The Lehman Trilogy at the Guthrie Theater

Founded in 1850 by three immigrant brothers, Lehman Brothers was the fourth largest investment bank in the United States. In 2008, the firm declared bankruptcy and brought an end to this truly American success story.  

The Guthrie Theater's The Lehman Trilogy tells that story in a very engaging production on the Wurtele Thrust stage playing through October 13. Written by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, The Lehman Trilogy began at the National Theatre in London and won a Tony on Broadway in 2022. 

The Lehman brothers saga begins when Henry Lehman (Edward Gero) arrives in the United States from Rimpar, Bavaria in 1844. He starts a fabric and clothing business, and is soon joined in Montgomery, Alabama by his brothers Emanuel (William Sturdivant) and Mayer (Mark Nelson). 

All About Jane: The Eras of Austen at The Hive Collaborative

Austenite Alert! You have just one weekend (plus Monday) to experience the delightful concept-album-in-concert All About Jane: The Eras of Austen produced by Buzz Music Theater at their new home, The Hive Collaborative (formerly the home of Dreamland Arts). 

This theatrical concert showcases twelve songs by singer-songwriter Monica Livorsi, all based on heroines from Jane Austen's six published novels. Each song has its own style and feeling which captures the essence of the character given voice. The audience was enchanted by the performance, and the Austen fans we attended with loved it. 

Livorsi sings and plays keyboard for all of the songs with simple costume pieces (by Sarah Christenson) and brief introductions to each novel and character. Her excellent band at the performance we saw included Jenessa Iverson on bass and vocals, Matt McIntyre on guitar, and Matt Nielsen on drums. 

Director and co-production designer Eric Morris and co-production designer and builder Abbee Warmboe transformed the Hive's space into a cozy sitting room with hangings and furnishings evoking the Regency era. 

While listening to the show, I knew I'd want to hear these songs again (and again), so it's wonderful to know that an actual album release is planned for spring 2024. Check out Monica Livorsi's website for more information.  

To learn more about the plans for The Hive Collaborative, check out Twin Cities Theater Bloggers'  conversation with founders Eric Morris and Laura Rudolph Morris on the Twin Cities Theater Chat podcast. 

Twin Cities Horror Festival VIII highlights - Day One

Spooky tee shirts abound at TCHF.

Fiends, the Twin Cities Horror Festival started their eighth season last weekend, and you only have until Sunday, November 3 to get your scare on. Read our preview post to find out why we love the TCHF.

All shows take place at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Individual show tickets are $15 each, or you can buy a Four Horsemen Pass, which gets you four show admissions for $55. If you plan to see the whole festival, a Skeleton Key pass gets you into as many shows as you like, and you can see shows more than once--which we highly recommend! Also, as the TCHF is now a legit 501(c)3, they welcome your donations. Check out the giving tree in the lobby.

But now! Here's what we thought of the 11 shows we saw this weekend.

Thursday. DAY ONE.

Michigan Disasters 
Ghoulish Delights

Michigan Disasters - Ghoulish Delights
Photo by Dan Norman

Tim Uren wrote and performs this personal story recounting a trip he made as an adult to the home where he visited his grandparents when he was young. While telling of his past in Michigan, he also recounts the stories of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Becker-Hines mine collapse. Although Uren is a good storyteller, and he talks about actual tragedies, it doesn't really add up to horror. Unless you find having Gordon Lightfoot's song stuck in your head horrifying. Which we would totally understand. We love Ghoulish Delights, though, and never miss an opportunity to promote their wonderful podcast The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society.

The Rule of Three
Four Humors

Rule of Three - Four Humors
Photo by Dan Norman

One of our friends said this show struck him as a microcosm of the festival itself: a variety of stories and styles. Four Humors is a founding company of the festival, and they know how to tell a story. So expectations are high for them. This year, they take their one hour slot and fit in three stories. Act 1 features technology (or something else) gone rogue.  Act 2 is a spooky story by the fireside featuring filmed segments, the evils of vaping, and some hilariously dorky running by Matt Spring. Act 3 is an ambitious period tale of a wagon train heading west, which would have benefited from some editing and perhaps fewer jumps back and forth in time. But Acts 1 and 2 are plenty creepy and clever. And not incidentally, very funny.

Stay tuned for MORE HORRORRRRRRRRRRR fest fun.

MN Fringe 2019: Days Seven and Eight: The Home Stretch

Wrapping up the 2019 Minnesota Fringe Festival with two amazing shows.

Visitation - DangerVision Productions (Crane Theater)

Mad props to this show for tackling subjects that people don't often want to discuss: death and grief. A beautifully written collection of stories and scenes, performed by Clarence Wethern, Sophie Javna, Karen Bair, Ben Tallen, Victoria Pyan, and Charles Numrich covered a variety of alternately funny and heart-rending stories about death and grief, accompanied by video projection. The writers include Heather Meyer, Laura Buchholz, Gemma Irish, Rachel Teagle, Sam L. Landman, and Tyler Mills. I hope this show has a longer life than just the Fringe--I'd love to revisit some of these moving stories again.

We had hopes of staying for the one of the hottest shows in the 2019 Minnesota Fringe Festival: Winding Sheet Outfit's You Are Cordially Invited to the Life and Death of Edward Lear. Alas, the show was very sold out.

I have to shout out the volunteer/staff member with the cute short haircut who did such a fantastic job of letting people know that was absolutely, definitely sold out. She stood on the steps outside the Crane and as people approached the theater, called out to them, asking if they had reservations. If they didn't, she politely let them know that the show was full and indicated that they definitely had time to make it over to Strike Theater. Just outstanding customer service.

Stoopidity - By Ian McCarthy, Michael McKitt, Domino D'Lorion (Rarig Center Xperimental)

This was the last show we saw at the Fringe, and what a way to go out. The show is described as "3 blackboys sit on the front stoop of their apartment building, trying to navigate & understand what it means to love deeply. To question tradition. To be queer. To be unapologetically black in the world today." This show was a gorgeous verbal cavalcade of honesty, humor, love and strength. The talent of these (young!) men is staggering. We can't wait to see what they do next.

And that's it! It's all over for another year! Sigh.

MN Fringe 2019: Day Six (and Five) - Locked Rooms, Parlors, and Body Positivity

The Minnesota Fringe rolls on and the shows continue!

Escape This - TheatreX (Ritz Theater Mainstage)
Playwright Rob Matsushita puts a modern spin on the traditional locked room mystery by setting it in an escape room. Two couples (Hannah Bakke, Kyle Doherty and Christy C. Johnson, Ryan Vanasse) are introduced to their escape room experience by staff member Braylee (Ankita Ashrit).In case you haven't been, an escape room is an interactive experience where the players have to solve puzzles and find clues in order to unlock the room. But, as in the traditional locked room mystery, not everything is as it seems and secrets are revealed! It's an interesting twist on a traditional mystery, but could use a little more development. The back page of the program reads: "We promise that most escape rooms are actually pretty cool. Check these ones out," and provides a list of local escape rooms.

Size - Somerville Productions (Theatre in the Round)
Having heard nothing but love for Colleen Somerville's Not Fair, My Lady, we could not miss her show this year in the Fringe. As the show's description reads: "Nothing tastes as good as rejecting bullshit societal standards feels." This is a lovely, inclusive and personal show with semi-staged stories about body shape, weight, diets, and eating disorders performed by fantastic cast. Standouts include Lauren Anderson (of course) sharing a story of being heckled onstage and Linda Sue Anderson, barely containing her outrage--but hilariously--about a gym class from her youth. Skits include a date between two people who've brought along their worst food-shaming critic selves. Funny and truthful, we're complete converts to the cult of Colleen Somerville.

A Confederate Widow in Hell - Breaker Fixer (Southern Theater)
We saw this show at last year's Twin Cities Horror Festival but were persuaded to see it again by the charmingly persuasive actor and co-creator Joseph Fletcher, who promised that at least two-thirds of the show was new. In this atmospheric, funny, and inventive dramedy, a widow from the "War of Northern Aggression" (the brilliant Willi Carlisle) regales the audience with her memories about her life and the South, as well as some pretty fascinating reflections on the legacy of the South on present-day America. Fletcher also stars as her headless accompanist (you have to see it! It so works!).

Swan Song - Third Floor Flat Productions (Southern Theater)
Hey! It's another twist on the traditional locked room mystery. In this show, five actors and one stage manager meet at an isolated country house for a play rehearsal. But it turns out that someone has a nefarious plan and the cast is speedily dispatched. An engaging premise with some solid performances made this a lovely show to end a late night of Fringing.

MN Fringe 2019: Day Four - Hovis, Old Radio and SCARES

Day Four was another amazing day at the Minnesota Fringe Festival. It doesn't hurt that every show we saw was at Rarig. (Now if they only had a bar....) And such a good line-up!

Edith Gets High By Devious Mechanics (Rarig Center Arena)
What can we say about Keith Hovis that we haven't already said? You know, like this: "Keith Hovis, playwright and composer, is a master of mixing the macabre and the funny with clever, melodic songs" (TCHF VI: A Morbid History of Sons and Daughters). Or perhaps "Go see this. Keith Hovis is a young genius, and this show is just as dark and delightful as his Teenage Misery. The music is fun and the lyrics are hilarious." (Fringe 2017: Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Beauty Pageant).  "The lyrics are marvelously clever, the music is tuneful, the melodies are memorable, the arrangements are beautifully done." (Teenage Misery) We could GO ON. So go see it already!

You're still here? Fine. Debra Berger is endlessly engaging as Edith, Ryan Lear is wildly hilarious, and the entire ensemble (Lizzie Gardner, Kiko Laureano, Cameron Reeves, and Colleen Somerville Leeman) brings humor and harmonies for days. Director Allison Witham creates a video game world with minimal props and inventive movement, and her work makes the most of the challenging Rarig Arena space. So go!

Frankenstein: Two Centuries By Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society (Rarig Center Thrust)
The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society celebrates the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with two original radio scripts, performed with live music and sound effects. The first script, by Tim Uren, is in the style of the radio show Escape! and is a dramatic depiction of a scenario after the end of the novel. The second script, by Joshua English Scrimshaw, is sillier and lighter, incorporating other monsters from the Universal horror movies. This script is in the style of Inner Sanctum, a show that (according to MORLS--check out the podcast!) was extremely popular. The punny banter between The Host and the Lipton Tea Lady is kind of bonkers in a delightful way, and Scrimshaw and Shanan Custer make the most of it. All of the cast, including Eric Webster, Uren, and Joe Weismann are excellent, and the music and sound effects complete the picture. Even thinking about the effective breaking neck sound effect makes me cringe a day later. Also, Shanan Custer as Elsa Lanchester is genius and we'd happily watch that performance for days.

Hello Mother By Haunt Armada (Rarig Center Xperimental)
Hello Mother was created by Haunt Armada, a group that knows from scaring people. What starts as an urban legend/ghost story told during a power outage becomes frighteningly real for two stepbrothers (Phillip Zawieruszynski and Zane Perren) who don’t get along. The group finds ways to use the entire Rarig Xperimental space, so there might be a figure appearing from a hidden space, or another breathing creepily behind you. They also use light–and the lack of light–very effectively, and perform the simple scene changes with a speed that keeps the tension high. The story itself isn’t terribly original, but a ghost story doesn’t have to be if it’s as scary as this one. Not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy a good scare, it’s a winner! Also, there's skittering. SKITTERING!

MN Fringe 2019: Day Three - Dance, Musical Parody, and Historical Hilarity

Day three of our Minnesota Fringe Festival adventure--a pretty kick-ass day at the theater(s). We started our day by catching one of the Family Fringe shows.

Minneapolis Human Rhythm Project By Keane Sense of Rhythm (Barker Center for Dance)
We brought our favorite five-year-old and the rest of the family to this Family Fringe show. Created by Cathy Keane Wind of Keane Sense of Rhythm and Edna Stevens of Universal Dance Destiny, this show is "a celebration of dance by and for all ages, abilities and ethnicities," and it's a treat. This show was a jam-packed 50 minutes of tap, African, K-Pop, and break dancing with live drumming and ended with a dance jam (with the audience ) on stage. Inclusive, accessible, and utterly delightful, I wish more families could see these wonderful Family Fringe shows.

Chisago: The Musical By Haute Dish Productions (Rarig Center Thrust)
We have to be honest: although this Chicago musical parody was a strong contender for our must-see list, we were a little worried about it being cheesy or pandery. No worries, though. Written and directed by Kendra Braunger and Carissa Christenson, who also star as Roxie and Velma respectively, this Minnesota-focused parody of Kander & Ebb's classic musical is witty and sharp. In this version, Roxie moves from Orlando to Chisago County with her husband, his hometown where they'll be close to his mother. Cue the very clever references to hot dish, long good-byes, passive-aggressiveness and Minnesota Nice. The show affectionately and skillfully parodies Minnesota quirks ("Ope! I'm just gonna squeeze by you here") while still providing an appreciation for the original musical. Most of the excellent cast is from Mankato; we're definitely adding Mankato's Merely Players Theater to our greater Minnesota theater must-sees. BTW, if you, like us, were left appreciating what a great musical Chicago is, Theater Latte Da is presenting the show this fall.

Mad as Nell, or How to Lose a Bly in Ten Days By Rinky Dink Operations

So.... this show is written by Josh Carson, Kelsey Cramer, Shanan Custer and Allison Witham. It's directed by Josh Carson. It stars Kelsey Cramer, Shanan Custer, Addie Phelps, Allison Witham, Aisha Ragheb, Josh Carson, Tim Hellendrung, James Detmar, and Sue Scott.

Are you good? Do you need any more info?

All I can say is I was watching this show and just marveling at how much amazing freaking talent we have here in the Twin Cities. It's absolutely astonishing. Mad as Nell tells the true story of Nellie Bly's undercover investigation into the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island and I just don't understand how a show that is so hilarious can have so much actual heart and relevance. (I mean, I understand it--I'm just incredibly, incredibly impressed by it.) And in case you weren't won over enough, the producers are dedicating this show to the memory of Beverlee Everett, the mother of Matthew Everett (aka Single White Fringe Geek), who passed on earlier this year. And they write: "Though we'll miss your laugh today, we know that you're still watching." All the hearts.

MN Fringe 2019: Day Two - Dating and Killers

Taking it easy on day two, we spent our time at Strike Theater in beautiful Northeast with gorgeously ample street parking. We were a little sad that their weird Laffy Taffy and Skittles-rich concession stand wasn't open, but we got over it.

The Tale of The Bloody Benders By The Feral Theatre Company (Strike Theater)
A notorious family of serial killers in 1870s Kansas, the Benders makes a fascinating subject for a true crime-inspired Fringe show. Braden Joseph, playwright and director, begins the show with a campfire storytelling session that leads into an interesting depiction of the Bender family and their unique murdering style. Although short, this is a show with a lot of promise.

Plus, since it was short, we had some time to walk over to Indeed Brewing for a quick drink. (Tattersall Distilling is right in the building, but it's prohibitively crowded and loud for a good post-theater discussion fest.)

#FirstDate By Scammers, Thieves, and The Like (Strike Theater)
We headed back to Strike, suitably fortified and ready for some online dating-based comedy. #FirstDate is a long-form improv show, directed by Molly Ritchie, who created the hilarious improv show Family Dinner, which can be seen at Huge Theater, as well as a number of other improv shows. Advertised special guests include Breanna Cecile, John Gebretatose, and, at our performance: Allison Lonigro. A game cast of improvisers (Nicole Fende, Jackson Melius, Ed Timek and Allison Lonigro) tries to persuade online dater (Patience Nallick) to swipe right on them. An incomplete bio in the program made us wonder about Nallick's background in improv comedy. Or perhaps the intention was for her to play it straight as to set off the improvisation, but it actually tended to take the energy out of the comedy, despite the daters best attempts to engage. That said, Allison Lonigro's farmer girl dater was an absolute treat and a delight to watch.

MN Fringe 2019: Day ONE - Cults, Cons, Shakespeare, and DEATH

We leapt into the 2019 Minnesota Fringe Festival on Friday with a full line-up in Seven Corners/West Bank under the guidance of our friend Cherry and Spoon (who will see seventeen thousand shows--check her blog!).

A Cult Classic By Sheep Theater (Southern Theater)
"The world is really really loud and complicated" read the flyer we were handed as we entered the Southern Theater for Sheep Theater's tale of a doomsday cult. Despite focusing on Mindful Actualizationalism, members of the cult are lost when their leader is missing. They attempt their ultimate ascension (thanks to a foul Cosmic Elixir), but alas, things are not working out so well. A simple set, endearing and funny cast (well-loved by the wildly enthusiastic audience), and an interesting premise made this a great start to our Fringe.

Xena and Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy By Mermaid Productions (Theatre in the Round)
That title! That promo picture! How could any fan of syndicated action dramas of the 1990s miss this show? We sure couldn't. The perfectly dressed and coiffed Ariel Leaf (as Xena) and Nissa Nordland Morgan (as Gabrielle) are going about their warrior princess and companion business, fighting off bad guys and whatnot, when they come into possession of Circe's magic cup. The cup transports them to a present-day SF/fantasy convention, where they are mistaken for really dedicated cosplayers. Suffice it to say, Xena and Gabrielle kick some ass. Whether it's con staff member Alpha (a hilarious Heather Meyer), unenlightened Ted (Matthew Kessen) who needs a little Xena schooling in his interactions with Leah (Elora Riley), and Coraline (Katie Starks), who is less than happy with Leah's slave girl ensemble, plus Richard "Doc" Woods and Nicholas Nelson, the cast is outstanding.

The script (by Nissa Nordland Morgan) includes plenty of deep show references, tons of fandom jokes, thoughtful exploration of issues, and even song and dance. Director Katy McEwen makes excellent use of the Theater in the Round space and the timing was tight, even at the first show. Whether you're a fan of Xena or not, this show is an utter delight with some excellent substance as well. (And if you are a fan, you will be DELIGHTED with a certain reveal halfway through the show.) Seriously, don't miss this. It's a treat and let's be honest: the patriarchy could use some serious smashing.

Measure4Measure By Rough Magic Performance Company (Southern Theater)
A six-woman cast performs this perfectly trimmed adaptation of William Shakespeare's Measure For Measure--as they call it, the original #MeToo play. Having just seen an excellent full production last season at American Players Theatre, we can say that this version covers all the important parts of the story while emphasizing the powerlessness of a woman against a powerful man. "Who would believe you?" is a chilling line every time it's uttered. Under Sarah Agnew's direction, the terrific cast includes Ashawnti Sakina Ford, Alayne Hopkins, Catherine Johnson Justice, and Mo Perry carrying the heavy drama, with welcome moments of levity from Elise Langer and Taj Ruler. It's a great production, whether you're familiar with the play, or need an introduction to this story. Also, we'd like to see this amazing cast perform all of the Shakespeare, please and thank you.

Reverend Matt's Monster Science Presents How to Come Back from the Dead by Monster Science Productions (Mixed Blood Theater)
If you follow our blog at all, you know we are big fans of Reverend Matt's Monster Science and his blend of well-researched monster lore, well-chosen images (in Powerpoint!), and crack comic timing. This time around, Rev. Matt gets in depth on how to achieve immortality, whether as a vampire, zombie, mummy or a variety of other obscure (but well-explained) creatures from a variety of cultures. Despite being billed (at the Fringe website) as a solo show, Rev. Matt (Matthew Kessen) has a new addition, junior Monster Scientist/graduate student/wannabe vampire (?) Elora Riley (Elora Riley). Although the idea of adding someone to play off of is an intriguing one for this often solo performer, to be honest, we felt that it reduced the amazing connection that Rev. Matt has with his audience and his fantastic solo timing. But that's a small quibble, as Rev. Matt's shows are always hilarious. (And when you see it, can we talk about a certain vampiric Mayberry-denizen joke that is GENIUS?)

And that is IT for Fringe: Day One (since they just REFUSE to do shows 24 hours a day--I guess artists need to sleep?)

Reimagining Done Right: 42nd Street at the Ordway

The Ordway caps its 2018-2019 Broadway season with a smashing production of the old-fashioned musical 42nd Street, playing through August 11.

42nd Street isn't the classic Broadway musical you might think it is: It didn't open on Broadway until 1980, the year after Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita  premiered.

More about the show's history later, but first, the big question: how do you reimagine a musical that was already a period piece when it opened on Broadway?  You revisit the music and the dance.

This "Ordway Original" 42nd Street reprises a version first performed at Chicago's Drury Lane Theatre in 2017, directed (as is the Ordway's production) by Michael Heitzman. The production features the 2017 show's exciting new musical arrangements and orchestrations by Everett Bradley and amazing choreography by Jared Grimes.

42nd Street is a classic backstage musical, in which a talented newcomer shows up at a Broadway audition and manages to impress the creative team and the cast. When the leading lady can't perform, the ingenue becomes a star. Although the story is, as always, set in 1933, the musical arrangements are jazzier than we are used to hearing, and rather than using just the classic line of time-stepping chorines we expect, the tap dancing of the ensemble is loud, percussive, athletic, and thoroughly exciting to watch.

Theater by the River - Great River Shakespeare Festival

Last weekend, we headed down to beautiful river town Winona with some theater blogger friends to pay a visit to Great River Shakespeare Festival on the campus of Winona State University.

Although this is only our second year visiting, it's on our can't-miss theater list. (Check out what our friends Cherry and Spoon and Twin Cities Stages had to say about our trip!)

The mixed media piece Sarah Johnson created for the 
16th Season of Great River Shakespeare Festival is 
her interpretation of the varied productions. Learn more here

Great River Shakespeare Festival is truly a thoughtfully programmed theater festival, and each season has a theme with plays and education events that center around that theme. This year's theme, according to the GRSF literature:

"'Don't judge a book by its cover' - it's a tale that, turns out, really is as old as time and one that appears in many of the themes of our sixteenth season. The juxtaposition between what's without and what's within is explored in terms of outward title versus inward nobility, physical appearance versus internal identity, what the world perceives versus what happens behind closed doors and myriad other situations."

May Round-Up: We Saw a Bunch of Plays

Sherwin Resurreccion and Regina Marie Williams in
The Brothers Paranormal (Photo by Jeff Wheeler)

So, we saw a bunch of plays but got really busy and completely forgot to tell you about them. Sorry!

We were forced to tell people individually
about the plays we loved, which is inefficient at best and ever so tedious.

So here's a retroactive recap:

The Brothers Paranormal - Penumbra Theatre Company and Theater Mu coproduction
Written by Prince Gomolvilas and directed by Lou Bellamy, this gorgeous play is a both a spooky ghost story and a haunting meditation on grief. Brothers Max (Sherwin Resurreccion) and Visarut (Kurt Kwan) are ghost hunters engaged by Delia (Regina Marie Williams) and Felix (James Craven) to explore mysterious happenings at their house.

The Brothers Paranormal is a marvelously crafted play with rich, full characters. The performances are outstanding by the entire cast, including Leslie Ishii as the boys' mother and Michelle de Joya as Jai. In particular, the chemistry and affectionate teasing between Williams and Craven is #relationshipgoals. And a big shout out to the wonderful Sherwin Resurreccion who is one of the most fascinating actors to watch--any time we get to see him act is an utter delight.

Ordway Cabaret: Rise Up - Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Before he left his position at the Ordway as producing Artistic Director, James Rocco created a series of musical theater revue shows called the Broadway Songbook. Sharing his own love for musical theater, a talented cast performed a variety of musical theater numbers organized around a particular theme. In his absence, the Ordway has continued these revues, now in their Ordway Concert Hall, and their recent Ordway Cabaret: Rise Up is a treat. Directed by Kelli Foster Warder, this thoughtful performance provided "an evening of songs from ground-making Broadway musicals that shine a light on revolutionary moments in time" (from the director's note). And if you think that doesn't include Hamilton? You'd be wrong.

In this iteration of the Ordway Cabaret, the cast shared their own personal stories and sang songs that represented their heartfelt stories. The cast was comprised of Aimee K. Bryant, David Carey, Deidre Cochran, Brianna Graham, John Jamison, Hope Nordquist and Max Wojtanowicz and everyone was outstanding. I would be eternally happy to just listen to Aimee K. Bryant and John Jamison sing--alone or together. Don't miss the Ordway Cabarets--it's a rare treat.

La Traviata - Minnesota Opera
Although the popularity of the great classics allows Minnesota Opera to put on exciting and engaging new work, sometimes I sigh when they come up in the rotation. But sometimes, a production reminds me why these became the great classics. A lovely spare production, this La Traviata featured an amazing cast. Nicole Cabell as Violetta and Jesus Leon as Alfredo sang beautifully, acted the hell out of their parts, and had real chemistry. Add in Joo Won Kang as Alfredo's father Giorgio--whose voice was STAGGERINGLY rich and vibrant--and we had a powerhouse trio leading this opera. Also, and not incidentally, it was a treat to see such racial diversity represented on stage. YAY, MN Opera and keep it up!

Five-Fifths of Mary Poppins - Minnesota Fringe Festival at Park Square Theatre
Minnesota Fringe Festival's annual fundraising benefit performance is a yearly treat. This is only the second we've seen, but we're on board for all future performances. Read more about this and past performances at our friend Cherry and Spoon's blog. Long story short, The Fringe takes a movie, cuts it into five parts and asks five artists to interpret it using their own unique approach and style. This year's offering, Mary Poppins, was interpreted by Shrieking Harpies (music improv), Sheep Theater (theater), Oncoming Productions (theater), Javier Morillo (storytelling), and ALL DAY (dance). So fun, and such a great kickoff to the annual Fringe Fest.

The Play That Goes Wrong - National Tour at the Orpheum Theatre

This is the way the logo is used in marketing materials. It's wrong, you see.

One of the rare non-musical touring shows to come to the Twin Cities this year is The Play That Goes Wrong. The show is an all-out slapstick comedy about a play that suffers from one mishap after another. Even before the curtain goes up, members of the crew are in the theater, trying to repair the dilapidated set.

The play we see is a standard-issue British murder mystery called The Murder at Haversham Manor, a production of the Cornley University Drama Society, which somehow ended up as a major touring production in the U.S. More on that later. The curtain rises on a not-quite-dead body, falls again, and rises on the actor still trying to get in place as the deceased. The fact that the supposedly dead man ends up moving himself around the stage elicits many of the first laughs of the evening. The set falling apart, actors forgetting or mispronouncing their lines, props going missing, and actors inappropriately playing to the crowd are some of the issues this play faces.

Pop Goes the Noggin - S.O.S. Theater

Our experience at Pop Goes the Noggin by S.O.S. Theater at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul (through May 12) began with an utterly fabulous spring afternoon on the patio at Lake Monster Brewing with fantastic food by Reverie Mobile Kitchen.

Can all plays be at Gremlin Theatre, please? Particularly in the summer? THANKS!

Anyhoo. Pop Goes the Noggin began with a curtain speech (by the playwright Michele Lepsche, we think--she didn't introduce herself) wherein we were told that the play was in rough shape and then she (Lepsche) got sick. Luckily,  director Kari Steinbach and dramaturge (and cast member) Greta Grosch came through to help her out and the show was completed. It's a strangely honest way to kick off your opening night.

Be More Chill - Minneapolis Musical Theatre

Minneapolis Musical Theatre's production of Be More Chill is a rare opportunity to see one of the hottest shows on Broadway right here in Minnesota.

And let us tell you friends, we VASTLY preferred MMT's version to the Broadway version. Read on to discover why!

Be More Chill is a theatrical sensation. With music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, book by Joe Tracz, and based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini, this new musical premiered at Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in 2015. Last year, the extended off-Broadway run at New York's Signature Center picked up a cult following, and in February 2019, the musical opened on Broadway. The show has been compared to Dear Evan Hansen for the way it speaks to young people, who are the show's most fervent fans.

The cast of Be More Chill. Set design by Robin McIntyre. Photo by Scott Pakudaitis.

We witnessed this wild affection for ourselves when we caught Be More Chill in previews on Broadway. The show, however, left us cold. If it wasn't for our affection and respect for Minneapolis Musical Theatre's excellent work (like last year's amazing High Fidelity), we probably would have skipped it altogether. We are so glad we didn't!

Maxwell Emmett Ward as Jeremy.
Photo by Scott Pakudaitis.

Be More Chill is about a young social outcast named Jeremy Heere (Maxwell Emmett Ward), who lives at home with his divorced father (Christian Unser) and hangs out with Michael Mell (Jim Belden), his best friend and fellow outcast. Jeremy has a crush on Christine Canigula (Caitlin Featherstone) and gets involved with the school play to get closer to her. Jeremy is casually bullied by popular Rich Goranski (Nick Manthe), but Rich nonetheless shares with Jeremy his secret of social success: an oblong gray pill called a squip. You can pretty much guess the rest, if you've seen a movie.

Even though Broadway is considered to be the pinnacle of theatrical entertainment, there are times when a show just doesn't work for us on Broadway. Spring Awakening was a show we couldn't stand on Broadway, but Theater Latte Da's production with the U of M was a revelation. The same with Be More Chill. The Broadway production was over-produced with lots of flashing lights, no heart, and little humor. MMT's version could not be more different.

For one thing, Jeremy is played by Maxwell Emmett Ward, who we last saw as Dick in MMT's High Fidelity. He not only gives sweetness and realism to Jeremy, he is also fantastically funny, with devastating timing. Did we mention his incredible voice?

Jim Belden as Michael.
Photo by Scott Pakudaitis

As Jeremy's best friend Michael, Jim Belden kills "Michael in the Bathroom," one of Be More Chill's most memorable numbers. Caitlin Featherstone perfectly captures Christine Canigula's quirky and endearing personality. The chemistry and relationships between all three give this production its heart and soul. There are apparently changes in the script as well, with MMT using the off-Broadway script that was made available for licensing. But the changes didn't stand out, except that we felt much more connected to the characters and invested in the outcome in this production.

Ward with Caitlin Featherstone as Christine.
Photo by Scott Pakudaitis.

The scene that really exemplifies the difference in the shows is "Two-Player Game," where Jeremy and Michael express their friendship through a video game. On Broadway, the song was accompanied by lights and projections simulating the game, but MMT's version, the two characters connect through their physicality in wielding their game controllers in coordination.

Also notable is the physical coordination between Jeremy and the embodiment of his Squip (Mike Tober). Ward really seems like the Squip is controlling his movements against his will, which is both funny and scary.

Director Sara Pillatzki-Warzeha, who also directed High Fidelity (which we saw three times), brings the best out of the talented young ensemble. The actors feel like the teenagers they are playing, and they enthusiastically perform Abbi Fern's choreography. A kick-ass band, conducted by Anna Murphy, adds to the fun.

Go see this and support Minneapolis Musical Theatre. They are doing beautiful work, and they imbue all of their work with talented artists and plenty of heart.

When: April 5 - 28, 2019
At: Illusion Theater
Running Time: Two hours and some?

And in case you're wondering how MMT's excellent production compares to the Broadway one, here's the New York Times review of Be More Chill by Ben Brantley:

"This all sounds like more fun than it is — at least for anyone over the age of 21. (That’s a generous cutoff point.) The acting, singing and dancing (choreographed by Chase Brock) are all, to put it kindly, frenetic. The set (by Beowulf Boritt), lighting (Tyler Micoleau) costumes (Bobby Frederick Tilley II) and projections (Alex Basco Koch) bring to mind bright fan fiction comic books drawn in fluorescent crayon."

The Golden Record Project - Sandbox Theatre

We've never seen anything like The Golden Record Project at Sandbox Theatre (through May 4). An art installation and a performance piece set simultaneously in the past and the future, this truly immersive show is, frankly, mind-blowing.

Pro Tip: When you go (NOT IF), go early so you can explore the installation fully before the performance begins. And book your tickets now. Audience space is limited and tickets are going fast!

Here's the backstory: When NASA sent the Voyager spacecraft outside our solar system in 1977, a team led by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan prepared a recording to accompany the probe. The idea was to provide an introduction to the people of Earth to any intelligent beings that may find the craft.

The Drowning Girls - Freshwater Theatre

This weekend, we saw two shows in which women played real historical figures, but looked at their stories with the benefit of hindsight. The plays are very different, but both allow the women to tell their own stories, with the help of other women. Two may not be a trend, but if it is, we are here for it.

The first was Velvet Swing by Umbrella Collective (check out our rave here) and the second is The Drowning Girls by Freshwater Theatre at the Crane through April 14 (only!!)

Walking into the Crane theater space, we were greeted by a spare set featuring three old-fashioned clawfoot bathtubs with running shower heads. (The lovely box office staff warned us that there's a lot of water in the show and no intermission, so .... check out the restrooms in advance!)  The sound and the set beautifully sets the scene for a spare, haunting play.

Velvet Swing - The Umbrella Collective

Although Women's History Month is over, Twin Cities theaters are still filled with fascinating, thought-provoking plays examining women from history. YAY!

Case in point: the ingenious and inventive Velvet Swing by Umbrella Collective at Bryant-Lake Bowl (through April 27).

Before seeing this play, my knowledge of Evelyn Nesbit was limited to her appearance in the musical Ragtime, based on the book by E.L. Doctorow.

A Bright Room Called Day - Red Bird Theatre

Red Bird Theatre believes: Art is either responding to the world or it is not. Responding is the only option. 

With their new production, A Bright Room Called Day, playing at Pillsbury House through April 13, Red Bird lives up to that goal. Tony Kushner's play is set in two different times: In 1932 Berlin, in a comfortable apartment as the Weimar Republic is giving way to the rise of the Nazi party. And in 1980s New York, a woman sends hate mail to President Reagan as she studies the events of the past.

When Kushner's play was first presented in 1987, the contemporary part of the play was set in the present day. Now, 30 years later, the whole play is set in the past, but the themes relate seamlessly to our current climate.

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Collide

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Collide Theatrical Dance Company

When: March 22 - April 7
At: Park Square Theatre
Running Time: 90 minutes with intermish

About:
COLLIDE presents a contemporary version of Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Set in modern day New York City, the story follows a beautiful young Dorian Gray who stumbles into an accidental photo opportunity and shoots to heights of social media fame. Disturbed that her physical beauty will deteriorate with age, Dorian wishes for eternal youth. Her wish is granted, and the photo rather than the woman degrades as she pursues a life of corruption and debauchery, reminding her that though her looks are unscathed, her soul is not. Can she still find salvation? Or is her soul trapped in the photograph? Created by Regina Peluso and Michael Hanna and featuring the COLLIDE Band and Company Dancers.


What We Thought:
We've loved Collide's theatrical dance work in the past, especially 2017's delightful Dracula and last year's charming partnership with History Theatre: Dance 'Til You Drop. When they announced their season, we were most intrigued to see how they told The Picture of Dorian Gray, based on Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel.