Dinner and a show is a Valentine’s Day standard, and many theatres in the Washtenaw area are supplying entertaining options.
For a different take on date night, Pointless Brewery & Theatre hosts improv shows every weekend, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and 10pm. No two shows are alike, and the fast-paced, unscripted comedy is always full of surprise laughs. See pointlessbrew.com/improv-shows to purchase tickets ahead of time. Tickets are also available at the door before each show, call 989-455-4484 for availability.
Familial love is just as, if not more, important than romantic love in many beloved theatrical works. For adult children and their parents, Pinckney’s Dio Theatre offers Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park. A classic generational romantic comedy, the story is relatable to both recently wed couples and their parents. ThiS standard follows a pair of newlyweds and their encounters with a particularly troublesome parent-in-law. As expected from any Simon comedy, anything that can find a way to go wrong, usually does. Barefoot runs February 2nd through March 5th, and tickets can be purchased at www.diotheatre.com/reservations or by phone at 517-672-6009.
For pre-teen and teen children, The Young People’s Theater of Ann Arbor produces Legally Blonde from February 9th through 12th. The musical, like the 2001 comedy film, features lively numbers and an uplifting message about finding strength through friendship and being your truest self. Seeing other 5th-12th graders on the stage may even inspire a new generation of theatre goers to try acting in future productions. Audition and ticket information can be found at www.youngpeoplestheater.com.
For friends looking for an anti-Valentine’s excursion, The Purple Rose Theatre of Chelsea may offer some respite. Dark comedy Smart Love, by Brian Letscher, deals with death and the influence of technology in our lives. A look into a family dealing with tragedy, this play examines how scientific advances present more options in life than ever before, sometimes without a moral code to guide them. This world premiere runs January 19th through March 4th. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 734-433-7673 or online at www.purplerosetheatre.org/smart-love/ .
Be it family, friends, or a significant other, something on these local stages will appeal to everyone. Live productions bring people together in a way untouched by any other art form, and prompt discussion and analysis for days. Whatever Valentine’s Day may bring, it will certainly be entertaining.
