yonkers. In 1942 Brooklyn two teenage boys come to live with their stern grandmother and “crazy” Aunt Bella. Bella has an unbridled zest for life, along with the mind of a child. But what she longs for most is love and independence, despite her strict mother’s objections. Filled with Simon’s gifted touch of witty dialogue and heartfelt emotion, get Lost in Yonkers this spring.
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Farmers Alley Theatre is proud to present our next Theatre for Young Audiences production, Balloonacy, running March 21st and 28that 221 Farmers Alley. Performed in our intimate 100-seat space, Farmers Alley Theatre is the perfect venue for kids to get up close to the action and really become enveloped in the joy and magic of live theatre.
Balloonacy combines the imaginative power of play and elements of mime, clowning and more to tell a beautiful story of friendship and compassion. In his apartment, a single old man is celebrating his birthday alone. But his day is interrupted by the presence of a magical red balloon who comes through the window, the door, and his closet to befriend the old man. Through a series of comical and touching moments the old man and the balloon find a bond of friendship that will bring a smile to everyone’s face in this wordless, situational comedy.
Balloonacy is ideal for pre-schoolers and elementary aged children, and is especially effective at connecting with children on the autism spectrum. We will be having a sensory-friendly performance of Balloonacy on Saturday, March 28th at 10am.
Shows March 21st and 28th at 10am and 1pm.
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David Maiocco (Liberace!) returns to Kalamazoo with LEE SQUARED. Maiocco pays tribute to flamboyant pianist and candelabra enthusiast Liberace while Chuck Sweeney keeps the memory of Peggy Lee alive with a fevered impersonation that includes a heavy dose of camp hilarity. Join us for an evening of music and laugher from the virtuoso playing of Liberace to the sultry jazz swing of Miss Lee.
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After three successful collaborations with the Gilmore Keyboard Festival (Old Wicked Songs, Murder for Two, Liberace!), Farmers Alley Theatre is once again proud to partner with the Gilmore to tell the story of the famed American jazz singer, Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Set in a seedy Philadelphia bar four months before her death, be a part of the audience as more than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced with salty, often humorous reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the Billie Holiday and her music.
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Inspired by a real event and featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steven Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ‘40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past – and what she finds has the power to transform both their lives. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tight in its grasp, Bright Star is as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.
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Featuring the music of Bob Marley, this jammin’ musical shares the legendary reggae artist’s message of peace and love with a new generation of songbirds.
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Farmers Alley Theatre concludes our 12th season with the high-energy romantic comedy, High Fidelity. When Brooklyn record store owner Rob finds himself unexpectedly dumped, his life takes a music-filled turn toward the introspective. Based on the popular novel by Nick Hornby, High Fidelity follows Rob as he struggles to discover how his relationship went awry, and strives to change his life in order to win back his sweetheart Laura. With memorable characters and a rock-and-roll score, this homage to music geek culture explores love, heartbreak, and the power of the perfect soundtrack.
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