Stagecrafters To Partner With Gilda's Club For NOISES OFF! This Fall

Stagecrafters proudly presents Noises Off, onstage at the Baldwin Theatre from Friday, November 8, through Sunday, November 24, 2019.

A madcap comedy of slamming doors, falling trousers and on and offstage intrigue, Noises Off is a farcical play-within-a-play that will leave audiences in stitches. A touring amateur theatre group is staging a flop called "Nothing's On." The actors stumble through scenes, flubbed lines and their own personal dramas as each performance becomes a high stakes gamble bordering on disaster. The backstage comedy soon overtakes the drama onstage with hilarious results.

Originally produced in London, the play was conceived by author Michael Frayn as he watched one of his plays from behind the stage. He thought the backstage goings-on would make a funny play and Noises Off was born. An immediate hit in London, Noises Off later opened on Broadway, earning a Drama Desk Award in 1984 for Best Play. A 2016 Broadway revival earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Revival of a Play.

Stagecrafters' production is also a revival of a sort-Vince DeRita directed Noises Off in 2001 at Stagecrafters and is excited to do so again. Though it's been a few years, DeRita knows one thing never changes-people love to laugh. And laugh they will. "The cast is amazing," says DeRita, noting that it's hard to do a show that requires comedic talent and perfect timing, but they nailed it. Anyone who wants a lighthearted evening of fun won't be disappointed. And, adds producer Alan Semonian, "Humor heals. The world could use more of it."

The people at Gilda's Club in Royal Oak might agree. The nationwide organization was named for comedian Gilda Radner who passed away from ovarian cancer in 1989. The club provides an environment of free support for those living with cancer as well as their families and friends. As Stagecrafters' community partner for the run of Noises Off, Gilda's Club and its members will receive special discount offers as well as donated goods collected from patrons and Stagecrafters members.

The Gilda's Club partnership is a deeply personal one to the cast and production team of Noises Off. Actress Julie Fuller, who plays Dotty, is a breast cancer survivor. "I had my last cancer treatment just 5 weeks before auditions," she says. She knew the role would be physically and mentally challenging, but she wanted to give it a shot. Stage manager Lisa Hanes has been cancer-free for 10 years. Gilda's Club was a source of help and comfort for her, and she remains passionate in her support of the organization and its mission today.

Says Gilda's Club Executive Director and CEO, Laura Varon Brown, "Community partnerships ensure that families facing cancer have support for their disease, and also an outlet of enjoyment and distraction. Stagecrafters helps us provide wrap-around services that embrace every aspect of recovery."

For more information on Stagecrafters' partnership with Gilda's Club, please visit Stagecrafters.org.

Tickets for Noises Off are now on sale at Stagecrafters.org, or by calling the ticket office at 248-541-6430, Monday through Friday, 10:00AM to 2:00PM. Tickets: $20 THU; $24 FRI, SAT, SUN. Call or visit stagecrafters.org>TICKETS to find out about senior, veterans and youth discounts.