 Let someone else face your small talk fears head-on! Instead of avoiding Grandpa and de-friending your old high school pals, see The Second City’s brand-new sketch comedy and improv revue, LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE TALKING The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959. No one could have guessed that this small cabaret theatre would become the most influential and prolific comedy theatre in the world. With its roots in the improvisational games of Viola Spolin, The Second City developed an entirely unique way of creating and performing comedy. Founded by Spolin’s son, Paul Sills, along with Howard Alk and Bernie Sahlins, The Second City was experimental and unconventional in its approach to both theatre and comedy. At a time when mother-in-law jokes were more the fashion, The Second City railed against the conformist culture with scenes that spoke to a younger generation.
Tecumseh Center for the Arts is thrilled to jump start the New Year with The Second City on January 20, 2018. The touring group will present its newest show LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE TALKING. The Chicago based touring company will feature Alison Banowsky, E.J. Cameron, Mark Campbell, Saurabh Pande, Amy Thompson, Fernando Alvarez (Stage Manager), Jeff Strickland (Music Director) and Jeff Griggs (Director-At-Large). Let someone else face your small talk fears head-on! Instead of avoiding Grandpa and de-friending your old high school pals, see The Second City’s brand-new sketch comedy and improv revue, LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE TALKING. We’re diving right into every touchy subject you’re thinking about, but are afraid to say out loud…or online. Edgy, thought-provoking and always spectacularly funny, The Second City is celebrating nearly six decades of producing cutting-edge satirical revues and launching the careers of generation after generation of comedy’s best and brightest. Join us as The Second City shakes the winter chill off at Tecumseh Center for the Arts on Saturday, January 20. This show is the theater’s second event of this year’s National Touring Season. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the show starting at 7:30 pm. Sponsored in part by Carpet On Wheels, tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors, youth and military members. 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.
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 Bring the little princess in your life to Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA)! This year’s Princess Day promises to bring back everyone’s favorite stations plus new activities.
On Saturday, January 13, Tecumseh Center for the Arts will host its 4th Annual Princess Day event. Three years ago, the TCA introduced Princess Day complete with castle and Prince Charming. Two years ago, the theater was transformed into Disney's Frozen with Princess Anna, Queen Elsa and Olaf. Last year we brought in Belle from Beauty and the Beast and this year young princesses will meet Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. Princesses are encouraged to come dressed in their own gowns while enjoying some royal treatment as they travel to stations throughout the theater including crafts, snacks, story time, gifts, hair and makeup. Princesses will also get to meet Tiana on the TCA stage where parents and grandparents can snap a photograph of their little princess. New this year, the TCA is welcoming Paul McCormack’s Classroom Critters featuring Onsted’s “Mr. C” Joby Cuellar as part of the day’s activities. Mr. C will introduce the little princesses to real life tree frogs. This new educational station will teach kids all about frogs and the significant role they play in our environment. (Unfortunately, kissing the frogs will not be allowed.) Princess Day is recommended for girls 3 - 10 years of age and is limited to 100 princesses, so get your tickets today! Session times: 2:00 - 4:00 pm Ticket prices: Tickets are $30 each (includes 1 Princess & 1 Adult) Additional Princesses are $10 each Additional Adults are $5 Princess Day is part of the TCA Michigan Homegrown Project which emphasizes the importance of sharing the theater stage with local artistic groups while building lasting relationships between art organizations and the theater. The TCA Michigan Homegrown Project is sponsored in part by Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and National Endowment for the Arts. Special thank you to Party Princess Productions Toledo and Paul McCormack's Classroom Critters. "We just launched a new donation page on the TCA website that allows you to donate to Tecumseh Center for the Arts as well as our partner organizations. We hope you'll consider making a donation to one or even several of these organizations at the end of this year!"  Happy Holidays to our loyal patrons. The last month of 2017 is here and what a whirlwind of a year its been! Tecumseh Center for the Arts has made astounding steps forward in the past year. We upgraded the WIFI and Data Ports throughout the theater, replaced the original roofs over the lobby and auditorium, made improvements to the marquee, launched a new cloud-based ticketing software, and added more shows and renters. I must honestly say that sometimes I have to stop and think about all that has been accomplished over the last 12 months. When I take a moment to reflect on the positive changes, I know it wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated patrons, donors, local foundations, and business sponsors. The outpouring of support from the community is humbling. On behalf of the entire TCA staff, thank you for your support. So far this season, we celebrated an increase in season ticket sales --- surpassing last year’s record. Excitedly hosted the WTCA Radio Show’s presentation of Fright Night at the TCA with Tecumseh Players, TCA Big Band & VocalAires and Tecumseh Youth Theatre just in time for Halloween. We also had a very successful 11th production of the Nutcracker Ballet in December. With all the exciting things going on, we must also stop and think about items that still need to be renovated. We recently had to repair part of the HVAC system as well as temporary repairs to the parking lot. In addition, we‘re experiencing some boiler issues that will need to be fixed soon. To help us with these projects, I encourage you to purchase tickets to our shows, rent our marquee, purchase a nameplate on one of our auditorium seats or consider making an end-of-year donation to the theater, which is tax-deductible. I am proud to be part of the TCA family that embraces the proud history of the theater while eagerly looking to the future to keep the theater thriving for many years to come. Wishing you all a healthy and happy holiday season! Kelly Jo Gilmore Director | Tecumseh Center for the Arts | [email protected]  By Sara Hilton, as seen in the winter 2017-2018 issue of the Homefront Magazine.
The Nutcracker is a ballet of childhood wonder. It is a story of a mysterious godfather who swoops into a holiday gathering to bring remarkable gifts to the children. It is a story of a beloved toy coming to life. It is a story where a terrifying mouse king can be defeated by a child’s thrown slipper. And, like all things childhood, there is a great deal of time dedicated to sweets. “The story and music are so classic. Everyone can relate,” said Annamia Rumley, owner of Tecumseh Dance Workshop. “The Nutcracker is the story of dreaming and of wonder and magic. It draws you in.” Rumley also serves as the creative director of Tecumseh Center for the Arts’ production of the Nutcracker Ballet. Every other year, for nearly 20 years, young dancers have gathered on the TCA stage to perform the Nutcracker's story of dreaming and wonder and magic. While the wonder of the production most certainly lies within the music, story, and dancing, there is also holiday wonder in this production’s unusual collaboration between studios. Young dancers come from as close as Tecumseh and from as far as Jackson to audition for roles in front of a panel of local studio owners. “Normally, dance studios don't mingle like this,” said Rumley. “But we have a different mindset. We have this wonderful environment where all the teachers and dancers from all these different studios gather to work together, and we work together really well. We all have a lot of respect for each other.” Over the years, the TCA Nutcracker cast has ranged from 65 to 115 children who rehearse for six hours every Sunday throughout the fall, splitting their rehearsal time between the studios at Tecumseh Dance Workshop and Tecumseh's Dance Steps Studios. The production team works hard to give as many dancers as possible the opportunity to experience being part of a performance. This year, 80 dancers will take part in the TCA production. “I think every production of this holiday classic is special because each year we have new and talented dancers in each role,” said TCA Nutcracker producer Aimee Hennings-Roe. “The Nutcracker is only produced at the TCA every other year, so the dancers get an opportunity to grow and learn and move up to more challenging roles.” The TCA Nutcracker has also become an opportunity for dancers from different areas and studios to come together and see that dance is not only a way to connect with an audience, but it is also a way to connect with each other. “It is really fun as teachers to watch so many kids from so many places grow as dancers,” said Rumley. “But more than anything, the experience is just so good for the kids. So many friendships are made between the dancers. It give kids an opportunity to dance in a production, to dance on stage, but it also shows them that dance belongs to everybody, not just their own studio. Dance is a universal language, not an individual language.” Childhood wonder is also a universal language, and no matter one’s age, sitting in the audience for this magical event can remind us of the dreamy possibilities of childhood, where mice are slain with slippers, toys turn into princes, and entire lands are made of sweets. The Studios The TCA Production includes dancers from the following studios: Tecumseh Dance Workshop, Tecumseh Dance Steps Studio, Tecumseh and Saline Infusion Performing Arts, Tecumseh Dance With Heart Studio, Manchester and Adrian Encore Dance Studio, Adrian Jon’s Dance Connection, Brooklyn MST Dance Center, Brooklym Nutcracker Lead Roles
Choreography Team Annamia Rumley/Artistic Director ... Tecumseh Dance Workshop Lauri Stoianowski and Kristen Meadows ... Dance Steps Studio Ashley Palmer and Riley Carrier ... Encore Dance Studio Anya Noveskey ... Dance with Heart Studios. Performance Days and Times December 7, 8 and 9 at 7:30 pm. A matinee is scheduled for December 9 at 2 pm. Ticket Information: thetca.org 517.423.6617 400 N. Maumee Street, Tecumseh The Insult to Ballet SIDEBAR The Nutcracker Ballet debuted on December 18, 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The theatre was sold out, and the anticipation was great. People had come to experience a new ballet with music scored by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Marius Petipa, the well-known duo behind Swan Lake. However, it is said that The Nutcracker was not created with the same zeal. Tchaikovsky reportedly only took the commission so he could also work on another ballet that premiered the same night and then became very unhappy when strict creative perimeters were put on his work. It is said that he was just as unhappy with the final product. The first reviews from that opening December night were less than glowing: “To repeat, The Nutcracker cannot pretend to be a ballet, but constitutes ‘spectacle’, which can be given with success on the summer stages of our small theaters. For our first-class ballet the production of such ‘spectacles’ is an insult.” “God grant that similar failed experiments do not happen often.” “Such a great composer should not have taken upon himself such a trifle and such nonsense as the story of this ballet.” Failure. That was the first word on the Nutcracker Ballet. However, one of the great lessons of life is to realize that the first word isn't always the last word. One hundred and twenty five years after that dismal opening night, The Nutcracker has grown to become one of the most beloved and well-known ballets in the world. Nutcracker Trivia The original Nutcracker story was written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King was a dark and scary fairy tale, not quite suitable for children. Later, Alexander Dumas (author of the Three Musketeers) altered the story to make it lighter and more child-friendly. Tchaikovsky used Dumas' version to score the ballet. Nutcracker Trivia According to Nutcracker lore, Tchaikovsky wrote The Nutcracker's Grand Pas Duex on a wager. It is told that Tchaikovsky's friend wagered that the famous composer could not write a melody based on the notes of a scale in an octave in sequence. Tchaikovsky accepted the wager and the result was the famous music written for the Sugar Plum Fairy as she dances with her prin |
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Tecumseh Center for the Arts
400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh, MI | 517.423.6617 | [email protected] Box Office Hours Thursdays & Fridays | Noon - 5:00 pm and 1 hour prior to show times |
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