Community Calendar

Get Your Golden Tickets!

About the Musical Theater Production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Featuring 85 Local Young People!

Welcome to the world of pure imagination… Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig. The score also pays homage to the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score from the 1971 film with songs from the motion picture including "The Candy Man," "I've Got a Golden Ticket," "Oompa Loompa Song," and "Pure Imagination."

The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few. Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas.

Get ready for an exhilarating evening of music with the Dave Bennett Quartet as they Swing, Surf & Rock! Clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist Dave Bennett leads his talented quartet, featuring Jeff Kressler on piano, Ed Fedewa on bass, and Pete Siers on drums, through a thrilling journey of 20th-century American music. Their setlist is a lively blend of Big Band swing classics, early ‘50s rock and roll gems, and the twangy charm of ‘60s instrumental surf tunes. From toe-tapping rhythms to soulful melodies, this concert promises to delight music lovers of all ages.

Dave Bennett – Clarinet, Guitar, Piano, Vocal
Jeff Kressler – Piano
Ed Fedewa – Bass
Pete Siers – Drums

About

There is nothing like an evening in the spring. Bursting with joy, anticipation, and reflection. We hope that you will join Beyond Choir for a program that captures the quiet beauty and spirit of twilight. Evening Light centers on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s reclective Vesperae solennes de confessore, a masterpiece of sacred choral writing filled with joyful praise, and the beloved “Laudate Dominum,” whose soaring soprano line floats above the choir in one of Mozart’s most luminous moments.

The program also features Ralph Vaughan Williams’ beautiful Serenade to Music, a work inspired by Shakespeare that celebrates the power of music to move the soul. adapted from The Merchant of Venice, the text reflects the atmospheric wonder of a spring evening. With its warm harmonies and expressive solo lines, the piece invites listeners into a sound world where voices blend like the fading colors of the evening sky. Originally written by Vaughan Williams for 16 soloists, its vocal warmth and color contrast perfectly with the Mozart.

Set in the historic Pease Auditorium at Eastern Michigan University, this concert surrounds the listener in a grand and resonant space shaped for choral sound. As music unfolds—from Mozart’s radiant sacred writing to Vaughan Williams’ reflective beauty—Evening Light becomes an atmosphere of warmth, wonder, and quiet joy.

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Featured and Collaborative Artists

Beyond Choir is proud to collaborate with an exceptional group of featured and guest artists for Evening Light. This performance welcomes Dr. Sarah Simko, organ, whose artistry brings depth and brilliance to the program.

In keeping with our commitment to education, mentorship, and community connection, this concert also features singers from the Eastern Michigan University Choir and the Plymouth Canton Educational Park Choirs (PCEP Choirs). Their participation reflects Beyond Choir’s continued investment in education outreach and professional development, offering student musicians the opportunity to perform alongside professional and educator artists in a collaborative, high-level choral setting.

These partnerships embody our mission to connect musicians across experience levels and to elevate the choral art form through shared performance experiences.

The Hound of the Baskervilles
By Tim Kelly
Based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by David Andrews

Performance Dates
May 7 - 16, 8 shows at the Riverside Arts Center:
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sunday 5/10 & Wednesday 5/13 matinees at 2pm

Synopsis
The greatest of all Sherlock Holmes adventures adapted to a more modern setting,
taking literature’s most spine-chilling mystery and turning it into a play of suspense,
humor and ultimate terror!

$15 Seniors/Students/Active-duty military, Thursdays are Pay As You Can

Admission $20, $18 student/senior
Cash or check at door only
Annie Capps, Kitty Donohoe, Michael Hough,
Jan Krist, David Tamulevich, Matt Watroba & Jim Bizer
(David Barrett sends his regrets for this show!)
“They all are talented individual performers, but there’s something special that happens when they’re together. The audience had no trouble with an uninterrupted 90 minute set and probably would have stayed for twice that long, the Gang was so entertaining. …superb music and great spirits.” - Rich Warren, “Folkstage”, WFMT
“To have any one of these songwriters perform at Trinity House is a real treat. To have them perform together is unbelievable. The Yellow Room Gang makes wonderful music, and the synergy they find playing together makes for an evening that is not to be missed.” – Bill Keith, Trinity House Theatre
“While their individual shows are good, the synergy of the eight on stage together is nothing short of fantastic.” – Current Magazine

May 8-10 and 15-17 | Fri-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm | $15 General, $12 Students

Once a year, the outdoor furniture salespeople of America (and other non-America places) descend on Chicago’s Merchandise Mart to buy, sell, meet, and greet. This year, they are pushed to the brink of sanity, during what is already a chaotic affair, when the Mart is locked down, leaving the people inside to make it through a night of ill-placed debauchery, reconnections to people thought lost to them, and poorly thought-out revenge plans.

May 8-10 and 15-17 | Fri-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm | $15 General, $12 Students

Once a year, the outdoor furniture salespeople of America (and other non-America places) descend on Chicago’s Merchandise Mart to buy, sell, meet, and greet. This year, they are pushed to the brink of sanity, during what is already a chaotic affair, when the Mart is locked down, leaving the people inside to make it through a night of ill-placed debauchery, reconnections to people thought lost to them, and poorly thought-out revenge plans.

Get Your Golden Tickets!

About the Musical Theater Production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Featuring 85 Local Young People!

Welcome to the world of pure imagination… Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig. The score also pays homage to the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score from the 1971 film with songs from the motion picture including "The Candy Man," "I've Got a Golden Ticket," "Oompa Loompa Song," and "Pure Imagination."

The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few. Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas.

Experience the vibrant, deeply lyrical world of contemporary jazz as pianist and arranger Rick Roe brings Wake Up Call – The Music of Gregg Hill to life. Drawing from the rich, challenging compositions of Michigan-based jazz composer Gregg Hill, this performance showcases Roe’s inventive arrangements alongside a dynamic quartet featuring GRAMMY-award-winning bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Nate Winn, and saxophonist Marcus Elliot Miller.

The program reimagines Hill’s melodic and rhythmic ingenuity through a spirited blend of swing, hard bop, and imaginative ensemble interplay. Expect a musical journey where thoughtful composing and spontaneous improvisation meet — from relaxed medium swings and Latin-infused grooves to bold, modern jazz statements — all delivered with a keen sense of listening and shared momentum.

Don’t miss this chance to hear jazz that’s both rooted in tradition and defiantly inventive, performed by four musicians whose collective chemistry brings Gregg Hill’s remarkable music into compelling new focus.

Rick Roe (piano);
Robert Hurst (bass);
Nate Winn (drums)
Marcus Elliot Miller (saxophone)

10-piece big band led by Chris Smith, specializing in hot jazz of the 1920s and 30s. Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Duke Ellington and other jazz legends are prominent in their repertoire. Great for listening or dancing.