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ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

T

wo major moves in
progress dramatize the
six-year success of the
Detroit Public Theatre (DPT)
— the move into a larger space
and the move of its first com-
missioned play from Motown to
Broadway.
Sarah Winkler, a longtime
New York stage professional
who partnered with local stage
professionals and
community leaders
to establish DPT,
mustered through
the pandemic by
collaborating on
plans for the new
7,000-square-foot facility and
proudly tracking the devel-
opment of Broadway-bound
Birthday Candles.
DPT, which had been housed
in a 150-seat venue at the Max
M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music
Center in Midtown, is moving
three blocks away to occupy its

own building on Third Avenue,
and it is scheduled to open in
the spring of 2022 with a seat-
ing capacity of 200.
Birthday Candles, writ-
ten by Grand Rapids native
Noah Haidle and enhanced
with music by Kate Hopgood
of Ypsilanti, opens in the
American Airlines Theatre on
Broadway in a similar time-
frame. Premiering
director Vivienne
Benesch will continue
with the new produc-
tion, starring Debra
Messing (Will and
Grace).
“The leadership at the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra (DSO)
had recognized the need for a
theater, like the Detroit Public
Theatre, in the cultural district
so they welcomed and incu-
bated us so generously,
” said
Winkler, producing artistic
director with acting and admin-

istrative experience.
“We shared our space with
the education programs at the
DSO, and the leadership of
the DPT and the DSO always
knew at some point DPT could
outgrow the space. Our theater
programming was growing
exponentially at the same time
the outstanding education pro-
grams of the DSO were growing
exponentially.
”
To celebrate the new space,
DPT has scheduled a free
Summer Block Party with food,
entertainment and games 2-10
p.m. Saturday, July 10.

BIG PLANS
The DPT, which launched soon
after Winkler’s family moved
to Michigan, partnered with
Courtney Burkett and Sarah
Clare Corporandy, all holding

the title of producing artis-
tic director. Burkett, former
director of theater programs
at Mosaic Youth Theatre, has
worked as an actress, director,
administrator and teacher.
Corporandy continues as
managing director of the
Chautauqua Theater Company
in New York. Playwright
Dominique Morisseau recently
joined the leadership team.
“Right now, we have a full-
time staff of seven, and we’re
going to expand to a full-time
staff of 10,
” Winkler said. “We’ll
be hiring a general manager,
facilities manager and connec-
tivity and engagement manager
to develop even more program-
ming for outreach to audiences.
”
Plans are being made for a
2021-22 season to be performed
at different area venues, adding

Detroit Public Theatre to move
to its own new, larger venue.

A Midtown
Success Story

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

AHRON FOSTER

The Detroit Public Theatre leadership team:
Sarah Clare Corporandy, Sarah Winkler,
Dominique Morisseau and Courtney Burkett

The new DPT
building before
and after.

COURTNEY BURKETT