Touring Shows Return to City Opera House

Eight sweet shows on stage — and four big Broadway hits COH will take you to see

By Ross Boissoneau | Sept. 18, 2021

A number of national touring acts are coming to downtown Traverse City as the City Opera House returns to business as (almost) normal.

Events like the TCNewTech Pitch and Networking nights and presentations by National Writers Series and artists like May Erlewine have brought crowds back, and now, for its 2021-22 season, the COH has lined up an impressive roster of performers from across the country — and the continent — to entertain live audiences inside the 1892-built gem.

“We want to keep live shows going,” says Christine Guitar, COH’s director of development and marketing. They also want audiences to feel safe; in line with CDC guidelines, attendees will be asked to bring masks to the shows. Certain acts may require additional safeguards; the Accidentals, for example, are requiring attendees to provide proof of vaccination at their shows Sept. 29 and 30. 

THE MUSIC OF THE (OPENING) NIGHT
Vocalist Franc D’Ambrosio
This season’s Performing Art series kicks off Oct. 15 with a show by famous vocalist Franc D’Ambrosio. While D’Ambrosio has studied with Pavoratti, worked with Barry Manilow for the production of Copacabana, and performed a slew of other musical roles on and off-Broadway, he’s best known for his iconic portrayal in (and as) the  Phantom of the Opera, a role he played for nearly seven years. (A lesser-known but equally impressive role film lovers will appreciate: D’Ambrosio played Anthony Corleone, the opera-singing son of Al Pacino and Diane Keaton’s characters in the seven-time Academy Award-nominated film Godfather III.)

For local audiences, he’ll perform his acclaimed one-man show, Broadway: Beyond the Chandelier, which will include songs from Phantom and other beloved Broadway musicals, as well as current hits and popular show tunes. Because D’Ambrosio is also dedicated to providing arts education, Guitar says the vocalist will also work with local students, hosting a master class prior to the performance and inviting some students to sing with him. 

GERIATRIC FUN FOR ALL
Assisted Living: The Musical
On Oct. 29, COH welcomes the denizens of Pelican Roost for a musical journey that celebrates memory loss, joint pain, and hearing aids. Guitar says the vaudeville-esque revue will be fun for the whole family.

RAWRRRR!
Dinosaur World Live
Ever encountered a T-Rex up close? You’ll have your chance at Dinosaur World Live on Feb. 4, where kids will meet Miranda, the daughter of paleontologists, who grew up surrounded by various dinos on a mysterious island somewhere off the coast of South America. She brings some of them with her, including a tyrannosaurus, triceratops, and others brought to life by a crew of puppeteers. “It’s really fun for the little ones,” says Guitar. But hey, you don’t have to be little to love dinosaurs.

JAZZ TRIPLE PLAY
Hot Club of San Francisco, Branford Marsalis, Alicia Olatuja
Three different facets of jazz will be represented, starting with Hot Club of San Francisco’s holiday show “Cool Yule” on Dec. 10. You’ve likely never heard “Carol of the Bells” or “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” played in the style of Django Reinhardt — but with the Hot Club you’ll get that and more.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis (Feb. 24) is a three-time Grammy winner and was nominated for a 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for his work on the History Channel's Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre. Marsalis also created the score for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the story of blues singer Ma Rainey starring Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman.

Vocalist Alicia Olatuja presents the work of female composers such as Sade, Tracy Chapman, and Kate Bush with her album and show Intuition: Songs from the Minds of Women on March 3. Olatuja first came to prominence with her performance at President Obama’s second inauguration.

CELTIC STRINGS & SONG
MacMaster & Leahy
Fiddling sensations Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy return on March 10. The Canadian husband and wife team are mainstays of Celtic festivals and performances worldwide.

Get on the Bus, Y’all
Broadway Bound brings you to the big stage
Want to see some super-sized shows that can’t quite squeeze onto the City Opera House stage? COH’s Broadway Bound option will take you there (and back) by bus. This year, trips to see four different shows at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing: Choose from Hadestown, Dec. 11, Mean Girls March 5, Dear Evan Hansen May 21, and Ain’t Too Proud June 11.

REALITY THEATER
The Moth Mainstage (pictured above; photographed by Henry Cromett)
The Moth Mainstage will grace the stage April 29. A live presentation of the acclaimed National Public Radio series, The Moth, Mainstage performances are curated events that each feature five storytellers who develop and shape their story with seasoned Moth directors. (Hint: Act quickly if you’re considering; this one typically sells out shortly after it's announced.)

For tickets or more information, go to www.cityoperahouse.org. Tickets are also available for purchase 10am–5pm Monday through Friday at the COH box office at 106 E. Front St., (231) 941-8082.