THEATER
The Book of Silence
May 9–25
WMU Theatre
This adaptation of the Roman de Silence, about a 13th-century transgender knight who goes on a quest to find himself, is being produced in collaboration with the Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival as part of the International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University.
The production, to be staged in WMU’s Gilmore Theatre Complex, will open during the annual congress, which runs from May 8–10, and continue its run until May 25. Show times are 7:30 p.m. May 9, 16–17 and 23–24 and 2 p.m. May 11, 18 and 25. Tickets are $12–$22 and available at wmich.edu/theatre or by calling 387-6222.
Wally’s Garage: The HexaDrone Pilots
May 10
All Ears Theatre
Lifelong buddies and retirees Wally and Jimbo are off on another adventure in this all-audio production written by Mark Savage.
The production, which is free, is a sequel to Wally’s Garage, also penned by Savage, and performed by All Ears in 2017. Show time is 6 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave. For more information, visit allearstheatre.org.
Little Shop of Horrors
May 15–18
Festival Playhouse
This fun musical that follows a meek floral assistant’s dealings with a blood-thirsty, foul-mouthed carnivorous plant bent on world domination will be staged at Kalamazoo College’s Balch Playhouse.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Ma y 15–17 and 2 p.m. May 18. Tickets are $5–$25 and available at festivalplayhouse.kzoo.edu or by calling 337-7333.
Turnover: A New Leaf
May 16–18
Queer Theatre Kalamazoo
Coming-of-age, family dynamics and the duality between nature versus nurture are explored in this musical that’s centered on two neighboring businesses: a queer nightclub and a family-owned beauty salon.
The production will be staged at the Jolliffe Theatre, in the Epic Center, and show times are 7:30 p.m. May 16 and 17 (this show has ASL interpretation) and 2 p.m. May 18. Ticket prices are on a name-your-price basis and available at queertk.org.
Other New Productions
The Wedding Singer, May 2–18, Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, kazoocivic.com
Ride the Cyclone, May 29–June 15, Farmers Alley Theatre, farmersalleytheatre.com
Continuing Productions
Rhinoceros, May 2, Dormouse Theatre, dormousetheatre.com
The Seussification of a Midsummer Night’s Dream, May 1–4, Civic Youth Theatre, kazoocivic.com
COMEDY
Comedy Performances
May 10 & 11
Dormouse Theatre
For those looking for a little levity, Dormouse Theatre will be the place to be this month as it presents two comedy performances.
On May 10, the Detroit-based comedy troupe Ants in the Hall will present its semi-improvised comedy The Odyssey of Homer, about an acting troupe’s struggle to follow up the success of their smash hit, The Iliad.
Married comedians Mary Mack and Tim Harmston will present their Mother’s Day Stand Up Comedy Show May 11. Both Mack and Harmston have successful solo careers, including performing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, Comedy Central and The Late Show with David Letterman.
Both shows begin at 7 p.m., and tickets are $20. For tickets or more information, visit dormousetheatre.com.
VISUAL ARTS
Emergence
May 2
Art Hop
Artistic perspectives that reflect renewal and transformation will be the focus of the May Art Hop in downtown Kalamazoo.
This free event, organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, runs from 5–8 p.m. and features a variety of artists’ works as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses.
For a brochure showing Art Hop sites and information about participating artists, visit kalamazooarts.org.
Northside Art Experience
May 10
NACD
This monthly open mic event showcases hip hop and poetry with social justice awareness, featuring local musicians and artists. Hosted by rapper and activist by Ed Genesis, the event runs from 7:30–9:30 p.m. at the Northside Association for Community Development (NACD) building, 612 N. Park St.
Held on the second Saturday of each month, the free event will also spotlight a featured artist and art vendors. For more information, visit nacdkzoo.com.
2025 High School Area Show
Through May 25
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
This annual exhibition spotlights the artistic talents of the region’s high school students.
The juried exhibition, open to high school students residing in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties, provides participants with opportunities to win prizes and college scholarships.
The KIA is open 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Thursday; and noon–4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit kiarts.org.
Ongoing Exhibitions
• Jenny Pope: Woodcuts, through May 23, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center
• Sourced from the ‘Zoo, through May 25, KIA and other downtown locations
• An Infinite Constellation of Love, through June 15, KIA
LITERATURE
Author Hop 2025!
May 2
Portage District Library
Local authors writing in various genres — from nonfiction to youth literature to history to poetry — will be on hand with their books at this annual event, which runs from 5–8 p.m.
In addition to meeting the authors, attendees can peruse and purchase books. For more information, visit portagelibrary.info.
MUSIC
Carmen & Bolero
May 3
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Tenor Ben Gulley and mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb will join the KSO at Miller Auditorium for a production full of Spanish rhythms, folk songs and dances as imagined through the eyes of the French.
Singers from Kalamazoo Choral Arts and dancers from the Kalamazoo Ballet Arts Ensemble will be part of the program, which will offer highlights from Debussy’s Ibéria in addition to Ravel’s Boléro and Bizet’s Carmen.
Show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5–$68 and available at kalamazoosymphony.com.
Fantastic Landscapes
May 4
Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra
The KJSO will perform a program evoking the fictional terrains of movies such as Aladdin, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings — from waterways and deserts to Middle Earth — at 3 p.m. in Chenery Auditorium.
Tickets for the performance are $5–$15 and available at kjso.org.
Daniela Liebman
May 11
The Gilmore
This Mexican pianist, named among the “100 Most Creative and Powerful Women” by Forbes Mexico, will perform at 4 p.m. in the Cori Terry Theatre, at the Epic Center, as part of the Gilmore International Piano Festival’s Rising Stars Series.
Liebman, born in Guadalajara, has performed with more than 30 orchestras on four continents, made her Lincoln Center debut performing the music of Philip Glass in 2023, and currently studies at The Juilliard School.
Tickets are $10–$28 and available at thegilmore.org.
Spring Concert
May 17
Kalamazoo Ringers
The oldest continuously operating bronze-level community handbell choir in the USA, the Kalamazoo Ringers, will perform at 3 & 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 212 S. Park St.
The group members perform on seven octaves of handbells and six octaves of hand chimes.
Admission is free, but offerings will be accepted. For more information, visit kalamazooringers.org.
Stulberg International String Competition
May 17
Dalton Center Recital Hall
This annual competition, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, draws young string musicians from around the world to Western Michigan University’s Dalton Center Recital Hall to vie for the competition’s top prizes.
Twelve finalists, selected from more than 200 applicants, will compete in two performances. The semifinals will be held at 9 and 10:30 a.m. and 1 and 2:30 p.m. The six artists chosen as finalists will perform at 7:30 p.m.
Admission to the semifinals is free, and tickets for the finals are $10–$30. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit stulberg.org.
Copland at K
May 31
Kalamazoo Philharmonia
Celebrating the visit of the esteemed composer Aaron Copland to Kalamazoo College in 1965, this concert will feature selections of Copland’s work and pieces by other American composers as well.
The Philharmonia’s performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in K-College’s Dalton Theatre, in the Light Fine Arts Building.
Among the works to be played are An Outdoor Adventure and Billy the Kid Suite, by Copland; Concertino for Bassoon by local composer Philip Rugel; and compositions by Mary Watkins, Viet Cuong, and Steven Holochwost.
Tickets are $3–$7 and available at the door. For more information, visit music.kzoo.edu/events.
