A Night with Janis Joplin - Ordway

Photo by Joan Marcus

If you are looking for a night of fantastic songs from a bygone era, an amazing band and electrifying vocals, look no further than "A Night with Janis Joplin" playing at the Ordway through April 3rd. The whole evening is set up as a concert with Janis Joplin - played by the 2014 Tony Award nominee Mary Bridget Davies. It does not disappoint (unless you are looking for a traditional book musical.)

The show starts a bit slow (at it did least on opening night), but I think that is mainly because it is a bit out of the ordinary for the traditional theater-going crowd. Once Davies lets loose, she is a force to be reckoned with and she got the audience on her side, to the point of more than one mid-show standing ovation. The audience was not huge, but they were enthusiastic, and were screaming for more. More than that, the excitement felt organic and not forced. It didn't feel like "the band wants us to clap so we'll clap," nor did it feel like "we just got permission to scream in the theater, so let's do it." What it felt like was the audience wanted to clap, scream and get moving but needed a bit of guidance from the stage before letting loose. And once they let loose, the energy of the room shifted. It was great! I can only imagine the energy that would have been in a full house, or a smaller room.

Photo by Joan Marcus

The other great thing is that this was a strong female cast of amazing voices! The show is not Beautiful in that it doesn't tell the story of Janis Joplin and her life. In fact, it is a bit cleaned up and family friendly. Yes, there is swearing however there is no mention of the drug use that eventually killed Janis at the age of 27 in 1970.

What the show does is give you an audience with Janis so that you can hear a bit of her life, and her influences. It was great seeing Etta James (Tawny Dolley), Bessie Smith, Odetta (both played by Cicily Daniels), Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone (both played by Q. Smith), and a character simply named Blues Singer (the amazing Jennifer Leigh Warren). All of these characters had some influence on what Janis sang and her connection to the blues. Hearing these women, these icons of song sing...then hearing Janis's version of those same songs was fantastic. The ensemble was terrific and so versatile as they also sang some back-up vocals for Janis, and Aretha. The band was incredible as well. It was an all male band (as was Big Brother and the Holding Company) and they sounded and looked the part.

Photo by Joan Marcus

The set was simple and effective. The costumes that made the ensemble into the icons were fantastic, and Ms Davies had the look, mannerisms and the voice of Janis Joplin down to a T. Honestly, there were times that were spine-tingling because I felt I was transported back to seeing Janis live and in person (especially with the projections behind the band - totally trippy and 60's and perfect!) And if that is the experience you want, then you get your butt down to the Ordway and you have it. You will hear all the Janis songs that you want to hear, and more.

PS: I just found out that Janis played once here in the Twin Cities. She played at the Guthrie Theater on August 18, 1968. I can't imagine her at the Guthrie.

co-written - Jules, KRL

The Normal Heart - New Epic Theater

The young New Epic Theater is living up to its name with their latest endeavor: Two challenging plays in repertory at The Lab Theater (through April 16).

The Normal Heart and Coriolanus are both substantial plays on their own, but to present both with the same director and company of actors is wildly ambitious in the best way. And after seeing The Normal Heart, I can't wait to see what they do with Coriolanus.

Photo by Patrick Kennedy

The Normal Heart is Larry Kramer’s 1985 play about the early days of the AIDS crisis in New York City. The semiautobiographical story follows writer Ned Weeks, who reacts to the deaths of his friends from the mysterious “gay cancer” by becoming an outspoken and frequently abrasive activist and one of the founders of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis organization.

This intimate and intense production features a fabulous cast. Michael Wieser depicts Ned Weeks's journey from writer to outspoken activist with a warmth and humor that lasts even when Weeks's intensity alienates him from his own organization. Torsten Johnson (Bruce Niles) and JuCoby Johnson (Felix, Ned's lover) both provide multi-layered performances in a strong solid cast that also includes Michelle O'Neill, Grant Sorenson, Zach Curtis, Antonio Duke, Adam Qualls, and the always magnetic Grant Sorenson. 

Photo by Patrick Kennedy

The austerity of The Lab Theater provides a perfect backdrop. New Epic’s production, staged by artistic director Joseph Stodola, takes place on a stark stage with neat rows of old-style metal desks facing the back wall, which become waiting areas for the actors who are not actively in the story. Having the actors (mostly) onstage nicely deals with the fact that at the Lab, the entrances to the stage are all at the far corners of the building. It also adds to the gravity of the story, as the actors solemnly watch the proceedings from their desks.

As The Normal Heart is part of two plays in repertory, I feel like I'm writing this with only one half of the story. There are so many elements of the staging of this play and the performances that I think will be more clear after seeing Coriolanus. So we'll be back for more after that!

Further reading:

 If The Normal Heart leaves you wanting to know more about the irascible Larry Kramer, check out this 2015 Boston Globe story: "Even at 80, Larry Kramer Isn't About to Play Nice."

If the play left you with questions about what happened when with the AIDS crisis, check out this fascinating Timeline of HIV/AIDS.

And for an in-depth exploration of the AIDS crisis from the beginning to today, check out Frontline's series on PBS: The Age of AIDS.

(Co-written by Carly and Jules)

An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein / Table 12 - Freshwater Theatre

We all know the work of Shel Silverstein. His quintessential book "The Giving Tree" is known world-wide, and most of us grew up with some of his kids poetry books. What some people may not know is that Silverstein was also a songwriter."A Boy named Sue" was one of his songs, and I first heard his music via 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan." All this to say that when I heard that Freshwater Theatre was going to do "An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein", well, I was intrigued. Beyond "The Giving Tree", I had always found his poetry to be amusing but with a touch of the fantastic, and troubling. I was not disappointed.

Out of the ten short plays included in the script for "An Adult...", Freshwater did two of them. Directed by Ariel Leaf, they started the evening with "The Best Daddy." This short piece deals with a father who bought his daughter a pony for her birthday. He presents it to her covered up with a blanket. After she guesses that it is a pony, he then tells her that he shot it.....and that it isn't a pony but her younger sister....who he may have also shot..... Absurd and troubling, yet John Zeiler and Lacey Zeiler played the humorous aspects perfectly. Lacey knows how to play the child, while also providing a touch of the adult "what the ..." John also plays the father fantastically. Allowing his daughter to enjoy the surprise of a pony, then shocking her with the truth, then backpedalling to the next truth, etc. Always being true to what is being said and fully believing in his actions.

The second short Silverstein play was "One Tennis Shoe." Again John and Lacey Zeiler played both parts - a husband and a wife sitting down for coffee. The husband brings up that the wife is starting to become a bag lady - and things start to unravel from there. This is a great two-hander that played to the strengths of both actors versatility and their commitment to the action. Never did it seem that they were rolling their eyes at how crazy these two seem but they played the characters truth...and it was funny!!

After a ten-minute intermission, "Table 12: A Play at a Wedding" by Ruth Virkus started. The setting is a wedding reception, specifically that one table where all the riffraff is seated. You know the table - the friends of the brides parents who the bride is forced to invited, the loser friend of the bride, the grooms boss, the stalker ex-boyfriend of the bride, etc. Add to this a waiter who is being paid to babysit the stalker (by the stalkers mother) and you have the perfect combination of people for a really wild, fun ride of a show. Directed by Nicole Wilder, the cast of eight were perfectly cast. The table starts with Christophe (Ben Layne) and Leroylyn (Katie Starks) as the next door neighbors. Add the grooms boss Mave (Rachel Flynn), then the waiter (Michael Terrell Brown - playing him with just the perfect amount of flame/flair) bringing in Charlie, the ex (perfectly played by Scot Moore) and you are off to a great start. The waiter laying down the rules for Charlie was a great bit, and well written. Finally, add to the mix Amy waiting for her blind date (Mame Pelletier), Saul - the ex brother-in-law to the bride (J. Merrill Motz) and The Other Guy (Michael Postle) and you have a fantastic recipe for fun, laughs, philosophical insights on relationships, and a totally charming work. The whole evening was 90 mins and thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to seeing more new work from Freshwater Theatre.

Playing in reportory with We Just Clicked at the Phoenix Theater through April 3

Taylor Mac - Guthrie Theater

[Editor's note: All three of the MNTheaterLovers saw Taylor Mac on Saturday night at the Guthrie. The show gave us so much to discuss that we decided to try a round-robin chat instead of a straightforward review. -Jules]

KRL

So - Taylor Mac.

Carly

So yeah!

KRL

Is Jules on here yet?

Jules

Here!

Carly

So we're here because we needed to process the amazing theatrical event that was Taylor Mac's 20thCentury. [See full title above] What did y'all think?

KRL

Yeah - so - how do we start? Initial thoughts? Expectations?

Carly

My initial thoughts are that that was a theatrical experience unlike any other I've ever seen.

Jules

I knew Taylor Mac was a New York-based performance artist and a playwright (Mixed Blood did Mac's play Hir in 2015) and that he performed in wild costumes. That was enough to make me want to see him.

Photo: Dan Norman

KRL

What I knew of Taylor is that judy (Taylor’s chosen preferred pronoun) has performed with Justin Vivian Bond. I knew that Taylor has done a lot of performance and cabaret work in NYC and that the Maxamoo podcast loves Taylor. As for expectations, I went in open-minded.

Carly

The audience participation element--

KRL

--was fantastic!

Jules
I loved that he used the audience participants in different and unexpected ways.

KRL

I felt it was a bit awkward but it all made sense to everyone at the end. Sometimes audience participation is done just to do it and there is no real good reason for it. Yet Taylor always explained his purpose to bringing in folks.

Carly

I love that it was so much more than just rote--as you say, KRL. I love that he was really trying to make change. I love that there was no half-assing it.

KRL

True. It wasn't done just to get the audience involved, it was done to INVOLVE the audience. Not just physically but emotionally, mentally, politically.

Jules

There was so much food for thought in this show. We got the "abridged" 2.5 hour version of what will be a 24-hour project, but I can't imagine getting through 24 hours of his work without needing some downtime to process all of his ideas.

Carly

Amen.

To both of those thoughts.

KRL

I think the 24 hour would be like seeing any Philip Glass opera for the first time - there is so much coming at you that you just need to take a break sometimes, and that is totally all right. Or any endurance work. I wonder how Taylor is going to handle the whole experience vocally. I really wanted to ask judy last night about judy's vocal preparation, technique, etc. 

Jules

I loved the idea of getting rid of ideas from the 20th century that no longer serve us in the 21st. And the elements of acknowledging what has gone before and then releasing it.

Photo: Dan Norman

KRL

Yes!

Carly

For shiz! I loved how he referenced theater in a completely, wild open way. I wanted all of his amazing quotes about theater and audience participation.

Carly

I was looking for some of judy's fab quotes and found this article, which I'm including for later perusal: The Ridiculous Performance of Taylor Mac, Theatre Journal, Dec. 2012 

Jules

So many wonderful things. I liked him saying that he wasn't an educator but a reminder... here to remind people of what they may have forgotten. I think that's a wonderful thing to aspire to--to be a reminder.

KRL

Yes! I love that judy knows theater so well and knows how judy can work it as well as judy does. Taylor knows what works for judy and what doesn't. That self confidence was amazing. The skill judy has in working an audience - only comes from years of practice and really focusing on the audience while performing - a difficult task.

KRL

Sidebar: there are scripts of Taylor's for sale which I am looking forward to. Taylor also has a vimeo page, and audio recordings! Links at http://www.taylormac.org/.

Carly

From the artist's note in the program: "Popular songs use their simplicity, imperfection and humanity to rally people towards a cause (whether that cause is to love, fight, celebrate, or mourn.) ... As a result, I've decided the popular song was the form I wanted for a show about imperfection fostering community."

Photo: Dan Norman

Jules

I appreciate the idea of using judy as a pronoun, but I noted that the music director [the wonderful Matt Ray] used male pronouns [during the talkback], so I decided to be conventional, boring, and heteronormative so as to not confuse myself.

Carly

Hee hee!

KRL

Jules - and I don't think Joe Haj ever used a pronoun but always used judys (judy's?) proper name.

Jules

K-I think you're right!

Carly

Yeah, way to oppress, Jules!

KRL

Anywho - just a note on Radical Faeries. It was a group started in the 70's with the gay movement that was fighting against the gender-normative society, as well as being more open to the pagan aspect of spirituality. [Taylor referred to the show as a 'Radical Faery ritual sacrifice' (sacrificing those 20th century ideas that don't serve us anymore like Patriarchy, etc) more than once. At the talkback, some Radical Faeries in the audience asked if Taylor was part of the group. He considers that he’s sort of an associate member. Not fully engaged, but appreciating most of their message.]

Jules

C-that reminds me about what Taylor said about Patti Smith, Nina Simone, and who was the third? That the message was more important than perfection?

Carly

Tiny Tim!

Jules

Right! I knew there was one more.

KRL

I don't know much about Tiny Tim except he brings in a camp factor while Patti and Nina are so political and fantastic and serious. Well, Patti is very funny as well but in a very punk way. I heart emoticon her so much.

Carly

I wondered what Tiny Tim added as well, unless it's the pure camp. And everyone should read Patti's book Just Kids.

KRL

I think Tiny Tim fought some gender roles for sure. Just Kids is great and her books of poetry are really good as well. I have some of her albums that I could share with both of you if you'd like.

Jules

And Tiny Tim stuck to his character for decades. There's some kind of strength there.

KRL

True. Maybe that is what he also brought in - the performance/drag aspect. Creating a character and living life as that character.

Jules

Good point, K.

Carly

Another interesting note from the Artist's Note: "The goal is that with each performance we build the community that is participating in this durational work." I think that's what makes this theatrical experience so unique. What he gives the audience and what he asks of us in return.

Jules

I did appreciate his ideas about breaking down and rebuilding communities. That really resonated to me as we can become to entrenched in our ways of thinking that they become unthinking. And Taylor's work makes us question those ideas and consider whether they still serve us.

KRL

Jules - I did appreciate that aspect as well, and bringing in the audience to help us change our thinking

Carly

I was thinking of how much this show must take out of him as opposed to a more conventional theatrical experience.

Jules

I felt like he gave us SO MUCH during the show. But he seemed to be just as giving in the talkback afterward.

KRL

Carly - I think it takes a lot out of him but also feeds him so much. After all, Taylor mentioned a few times of how much he loves and thrives on the ambivalence that he gets from an audience - do they like me, do they hate me? That brings us right back to A - audience participation. I felt that we coalesced more as a group/audience than if we had just sat and watched.

Carly

I think Jules put it better. He GIVES so much. I put it badly.

KRL, yes, a great point.

Jules

There is something forceful about Taylor's stage presence. Especially at the beginning, before anyone knew what to expect, Taylor was working hard to make us pay attention to him. Because what Taylor was saying was important!

KRL

Jules - I agree to some extent. I think that Taylor had a great point when he said that most people associate drag with alcoholism. However I know that this is changing. Honestly I think Hedwig started this change - make us as people see that drag is more than just drag.

Carly

I think Taylor's commitment to his work and to the audience is unique, not just among drag performers, but all.

Jules

Commitment is a good word for it, C.

KRL

Carly - I agree. He is fully committed which is so intense. But he isn't just committed to the "character" Taylor, but it seems to Taylor the performer as well.

Carly

So he talks about the 24-Decade History of Popular Music community (he calls them "The Guild of Lilies.") Found this interview with him at Bomb magazine.

KRL

I think the Lily aspect relates to this show. http://www.taylormac.org/portfolio_page/the-lilys-revenge/.

Carly

Ooh, can I say that I have NEVER wished so much to be able to bring a camera to a show. SO many amazing shots of him up in the audience and on stage.

Jules

I'm so happy that the Guthrie (thank you, Joe Haj!) brought Taylor to the stage and I wish every seat had been full. I think people either didn't know who Taylor was or didn't know what to expect from the show.

KRL

I agree with both of you.

Carly

I wish so too. And I love that Joe committed to him in the [Wurtele] Thrust. Would we have seen that in the Dowling years?

KRL

Taylor is an important artist who more people need to experience. And yes to him being in the thrust instead of the [Dowling] Studio.

Jules

No, I don't think that would have happened earlier and I think it's a breath of fresh air to have his message on the same stage as Chekhov. And A Christmas Carol.

Carly

Speaking of the Dowling Studio, can we work on promoting Colman Domingo's show in advance so there's not an empty seat in the house? [A Boy and His Soul, written and performed by Colman Domingo, runs August 9 - August 28, 2016.]

KRL

Yes, we can and we should. It would give us a chance to write about Colman's previous experience here [The Scottsboro Boys, The People's Temple at the Guthrie].

Jules

I do feel like the G should have talked up the show more in advance. And yes, we should talk about Colman a lot!

KRL

I feel that Taylor is tough to talk up. How do you explain a performer and a performance like that in a way that will get people in the door? Transformative theater? That scares people away usually.

Carly

Just going to say that, K!

Jules

True! People don't want to feel preached to.

KRL

I think there are a lot of ways to talk about it - Transformative, Community building theater, endurance theater - all things that intrigue and interest me, but I know my parents would have no interest. And my mom would be turned off by the drag aspect. Though he should have brought in more of the younger crowd - not just the younger gay crowd. Again - I think is the NY Cabaret scene that is tough to sell/market here because we don't have one.

Carly

I'm not sure endurance theater gets in the punters. 

KRL

So true. I know that I saw The Screens twice as well as Angels in America [legendarily long plays] - both on the all day show days. I love it!

Jules

It is weirdly hard to explain Taylor's show without sounding like it's a polemic or screed. Maybe a communal artistic experience? Probably wouldn't work on Minnesotans anyway.

KRL

ha ha ha - true

Carly

Oh cripes no.

KRL

And communal artistic experience wouldn't work in NYC either, I don't think.

Jules

But now that a few hundred people have seen what Taylor does, I think it will be easier to talk about when/if we are able to get him back to the Cities.

Carly

Any last thoughts? How about the musicianship?

KRL

Yes.

Jules

Oh, man, that band! They were an awesome rainbow combo!

Carly

That they were!

KRL

Matt Ryan was amazing on the piano and did incredible arrangements. So amazing. The band sounded great and took their moments to shine, yet sounded incredible together. Clearly they work together often.

Jules

And the arrangements were so inventive, putting a new perspective on old tunes.

Carly

And the insight we got from the talkback about the spontaneity of the arrangements and mash-ups.

Jules

And I think Taylor practiced what judy preached and made the message more important than the pretty.

KRL

Taylor's voice was so singular–masculine yet with such a large range and such power! Though I also feel that it had a bit of an "old Judy Garland/vocal damage" hint to it. Which I find really interesting as Justin Vivian Bond has a very similar vocal sound. It makes me wonder about their backgrounds, and how they got their voices. And I think Taylor's voice was always pretty.

Carly

I feel like Jules's composing an email about Taylor's voice.

Cause we just have the one brain.

Jules

Taylor's voice was great, but I think the arrangements, by forgoing the expected sounds, focused the attention on what Taylor wanted to express through the song. As in, it was about more than pretty.

KRL

Jules - yes, i agree totally.

Carly

Yes, Jules, and Taylor talked about his influences being about more than the song.

I mean, more than the singer's voice.

KRL

It was always on focus with judy's message. The whole show was so focused and had such strong intentions.

Carly

I have one more point to make. We have not even MENTIONED Taylor’s wild costume. And I absolutely love that his costume was basically falling apart at the end. So much better than if he was immaculate at the end.

KRL

YES!

and did he lose part of the long silver front?

Carly

I think he did.

And he was fraying.

Jules

Did you think that was intentional? I kept wondering where that part came from.

KRL

It seemed to get shorter after the nazi/Oklahoma bit.

Jules

I really wanted to know a) how heavy was that headpiece and b) how did it stay on Taylor's head?

KRL

Personally, I was hoping Taylor would exit and re-enter in a new costume for the encore.

Jules

I hoped for another Taylor costume too. But there was a lot going on in the one we saw.

Carly

For sure. And I loved how meta and behind the curtain he was with not leaving for his encore.

KRL

craft

Carly

Craft!

Jules

Yes!

  

KRL

I love Taylor’s use of that word. It is such a great catch-all for so much.

Jules

Okay. I will email you both when I have a draft. I think we'll need some cleanup!

Carly

Yay!

Hey, next time we do this, I think we will have to take turns.

(co-written by KRL, Carly, and Jules)

Nina Simone: Four Women - Park Square Theater (Guest Post!)

Don’t let me be misunderstood!

Nina Simone: Four Women is currently in its world premiere at the Andy Boss stage at Park Square Theater in St. Paul. The show runs through March 26.

Actor-singer Regina Marie Williams takes on the role of Nina Simone. It’s a role she performed a few years ago in a one-woman show at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis. That show was essentially just the music of Nina Simone. But here and now, we have a full-fledged play written by Christina Ham and directed by Faye Price, with Nina Simone as the central character.

Regina Marie Williams as Nina Simone; photo
 by Petronella J. Ytsma

The play is set in 1963 in the bombed out ruins of the 16th Street Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, the day after the four little girls were killed. The event inspired Nina Simone's song "Mississippi Goddam." She meets three other women who are seeking shelter in the church from the riots outside. These woman are played skillfully by actor-singers Aimee K. Bryant, Thomasina Petrus and Traci Allen Shannon and serve as the fictitious inspiration in the show for Simone to write one of her signature songs, "Four Women," which depicts stereotypes of black women.

It was during this period that Simone became more of an artist/activist--realizing how difficult it was to sing tender ballads like “I Love You Porgy” while the civil rights movement was gaining momentum. (Note her use of "Love," not "Loves.") The play clearly outlines how black women were marginalized during this time--not just for their race, but also for their sex. I learned that during the March on Washington in 1963, black women were even forced to walk down a separate street to hear Martin Luther King speak. Also, only one black woman was allowed to speak at this monumental, historic gathering and her speech was written by a black man.

Nina Simone: Four Women is an important, thought-provoking piece of theater, where these four women bond and become stronger individuals as a result. In the process, we are given a taste of Simone’s prickly personality. (Much later, in the 1980s, she would be diagnosed as bipolar. According to her daughter, she was an abusive parent after being abused herself both physically and mentally by her controlling husband.)

This original production is a good introduction to an important turning point in Nina Simone’s complex and complicated life. Sanford Moore’s arrangements are beautifully vocalized in the play--the harmonies are heavenly. A special shout out to the effective lighting design by Michael Wangen. My only disappointment was that there wasn’t more of Nina Simone’s music in the show, but it understandably wasn’t created as that type of play. Thankfully, we avid Simone fans have our old LPs and CDs for that!

A marvelous companion piece to this play is the documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? I highly recommend it if you have any interest in Nina Simone, and after seeing this show, you will.

(Guest post by rickjallen)

Basement Creatures - In the Heart of the Beast

Enormously strange and utterly original, Basement Creatures at the In the Heart of the Beast Theater (HOBT) left me nearly speechless. 

Summing it up is incredibly difficult, so I'll let the madly skilled folks at HOBT tell you what it is (and it runs through March 26, btw):

"This wildly original rock opera follows the journey of a subterranean explorer, featuring a stellar live band, haunting choral voices, aerial dance, and puppetry peculiarities from the underworld. Emerging from the sold-out run of performances in Puppet Lab 2015, this expanded production includes your favorite singing centipedes and lonely bedbugs, along with all new monsters from under your bed."

2015 production photo by Bruce Silcox

So let's start at the very beginning.

As you enter the theater, mysterious masked figures offer you a glowing "elixir of life." Sipping the elixir, you mill about the area customarily used as seating but now housing the art exhibit "A New Twist on the Old Testament Part II" by Samuel Robertson. Shielding the stage is a large white curtain, with mysterious sounds emitting from behind it. Finally, the gong is sounded and the ushers beckon you onto the stage. Taking a seat on the risers, you settle in.

The lights go down, the band begins and chains rattle as a dark-clad, silent 'explorer' climbs the chains in a lovely aerial dance and descends into 'the basement.' Here she meets (in song!) centipedes, bedbugs, silk spiders, professors and organ surgeons, all depicted by a talented cast of aerialists, musicians, puppeteers, and projectionists. And, of course, she meets the mysterious "basement dweller."

Basement Creatures was created by Lead Artist (and "Basement Dweller") Davey T Steinman, who was inspired by his own childhood and home basements, as well as the "waiting darkness" of Minnesota winters. The show started at the HOBT Puppet Lab fellowship, and an abridged version was produced by HOBT last year. This version is revised and expanded from the original.

2015 production photo by Bruce Silcox

As someone who loves musicals and all things spooky, I was all about this show, but had no idea what to actually expect. It's far more rocking than I expected (even though it's described as a rock opera--I've seen too many musicals purporting to be rock operas to trust the term) and far more abstract as well. But when the bedbug started singing "Lonely Bedbug," I was in, and during "Gates of Hell", I was ready to buy the CD. (Which I did, and it's going to add considerably to my Halloween music collection.)

What else? The aerial work is amazing, the puppets are wonderfully creative, and the lighting and projections work beautifully together with the music to create an incredibly original, yet dream-like experience. The show also features the work of Artemis, a vocal ensemble with gorgeous harmonies (playing the part of the pipe organ). Although there was so much of the show that I loved, there were a few bits I just didn't get. In some ways, it still feels a bit like a work in progress, but a fascinating one with even more amazing potential.

And I love that I have a whole new list of talented performers to keep an eye out for in local theater. For one, I'm very curious to see what projections Davey T Steinman comes up with for Carson Kreitzer's Lasso of Truth, an upcoming Workhaus Collective/Walking Shadow Theatre Company production starting April 15 at the Playwrights' Center.

Tosca - MN Opera at the Ordway

Kaduce and Capalbo - (c) Dan Norman

To paraphrase Rodgers and Hammerstein - What a Grand Night of Singing!! Tosca is the second of Puccini's four best known operas, coming between La Boheme and Madame Butterfly, and Turandot (his last opera written about 20 years after the first three). There are other operas that he wrote and many of the arias from these operas are among the worlds most famous. At least two of the best known arias are from Tosca - Vissi d'arte from Act Two, and E lucevan le stelle from Act Three. All that to say that the opera is well known, and well loved, and yet it was my first time seeing a full production.

Powell and ensemble - (c) Dan Norman

The curtain went up to a stunning set of the inside of the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle. There is a large statue of the Madonna rising out of a gorgeous gold halo design set at an angle in the center of the set. Stairs surround this halo, and the projected backdrop is filled with paintings. The synopsis will fill you in on the details of the story which will allow me to focus on the production and performance. Angelotti (as sung by Andrew Lovato) enters through the house and runs on stage to hide in the chapel. All the other characters enter from backstage, or off stage. The first act sets up a lot of story, and is wonderful in showing how jealous Tosca (the glorious and MN Opera favorite Kelly Kaduce) is, as well as how faithful and religious she is. It also shows so clearly how much she and Cavaradossi (the amazing Leonardo Capalbo) are in love. They have a true passionate love for each other that echos through out the rest of the opera. Cavaradossi also hints at how evil Scarpia (as wonderfully sung by Stephen Powell) is and how lustful he is - though he is the chief of police. Towards the end of Act One, there is a Te Deum sung in honor of the defeat of Napoleon. The chorus is on stage, the Te Deum is being sung while Scarpia is singing about how much he wants Tosca and will have her. During this, Tosca leaves and is followed by a police agent - both leaving through the house and out the back door of the house. As gorgeous as this moment was musically, and theatrically - it was an inconsistent moment as those were the only two times the cast walked through the audience. One small misstep in my opinion to an otherwise fantastic production.

Kaduce and Powell - (c) Dan Norman

Act Two takes place in the Farnese Palace, which is police headquarters. The set is a dark set, multiple levels with a curved staircase at the back. The main platform has a gorgeous dinner table set out, three chandeliers hanging and a projected backdrop of deep red curtains. On the dinner table were two or three candelabras with candles burning. This is the setting for the central conflict between Tosca and Scarpia with Cavaradossi's life hanging in the balance. While one of my friends commented that Scarpia was not evil incarnate at the start of the opera, I totally disagree. I felt that his entrance in Act One was chilling and clearly made the chorus uncomfortable. At the same time you realize during Act Two how evil and twisted this character is. Stephen Powell did a fantastic job of slowly dropping the mask and showing Scarpia's true nature. I have to admit I was tense all through this act and it was great! Kelly Kaduce's "Vissi d'arte" was magnificent and moving. The physicality of this actress astounded me again after seeing her in Rusalka. The fighting between her and Scarpia, the manhandling that she deals with was so realistic and well done. You could clearly see that they were struggling. The moments between her and Cavaradossi during this act were heartbreaking. The chemistry between them was as hot as the chemistry between Tosca and Scarpia was cold and hateful. The curtain comes down on Act Two with Scarpia dead on the floor, and Tosca slowly walking up the stairs to exit, dragging her shawl behind her, the candles almost burnt down - a fantastic visual.

Capalbo - (c) Dan Norman

The last act takes place on the top of Castel Sant'Angelo. The day is starting, a shepherd boy enters and sings a song, bells are ringing and dawn is slowly breaking. Cavaradossi is brought in to prepare for the firing squad. He makes one final request to write a letter to one he loves and will miss dearly. The aria was spellbinding. Tosca enters to let him know what transpired at the end of Act Two, that Scarpia provided them both with safe passage and that the firing squad will be shooting blanks. The firing squad enters, shoots him and leaves. Tosca stands watching them leave while telling Cavaradossi to "stay down, don't move until they are gone." She turns, once they are in the clear, and heads to the body of her lover. The final minutes of this opera were wonderful to watch. The choices that Kelly Kaduce make, that Tosca makes were so clear and it made the final moment inevitable.

The whole production was beautiful to watch and hear. The orchestra, lead by Anne Manson, was gorgeous, making every moment count. Costumes and set by Lorenzo Cutùli were perfect - colorful when needed, muted with a flash of color at times...Tosca's gowns were stunning. The one thing that I wanted to see though was blood. I know it can be messy, and difficult to work with at times but Scarpia is stabbed in the heart, and Cavaradossi is shot - there should be some blood and stage magic to portray that. Again, such a small issue - certainly not anything that others would pick up on, and it didn't lessen the wonder and beauty of this production. It plays through March 26th and if you have a chance, you should go see it. Gorgeous through and through.

The How and the Why - Theatre Unbound at New Century Theatre

Theatre Unbound, according to their website, "delivers thought-provoking live theatre conceived and created by women, providing audiences with engaging, rarely-seen perspectives on issues that are relevant and universal."

Their new production, The How and the Why at the New Century Theatre, continues that mission. Playwright Sarah Treem has created the story of two women of different generations who relate to each other through their respective scientific research.

Zelda (Caroline Kaiser) is a respected evolutionary biologist and the author of the Grandmother Hypothesis, which suggests that menopause evolved in humans so that the elder females could help to care for their children's children. Rachel (Molly Pach) is a doctoral candidate working on her own theory to explain menstruation. Not the "how," she clarifies, as the mechanics are well understood, but the "why" - What could be the scientific reason that it happens as it does in humans?

Caroline Kaiser and Molly Pach
Photo by Richard Fleishman

I won't go into detail, though the show does. These are actual scientific theories which the playwright borrows as a jumping-off point for the characters, who explore women in science, career vs. relationship issues, family connections, and more, It is a lot of ground to cover in two hours (with an intermission), and sometimes the play feels as though it is racing to get all of its ideas presented.

Zelda is on the board of a respected scientific conference, which Rachel applied to and was not accepted. The play starts with their first meeting, and the second act happens a few weeks later, after the conference. This doesn't seem to give the women enough time to develop much of a relationship, and personal revelations seem to be dropped in at regular intervals, whether warranted by the context or not.

Treem's script treats these revelations as surprises, although for the most part, they are overly telegraphed and a bit soap-opera-ish. The idea behind the play is interesting, as is the scientific discussion, but it might have been better served to be less ambitious. Possibly, director Shelli Place and the actors could have elevated the play, but in the end I think it bogged them down.

If you are interested in the science behind the play, there is a wonderful study guide put together by Chicago's TimeLine Theatre for their 2014 production that is a good starting point for further research.

If/Then - Choices at the Orpheum Theater

Jackie Burns
Photos by Joan Marcus

If/Then is the most recent musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Together they wrote Next to Normal which won a Pulitzer Prize, and a Tony Award. Next to Normal followed the life of a woman dealing with bipolar disease and how it affects her life and her family. If/Then shows us another strong woman and the way her choices change her life.

If/Then centers on Elizabeth (Jackie Burns), who has just ended a long relationship and moves back to New York to start over. The show begins with her asking the audience/universe what would have happened if she had not been in a specific place and time when she was. How would her life have been different? At that point she meets her old friend Lucas (original Broadway cast member Anthony Rapp), as well as her neighbor Kate (Tamyra Gray). Lucas knows her as Elizabeth, Kate knows her as Liz, and Elizabeth thinks, Why not? Why not be Liz? Why not be Beth? From there, we explore the lives of Liz, who ignores a phone call, and Beth, who answers it. The two stories play out in alternating scenes, sometimes making a switch mid-scene.

Since the same people populate both Liz's and Beth's lives, the question is how to show which life is which? A number of signifiers were used - Liz sometimes wears glasses - and the colors of the light changed for each story. (Note: KRL noticed the lights, Jules missed them altogether!)

National tour cast of IF/THEN 

The set was multi-level and modular with projections that showed city sights, map grids, and even street signs to suggest locations and reinforce Elizabeth's career as a city planner. While telling the story of Liz, the bottom portion of the screen took on a pinkish tone. While telling the story of Beth, it took on a blue tone. This was incredibly handy as even during the first scene Beth walks off the stage, puts on a jacket and comes back on as Liz. It was a great way to tell a story, and to make things very clear to the audience. There were also times that the screen had a purple hue to it which were the times where it didn't really matter which story was being told - the moment was true for both characters.

Jackie Burns and Matthew Hydzik.

The cast was strong throughout. Burns, who was Idina Menzel's standby in the Broadway production of If/Then, was fantastic playing two sides of the same character, with a lot of vocal power, but also some lovely subtlety. Rapp's Lucas was perhaps most changed by Elizabeth's choices, and he played the two realities of his character well. Gray was a wonderful presence and brought a great energy to her role. She made Kate a person you'd love to have for a friend. We're glad she was back in the show on Wednesday, when we saw it, as we'd heard she was out on opening night. And Matthew Hydzik was charming as Liz's love interest. (I was especially happy to see Hydzik again after seeing him as Mr. Snow in Carousel at Chicago Lyric Opera last year.-J)

The rest of the ensemble was stellar as well. Between their dance and actions and the projections, they made the stage pulse with the energy of the city. And we appreciated the way the hard-working cast made the scene changes fly by. Although the show runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes, it doesn't feel that long, as it moves at a great pace. The music kept things moving, and the songs served up character development, sometimes for both versions of a character in the same song!

Tamyra Gray, Jackie Burns and Anthony Rapp

It was refreshing to see a contemporary musical dealing with the kinds of issues we all face, from relationships to careers, and a leading lady who isn't an ingenue. The supporting characters were also remarkably well-defined people, with experiences and issues of their own, which can be hard to find in musical theater. And the story covers about four years, allowing Beth and Liz's choices to play out. Every part of the story feels true and real. It is a great journey to take with a fantastic cast and score. It kept us thinking about all the options and choices we make daily and how they affect our lives. It even led to a discussion of parallel universes and the many-worlds theory on the way out of the theater.

If/Then plays at the Orpheum through March 13, 2016.

If you go, bring along a little extra cash. This week is the annual BC/EFA (Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS) appeal, and cast members will be collecting in the lobby for this very good cause.

(co-written by KRL and Jules)

The Shape of Things - Daleko Arts

I love a good theater resolution. Last year, my goal was to go to more small theaters. This year, I'm resolving to get out of the Twin Cities.

I can't think of a better place to start this spring resolution than DalekoArts in New Prague. I love this explanation of the name and a bit of the mission from their program:

"'Daleko' - a Czech word meaning 'far away' - reflects New Prague's strong bohemian roots, its spatial relationship to the cultural hub that is the Twin Cities, and the ensemble's desire to step back and examine the world from a new point of view.'"

When we heard that DalekoArts was doing The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute, we were so in. Way to swing for the fences! And we were not disappointed.

Playing now through March 20, The Shape of Things is, for a Neil LaBute play, extremely accessible. The "nastiest parts of ourselves" as director Jamil Jude puts it in his Director's Note, are a bit less nasty than, for example, Fat Pig or In the Company of Men.

Mike Swan and Cristina Florencia Castro
(photo provided by DalekoArts)

Director Jamil Jude has put together a tight cast of four actors for this intense story of art and relationships. Artist Evelyn (Cristina Florencia Castro) meets Adam (Mike Swan) at a college art gallery, where she plans to make an artistic statement about censorship using a can of spray paint. She flirts her way into a date with the slightly dorky student, who is soon embarking on a course of self-improvement. Adam's friends Philip (James Rodriguez) and Jenny (Tamara Clark) are not as taken with Evelyn as he is, as her influence starts to change more than his outward appearance.

That's the story, and to tell more would be giving away too much. I'll say this though: The production is well worth traveling to New Prague to see. (Less than an hour from the Cities!)

Mike Swan and Cristina Florencia Castro in perspective.
(photo provided by DalekoArts)

Although the play originally premiered in 2001, this production sets it in the present day, using artwork from all eras as part of the set, as well as contemporary music and costuming.

The music that plays in between scenes deserves its own ovation. Fun and contemporary, it's a perfect accompaniment to the efficient set changes and scene transitions. (Excellent use of the Klik Klak sofa bed, I have to say.). Also, I need the mixtape based on this show.

This play runs a brisk 90 minutes with no intermission. The dialogue, especially as delivered by Castro and Swan as Evelyn and Adam, flows naturally with excellent pacing. Swan in particular lends an endearing humor to his scenes, and undergoes a believable transformation. Castro, despite an unnerving resemblance to The Good Wife's Sarah Steele, gives a multi-dimensional and sympathetic performance of a character who could be quite unpleasant.

One more tip: Don't rush too quickly out of the theater when you've seen the show. Take a quick left when you reach the lobby. (Not a right, that's the bathroom.) Trust me.

Fun fact: Elvis Costello did the music for the 2003 film of The Shape of Things starring Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz. Could that film BE any whiter? So pleased that DalekoArts did not follow that lead.

(co-written by Carly and Jules)