TRAVERSE CITY — If Lesley Tye and Anthony Bero were to create a mash-up musical to reflect the evolution of their theater company, Mashup Rock & Roll Musical, it might look something like: “The Producers” meet “Rent.”
For the past 12 years, the group’s performances have essentially taken place wherever they could find a venue. From the now-closed Inside Out Gallery to the Civic Center, Elk Rapids Town Hall, and The Circuit, the small theater troupe was always on the move. But next month, they will debut a new show in their own space, The MATCH (Music, Arts, Theatre, Community, Home), located in the Cherryland Center.
It marks a major turning point for the group, whose beginnings are steeped in the classic showbiz “let’s put on a show” energy, balanced with their commitment to embrace the weird.
“I’m a writer, my husband’s a rock and roll guy,” explains Lesley Tye, who co-founded the group with her husband, Anthony Bero, in 2013.
“We wanted to do something sort of strange and weird and fun. And really just started with friends because people who knew us were the people who were going to come and audition for a show that nobody had ever heard of before.”
From their inaugural show, “How Grinchy Met the Who,” in 2013, Mashup has remained committed to delivering their unique brand of theater to the local community. A trademark of their brand is not only that they write every show they produce, but even more unheard of, they don’t license these shows to any other groups. It’s rare for an audience to witness a world premiere of a musical, yet for Mashup audiences, it’s routine.
They’ve also gravitated towards smaller spaces that are conducive to creating intimate performances that allow their audiences to truly feel like part of the show. And they’ve pulled that off, despite performing in spaces that weren’t originally designed for theater.
That type of nomadic existence, especially for a theatre company, has its drawbacks.
“It’s just that big challenge of not having a space,” says Tye.
Those challenges include the physical exertion of moving equipment in and out of venues, rehearsing in spaces that weren’t their performance space, and the repeated expense of renting sound and lighting gear.
When 2020 forced the entire world to slow down, Mashup took the opportunity to form as a nonprofit, setting the stage for the future of the group.
The idea to secure a space was sparked by lighting designer Bill Fishburn, who posed a simple question a year and a half ago: “What if we rented a commercial space, just for a month?” Tye recalls him asking.
In the past, the group would secure a space for two weeks before their show and for the duration of the run, which meant a short-term rental like Fishburn suggested might solve some of their problems.
They set out to find a permanent home, but what might seem simple in theory was anything but.
Commercial real estate is its own song and dance, and Mashup quickly learned there was a steep learning curve, dealing with everything from permits to new terminology like “assembly use” versus “mercantile use.”
They ultimately found their way to Cherryland Center. Because the group generally performs for audiences of 60-90 people, the space had to allow them to continue creating intimate theater experiences.
The realtor showed them a space that had been previously occupied by a church. Perhaps fitting, since it was essentially a leap of faith for them when they made the decision to move forward with the space.
Tye admits it was very much a “we don’t know how this is gonna work, but let’s give it a shot.”
“That’s kind of how we’ve always operated: you just make a plan, you make a deadline,” Tye says
And that’s exactly what they’ve done.
Setting deadlines was one piece of the puzzle; fundraising was the other.
The reality was they would need about $32,000 to bring the space up to code and perform necessary renovations.
Tye says they relied heavily on individual donations.
“Luckily, over the last few years, we’ve built a really dedicated audience,” she says.
Though donations often roll in $25 at a time, the consistency with which the donors give adds up.
Tye also notes that Diana Milock of the Begonia Foundation immediately embraced their vision and championed their cause, awarding them a $10,000 grant that helped meet the $32,000 goal and allowed renovations to begin in April. As summer progressed, however, they realized they needed to raise even more to cover additional improvements like acoustic paneling, curtains, and graphics within the space.
That’s when the Hickey-Kiersey Family Philanthropic Foundation stepped in — pledging to double donations up to $12,000 received through Aug. 23 at the Mashup’s website at https://mashuprockandrollmusical.com/
Oryana Community Co-op also pledged $1,000 to the cause.
Mashup has also secured a $10,000 Rotary Seed Grant for their pilot year and $5,000 from the Oleson Foundation to assist with facility management.
“It’s really been a community effort,” she says. “People who had never met us but had seen a show showed up to clean and paint.”
Now, with the space nearly ready, Mashup is focused on ensuring that The MATCH becomes more than just a home for their own productions.
“There are a lot of improv groups that I know struggle to find a consistent spot,” Tye explains. She hopes that other local arts groups will also be able to use the space, which is equipped with lighting and sound systems that were previously out of reach for smaller organizations.
“We hope to make this an affordable place that benefits a lot of people,” she says. “Our goal is to keep our rates really low to ensure it’s accessible.”
The MATCH is already creating opportunities for collaboration. Old Town Playhouse will use the space for rehearsals for “The Rocky Horror Show” in September, something Tye sees as a win for both organizations.
“People assume that OTP has enough space, but they’ve also struggled to find extra rehearsal space,” she says. “We’re really happy to help them out.”
While fundraising continues, the group is ready for its first official show in its new home.
Mashup will present the world premiere of “Quack to the Future,” a mashup of DuckTales and Back to the Future. This family-friendly musical comedy follows Huey, Louie, and Dewey back to the ‘50s, where they have to convince a younger Uncle Scrooge to help them get back in time — but only after they’ve made sure George and Lorraine fall in love so that Mallard McFly’s future is saved.
Tye says it features the music of Huey Lewis and the News, with rewritten lyrics, of course, and promises to be wacky and full of puns — particularly duck-related ones.
The cast will feature veteran troupe members along with some new faces. A five-piece live band will provide the music, and, as Mashup followers have come to expect, the show will involve audience participation. Whether it’s through suggestions, on-stage appearances, or even dancing, the audience will play a part in the experience.
In addition to providing entertainment, Mashup is committed to making its productions accessible. To that end, they offer one pay-what-you-can performance for each show.
“We have folks who can only pay $5, and we get to perform for them. They’re always one of the most energetic crowds,” says Tye.
Mashup also partners with nonprofits for each pay-what-you-can night, splitting the proceeds. Past collaborations have benefited organizations like Up North Pride, Generations Ahead, and Safe Harbor.
With The MATCH now a reality, Tye is looking forward to seeing how it can grow.
“We want to keep it a performance space first,” she says. “But we also hope to create more opportunities for arts education.”
In the end, it’s all about creating a space that’s a perfect match for everyone.
“We’re all about inclusion and trying to create a space where everybody feels welcome,” she says.
Quack to the Future opens Friday, Sept. 5, and runs through Sunday, Sept.13. For tickets and showtimes, visit mashuprockandrollmusical.com.
Dates and deadlines Fundraising: Hickey-Kiersey Family Philanthropic Foundation pledged a matching challenge grant of $12,000 to help with the remainder of improvements costs through Aug. 23. Donate at https://mashuprockandrollmusical.ludus.com/fundraiser.php?id=4557 Quack to the Future opens Friday, Sept. 5, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 13. For tickets and showtimes, visit mashuprockandrollmusical.com. {related_content_uuid}c329d495-8af1-4d4f-b143-c72d096568cb{/related_content_uuid}