Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is thrilled to jump start the New Year with a fan favorite, the TCA Comedy Show on Saturday, January 22, 2022. This year's comedy show is emceed by Mark Bonto and features nationally touring headliners Dan Simon, Steve Smargon, and Frank Roche.
Emcee Mark Bonto: Mark Bonto is a multiple award-winning stand-up comedian, actor, and author. He has appeared in several films, hundreds of theatrical productions, and has performed in some of the country’s biggest venues alongside such comedy greats as Howie Mandel, Bob Saget and Bruce Baum. His comedy series “The Funny Spot” was named the #1 comedy show by View magazine. Dan Simon: Dan Simon is a favorite on the Midwest comedy scene. From Saline, he’s a seasoned road comic that performs regularly at multiple venues and festivals throughout the country. Steve Smargon: Steve is a Marine Corps veteran and one of the most unique and sought-after performers in the country that was described by the Toledo Free Press as, “hilarious, plain and simple." He was the winner of the National Clean Comedy Challenge and is known in comedy as "The Bipolar Marine." Through his stand-up, Steve has become a mental health advocate whose goal is to show others that they are not alone in their struggles. With his merchandise sales, he raises money for both Wounded Warriors and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. He has performed multiple times at the TCA, opening for Jeff Caldwell, Ben Bailey, The Legends of Michigan Comedy, the TCA Music Fest, as well as headlining his own Black Box Summer Series. He's been a contributor to Comedywire.com and is featured in the bestselling, "200 Comedy Writers and Stand-ups Walk Into A Book." Come see this TCA fan favorite on January 22! Frank Roche: Born and raised in Detroit, national headliner Frank Roche is one of the highest energy acts on the comedy circuit today. Fusing rapid-fire antics, improv and dead-on celebrity impressions have made Frank a crowd favorite coast to coast. Named Festival Favorite at the renowned Boston Comedy Festival. Winner of Comedy Central's Michigan Comedy Survivor. Featured on NBC's Americas's Got Talent, NBC's Nightshift and Comedy Central, as well as Funny or Die's Oddball Comedy Tour with Dave Chappelle, and Katt Williams “BORN AGAIN… AGAIN” Tour. Frank headlines some of the best comedy clubs, casinos, and venues across the country. From LA to NY, Toronto to the Florida Keys, you don't want to miss Roche's show right here in Tecumseh, Michigan. The TCA Comedy Show will shake the winter chill off on Saturday, January 22 at Tecumseh Center for the Arts. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors and military members. The TCA Comedy show is rated mature/adult content. Tickets can be purchased at 517-423-6617, at the box office located at 400 N. Maumee Street, or on-line at www.thetca.org. This year’s season is thanks in part to the TCA’s 41st Season sponsors Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) and Vision Performance Group, National Touring Season Sponsors Robert Fox of Howard Hanna Realty and Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, and the TCA Comedy Show Sponsor Visit Lenawee. Based on the current “High” level of community transmission in Lenawee County, the Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is following the Center of Disease Control’s recommendation that everyone should wear a mask in public, indoor settings. TCA staff recommends all guests/patrons/attendees follow the CDC guidelines. However, without a State or Local Health Order, the TCA will not refuse entry to individuals who choose not to follow the CDC guidelines.
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Due to a power outage in December, the TCA Big Band & VocalAires 2021 Holiday Concert, Sleigh Bells Ring, has been rescheduled to Sunday, January 16 at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts. Please note that this concert begins at 2 p.m.
This is the first concert for the group since December 2019 and they are excited to be back! Come join your friends and neighbors for an afternoon of great holiday music as they share the big band sound with songs like, I'll Be Home For Christmas, Santa Baby, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Snowfall, Christmastime is Here, and many more. The TCA Big Band & VocalAires will also continue their tradition of collecting non-perishable food items, and personal care items for the Tecumseh Service Club, an organization that serves the Tecumseh, Clinton, Britton, Ridgeway, and Tipton areas. We can still make a difference even after the Holidays by restocking the shelves for the Service Club this month. Tickets for the 2 p.m. concert are available at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts Box Office, 400 N Maumee, or by calling 517-423-6617 Tuesday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are also available online at www.TheTCA.org . Price is only $10 per person. Please note that tickets already purchased for the December concert will be honored at the January 16th performance. Please contact the TCA Box Office for more details. Enjoy the sounds of the season with the TCA Big Band & VocalAires, Sunday, January 16 at 2 pm. See you there! Join us as we bring the holiday classic ballet and magical tale of the Nutcracker to life at Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA). Scores of dancers in elaborate costumes dance to the timeless music of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet December 9-11, 2021. The TCA Nutcracker Ballet is a biennial tradition at the theater and is a collaboration between The Ballet School, Dance Steps Studio, Inc., Dance with Heart Studios, Encore Dance Studio, The Tecumseh Players, and Tecumseh Center for the Arts – come join us as we become swept away with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince to the Land of Sweets.
Tecumseh Center for the Arts is proud to present this year’s performances that will showcase ballet dancers from Lenawee, Jackson, Monroe, and Washtenaw counties in Michigan and Lucas County, Ohio. Congratulations to this year’s lead roles: CLARA
SPANISH LEAD:
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 517-423-6617, at the box office located at 400 N. Maumee Street, Tecumseh, Michigan, or on-line at www.thetca.org. The 2021 Nutcracker Ballet is supported in part by Vision Performance Group, Bob Fox - Howard Hanna Realtor, The Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh and this year’s show sponsor The Tecumseh Herald. A local Tecumseh family, Rick and Diana Ruhl, recently made a generous $10,000 donation to Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) in memory of Rick’s parents Harold and Jean Ruhl to go toward the renovation of the theater’s Coat Room and sound system located in the theater lobby.
The lobby sound system was damaged several years ago from a water leak prior to the roof being replaced during the 2017-2018 season. The theater lobby has been without a functioning sound system for the past four years. The sound system is stored in the Coat Room just off the TCA lobby, will also be renovated. Currently the Coat Room functions more as a storage room then a functioning Coat Room. “Thanks to the Ruhl family’s support and passion for Tecumseh Center for the Arts, we will begin making updates to the Coat Room during the winter months,” stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. “We want to update the room, add counter space, replace the damaged sound system and ceiling tiles so we can begin using it as a functioning Coat Room once again for theater patrons.” Tecumseh Center for the Arts is excited to move forward with this project and is grateful for the contribution of the Ruhl Family and their generosity to the Tecumseh community. The Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation selected Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) as a matching funds grant award recipient for $12,000 in support of this year’s National Touring Season and specifically Rhythm of the Dance (ROTD) coming to Tecumseh March 2022.
Rhythm of the Dance is an incredible live show that creates a new era in Irish entertainment, containing a wealth of Irish talent, featuring World and Irish champion dancers, and some of the finest Traditional musicians and singers gathered together on one stage. Combining traditional dance and music with the most up-to-date stage technology, this two-hour dance and music extravaganza will take the audience on an exhilarating and exciting, energy-packed time trip through the ages. It’s internationally rated as one of the most popular Irish step dance shows in the world making it a success with critics and audiences worldwide. Rhythm of the Dance is set to arrive on Sunday, March 20, 2022, for a 4 pm show. The group includes 17 Irish Step dancers and traditional Irish musicians to the stage. This show will be one of the largest groups to perform at the TCA in recent years. The Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation strives to support live music and the performing arts to positively enhance people’s lives. The Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation recently celebrated its 24th anniversary (founded in 1997) of enriching Lenawee County’s cultural life through its support of and appreciation for the performing arts. "We are incredibly thankful for the generous support of the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation," stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. "The organization's passion for bringing music and the performing arts to Lenawee County is vital to the success of many arts organizations in our area. I am overwhelmed by their generosity to enrich the theater's cultural impact in the community. Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is the recipient of a Project Support Grant from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) for its 2021-2022 National Touring Season.
The award is a matching-funds Project Support Grant in the amount of $12,000, which will be used for this year’s National Touring Season featuring concerts and performances from artists throughout Michigan, across the country and around the globe! The 2021-2022 National Touring Season features a jazz concert, a comedy show, children’s theater, Irish step dancing, a Motown Tribute band, and a Movie Concert featuring Drew and Kin. This year marks the 41st season for Tecumseh Center for the Arts and includes both in-person and virtual streaming options for patrons. Tickets are on sale now through www.TheTCA.org or through the TCA Box Office by calling 517-423-6617. “Tecumseh Center for the Arts is thrilled to receive this Project Support Grant from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs,” stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. “Each season, we strive to bring a wide variety of shows and cultural events to the Tecumseh community. The Project Support Grant allows us to focus on diversity in our programming and bring groups that would normally be out of our price range. We are incredibly grateful for the grant award this season.” Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) is the State of Michigan’s lead agency charged with developing arts and cultural policy and grant-making in the State of Michigan. Since 1966 with the creation of the Michigan Council for Arts, the State of Michigan has recognized the value and importance of a vibrant arts and cultural sector. It's been two years since the last Appleumpkin Festival but we are thrilled to participate in the festival once again this year! The TCA "stage" will be set up once again behind the parking lot located on Ottawa Street, just south of Chicago Boulevard.
Tecumseh Center for the Arts is hosting a number of local, Lenawee county musicians once again this year. Check out the lineup below and then make plans to stop by and see us this weekend, October 9-10, 2021! Saturday, October 9:
Sumday, October 10:
There will be chairs set out in front of the stage area. For more information on this year's festival visit the festival webpage. After a nearly 18 month hiatus due to COVID, Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) has announced its lineup for its 41st National Touring Season! TCA staff will be contacting area businesses over the next few weeks to find sponsors for this year’s season which runs from November 2021 – August 2022 and features:
Sponsorships are also available for Nutcracker Ballet in December, Big Band VocalAires in December and May, plus second TCA Music Fest next summer! The TCA has sponsorships available from $3,000 - $100 with a goal to raise $15,000 in sponsorships this season. We know many businesses have struggled over the past 12-18 months so we appreciate any and all financial support to help us prepare for this new season. If interested, please contact marketing@thetca.org. You can also view our sponsorship packet by clicking here to download the sponsorship form. After 18 long months, Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is thrilled to announce its 41st National Touring Season! The TCA is offering five shows once again this year with an option to add on a sixth virtual movie concert with the purchase of a subscription to this year’s season. We are also giving patrons more options than ever before and allowing patrons to purchase a three-show subscription, four-show subscription, or all five-show subscription. We believe this flexibility will give patrons an opportunity to customize their season subscriptions to fit their busy lives and interests.
Why purchase a subscription? There are many reasons why one might choose to buy a season ticket subscription.
Daniel Kelly starring in Shakespeare in Jazz: All the World’s a Song - An artist who has been called “stunningly original” with “a visionary imagination,” composer and pianist Daniel Kelly explores the meeting place of music with literature, visual art and journalism, captivating audiences across the country. A prolific composer and tireless musical explorer, Kelly continually seeks out new avenues for his creativity. “Shakespeare in Jazz: All the World’s a Song” is Kelly’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s works into fresh and dynamic jazz songs that have audiences singing along in sheer delight. It’s an engaging, participatory celebration of Shakespeare’s work, offering an exciting new way to experience his genius. Throughout the concert, audience members will join in Daniel’s jazz duo, featuring an amazing jazz vocalist, as they sing along to catchy, original songs based on Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Hamlet and more! Shakespeare in Jazz features the tremendous talent of jazz vocalist Nicole Zuraitis, a rising star and GRAMMY-nominee who has toured around the world, released four award-winning albums and is the vocalist for the world-famous Birdland Big Band in New York City. Come see them live at the TCA on Sunday, November 7, 2021, at 4 pm. TCA Comedy Show: Fast becoming a fan favorite at the TCA, our January 22, 2022, at 7:30 pm, TCA Comedy Show will bring a full house of hilarious comedy. This year’s comedy show will feature local favorite Steve Smargon, the Bipolar Marine, and his friends from around the state of Michigan. New this year, Steve will be one of our headliners instead of just emcee! We are thrilled to have him take on a larger role in this year’s comedy show. We are thrilled to have him take on a larger role in this year’s comedy show. Steve will be joined by two other comedians Dan Simon and Frank Roche. The event will be emceed by Mark Bonto. Lightwire Theater Presents The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare: The Next Generation - It’s been five years since Lightwire Theater last performed on the TCA stage and we are ecstatic to bring them back on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at 4 pm! Lightwire Theater has been featured as semi-finalists on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and winners of Tru TV’s Fake Off. The group combines theater and technology to bring stories to life in complete darkness and are internationally recognized for their signature brand of electroluminescent artistry. This year’s show features Aesop’s classic fable of The Tortoise and the Hare but continues the story which finds them 10 years down the road, now with children of their own and exploring modern day distractions. Smart phones and video games create a new landscape of lost connections to life experiences. With dazzling visuals, poignant storytelling and the creative use of music from classical to pop, this production brings this tale into a brand-new light. Rhythm of the Dance: Live and in person, Tecumseh Center for the Arts welcomes 17 members of Rhythm of the Dance to its stage on Sunday, March 20 at 4 pm! This incredible live show creates a new era in Irish entertainment, containing a wealth of Irish talent, featuring World and Irish champion dancers, some of the finest traditional musicians and singers who are a big hit everywhere they go! Combining traditional dance and music with the most up to date stage technology, this dance and music extravaganza takes the audience on an exhilarating and exciting, energy-packed time trip through the ages. It’s internationally rated as one of the most popular Irish step dance shows in the world, making it a success with critics and audiences worldwide. Phase 5 Motown Tribute Band: It will be two years since this group was first contracted to perform at the TCA and was the last touring show of our 2020 season when the theater was closed. But we believe they are worth the wait to finally see them live in Tecumseh! Voted the #1 R&B Vocal Group in Detroit in 2016, Phase 5 brings you their authentic re-creation of Motown’s greatest hits on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 7:30 PM. Phase 5 is one of the most electrifying acts to come out of Detroit in a long time. Their smooth jazz mixed with a slamming “in your face” style of today’s Hip Hop and R&B leaves the audience wanting more. Known for their flashy well-choreographed dance moves and glittery eye-popping stage attire – you don’t want to miss Phase 5 at the TCA. Plus, your purchase of a subscription includes the chance to add a one-of-a kind Virtual Movie Concert featuring Drew and Kin from Dueling Pianos! Drew and Kin have performed so many times at the TCA, they feel like family. Their dueling pianos show always brings the house down. This year, we have partnered with them to film a concert right here on the TCA stage with high tech, professional movie equipment that will showcase their high energy sound plus you’ll get to hear their original music. Instead of an in-person performance, we will debut this movie concert after November. A single ticket purchase will provide you a link to watch the show from the comfort of your home, with your entire family and will be available throughout the entire TCA season. This on-demand movie concert will bring a high-caliber movie experience like you’ve never experienced from Tecumseh Center for the Arts! Ticket seasons can be purchased through the theater’s website at www.TheTCA.org or over the phone by calling 517-423-6617, Tuesdays – Fridays between noon and 5 pm. Tecumseh, Michigan - Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) will be conducting Nutcracker Ballet Auditions on Sunday, September 12, 2021. This year’s production marks the 16th production of the timeless tale at the TCA.
All dancers must enter through the Green Room located in the back of the theater from the south parking lot. No parents are allowed beyond the check in point. After the audition process is complete, dancers can be picked up at the front entrance. Parents are welcome to wait in the lobby, but will not be permitted beyond that point. Audition times are broken down into the following age groups:
The following items are mandatory requirements for all dancers.
Dancers can pre-register for auditions through the TCA’s website at www.TheTCA.org. Simply click on the “Box Office” tab, then "Tickets," and click on “Register Now” next to Nutcracker Ballet Auditions. This year’s Nutcracker Ballet will take place December 9-11, 2021. There will be two casts this year. All casting decisions are determined by the Nutcracker Ballet Production Team. Each dancer is reviewed by a panel of five area dance studio owners, choreographers, and the producer. Cast members are chosen by how they perform at the time of auditions, based on ability, stage presence, and skill level. The panel reviews individual scores and jointly decides casting. For more information, call Tecumseh Center for the Arts at 517-423-6617. |
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