Ending soon - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius - what a crazy group of kids. Is there anything that needs to be said about the plot of this show? Two couples head into the woods, fairy King and Queen of the woods are fighting, a group of actors head into the woods to rehearse and shenanigans ensue. We all know the story.

This is one of the last shows that Joe Dowling is directing at the Guthrie. I have been told that it is a remounting/reworking of a previous Dowling production. I never saw the original so I can't vouch for it. What I do know is that I really enjoyed watching this production. It was fantastic!

Blank stage, directed in the round (to some extent), actors flying in....it was a great joy to watch. I have to admit that I thought the pacing was slow at the start but that only lasted for the first few minutes. Then again, it may have just been the start of the show. All the excitement starts when the Fairies start coming in. What I found really enjoyable was the costuming and make-up of the Fairies. It is done in a punk style and some of the text is sung in a 50's doo-wop style, mixed with jazz and blue. Such a great choice.

The pace of the show was good, and consistent. I was interested through out even though I have seen the show many times. I have to admit one more thing. I am not a fan of the Mechanicals...as a rule. This production helped change my mind about them. They were full, well rounded characters and their final performance...well... I was laughing so hard I was crying. Then they changed on a dime and almost brought me to tears for real. It is a really good production, an amazing cast (including the much written about Tyler Michaels as Puck) and well worth the three hours. In fact, it certainly did not feel like it was that long.

Go see it...it closes soon.

Past is Past: Pippin

Yes, I realize that Pippin played a short run over a month ago. Yet...I did want to do a short post about it. First off, I love this show. There is some really good music in it, it tells an interesting story in a very interesting way...and it is a fun thing to watch.

The original production (with some small changes) is readily available to view. It has the incredible Ben Vereen as the leading player, as well as William Katt. This production is a revival that played Broadway and incorporated more circus, and acrobatic aspects to it than the original. It features a female leading player which made no changes at all. By that I mean that the gender of the leading player does not make a difference to the score or the show.

Here are just a few impressions I had of the touring production. The audience was really varied and ranged in ages. It was great to see. The staging was very symmetrical, which was nice. It kept the focus where it should be - on the main characters. The great thing about this was the use of magic and acrobatics - including aerial work - that was exciting to watch, and yet also brought interesting aspects to the characters. There was great integration of dance and the circus elements, each feeding the other. I would have to say that the best thing about this production was the lead-in to the songs. There was great underscoring and the songs just came up naturally. It was so well done. Finally, if you have seen the original production via DVD - the ending has been slightly revised. It is good.

Two things specifically about this tour: The actor playing Charles was John Rubinstein...who just happened to originate the role of Pippin in the original production. He still has the skill and the stage presence and was really great! The other great thing about this tour is Priscilla Lopez playing Berthe. Yes, we all know Priscilla from In The Heights and even more from the original cast of A Chorus Line." Let me tell you that she looks amazing still, and does amazing work on a trapeze! Even to the point of singing upside down!! so awesome!

IF you have a chance to see a production of Pippin, I would take that chance for sure!

The Manchurian Candidate at Minnesota Opera

I have been attending Minnesota Opera for years, and I have seldom seen an audience as attentive as the one at Saturday night's World Premiere of The Manchurian Candidate.

I love a world premiere. Even if you've not seen the classic film from 1962 (or its less classic remake in 2004) , this story is a well-known piece of popular culture. The opera is based on the novel by Richard Condon (and I'm guessing heavily influenced by the movie as well), with music by Kevin Puts, libretto by Mark Campbell, conducted by Michael Christie and stage directed by Kevin Newbury.)

To be totally honest, I'm often a bit disappointed by 'new' operas. Where are the big chorus scenes? Where are the sweeping melodies and the emotional highs and lows?

Although I still longed for those things, I enjoyed The Manchurian Candidate thoroughly. The story of a soldier brainwashed by Communists to become a political assassin, this tale chillingly portrays "the fear and paranoia in politics" (thank you, Director's Notes), as well as complicated (oh, so complicated) familial relationships, wonderful sweet romances, and tenacious friendships, as well as the political intrigue.

 I have to say, it's all grounded in Matthew Worth's thoughtful and emotional portrayal of the central role, with wonderfully strong performances by Brenda Harris and Leonardo Capaldo as well (only a few of a stand-out cast).

Gorgeously sung and acted by all, this opera was a fascinating and thought-provoking evening of theater. Concept, set, staging, costuming (gorgeous dresses, btw), plot and music all came together for a fascinating night of opera. And at only two hours and ten minutes with intermission, it sped by.

Don't forget that Minnesota Opera has a number of wonderful program relating to opera around town and at local libraries.  You can find the full schedule on their website, as well as tons of videos and behind-the-scenes clips from The Manchurian Candidate.

Death Tax at Pillsbury House Theatre

Can I say?  I lurve Pillsbury House Theatre. Every time I go to their space, I'm impressed by their amazing community vibe, services and outreach. Also, I LOVE that there's a speaker from backstage in the ladies' room. Someone needs to do an audio art installation there.

Photo by Keri Pickett

This past Sunday, we saw Death Tax at Pillsbury House Theatre (now through April 4).  Don't let the somber title put you off.  Written by Lucas Hnath and directed by Hayley Finn, this is an absorbing and often funny play.  As the Director's Note reads:

"Within the confined space of a nursing home, the play raises large ethical questions. What is the power of money? How does it affect our lives and our relationship to our family? How does it affect the care we receive? What is the value we place on living? The play looks at these questions through myriad vantage points."

photo by Keri Pickett

Beautifully acted by a cast of four, and performed on a spare stage in Pillsbury House's intimate space, I was absolutely riveted by this play. I loved the naturalistic speech, and the very realistic ways we follow the thoughts and progression of character.

I've seen Regina Marie Williams in a ton of theater (most recently in The Color Purple at Park Square Theater), but she utterly disappeared into her role at Tina, nurse to Wendy Lehr's dying patient. She was amazing to watch. Clarence Wethern, playing her boss and more, provides a complex but fascinating portrayal of a man in over his head. With impeccable timing, he adds immediate depth, complexity and welcome humor to the play. Wendy Lehr and Tracey Maloney create the complex relationship of mother and daughter with ease and edge.

In these days, as baby boomers age and the issues surrounding death and quality of life are everywhere we look, this play is timely and thought-provoking--and wonderfully enjoyable to watch. (90 minutes, no intermish--yay!)

Side note: I'm so thrilled that Tracey Scott Wilson's play Buzzer (which had its World Premiere at Pillsbury House Theatre) is now playing at the prestigious Public Theater in New York City. Look for another Tracey Scott Wilson play at Pillsbury House this fall:

Second side note: How cool is it that Pillsbury House is doing workshops on Health Care Directives and Estate Planning in conjunction with Death Tax?  So cool.

Love & Information at Frank Theatre

Since I caught the very last performance of Frank Theatre's Love and Information, I won't go in-depth about it. But I did want to give a little shout-out, because the show was great! Frank Theatre and director Wendy Knox have a strong record of choosing challenging plays to perform, and this one is particularly interesting. It's the latest play from Caryl Churchill (Cloud Nine, Top Girls, and many more), and just premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2012.

In a short pre-show introduction, Knox informed us that the script for Love and Information, which includes 57 scenes in 90 minutes, does not include settings or stage directions, and the lines aren't assigned to any characters. Thus, each production will be different.

Frank's version was wonderful, with a great cast of 14 performers playing over 100 roles in scenes as short as one line. (Also, gotta love a 90 minute-no intermission show!)

Now that I've seen the show here, I've started to look at writeups of other productions. Apparently, the Royal Court production included scenes in a steam room and on exercise bikes. The same director, James Macdonald, staged the first New York production, and there's a nice story in the New York Times about the set design for that show. If you've seen Frank's show or not, it's an interesting piece to read about.

And one more plug: this is the last show of Frank's season, but keep an eye out for their next season to be announced. They choose really interesting material and are definitely worth keeping an eye out for!

Why I Love Ten Thousand Things ... And Molly Brown

We are so fortunate to have such an abundance of theater here in the Twin Cities that sometimes deciding which shows to squeeze into your calendar can be a struggle. Maybe it's a particular performer, or a play that's new to me that tips the scales towards a show.

But there are a few theaters in the Twin Cities that I will go see whatever they put on, because I know that regardless of the play, it's going to be amazing. If I do nothing else with this blog but convince people to go see their work? Then my work is done.

Here's why I love Ten Thousand Things Theater and their current production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown, which  runs through March 8 at Open Book, Plymouth Congregational Church, and Heritage Park YMCA, plus performances in Blue Earth and Austin. (check the website for details!)

1. Casting, casting, casting.  I love the way Ten Thousand Things casts its plays. I love "non-traditional" casting--even though I wince using that term, I love a cast that is made of wonderful actors chosen for what they bring to the role, and not their ethnicity, age, size, or even their gender.

2. I love the way they put on a show. The first play I remember seeing at Ten Thousand Things was Ragtime, performed at the Minnesota Opera Center. It was the first time I experienced their lights on/in the round mode of performance.  The play was incredibly moving, and it made it even more so to see other audience members being just as moved. I love watching people love theater.

3.  Outreach through theater. I love that their mission is bringing theater to people who don't see a lot of theater. I love that they perform everywhere from correctional facilities to senior housing to libraries to transitional housing centers. And I love that they share insights from those performances at their public performances, and that they are not afraid to ask for money to continue their mission. And they appreciate it when they get it!

Luverne Seifert, Richard Ooms, and Craig Johnson in 
TTT's 2007 Richard III at the MN Opera Center. 
And that's how close the audience is for every show!

4.  I love the spareness and versatility of their sets. Since they travel to perform, their sets are bare bones.  Their music (by the wonderful Peter Vitale) is deceptively simple-sounding, but adds so much. Even the costumes are amazing. I'll never forget their marvelous production of Richard III with Craig Johnson changing characters and genders by donning a simple version of a metal hoop skirt.

5.  I love that they are willing to take on new plays and do amazing jobs with older plays. Their Shakespeare should be required viewing for everyone. Their work has opened up a whole new world of Shakespeare's work to me, due to their innovative productions, including an all-female version of Twelfth Night the season after their all-male Richard III.

Tyson Forbes and Maggie Chestovich
as the Unsinkable Browns

In short, they are amazing. And so is The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Maggie Chestovich gives a full-out, full-hearted performance that must leave her bruised and emotionally spent at the end of the show. As Johnny Brown, Tyson Forbes (new to TTT, as far as I know), is a towering presence who happens to have an amazing voice, ripe for singing love songs. As much as I love TTT, I've never seen chemistry like this on their stage before. It's almost electric!

And of course, H. Adam Harris, Max Wojtanowicz, Kimberly Richardson, George Keller, Eric Sharp, and Austene Van made the most of a variety of roles to fill out this musical. Harris and Wojtanowicz in particular added lots of laughs with their hilarious comments on the main action.

Fabulous, sweet, funny, charming, hopeful, romantic ... as usual, I leave Ten Thousand Things inspired to see more theater and feeling so fortunate to live here in the Twin Cities, where we have so much marvelous theater.

If you're a fan of TTT, you should know that Artistic Director Michelle Hensley, who has taken this innovative theater process to theaters around the country (and directed Molly Brown), has now written a book. All the Lights On: Reimagining Theater with Ten Thousand Things is published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in association with HowlRound Press, and is available now on the TTT website. I know what I'm asking for on my next birthday!

Short Cut: By the Way, Meet Vera Stark

I've been intrigued by the play By The Way, Meet Vera Stark since it was performed at Second Stage Theater in NYC in 2011 (featuring Sanaa Lathan as Vera), so I was looking forward to seeing the production at Penumbra Theatre this season, especially with some wonderful performers cast in it.

The first act takes us to Hollywood in 1933 and Vera Stark (Crystal Fox), a black actress who divides her time between working as a maid for white actress Gloria Mitchell (Norah Long) and working on her own career--mostly playing maids. Greta Oglesby plays Lottie, Vera's good friend and a former vaudeville star who has been eating her way into the right size to play the "Mammy" roles that are available to her.

Norah Long and Crystal Fox as Gloria Mitchell and Vera Stark

I could watch Crystal Fox, Greta Oglesby, and Jamila Anderson give each other side eye for HOURS. Particularly in the gorgeous costumes by Mathew LeFebvre--and some super-cute shoes. The period wigs by Andrea Moriarity are just perfect as well. The machinations of these actresses vying for roles in a high-profile studio film are fun and funny, even as they expose the indignities of their profession.

The second act feels a bit less effective, unfortunately. Set in 2003 at at academic conference about the legacy of Vera Stark, it also includes scenes from a 1973 television interview that Stark did just before disappearing from public view. Playwright Lynn Nottage mocks academic pretensions, but brings up more questions than answers about the meaning of Stark's career. Fortunately, a closing scene takes us back to 1933 with Vera and Gloria on the set of the film, and reminds us of the characters and presents a bit of intrigue about their relationship in their heyday.

Above all else, this play left me wanting to know more about the African-American experience in early Hollywood.  Particularly in a year like this, in which nonwhite actors were shut out completely at the Oscars, it's interesting to take a look back at what things were like in the early days.  I think I'll start with Donald Bogle's Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood and then perhaps Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood by Jill Watts.  Any play that makes me want to learn more about the subject is a huge success for me.