Eric Henrickson Transforms Loneliness into Friendships in The Full Monty

Eric Henrickson (second from right) plays loner Malcolm MacGregor, one of the six "Hot Metal" dancers.
PHOTO by Anne Craft

In the Farmington Players production of The Full Monty, Eric Henrickson’s character Malcolm MacGregor describes himself as “a complete loser who still lives at home with his mother."  As Eric says, “Malcolm starts the show as a very lonely man. He's let his sick, domineering mother pretty much dictate his life, and he feels cut off from the world around him. He doesn't have any friends because he's spent so much time taking care of his mother. But things turn around quickly for him when he becomes part of this ragtag group of amateur strippers. He finally has some friends, and he gains the confidence to be his own man.”

In developing his character, Eric tapped into his own experience, saying, “With Malcolm, I can relate to his loneliness. It's never gone to the extreme Malcolm feels, but it's definitely been there. And not too long ago, a friend from another show committed suicide. He was in his mid-20s. The visitation was held in a huge room in the funeral home, and it was packed and overflowing into the hallway, and I thought, ‘With all these people, how bad was it that he felt he had nowhere to turn?’ So as I started working on lines for that scene in the show, that experience jumped to the front of my thoughts.” 

Fortunately, Eric’s family is very close and he can rely on them and his network of friends to get through any hard times. Similarly, Eric thinks that local audiences will connect with the story of The Full Monty, saying, “As we continue to pull ourselves out of the economic downturn, I think everybody in Michigan can relate to a bunch of guys who were laid off in a plant closing and unemployed for more than a year. We still have divorce, we still have crushed dreams, we still have insecurity, we still have domineering mothers, we still have suicide ... These are all issues that aren't going away anytime soon.”  And like Detroiters, the “show is blue collar but has a sweetness underlying it. It's a cliché, but it has heart. Movie translations don't always go well, but this one made it. Every character comes to this moment with a real emotional need that goes beyond needing some quick cash. And it's those emotions that will keep audiences interested and entertained.”

Beyond connecting with these themes, Eric’s real motivation to audition was the opportunity to sing Malcolm’s song, You Walk With Me:  “It's such a beautiful song. I loved the movie when it came out, and the show when the tour came to the Fisher years ago, and since then, I've thought it would be great to play Malcolm. He's such a sweet character in a show that has its own sweetness.”  About his male cast mates, Eric says, “I kind of feel like we're echoing the show's story arc as we get to know each other through rehearsal. And I'm sure that first time we get on stage in our underwear, it won't be hard to act that feeling of awkwardness in that scene.”

Eric lives in Ferndale and worked at The Detroit News for 19 years as a copy editor, writer, food editor, and blogger (“Geek Watch”), and he now writes content for Meemic Insurance Company's website and runs their social media. His other big loves are baking (see his work at facebook.com/cupcookiebakery) and theater, having played Bill in Kiss Me, Kate at the old Barn, Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods at Ridgedale, and Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Grosse Pointe.

The Farmington Players production of The Full Monty is proudly sponsored by TruVista Wealth Management. The show is definitely R-rated for sexually suggestive content and language.  There are 12 performances from April 29 – May 21. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

Who’s the Boss? Jim Moll Loses More Than Control in The Full Monty

Jim Moll as Harold Nichols (seated left) has some 'splainin to do to his wife Vicki (Pat Rodgers)
PHOTO by Anne Craft

As a retired school principal, Jim Moll is used to being in control and serving as an authority figure.  In the Farmington Players production of The Full Monty, Jim plays Harold Nichols, the former plant executive who can’t quite come to terms with his own unemployment.  While being the boss is a fitting role for Jim, his portrayal of Harold takes him into unchartered waters.  But Jim is not afraid to dive into the deep end when it comes to challenging himself personally.   As Jim explains, “I am playing Harold Nichols, the laid off plant executive who is the oldest member of Hot Metal – fitting as I am the oldest member of the entire cast!  Harold is a devoted husband and, through the course of the play and interactions with the other men, finds a new side of both himself and his relationship with his wife.  I think Harold is well intentioned but misguided in his insecurities about his marriage and himself.  I like that he finds deeper meaning – even if it involves taking his clothes off in front of an audience!” 

The Full Monty is quite a departure from Jim’s previous roles, but as an actor, he thinks “it's important to stretch comfort levels and try challenging things.  I've been onstage quite a bit in ‘dad’ roles and comedic parts that have been great fun, but this one does take me to new experiences both in the obvious ‘revealing’ parts and in the amount of dance that is required.”

The Full Monty is set in Buffalo in the 1990s, in the midst of tough economic times that drive the men to take some pretty desperate measures.  Just like Buffalo, Detroiters have always found ways to persevere when the chips are down.  As Jim observes, “the themes of economic struggle faced both by the characters in the play and an entire city certainly ring true for us living in the greater Detroit area. What audiences will find, I think, is a combination of edginess in the language and topic with some very touching moments and songs.  The play is about relationships when you get beyond the surface – marriages, fatherhood, fulfilling responsibilities as a man – all of which rings true and are relatable.”

A native Detroiter, Jim has lived here all of his life except during college.  He served 40 years in public schools as a teacher, counselor, and administrator, and now consults part time for Oakland Schools.  Jim has been married for 41 years (so far) to his college sweetheart Denise.  In addition to acting in both community and professional theater, Jim is attempting to train for the Detroit marathon in October.  Jim says he is “so grateful to be a member of the Hot Metal 6 and appreciate my castmates support and the bond that has grown directly in relation to the amount of clothes we shed!”

The Farmington Players production of The Full Monty is proudly sponsored by Truvista Wealth Management. The show is definitely R-rated for sexually suggestive content and language.  There are 12 performances from April 29 – May 21. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

Anne Frank Story Hits Close to Home for Two Family Men

Jerry Gass (left) as Mr. Kaler and Dorne Lefere (right) as Otto Frank share close family ties
PHOTO by Jan Cartwright

Anne Frank’s story would never have been told were it not for those who survived her.  In the Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank, Dorne Lefere and Jerry Gass play characters based on real people who continued to tell Anne’s story well after World War II:  Dorne portrays Otto Frank (father of Anne and Margot, and husband of Edith), and Jerry plays Mr. Kaler, who is based on the life of Victory Kugler.  It’s hard to imagine how life went on for Otto Frank after the war, but after publishing Anne’s diary in 1947, he eventually remarried a fellow Jewish survivor Fritzi Markovits, in 1953. The couple lived Switzerland until Frank died in 1980.   Victor Kugler was an employee of Otto Frank who helped run his business after he went into hiding.  As shown in the play, Kugler secretly bought supplies and money to the Franks, at great personal risk to himself and his family.  Although Kugler was arrested with those in the Annex, he escaped during a forced march from a concentration camp.  He remarried, moved to Canada -- where he gave talks in schools about Anne Frank -- and died in 1981.

Dorne Lefere can relate to the Anne Frank story because, like Otto, he knows what it’s like to have a close father-daughter relationship.  However, as Dorne says, “that close relationship cuts both ways.  I am constantly reminded that, unlike Otto Frank, I am a man who was able to: raise a daughter and watch her become woman; walk her down the aisle on her wedding day; and hold her own children in my arms and sing them to sleep.”  Dorne connects with Otto by “my being not only the father of a girl, but also now the grandfather of three girls. My oldest granddaughter is only a few years younger than Anne was when she first went into hiding.”  ​

Jerry Gass is married (to Jan Cartwright) and has “five fabulous kids, plus in-laws, and grandkids,” so he can also appreciate the joys of family and feel the tragedy of the lives cut short. As Jerry says, “I love that the play touches on aspects of family, loyalty, courage, and perseverance.  Visiting the Holocaust Center bonded the cast.  My memory of that day will always be not only what I saw, but who was with me when we saw it.”  Jerry feels strongly that “this play deserves to be embraced by audiences. Director Maureen Mansfield has shown great leadership in encouraging all of us to bring personal experiences into the show, and I believe it will resonate with anyone who sees it, regardless of their personal background or perspective.”   Dorne adds that Anne Frank is still relevant today because of the “parallels to the bigotry and suspicion exhibited by some of our political leaders and general population towards minority religious groups.”

Among his many passions, Jerry includes “my zealous allegiance to Michigan State athletics, Tiger baseball, and Summer-league softball.”  Dorne recently retired as a business owner and lawyer.  However, as he jokes, “I keep my membership in the Michigan Bar active in order to continue to represent my children in traffic matters, which activity constituted the bulk of my practice when they were teenagers.  I still get Christmas cards from several collision shops in the Detroit area.”

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers. The show has three remaining performances from March 3 – March 5. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

If You Don’t Notice Annie Schunior, She’s Played Her Part Well

Annie Schunior as Miep Gies brings news of the outside world to Anne (Amy Cassell)
PHOTO by Brigid Blaschak 

Annie Schunior caught the acting bug when she first got involved in community theater at age 13.  At Churchill High School’s Creative and Performing Arts Program (CAPA), every role she played was “either a villain, self-absorbed diva, or person of very questionable morals,” including her favorite part, the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz.  But it wasn’t until she was cast as Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Farmington Players that she came to the following realization: sometimes the “true hero” of a story is the one who acts selflessly, outside the limelight, without ever getting recognition or attention for her deeds.

Annie didn’t even remember the role of Miep when she’s seen the play staged before, but now she understands how instrumental Miep’s anonymity was to the survival of those in the Annex.  As Annie said, “I think it is very fitting Miep does not have a large role. I think she would have wanted her role to be very small because everything she did, she didn’t do for recognition. She did it to save lives. I can’t even imagine the pressure she must have been under trying to save the lives of eight others, all the while keeping it a secret for her own life and the life of her husband. I think that is a true hero -- someone who puts others before themselves when it seems hardest. If it weren’t for Miep, we wouldn’t have Anne’s diary (as the Nazis later raided the Secret Annex, but not before Miep stashed away the diary to give to Anne after the War). We wouldn’t have this play. We wouldn’t have this huge insight into the lives of Jews in hiding.”

Annie was 13 – the same age as Anne Frank – when she first ready The Diary of Anne Frank.  She immediately felt connected to the WWII era story from “listening to my grandpa tell bits and pieces from his times in the Navy and his own personal experience with the Normandy invasion.”  Even though WWII ended over 70 years ago, Annie thinks “people will be able to recognize our own modern world in Anne Frank’s 1940s Amsterdam. This was a travesty that should never have happened. And yet similar travesties are happening around the world today. I think it can show how much we still have to learn and yet in the midst of turmoil, hope and the human spirit are stronger than we give them credit for. We will all go through tough times in our lives, but Anne gives such a beautiful and innocent example of being a light in dark times.”   During college, Annie studied in Austria for four months, an experience that was “life changing for me. I traveled to see some of WWII’s historical landmarks firsthand like Auschwitz in Poland, Vienna, the Eagle’s Nest, Salzburg and Munich, and parts of England, Italy and France.”

Although this show portrays tragic events, Annie says, “I feel very grateful for Miep and the rest of the staff’s sacrifice because it led us to this story, it led me to this show, and this show has helped me realize the need for people like Miep, the need for sacrifice and being there for others, stranger or not, no matter the cost.”

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers. The show includes 12 performances from February 12 – March 5. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

Connor Green Taps His Inner Boy to Find the Joy in Anne Frank

Connor Green as Peter Van Daan and Amy Cassell as Anne Frank share a tender moment
PHOTO by Jan Cartwright

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank opens Friday February 12, with three shows over Valentine’s weekend.  While everyone knows how the story ends, 19 year-old Connor Green of Farmington prefers instead to focus on the positive aspects of the play. As he says, “even under the threat of death and persecution, life as well as love can and will find a way to overcome any adversity.”   Connor plays Peter Van Daan, the adolescent son of Hermann and Petronella Van Daan, played enthusiastically by Gary Weinstein and Nancy Cooper, respectively. Connor thinks this family dynamic will resonate with audiences.  As he says, The Diary of Anne Frank is “a story about how unique and intricate families can be, how even when things are at their worst a silver lining can be found and joy can be had. There are even some simple things like how men and women really never will understand each other, so why don’t we just agree to disagree? And as long as you have family and people who love and care about you, nothing can get you down!”

Connor sees Peter as a complex and “incredibly interesting character, a boy making the transition to manhood (which is by itself a very complex and difficult time) thrust into hiding by forces who want him dead for what he believes in. Combine that with having almost no escape from his overbearing mother and paranoid jerk of a dad, as well as the mixed bag of the Frank family, and you have a character constantly being pulled in different directions, while not compromising who he is and the person he will become.”  To play Peter convincingly, Connor strives to find “that boyish sense of curiosity; that wonder of what the future holds and how the world is yours for the taking” while never forgetting that Peter was “a real person with interests, dreams, and a unique and beautiful identity who had his life stolen by the Nazis.”

Connor wanted to make his Barn debut in The Diary of Anne Frank because he considers the Barn “an amazing place where people from all around can come together to portray amazing stories and powerful messages.”  Despite his youthful exuberance, Connor also connects with the darker themes of the play, saying, “I mostly relate to the theme of isolation. Throughout my life I can recount many, many times where I felt completely and utterly alone with no escape. Like Peter and the rest of the Annex members, life can feel difficult to impossible if there is no escape from the same mundane life, no sentiment from the outside world, to feel utterly alone in this world can be the most horrendous feeling.”

In addition to theater, Connor loves to camp, hike, fish, bike, and play all kinds of adventure sports: “If it’s in the great outdoors don’t be surprised to find me there!” He is currently a student at Oakland Community College. 

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers. The show includes 12 performances from February 12 – March 5. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

Like Petronella, Nancy Cooper is the Life of the Party in Anne Frank

Getting Petronella Van Daan (Nancy Cooper, seated) to give up her comforts is like pulling teeth
PHOTO by Jan Cartwright

When Nancy Cooper moved to Michigan 13 years ago, she found a flyer in the library for The Farmington Players and showed up for a meeting.  She soon found herself onstage, and has been an active member of the Barn family ever since.  Nancy admits that after growing up in a very small Ohio community in the 1970s, she had “never met a Jew, an African-American, a vegetarian, or a homosexual before I started school. The lessons about understanding the differences and the similarities among people were priceless and I am forever grateful to have learned them.”  Nancy broadened her horizons at the University of Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts: “I learned so much about the arts, but I also learned so much about other people. The school was a mix of students from all over the Cincinnati area that represented a blend of race, religion and culture unlike any other place.”

Nancy brings her perspective on the human condition to the Farmington Players’ production of The Diary of Anne Frank, where she plays Petronella Van Daan.  Nancy describes her character as “the kind of woman who would always be the life of the party. She enjoys laughter, dancing, good food, and expensive things. At the critical point of her life portrayed in the play, she is in fear of losing everything she has enjoyed. Removed from her home, her friends and extended family, and her creature comforts, she adjusts as well as she knows how. She is not unrealistic and understands that lives are at stake, but tries to hold on to the hope that some day things may once again be as they were before the war.”  What is her biggest challenge in playing Petronella?  Nancy answers, “To balance her humor with the gravity of the circumstance. She attempts to keep things lighter than some other characters in the annex. I believe that if I were plunged into a similar circumstance, I might behave exactly like Petronella.”

Nancy understands that while Anne Frank is about the Holocaust, it is “also about relationships, love, and above all hope. I think that the audience will soak up the sense of seeing the best when you are in the midst of the worst. And that is always relevant. The theme I relate to the most is hanging on to each other to get through the bad times in life. Life is hard. People have problems, illnesses, and sometimes seemingly hopeless circumstances, but I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by the love of friends and family that make all of life's misery bearable. I think that the eight people in the annex, and the people outside supporting them hold onto each other to get through the most difficult time of their lives out of hope for a better future.”

Nancy first saw The Diary of Anne Frank when she was 10, and was so moved by the ending, “I literally could not breathe. I knew that I wanted to be a part of that show, to tell that story with such impact. For years I have waited for the show to be produced in a venue that I am connected with, and finally, I have my opportunity to tell the story.”   Nancy can certainly relate to director Maureen Mansfield’s “long driven passion for this show, and it shows in rehearsal. Her insight is beautiful and comes from a place very deep inside her. It's hard to put into words, but I know the audience will see it in the production.”

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers. The show includes 12 performances from February 12 – March 5. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.

Amy Cassell Travels the World to Find a Home at the Barn

Amy Cassell contemplates her next diary entry as Anne Frank
PHOTO by Jan Cartwright

Amy Cassell’s world travels have taken her far and wide, but she never expected that a visit to Amsterdam would prepare her so well for her first role at the Barn.  Amy is playing Anne in Farmington Players’ production of The Diary of Anne Frank, and she previously visited the Frank house in Amsterdam.  Amy says she can “actually picture the cramped living quarters. I remember seeing the bookcase and feeling especially confronted. That one piece of furniture was the last thing protecting them from an outside world that was hunting them. The terror they must have felt when they heard unidentified rattles outside it is almost unfathomable.”

Amy considers playing the role of Anne Frank an “incredible honor and challenge to portray and do justice to, just because of her contribution to society in her short life. What would she have done had she been allowed to live? The role is such a fantastic one because of Anne's growth throughout the play; you can see her maturing and really coming into her own, while maintaining that incredible vivacious energy. At the same time, it's a challenging development to portray with subtlety, but I'm so glad I have the opportunity to do it.”   Like Anne, Amy was “a very energetic and creative child, so I can definitely relate to Anne's aversion to any form of stasis. However I was lucky enough to have freedom and a wealth of creative outlets, so I can only imagine the pain and immense frustration she must have felt in the suffocating annex.”

So what brought Amy to the Farmington Players?  As she says, “I started researching them because I'd heard great things about the shows they put on and the people in the company. When I saw they were putting on The Diary of Anne Frank, I knew I wanted to be involved. I've always had a passion for history and this is such a classic and important story. It's such a powerful play, no matter how many times I've seen or read it, how many different ways it's interpreted, it still clutches at my heart. It never becomes less shocking, the atrocities that humans are capable of committing, and getting to know these families, and knowing how it all ends, it really hits home. I felt ready to take on the challenge of a play of this magnitude and I felt it was a very important production to be a part of.”

Amy enjoys the challenges of playing such a thematically dark show, but also believes that audiences will “enjoy being able to relate to the family dynamics and the adolescent experience that is portrayed,” including the humorous exchanges between Gary Weinstein and Nancy Cooper as Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan.  Amy feels “the play will be relevant forever because of the themes of family and growing up, but also because history does repeat itself.  I think it's important to always remember the Holocaust, especially as similar atrocities are occurring around the world right now.”

Amy is an Australian native, and in the past 18 months, she has backpacked around Europe and learned to ski in Banff, Canada, before moving to Michigan four months ago.  She studied Journalism in college but now works as a Patient Advocate in a women’s clinic in Southfield.

The Farmington Players production of The Diary of Anne Frank is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers. The show includes 12 performances from February 12 – March 5. Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by contacting the Barn box office at boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or 248-553-2955.