Since beginning preparation and rehearsals in August, the Grosse Pointe Theatre, GPT, was excited to perform their Christmas show “White Christmas” across the span of December 5 through the 21. Not only was the performance meant to kick start the holidays, but the show was also going to be the opening event of one of the newest additions to Grosse Pointe Park, the Schaap Center.
With construction starting in April of 2023, the project was set to be fully completed and ready for use in Spring of 2024, but the team was faced with multiple complications along the way, causing the grand opening to be delayed until December 2025. However, a similar event followed suit when the early December project deadline rolled around, and the Schaap Center made yet another announcement.
“While we had anticipated welcoming everyone into the Schaap Center for the opening events and the public open days in early December, unfortunate construction challenges have required us to delay them,” the announcement read. “Although these obstacles have set us back, we remain fully committed to delivering a facility that meets the highest standards of excellence; one that reflects both the vision behind the Schaap Center and the generosity of all our supporters. The good news is that significant progress continues to be made each day, and we expect to finalize a revised opening date soon.”
Despite receiving updates throughout the entire construction process, the news of the most recent delay reached Nick Marinello, Director of GPT’s “White Christmas”, very close to the adjusted opening date. After that final confirmation, the decision to cancel the show came very shortly after, and was communicated to the cast and crew immediately.
“We did look at other options, but White Christmas is a large, technically demanding show,” Marinello said. “It requires specific stage dimensions, technical capabilities, rehearsal, and load-in time that other venues couldn’t realistically provide on short notice.”
Gavin Bethell ’29, a male ensemble member and an adult tapper in the show, heard the news about the cancellation in the middle of his haircut he had in preparation for his role.
“I was very disappointed,” Bethell said. “At that point, we had already put in a lot of hard work, so the cancellation was a letdown.”
Regardless of the Schaap Center’s complications, GPT continues to look forward to mid-March when their Youth on Stage show, “The Wizard of Oz”, will be performed.
“While it’s heartbreaking that White Christmas never made it to the stage, the dedication and teamwork shown by everyone involved really highlight the strength of the theatre community,” Marinello said. “That spirit will carry forward into future productions.”
