The AbBy Award (Above and Beyond) honors BVP members chosen by the Board of Directors for their service, contribution and spirit that goes above and beyond the call of duty. Congratulations to the following recipients!
2023-24: Chuck Goddeeris
2022-23: Steve Sussman, Dianne Cragg
2021-22: Mike Dundas, Eileen White
2020-21: Kevin Branshaw
2019-20: Michael Campion, Jennifer Jones
2018-19: Michael Gravame
2017-18: Kathleen Duffy, Chris Crossen
2016-17: Janice Vuckov, Tania Velinsky
2015-16: Maggie Garza, Mike Dundas
2014-15: Carol Aaron, Gary Mach
2013-14: Cathie Badalamenti, Ralph Rosati, Sharon Rosati
2012-13: Josie Thomas
2011-12: Tim Wittlinger
2010-11: Bryan Conroy
2009-10: Diane D’Agostino
2008-09: John Copeland
2007-08: Mark Hammell
2006-07: Jerri Carington
2005-06: Holly Conroy, Ron Northrup
2004-05: Mark Hammell, Bill Haycock
2002-03: Helen Moultrup, John Moultrup
2001-02: John Reddy, Joan Reddy
2000-01: Ann Perkins, Ty Perkins
1999-2000: Julie McGee, Tim McGee, John Reddy, Joe Yeats
1998-99: Susie Gardiner
1997-98: Sharon Jordan
1996-97: Scott Cameron
1995-96: Midge Edwards, Ed Miller, Steve Tadevic
1994-95: Ann Weisman, Don Brown
1993-94: Joan Reddy, Priscilla Benson
1992-93: Jim Balmer, (and)
1991-92: Helen Parrish
1990-91: Dianne McKeon, Jerry McKeon
1989-90: Donna Masters, Douglas Parrish, Arthur Underwood, Jr.
ONLINE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
We have three levels of membership: One Production, Basic and Active.
One Production Membership is $25 and grants participation in one production during the regular season. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
Basic Membership is $45 and allows you to perform on our stage in any and all shows throughout the season. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
Active Membership is $75 and gives you the same perks as Basic Membership plus you can get one free ticket to each show in the season – a great value! All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
Membership Renewal Instructions
Before you click the appropriate button at the bottom of this page please read the instructions below (don’t worry, the links wilL open in a new tab/window).
Click the Checkout button on this screen. If the button is not a clickable link, then click the arrow to the right of the 0 to make it a 1 and you should now be able to click Checkout.
Your second screen should look something like this. Where you can continue to shop or in your case you will probably just want to click Continue.
At this next screen you will want to click Login so you can login to pull your account information properly, then you will be able to click through the rest of the Checkout process properly. If you are a brand new member to us then you will need to fill out the fields below the gray box (and it should create a new account for you).
Village Players would like to state that we stand with Black Lives Matter and support the LGBTQ+ . Social justice, fairness and dignity are important values for our society, which includes the performing arts. Village Players is committed to embracing diverse BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) and gender-inclusive themes and stories that reflect the diversity of our community onstage. We are also committed to encouraging and supporting the diversity of our membership, both on and offstage, by providing opportunities for casting, directing, producing, and more.
The Village Players of Birmingham
34660 Woodward Avenue
Birmingham, MI 48009
Phone: 248-644-2075
Email: birminghamvillageplayers@gmail.com
Village Players is a member-run organization, and we welcome everyone to join us in the creation of our productions and events. No matter your talent level or inclination, we have a spot for you.
Committees include box office, costumes, props, makeup, set construction, sound, lights, stage manager, ushers, marketing and more. Each show involves a different production team (directors, producers, choreographers, stage managers, etc.) and each team is looking for experienced volunteers as well as the inexperienced who are interested in learning a new skill. At Village Players, all members take pride in our playhouse, our productions and our programs and we greatly value the friendships we make as we volunteer.
As a member, you are invited to participate in all aspects of our production, from auditioning for a role to joining a production committee. We also have operational and membership committees which contribute to the day-to-day management of the playhouse itself as well as planning special events for our membership.
To become a member, please complete and return the Village Players Membership Application (click HERE), or join online by clicking HERE. The types of membership, benefits and associated costs are detailed on the application. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
One Production Member ($25): Grants participation in one production with limited access to member-exclusive events; no voting rights. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
Basic Member ($45): Includes full ability to participate in all of our productions, receive our monthly newsletter, The Prompter, and our weekly eBlast updates. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
Active Member ($75): includes all the features of Basic Membership plus one ticket to each of main stage productions. All members are required to abide by the BVP Members Code of Conduct.
You got questions? We’ve got answers!
How can I get involved with Village Players? How can I become a Member?
We’d love to have you join us on stage or off. You can audition as an actor or become involved as a part of a production team. Actors cast in a show are required to either become a member or pay a rehearsal fee. To become involved on a production, you will need to become a member.
What are the benefits of membership?
Becoming a member allows you to be directly involved in one of our many productions throughout the year, either on stage or backstage. You also get to vote on any changes to the bylaws. To learn more, drop by our membership page for more details and how to become a member.
Who can audition for a show?
Everyone is welcome to audition for shows. We actively seek a diverse case for all of our productions. If cast in a Village Players show, an actor is required to become a member of the Village Players or pay a rehearsal fee. If cast in a Village Youth Theater show, an actor is required to pay a production fee.
While we feel our shows are professional quality, we do not employ professional actors. All involved in our shows are from the local community and are not paid.
How can I get my child involved in Village Players?
We have an active youth theatre at Village Players. They put on two productions each year as well as a summer camp. You can learn more about them here. Also, sometimes our main shows involve youth as well. Reading the show description and audition information will help you to determine if there are roles for youth.
Do you have a newsletter I might receive?
All members receive a monthly newsletter, The Prompter. This newsletter is not published to the general public. You can either fill out the form above to join our email list and get our general announcements or you can become a member and enjoy all the perks of membership.
What events other than plays or musicals are held at Village Players?
While we primarily focus on musical and non-musicals, on occasion we offer additional programs and workshops. For our musicals we frequently offer dance workshops prior to auditions so you can get an idea of what to expect at the actual audition. Our Playwrights @ Work group usually holds a couple stage reading style productions each season and is always looking for actors and techies to help with that click over to the P@W page or email us your information if you want to help! Our Youth Theatre runs shows year round as well and always welcomes newcomers.
What time is curtain?
Curtain for Village Players shows is 8:00 p.m. for our evening performances and 2:00 p.m. for matinees.
Curtain for our Village Youth Theater shows is 7:00 p.m. for evening performances and 2:00 p.m. for matinees. Curtain times are also listed under each show description in the Current Season tab of this website.
How long are the performances and is there an intermission?
Feel free to call the box office at 248-644-2075 and ask how long the show runs and if there is an intermission. We won’t typically know this information until a couple of days prior to the opening of the show.
Patrons and Volunteers Face masks are not required but recommended. Proof of vaccination is not required at this time.
Cast, Crew and Auditionees We strongly recommend, but no longer require proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
What are the prices of tickets (Season and Individual)?
All Individual show tickets for our Main Stage productions are $27 each plus service fees.
All Village Youth Theatre show tickets are $15/adults, $12/youth up to 18 years old. The Village Youth Theatre offers group rates that are $10/ticket for 10 or more attending the same show and purchased at the same time.
Discounts are offered for groups sales for Village Players shows and our Village Youth Theater shows.
Village Players – Purchase 15 or more tickets to one scheduled performance and receive a discount of $2.00 per ticket.
Village Youth Theater – Purchase 10 or more tickets to one scheduled performance and receive a discount of $2.00 per ticket.
Season Ticket pricing allows you to essentially see one of our five shows for free!
Can I exchange my ticket for a different date? A different show?
We understand that schedules change and offer you some flexibility with exchanges. Tickets can be exchanged for a different performance of the same show, if done in advance, either in person at the box office or by mail. A $1.00 per ticket service fee will be charged for any exchanged ticket. If you want to exchange by mail, please submit a stamped self-addressed envelope and a check covering the service fee.
Tickets are non-refundable. All ticket sales are final. We are unable to exchange a ticket after the ticketed date. Tickets for one show cannot be exchanged for another.
What is your refund policy?
We do not offer refunds for ticket sales. All sales are finals.
Can I purchase tickets online?
We have a very efficient online ticket ordering system. You can even choose your seats through this system. You are given the option to have your tickets mailed to you (if there is more than 2 weeks until the ticketed date) or to pick the tickets up at the box office.
The show is sold out. Is there any way to get a ticket?
If the show you want to see is sold out your best bet is to call the box office (248-644-2075) two hours before curtain to see if anyone has cancelled or released their tickets.
I’ve lost my ticket, what do I do?
Contact the box office immediately. In most cases we can track your purchase and reissue your tickets.
Do you accept all credit cards?
We accept Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express.
How many seats does your theatre have?
Our theater has 208 seats, but the number of seats available for each production varies depending upon how the show is staged. For some shows it is necessary to remove seats to accommodate scenery or actors’ movement.
Are seats reserved?
For all of our shows, seats are reserved. For our special events, the seating arrangement can vary and seating may be general admission.
Do you accommodate patrons with special needs?
We do accommodate special needs. Please contact the box office at 248-644-2075 to request assistance. We suggest your coordinating with the box office at the time of ticket purchase.
We are wheelchair accessible and can accommodate service dogs.
We also have assistive listening devices available upon request.
What if I’m late to a performance?
For all performances, latecomers will be seated by ushers during an appropriate pause in the performance as a courtesy to the actors and other audience members.
Is parking available? Is there a cost?
We have a parking lot directly in front of our playhouse. This lot is open (and free) for show parking in the evenings after 6:00 p.m. and on weekends. We do rent spaces in our lot Monday through Friday during the day until 6:00. We have two spaces directly in front of our building that are reserved at all times for patrons of the Village Players. There is two-hour, free public parking on the streets surrounding our playhouse.
Do you serve or sell food at the theater?
Concessions are available in the lobby during show intermission. We ask that food and beverages not be taken into the auditorium at any time.
What is the closest restaurant where I might have a nice dinner and still make the curtain?
There are many restaurants close by in the downtown Birmingham area. We suggest you log on to www.enjoybirmingham.com to find a restaurant in Birmingham or sign up for our Diners Club to enjoy a meal at one of three great establishments in our area!
Can I smoke in the theatre?
Village Players is a smoke-free facility.
Can I take pictures or videotape a performance?
The photographing or recording of any performance is strictly prohibited.
Can I use my cell phone, electronic notebook or laptop at Village Players?
For the enjoyment of all of our patrons and the consideration of our actors, we ask that cell phones be turned off and pagers be silenced. Please do not text or use Internet services during a performance. If you need to make an urgent call, please step into the lobby. However, please feel free to post photos on your social media pages before the show begins or at intermission, just please remember to place your phone back on Do Not Disturb.
Can I bring my child to a performance and do I have to purchase a ticket for him or her?
Many of our shows are appropriate for children. All attendees of our performances require tickets for admission. Please use discretion in choosing to bring a child. Children should be able to sit quietly in their own seats throughout a performance. Shows that contain adult content will list that in the show description in Current Season under the Seasons tab. If you have any question regarding the appropriateness of a show for your child, please call our box office at 248-644-2075.
Do you offer Gift Certificates?
We offer gift certificates in any amount! These make great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, thank-yous and more. Gift certificates are available at the box office during box office hours. (Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and 2 hours prior to the curtain of a show.)
Can I rent the theatre for a private event?
Yes, our theatre is available for rental. Please see our Rental Policy under the Programs tab.
Do you list directions or have a map on this site?
We would very much appreciate your financial support of our 501 (c) (3) organization. We have many ways in which you can donate. You can join our Century Club, become a Corporate Sponsor, donate items directly from our Amazon wish list, etc. If you’d like to make a donation just click here or use the Donate Now button at the top of the page.
How can my business advertise in your program or on your website?
There are many advantages to advertising with Village Players. Your advertisement in our program is viewed by more than 10,000 theatre goers from across the Metropolitan Detroit area annually. Our website reaches an even wider and more diverse audience.
In addition to advertising, you can sponsor a show or have a benefit performance. Both of these options provide unique and beneficial marketing opportunities.
The Village Players was founded in 1923 as a nonprofit theater club and was later reorganized as a community theater and a 501(c)(3) organization. It is the third oldest community theater in Michigan and ranks among the 50 oldest theater groups in the United States.
The Playhouse in 1924 was originally at the first Birmingham Community House at the corner of Maple and BatesPlayhouse 1926Playhouse 1949Today
Historical Highlights:
1922 – Proposed as a Community Dramatic Group by high school student John W. Gafill.
1923
Organized into the Village Players (16 charter members).
Performed “The Maker of Dreams” in the original Community House at the corner of West Maple and Bates.
1926
Proposed a maximum allowed members of 225.
Purchased the current Chestnut Street property. (Meeting minutes reflect that the property purchase price was not to exceed $1800.)
Wallace Frost was commissioned as building architect and Loren Robinson was commissioned for back stage design.
The first performance at the new playhouse was staged in November. During this year, VP instituted the performance of an annual production open to the public.
1942 – A scenery loft, electrical shop, paint shop, make-up room and kitchen were added to the playhouse.
1952 – A new front entrance was added to provide a larger lobby and coatrooms and the auditorium was ramped for better visibility.
1958 – The stage was widened and deepened, a new light board and new seating were installed, and new scenery, teasers and a new front curtain were provided.
Late 1980s
A capital campaign was launched to raise money to completely rebuild and expand major portions of the playhouse.
The current stage house was built around the old stage house which was then torn down.
Beginning in 1997, the old auditorium was razed and replaced, the old front lobby expanded and refurbished, and the west lobby was added. Permanent seating and air conditioning were added.
Interesting Historical Facts:
Numerous local families and individuals contributed to the construction of the original playhouse:
Howard Simpson furnished all material at cost.
Bob Tillotson executed construction at no profit to his contracting organization.
Mr. and Mrs. Loren Stauch contributed the auditorium’s maple dance floor.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Shain contributed a fireplace.
Mr. and Mrs. John Graham donated the front curtain (which remained in use until the stage was widened in 1958).
Mr. and Mrs. Loren T. Robinson donated the curtain mechanism.
Mr. and Mrs. Zehner Dowling donated the rope, rigging and overhead machines.
1933, Fred Farrar drew in chalk floor-to-roof murals which captured the spirit of amateur theater and covered the interior sidewalls of the auditorium. These murals were later restored and painted in oil. Due to the restoration in 1997, the walls had to be torn down. VP member, Don Brown created miniature reproductions of these walls that currently hang in the auditorium.
Historical information is taken from the following sources:
Histories published in The Eccentric in 1959, 1973 (VP 50th Anniversary) and 1983 (VP 60th Anniversary). Additional information is from a priceless binder which contains carefully typed Board of Director meeting minutes from the years 1924 – 1928. These materials are available at our playhouse for review.
About Us
The mission of the Village Players of Birmingham is to produce plays, to study drama, play direction, costuming and scenery design, to encourage the writing of plays and to promote interest in the drama, which shall include voluntary involvement within the community through outreach programs.
Some of the ways in which we achieve these goals is by offering opportunities for adults and youth to participate in all aspects of the theater arts. This includes, but is not limited to, working behind the scenes as part of a production team, writing original plays, and supporting a youth theatre program.
In our typical season we present five (5) major productions annually, which usually consists of of two (2) musicals and three (3) non-musicals. Each production has nine (9) performances spread out over three weekends with shows on Friday and Saturday nights (curtain @ 8pm) and a Sunday matinee (curtain @ 2pm).
Our Educational Programs
The Village Youth Theater presents two musicals annually, one in December and one in June. They also hold a four-week Summer Theater Arts Camp in June and July and runs workshops throughout the year.
Our Playwrights @ Work program, which started in 2002, hosts two Shorts and Sweets programs, one in the spring and one in the fall, as well as a One-Act Weekend annually in July. This working group meets regularly every month to help budding playwrights refine their scripts and hone their craft. If you are interested in joining please email us today!
Our Statement on Diversity and Inclusivity
Village Players is committed to embracing diverse and gender-inclusive themes and stories that reflect the diversity of our community onstage. We are committed to encouraging and supporting the diversity of our membership, both on and offstage, by providing opportunities for casting, directing, producing, and more.
Village Players is proudly supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
