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Detweiler: Tony Award-winning musical coming to the May Pavilion

Kirk Detweiler
3 min read

In the fall of 1983, I was starting my senior year at Kent State University. I was a telecommunications major only because my parents talked me out of being a musical theatre major and said to study something “more practical.” But I took so many theatre and dance classes that I ended up earning minors in both.

My senior year I developed a crush on a new transfer student. Her name was Alice Ripley, and she was the ex-girlfriend of my best friend and roommate (I’ll call him “Dave”). Well, Dave was dating someone new and I thought Alice was really cute and talented as she got the lead in her first show at Kent, playing the female lead in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

I got up my nerve and asked her out. We decided to meet at the local theatre hangout, a bar called the Brass Rail, but we called it Dom’s because the owner was named Dom and we got to be good friends of his. Well, long story short, Alice “forgot” about our “date,” which is a polite way of saying she stood me up. She seemed to be genuine in her apology, so I suggested a reschedule. I offered to cook her dinner later that week at my apartment. Again, she “forgot.” Oh well, wasn’t meant to happen. But we became friends, did a couple shows together and hung out with the same group for the rest of my time at Kent State.

Kirk Detweiler is the executive director of the Palace Theatre.
Kirk Detweiler is the executive director of the Palace Theatre.

Fast forward 10 years and Alice is playing the ingenue in the original Broadway cast of “Sunset Boulevard” opposite Glenn Close. This was followed by Janet in the revival of “Rocky Horror,” Fantine in “Les Miserables,” and her first Tony-nomination in the musical “Side Show.” She won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical in 2009 for her role as Diana in “Next to Normal.” I had the pleasure of seeing that show off-Broadway in its original incarnation and twice on Broadway in the revised version.

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“Next to Normal” was described by the New York Times as a “feel-everything musical,” as it follows the story of a bipolar schizophrenic mother and the effect her illness has on her family. Dustin Rawlins submitted the show 10 times to the Palace Board, who rejected it as being too serious — plus its use of some “adult” language. But, as they say, 11 times is a charm as it was finally given a green light for our current season.

We are happy to present this show with all local actors Aug. 18-20 in the May Pavilion. It really is a wonderful show and won a Tony for Best Score and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2010. Tickets are available at the Palace box office or on our website marionpalace.org. Also, on Aug. 25, we are holding a Friday Night Fundraiser, “The Big 80’s Dance Party,” where you can dance to your favorite ‘80s music, and purchase our Win-A-Cruise raffle tickets for an eight-day European River Cruise, compliments of Viking River Cruises and Anchor and Away Travel.

Kirk Detweiler is the executive director of the Marion Palace Theatre. For more information about theatre events and activities, go to marionpalace.org.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Marion Palace Theatre to present 'Next to Normal' and 80's dance party

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