When Starlight Dinner Theater resumes “The Lion in Winter” in October, the gap between its first and second weekend shows might set a new record. That’s because COVID closed the play mid-run back in March. Not last March. March of 2020.
“We will have been shut down 19 months by the time we reopen,” Linda Granger, artistic director of Starlight Dinner Theater, said.
“I know that some are frustrated and disappointed that it has taken us so long to get us back in operation. Many have expressed how they miss attending our dinners and shows.”
Closing “Winter” before completing its run meant a loss of about $1,000 in revenue for Starlight.
“General operating expenses that continued through COVID, such as storage unit rental, phone, website designer and domain fees, membership fees and contracted employees’ fees, all continued — totaling over $3,000 with no income coming in,” Granger said.
A two-week restart of “Lion” at the end of October and early-November back at the Waverly Intermediate School can help erase such debts. Four out of seven of the original cast members are still onboard. That includes Kevin Burnham as Henry II and his wife, Tanya Canady-Burnham, as Eleanor of Aquitaine. “Their performances are worth the price of a ticket,” Granger said.
Another Starlight pandemic-canceled show, “Harvey,” gets its second chance at the end of April and early May 2022. “Harvey” features a new guest director, David Oswald. Starlight favorite, Chris Klaver, plays Elwood P. Dowd. “The show has a large cast, and I look forward to returning performers along with many new faces,” Granger said.
The COVID-scrapped, “Guys and Dolls,” has been rescheduled for Feb. 18-19, and Feb. 25-27. If the musical sells out, Feb. 20 will be added. Nicole Martin will direct. The musical director is Kait Wilson and the choreographer is Kelly Stuible-Clark. Dan Templin, Kelly Sandula-Gruner, Rachel Mender and Josh Martin will play the “Guys and Dolls” leads.
Starlight’s late-June production is “West Side Story.” Jeff English is the musical director, Judith Evans is the vocal coach and Lori Anderson is the choreographer.
Granger played Graziella — a Jet dancer — in a 1968 Waverly High School version.
“I have loved the show ever since,” she said. “‘West Side Story’ has been on my bucket list to direct ever since I started directing in 2000. I remember it being performed in downtown Lansing in 1974 and 1979 and it was magical.”
The 1974 play was a Lansing Community College production directed and choreographed by Barbara Rutledge Carlisle. The 1979 outdoor “West Side Story” was a Da Capo production directed and choreographed by Diane Newman, founder of Happendance.
“I hope to make this production just as magical,” Granger said. “All the necessary stars aligned for Starlight to perform the show.”
Lansing has also been receptive to facilitating an outdoor show. “Cathleen Edgerly, executive director of Downtown Lansing Inc., has been very welcoming for Starlight to bring this entertainment to downtown Lansing,” Granger said.
“I think it will be a challenge for all of us,” she said. “Putting on a show requires you operate at a high speed, and I think COVID had us operating at a low speed. We will need to gear up again.”
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