Community theatre exists to provide an entry point for people of all ages and experience levels to get involved in, watch, and learn about all different styles of theatre productions and performances. That is always top of mind when Flint Community Players develops its season.
Their current production, Xanadu, which opens Friday, September 26, with a performance at 7:30 p.m. with additional performances September 27 and 28 and October 3-5, is an over-the-top musical fantasy based on the 1980 Olivia Newton-John film. Expect dancing, lights, bright colors, audience interactivity, and fun and ridiculous aspects of the 1980s on display.
But the beauty of FCP’s 97th season is that other productions down the road will be wildly different.
“Whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s always an offering for it here,” said Zachery Wood, who has been the production coordinator for Flint Community Players for five years and had been a volunteer with the organization before that. “We have a show like Xanadu that is so bright and colorful and is meant to have moments that are tongue in cheek and breaking the fourth wall and getting the audience involved. And then our first show in 2026 for example, Pipeline, is a very serious drama and commentary on things going on in the world, so that one is going to give an awesome but totally different experience. Whether it is a musical that is serious, musical that’s fun, a family thing, a drama, a comedy, there’s always something for somebody here.”
Xanadu follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse named Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California, in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time, the first roller disco. When Kira falls into a forbidden love with Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation to create chaos.
The play is directed by Kira Parker and the cast includes Sarah Edgerton, Ellen Yope, Grace Leonardi, Zach Nash, Charlie Cooper, Jordan Parker, Sadie Spees, Tabby Stubbert, Molly Boze, and Tyler Schachinger. Adam Coggins is the music director, Abbey Speck is the stagehand, Reese Garfield is the sound operator, Starri Baase is a pit singer, and Morgan Parker is the pit singer and a stagehand.
“Expect a lot of nostalgia,” Wood said. “That’s one of the best things about it, is it’s so nostalgic. The audience can expect a lot of heart. They can expect a lot of fun, and they can expect a lot of roller skates.”
The FCP team has created dynamic set elements, including hidden lights and signs within pillars that will create a “light show” effect. Both Saturday shows are also “80s Nights” and the audience is encouraged to dress up and earn prizes. Different community groups, including Skateland and Flint Roller Derby have provided items for giveaways.
“We always like to find ways to get the community involved, so you’re not just watching the show, you’re sort of part of the show too,” Wood said.
Some of the actors came into the show as experienced skaters and others took lessons to get up to speed during rehearsals. But that’s the type of dedication and passion that has historically always been a part of Flint Community Players from people who volunteer and get involved in different aspects of productions, both onstage and backstage.
“‘Community’ is in the name for a reason,” Wood said. “It creates relationships, stories that people can connect to, and that’s something that I love so much about theatre. It’s why I keep doing it. I love seeing how these stories connect to people and how people come to life in different shows. We have people who have not done theater since high school and are now in their 50s auditioning for it for the first time. It just awakens something inside of them.”
Wood calls the ability of Flint Community Players to introduce new audiences and people to the art of theatre “humbling” and encourages people to get involved. There are acting opportunities, but also many ways people can assist backstage with set design and lighting and other aspects of bringing a production to life. People can even be volunteer ushers during shows – which is also a way to get to see a show for free.
Flint Community Players is also part of a strong theatre ecosystem in Flint. Buckham Alley Theatre and the New McCree Theatre are other local community theatre groups operating in the city. The University of Michigan-Flint has a popular and growing theatre program that does student productions each year, and many local high schools have theatre clubs that do performances. There are also several community theatre groups in suburban Flint. Flint Repertory Theatre is a professional theatre that ]often has local actors or backstage personnel involved in its productions.
Something that I think is great and that I love about Flint Community Players is that we do a lot of encouraging people to not just stop here, go do theatre wherever it leads you,” Wood said. “The more that people are just telling these stories and trying out different things all around Flint and Genesee County, it just creates this stronger, wider community of people.”
Flint Community Players, located at 2462 S. Ballenger Highway near Miller Road, has a website and Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages with information about productions and behind-the-scenes content. They welcome people of all experience levels to participate.
“If people ever want to try out theater and see if it’s for them and something they want to try their hand at, we love to have fun and to tell stories,” Wood said. “The more the merrier honestly.”
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