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Resident Artists and Theater Companies: Michigan Classical Repertory Theatre Some of our friends and colleagues: Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau Ann Arbor Area
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Riverside Arts Center, Summer, 2007, Newsletter Creative innovations invite the possibility of more artistic partnerships A month after their successful run on campus, the WCC Performing Arts Department packed up their WCC Drama/Theater students and moved the show to the Riverside. Produced by Komarmy and LaRue and directed by Ron Miller, the play received enthusiastic backing from WCC president Larry Whitworth and the RAC Foundation Board. An opening night reception with Johnny Lawrence’s WCC musicians brought First Nighters to a “black tie” event featuring some black dresses, but mostly black T-shirts. The concept brought a breezy new kind of elegance to Ypsilanti. Two performances reached the black box theatre’s maximum audience capacity with extra chairs set up in the orchestra. Even Friday and Saturday nights were 3/4 full. All this came together as a result of graphic posters, merged mailing lists, special invitations, bloggers’ rattling the concept, radio and newspaper coverage, and a gala reception for the host groups on opening night. Gross ticket sales for the partnership brought in $3600.
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Imagine Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in an old Andy Hardy movie and you can see how Tracy Komarmy and Barry LaRue conspired to move Washtenaw Community College’s zany production of “The Real Inspector Hound” here for a second run. 
With four evening performances and one matinee, the first-time partnership presented artistic and promotional challenges for both organizations.