MTD to stage classic romantic comedy in time for Valentine's Day

Allison Kochanski plays Ella and Jake Wood plays Jeff in OU's production of "Bells are Ringing."

Before the iPhone, before texting and before the home answering machine, if you wanted to get hold of someone who was not available to answer the phone, you left a message with an operator who managed a switchboard cluttered with tangled cables.

That's all history now, but the era will be brought back to life in an all-singing, all-dancing revival of the 1956 classic Broadway show "Bells are Ringing," performed by the talented students in Oakland University's Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.

"Bells are Ringing," a funny and romantic show set in New York, is the perfect antidote to winter, featuring great Broadway songs like "The Party's Over" and "Just in Time." It's also a way to celebrate Valentine's Day in a time-honored way – with tickets for a show – without breaking the bank.

More than 40 OU students are involved in the production, many of them from southeastern Michigan. The lead actors are no exception. Allison Kochanski, who plays Ella, graduated from Troy Athens High School and Jake Wood, who plays Jeff, graduated from Brother Rice High School in Birmingham.

Performances are set for 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Eisenhower High School Performing Arts Center, 6500 25 Mile Road, Shelby Township, Mich., 48316. The Saturday evening performance will be shadow-signed by interpreters from TerpTheatre, who wear costumes and move with the actors instead of standing off to the side of the stage.

Tickets are $17 for general admission and $9 for students. They can be purchased at OU's Varner Box Office, open from 3-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or at Eisenhower High School one hour before the show starts. Tickets also can be purchased with no service fee by calling (248) 370-3013 or by visiting starticketsplus.com. For more information visit oakland.edu/mtd or call (248) 370-2030.