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