FIVE WAYS TO ENJOY A CODY YELLOWSTONE FALL GETAWAY

With summer vacations wrapped up and children back to school, if you want to enjoy the scenery of Yellowstone without the sight of crowds of other tourists around the Fall season is a great time for a getaway to the national park and the nearby quaint northwestern Wyoming town of Cody. This town provides a great staging point with the comforts of civilization for your outdoor adventures in the Yellowstone region. 

Here are five ways to enjoy a Cody Yellowstone fall getaway:

Go fishing. Cody Yellowstone is home to an abundance of top-flight fishing spots including the North and South Forks of the Shoshone River and rivers and streams in Yellowstone National Park. Local fishing outfitters offer guides, maps and advice. Blue-ribbon trout fishing is especially popular in the fall, where Yellowstone cutthroat, one of the four subspecies of cutthroat found in Wyoming, can be found throughout the region. 

Drive a UTV to a backcountry ghost town. Cody-based Tread ‘N Trails rents street-legal UTVs for adventurous visitors to explore backcountry areas such as the ghost town of Kirwin. Located high in the Absaroka Mountains above the town of Meeteetse, the discovery of gold in the late 1800s prompted the creation of this once-thriving boomtown. When a disastrous blizzard struck in 1907, most people left the town, leaving behind numerous structures and mines. UTV enthusiasts can explore miles of trails surrounding the town. They can also take a short hike to the foundation of a cabin that was being built by aviatrix Amelia Earhart, a frequent visitor to the region before her disappearance. 

Drive a scenic byway. Road-tripping in the fall is a memorable way to enjoy fall color, with five scenic drives leading into Cody that take travelers past some of Wyoming’s most breathtaking valleys, mountain passes, rivers and forests. Download the free TravelStorys app and listen to a GPS-prompted audio tour of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway or the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway. Fans of audio tours can also listen to a guided walking tour highlighting downtown Cody’s historic structures. 

View wildlife in action. Fall is one of the best times of the year to watch wildlife in action. The forests, river valleys, mountains and canyons of Cody Yellowstone are filled with wildlife such as bears, elk, wolves, moose, bison, eagles and river otters, and many of these species are especially active in the fall. Bears spend the fall months filling up on pine nuts to fatten up before heading to their dens in the winter. It’s mating season for elk, and the males of the species court prospective mates by shrilly bugling and challenging other males to battles. Fall is also a great time to watch wolves. Wolf packs are often larger in the fall than other times of the year because pups are finally big enough to hunt with the adults. Top places to see wildlife in Cody Yellowstone include Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park, and along the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway from Cody to the northeast gate of the park and the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway from Cody to the east gate of the park. 

Hit the trails. Explore Cody Yellowstone on a bike, on horseback or on foot. A free downloadable trail map offers suggestions for trails based on desired challenge level and type of trail (hiking, horseback riding, gravel bike or road bike). Grab a free downloadable trail map and hop on a bike to explore the town and the surrounding areas. Popular regions include downtown Cody, Beck Lake, Slick Rock and the Shoshone National Forest.

After a day full of adventure, you are sure to be hungry and thirsty. The new Cody Yellowstone Sippin’ Trail is a great way for visitors to experience some of the town’s most popular restaurants and bars. The trail includes breweries, restaurants and unique venues such as a cigar lounge and a historic hotel built by town founder Buffalo Bill Cody. Visitors who download a free app and make a purchase at the participating locations can earn points for rewards like Sippin Trail T-shirts, pint glasses and stickers.

Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as areas inside of Yellowstone National Park and the valley east of the entrance. The region is known for recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.

DSO PRINCESS BRIDE VALENTINES DAY PERFORMANCE

Here is a fun musical serenade for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day...the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is performing the entire musical score live-to-picture of The Princess Bride. "As you wish…" Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles are sure to make for a fantastic Valentine's Day evening on the town. Dress up, go out to a nice dinner at a downtown Detroit eatery and enjoy the ambience of The Max as the DSO fills it with the soundtrack of this beloved movie about true love. Adventure, Comedy and Romance make this The Princess Bride performance a night to be geeked about. 

CLICK HERE for more information. Missing this cinematic concert experience would be inconceivable!

ANNIE IS COMING TO DETROIT

Just thinkin' about Tomorrow, clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow,'Til there's none because there is the theatrical production of ANNIE coming to Detroit's Fisher Theatre this Spring to providing a count down to the last dreary remaining days of Winter as the City awaits for the show's arrival. Leapin’ Lizards! Broadway In Detroit has announced that an all-new tour of the iconic Tony Award®-winning musical ANNIE will play at the Fisher Theatre from April 25-30. Tickets for the Detroit engagement go on sale Friday, February 10 at 10:00 a.m. and will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, BroadwayinDetroit.com, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.

ANNIE is directed by Jenn Thompson, who at the age of 10 stepped into the role of “Pepper” in the Original Broadway production, choreographed by Patricia Wilcox (Motown, A Night with Janis Joplin), with orchestrations by Dan DeLange. The lovable mutt “Sandy” is once again trained by Tony Award®Honoree William Berloni (ANNIE, A Christmas Story, Legally Blonde). Addison, a stray mutt rescued by William Berloni through the Humane Society in 2017, stars as Sandy. Joining Addison are a tremendous supporting cast of humans, will be Ellie Pulsifer, a 12-year-old actress from South Florida, making her tour debut in the title role of Annie. Ok, maybe Addison is supporting them because she can't sing the songs that the show is known for! 

“This show, with its iconic title character, continues to delight generations of theatre-lovers old and new by joyfully singing directly into the face of great adversity with perseverance, guts and guile,” director Jenn Thompson remarked to ageekdaddy.com. “For decades, ANNIE has continued to shine brightly, not only as an appeal to our better angels, but also as an example of the thrill of hope, hard-won: promising a better ‘Tomorrow’ not only for Annie herself, but for all who need her message now more than ever.”

By permission of Tribune Content Agency, LLC, ANNIE is based on Harold Gray's popular comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” which premiered in the 1920s in the New York Daily News and became one of the most widely read strips in the 30s and 40s. Lyricist Martin Charnin bought a coffee table book called “The Life and Hard Times of Little Orphan Annie” as a Christmas gift for a friend in 1970. The clerk at the bookstore was too busy to wrap the book, so Charnin took the book home to wrap it. Instead, he read it and fell in love with the strip and set out to secure the rights. The friend never got the book.

Charnin's adaption of the comic strip had its world premiere on Aug 10, 1976 at the Goodspeed Opera House and opened on Broadway on April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre. It went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin). It closed on Broadway after playing 2,377 performances. ANNIE was revived on Broadway in 1997 and again in 2014. It has been made into a film three times (1982, 1999, 2014) and was most recently featured as a live television production on NBC. The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever; it has been performed in 28 languages and has been running somewhere around the world for 45 years.

Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in this new production – just as you remember it and just when we need it most. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way. The beloved score for ANNIE includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

Performance times for ANNIE appearing April 25-30 at the Fisher Theatre located 3011 W Grand Blvd., Detroit MI 48202 are: 

• Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. 
• Thursday matinee performance at 12:00 p.m. 
• Saturday & Sunday matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. 
• Special Open Caption performance on Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for ANNIE at the Fisher Theatre start at $35. Photographs courtesy of Broadway in Detroit.

TEE TIMES

My son wanted to go golfing for his special birthday activity to celebrate turning fourteen today. I know some people here in Michigan still hit the links outdoors in December but with the winter weather we decided instead to try out the brand new GOLFZON simulators at the Tee Times location that just opened up this week in Rochester Hills. I took my son and two of his friends to tee it up at this new golf simulator venue for some birthday celebration fun.

They played an hour long round of golf at Pebble Beach which gave the boys the experience of playing on scenic oceanside California links without the expense of actually going to the real site. The indoor facility also had the vibe of playing a round of clubs on a course rather than the feel of just swinging clubs at a driving range. Though when a player isn't up instead of sitting in a golf cart waiting for a turn, you sit in an area designated for your group either on leather couches or bar stools with a table for holding food and beverages that you can purchase from the facility's kitchen and bar. Available are appetizers, sandwiches and salads that all looked good from what I saw other folks eating; but the boys just wanted to share a pizza which wasn't available on the Tee Times menu so I took them over to the Hamlin Pub to eat after they were done playing. 

The kids played on a state-of-the-art GOLFZON TwoVision Simulator which can portray 200+ different real-world courses to choose from. This simulator would cost $70,000 to install within your home so paying $50 an hour of "green fees" accommodating up to a foursome seemed a reasonable cost and provide a decent value for the experience. It has cost me $100 to treat my child and two friends to an hour of games at Dave & Buster's so $50 for the three of them to play a virtual round of golf actually seemed like somewhat of a bargain. 

This simulator has a lot of high-tech aspects to it, yet it was easy to use and overly complicated to manage your gameplay. It has five distinct hitting surfaces that include fairway, rough and sand trap which sensors and displays that make sure you are hitting the ball from the appropriate spot on the swing-plate players stand on. This swing plate also can move in twenty-four different directions to replicate elevations and ground conditions of where you are hitting from on a course.

The visuals on the screen you hit into were good, but I was a bit underwhelmed by them. They looked like visuals you'd see in a video game rather than a real-life photography or videography. The boys commented it was like playing a Golden Tee arcade game with their gold clubs instead of a roller ball. Don't get me wrong the graphics were nice, but the visuals didn't immerse you into feeling as if you were actually looking out onto a real course. 

TwoVision's highlight is its two advanced high-speed sensors that provide an accurate representation on where your ball would go on the course by how you hit it in the simulation bay. Whether it is hitting off a tee, chipping out of a bunker or putting on a green the sensors provide accurate representations of these experiences, so you feel as you are actually replicating the feel of course play. The boys liked that it was like playing a video game but had them going through the motions of the real-life activity. These three spend a lot of time at home playing video games against one another over Internet connections, so I liked that it got them out and about doing an activity together outside of each of their houses.

Most importantly they had fun trying something new. This place literally opened two days before we went but you wouldn't have known it because its staff was running the place very smoothly and professionally. Minimum booking time is an hour for $50; note though that if you are having fun and want to stay longer you probably can't because they book up and there is probably someone waiting for their turn to start as your time expires. Keep that in mind when making your reservation. 

My son and his friends had a good time and we had a hassle-free experience so that is the primary reason Tee Times earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval. Whether you are just looking for something out of the ordinary to do or are a serious golfer wanting to play when there is six inches of snow on the ground, if you live in Metro Detroit check out Tee Times. For beginner golfers who may intimidated about going out on a course and having annoyed foursomes of more advanced golfers backing up behind you this is a great way to get some practice in before actually hitting the links. Note you do need to bring your own golf clubs to use on the simulators so don't show up without any in hand expecting to play.

Tee Times is located at 2612 S Rochester Rd, north of M-59, within the city of Rochester Hills. For more information, visit playteetimes.com.

DAVID SEDARIS IS COMING TO DETROITS FISHER THEATRE

David Sedaris, author of bestseller books Calypso, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and regular National Public Radio contributor will be appearing for one night only at the Fisher Theatre on April 19 at 7:30 p.m., following the release of his newest books Happy-Go-Lucky and A Carnival of Snackery. Tickets will go on sale Friday, December 16, 2022, and can be purchased online at broadwayindetroit.com, ticketmaster.com, davidsedarisontour.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. 

This is a unique opportunity to see the best-selling humorist in an intimate setting. As always, Sedaris will be offering a selection of all-new readings and recollections, as well as a Q&A session and book signing. Books will be available for sale at the event, courtesy of the Wayne State Bookstore. 

With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, Mr. Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. To see him read his own work on stage allows his autobiographical narrative to reveal a uniquely personal narrative that will keep you laughing throughout the evening. Don’t miss this event!

BEETLEJUICE IS COMING TO DETROIT

It’s showtime! The ghost-with-the-most will make his Detroit debut in this edgy and irreverent traveling tour of Broadway's BEETLEJUICE musical comedy. BEETLEJUICE will play at the Opera House from January 31 – February 12, 2023, as part of Broadway in Detroit's 2022-23 Season. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m. and will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, BroadwayinDetroit.com, charge by phone (800) 982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. 

Based on Tim Burton’s dearly beloved film, BEETLEJUICE tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a demon with a thing for stripes. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter unleashes a (Nether)world of pandemonium, and the biggest sandworm ever seen in Detroit. 

 

Performance times for BEETLEJUICE'S Detroit Opera House run are:

• Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. 
• Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. 
• Special Open Caption performance on Sunday, February 5, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets for BEETLEJUICE start at $29 (includes facility fee) and will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 4. Children under the age of five will not be permitted in the theatre.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. COMING TO DETROIT OCTOBER 28 - 29

There is still time to join in on a spectacular tribute to Aretha Franklin being hosted by Broadway in Detroit taking place at MUSIC HALL the evening of October 28 & 29, 2022. From the producers of "The Simon & Garfunkel Story", follow the musical path of tunes that coronated Aretha Franklin as the Queen of Soul. Tickets can be purchased online at broadwayindetroit.com or in-person at the Fisher Theatre and Music Hall box offices. Get your tickets now before they sell out!

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is the ultimate tribute to the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The elevated concert experience brings a community together with timeless music that speaks to the complicated human condition, honoring the impassioned and transcendent music of one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriter. 

 Rejoice while you are taken on an intimate musical odyssey guaranteed to get you up and out of your seat and dancing! The production journeys through Aretha Franklin’s courageous life of love, tragedy and triumph starring a live band, supreme vocalists and a night full of music by one of the greatest artists of all time. 

 "Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me,” “Chain of Fools,” “Respect” — all your favorite hits in one evening celebrating the iconic songstress!

TINA -- THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL IS COMING TO DETROIT OPERA HOUSE

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL originally opened on Broadway in 2019 and was nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Now the national tour of the production is leaving Manhattan and coming to Broadway in Detroit! Who is geeked to see TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at the Detroit Opera House?!

Tickets for TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at the Detroit Opera House can be purchased beginning Friday, September 30 at 10:00 a.m. for 16 performances from December 6 - 18. Tickets will be available online at Ticketmaster.com and BroadwayinDetroit.com, charged by phone (800) 982-2787, or bought in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. Ticket prices range from $35 to $140. Performance times for TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL run at the Detroit Opera House located at 1526 Broadway St., in Detroit are: 

• Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. 
• Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. 
• Special Open Caption performance on Sunday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Recommended for ages 12+; This production contains some adult themes, including scenes of domestic violence and drug use. Children under the age of five will not be permitted in the theatre.

An uplifting comeback story like no other, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll. One of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner has won 12 Grammy Awards and her live shows have been seen by millions, with more concert tickets sold than any other solo performer in music history.

MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL PREVIEW PARTY

Soon the grounds of the Michigan Renaissance Festival will be filled with the sounds of merriment and ruckus as its 2022 season commences. This year's Mich Ren Fest takes place on weekends from August 20 through October 2. I appreciate being invited to the medieval village of Hollygrove for a preview party of this year's festivities at its Blackstone Castle.

The Michigan Renaissance Festival is known for its demonstrations of sword play and jousting, musical performances and feasts. We were treated to samples of all of these at this year's preview party. It was an entertaining evening with delicious food to enjoy. I was even knighted to Hollygrove's Order of Chivalry! 

For information on how you can join in on this year's activities, visit MichRenFest.com. This annual Metro Detroit event is located at 12600 Dixie Highway near Holly in northern Oakland County. I always enjoy spending an afternoon cheering on the participants of the jousting tournament while snacking on turkey legs and pickles. An exciting way to escape from reality for a day by traveling back in time to another era. Huzzah!

HAMILTON RETURNS TO BROADWAY IN DETROIT

The national tour of the theatrical hit HAMILTON is returning to Detroit this year for a run at the Fisher Theatre from November 15 - December 4 after a series of sold out shows in 2021. Tickets will be available to purchase starting August 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com, BroadwayinDetroit.com, in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office or by calling (800) 982-2787.  The show's runtime is 2 Hours 45 Minutes including one 15-minute intermission. All ticket purchasers will receive a Broadway in Detroit Health & Safety Guide via email in the days prior to their performance.

Performance times for HAMILTON appearing November 15 – December 4, 2022 at the Fisher Theatre located at 3011 W. Grand Blvd., in Detroit are: 

• Tuesday through Sunday evening performances at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. 
• No performance on Thursday, November 24, in observance of Thanksgiving 
• Additional performance on Monday, November 21 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Special Open Caption performance on Sunday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m. 
• ASL performance on Sunday, November 27 at 8:00 p.m.

Children under the age of five will not be permitted in the theatre. Visit BroadwayinDetroit.com for more show details.

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

AIN'T TOO PROUD OPEN CASTING CALL

The producers of Ain't Too Proud, a nationally touring theatrical stage show based upon Motown singers The Temptations have announced an open casting call for black male and female actors, singers and dancers in their 20s/30s. They are seeking individuals to play The Classic Temptations: Otis Williams, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin and other characters from the Motown Era: Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Tammi Terrell and more! Selected individuals will join the cast following its August 9 - 28, 2022 run at the Detroit Opera House as the show moves on for performances in other markets across North America.

Auditions are on Wednesday, August 10 at the Motown Museum in Detroit. Sign in is from 9am - 1pm with auditions from 10am - 2:30pm. All actors will be required to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon entrance to the Motown Museum. Masks will be required once entering the building and can be removed once in the audition room.

Please prepare a short cut of a Motown-era song. Please chose one of the following to prepare: 

• Bring sheet music in the correct key – an accompanist will be provided; 
• Bring your own accompaniment track; 
• You may sing A Capella.

For more information: tararubincasting.info@gmail.com 

Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations will be at Detroit Opera House, August 9 – 28, 2022. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone (800) 982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. 

Performance times for Ain’t Too Proud are: 

Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. 

Special Open Caption performance on Sunday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. 

For more information about Ain’t Too Proud, visit: ainttooproudmusical.com/

BROADWAY IN DETROIT PRESENTS LES MISÉRABLES AT HISTORIC FISHER THEATRE

Tickets for Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, LES MISÉRABLES, will go on sale August 12 at 10:00 a.m. for its engagement at Detroit’s Fisher Theatre December 20, 2022 – January 8, 2023. Tickets will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, BroadwayinDetroit.com, charge by phone (800) 982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. 

Performance times for LES MISÉRABLES appearing December 20, 2022- January 8, 2023 at the Fisher Theatre located at 3011 W. Grand Blvd., in Detroit are: 

• Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Wednesday, December 21, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday, December 23, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday, December 24, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m. 
•  No show on Christmas Day 

• Monday, December 26, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Wednesday, December 28, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday, December 29, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday, December 30, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday, December 31, 2022 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 6:30 p.m. 
•  No show on New Year’s Day or January 2 

• Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Friday, January 6, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. 
• Saturday, January 7, 2023 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 8:00 p.m. 
• Sunday, January 8, 2023 matinee at 1:00 p.m., evening at 6:30 p.m.

Recommended for ages 12 and up. | Run time is 2 hours 55 minutes.

Tickets for Les Misérables start at $45 (includes facility and parking fee) and will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 12. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-982-2787, and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. 

Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, LES MISÉRABLES tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. 

Boublil & Schönberg’s magnificent score of LES MISÉRABLES includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear The People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, LES MISÉRABLES is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.

All ticket purchasers will receive a Broadway in Detroit Health & Safety Guide via email in the days prior to their performance. This guide will also be posted on the company’s website (BroadwayInDetroit.com) and available at the Fisher Theatre box office. It will have the latest information on the company’s health and safety protocols as well as information on what to expect when you arrive at the theatre.

For more information about upcoming productions, follow @BroadwayDetroit on Twitter. And if you are a Tweeter make sure to be following @Geekdad248 too! Let's give a Woot! Woot! to LES MISÉRABLES coming to Detroit!

PLAY AT THE VILLAGE

If you are in Metro Detroit make some time to swing by the historical village in Troy, Michigan to check out a special exhibit that toy lovers young and old are sure to appreciate. Until April 30, 2021 the Troy Historic Village will be showcasing a collection of toys and games highlighting fun ways to play from the last two hundred years (1821 - 2021). From original Kenner Star Wars action figures and steel-made Tonka Trucks that were the type of toys I played with as a kid to corn husk dolls and wood carved checker sets that the children of Michigan's early settlers had fun with there is a lot to geek out about in this Play at the Village exhibit. Only on display for a limited time get over to the Troy Historical Village before they pack up the toys to prepare for a summer full of activities.

The Historic Village is located at 60 W. Wattles Road in the community of Troy, Michigan. Located seven miles north of the City of Detroit, it is conveniently accessible off I-75 from the Big Beaver Road ramps. The site consists of eleven historic structures ranging from an 1820s era log cabin to a 1900s era church. Take a casual stroll through the exhibit by yourself during normal hours (Monday - Friday from 10 am - 3pm) or sign up for a guided evening toy tour led by one of the historical village's docents. 

Take a walk down memory lane by visiting these structures filled with toys and games throughout the Troy Historic Village:

LOG CABIN

Just two hundred years ago Michigan was frontier territory. Life was tough but families still made time for some fun. Just like today they often spent some time after dark having family game nights. Playing cards and checkers were two popular recreational activities in the 1820s.

Children played with toys that could be made from the area's natural resources and that taught them life skills. Miniature wood carved tool sets and corn husk and cloth dolls would have been common toys during that time. It was all about what a family could make themselves when it came to toys for these pioneers.

ONE ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE

The old Poppleton School is full of examples of school yard games . Games like Blind Man's Bluff, Drop the Handkerchief, and Fox & Geese are explained to visitors. How do you think the games school kids played in the late 1800s are different from what goes on in playgrounds today?

GENERAL STORE

The village's general store is filled with toys ranging from 1900 to the present. Get a close up look at classic tin toys, a vintage train set, and a LEGO Death Star model among numerous other wonderful things.

CASWELL HOUSE

The mid-1800s Greek Revival architecture of the Caswell House is complimented by a huge assortment of action figures and dolls. Remember the Beanie Baby craze! There are a whole lot of them to see here.

BLACKSMITH FORGE

Take a glimpse of patents from popular childhood toys of the 20th Century including Mr. Potato Head, Optimus Prime and the Rubik's Cube. These are some interesting drawings to take a look at and show the amount of engineering that go into making toys. A nice STEM moment during this exhibit which is both entertaining and educational.

OLD TROY CHURCH

The old church filled with beautiful stain glass windows also is full examples of toy advertising from 1900 - 2000. Remember flipping through the pages of the Sears catalog while creating a Christmas list for Santa? My grandmother always had us go through the catalog and let us pick out a holiday gift from it as I'm sure generations of kids had done. Now print catalogs have been replaced by web sites and social media apps. Step back in time to enjoy examples of old print ads from past decades. Think about how the marketing styles and types of toys changed through the decades.

THE PARSONAGE

This home for the church's reverend and his family has been stocked with board games. A family game night dream! Learn the history of some popular games and reminisce about ones you played as a child yourself. Share with today's youth that games they thought were new were around when you were there age or show them a game you loved, like Bermuda Triangle, that isn't popular anymore.

For more information about this special exhibit go to troyhistoricvillage.org or call 248-524-3570. This history geek happens to be on the Board of Directors for this non-profit organization so if you stop by let them know this dad blogger sent you their way. Go on out and PLAY AT THE VILLAGE! 

USAOPOLY GIVEAWAY

With all the time we've been spending on computers lately working remotely and virtually learning due to the pandemic, we've been enjoying unplugging for some quality family time with tabletop games. I wanted to share with you that my friends at usaopoly are hosting a holiday giveaway to help people enjoy some game nights like the ones my family has been having. There is no entry fee or purchase obligation to participate in this giveaway you just need to be willing to provide your name and some contact information for chance to win one of ten prizes.

The Op's Home for the Holidays Giveaway includes 1 Grand Prize winner who will receive Telestrations 8 Player, Telestrations: Upside Down, Blank Slate, and Hues and Cues. 5 runner-up prizes will be awarded where winners can choose one of those four games as their prize. Plus 4 additional winners will each receive a $25 gift card for the usaopoly.com online store.

CLICK HERE to enter the giveaway. Entries must be received by December 10, 2020. Participants are subject to the promotion's official rules.

ACROSS THE BOARD BASEBALL GAME

While the Major Leagues may not be back in action yet, we've been having fun playing the Across the Board Baseball Game in our backyard. Across the Board Games produce unique handcrafted board games with sports themes such as horse racing, soccer, hockey and baseball that are crafted right here in the USA. We have a lot of fun playing their baseball game!

This 2-player game replicates an outing to the ballpark. Players compete on a wooden board shaped like a baseball diamond. Each side has a dug out filled with four batters designated by sturdy metal chrome or brass pegs. Just like in a real ball game each team has nine innings to score as many runs as they can. Whoever scores the most wins!

During a team's at bat they continue until they get three outs. In this game hits, walks and outs are determined by the role of the dice. Get a hit or walk and move your teams' pegs around the diamond. Roll an out and move a marker that designates how many outs you have on the scoreboard.

Roll two dice for each at bat. Roll two 1s and you've just hit a HOME RUN! But roll two 5s and you STRIKE OUT! Other combinations in die rolls include singles, doubles, triples and walks as well as well as ground outs, pop outs and fly outs. This game is all about luck but still is really fun to play!

As you go through innings, use the included dry erase marker to update the score board. It provides an easy way to write in team names and scores. We've found you can rub away the ink on the score board with no residue left behind maintaining a clean look to your scoreboard game after game.

This baseball game has been a home run for our family. It has earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval for being a relaxing way to enjoy some family time while playing it. The game isn't complicated to play making it great for family game nights. The game's real wood board makes it stand out and gives it the appearance of something you'll want to keep around the house long term to bring out when friends and family visit.

If you are looking for an all ages game that is easy to play yet is sure to provide hours of enjoyment, this dad blogger recommends this handcrafted, made in America game from Across the Board. It is unique and the type of thing that could one day become a family heirloom thanks to its quality workmanship. Play ball!

RAZOR SCOOTER RACES

SPONSORED BY RAZOR WORLDWIDE

School is out and summer is now in full swing for my kids. Time for some Razor scooter races! Riding their Razor scooters is one of my kids favorite activities and you'll often see them zipping around the neighborhood. Our family owns a number of products from this brand which we've been very happy with including kick scooters, electric scooters and even a go-kart called a Crazy Cart Shift.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we are going to be sticking close to home this year so summer vacation is going to be more like a staycation. So we've been looking for ways to have extra fun around the house. One of the things my son and daughter have really been enjoying doing is creating obstacle courses to race around. This has really brought out some sibling rivalry!

What the kids do is they use their soccer practice drill cones creating a race course to navigate. They start off on the backyard patio, cruise through the side yard dog pen, traverse the driveway and circle back to where they started. My tweens mix up their race courses in a variety of ways using soccer cones to layout tracks.

Sometimes the cones just designate a route to follow. Other times cones are placed along stretches of the path they race along to weave between. I've seen them also create gates with the cones that they have to steer between like you see competitive skiers navigate through. They even use the cones to create obstacles to make their races more challenging. The kids have been having almost as much fun creating obstacle and race courses to go through as they are enjoying actually riding their Razor scooters.

As a parent, I appreciate that Razor scooters have my kids this summer wanting to go outside and get exercise. They are having an amazing time outdoors playing with Razor scooters instead of just wanting to sit around the house playing video games or watching television during summer break. This absolutely earns Razor scooters a Geek Daddy nod of approval!

To share my family's fun with our ageekdaddy.com audience, this dad blogger has partnered with Razor Worldwide to host a scooter giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a Razor kick scooter similar to the ones my own kids have been racing around our house this summer. To toss your name in the hat for a chance to win this great prize just complete the Rafflecopter entries in the contest giveaway form below before 11:59pm ET on July 5, 2020. Must be a continental United States resident over 18 years old to participate. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HALF TRUTH GAME

How are you staying in touch with extended family during the coronavirus quarantine? We recently had a family game night over Zoom. We brought together my parents along with some siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins to spend an evening playing HALF TRUTH the new party trivia competition from game designer Richard Garfield (creator of Magic: The Gathering) and one of the Jeopardy game show's most successful contestants Ken Jennings. Thanks to Studio71 Games for sending this dad blogger HALF TRUTH to try out.

The game is called HALF TRUTH because players must answer questions from trivia cards that provide six answers. Three are correct and three are wrong. You place bets to see how many answers you provide are right. Can you get 1, 2 or 3 answers correct?

Betting you can get all 3 answers correct can earn a lot of points but also presents risks that can cost you the game if you don't guess right. Being too conservative though can let risk takers leapfrog over you to gain insurmountable leads. Plus the risks and rewards change for each question!

There are 500 trivia cards with categories ranging from " Stars who never won an Oscar " to " Star Wars characters who say they 'have a bad feeling about this'. " The questions aren't all about movies though. You might be asked to name super-hot peppers, identify colognes for men or identify weird things that appear on national flags.

The types of questions vary so that this is an all ages can play for a family game night. We played in teams and I had to rely on my kids when faced with the question  "Creatures in Harry Potter books."  My dad and uncle had an edge on some questions like "Top 10 Billboard Hits of 1972" … hey most of us playing including myself weren't even born yet! I redeemed myself though helping us ultimately get the win by being able to answer "Comic characters who ran for President." There really questions that appealed to all the generations of our family in this all ages party game.

This tabletop game has a nice layout making it easy to set up and have people see over video connections like Zoom. You just need to designate a game master to move tokens about the board, roll dice, and read trivia cards but it worked out fairly well playing remotely. Especially since the focus of the game is on answering trivia rather than doing tasks or moving pieces around a board. A game lasts about 30 minutes making it just the right time for a Zoom session.

HALF TRUTH is for 2 to 6 players or teams with a recommended age of 12+. We had a really great time playing it while having fun and connecting with family haven't been able to see in person for awhile. Though it will be fun to play it together sooner or later in the same room when the pandemic  doesn't prevent get togethers. Until then we're planning on a few more HALF TRUTH rematches via Zoom.

If you are looking for a game that is both entertaining and educational for some family fun, pick up HALF TRUTH for yourself. Based upon the good time we had, I give it a Geek Daddy nod of approval. It is available from a number of retailers or you can purchase it straight from Studio71 Games.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY KIDS ACTIVITY SHEETS

When things began to shutdown at Ford Motor Company due to the pandemic, the automaker gave some of its car designers a special project. Instead of drafting up technical imagery and layouts for new product designs, the staff was directed to craft activity sheets to help amuse kids, and their parents, who were finding themselves now having to stay home for an extended period of time. You can check out what they came up with at the Ford Motor Company website.

There are coloring pages of Mustangs and Ford Trucks along with activity sheets that include follow-the-number pictures, word puzzles and mazes. They've also added THANK YOU messages for the heroes who are braving the coronavirus to provide medical aide and other crucial services during this public health emergency that can be decorated. Send one of these messages to someone you know as a thank you card or post it on social media as a public message of support. I've included a couple of examples below and a whole variety of Ford Motor Company activity sheets can be downloaded for FREE and printed out by visiting here.

You'll see that each of the coloring pages for the vehicles has the name of the staffer and their role at the company displayed on it. Sketches range from realistic images of Ford vehicles to more whimsical illustrations like an illustration of a truck that looks like it could be a character in a Disney-PIXAR Cars movie and a picture of a rhino being hauled in the trailer bed of a F-150. These activity sheets and coloring pages can be a fun way to pass some time. We had a good time with them!

You don't have to be a gearhead or car geek like this dad blogger to appreciate these activity sheets from Ford. Though if you are you'll absolutely appreciate the History of the Mustang illustration included among these activity sheets. In the variety of coloring pages, thank you messages, and games there is something for everyone of any age to enjoy. Take a break and just relax coloring or doing a word puzzle. Head over to the Ford Motor Company website to look over and download some of these free activity sheets while you have some family downtime.