March means that maybe—just maybe—Mother Nature will pull the curtains on winter.  But until then, get cozy in a Northern Michigan theater and experience the top-notch productions from local community theater companies, high school drama and musical departments, and touring acts.

Thoroughly Modern Millie from March 1st through the 16th

  • In the 1920s, a girl from Kansas moves to New York City to marry a rich man. She samples the “thoroughly modern” flapper life, makes friends, finds unexpected romance and nearly gets caught up in a white slavery ring in this stage version of the 1967 film musical. Performed by Traverse City West High School. Production dates: Mar. 1, 7-8, 14-15 at 7:30pm; Mar. 2, 9, 15, 16 at 2pm. Regular Seating $17; Premium Seating $22, tickets available at MyNorthTickets.com, or TC West. Traverse City, 231.933.7509.

Old Town Playhouse Productions from March 3rd through the 29th

  • Mar. 3-4 Auditions for main stage production Steel Magnolias, 7pm. Mar. 7-29 Sound of Music. Amidst the oppression and tumult of World War II, a young governess heals and rebuilds a family in this heart-warming Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, full of the most beloved musical theater songs ever written. Thurs.-Sat. 7:30pm; Sun. Mar. 9, 16, 23 at 3pm. $25 Adult; $14 Kids; $23 for Seniors/Students (*Thurs. and Sun. only). Tickets available at MyNorthTickets.com or Old Town Playhouse, 231.947.2210, OldTownPlayhouse.com.

Community Cinema Series: The Trials of Muhammed Ali on March 6th

  • A feature-length documentary film covering Ali’s toughest bout, his battle to overturn the 5-year prison sentence he received for refusing U.S. military service. This is not a boxing film. It is a fight film tracing a formative period in Ali’s life, one that is remarkably unknown to young people today and tragically neglected by those who remember him as a boxer, but overlook how controversial he was when he first took center stage. Community Cinema is a community outreach project of CMU Public Television and the Dennos Museum Center. Films are shown at 7pm free of charge. 231.995.1055, dennosmuseum.org.

Presentations at West Shore Community College from August 6th to the 9th, and the 22nd

  • Mar. 6-9 The Schemings of Scapin. The brazenly conniving servant Scapin is the most devious and audacious character you’ll ever encounter. Thurs.-Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 2pm. Mar. 22 Hot Club of Detroit, A 6-member jazz ensemble specializing in the Gypsy jazz sound made famous by guitarist Django Reinhardt. 7:30pm. Ticket range for both events $8-$15, available at MyNorthTickets.com or by calling 800.836.0717. Scottville, 231.843.5507, Westshore.edu.

Irish Comedy Tour on March 14th

  • The Irish Comedy Tour takes the party atmosphere of a Dublin pub and combines it with a boisterous, belly-laugh band of hooligans. The clover—make that clever—comedians, whose ancestors hail from the Emerald Isle, include Detroit native Derek Richards; Boston-born Mike McCarthy; Nova Scotia’s Damon Leibert; and from Inchicore, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland Derrick Keane. 8pm City Opera House, Traverse City. 231.941.8082, CityOperaHouse.org.

Curious Savage from March 21st to the 22nd, and the 28th to the 29th

  • Written by John Patrick, Mrs. Savage has been left ten million dollars by her husband and wants to make the best use of it, in spite of the efforts of her stepchildren to get their hands on it. March: 21-22, 28-29 7:30pm; March 29: 2pm and 7:30pm. Tickets $10 Advance, $12 at the door; available at Brinks Art & Frame Shop, Peebles and the UPS Store in Cadillac, or at the door. 231.775.7336, CadillacFootliters.com.

 Get more Northern Michigan events and at the MyNorth Events Calendar and MyNorthTickets.com!