Great Escape Stage Company Opens 2019 Season This Week

The Great Escape Stage Company has their first show of the season this week, Thursday February 28th through Sunday March 3rd. Why so late? Well, they've been busy with another phase of their building plan. Artistic Director Randy Lake was a guest on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins.

Lake says Great Escape has been busy renovating the space behind the stage in the historic 1905 building at 110 East Michigan Avenue in Marshall. Its an area where sets are built, and actors sometimes dress or wait for their entrances. "We tore out plaster and old lath boards from the original 1905 construction, and we found old windows and doors that had been bricked over. We insulated it and put new wallboard back up, so it looks the same, but it's much cleaner and warmer."

They also added a new back stairway to the basement, and catwalks to get to the light and sound booths. It maximizes the use of the space, saves money on heating, and gives the actors a way to get to the other side of the theater without the audience seeing them.

The first production of our 2019 season is a musical cabaret with a special focus on the songs of Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist for shows such as “Godspell,” “Pippin” and “Wicked.” This production will include performances by cast members from Marshall High School’s upcoming production of “Godspell” — a unique collaboration with our hard-working local students, who will share their abilities with us before opening their own full production beginning March 22. Get a preview with us Feb. 28-March 3!

Lake says the cast includes Bethany Barroso, Kelly Bidlingmaier, Cathy Bovitz, Isaac Byrd, MaryBeth Byrd, Susan Repshinska Driscoll, Alan Elliott, Lauri Rowe and the cast of Marshall High School’s “Godspell” . Sara Cleland, a newcomer to "Great Escape" will be the pianist.