Williamston, MI
48895
517.655.SHOW
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We believe that theatre can enrich our lives and make a positive difference in our community, both culturally and economically.
We believe that theatre should be accessible and affordable to everyone, whether they live in a large coastal city or a small Midwestern town.
We believe that there are voices in the Midwest worth hearing, and our goal is to create moving, entertaining, professional theatre for and about this part of the world.
| Brief History | |
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The Williamston Theatre began as the Williamston Theatre Project in the spring of 2004 when four Michigan-based theatre professionals, actor John Lepard, director Tony Caselli, arts administrator Christine Purchis and actress and producer Emily Sutton-Smith, chose Williamston as a location to found a not-for-profit, small, professional live theatre company, modeled closely after the Purple Rose Theatre model in Chelsea.
Williamston Theatre's mission is to produce professional theatre that excites and engages our audiences while challenging us all to explore our lives. This mission statement is supported by the following objectives: to be an integral part of the cultural fabric of Michigan; to pursue innovative collaboration in every aspect of our work; to establish a home for Midwest artists; and, to engage audiences of diverse ages, cultures and economic backgrounds. Throughout 2005, the four founders worked to develop their business plan, secure support for the project and raise awareness in the community. In late 2005, a local developer pledged to support the Theatre by underwriting its facility expenses. After a thorough evaluation, the property at 122 South Putnam Street in downtown Williamston was deemed suitable as a theatre space. Community volunteers rallied around the effort to open the Theatre and spent literally hundreds of man-hours building, painting and remodeling the former retail space to be a workable black box theatre with eighty-eight seats. Additional Particulars, a comedy by Ed Simpson, was the Theatre's first full production and opened in June 2006. With an Arts Project grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs in support of their first full season, the Williamston Theatre launched 2006-2007 with the Midwest premiere of Rounding Third, a comedy by Richard Dresser. The Detroit Free Press named the production one of the Top Ten Shows of 2006. A co-production with Meadow Brook Theatre yielded Every Christmas Story Ever Told, which has become an annual holiday tradition. The 06-07 Season also featured Fully Committed, a comedy by Becky Mode, the Midwest premiere of Music From A Sparkling Planet, a comedy by Douglas Carter Beane and the world premiere of Flap, from Michigan playwright Annie Martin. In 2007-2008, the Williamston Theatre produced its first musical (Guys On Ice), collaborated on the Tony Award winning play Art with the MSU Department of Theatre, presented the Michigan premiere of Hate Mail, produced the world premiere of Maidens, Mothers and Crones, a new play about women in the Midwest and rounded out the season with the Pulitzer Prize winning Talley's Folly, by Lanford Wilson. Maidens, Mothers and Crones won three Lansing City Pulse Pulsar Awards for Best Original Play, Best Ensemble and Best Production and a Lansing State Journal Thespie Award for Best Original Play. The Lansing State Journal also named the Williamston Theatre and its founders as the recipient of the prestigious 2008 Robert Busby Award for extraordinary overall contribution to theatre in the Greater Lansing area. The Williamston Theatre's success during a time of economic hardship can be attributed to the diligent work of its founders and the support and commitment of its board, volunteers and donors. Since its founding, the Theatre has received contributions from hundreds of individual donors and support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Capital Region Community Foundation, the Jackson National Community Fund, Midwest Homes, Cardinal Fabricating, Meijer, Target, the Sinas Dramis Law Firm, Mercantile Bank of Michigan, ASAP Printing, WKAR and the Williamston True Value Hardware. |
| John Lepard, Executive Director | |
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John has been acting professionally for 14 years. His credits range from film and television in Los Angeles, to live theatre off-Broadway. He is an Associate Artist at the Purple Rose Theatre Company and a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild. John received his BA in Theatre from Michigan State University and his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Recent appearances on stage include Art and Rounding Third at the Williamston Theatre, Sea of Fools, Same Time Next Year, Bus Stop, The Mystery of Irma Vep, The Underpants and Leaving Iowa (Detroit Free Press Best Actor Award) at the Purple Rose Theatre. John will be reprising his role as Don in the Williamston Theatre's production of Leaving Iowa next season. He is a resident of Williamston. |
| Tony Caselli, Artistic Director | |
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Tony has directed nearly 30 professional productions at Williamston Theatre, Performance Network in Ann Arbor, The Gem Theatre in Detroit, and Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre Company, where he worked for over 12 years (serving for his last 3 years there as Associate Artistic Director). Some favorite productions include Leaving Iowa, Rounding Third, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol and Guys On Ice. Recently he directed The Mystery Of Irma Vep at Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York and at Urban Stages in New York City. Named Best Director by the Detroit Free Press in 2006, and by the Ann Arbor News in 2001 and 2005, Tony is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and Actors' Equity Association. He received his degree in Theatre from Eastern Michigan University, where he occasionally teaches in the Theatre Department. A native of New Boston, Michigan, Tony lives in Chelsea with his wife and two children. |
| Christine Purchis, Managing Director | |
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Christine has been involved with theatre since she was in elementary school and has experience as an actor, stage manager, backstage crew, box office manager, house manager and company manager. She received her BS in Arts Management from Eastern Michigan University and has worked for over 13 years as a theatre administrator in such varied places as the EMU Theatre Department, Cherry County Playhouse, Chelsea Area Players, Big Pickle Productions, Greenhouse Theatre Company and the Purple Rose Theatre Company. Chris has lived all over the country but found her home in Michigan in 1979 and has been here ever since. She now lives in Dexter with her husband and stepson. |
| Emily Sutton-Smith, Development Director | |
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Emily is an actress, singer, producer and arts administrator. She was on the staff of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor where she co-produced the 75th Anniversary production of Follies and was instrumental in reuniting the original Broadway cast for the production. A New York City native, her recent local onstage appearances include Maidens, Mothers and Crones and Additional Particulars at the Williamston Theatre, Moonlight & Magnolias, The Baker's Wife, Frankenstein, King O' The Moon, Intimate Apparel, The Underpants and The Home Team. Emily will be appearing in next season's The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds and is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild. She currently serves on the board of the Williamston Area Chamber of Commerce. Emily has studied acting at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York City and holds a BA in Communication from the University of Delaware and a Grande Diploma in Pastry Arts from the French Culinary Institute. She is a resident of Williamston. |