Monroe troupe to present Arthur Miller’s ‘Clara’

From left, are David P. Wahr, Alex Carone, and Norb Nowak in a scene from the Monroe Community Players Underground production of 'Clara.'

Monroe Community Players Underground will make its premiere with Arthur Miller's deep drama Clara this weekend in the Little Theater at Monroe County Community College.

“We're definitely in uncharted territory,” said director Bob Bowman of this extension of Monroe Community Players that will create the black-box theater experience in the intimate 69-seat house.

“These shows will probably have a little more edge to them and, to be frank, a little less commercial appeal. We hope it will help us grow as artists, and I want to give our actors a chance to try some more challenging material and see what they can do,” he said.

This 40-minute one-act play has a magical realism, Bowman said. Norb Nowak as Albert Kroll is suffering from shock after finding his daughter Clara, played by Alex Carone, murdered. David P. Wahr as Detective Lew Fine pushes Kroll to overcome his mental block to access his memories in order to find the killer. Also in the cast is Lonny Aldridge as Tierney, a young detective on the case.

Nowak received an award for excellence in acting for this same role at the Community Theatre Association of Michigan's ACCT Fest competition in February, 2012. The American Association of Community Theatre is a nonprofit national corporation that supports and promotes community theater.

“Clara” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Little Theater at Monroe County Community College Campbell Learning Resource Center Building C, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe. Tickets are $10. Information: 734-241-7900 or monroecommunityplayers.org.

Arts section

Fall is quickly approaching and that means it’s time to send your 2013-2014 theater lineup for The Blade’s annual Season of the Arts section.

Submissions for theater listings should include the theater’s name, address, phone number, email address, and a contact person’s name and phone number.

Also include a chronological list of the 2013-2014 productions and the venue if it differs from your theater's stage.

Send items titled “2013-2014 Theater” to jnjaim@theblade.com no later than Aug. 30.

Dog show

ADRIAN — The Croswell Opera House Summer Performance Camp is going to the dogs, or at least catering to dogs, Saturday with its canine-friendly production of Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids.

The show opens Friday when audiences meet Cruella de Vil plotting to steal Pongo and Perdita’s puppies for her new fur coat. Theatergoers are invited to bring their pampered pooches on leashes to the 1:30 p.m. Saturday show. Tickets are free for the canine performance. Cash and/​or item donations are encouraged to benefit the Lenawee Humane Society.

“Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids” performances will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Croswell Opera House, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian. Tickets for the Friday and Sunday performances are $15 for adults and $5 for children 15 and younger. Donations for Lenawee Humane Society are being accepted for Saturday’s performance. Information: 517-264-7469 or croswell.org.

Swimming along

MONROE — Ariel longs to live above the sea as River Raisin Youth Theatre presents Disney's The Little Mermaid, Jr. this weekend at River Raisin Centre for the Arts.

Ursula, the sea witch, offers young Ariel a chance to be human at a drastic price: her voice. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, this 1989 Disney film score gave us “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.”

Disney's “The Little Mermaid, Jr." performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St., Monroe. Ticket prices range from $10 to $18. Information: 734- 242-7272 or riverraisincentre.org.

Please send theater items at least two weeks in advance to jnjaim@theblade.com.