The Croswell Opera House is officially the oldest continuously running theatre in Michigan and unofficially the third oldest continuously running theatre in the USA. It opened in 1866 and because Adrian was on the railroad route from Boston to Chicago, the Croswell was on "the circuit" and for years had national celebrities performing there including John Philip Sousa and Maude Adams (and a bunch of others that I can never remember). In the early part of the 20th century it switched from being a vaudeville house to being a movie house. Then in 1967, when the Butterfield group decided to close it as a movie theatre, a private group purchased the building and the Croswell continued on, once again producing live theatre.
The Croswell's success for the last 43 years has come primarily from musicals, and that's what the review is all about this weekend, featuring songs from so many shows --- from Pirates of Penzance to Rent.
This is the theatre where we are going to premiere our show, "Obsession", and the artistic director is a dear friend of mine, so of course, I said "yes" when asked to be in the review.
I'm having a great time, but I have forgotten just how much work it is performing. I'm tired!
But every night, no matter how tired or sore I am (I didn't know I had those muscles!), I am exhilarated every time I get on stage.
The house lights dim, the spot light shines, the music starts, and I'm alive.
That's what the Croswell has done for me --- and countless others who have graced her stage since 1866. The Croswell is home to so many of us. WE are a rather ornery and dysfunctional family; the Croswell ghosts do their best to corral us --- yes of course there are ghosts! But the show goes on --- no matter what is going on backstage.
My dearest and closest friends all come from the Croswell. I met my husband there. My son first sang on her stage when he was three.
Now, part of the cast of this revue are kids my son grew up with who now are toting their own children into the theatre to become the next generation of "Croswell Kids."
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