Back to the future

(Wednesday, Nov. 3) All-of-us Express Children’s Theatre revs up H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" with a cast of 48 young actors this weekend.

The story of a Victorian Era scientist who zooms into a not-so-bright future world in which a carefree race known as the Eloi are dominated by the savage, subterranean Morlocks, will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5 and Nov. 12 and at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 and Nov. 13. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children under 17.

“There were some technical parts taken out to make the play more stageworthy, but the basic storyline is the same," says Miranda Hartman, who is co-directing the play with Karyn Thrush. “There’s an old Victorian-style pedal bike that we found for the time machine.”

Hartman is proud of her cast, too. “We have an incredible crew of kids that are helping out with makeup, costumes and sets. We have been rehearsing for two months."

It's the 22nd season for All-of-us. "Throughout the year, we have 200-300 kids every season," Hartman says. "The age range is somewhere between 4 and 18 for mainstage productions, 9 and 18 for the school year, and 6 to 8 for the summer.”

For more information, visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/allofus or call (517) 333-2580, ex. 0.