JANUARY 27 • 2022 | 47

Details:
Performance times
for An Officer and a
Gentleman appearing
Feb. 1-13, 2022, at the
Fisher Theatre, located
at 3011 W. Grand Blvd.
in Detroit are Tuesday
through Saturday
evening performances
at 8 p.m., Saturday &
Sunday matinees at 2
p.m., Sunday evening
performance at 7:30
p.m. and an open
captioned performance
on Sunday, Feb. 6, at
7:30 p.m. Tickets start
at $39 and include
facility and parking
fees. Tickets can be
purchased online at
ticketmaster.com and
in person at the Fisher
Theatre Box Office.
Broadway In Detroit
patrons will be required
to show proof of a
negative COVID test
within 72 hours of the
performance date or
proof of full COVID-19
vaccination before they
will be admitted into the
venue. Additionally, all
patrons will be required
to wear a mask while
inside the theater
regardless of one’s
vaccination status.

“Those MTV hits are burned

burned in my head. The
fusings of that and listening
to my uncle’s record collection
is a big part of my work and
life. That shaped my cultural
diet and my musicality,” Lipton
says.

TRUE TO THE FILM
Lipton assures fans of the
1982 film, An Officer and a
Gentleman, which starred
Richard Gere, Debra Winger
and Louis Gossett Jr., that
the musical stays true to the
storyline. Resilient U.S. Navy
trainee Zack Mayo (played by
Wes Williams on tour) is put
to the test by Drill Sgt. Foley
(David Wayne Britton) while
loved and supported by Paula
Pokrifki, a local factory worker
(Mia Massaro).

“The show has all of the
bones of the movie, but
we’ve updated it to be a more
accurate representation of
America in 2021. We’ve
addressed today’s gender and
racial dynamics and have
done inclusive casting and
empowered the characters.
And even though it’s all about
the American military, the
show presents patriotism
without the divisive politics,”
says Lipton, who credits the
comic relief in the show to
actor KD Stevens who plays

Jewish character “Cohen.”

Lipton was responsible for
all musical decisions, which
included casting, choosing the
perfect playlist of ’80s hits,
securing the licensing rights
and then putting his talents to
work on creating new vocal
mash-ups and arrangements.
Audiences can look forward
to hearing the iconic Grammy
and Oscar-winning No. 1 hit
“Up Where We Belong” by Joe
Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
from the movie and other
favorites by Steve Winwood,
Pat Benatar, Debbie Gibson,
Richard Marx, Bananarama,
Survivor, Corey Hart, Carly
Simon, Rush, Rick Springfield,

Men at Work and Styx.
As the man wearing the
three hats of music supervisor,
arranger and orchestrator,
Lipton regularly drops in to
check on the show at different
tour stops.

“I’m the eyes and ears in the
house — the guy who roams
the lobby and the bathroom,
eavesdropping on the audience
comments,” Lipton jokes. “You
should come see the show to
elbow your date when your
favorite ’80s hit pops up in our
story. All over the country, I
can tell we’re hitting a pop-
music sweet spot, while telling
a timeless romantic story. It’s
been very gratifying.”

TOP: The cast of An Officer and a Gentleman playing at Detroit’s Fisher
Theatre Feb. 1-13, 2022.
ABOVE: An Officer and a Gentleman’s Producer Steve Gabriel, Music
Supervisor Dan Lipton, Writer/Director Dick Scanlan, Choreographer
Patti Wilcox, Dance Arranger Gary Adler (from Huntington Woods) and
Associate Choreographer Kelly B.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAN LIPTON