Open Stage Showcase

The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.

As part of our 60th anniversary celebrations, we’re reviving an old tradition!  Our Open Stage Showcase lets us shine a light on some of our standout performers who’ve graced our Open Stage through the year.  Join us for full sets from Brooke Bowker, Pat Clinton and Michael Shelata!

Brooke Bowker is a musician from Ypsilanti, Michigan. She writes lyrically driven songs featuring tuneful melodies and the mellow sounds of her nylon string guitar. Her music has been described as, “like Zooey Deschanel meets Ani DiFranco” Brooke’s debut album is due out later this year. 

Patrick Clinton wrote his first song in 1968, and after a long hiatus, he’s at it again. He’s known for offbeat, witty, often hilarious tunes about everything from frogs and chickens to cowboys, mashed potatoes, and doomed romance.

You may know him as the former host of the Ark’s Open Stage, now let Michael Shelata delight your ears with his piano solos in a wide variety of styles and genres. Michael has written, performed and recorded custom original soundtracks for a nationally acclaimed storyteller, a musical score and sound effects for a short children’s film and collaborated and created an original song for theatre production, “The Bride Wore Black.”  Michael completed five levels of improvisation and skit comedy training with Second City. He learned techniques for delivering spontaneous surprising humor and wrote and performed all the music for a show the team produced.