The Holiday Comedy by Dennis Wickline
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
December 3 - December 18
(Great seats still available!)
Also 2 matinees at 2pm on Sunday, December 5 and 12

Back by popular demand for the Tenth Holiday Season in a row, Broadway Onstage Live Theatre is again pleased to present the Holiday Comedy by Dennis Wickline, THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS. Opening on Friday, December 3, THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS is the most popular show ever presented at Broadway Onstage Live Theatre and tells the story of a retirement community's efforts to present a new holiday production. The show will run on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm from December 3 through December 18. There will also be two 2pm Sunday matinees on Sunday, December 5 and Sunday, December 12. Good seats are available for all performances.

Tickets are $16, and this year Broadway Onstage is again offering special Holiday Group Rates for this popular production. Groups of 13 or more pay only $13 each, and groups of 21 or more pay only $11 each. Broadway Onstage Live Theatre is located at 21517 Kelly Rd. at Toepfer (8 ˝ Mile Rd.) in Eastpointe. It is the home of the patented TeeVeeStage™ Presentation system, which employs cameras above the audience and monitors above the stage to provide audience members with different viewing perspectives of the live stage performance. Broadway Onstage Live Theatre is also the home of Dennis Wickline Productions, Inc., which began producing Non-Equity professional live theatre on the Eastside of Detroit in February of 1980.

Originally premiered in December of 2001, the comedy has been presented every December since then to great acclaim. Other productions of THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS have been done by Midland Theatre Guild, and by other groups in Kentucky, Canada, and Upper Michigan. THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS takes place in the Northern Lower Peninsula. Simon's Rest is a retirement community in Frankfort, Michigan. Every Christmas the residents perform their traditional, boring, and harder and harder to produce version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Every Christmas, that is, except this one. Minnie Winchester, an elderly piano teacher, suggests that the residents do something new, something like THE NUTCRACKER. Everyone agrees that it would be wonderful to try something new and THE NUTCRACKER is accepted immediately. Tickets are quickly sold out. Just as rehearsals begin, however, the retirees discover one important and overlooked detail, THE NUTCRACKER is a ballet, and Minnie Winchester, a rather rotund lady who always wanted to play Clara, the lead, doesn't know how to dance.

One of the cast members at Broadway Onstage has been with the show since the beginning. Shirley Urkshus appears as Elvira, the bitchy former bait store owner. Two of the other original cast members are also returning this season. Stan Newman returns to the role of Malcolm, the President of the Resident's Council and Jann Hight appears as Alberta, a former school teacher. Attic Theatre veteran and former Grosse Pointe Theatre President Donna DiSante will be seen again this year as Minnie, the slightly delusional prima ballerina who takes on the role of Clara. Two new cast members are featured this year. Olivia Wickline, seen last spring in THE CRAZY TIME at Broadway Onstage will appear as Dorothy, and Dennis Wickline, the author, will be seen as Hector. Choreographer for the production since the beginning is Arlene Marie Schoenherr and Shirley Urkshus acts as Dance Captain. Tickets for Opening Night, Friday, December 3 are $14. Tickets for all other performances are $16. Again, Broadway Onstage is located at 21517 Kelly Rd. at Toepfer (8 1/2 Mile Rd.) in Eastpointe, Michigan. Ticket Reservations are strongly recommended by calling (586) 771-6333.

DONNA DISANTE (Minnie) - Donna directed each prior version of this production through 2006 and now again takes on the role of Minnie. Donna appeared as Veta in HARVEY and Addie in THE LADIES OF HARMONY several seasons ago, as well as directing our spring 2009 production of MIXED EMOTIONS. She has also appeared on our stage on several occasions. She was Miss Prism in our season closer in 2005, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST and appeared as Person 1 in EPIC PROPORTIONS. Donna also directed our production of ARSENIC AND OLD LACE at the Golden Lion Dinner Theatre in 1984. She was very involved in the early years of the Attic Theatre, and the Grand Circus Exchange in Detroit. She is a Past President of Grosse Pointe Theatre, and has directed a number of productions for them, including SABRINA several seasons ago and GODSPELL just recently. She is always a joy to work with, and we're happy to have her lend her considerable talents to THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS for the tenth time. Thanks, Donna!

DENNIS WICKLINE (Hector) - Dennis portrayed Miles in our spring comedy THE CRAZY TIME as well as appearing as Ty in THE SCOTTISH PLAY to close last season. He portrayed David O Selznick in MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS and Elwood P. Dowd in HARVEY in the fall of 2008. He was seen as Major Powell in CORPSE and Frank in WEEKEND COMEDY here in 2008. Dennis was also seen as Bradley in THE COCKTAIL HOUR in the fall of 2004, among other productions. He is the producer of all shows at Broadway Onstage. He began producing theatre in February of 1980 at Stouffer's Eastland. This season is his thirtieth of producing non-Equity professional theatre in the Detroit Metropolitan area. He is the author of a number of plays and musicals, including this one. He also appeared as Fagin in Grosse Pointe Theatre's 2001 production of OLIVER! and was seen as Joe Keller in their production of ALL MY SONS in March of 2005. Dennis was also seen here in the thriller THE WOMAN IN BLACK in the fall of 2002, portraying 5 separate characters. He also directed GPT's 2005 SHOWBOAT and 2008's JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.

OLIVIA WICKLINE (Dorothy) - Liv appeared as Kate last spring in THE CRAZY TIME. She was seen as Peggy two seasons ago here in WEEKEND COMEDY. She appeared as Louise, Clive Owen's secretary, in the David Schwimmer film TRUST which just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and just finished shooting SMOOTCH for the Hallmark Channel, which will premiere on Valentine's Day. She was seen several seasons ago in 70 GIRLS 70 at Grosse Pointe Theatre, and was also seen there in 2005 as Ida in OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS, for which she received a Clarence Award for Best Supporting Actress. Liv has been seen on our stage on a number of other occasions. She was seen several seasons ago as Fonsia Dorsey in THE GIN GAME. She was also seen as Florence in 2001 in THE RETURN OF HERBERT BRACEWELL. She gave a memorable turn as Stella Mae in our critical and popular success COME BACK TO THE FIVE AND DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN in 2000. She was Sister Mary Christina Columbus, the exploring nun, in our musical spoof MOTHER SUPERIOR'S HABITS during our first season. She later appeared as Olive Madison in the female version of THE ODD COUPLE that same season, and portrayed Hattie in LAUNDRY AND BOURBON & LONE STAR in 1996. She's always a joy to watch, and we're happy to have her back on our stage again. Thanks for everything, Liv!

STAN NEWMAN (Malcolm) - Stan was just seen as Inspector Lestrade in SHERLOCK HOLMES IS COMING TO DINNER. He was the original Malcolm in THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS during its first two productions in 2001 and 2002. He appeared in our 2009 closer DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE as Inspector Newcomen. He was seen in the spring of 2008 in ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT as Ranger Tom. He was also seen in the summer of 2007 as Russ in RED HOT MAMAS and as Hawkins in CORPSE! in January and February of 2008. Stan was seen as Mishkin in our spring 2007 production of NEIL SIMON'S FOOLS. He appeared as Jonas in our summer 2005 production of MY DAUGHTER'S RATED "X." He has been involved with our company since the days of Dinner Theatre at the Golden Lion. He portrayed Doctor Zubritsky in our original production of Neil Simon's FOOLS at the Golden Lion and also appeared in our production of THE THEATRE MURDERS here at Broadway Onstage several seasons ago. He has been very involved in a number of professional venues throughout the area. He has a role in the recurring local production of TONY 'N TINA'S WEDDING, and has been seen a number of times in the Mystery Productions at Dave 'n Busters. We welcome him back to our stage.

SHIRLEY BIGGS-URKSHUS (Elvira, Dance Captain) - Shirley has portrayed Elvira in THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS all ten times. She directed our spring production THE CRAZY TIME, and appeared as Emma in this season's opener THE SOCIAL SECURITY MURDERS. She was also seen as Mrs. Chauvenet and Mrs. Chumley in HARVEY and Grace in THE LADIES OF HARMONY two seasons ago. She was seen in the summer of 2007 as Sarah in our production RED HOT MAMAS. She portrayed Dora Winslow in our fall 2006 production OVER MY DEAD BODY. She directed 2008's ART OF MURDER and our season closing production THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST several seasons ago. She also appeared onstage as Lane/Merriman in that production. Shirley portrayed Polly in CLIFFHANGER here several seasons ago to great acclaim. Shirley appeared in our production of I HATE HAMLET, in 2001, as Felicia. In addition, she appeared as Sis in 2000's production of THE QUEEN OF BINGO to everyone's delight. Shirley first appeared for us in our original murder-mystery THE THEATRE MURDERS aka THE DINNER THEATRE MURDERS as Mrs. Buldheiss/Olivia. Shirley has also directed for other companies, including such productions as STEPPIN' OUT, among others. Welcome back, Shirley!

JANN HIGHT (Alberta) - Jann appeared as Bridget in our spring 2009 production of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. She also appeared as Claudia in our summer 2007 production RED HOT MAMAS. Jann portrayed Anne, the mother, in THE COCKTAIL HOUR here at Broadway Onstage several seasons ago. She recreated her role as Clairee in STEEL MAGNOLIAS in 2002, which she first performed for Wickline Productions at the Golden Lion in 1991. She has been in many productions here at Broadway Onstage. She is also from the original cast of THE NUTCRACKERS NUTS, again appearing as Alberta. Jann was also seen in 2001's I HATE HAMLET, and 2000's YOU KNOW I CAN'T HEAR YOU WHEN THE WATER'S RUNNING, in which she portrayed three very different and complicated ladies. We're honored to have her back again. Thanks, Jann.

ELIZABETH RAGER (Stage Manager) - Elizabeth just gave a memorable performance as Dorothy in our season opening THE SOCIAL SECURITY MURDERS, and as Mrs. Hudson in SHERLOCK HOLMES IS COMING TO DINNER. She was our Stage Manager for MURDERER to begin 2010. She appeared as Alberta in THE NUTCRACKER'S NUTS and as Susan in our summer show LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS last season. She was seen in our closer two seasons ago DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE as Pauline. She was seen as Leah in our summer 2008 production of LADIES OF HARMONY. She was also seen in the 2007-2008 season closer, ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT, as "Wolf Moon Dance." Elizabeth also portrayed Mrs. McGee in CORPSE! in January 2008 here at Broadway Onstage. She was also Stage Manager for ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT and our fall 2007 production of A THOUSAND CLOWNS. She made her acting debut with her performance as Stella in our September/October 2007 production of SOMETHING TO HIDE. She is no stranger to the stage, peforming parody songs as part of a singing group as well as performing skits in theatre-in-the-round. She is also an able pianist, playing in a variety of venues including accompaniment for soloists and musicals. She believes her occupation as a trainer helped prepare her for the stage: "In training others, you design and present everything for learning with a little entertainment spread throughout; with theatre, you design and present everything for entertainment with a little learning spread throughout." We welcome you back, Elizabeth.

ARLENE MARIE SCHOENHERR (Choreographer) - Arlene was in our very first production at Stouffer's Eastland Dinner Theatre, MINNIE'S BOYS. She choreographed that production as well. Arlene directed a number of productions for us at Stouffer's and at the Golden Lion, including LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS, CAROUSEL and CORPSE! Arlene is also very involved in Grosse Pointe Theatre, and directed their production of ANNIE several seasons ago, and COMPANY last season. She also was Co-Choreographer for GPT's production of SHOW BOAT to end their 2004-2005 Season. Welcome back, Arlene!