The Mayor of Dexter Welcomes “The Mayor of Broadway”

From The Encore Theatre

Is Dexter big enough for two Mayors with magnetic personalities? That’s something The Encore Musical Theatre Company was willing to find out. Recently, they invited “The Mayor of Broadway” to come and choreograph Smokey Joe’s Café, their first full-scale production in their new performance venue.

While Shawn Keough won his race for Mayor of The City of Dexter back in 2014, Gerry McIntyre’s title was bestowed upon him while performing on The Great White Way back in 1988.

“It was my 30th birthday,” Gerry explains, “and I was working with Patti Lupone in Anything Goes. When Patti showed up to my party, along with the legendary choreographer, Jerome Robbins, among other Broadway stars, my friends looked at me in awe and said, ‘You’re like the Mayor of Broadway!’…and it stuck. I’ve held that title since my 30th birthday…and now,” Gerry quipped, in the way only a Broadway veteran can, “I am NOT 30.”

In fact, Gerry McIntyre and The Encore’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Dan Cooney, go way back in New York City’s Broadway scene. “When we decided to open our Season 13 with Smokey Joe’s Cafe, my first call was to Gerry.”, says Cooney. “I knew that he would bring an incredible energy and uniqueness to the choreography, and I had always dreamed of partnering with him creatively.”

Cooney thought it might be fun to get the two Mayors together, so he invited Mayor Keough to come out to The Encore’s new home to meet Gerry. As they talked, the two Mayors found they had a few things in common, not the least of which was that neither of them had ever aspired to be mayors — their titles had found their way to them.

“I got involved in City politics a long time ago because I was a civil engineer,” says Keough. “A friend of mine, who was on Council, wanted to study whether the water rates in Dexter were too high.” When his friend put together a “citizens committee,” Keough says, “I volunteered to be on the committee, but when I arrived at the meeting it turned out that I was the singular citizen invited to the Committee.” It was ultimately determined that the water rates were too low, not the answer that he wanted, but as Keough says, “it was just math.”

It was also Keough’s first introduction to, what was at the time, the Village of Dexter. After serving on the Council for a number of years, Keough then stepped into the role of interim Village President, for what was supposed to be the remaining year of the prior President’s term. That one year turned into seven until, in 2014, Dexter voted to become a City. Keough was then voted in as Mayor of the new City of Dexter, and has been serving in that role ever since.

When asked if he had higher political aspirations, Mayor Keough joked, “No — because I don’t want a divorce!” Then, growing a bit misty-eyed, he shared that, “I like the people part of this job. I feel at this level that I can make a real impact.”

Afterward, the two Mayors headed to Dexter’s Pub, a staple in town for nearly three decades. Owner, Peter Theocharakis, who has been a strong supporter of The Encore Theatre right from its inception, gave both Mayors the VIP treatment. Bonding over a cold beverage on a humid, late summer evening, the two made a toast to their new friendship, to The Encore Musical Theatre Company and to the great City that went above and beyond to facilitate the theatre’s move to the historic Copeland Building.

The Mayors were joined by Cooney and his wife, Broadway veteran, Jessica Grové, and First Lady, Chrissy Keough who, according to the mayor, fortunately has a degree in psychology “that often comes in handy with this job!”

Smokey Joe’s Café runs September 23rd through October 10th in the new Maas performance space in The Encore Musical Theatre.

To purchase tickets, go to www.theencoretheatre.org, visit the box office at 7714 Ann Arbor Street or call 734-268-6200.

Current Box Office Hours:

Tuesday & Wednesday 2:00-5:00; Thursday & Friday 10:00-1:00