A partnership between Muskegon Civic Theatre and No More Sidelines, The Penguin Project of Muskegon Civic Theatre is the first Penguin Project site in the state of Michigan. On September 10th and 11th the Artist and Mentors involved with the Penguin Project of Muskegon Civic Theatre will take the stage to perform the modern classic, Seussical, Jr. at the Frauenthal Center located in Downtown Muskegon.

Shakespeare’s forgotten rock ‘n’ roll masterpiece! Fasten your seatbelts, return your tray tables to the upright position, and prepare to blast off! In this jukebox musical, the many works of Shakespeare are aligned with a fabulous rock ‘n’ roll score featuring hits of the 50s and 60s (“Great Balls of Fire,” “The Monster Mash,” “Good Vibrations,” and others) to create a fun-filled, jiving-in-the-aisles musical. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the 1956 sci-fi classic film Forbidden Planet with its B-movie atmosphere and dialogue in iambic pentameter. Throw in a roller-skating robot, unrequited love, and a scary space monster, and you’ve got one groovy show!

Get your holiday cheer on with this hilarious, madcap comedy! It’s a farcical behind-the-scenes look at when all goes wrong in a community theatre company’s attempt to mount its annual production of A Christmas Carol. Complicating the effort are prima donna performers, cast love affairs, and a surprise visit by an inspector from the funding arts foundation. This laugh-out-loud spoof makes for a night at the theatre that is anything but show business as usual.

This one-act play is an imaginary conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till, both victims of racial intolerance and hatred. Frank, the 13-year-old Jewish girl whose diary provided a gripping perspective of the Holocaust, speaks with Till, the 14-year-old African American boy whose brutal murder in Mississippi sparked the American civil rights movement. Though this play deals with innocence, grief, hurt, and brutality inflicted on two young people, you will leave feeling uplifted with a drive to make a change in your own community. Anne & Emmett contains derogatory racial language and imagery that could be disturbing but reflects the realities of the lives and deaths of these two young victims of hate crimes.

When an anonymous note sends a newlywed wife looking for help, Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson work together to uncover the secrets surrounding a corrupt police inspector whose wives have a habit of turning up dead. But this Holmes and Watson face far greater challenges than bringing the cunning criminal to justice. In a time and place where gender roles are rigidly defined, these unconventional women dare to challenge societal norms by providing an unusual, but necessary, service. Inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this theatrical fan fiction reexamines the Victorian world of Holmes and Watson by exploring the added obstacles faced by these two iconic characters if they were women. Written by Muskegon native Christopher Walsh.

This enchanting, contemporary, and diverse adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on all ages! Everyone knows the story about a young woman, her cruel stepmother, the help of her Fairy Godmother, her transformation into a princess, her glass slipper, and the Prince. Showcasing some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s loveliest tunes, this tale features favorites including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” as well as some new characters and surprising twists. Add a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and the iconic pumpkin and glass slippers – and you’re guaranteed to have a ball!