On a usual day, Detroit's theater marquees boast the upcoming shows of superstars on global tours, that emerging band you've been longing to see, hot rappers, funny comedians, new movies and so on.

Now, with most people staying at home or too busy with essential jobs to notice, those starry names up in lights are gone — often replaced by messages of hope to a community that's feeling solemn and more than a little scared.

It's another sign of the times.

The Magic Bag in Ferndale, a prime spot for nightlife on Woodward Avenue that's normally busy with live acts, tribute bands and everything from comedians to live podcasts, has closed its doors until further notice.

But the marquee continues to bring people together with a missive as comforting as the retro hits played by a Magic Bag favorite, the Mega 80's band. "We are all in this together," it reads. "Now please go wash your hands."

The Fillmore Detroit had been looking forward to hosting the "Chippendales 2020 Get Naughty Tour" on Saturday and — talk about a mood switch — "Pee-wee's Big Adventure 35th Anniversary Tour" with Paul Reubens on Sunday.

Now the schedule through April is a sea of postponements — and the Fillmore marquee, aka as its digital reader board, bears this temporary goodbye: "We love you Detroit. Be back soon."

In Ann Arbor, the Michigan Theater and its sister cinema a block away, the State Theatre, have been closed by the COVID-19 outbreak. All movies and events are canceled at least through March 31.

It won't be home to 2020's Ann Arbor Film Festival, which is switching to livestreaming this year, and it will have to wait for this year's Cinetopia Film Festival, which has been rescheduled for Aug. 21-30.

But the campus movie hub is keeping up spirits. "Good health to all" is the message of its center marquee to those who reside in the University of Michigan's home turf.

The Royal Oak Music Theatre is a venue that handily juggles all genres, going from country to rock to a live taping of a Preet Bharara podcast on any given week.

It officially is postponing all of its shows through the end of May. The two-sided marquee now has no big names to share, just this sentiment that speaks to better days ahead: "Music can change the world because it can change people."

On Friday, the letter N in "can" was askew on the marquee to the right. Its placement seems a little like the state of the world these days. We are hanging in there, but things do feel precarious.

In December 2019, Ilitch Holdings announced Kid Rock had "voluntarily decided not to renew" his licensing agreement for his Made in Detroit restaurant at Little Caesars Arena.

The news arrived after a video emerged of Kid Rock at his Nashville restaurant, seemingly drunk and aiming a graphic rant at Oprah Winfrey.

But this week, the sign outside the restaurant was one of healing and sticking together as a city while staying home. "Stay safe Detroit," it read. "We will get through this together."

In Plymouth, the Penn Theatre sits nestled in the town square of the picturesque city between Detroit and Ann Arbor. Normally, it shows second-run movies and some vintage titles for kids and family.

The site relies on volunteers to operate. It currently is closed until April 8. "We plan to reopen on Thursday, April 9 unless the situation dictates otherwise," explains the update on the its website.

More:How Detroit TV news teams are coping amid coronavirus pandemic

More:NBC News staffer Larry Edgeworth dies after coronavirus diagnosis

The Penn marquee mixes hope and poignancy by proclaiming the tentative run dates of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" on April 9, 10, 11 and 16. The blockbuster is scheduled to screen those days at this single-film cinema.

The situation probably will dictate otherwise. But the marquee still believes the force is with us.

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com.