Opus Mime at Tibbits
Tibbits Popcorn Theatre steps into a wonderful innovative world filled with characters, stories and laughter, but very few words as Opus Mime takes to the stage August 5 and 6 at the Tibbits Opera House.
This show will make audiences laugh out loud, while all ages will enjoy seeing characters overcoming struggles, achieving goals, and even making pizza. Michael Lee, a master student of Marcel Marceau, and his company of mime performers are dedicated to creating and performing original mime theatre works and furthering the understanding and appreciation of this unique art form. In addition to the performance, a workshop Friday afternoon will allow children to explore the art of mime themselves.
According to Lee, “When you act with your WHOLE body, the WHOLE audience gets it!” He says the workshop will help children learn to “Make…characters clear and understandable with physical attitudes, rhythm and movement styles.”
Michael Lee and Opus Mime appear across Michigan and the U.S., creating and performing original mime “pieces” that range from brief comedies to full-length dramas and everything in between. Anny Malla and Danielle Gamelin join Lee to create a unique performance with a variety of mini stories. Attendees to the Popcorn Theatre may see Lee in his classic solo Masks as two different circus clowns with a serious problem, or in Cool It, a hilarious duet with Anny Malla about two strangers meeting on a park bench; or Sculptor’s Love, a duet with Danielle Gamelin based on the Greek myth of Pygmalion. One of the favorite pieces, The Best Pizza Maker in the World includes audience participation.
Audiences will be delighted and be pleasantly surprised at how mime can cover so many topics, all with the skill and mastery of years of training, performing and teaching the art. A question and answer session with the actors follows each performance.
Artistic Director Michael Lee was one of the last and most advance students of the late French mime Marcel Marceau, who critiqued many of his works and said Lee has “a distinct drama and strength… the calibre of my own company.” His 30-plus years as an actor and director includes a repertoire of over 25 solos, duets and trios along with 5 full-length mime dramas. Michael currently shares the art of mime by teaching Physical Acting for Skaters across the U.S., including Olympic ice dance gold medalists Charlie White and Meryl Davis along with numerous other top-level skaters from around the world.
The performance on Friday and Saturday mornings at 10 am is sponsored by Honor Credit Union. Honor has been supporting Tibbits Popcorn Theatre since 2005. Juice is courtesy of McDonald’s of Branch and Hillsdale Counties. Popcorn is provided with support from Dr. Ed Lake, Dr. David Hartfiel and Community Health Center Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. Jon and Seibra Herbener are the overall Popcorn Theatre sponsors. The programs is also funded with support from the Michigan Humanities Council Touring Arts program.
The cost is $8 and includes popcorn and juice at intermission and a chance to meet the performers after the performance. Tickets are available at www.Tibbits.org, or by calling or visiting Tibbits box office 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Group tickets are also available. Contact the box office at 517-278-6029 for details.
Children interested in exploring the art of mime for themselves can participate in the workshop offered at 1 pm Friday, August 5, 2016. The workshop is open to children aged 4 to 9. Cost is $10 per child in advance or $12 at the door. Contact the box office at Tibbits to sign up for this workshop.
Popcorn Theatre is perfect entertainment for the entire family and a great introduction to live theatre. Tibbits Opera House offers an intimate historic setting, air conditioning, handicap accessibility, and a telecoil induction loop for hearing assistance. The theatre is located at 14 S. Hanchett St., Coldwater, MI 49036.
