Saturday, October 10, 2015

Broadway Songbook - The 70s Songbook at The Ordway

James Rocco's Broadway Songbooks have quickly become a staple of my theatergoing season.

The Songbooks are warm, chatty, and filled with interesting anecdotes about musical theater, as well as musical numbers sung by a richly talented cast and a band led by Raymond Berg. I love how much James Rocco's love of theater comes through in every show.

The 70s Songbook is a bit of a departure from past Broadway Songbooks. As Rocco puts it in his director's notes:
"Tonight we'll take a step back in time and explore the 1970s, a period of time when the classic form of musical theater began to deconstruct. Sometimes referred to as the "Me" decade, the 70s exploded with diverse forms of pop music that grew out of society's cultural individualism."
The 70s Songbook presents music from such songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, Billy Joel and Elton John, in addition to some of the more standard musical theater offerings such as Company, Pippin and A Chorus Line.

The amazing cast includes Dieter Bierbrauer (always a treat), Caroline Innerbichler (a standout from the recent The Pirates of Penzance), Kersten Rodau (James Rocco's muse, I think), Randy Schmeling (fabulous as always), and Erin Schwab (we'll get to her in a minute).

Although I prefer the musical theater songs to the pop songs, any show that ends the first act with Erin Schwab and Kersten Rodau singing the fabulous Donna Summer/Barbra Streisand disco anthem "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" is complete genius.

I have to say this out loud: Erin Schwab is a Minnesota treasure--I think it's time for her own Minnesota Originals show. Also, she was ROCKING a super sparkly dress.  So very sparkly.

Not to be all spoilery (too late), the other utterly transcendent moment from this show was Randy Schmeling singing "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin. I love seeing Randy Schmeling in any role, but I really loved hearing him really sing this song. His voice was clear, gorgeous, powerful, and he sang the HELL out of that song.

Oh, and one more thing: Hearing Kersten Rodau sing "Could I Leave You" from Follies made me long to see her cast as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. She would rock that role so hard.

With fabulous performances by all, the 70s Songbook is a delightful night at the theater.

A small quibble though: I have loved seeing representation in other songbooks by actors and singers of racially diverse backgrounds. I hope to see that again! I love by how The Ordway has really stepped up their game in terms of non-traditional casting--especially with the recent Damn Yankees and A Christmas Story. I'm crossing fingers for the same in the upcoming The Sound of Music.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Annapurna Scales the Heights at the Jungle

Annapurna is the name of a mountain in Nepal. It's also the title of Sharr White's new play, set in a decrepit trailer at the base of another mountain in Colorado. But the largest peak in this play is the distance separating the two characters.

Ulysses lives in the trailer, isolated from the world and most human contact. His ex-wife, Emma, shows up unannounced, hauling a pile of baggage both literal and metaphorical. Emma left Ulysses 20 years ago, taking their young son with her, and they haven't been in contact since. So why is she suddenly here on her ex-husband's sad excuse for a doorstep?

All images (c) Dan Norman Photography
Well, that's the play. I don't think one needs to know anything more going into it. I knew it was a new play, a great director, a wonderful set, and a terrific cast, and that was enough to get me to the theater.

Terry Hempleman looks terrible as Ulysses, which is perfectly appropriate for a cranky hermit who is facing his imminent demise. Angela Timberman's Emma starts as an enigma, both to the audience and to Ulysses, who learns about her motives at the same time the audience does. The two have a wonderful chemistry, their relationship turning from prickly and antagonistic to sweetly nostalgic and back again in a moment, just as happens in longstanding relationships. And despite their separation, it's clear that Emma and Ulysses' bond has been an ongoing aspect of their lives apart. Hempleman and Timberman keep a crackling energy going throughout the play, which is very funny even as it deals with some very dark issues.

Director Joel Sass designed the wonderfully realistic set, a cross-section of the trailer that looks authentically run-down and lived in. You can read more about the set here.

Sass also orchestrates a natural flow and rhythm to the dialogue. After seeing too many shows in which people shout at each other for hours, I've gained an appreciation for more modulated acting, so that when there is shouting, it really feels warranted. No doubt it helps that the Jungle's space is so intimate that actors don't have a huge house to project to.

The play is beautifully written, with naturalistic dialogue that never feels forced or "actor-y." From frustrated cursing to some very poetic turns, each line is completely appropriate for these characters and sounds conversational coming from these two actors. And of course, if one wishes to explore the parallels between these two and the story of Odysseus (Ulysses is the Latin name for Odysseus), who at the end of the Trojan War spent years trying to get back to his wife and son, that's another layer. You don't need to be familiar with Homer or mountains in Nepal to want to spend time with these characters, though. Their interactions stand on their own.

Annapurna runs through October 18 at the Jungle Theater. If you need more persuading to see it, check out the trailer.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Lovely and Enchanting Night: Cinderella


Yes, the title of the post says almost everything I want to about Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. The show was originally written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for a 1957 Original Television Musical starring Dame Julie Andrews as Cinderella. It was then staged in 1958 at the London Coliseum. In 1965 it was remade into another television special starring Lesley Ann Warren. It wasn't until 1993 that the New York City Opera staged a version and restaged/revived it in 1995 and 2004. In 1997 it had another television remake - this time starring R&B performer Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother. It has played in High Schools around the country but in 2013 it debuted on Broadway for the first time ever. This show features a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. It includes all the songs from the television musical as well as some songs from the trunk (meaning songs written for other shows but cut or adopted for this work).

The story of Cinderella is well known. It is based on the story by Charles Perrault who based it on folklore of his time. This story is similar to other stories around the world - the story of Ye Xian in China, or Chinye in West Africa, or even Rhodopis in Egypt.  The story has even been told in writing from the viewpoint of an Stepsister. A girl's parents both die and she is raised by a stepmother who treats her unkindly. The Prince of the land gives a ball so that he can find a wife. The stepmother and her two daughters go and leave Cinderella at home. A fairy godmother intervenes and...well, you know the rest. The story of the show follows this fairly closely. There are a few changes from the original TV film as well as from the Disney animated film. One of the biggest changes is that Cinderella takes more control of her destiny. When she first leaves the castle, she trips and leaves one of her shoes behind. She grabs it and runs off. The second time she leaves, she purposefully hands the
shoe to the Prince.

The Orpheum has a wonderland on stage. There is an amazing forest set that fills the stage when you walk in. And when the cast comes on stage - the whole stage is filled with people or set. It is wonderful and charming. The story is certainly for the kids but there is some political content that helps keep the adults entertained as well. It is also very clear that Ella is all about compassion and kindness. The set, story and cast were as good as you could want them. The music and singing were pitch perfect - 23 songs filled with perfect characterizations and wonderful voices. In fact there are a total of 26 pieces of music through out the night (up from the 15 from the original TV broadcast). This keeps the show flowing and magical. And speaking of magical - the transformations!! During Act 1, Crazy Marie throws off her hood, turns around and is transformed in full view to the gorgeous, purple-gowned Fairy Godmother. Soon after that Cinderella is transformed (also in full view) from her raggedy dress to a wonderful white ball gown and tiara. True stage magic which earned it's applause. There are a few moments of magic in Act Two as well that are as astounding and surprising!

The other astounding part of this work is the dance. The choreography is not your typical Broadway hoofing. It leans far more toward ballet and it is used through out the show. Visually there is always movement and something catching your eye. The dance at the ball was lovely and gorgeous and a feat of strength with lifts like you rarely see on stage. I appreciated that they allowed time for these dances and trusted that the audience would be mesmerized by them - and they were.

The show runs over 2 hours long. The audience was filled with young girls and yet it was very quiet. The kids were paying attention and clearly loving every minute. And there was so much on stage to love. It truly was a lovely and enchanting night of theatre. A night I wish everyone could experience at some point.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Is It Fall Already? I Hadn't Noticed. (September Theater Preview)

It's fall and you know what that means: Delightfully cooler weather AND more theater than you can shake a stick at.

Dig out those scarves and check out the shows I'm most looking forward in September.

Extremities - Dark & Stormy Productions
August 27 - September 19, 2015
Grain Belt Bottling House

In Short: A woman takes revenge on the man who invaded her home. Originally performed off-Broadway in 1982. And remember the movie with Farrah Fawcett from 1986?

Why I'm Down: I love a play performed in an unusual place, and Dark & Stormy's The Hothouse last year was riveting.

Akeelah and the Bee - Children's Theatre Company
September 1 - October 11, 2015

In Short: Based on the 2006 film of the same name, this is about Akeelah, who goes from the south side of Chicago to the National Spelling Bee.

Why I'm Down: James A. Williams, Greta Oglesby, Aimee K. Bryant, Nathan Barlow. Also, spelling bees are fun. Have you seen the amazing documentary Spellbound?

Annapurna - Jungle Theater
September 4 - October 18, 2015

In Short: "After twenty years apart, Emma tracks Ulysses to a trailer park in the middle of nowhere for a final reckoning. What unfolds is a visceral and profound meditation on love and loss with the simplest of theatrical elements: two people in one room. A breathtaking story about the longevity of love."*

Why I'm Down: Angela Timberman and Terry Hempleman. Also, I heard the set was amahzing.

Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue - Park Square Theatre
September 11 - October 4, 2015

In Short: "Elliot Ortiz is home from Iraq. Like his father and grandfather before him, the eager soldier is forced to unravel his experience as he nurses his injuries and considers returning to the frontlines. Elliot’s mother, a nurse in Vietnam, holds three generations of this family’s soldiers together; turning their city lot into a lush and healing tropical garden."*

Why I'm Down:
Written by Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for In the Heights. Stars Ricardo Vázquez, this is about three generations of a Puerto Rican family. Representation rocks.

The Little Pilot - Sandbox Theatre
September 11 - October 4, 2015
The Southern Theater

In Short: "An all new, ensemble-created play based on the life and work of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The tale of The Little Pilot weaves between the fanciful and the factual, as Saint-Exupéry’s literary characters and real-life events blend together to create a visually stunning production featuring aerial silk acrobatics and original visual art projections."*

Why I'm Down:  I've wanted to know more about Saint-Exupery ever since I was a kid and thought it was pronounced Saint Ex-OOP-er-ay. Emphasis on the oop.  Also, it sounds cool.

Things of Dry Hours - Frank Theatre
September 11 - October 5, 2015
The Playwrights' Center

In Short: "Alabama, 1932. Tice, a laid-off steelworker, swears by his bible as much as he does the words of Karl Marx. His widowed daughter who does the laundry of the rich white folk and collects the treasures that are left in their sheets—a ribbon here, a shoe there–lives with him in a cabin. In the middle of the night, a stranger—a white man suspected of murdering a foreman at the steel mill—knocks on their door with the intent of changing their worlds for good."*

Why I'm Down: That description intrigues me wildly. Also, Frank Theatre does unusual, engaging work.

A Lie of the Mind - Theatre Pro Rata
September 12 - 27, 2015
Nimbus Theater

In Short: "Shepard’s famous portrait of the American nightmare begins when Beth wakes up with a brain injury. Her husband Jake has beaten her so badly that she retreats to her family home in Montana. Jake crawls back to his mother and siblings in California. Two families begin to reassess and unravel. When the mind can take no more, it survives by breaking down and rewiring its pathways. But when the family dynamic deteriorates, it may take gunshots and fire to forge more reliable bonds."*

Why I'm Down: Theater Pro Rata is one of those theaters that I just want to see more of their work. I've missed too many. Also, Sam Shepard.  He used to live here, doncha know? Oh cripes.

The Genealogy of Happenstance  - Guthrie Theater
September 17 - September 20, 2015
Dowling Studio

In Short: "Allegra J Lingo's show wrestles with what it means to be ensconced in the journey to conceive a child when she herself will only be connected by the genealogy of happenstance. Sometimes, making a baby takes more than just the birds and the bees."*

Why I'm Down: Smallish show in the Dowling Studio, short run, female playwright, directed by Christopher Kehoe? I'm in.

Murder for Two - Park Square Theatre
September 18 - November 1, 2015
Andy Boss Thrust Stage

In Short: "Everyone is a suspect in this hilarious miniature musical murder mystery filled with patter songs and comic ballads. One actor in this daring Vaudevillian duo investigates the crime. The other plays all the suspects. And they both play the piano."

Why I'm Down: Don't know either of the actors, which is kind of fun. I heart new musicals, yay!  And directed by Randy Reyes!

Prep - Pillsbury House Theatre
September 18 - October 18, 2015

In Short: "From the playwright of Buzzer comes Prep, a powerful story that exposes the trauma faced by African-American high school students navigating today’s educational system."*

Why I'm Down: Racism and class in today's schools? Yes. I can always count on Pillsbury House to provide thought-provoking theater. Also, Ryan Colbert is quickly becoming one of my favorite young local actors to watch (after Will You Still Love Me, Tomorrow at Red Eye and Choir Boy at the Big G.)

September 23 – October 25, 2015
The Ritz Theater

In Short: It's all there in the title, really. Also, Sondheim.

Why I'm Down: Look over to the right there. So interested to see what Mark Benninghofen does with the title role, as he is thoroughly awesome.



U/G/L/Y - Guthrie Theater
September 24 - September 27, 2015
Dowling Studio

In Short: "A new performance work by celebrated theater artist and activist Shá Cage, U/G/L/Y examines cultural, generational and personal definitions of beauty."*

Why I'm Down: Love Sha Cage, love the subject, and sounds unique and fascinating!  That is all.

The Events - Guthrie Theater
September 30 - November 1, 2015
McGuire Proscenium Stage

In Short: From their website: "A response to the 2011 Norway attacks, in which the lives of 77 people were claimed by a car bomb and a mass shooting at a summer camp, this internationally acclaimed production delves into faith, politics and reason. Featuring original music sung by a different choir at each performance."*

Why I'm Down: That last sentence. Also, intriguing premise. And it's a Guthrie Worldstage Touring Production, which tend to be the most interesting shows I see at the Guthrie.

Go support our fabulous local theater!  And ENJOY!  

* From the theater's website 

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Review: Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl

Surprisingly all three of us went to see Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl at The Guthrie. It is a rare occasion for all three of us to be able to fit the same show into our schedule, and we had fun. This was my first time seeing a Sarah Ruhl play. Amazing, I know because the Twin Cities has seen quite a bit of Sarah Ruhl in the past years. Back in 2007, Mixed Blood did a production Ruhl's 2004 play named The Clean House. As happens sometimes in this town, it received two contrasting reviews. Next came another 2004 piece Eurydice. This piece was first done by Prospero Theatre Company in 2010, and then in 2012 it was produced by Walking Shadow Theatre Company.  Also in 2010, Park Square Theatre did a production of Ruhl's 2007 play Dead Man's Cell Phone. This work was also produced by Theatre in the Round in 2014. The next work to appear on the Twin Cites stages was her 2009, Tony Award nominated, In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play. This was produced by the Jungle Theater in 2012 and was directed by the Jungle's new Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen.

Finally Sarah Ruhl's 2011 play Stage Kiss is now playing at The Guthrie. While this played at Playwrights Horizon in New York, it has yet to see a Broadway production.  Everything that I have read about Ruhl and her plays leads me to think that they all have a fantastic side to them, yet are firmly based in reality. Think of Kushner and his Angels in America. Truly fantastic, yet still firmly rooted in real life situations, people, and experiences. And funny!!

Stage Kiss is the story of two actors who are cast in a play. The play is a old 1930's romance that never played well to start with and these actors (He, and She) are cast in the roles of lovers. She is married and he is her old fling - both onstage and off. And that is the start. The two actors (played incredibly well by Todd Gearhart and Stacia Rice) have to deal with their personal past relationship, their current budding romance along with their characters past and budding romance. I'm sure by now you have guessed why it is called Stage Kiss. The director on stage was played perfectly and hilariously by Charles Hubbell. His assistant and understudy for the leading man was played by Grant Fletcher Prewitt...and I can not think of anyone else who could play this role as sincerely yet getting every comic bit out of it, without milking the comedy. Wow. The cast also includes Michael Booth playing the husband (on and off stage), along with Rebecca Hurd and Cat Brindisi playing all the other female roles. Rebecca and Cat are used very well in Act One, but really come into their own in Act Two. I don't think there was a weak actor or character on stage all night and that makes for a fantastic night of theatre. Credit must be given equally to the cast, and the directer Casey Stangl.

I have to mention that the set design by Todd Rosenthal was also astounding. It starts in Act One in an old rehearsal space. As the first act continues, more and more of the set pieces are brought on till finally when the show they are rehearsing opens - it has a full parlor/living room set. Amazing! The set for Act Two didn't disappoint either. I'm not talking much about Act Two because you really should go see this marvelous work. And while you are there, you should swing by the gift shop and pick up a copy of Sarah Ruhl's "100 Essays I don't have time to write." I have only read a few snippets and really enjoyed it. I will be picking it, and copies of her scripts, up next time I am near the G. Also - take a look at her website. Such generosity to put excerpts of scripts, links to where you can buy them, photos from professional and non-professional productions - it is one of the best author websites I have seen.

So - If you miss Stage Kiss, make sure you don't miss anything else of hers. It will be a good night of theatre that will make you laugh and think - and can you ask for more?

alternate reviews - Here and Here and Here

Friday, August 7, 2015

Should You See the Ordway’s Pirates of Penzance? A One-question Quiz

The question is this: Do you like to have fun?

Brandon O'Neill and the pirates come ashore
photos: Molly Shields
If you said yes, then you should absolutely see The Pirates of Penzance, showing now through August 16 at the Ordway.

There is so much to love about this production that it’s difficult to know where to begin! The 18-piece orchestra kicks it off with a sprightly overture, by the end of which we have already met the pirates, and the pace never lets up. 

Anne Eisendrath singing down
the house as Mabel
As the Pirate King, Brandon O’Neill combines swagger and silliness in perfect proportions, and the rest of the cast follows suit. Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as Frederic has a beautiful voice and an appealing earnestness, while the ragtag pirates have excellent timing. They execute director James Rocco’s choreography with pinpoint precision, leading to big laughs.

Soon, the ladies flounce onto the stage in all their pastel finery, including Mabel, beautifully sung by Anne Eisendrath, who is well-matched with Herdlicka’s Frederic. As Major General Stanley, Gary Briggle is wonderfully pompous, and Kersten Rodau shines as Frederic’s devoted servant Ruth. Dieter Bierbrauer and his company of police bring even more hilarity, while dressed as Canadian Mounties. Why? Why not?


Brandon O'Neill as the Pirate King and Kersten Rodau as Ruth
explain a very silly dilemma to Hunter Ryan Herdlicka's Frederic.
The talented and hard-working cast run and dance continuously across the storybook set (designed by Tom Struge), singing, dancing, and swordfighting their hearts out for just over two hours. If the script and songs have been shortened, I didn’t miss anything.

The story, slight to begin with, is just an excuse for the songs and silliness. Every last cast member has moments to shine, and watching their work in the background is very entertaining. Most, if not all, of the cast participates in some way in the excellent stage combat, which you can read about here.
 
I can’t say enough about this production. I cannot imagine how it could be any better.

Any show that makes the audience laugh, smile, spontaneously clap, and cheer is to be experienced by as many people as possible in the short time it's playing.

What are you waiting for? Go!

Monday, August 3, 2015

Short Takes: The Matchmaker, Crazy for You, The Musical of Musicals: the Musical!

I saw three shows last weekend and although I enjoyed them all thoroughly, I am suffused with regret for the fact that I didn't see them in time to share the love. So belatedly, here are three quick takes on these shows.



The Matchmaker at Park Square Theatre - Andy Boss Thrust Stage by Girl Friday Productions

Why I Went: 
Love Karen Weise-Thompson, love Craig Johnson and Girl Friday Productions.

What I Loved: 
Karen Weise-Thompson is, as she always is, utterly hilarious, and creates a wonderfully rich Dolly Levi. Dan Hopman is eternally fascinating to watch and this role gave him great scope for transforming from a meek clerk to a sophisticated man-about-town. Twice, audience members commented (yes, aloud) on "his little face!" He gives great face. Hilarious performances by all, especially Sam Landman, who hit every note perfectly, and David Beukema, who got marvelous laughs without many lines at all (I love his carriage in his cabman's coat--that will stay with me!).

And Can I Just Say: 
This is the second show I've seen on the thrust stage, and Johnson makes fabulous use of the thrust stage. He moves his characters around seamlessly so that you don't miss a single facial expression or gesture. If only every director had such skill...it would definitely help my skepticism of the thrust stage. 



Crazy for You at Mounds View Community Theatre

Why I Went: 
Supporting my local (well, work local) community theater! Also, love Crazy for You, and haven't seen a production since the 1990s (?) Ordway tour stop.

What I Loved:
How can anyone live up to Harry Groener in the original cast? And yet, Benjamin Kolls as Bobby Child, did a beautiful job. Despite being new to musical theater, he danced beautifully, fainted fabulously and when dancing with Lauri Kraft as Polly Baker, moved fabulously, particularly in "Could You Use Me/Shall We Dance." A charming cast and a charming production all around.

Can I Also Say:
A pet peeve of mine is when directors create height in a production by throwing someone up on a ladder and pushing them around. Joe LaForte did a wonderful job of using the entire vertical stage space in a natural, realistic and engaging way. Beautifully done!


Why I Went:
A satirical musical that tells one story in the tradition of four great musical theater composers/teams? How can I miss this?

What I Loved:
Holy cats, the musical theater allusions fly fast and furious in this delightfully short show. The four segments (all based on the trope "I can't pay the rent!", "You must pay the rent!") were Corn - in the style of Rodgers and Hammerstein, A Little Complex - in the style of Stephen Sondheim, Dear Abby - in the style of Jerry Herman, and Aspects of Junita - in the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Witty and very inside theater, the references and nods flew so fast and furious that even I felt like needed an annotated version. Very hilarious and well done by a great, enthusiastic young cast.

Can I Also Say:
All of these audiences were wonderfully well-behaved, attentive and engaged. Not one made me want to smack someone upside the head. Also, at Bethel, their pre-show cell phone announcement included the caveat that checking the time or texts on your phone is distracting--please don't do it.  Love that!