I finally ventured to the Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo to see the 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning Drama and Musical, next to normal, with music by Tom Kitt and Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey, both Tony Award winners.
I had regretfully missed the national tour of the show in 2011 (featuring Alice Ripley as Diana), and jumped at the opportunity when I saw that Yellow Tree was doing the show. The subject of mental illness is indeed unusual material for a pop/rock musical, but, ultimately it all works as a transcendent and cathartic experience.
Lucas Wells and Jessica Lind Peterson
Photo by Michal Daniel
The musical’s primary focus is the disintegrating mental state of the mother, Diana, played by Jessica Lind Peterson in an enlightening and subtly aware performance. Understandably, Diana’s ongoing battle with manic depression has created an enormous dysfunction in this family's ability to relate to
each other and also to people outside the family. Odd subject matter for a musical, right?
Ultimately, as the piece unfolds, we feel the restorative power of a glimmer of light in all this abysmal darkness in an uncompromising finale. The play also encompasses the grieving process and the inability to let go and move forward. It also demonstrates the frustration of wanting to help, but in the end, being helpless. We often aren't always capable of saving the ones we love.
The entire cast was excellent in complicated and emotional roles. The score was effectively well sung by all with some tricky harmonizing and accomplished duet singing in the mix. To me, it didn't seem like it was a particularly easy score to vocalize and the lyrics are such an essential part of the storyline.
The production was well conceived on the small Yellow Tree stage, with appropriate staging, lighting, and costumes. It’s such an intimate story that, after seeing Yellow Tree's production, it’s hard for me to imagine it on a large proscenium stage. I felt so lucky to have the chance to see it up close and oh, so personal.
I saw the second to last performance of the run, but look forward to heading back to Yellow Tree in the future. Looks like a nice new season (their eighth!) coming up, including Dancing at Lughnasa and Violet! (Contributed by rickjallen)
Theater Latte Da ends their season with the wonderful Next: New Musicals in the Making series. The company chooses three musicals in various stages of development from around the country and gives them full-cast readings over a weekend, asking audiences for their feedback. The creators are usually in attendance, and take these comments into consideration as they continue to work on the musical.
In recent years, I've enjoyed watching and commenting on these pieces.
Unfortunately, this year I missed the first two musicals, Lullaby and The Last Queen of Canaan. This is the last weekend of the series, featuring Stu for Silverton. This show is based on the true story of Stu Rasmussen, America's first transgender mayor. Rasmussen's trip from tiny Silverton, Oregon into Portland and a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show start a transition for Stu that tests the limits of the town's tolerance.
This is a very tuneful, entertaining musical, with a story that shows truth is stranger, and funnier, than fiction. The wonderful cast includes Dieter Bierbrauer, Brandon Brooks, Julia Cook, Janet Hanson, Melissa Hart, Kim Kivens, Kevin Leines, Sherwin Resurreccion, Kersten Rodau, Ken Rosen, Andre Shoals, and Max Wojtanowicz. Whether playing townspeople, members of the transgender support group Stu meets in Portland, or angry protesters, everyone does a terrific job of bringing the characters to life from behind a music stand. Denise Prosek provides accompaniment on piano.
The best part of Next shows, though, are the post-play discussions. (And you know we're fussy about post-show discussions!) The creative team, led by director Andrew Russell, asked and answered questions from the audience, and seemed to take the feedback to heart.
Book writer Peter Duchan, composer and lyricist Breedlove, and music arranger Will Reynolds all participated in the talkback. Many of the audience's questions were about the line between fact and fiction, though most of the more outrageous happenings were true to life. Stu Rasmussen is a fabulous character with an interesting story to tell.
Don't miss the chance to see this work in progress and get a deeper sense of the creative process. Stu for Silverton has two more performances: Friday, May 15 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 pm at the Ritz Theater. Tickets are only $12, so go ahead and take a chance on a new work of art!
After The Herd at Steppenwolf, we dashed across the street to the Royal George Theatre for First Date. We lucked out We had just about enough time to hit the bathroom, pick up a drink at the bar and make it to our (front row) seats before the show started.
First Date is one of those shows that we just couldn't make it to when it was in New York, despite an abiding love for Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez. We were so excited to see that it was playing in Chicago, at the exceedingly convenient time of 5:00--perfect for squeezing in between a matinee and our evening show.
Taking place in the Royal George's intimate cabaret space, First Date is the story of a young man and woman on a blind date in a bar. Five other performers play a waiter, exes, besties, other daters, parents, you name it. The fast-moving book (by Austin Winsberg) covers many of the realities of dating in the modern age, along with the age-old issues of old relationships, family approval, and compatibility, not to mention the ways in which we try to represent ourselves to potential lovers.
The songs, by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner are fast and witty, and performed with verve by the cast and the band of five players. The laughs come fast and furious, but Charlie Lubeck and Dana Parker still make the daters seem like actual people. It was a very funny 90 minutes that shows that there is a great pool of talent in Chicago, as all of the performers were very strong and handled their multiple parts with grace.
While in Chicago to see the magnificent Lyric Opera of Chicago Carousel, we took the opportunity to catch some more theater. We had all day Saturday before our Sunday flight and packed it as full as we could. We calculated running times, mapped our routes, and completely skipped most meals. If only we could have squeezed in more... Two Trains Running at the Goodman! Marie Antoinette at Steppenwolf! So much fabulous theater.
First up was a much-delayed trip to Steppenwolf. After a beautiful morning (spent partly on the phone at the Chicago Cultural Center, trying to get a hold of some of Steppenwolf's 20 for $20 tickets), we hopped in a cab up to the theater, and arrived only about five minutes before the 3:00 start of The Herd. (We do not normally cut it that close, but sometimes when traveling, it happens!)
Side note: Every time we have discussed going to Chicago to see something at Steppenwolf, it's because we want to see John Mahoney, best known as Frasier's dad, but also wonderful in many other things, including The Broken Hearts Club. Also, being ardent fans of so many of Steppenwolf's alumni (Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, how much time do you have?), it was a thrill to finally set foot through their doors.
Credit: Michael Brosilow
John Mahoney was appearing in the The Herd, so it was pretty easy to choose that play, basically sight unseen. A domestic comedy-drama, The Herd is written by Rory Kinnear, one of those British actors with an impressive stage career who you've also seen in everything. Really, check out his IMDB.
On a beautifully detailed set of a modern home, we meet the family. Carol (Molly Regan) and her grown daughter Claire (Audrey Francis) are preparing for a birthday party. Carol's parents arrive bearing birthday cake and enough questions to establish Patricia's nosiness and Brian's tolerance. Mahoney plays the infirm Brian, and Patricia is played by the wonderful Lois Smith, who has also been in everything.
The plot of the play is small but universal: The issues of one extended family, and the ways they cope, together and separately. The show's naturalistic dialogue was engrossing, and of course, the acting was top-notch.
(Note to the lady in front of us, whose phone rang three times during the intermissionless show: If you don't know how to turn off your phone, maybe you shouldn't bring it to the theater. Also, Patrick really wants to get a hold of you, clearly.)
It’s funny, but during my viewing of The Crucible, currently being performed at the Guthrie Theater, a quote by Norman Bates--yes, that Norman Bates--came to mind. “We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven’t you?”
Photo by T. Charles Erickson
Triggered by a snippet of dialogue in the play, in some ways it beautifully describes Arthur Miller’s allegorical play. Miller employs the Salem witchcraft trials to parallel the Joseph McCarthy hearings and the blacklisting of individuals believed to be Communist supporters. This also became known as the "Witch Hunt," the search for subversive communists and the naming of names which was a necessary element of the effort to “out” these people. These events were occurring in the 1940s and early 1950s and were the impetus for Miller’s play. In time, Miller himself would be called before the committee to name names, which he refused to do.
The Guthrie staging is a strong production with a stalwart cast of noteworthy local theater talent. Even the smaller roles, which are key to the success of this retelling, are cast with adept actors who elicit strong performances, among them Raye Birk, Wendy Lehr, Peter Michael Goetz, and many more.
Photo by T. Charles Erickson
But the standout in this stirring production was Erik Heger in the role of the tragic John Proctor. His sensitive, nuanced performance was a revelation and his anguish was tenderly moving even among this distinctive cast of theater professionals. He certainly deserved the extra applause and solo bow at the end of the show. I should say that everyone appeared to be on the same page at the end and felt that we had witnessed something grand in the theater with his towering performance.
All of the technical aspects of the show were noteworthy and came together as a whole. The set design by Richard Hoover was fittingly minimal and the surreal tree motif was an excellent choice and added a great deal to the theme of uncertainty and fear lurking in the wings. Jane Greenwood’s costumes were perfectly suited for the period and the lighting, sound and music all added depth to this unnerving drama of false accusations, of where being innocent before being proven guilty is not an option.
Sadly, it’s really not that far removed from what’s still happening in society today. This is a good opportunity to see a stellar production of an American classic on the stage. It’s a long, but engrossing, and thought provoking experience. (Contributed by Rickjallen.)
Carmen is one of the great, crowd-pleasing operas that opera companies know will sell tickets, and from all reports, the sales for Minnesota Opera's current production are thriving.
Here's the scoop from one of my favorite opera books: Weep, Shudder, Die: A Guide to Loving Opera by Robert Levine, who sums it up as "the story of a doomed-yet-hot cigarette-factory-worker-slash-smuggler and her crazed soldier-boy lover." If only all opera summaries were as succinct and descriptive! A bit more from Levine:
"When Carmen first appeared more than a century and a quarter ago, it sent shock wavers through decent society everywhere. Women were fighting and smoking onstage, and the heroine was the most brazen and unrepentantly sexual creature audiences had ever seen. ... By today's standards, Carmen seems a free-spirited young woman with a somewhat dubious taste in boyfriends. Jose, however, is obviously a sexually repressed lunatic who had never been out of the clutches of his mother and virginal girlfriend, filled with angers and frustrations just waiting to explode. Ripped from today's high school headlines."
Here's the thing: I love that Minnesota Opera is selling lots of tickets to this opera--I love that it will give them a good basis for doing more engaging, challenging work, such as last season's staggeringly perfect The Magic Flute, as well as new operas such as The Manchurian Candidate.
Christian Zaremba and Andrew Lovato in
Girl of the Golden West. Photo by Michal Daniel.
And keeping it all about theaterlove ... I am SO glad to finally see Christian Zaremba, Minnesota Opera Resident Artist, in a role (Zuniga) that gives him more to do. He's appeared in a number of small parts all season, and has always done a fabulous job. He's not a focus-stealer in any way, he just embodies his characters beautifully and lends gravity and depth to all productions.
Mark my words: This guy is one to watch. He can act, he has a strong physical presence, he is exceedingly comfortable on stage in a variety of roles, and he can really sing. I think he could be one of the great new opera stars, and I will be very excited to brag that I spotted him way back. (He even showed up on the hilariously admiring Barihunks blog and Twitter feed--I assume a tee shirt will be coming his way soon.)
Siena Forest, Kyle Ketelsen, and
Bergen Baker. Photo by Michal Daniel
More love? Kyle Ketelsen, who was last at Minnesota Opera in Anna Bolena, plays Escamillo, and as soon as he steps on the stage (or is driven onstage), the energy level jumps. He's an amazingly riveting performer, with a strong, confident voice and presence, and something that is too often lacking in opera stars--actual sex appeal. I still remember (okay, it was only two seasons ago) his love scenes as Enrico VIII in Anna Bolena. They were astonishingly hot--especially for opera, which is often pretty low on the temperature scale. He's fabulous but is on stage for far too short a time.
As for the rest of the production, the Director's Notes in the program say it all: "A Boogie Nights Carmen." You can read more here.
Set in the 1970s, the primary aspect that reflects this concept is the costuming. The range of costumes spanned from 1940s housedresses and aprons to ill-fitting hip-huggers to Carmen's Missoni-like dress. When the smugglers all gathered in the mountains (quite a lot of them), it looked like the Manson Family has turned to smuggling--vintage Playboys, no less. Also, I love you Minnesota Opera, but that was some of the worst fake smoking I've ever seen.
That said, I'm happy for Minnesota Opera to have a great-selling show. I hope this encourages more people to come see their other work, especially The Magic Flute, a fabulous production that they're bringing back next season.
"Any significant flaws can be attributed to the opera itself, which tests your capacity for compassion with its opportunistic heroine, abusive hero and no real romance to speak of, just libidos run amok."
Minnesota Opera's 'Carmen' is Disappointing - Star Tribune
"It would be nice to report that the company’s new “Carmen,” unveiled at
the Ordway Center on Saturday as the season’s final production, moves
forward, offering a compelling vision for the next 20 years. It doesn't."
Carmen - Aisle Say Twin Cities
"MN Opera's 'Carmen' set in post-Franco Spain, is saucy, dazzling, and you'll be singing the "Toreador" song for days."
"This is a lush, sexy world and every inch of the stage seems to pulse with that sensual energy. Embrace a bit of tragic yearning and don't miss Carmen."
A whirlwind weekend trip to Chicago yielded an embarrassment of theatrical riches. Four shows in two days! But the reason for our trip? Carousel at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. And it was everything we'd hoped it would be.
Ever since hearing the first casting news, we wanted to see this show. Having seen Steven Pasquale in A Man of No Importance back in 2002, and hearing him sing The Bridges of Madison County, he seemed perfect casting for Billy Bigelow. And our hometown girl, Laura Osnes, seemed ideal as Julie Jordan. And the more actors were announced, the better it sounded. Opera star Denyce Graves as Cousin Nettie, Jenn Gambatese as Carrie Pipperidge, Charlotte D'Amboise as Mrs. Mullin, Tony Roberts as The Starkeeper, Jarrod Emick as Jigger Craigin. Amazing!
The Civic Opera House, where the Chicago Lyric Opera performs, is a huge house, seating over 3,500. We found a deal and splurged a bit on front-row seats, but a friend of ours sitting further back on the main floor enjoyed her seat just as much. Fittingly, this is a big production. The chorus is huge, filled with talented singers and dancers. The play has been re-set from the early part of the century to the Depression-era 1930s, which works well, especially since Mullin's Carousel has been expanded to a traveling fair. The set, designed by Paulo Ventura, fills the vast space, and allows director and choreographer Rob Marshall to create some gorgeous stage pictures.
It's been a long time since I've seen a professional production of the show, and I loved the way the show started. After The Carousel Waltz started playing, the lights came up behind the scrim to show us Billy and then Mrs. Mullins emerging from her trailer en deshabille. Soon, the traveling show is setting up around them, with clowns, a stilt walker, dancing girls, and the carousel. This allows us to see Billy in his element, charming the girls who line up to see him at the carousel, and we see his interaction with Julie before we even hear a word. It was very effective!
This is one of the most beautiful musical theater scores ever written, and it's certainly done justice by the 37-piece(!) orchestra as well as the singers. Pasquale is a properly tortured Billy, and he really made me understand how conflicted he is within himself and why Julie stands by him. And Laura Osnes shows not only the incredible sweetness of the Julie we first meet at the carousel, but the steely determination beneath that, which allows her to take the chance to be with Billy and to keep believing in him.
Laura Osnes as Julie and Steven Pasquale as Billy. Photo: Todd Rosenberg / Chicago Now
Jenn Gambatese was a sweet and funny Carrie, and far less silly than others I've seen in the role, which easily tips over into caricature. Matthew Hydzik was a wonderful Mr. Snow, with all of his high-mindedness and ambition but also a weakness for Carrie that lasts into their married life. Denyce Graves was a bit formal as Cousin Nettie, as many opera singers are when they tackle musical theater, but then she would sing. Her big numbers, "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" sounded amazing in her wonderful opera voice.
Jarrod Emick is a bit of a puzzle as Jigger Craigin. I found his giant bushy beard and cuffed jeans quite distracting. He resembled an old prospector who wandered into coastal Maine. But he was convincing at luring Billy away from the straight and narrow, and an effective roadblock for Carrie and Mr. Snow, and that's what he needs to be. Tony Roberts was fine as the Starkeeper, but there's not much to the role. (I never really saw the point of the song "The Highest Judge of All" before this production.) Charlotte D'Amboise was a slinky, desperate Mrs. Mullins, and got to show off her dancing. The ballet was performed beautifully by Abigail Simon, with able assistance from Martin Harvey as a carnival worker who looked a little too familiar to Billy.
And of course, the last thing to mention is the "Soliloquy." It's the Mount Everest of musical theater leading man songs, and Pasquale scales it beautifully. There's an odd choice to have an enormous set piece move onto the stage while he's singing, which does set up for a nice final picture at the end of the first act, but in spite of that, the song was riveting. This is a Carousel to remember. I know that I will.
But PLEASE Lyric Opera, find a way to record it! I know it couldn't come to Broadway in its current form with this huge cast and 37 musicians, so I hope they are able to give us some lasting memory of it.
Until then, I'll watch and rewatch this clip of Osnes and Pasquale performing the bench scene ("If I Loved You") in a rehearsal studio. (Yes, it's a rock wall in this production, but it's always called the bench scene. It just is.)
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