As a writer, Mitch Albom has almost done it all.
He’s the author of the bestselling memoir Tuesdays with Morrie, as well as the novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven and several others which have sold millions of copies worldwide. He is an award-winning Detroit Free Press columnist, has written for national magazines, and in 2010 received the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He is a musician and songwriter, and has written five plays, including “Ernie,” which has run for six years in Detroit.
But there is one thing Albom had never written: A musical comedy. About hockey. Until now.
Hockey - The Musical! is playing at Detroit’s City Theatre through July 10. Albom wrote the book, original music, and lyrics.
Why choose hockey for your first musical?
“I’ve spent 30 years covering the quirky, lovable game of hockey,” said Albom, who has described his musical as ”Spamalot with hockey sticks.”
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Hockey has its funny aspects. You have grown men gliding around on ice, chasing a puck that no one else can see, Albom noted. Locker rooms have players from around the world speaking several different languages, all talking at once. And Detroit Red Wings fans have a tradition of throwing an octopus or two (or more) on the ice, after smuggling them into the game, often in baggy pants.
Over his years covering sports Albom has gathered plenty of material for a hockey comedy, and the octopus figures prominently in the show, thanks to the song “Oh, Octopus, My Octopus,” sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum” by a character wielding an octopus. “There’s a line in the song that goes: ‘Oh Octopus, Oh Octopus, for you I am wishing; Oh Octopus, Oh Octopus, inside my pants you’re squishing,’ ” Albom said. “That always gets a huge laugh around here [Detroit], of course.”
The storyline of Hockey - The Musical centers on God’s decision to eliminate one sport, and an angel’s decision to make it hockey. When an avid fan named Stanley pleads with God to save the sport, the Lord gives him a chance to make his case by picking “five worthy hockey souls.” But when the angel spells the player’s names incorrectly, Stanley is left with an odd lot of characters, including Duwayne Gretzky and Dawn Cherry. Together, they must try to save hockey.
The show has a cast of nine, with dancing and Albom’s original songs and nine musical numbers that have been adapted for use in the show, including classics such as “It’s in His Kiss,” and “Kung Fu Fighting.”
Hockey stars, including Pavel Datsyuk and Red Wings legends Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Darren McCarty, and Joey Kocur make video appearances during the show.
The comedy is designed for hockey fans and non-fans too. “The music is very upbeat, there’s a lot of dancing. You don’t need to know a single thing about hockey to enjoy this show,” he said.
Evening performances of Hockey - The Musical are Thursday-Sunday, with additional matinee performances Saturday and Sunday through July 10 at City Theatre in Detroit, next to the Fox Theatre. Tickets, $39.50, can be purchased through OlympiaEntertainment.com, Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices, and Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster.com, or 800-745-3000.
Thriller in Monroe
Dial M for Murder, a play by Frederick Knott that inspired the 1954 Hitchcock film of the same name, will be presented by Monroe Community Players this weekend.
The storyline centers on Tony Wendice, the villain who thinks he has the perfect plan to murder his rich wife, Margot, who has been having an affair. Tony hires a bad guy he used to know to kill her, but the murderer gets murdered and Margot survives. Tony plots to have his wife convicted for the murder of the man who tried to murder her, but a police inspector foils that plan.
“Dial M for Murder is a classic thriller,” said Broad Bowman, director of the Monroe production. “The difference between a mystery and a thriller is, in a mystery you don’t know who the culprit is, but in a thriller you do.” Knott’s play shows the audience everything, but challenges them to solve the mystery.
“The great thing about Dial M’ is that is has a truly great villain in Tony,” Bowman added.
Dial M for Murder will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Meyer Theater at Monroe County Community College, 1555 S Raisinville Rd., Monroe. A Wine Down with cash bar and hors d’oeuvres begins at 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets, $18 general admission, $16 seniors, and $13 students ages 6 to 18, are from 734-241-7900, or monroecommunityplayers.org.
Contact Sue Brickey at:sbrickey@theblade.com.
First Published June 9, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
