Spring 2017 Events
Unless noted otherwise, call the Playhouse at the number above for additional information.
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| February | |
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10:00 am to 1:00 pm |
Clean Up Day It’s that time of year again to dust off the cobwebs (literally and figuratively) to get the Grand Old Lady up and running for the Spring! Grab your friends and family for a few hours of cleaning, fun and fellowship. Contact Beth Beaman via this website or call her at (231) 894-0119 for more information. Great for student community service hours! |
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7:00 pm Tickets:
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Music for Meals Presents A Night at the 'Met
A fundraiser for the White Lake Food Pantry |
| March | |
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7:30 pm Tickets:
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Téada in Concert
A traditional band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada has appeared as a frequent headliner at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Russia, The Middle East, and Australia. Highlights include a 30,000-capacity stadium concert in Brittany, along with performances at Penang World Music Festival in Malaysia, Edmonton Folk Festival in Canada, Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe, and an extensive 7-week tour of Japan and Taiwan in 2014 playing to audiences of 40,000 people. Continuing to grow in vision, the band has recently received a Yeats 2015 WDC Funding Award for a show production celebrating the Sligo-inspired poetry of W.B. Yeats. Téada’s latest addition to the line-up is legendary West Kerry singer and accordionist Séamus Begley, winner of 2013 TG4 Traditional Singer of the Year. Watch a music video of Téada … |
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7:00
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Moana (2016) Young navigator Moana (voice of Auli'i Cravalho), the daughter of a Polynesian tribal chief, is chosen to find a precious artifact that could save her people. She teams with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to locate a legendary island, and together the pair explore fantastical lands and encounter incredible sea creatures in this animated adventure from Disney. The film's soundtrack includes contributions from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony and Grammy-winning creator of the popular stage musical Hamilton. This film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. Rated PG
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7:30 pm Tickets: Tickets available at Whitehall City Hall, the Arts Council of White Lake, or at the door Guitar Fest participants receive one free ticket
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Billy McLaughlin in Concert Presented by the Howmet Playhouse and the Arts Council of White Lake This event is part of Guitar Fest. For more information about Guitar Fest, visit the ACWL website. Billy McLaughlin is recognized internationally as a world-class guitarist, Emmy Award winning composer and inspirational keynote speaker who has appeared on Billboard’s Top-Ten Chart. Previously signed to Virgin Records’ Narada label, McLaughlin has 14 CD releases, 3 National Campus Entertainer of the Year Awards*, 5 Minnesota Music Awards and his decades of national concert touring earned him the Hall of Fame Achievement Award*. But in 1999 McLaughlin vanished from sight as his career crumbled due to a little-known neuro-muscular disorder called Focal Dystonia. After suffering several years without a cure or even a diagnosis, this right-handed guitarist embarked on an unlikely attempt to regain his career by re-learning his instrument….left-handed! His remarkable comeback is captured in the independent documentary film Changing Keys (seen on PBS stations in 2010) and a concert film called Coming Back Alive featuring McLaughlin with string orchestra and a reunion of his longtime rock band. KPBS (San Diego) produced the 2013 Emmy Award winning live concert program called Starry Night – Billy McLaughlin with Orchestra Nova highlighting McLaughlin’s extraordinary talent as both guitarist and inspirational speaker. Now serving as Ambassador for Awareness for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, McLaughlin is the winner of the 2010 Public Leadership in Neurology Award** whose previous winners include Paul Allen, Julie Andrews, Leon Fleischer, and Michael J. Fox. McLaughlin has resumed an international schedule of concert appearances and keynote speaking. He resides in his home state of Minnesota where he is proudly raising two boys. Event is sponsored by * National Association for Campus Activities/NACA |
March 27 & 28 6:00 to 8:30 pm |
Auditions will be held for the WLYT performance of Charlotte's Web—the Musical on these dates at the Playhouse. Read More … |
| April | |
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7:30 pm Tickets: Tickets are available at Whitehall City Hall and at the door
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The Music of Simon & Garfunkel
“One of the greatest tribute shows anywhere in the world” Stuart Cameron, BBC and ITV Broadcaster The concert features many of the classics such as The Sound of Silence, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and Bookends’ own beautiful rendition of the unforgettable Bridge Over Troubled Water. With early folk gems such as the haunting Sparrow, the wonderfully poetic Bleecker Street and with the addition of music from Simon & Garfunkel’s solo careers, the concert is must see for any music lover. “Warming and beautiful. A stunning musical tribute” Broadway Baby “Closing your eyes that could really be Simon & Garfunkel” BBC Radio Watch a music video of Bookends … |
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7:00
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Back to the Future (1985) 1980s teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is transported back in time to 1955 where he accidentally changes the course of history through a series of comic misadventures and finds hemust return things to the way they were, back to the future. Rated PG
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Saturday, April 22
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Saturday, April 22
Sunday, April 23
Monday, April 24
Download the summer festival document for show details and audition form* * Adobe Reader is required to open and view PDF documents. Depending upon your browser, the downloaded document will either open in a new window or be downloaded directly to your computer. You may then view it, print it and/or save it to your compute White Lake Youth Theatre Auditions will be scheduled for a later date |
| May | |
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7:30pm Tickets:
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Scotland’s Tannahill Weavers The Tannahill Weavers are one of Scotland's premier traditional bands. Their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can't get better … yet continue to do just that.
Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland and named for the town's historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the group has made an international name for its special brand of Scottish music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms. Over the years the Tannies have been trailblazers for Scottish music, and their tight harmonies and powerful, inventive arrangements have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes. They are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage; from reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits. "An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new." -New York Times "…world class musicians with passion and a healthy sense of fun, keeping alive and making accessible the very heart of the tradition itself." - Mojo Magazine Watch a music video of Tannahill Weavers … |
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7:30 pm Doors Open at 6:30 pm Tickets: $20 plus $3 processing fee
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Killer Blues presents the Soul Syndicate The Soul Syndicate's vintage vibe is inspired by the mid to late 60's/early 70's Soul and R & B scene and is a crowd favorite wherever they perform. The band's look and sound replicates artists such as Sam and Dave, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Wilson Pickett, just to name a few. When the band hits the stage the magic starts to happen. It's a high energy show that spotlights the hugely talented Diego, whose soulful vocals drip with passion and grit. His commanding stage presence keeps the crowd dancing and partying through the evening whether he is bellowing out a highly charged upbeat number or a beautiful ballad.
Fundraiser for the Killer Blues Headstone Project which exists to provide headstones for blues musicians lying in unmarked graves |
Saturday, May 13 1:00 to 4:00 pm |
Audtions will be held for the WLYT production of The Rememberer which tells the true story of Joyce Cheeka, a young Squaxin Indian girl. Download the audition information packet* to learn more. The packet includes an audition application and a conflict sheet, both of which must be completed and submitted when you come to the audition. * The audition information packet is a PDF document. Click on the links to view the file. Adobe Reader is required to open and view PDF documents. Depending upon your browser, the downloaded document will either open in a new window or be downloaded directly to your computer. You may then print it and/or save it to your computer. |
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7:00
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Hook (1991) Steven Spielberg filters J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan through a distinctly 1990s sensibility in Hook. Peter Pan has become Peter Banning (Robin Williams), a 40-year-old mergers and acquisitions lawyer with a permanent scowl on his face and a cellular phone in his belt. Banning has lost any memory of being Peter Pan, and he is also in danger of losing his wife Moira (Caroline Goodall) and two children, Jack (Charlie Korsmo) and Maggie (Amber Scott). Peter and his family travel to London to visit Granny Wendy (Maggie Smith) who recalls Peter's lost youth and asks him, "Peter, dear, don't you know who you are?" With Peter's children asleep in the same bedroom where the original Peter Pan story began, there is a blinding flash. Peter comes into the room to discover a note from Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), informing Peter that he has kidnapped his children. Granny Wendy now tells him who he really is and encourages him to re-discover his happy thoughts, transform himself into the Peter Pan of the past, and go rescue his children. With the encouragement of Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts), Peter recalls the birth of his son and once again takes wing. Then it's off to Never Land to rescue his kids. Rated PG
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6:00 - 7:00 7:00 - 8:30
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GreenScreens is a Whitehall Middle School project where students research a topic related to the environment, write a script, and produce a film. We are pleased to welcome them back to the Playhouse again this year! Public screening of the Top 10 Student Films and a chance to see A Plastic Ocean will begin at 6:00 pm. |
| June | |
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5:00 – 8:00 pm Tickets: Beverage Tickets are sold separately at the event |
Come join us for a community of flavors at the 9th Annual Taste of White Lake, a Michigan-themed street fair. An eclectic mix of local businesses will again join forces to provide an evening of fun offering great food, Michigan beers & wines, live music, art, and silent auctions, all benefitting Howmet Playhouse. Don't miss out on this delicious event! Read more … |
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7:30 pm Tickets:
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You won’t want to miss this evening with world-renowned contemporary American folk singer-songwriter John Gorka. With his soulful baritone voice and rich multi-faceted songs full of depth, beauty and emotion, Gorka has been filling concert venues throughout the United States and Europe for well over two decades. Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement.” In addition to his 11 critically acclaimed albums, John released a collector’s edition box featuring a hi-definition DVD and companion CD called The Gypsy Life. Windham Hill also released a collection of John’s greatest hits from the label called Pure John Gorka. In 2010, he also released an album with his friends and Red House label-mates Lucy Kaplansky and Eliza Gilkyson under the name Red Horse. Getting high praise from critics and fans alike, it landed on the Billboard Folk Charts and was one of the most played albums on folk radio. Many well-known artists have recorded and/or performed John Gorka songs, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Mary Black, and Maura O’Connell. John has graced the stage of Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, etown and has appeared on CNN. His new song Where No Monuments Stand is featured in the upcoming documentary Every War Has Two Losers, about activist and Oregon Poet Laureate William Stafford (1914-1993).
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Thursday, Friday, Saturday Time: 7:00 pm Tickets: |
A cast of middle and high school students will present Charlotte's Web—the Musical, an exciting, new musical which introduces a different dimension to E.B. White's beloved classic. This joyous musical promises to be a special experience. |
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7:30 pm Tickets:
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The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute
Fornes is backed by Whispers of the North, a group that accurately portrays the roles of Lightfoot’s stage band with lead guitarist Mike Freymuth of Jackson, keyboardist George Krawczyk of Cheboygan, Boyne City bassman Art Robinson, and Cadillac’s Matt Wohlfeill on drums and percussion. The group constantly strives to perfect Lightfoot’s genre of timeless music that captured millions during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Their catalogue of Gord’s music includes 76 songs they choose from in concert. Storytelling of the events that inspired the writing of the songs have become as much a part of the show as the songs themselves in Fornes’ portrayal of Lightfoot. His tireless research and personal interaction with Lightfoot have resulted in accurate mannerisms, speaking patterns and clothing used by the Canadian icon in concert. Fornes, who tours annually, performs more than 60 shows in five states and Canada each year. He will accompany himself on rhythm six-string and 12-string guitars, authentic to the models used by Lightfoot on stage. |
A St. Patrick's Day Celebration 
Carmichael Heating and Air Conditioning
Nuveen Theatre Workshop Auditions
Hailing from England, the Howmet Playhouse is pleased to welcome 
Carmichael Heating and Air Conditioning
The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable. As the Winnipeg Free Press noted, "The Tannahill Weavers—properly harnessed—could probably power an entire city for a year on the strength of last night's concert alone. The music may be old time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll."
Carmichael Heating and Air Conditioning
An Evening with John Gorka 
Amilia K. Spicer
In 2007 Mackinaw City guitarist Mike Fornes assembled a band of four backing musicians for a salute to Canadian balladeer Gordon Lightfoot. The group’s work has developed into a stunning theatre show that replicates the Lightfoot concert experience. “This is music from our culture, our way of life,” said Fornes. “Obviously there are lots of romantic ballads and fun songs among Lightfoot’s list of hits, but his music carries a common appreciation among people that I think concert-goers truly enjoy.” Fornes promises that his audience will hear the best known tunes from Lightfoot’s catalogue, and other songs typical of a Lightfoot concert. The play-list includes such standards as If You Could Read My Mind, Canadian Railroad Trilogy, Sundown, Carefree Highway and Rainy Day People. Plus, of course, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.