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Arts & Entertainment

Cheaper by the Dozen

“It's a true story about a real family. It takes place in the early 1920s. The mother and father (Frank and Lillian Gilbreth) ran a business which promoted industrial and workplace efficiency through motion study and psychology. Sound boring? It's not, because they also had 12 children and used the same methods to run the family! The play is about the ups and downs, often very funny, of a large, loving, unusual family. Much of the story revolves around the oldest daughter, Anne, who loves her odd family but longs to be a normal, and hopefully popular, high school girl.”

“The story was first written as a book, authored by two of the children. It was made into the play, and then a movie in 1950, featuring big stars of that era, Myrna Loy and Clifton Webb. Both play and movie correspond closely to events in the book. The 2003 movie only uses the same name. The stories are different. So when folks see our play, they won't see the Steve Martin story, but they will enjoy an equally funny and warm family tale - which happens to be true!” 

Cast: Canton: Drex Morton (Father, Mr. Frank B. Gilbreth), Thomas Strock ( Dr. Burton),Tatum Cho (Lillian); Plymouth: Jim Broderick (Bill),Miki Somers (Ernestine), Alex Smith (Dan), Donovan Sutton (Joe Scales), Roman Bonacorsi (Fred), Jenessa Hubbard (Anne), Denise Staffeld (Mrs. Fitzgerald); Dearborn: Miykael Padley (Frank), Farmington Hills: Kyle Coykendall (Larry); Ypsilanti: Connor Fischetti (Jackie), Tina Paraventi (Miss Brill); Northville: Kristin Heitmeier (Mother, Mrs. Lillian Gilbreth) and  Annie Heitmeier (Martha).

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