Great River Shakespeare Festival 2024 Season

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to return to the Great River Shakespeare Festival with bloggers from Cherry and Spoon and The Stages of MN. This year, the summer festival is presenting two shows in repertory from June 27 to July 28: Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing. 

Izzy Heckman as the Watch, Marina Narvaez as Verges, and 

Tarah Flanagan as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing. In

the background are Emily Fury Daly, Melissa Maxwell, 

Diana Coates, and Michael Fitzpatrick. Photo by Dan Norman. 

We first saw Much Ado About Nothing, which director Gaby Rodriguez has placed in a contemporary setting, with the backdrop of a block party to welcome back the returning soldiers. The best use of the setting was having Dogberry (Tarah Flanagan), Verges, and the Watch as the Neighborhood Watch, giving those characters a reason to be nosing around the proceedings and observing what the main characters are incapable of seeing. Flanagan's Dogberry leads the young actors playing Verges (Marina Narvaez alternating with Ruth Civettini) and the Watch (Izzy Heckman alternating with Morwyn Johnson) through the proceedings but makes the most of her defining speeches. 

Daniel Ajak and Emily Fury Daly make a cute pair as the young lovers Claudio and Hero, and I really appreciated the edits and directorial choices made to give Hero a little more agency at the end. Our main pair, the battling Beatrice and Benedick, are played by Melissa Maxwell and William Sturdivant, who are both veterans of the festival, and also appeared in this summer's Henriad plays at the Guthrie. Sturdivant is all swagger as Benedick and Maxwell is full of attitude as Beatrice. Both of them play up the physical comedy, using most parts of the rather spare set as their playground. 

With a main cast of only nine actors this season, roles are doubled up. Michael Fitzpatrick ably plays both Hero's father Leonato and Conrad, while Christopher Gerson takes on the wicked Don John and his compatriot Balthasar. I was particularly drawn to Diana Coates, who is new to the festival this year, but I hope to see again. Coates plays Hero's companion Margaret, as well as Leonato's brother, the aged Antonio, and Borachio, which if you know the play is kind of amusing, since other characters seeing Margaret and Borachio getting romantic causes the "Ado" of the title. Obviously, it's only mentioned in this production, and not shown! But Coates did a marvelous job of delineating her three characters with her body language. Even without costumes, you would immediately know which character she was portraying at any moment. 

Melissa Maxwell as Beatrice, Will Sturdivant as Benedick, 

Emily Fury Daly as Hero, and Diana Coates as Margaret 

in Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Dan Norman.

I need to single out one actor in particular. Benjamin Boucvalt, who plays the role of Don Pedro, was unable to perform at the show we saw, and Alessandro Yokoyama stepped into the role seamlessly, with a commanding voice and presence that belied his youth. If we hadn't known he was an understudy, we wouldn't have guessed it.

The block party theme didn't entirely work for me, as I felt it was kind of ignored after the first scene or two, and this wasn't my favorite production of the play ever, but it had some interesting performances that made it worth seeing.

Tarah Flanagan as Hamlet. 
Photo by Benjamin Boucvalt.

The next afternoon we returned to the festival for Hamlet. Longtime company member Tarah Flanagan has long wanted to play Hamlet, and the stars have aligned this season for it to happen. Women have often played the role before, but this was my first experience with a female Hamlet. Generally, by the time an actor has the experience to inhabit the role, they are rather old to convincingly play a young man still in college. Flanagan's small stature helps her to embody the young prince, but it's her acting experience that really sells the story.

Flanagan's Hamlet, from the very start of the play, is a very young man coping with grief over his father's death and his mother, Gertrude's, rapid remarriage to Claudius, brother to the late King Hamlet and uncle to the young man. Hamlet feels this relationship is a betrayal of his father, so he is very susceptible when asked by the ghost of his father to avenge his murder. 

Gertrude and Claudius are played by Maxwell and Sturdivant, in a relationship far different from the one they play in Much Ado. Sturdivant's Claudius is commanding and no-nonsense, clearly capable of fratricide. Maxwell's Gertrude defers to her new husband, and seems almost beaten down by him. In contrast to others who have played the role as a woman who craves power above all, Maxwell sometimes appears to want to speak to and comfort her son. It's an interesting portrayal that I wish I'd seen more of, but I'm not sure if the full uncut script would give Gertrude any opportunity to connect with Hamlet. 

Most of the company play multiple roles again, all ably. Emily Fury Daly makes a haunting impression as Ophelia, confused by Hamlet's mercurial affections and later driven mad. Her breakdown is complete and affecting. But above all, this is Flanagan's play. She portrays all of Hamlet's moods without making him morose and showing real humor when confessing that she "knows a hawk from a handsaw." 

This production of Hamlet is a must-see. The spare scenery, but gorgeous design, and the skilled, subtle work of director Doug Scholz-Carlson all serve Flanagan's singular performance. 

In addition to the two plays presented in rep, Great River Shakespeare Festival always adds a little extra in their festivals. You can see post-show talkbacks on Thursday and join the cast and other theatergoers for ice cream after the show on Friday and Saturday nights. We love the Sunday morning company conversations, held at Blooming Grounds coffee shop, where the cast and creatives dig deep into issues around the plays and their process. And don't forget to arrive early to see their acting apprentices perform short scenes and give some insight into the plays. 

Winona is a charming town, a lovely two-hour drive from the Twin Cities, and the plays are some of the best theater you'll see all year. If only the cute bookstores downtown were open on Sundays! Still, a lovely summer theater road trip and one we highly recommend!

The History Plays at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theater is presenting an event of Shakespearean proportions this spring. A trilogy of plays featuring three English kings are being presented under the umbrella The History Plays.

The plays are being presented in repertory, meaning the same cast performs in each play, and since the plays are consecutive, many actors play the same roles from play to play. It's a massive undertaking, and the ultimate experience is to see all three plays consecutively in one day. The first opportunity to do that was on April 13, and there is one more chance on Saturday, May 18. Unfortunately, I couldn't see all three plays on April 13, so I saw Richard II at the Tuesday night preview before the opening marathon. But I'm a big fan of theater binging!

Richard II was the grandson of Edward III and the eighth king to descend from the Plantagenet line. After 200 years of almost unbroken rule, Richard considered himself divinely appointed to the throne. Costumer for all three plays Trevor Bowen dresses Tyler Michaels King as Richard in shimmering gold. King's appearance and performance make Richard seem otherworldly, as he considers himself to be. He asserts Richard's godliness with complete sincerity, and later in the play, is hauntingly distraught by his loss of power.

William Sturdivant (Henry Bolingbroke), Tyler Michaels King
(King Richard II), David Whalen (Thomas Mowbray)
and the cast of Richard II. Photo by Dan Norman.

As the play begins, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Herford, a cousin of Richard's, accuses Thomas Mowbry, Duke of Norfolk, of treason, which Norfolk denies. Richard is asked to adjudicate the dispute and banishes Norfolk from England for life. Bolingbroke is banished for ten years, which the king in his mercy commutes to just (!) six years. Note that many of the characters have multiple names, but the program provides names and titles for reference.

Richard surrounds himself with sycophants who do not advise him well, and his reliance on his divinity makes him vulnerable. When his uncle John of Gaunt (played with marvelous gravity by the always-amazing Charity Jones) dies while Henry Bolingbroke is still banished, Richard seizes his uncle's property, the rightful inheritance of Henry.

That was a very bad idea, since Henry returns to England and raises an army against Richard, deposing and imprisoning him. He is then crowned Henry IV. William Sturdivant plays Henry Bolingbroke as a rather hotheaded young man who matures as he vies for the throne.

In Henry IV, the king is now facing threats against his reign from his former ally, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, and his son Harry Percy, also known as Hotspur. The elder Percy is played by Stephen Yoakam, who played Henry Bolingbroke/Henry IV when the Guthrie last did these plays in 1990. It's always a treat to see him on stage and of course he is wonderful. Hotspur is played by John Catron, who works a rebellious hairstyle and proves a formidable rival to the king.

Henry V cast. Photo by Dan Norman

Henry's other conflict in the play is with his son, Prince Henry, also called Hal, who spends his time with the denizens of the Boar's Head Tavern when his father would rather have him learning to take up the burden of the crown. Hal's companion in his misadventures is Sir John Falstaff, who provides a comic balance to the seriousness of the king. Jimmy Kieffer is absolutely delightful as Falstaff, and makes one wish that Hal could mature without losing his most amusing friend. Daniel José Molina plays Hal as the charming wastrel who eventually comes into his own to become King Henry V.

 

Daniel José Molina and the cast of Henry V. Photo by Dan Norman.

Henry V sees the now king facing a new challenge when he decides to expand his realm to France based on his Norman ancestors' previous control. Henry is supported by his brothers and uncle as well as soldiers including some of his old pals from the tavern. Sadly, these do not include Falstaff.

This play includes some narration by the players to set the scenes, asking the audience to imagine the battlefields and the conflicts, though there is also plenty of fighting on stage. The French court is imagined as having a different style than the English to humorous effect. When the fighting is done, the play takes a turn as Henry woos the French king's daughter Katherine, despite not knowing French and she knowing little English. It's a sweet scene that contrasts with what went before, and the narration comes back at the end to let us know that Henry's line of rulers ends with his son, Henry IV, about whom Shakespeare wrote four plays.

The cycle of plays shows an interesting progression of very different kings, from the divinely ordained Richard to the usurper Henry IV to the wild youth-turned thoughtful ruler Henry V. The performances are captivating, the language is beautifully spoken, and the entire experience is breathtaking.

All plays are impeccably directed by Joseph Haj, with simple but striking scenic design by Jan Chambers, wonderfully effective costume design by Trevor Bowen, and evocative lighting design by Heather Gilbert. Don't miss this chance to see the history plays at the Guthrie through May 25. It may be another 30 years before you get the chance.

A plug here for the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat. The podcast spoke with director Joe Haj about the shows, and interviews with the actors will be posted shortly!

Also, if you are going to the shows, the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers will be at the matinee performance of Richard II on Saturday April 27. Join us for the theater's talkback and say hi to us after the show!

Hecuba by Pangea World Theater

Pangea World Theater has opened their new production of Hecuba at the Southern Theater, playing April 5-21, and it is a beautiful, heart-rending play. 

Based on a play written by Euripides c. 424 BCE, the story starts just after the fall of the city of Troy to Greece following a years-long siege and the fateful arrival of the famed Trojan Horse. But you don't have to study Greek tragedy to understand this play.

Irish playwright Marina Carr uses the ancient tale to create a universal story of the horrors of war. Carr starts the play in the immediate aftermath of Troy's fall, following Hecuba, Queen of Troy, as she loses everything to the conquering King Agamemnon. The characters narrate their own story describing their surroundings and sometimes voicing other characters lines, which gives a glimpse into how the words are heard as well as spoken. Hecuba, surrounded by the bodies of her fallen sons, is brought even lower when she and her daughters are taken prisoner by Agamemnon, Odysseus, and their soldiers. 

As this ancient tale unfolds, the performers are seated to the sides of the stage, bearing witness to the events and contributing sound and movement when they are not part of the main action. The script's descriptions allow director Dipankar Mukherjee to stage the violence, killing, and sexual content of the story in a specifically unrealistic way. The words alone carry the weight of the violence. 

Hecuba (Suzanne Victoria Cross) with her daughters Polyxena
(Anne Guadagnino) and Cassandra (Ankita Ashrit).

All the performances were excellent, with Suzanne Victoria Cross showing us Hecuba's pride even as she and her women are held captive, starved, and worse. Matthew Saxe as Agamemnon is a ruthless antagonist who also sometimes questions the "rules of war" that he upholds. 

Hecuba's two daughters depicted in the play have very different relationships with their mother. Polyxena is young, but not as innocent as her mother believes. Anne Guadagnino plays the duality very well. Ankita Ashrit's Cassandra has a much more combative relationship with Hecuba. As told in mythology, Cassandra was gifted with the power of prophecy, but also a curse that no one would believe her. Even when she sees what will happen to them, Hecuba argues with her and disowns her, which allows us to see Cassandra's struggle. 

The action is underscored, and even introduced and capped off by the original music composed and played onstage by Bethany Lacktorin. The sounds, sometimes assisted by the cast, help to set the scenes and the conflicts played out on stage.

Although these characters' lives are influenced by the gods, they are not too different from those influenced by ideology in today's world. The horrors of their wars are not so different from our own. And in a way, Hecuba is any mother, watching helplessly as her children are taken from her. Carr's play brings the horrors of war from the ancient world into our own and is sadly relevant to our own time. 

Learn more about the play in Pangea's Performance Guide. 

For more insight into Pangea's work, check out the Twin Cities Theater Chat podcast we recorded with Production Manager (and Hecuba) Suzanne Victoria Cross and General Manager Adlyn Carreras. 

C.L.U.E. by Collide Theatrical Dance

The ensemble of C.L.U.E.

Collide Theatrical Dance's new production C.L.U.E. (playing at the Southern Theater February 16-March 10) is a takeoff on the popular board game, as you might have guessed. 

However, instead of Miss Scarlet and Colonel Mustard, we meet a different set of characters, introduced by Mr. Bottie (Nathan Huberty), who is being threatened by one of them. Each character has their own dance that tells their story and their relationship to the others. As with most Collide productions, the majority of the story is told through dance but Huberty does double duty as dancer and narrator, showing impressive breath control when he speaks right after an energetic dance!

The simple set is augmented by projections (designed by Peter Morrow) that introduce the characters and show the different rooms. And of course, weapons are introduced. At intermission, the audience is asked to vote on the murderer, the weapon, and the murder location via a QR code in the program or by writing down choices on a paper form at the box office. The votes are tallied, and the most selected answers are acted out by the company. 

The choreography (to mostly pop music) by company founder Regina Peluso is very fun to watch, and there are some nice touches that remind the audience of the show's board game origins, as each suspect character has a default pose and are moved by Mr. Bottie in a particular way when they are brought to the forefront of the stage. The dancers are very talented and have their own styles and specialties. 

It's an enjoyable evening of dance and humor, with a satisfying ending (or endings) that brings everything together, more or less. If you enjoy dance that tells a story, Collide is a wonderful company to follow, and C.L.U.E. is another stellar example of their work. 

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.

Performed in a black box theater at Inver Hills Community College, the simple set is just a few pieces of furniture, enough to suggest a living space. Lisa Diesslin's costumes suggest the characters without being overly showy, and Mark Steffer's props range from appropriate to hilarious. Kudos for using real food. Andi Billig's lights and sound work to create scenes in and out of the living space and keep the action from slowing down.

There isn't anything to detract from the performances or the relationships they build in a short time. Courtney Matula, Marlo Teal, and Phillip Zawieruszynski play siblings whose reactions to terminal illness are conveyed in a very natural, believable way. As Wes, Jessica Lynn Frederikson builds a relationship with the family and runs through the gamut of emotions, some so raw that it's hard to watch, but never overplaying. Nissa Frederikson as Susan is a calm, thoughtful presence throughout the events. Matula, as Vim, who chooses to end her own suffering, creates a delightful character and does a wonderful wordless scene showing the progression of her condition.

It's difficult to tell whether the truth of the relationships on stage comes from the naturalistic writing or from the work of the cast, under Bradley Donaldson's direction. The two elements work hand in hand to create a difficult, but ultimately heartening evening of theater.

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.