The Broadway show “CATS” will be presented June 10-11 at Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall.
—Graham Lundeen said seeing “CHICAGO” in New York City wasn’t what he expected of the award-winning stage production, but it was fantastic nonetheless.
“I was expecting a big Broadway show,” said Lundeen, a theatre junior. “I was surprised at how little there was on stage, but it really worked for the show because it was all about the acting.”
For students like Lundeen who live in East Lansing during the summer, the lack of students in town might imply a lack of entertainment options. But for Lundeen, who is planning on purchasing tickets to see “CHICAGO” again when it visits Wharton Center in May, summer in East Lansing is not a dull time for entertainment.
“It’s one of those classic Broadway shows that everyone talks about and everyone knows,” Lundeen said.
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
For the 15th time, the city of East Lansing will celebrate music through its Summer Solstice Jazz Festival downtown.
And although the festival can be seen as a local tradition, Ami Van Antwerp, communications manager for the city of East Lansing, said this year’s event brings fresh faces whose music will be enjoyed by the student population of MSU.
Grace Kelly, an 18-year-old saxophonist, singer, composer and lyricist, will be one of the headlining acts for the festival. Kelly, a junior at Berklee College of Music in Boston, has performed at more than 500 concerts and has released five, critically acclaimed jazz albums.
Along with Kelly, California native Taylor Eigsti, a 26-year-old, two-time Grammy-nominated pianist and composer, also will perform at the event.
Van Antwerp said the younger artists likely will bode well with students, as will the popular local bands and musicians who are scheduled to perform.
“We always have a few (performers) that are brand new and some from around the area because (they) automatically bring in a crowd,” Van Antwerp said.
The festival, which is co-produced by the city of East Lansing, Wharton Center and the MSU College of Music, is funded by grants, corporate sponsorships and individual donations.
Wharton Center
The longest continuously-running Broadway show in U.S. history, “CATS,” will be visiting Wharton Center for the season, along with “CHICAGO.” Both performances are part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Broadway at Wharton Center series.
Bob Hoffman, public relations manager at Wharton Center, said “CATS,” which has been translated into 10 languages and has had an impact of $3.2 billion on NYC’s economy, is a unique production that shouldn’t be taken for granted by the MSU community.
“‘CATS’ is one of those shows that people fall in love with,” Hoffman said.
“The fact that it’s toured so long is a testament that it’s so amazing and people love it and want to see it over and over again.”
Hoffman said “CHICAGO,” which visited Wharton Center in 2008, will be a great performance for students staying in East Lansing during the summer because of its thrilling storyline.
“It has that classic American theatre,” Hoffman said. “‘CHICAGO’ is awesome — it’s singing (and) dancing, it’s a story of murder (and) greed. ‘CHICAGO’ is a sexy musical.”
Hoffman said although Wharton Center doesn’t draw in as many students during the summer months, big-name shows, such as “CHICAGO” and “CATS,” are hits that will draw crowds from the East Lansing area.
For more information on the Broadway performances or other shows visiting Wharton Center during the summer, visit whartoncenter.com.
Summer Circle Theatre
Rob Roznowski said many audience members of his summer productions just happen to be in the right place at the right time.
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“A lot of people just see all of us down by the river and think, ‘What in the hell are they doing?’” said Roznowski, who is head of acting in the MSU Department of Theatre. “People just stumble upon it.”
Roznowski is one of the directors in the Summer Circle Theatre, an outreach program produced through the Department of Theatre that showcases plays along the Red Cedar River on campus during the summer.
Roznowski will be directing “GEMINI,” which is one of the three productions of the series.
This summer, every production is a comedy, but each show displays a different style within the genre, Roznowski said.
The theater series, which is 51 years old, showcases both student actors and community members.
“This is a tradition in Lansing,” Roznowski said. “People have been coming for years, so you can see generations of people who come back to see the new productions.”
