Bridgette Redman
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- Arts Writer, Lansing State Journal
- Arts, Culture and Travel Journalist, Freelance
- Local Correspondent, Spa and Beauty Today
- Arts Journalist, Times Media Group
- Contributing Writer and Reviewer, Onstage Blog
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Articles by Bridgette Redman
From “Annie” to eerie, Lansing stages embrace October
Stories of heart and laughter are filling area stages over the next few weeks. Two local theaters are performing musicals that dip into unforgettable moments of North American history from 9/11 to the Great Depression and the New Deal. Meanwhile, Lansing’s longest-running dinner theater tickles the funny bone with a farcical mystery and the children’s theater introduces the area to a necromantic author.
Audacity to Create: Classic juxtaposes Chinese opera, immigrant labor and artistic freedom
The Latino Theater Company is doing something that hasn’t been done for decades. The last time Los Angeles saw a full production of “The Dance and the Railroad,” it was 1993 and on the stage of East West Players. Now, 33 years later, David Henry Hwang’s two-hander returns to a former bank building on Spring Street. It’s a play about immigrant laborers blasting a railroad through the Sierra Nevada, staged in the historic core of the city that labor helped build.
Fall brings a colorful crop of arts options around Greater Lansing
Act I: October brings a little of everything Theater lovers can celebrate the arrival of October and with it the fall offerings of multiple companies. It's a month that is always packed full of drama — and comedy and musicals. The options locally are myriad. Let's start with Oct. 2-4. On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Tony Award-winning actor Sutton Foster is coming to Michigan State University's Wharton Center.
At 20, Williamston Theatre’s founders look beyond themselves
On the precipice of their 20 th anniversary, the founders of Williamston Theatre know the key to surviving the next 20 years. “There needs to be an elevator,” Chris Purchis said. “Those stairs are brutal, and in 20 years, I don’t think I’ll be doing them.” “I can tell how good my day is going to be based on how I take the stairs,” Emily Sutton-Smith agreed. “Can I still do them two stairs at a time?
At 20, Williamston Theatre’s founders look beyond themselves
Bridgette M. Redman, For the Lansing State Journal Fri, September 25, 2026 at 6:03 AM EDT 8 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Add Yahoo on Google The Williamston Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in downtown Williamston. On the precipice of their 20th anniversary, the founders of Williamston Theatre know the key to surviving the next 20 years. "There needs to be an elevator," Chris Purchis said.
2 Pianists, 1 Legacy: Collective invites Pasadena to travel through musical time
The Cadence Collective is inviting Pasadena to travel through time and explore pivotal moments in classical music history—and the audience doesn’t have to know the repertoire before arriving. Hanbo Ma, the Cadence Collective Foundation’s artistic director, is committed to making classical music more accessible. She grew up attending conservatories where going to a concert on a Saturday night was a “no-brainer;” it was just what everyone did.
Stages, Galleries and Music Events Bring Queer Energy to Michigan This Fall
Michigan art organizations are spending the fall inviting audiences to explore identity, community and discovery — whether through a new musical about astronaut Sally Ride, exhibitions reconsidering women's places in art and fashion, or queer choruses opening new doors to holiday traditions. Theater Michigan stages are raising the curtain on both familiar queer classics and new work between now and the end of the year. Fisher Building lobby and theatre entrance.
New discoveries and timeless classics take the stage in East Lansing
Act I: New musical journeys into space and identity Forty years ago, the Challenger disaster changed the course of the U.S. space program. It also became part of Sally Ride’s story, first as a member of the investigation and later as a figure whose own life would become a study in discovery. It took two years before NASA would send astronauts into space again. Ride, the first American woman in space, was among those who investigated the Challenger disaster as part of the Rogers Commission.
New discoveries and timeless classics take the stage in East Lansing
Act I: New musical journeys into space and identity Forty years ago, the Challenger disaster changed the course of the U.S. space program. It also became part of Sally Ride’s story, first as a member of the investigation and later as a figure whose own life would become a study in discovery. It took two years before NASA would send astronauts into space again. Ride, the first American woman in space, was among those who investigated the Challenger disaster as part of the Rogers Commission.
Musical finds the heart beneath the spectacle of 'Beetlejuice'
On a stage swirling with over-the-top characters and wild special effects, it is two ghosts who stand out as the nice, normal people offering an audience on-ramp to the glory that is "Beetlejuice the Musical." Beetlejuice opens the Wharton Center 2026-27 season, returning after coming through East Lansing in March 2023. This time, the supernatural show about death will have a short run, Sept. 18-20.
Musical finds the heart beneath the spectacle of 'Beetlejuice'
On a stage swirling with over-the-top characters and wild special effects, it is two ghosts who stand out as the nice, normal people offering an audience on-ramp to the glory that is "Beetlejuice the Musical." Beetlejuice opens the Wharton Center 2026-27 season, returning after coming through East Lansing in March 2023. This time, the supernatural show about death will have a short run, Sept. 18-20.
Free Workshops: Unusual Suspects uses theater to build storytellers across LA
Abiram Brizuela doesn’t believe his organization should have to exist. In a just world, he says, no teenager’s access to serious arts training would depend on their ZIP code. Downtown Los Angeles teenagers should have much access to training as anyone else.
Free Workshops: Unusual Suspects uses theater to build storytellers and community leaders
Abiram Brizuela doesn’t believe his organization should have to exist. In a just world, he says, no teenager’s access to serious arts training would depend on their ZIP code.
Indiana Spa Guide: The Best Spas and Wellness Spaces in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, often affectionately referred to as "Indy" or "The Crossroads of America," is a city blending Midwestern charm with urban sophistication. Known for its automotive history, particularly the legendary Indianapolis 500 race, the city offers an exciting cultural scene with world-class museums, lush parks, and a thriving culinary landscape.
Want to be my theater buddy? Check out these area shows I'm excited about this fall
Once Labor Day is crossed off the calendar, area theater companies and performing arts organizations will launch their fall seasons. The approaching offerings present theatergoers with plenty of choices.
Want to be my theater buddy? Check out these area shows I’m excited about this fall
Once Labor Day is crossed off the calendar, area theater companies and performing arts organizations will launch their fall seasons. The approaching offerings present theatergoers with plenty of choices.
Choruses, hags and garden harmonies on deck in area performing arts
Act I: Queer artists unite for statewide showcase LGBTQ+ choruses from around the state are gathering in East Lansing this weekend for what is becoming an annual event for singers to demonstrate unity and power through music. A Michigan GALA Showcase will be hosted by LanSING Out, Lansing’s chorus for LGBTQ+ people with tenor, baritone and bass voices. The free showcase takes place at The People’s Church in downtown East Lansing on Aug.
Fostering Real Connection: A Noise Within calls on ‘better angels’ for 35th season
For 35 years, Pasadena-based theater company A Noise Within has worked to summon the better angels of its community. For its 2026-27 anniversary season, the classical repertory company has made that idea explicit. Inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s appeal to “the better angels of our nature,” the season brings together plays and musicals about courage, kindness, community and the difficult work of recognizing one another’s humanity.
Happendance returns to where it began for 50th anniversary concerts
Fifty years ago, a group of performers danced along the banks of the Red Cedar River on the Michigan State University campus. That performance launched what would become Michigan’s longest-running professional contemporary dance company. At 7 p.m. on July 31 and Aug. 1, several of those dancers will join the artists who have carried the company forward for two free outdoor concerts celebrating Happendance’s golden anniversary.
New works and classics mix for varied summer theater
Act I: Renegade returns When organizers announced the return of the Renegade festival this spring, they promised that REO Town would become a place where audiences might encounter art almost anywhere. Now they are ready to deliver. The newly renamed Renegade Fringe Festival will fill businesses and gathering spaces throughout the neighborhood Aug. 7-8 with nearly 20 performances from established arts organizations and independent producers.
Williamston Theatre's 19th season ends with adaptation of Hitchcock thriller
Act I: Twice the suspense Williamston Theatre closes its 19th season with another trip into the world of Alfred Hitchcock. After appearing earlier this season in the company’s “Dial M for Murder,” actor Ryan Patrick Welsh returns to the Williamston stage in “The 39 Steps,” Patrick Barlow's adaptation of the classic Hitchcock thriller.
The emergency between paychecks: From wildfires to tuition bills, JFLA provides interest-free lifelines
For more than 120 years, the Jewish Free Loan Association has had its finger on the pulse of the economic concerns of Los Angeles residents. This is because they have issued interest-free loans to people of all background and needs. Throughout the decades, they have developed multiple loan programs that respond to needs. In 2026, some of the most intense needs include student loan debt relief, disaster relief and small business loans.
Swinging into the spotlight: Michigan performer opens '& Juliet' at Wharton
Throughout college, Lois Ellise was thrilled to see the touring Broadway productions that came through the Wharton Center of the Performing Arts. “I grew up in Flint, Michigan, and a lot of times getting to see these shows was because of a national tour … tours were what brought these high‑scale Broadway shows to our backyard,” said Ellise, who graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Music will be prominent part of area Pride Month celebrations Original
Act I: Queer choruses celebrate bathhouses and animated shows It’s Pride Month and there is no shortage of ways to celebrate throughout Greater Lansing. Festivals, fairs and parades will fill the streets later this month with music being a major part of the events. Following the celebration of Sistrum’s 40th anniversary, the region’s other two queer choruses will be performing this month.
Summer Circle Theatre's 64th season will include free shows 3 weekends in June
Act I: Summer Circle's 64th season launches in June One of mid-Michigan’s longest-standing theater traditions opens its 64th season next week on the campus of Michigan State University. Summer Circle Theatre, a professional theater offering free shows to the community for three weekends in June, opens its season with the adaptation of a children’s book, moves to Regency England and the ends the run with a honky-tonk musical.
Expanding the Circle: Westside Ballet gala celebrates leaders who reshape tradition
When Calvin Royal III steps onto a stage, he reshapes long-held ideas about who gets to be the prince in ballet. When Dr. Kathryn Jeffery leads a college, she asks similar questions about who is welcomed, supported and allowed to thrive. This year, the Westside Ballet of Santa Monica honors both at its 2026 Masters of Movement and Spring Gala.
Local theater and music highlight upcoming area arts performances Original
Act I: Close quarters, big ideas There’s something about small spaces that invites big storytelling. Local theater offerings are leaning into that idea, placing characters in tight quarters where there’s nowhere to hide and everything to reveal. Whether it’s a boat stalled at sea, a boardroom locked in debate, or a stage turning in on itself, these productions are about what happens when people are forced to sit with one another — and themselves.
Wharton Center Performing Arts lineup a mix of icons, innovation and surprises
The Wharton Center marks its 45th anniversary season with a mix of returning icons, emerging artists and works that reflect its growing role as both presenter and creator. It announced its 2026-27 Performing Arts Season on April 29: A season where standout artists command headlines while emerging artists generate excitement, dance troupes traverse the continent and numerous surprises tell stories.
Contrast and Collaboration: Wallis hosts tribute to Rauschenberg’s dance contributions
In the 1970s and ’80s, a conclave of artists was reimagining what storytelling through movement could look and sound like. Pioneers of post-modern dance were engaging in radical collaborations that mixed carefully choreographed pieces with improvisational elements and striking visual art. In 2025, two leading dance companies remounted some of the era’s iconic works for a new program that has now been touring.
New works and familiar voices take the stages around Greater Lansing
Act I: Stories on stage Williamston Theatre is issuing its audiences a library card that lets them eavesdrop on a confrontation between a concerned mother and the town librarian. “Bad Books” is a new work by Sharyn Rothstein that explores complicated questions about censorship and book banning. However, it isn’t simply a policy discussion or a social media argument. Under the direction of Williamston’s Artistic Director Tony Caselli the story unfolds with wit, drama and deeply realized characters.
Lansing theater stages offer classics over coming days Original
Bridgette M. Redman April 10, 2026, 5:30 a.m. ET Act I: Theaters offer stories of dystopia, mercy and love The classics are lighting up Lansing’s stages along with a newer work that digs into family dynamics and musical adapted from a film favorite. Lansing Community College and Ixion Theater share opening nights on Friday, April 10. Director Paige Tufford brings an adaptation of George Orwell’s “1984” to LCC’s downtown Dart Auditorium stage.
Renegade Fringe revives festival spirit in REO Town with August return
Street corners, alleys and storefronts in REO Town will transform into stages this August as a reimagined Renegade Theater Festival — now Renegade Fringe — returns with experimental theater, spoken word and live art over two days. The revived event will take place the evening of Aug. 7 and all day Aug. 8, expanding to include artists across performing arts disciplines and cross-genre experimental work. Applications are open through May 31 at renegadefringe.org.
Houses Remember: ‘Brownstone’ explores how lives echo through time
In a city like Pasadena that is filled with historic homes, Catherine Butterfield’s “Brownstone” can resonate, even though it is set in New York.
Rivalry Reimagined: Jefferson Mays humanizes Salieri at the Pasadena Playhouse
Most audiences think they know “Amadeus,” thanks to its Oscar-winning film adaptation. Pasadena Playhouse’s new production, starring Tony winner Jefferson Mays, invites viewers to look again — this time through the eyes of a man whose greatest torment is not evil, but self-awareness.
'Hadestown' invites Wharton audiences to descend into mythic world
When you’re a Broadway fan, as well as a professional, you don’t miss big moments like the arrival of “Hadestown.” Rudy Foster, who had been touring with “Ain’t Too Proud” and had previously performed in “Sister Act,” “Hair” and “Les Miserables,” started listening to the soundtrack when the show first made waves at the Tonys in 2019.
Peppermint Creek's 'Fatherland' humanizes a divided America
Politics are personal. Political beliefs can tear a family apart, something happening in homes across the country. Peppermint Creek Theatre Company is diving into one family’s story Jan. 23-Feb. 1 as part of its “Based on a True Story” season. Stephen Sachs, the retired artistic director of Fountain Theater in Los Angeles, had been following the story of Guy Reffitt, the first defendant to stand trial for the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Reffitt’s teenage son turned him into the FBI.
Music heats up halls across Michigan State campus
The weather is frigid, but the MSU College of Music will be filling the university’s performance halls with melodies designed to warm the hearts of its audiences. It starts on Friday, Jan. 23, with a celebration of 250 years of American music. MSU artists Jane Bunnell, a mezzo-soprano, and Marc Embree, a bass-baritone, will be joined by Elden Little on piano for an evening performing songs composed at the birth of America to today.
Young Groundlings: A Noise Within invites home schoolers into Shakespeare
As a leading presenter of classical theater, A Noise Within wants to make sure that Shakespeare is accessible to everyone — and that includes elementary-aged students who are home schooled. This semester, the staff of the Pasadena theater company are opening the theater doors for an eight-week class in acting fundamentals for homeschooling students ages 8 to 14.
Oh, What a Rogue: Suzy Eddie Izzard brings one-person ‘Hamlet’ to LA
There are easier challenges than Shakespeare. And there are easier Shakespeare challenges than “Hamlet.” Suzy Eddie Izzard chose the hardest version anyway: A one-person “Hamlet,” played without scenery, ensemble or escape routes. The production arrives at the Montalban Theatre Jan.
Oh, What a Rogue: Suzy Eddie Izzard brings one-person ‘Hamlet’ to LA
There are easier challenges than Shakespeare. And there are easier Shakespeare challenges than “Hamlet.” Suzy Eddie Izzard chose the hardest version anyway: A one-person “Hamlet,” played without scenery, ensemble or escape routes. The production arrives at the Montalban Theatre Jan.
Time-travel favorite 'Back to the Future: The Musical' speeds into Wharton Center
Nearly 40 years after Marty McFly first hit 88 miles per hour, “Back to the Future” continues to find new ways to travel through time. The beloved time-travel tale rolls into East Lansing in musical form, bringing DeLoreans, nostalgia and theatrical sleight of hand to Michigan State's Wharton Center for a one-week engagement from Jan. 13-18. Not that it is an exact replica.
When nostalgia meets the future — experiencing an '80s classic on the stage
In 2024, after two decades as a professional theater reviewer, I was sitting down for my first Broadway show. My brother had picked it, my mom had arranged the trip and my son was at my side. The show? “Back to the Future: The Musical”. It is now coming to Wharton Center Jan. 13-18. The musical is based on the film — starring Michael J.
Queer Hearts choir looks to strike new chord in Lansing
If you’ve been around the Lansing music scene or the local LGBTQ+ community for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of Lansing OUT (formerly the Gay Men’s Chorus) and Sistrum. Starting in January, there will be a new choir for the LGBTQ+ community, one that features all four singing voices and, in a time when an increasing number of people do not conform to traditional gender stereotypes, welcomes all genders.
Not all local arts entertainment has to be Christmas-y this month
You don’t have to dress in red or deck the halls to get your arts fix this month. While holiday shows are dominating local stages there are a few performances that aren’t Santa and snowflakes. RELATED: Music, dance and theater options abound during holiday season in Greater Lansing Act I: Students and faculty show off their talents Michigan State University’s College of Music and Department of Theater are both presenting non-holiday options in the coming days.
A Croc is Coming: Dahl’s wild musical brings holiday joy to Culver City
An enormous crocodile is creeping into Culver City this week for a five-week run in which honorable inhabitants of the jungle will try to stop him from his quest to gobble up tasty children. Roald Dahl’s “The Enormous Crocodile” will be at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from Dec. 5 to Jan. 4.
Puppets, Dragons and Bonkers: Actors’ Gang premieres a whimsical quest of holiday fun
When the days grow darker, sometimes a light can beckon travelers to an entrancing world that is as strange as it is familiar. In Culver City this winter, the Actors’ Gang celebrates the holidays with a new family play featuring two children escaping the circus and the clutches of an evil circus queen and her strongman sidekick.
Music, dance and theater options abound during holiday season in Greater Lansing Original
Bridgette M. Redman For the Lansing State Journal Set down the shopping bags and escape the canned music of the malls this holiday season by heading to one of Greater Lansing’s many performing arts venues to give yourself the gift of live art. Whether you incline toward music, dance or theater, there are myriad options that can help you get your holiday vibe on. Music Who: Vienna Boys Choir When: 3 p.m., Nov. 30 Need a news break?
Seasons of Magic: Young dancers shine after a year of adversity
Nutcracker season has returned to Santa Monica, bringing with it a swirl of snowflakes, Tchaikovsky’s familiar score and the dreams of more than 140 young dancers. For two of them — Addison Russell and Mila Bakhshandehpour — the magic feels especially powerful as they step into major roles after a year marked by loss and resilience. The Westside Ballet of Santa Monica is home to one of LA’s longest-running “Nutcracker” performances, having been performed every year for more than half a century.
Greater Lansing performing arts scene leaves much to be thankful for
Greater Lansing residents who love the performing arts have much to be thankful for — this year and every year. While the region is known for its athletic events, fewer people outside those directly involved are aware of how rich and full the community is when it comes to the arts. For a city of its size, Lansing and the surrounding areas are positively brimming with arts groups, small and large.
Dozens of shows hit area stages — from Alcott and Shakespeare to Steinbeck and Sherlock
Bridgette M. Redman For the Lansing State Journal You might not need time-travel abilities to catch all the theater the Greater Lansing area has to offer over the next two weeks, but it would help. Shows open at Riverwalk, Peppermint Creek, Williamston, Lansing Community College and Michigan State University — the latter having multiple shows from the Department of Theater and the College of Music.
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