Ashland at Chameleon Theatre Circle

Chameleon Theatre Circle is presenting the world premiere of Ashland by Minnesota- and Oregon-based writer Isabel Estelle. The play was the winner of Chameleon's 2022 New Play Contest and had a staged reading in February 2023 at Theatre in the Round as well as an October 2023 reading at the Ashland New Plays Festival in Oregon.

It's clear to see why this play is attracting attention. In a tight 90 minutes, it tells a difficult story with great humor and humanity.

From the Chameleon website: A young woman is unexpectedly diagnosed with a terminal illness and chooses to pursue Death with Dignity. She and her new partner must navigate the beginning and end of their relationship simultaneously. As her health rapidly declines, her partner and two siblings grapple with the absurdity and hilarity of death, family, and what it takes to let go.

Crazy for You at Artistry

The cast and orchestra of Crazy for You
Photo by Sam Lavine

The production of Crazy for You at Artistry is a rare treat. There's only one weekend left, so hurry to get your tickets before it closes on February 11.

Crazy for You premiered on Broadway in 1992 as a "new" Gershwin musical. Creators Ken Ludwig and Mike Ockrent used the 1930 musical Girl Crazy as a rough outline and loaded the score with classic songs by George and Ira Gershwin like "Shall We Dance," "Embraceable You," "I Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "But Not for Me," and "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and many others. The plot is slight, involving a derelict theater in Nevada that needs saving, but it's just an excuse to get from one song to the next. 

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. 

Company National Tour at the Orpheum Theatre

Company is a Tony-award winning 1970 musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. It's a concept musical that features a series of vignettes about Bobby, a single man, and his married friends.

Britney Coleman as Bobbie in the National Tour of Company.
Photo by Matthew Murphy for Murphy.Made.

 
The production now playing at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis is the first national tour of the 2021 revival that changes the main character to Bobbie, a single woman celebrating her 35th birthday and examining the relationships around her.

Twin Cities Theater Chat Addendum - Holidays 2023 Edition!

Haul out the holly, cause we need a little holiday fun. Luckily, our Twin Cities Theater community is ready to share some wonderful shows with you and your loved ones. Tip! Buy tickets for a show for gifts! 

Find out about all the holiday theater fun on the latest holiday-centric episode of Twin Cities Theater Chat!

BTW, our podcast host site has limited space for show notes, so here's the full list of holiday recommendations from the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers.

Ghost Quartet at Theatre Elision

Our good friend Cherry and Spoon calls Theatre Elision's Ghost Quartet "Musically gorgeous and truly haunting." Okay! We're in!

This spooky season has been absolutely jam-packed with theater goodness, but we couldn't let another year go by without seeing Ghost Quartet (this is Theatre Elision's fifth production of this show.) which runs through October 28.

Shadows Under Wabasha: Twin Cities Horror Fest XII

Show:
Shadows Under Wabasha

By:
Hot Chocolate Media

In Short:
It’s 1920s St. Paul, it was an easy heist, a simple score for this crew. One mistake and they are trapped in a cave that was supposed to be their hideout. Four gang members must work together before their place of refuge becomes their tomb. 

Selected Cast/Creative:
Rachael Dosen, Bridget Foy, Ileri Okikiolu, Addie Ripperger play the gangsters. Directed by Denzel Belin and written by Kyle B. Dekker, Denzel Belin, and Jacob Gulliver.

Our Thoughts:
Last year, Denzel Belin wrote and directed one of our favorite shows in the Twin Cities Horror Festival: Bad Egg, a thoughtful and witty retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This is the second show we've seen in the Crane studio space (the other is Lock-In), and the space has felt like a challenge in both. Last year, another TCHF favorite, Stabby Stab Stab, made great use of the space, but it's not easy. 

Shadows Under Wabasha has a compelling premise. Or premises. The Wabasha caves are endlessly fascinating and, for the claustrophobic among us, particularly creepy. The gangsters and the agreement that they made with the city of St. Paul is another bit of great local history. Add in conflict between disparate characters trapped together with limited light and air and you have the makings of a great TCHF show. Strong performances by Bridget Foy and Ileri Okikiolu anchor the play, but there seems to be a little too much to successfully cover in one small TCHF play. 

You Should See This If You Like:
Workplace conflict, caves, gangsters, meteorites, great menswear.