Opening Jan 21 at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, Dames At Sea (1966) is an affectionate homage to 1930s Warner Bros musicals featuring period-style songs and Busby Berkeley-inspired dance. According to director Tony Humrichouser, the show's creators were caught up in a nostalgia for the 1930s that emerged in the 1960s. It was first staged at Caffe Cino, a landmark Off-Off Broadway venue that served as a haven for gay creatives in Greenwich Village.
The Kalamazoo Civic's production will be staged in-the-round at the Parrish Theatre with a cast of seven and two keyboardists. In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, actors Ivy McCord (Ruby) and Matthew Schuster (Lucky) describe their roles and their experience preparing the show with Humrichouser, who is also Artistic Director of the Civic. He previews the rest of the season as well, which includes Readers' Theatre, Main Stage, Youth Theater, and Penguin Theater productions.
Tickets and more information, including current Covid safety protocols, are at the Kalamazoo Civic website.
