The Jungle's "School Girls" brings "Mean Girls" to Africa

Every time I see a show at The Jungle, I think "they can't possibly top this..."

Photo by Dan Norman

... and then I find myself to be all wrong a couple months later when a new show opens.

Readers may remember my glowing review of the Jungle's reprisal of The Wolves last month, their powerful show about a girl's high school soccer team told exclusively by and from the perspective of teenage girls. It was a masterful piece of acting and writing, and really solidified for me how the simple act of naming a visionary artistic director - Sarah Rassmussen, in this case - can totally change the aura and value a theater brings to the community. Don't get me wrong; The Jungle has always done great work, but the fresh crop of new directors, actors, creative teams, playwrights and just truly intentional, inclusive diversity that is whipping through that stage is really inspiring to watch. The continued focus on women's voices, and especially those of young women / teenagers, is really filling a void in our artistic community and bringing scores of exciting new voices to the forefront of #tctheater stages and imaginations.

The latest show to fall in this spectrum, School Girls or, The African Mean Girls Play, is also one of the best - which is really saying something. A fictional play inspired by a true story, School Girls is about a school of girls in Ghana who are competing against each other to win the Miss Ghana pageant (along with the fame and opportunity to travel to the Miss Universe pageant that go along with it). Each girl holds a different potential advantage - some are thinner, some have better singing voices and talents, some are smarter, some are kinder, some are wealthier - but what ultimately proves to be the winning ticket is to be the person with the lightest skin. The build up to the selection for the pageant includes infighting and backstabbing as only a group of teenage girls can do, meeting (and even exceeding) the vicious bullying detailed in the famous movie Mean Girls (aka Lindsay Lohan's best movie - easily, ever). It's a play that is as entertaining as it is heartbreaking, showing the evil underbelly of our world just as it details the side splitting moments of joy we cling to through the madness.

Photo by Dan Norman

I searched my mind for another play I've seen featuring an exclusive troupe of black women actors on stage, and the only one I could come up with was the excellent Nina Simone: Four Women that ran at Park Square Theatre a few years ago (I also could count for colored girls... which featured all women of color at the Penumbra last year and was equally amazing). It's a shame it's taken this long for me to see another group of vivacious, fiercely talented black women shining together on-stage, and I thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie this group presented. Ashe Jaafaru is positively riveting as the main character (antihero?) Paulina. Paulina is a very complex character - ruthless, shrewd, bullying, and also abused, defensive and ambitious. It's a potent mix that Jaafaru pushes to the ultimate limit, often eliciting gasps from the audience with her sharply barbed delivery. Her performance makes a pointed contrast to the sweetness of many of the rest of the characters - among them Paulina's supposed best friend Ama (Aishé Keita), the bubbly Gifty (Nimene Sierra Wureh), vibrant Mercy (Kiara Jackson), and the always-snacking Nana (Salome Mergia). Eponine Diatta is layered as the American transplant Ericka, simple and lovable at first appearance but increasingly cunning as the competition heats up. Ivory Doublette is delightful as the kind Headmistress Francis, giving the story a sense of sanity. And Hope Cervantes is deliciously devious as the Miss Ghana recruiter Eloise Amponsah, whose pointed lines shed the most light on the disturbing ripple effects contests like Miss Universe can have on those who believe in them so fervently.

I really enjoyed the sunny production design, such a contrast to the chilly spring we're having. The set, designed by Seitu Jones and Bianca Janine Pettis, is a brightly lit cafeteria room that is simple but manages to encapsulate many levels of significance as the characters' backgrounds are revealed. Ghanaian designer Jacqueline Addison's vibrant costumes include bright school uniforms, beautiful headwraps, and a full 1980's compendium of prom gown style that will delight even the least nostalgic viewer. Karin Olson's painterly lighting transitions the action quickly from day to night and back again, and Katharine Horowitz's sound design is subtle enough to let you hear a pin drop during the most suspenseful moments. Hats off to visionary director Shá Cage for creating a tightly knit team who is clearly proud of the work they are doing - this show clicks through so smoothly that you barely realize when it's finished, and we all wanted more when the curtains rose for the final applause.

Photo by Dan Norman

This is the first play I've seen in a very long time that I've felt compelled to stay for a talk back after the show (especially on a weeknight). We had such a fruitful discussion after, and it was really fun to hear how the Jungle's diversifying (but still mostly older and whiter) audience connected with a play that was so clearly young and black. One of the things I loved most about School Girls was its many points of entry; from classism to racism to gender imbalance to judgments based on one's country of origin to colonialism to colorism, the ultimate theme, there are so many ways to engage with this richly visualized world. Jocelyn Bioh's script does not shy away from complexity, and her bravery in showing all the ugly underbelly of our centralization of Western and Anglo-centric beauty standards is revelatory, especially for audiences who have never encountered terms like colorism or whitening creams. By being unapologetic in its perspective, School Girls confronts us with many painful truths and centers the stories of many kinds of black women in an approachable package, and that's a feat we can use more of in all forms of art. This tautly presented, riveting piece of theater will grace The Jungle's stage only until April 14, so make sure to book your tickets quickly before it disappears. This smart, vivacious, beautiful young cast is truly #worthit. For more information or to buy your tickets, click on this link.

Reviewed in Brief: The Last Firefly by Theater Mu

What does community outreach mean to you? 

Photo courtesy of Mu Performing Arts

How about accessibility?

For a lot of people I imagine the definition would be pretty literal - have you invited people to attend your show? Do you have ramps and elevators for those who can't climb stairs? That's usually where those answers end.

I'd like to open a dialogue about a deeper kind of accessibility and outreach: Who gets to make art to begin with? Where do they perform it? How do they expand their group to organically include more and more types of people?

Theater Mu (Mu), one of my favorite local companies, really excels at this mission, and their latest show The Last Firefly takes it a step further. The Last Firefly is a zippy 70-ish minute script that tells a fable about how a girl (Boom) discovers who her father (Thunder) is; finds a long-lost sister (Lightning); makes friends with woodland creatures (Monkey and Spider); and rescues her mother (Kuroko) from her evil stepfather (Ax). Its a simple, animistic tale that I find a spare beauty in and really enjoyed at the Children's Theatre Company (CTC) a couple of years ago (click here for my review). Mu's staging is decidedly less lavish than CTC's, but it includes a lot more participation from untrained actors in the local community, and the contrast was really interesting to me.

The core actors are formed of Mu cast members and are surrounded with participation from local schools. Shina Xiong makes for a plucky Boom, and what she lacks in finesse she makes up for in great energy and spirit on stage. Gregory Yang clearly relishes playing the dangerous Ax, and I loved the clean lines and physicality Kajsiab "Jade" Yang brought to her role as the zesty Lightning. I think this is Daisuke Kawachi's first time directing Mu, and he incorporates many new faces we haven't normally seen in this crew. The results have mixed success, but I think that's okay - this is a very young crew overall, with many students in their first time ever on a professional stage, and they bring so much heart and energy to their parts.

And this last point is what I really wanted to get at with the conversation about outreach and accessibility. What better way to build a theater community - both in audiences and on-stage - than to take a risk and include students in your shows? It might not give a production a highly polished sheen like you'd see on a CTC or Guthrie stage, but it will inspire a passion in the hearts of those kids and pay it forward many times over as they grow older, learn more about theater, and one day decide how they want to remain engaged with that world. I think that's an honorable cause, and one I don't see a lot of local companies take.

The Last Firefly marks a new era and a fresh start for Mu in many ways; for that reason, this is going to feel decidedly different than their other work has over the last few years. Like any new beginning there are sidesteps and stumbles; this wasn't my favorite Mu show I've seen in recent memory. But all of that said, there are so many risky, new ideas here (like that troupe of excited young actors or an abstract set design that moves around the actors - instead of the actors around the set), and I appreciate that Mu is willing to take a chance on trying something different and moving forward in an innovative new way. Watching the students on stage brought back fond memories of my first experiences in theater - scared to death, intimidated by all those blinking eyes in the darkness, and the confidence it brought when I finally found my voice there. I have always liked the sweet script of The Last Firefly and the study in contrasts between this production and CTC's gives me lots of food for thought. I think there are important places for both approaches to this story, and I'd encourage curious readers to give this show a chance to see what you think. Click here for more information and to get tickets before the show closes at Steppingstone (such a cool local venue!) on April 7.

Cyrano de Bergerac is a Sumptuous Delight

Lavish. Painterly. Sumptuous. Elegant. Winsome. 

T Charles Erickson

These are just a few of the words that floated through my mind while watching the Guthrie's delicious new show Cyrano de Bergerac (Cyrano) last night.

T Charles Erickson

The tale of the monster and the damsel falling in love has been a popular story spanning centuries. We've all heard of Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or even (more modernly) The Shape of Water. The best of these, however, might be Cyrano de Bergerac - and let me tell you why.

T Charles Erickson

The best way I can think of to summate Cyrano is that it's a mashup of Beauty and the Beast and The Three Musketeers. Cyrano de Bergerac is a dangerously efficient swordsman and perhaps the most gifted poet of the land. He is charming, charismatic, courageous and chivalrous, but there's one problem: his nose. Cyrano has an enormous, deformed nose that takes over his face and becomes a point of conversation everywhere he visits. He has learned to deal with this and his life would be happy but for one thing: he is desperately in love with his second cousin Roxane, a beautiful and equally intelligent woman, but is convinced she could never love him because he is ugly. When he learns Roxane is in love with a handsome - but dumbstruck - fellow soldier named Christian, Cyrano hatches a plan to write Christian's letters and speeches of love to Roxane, essentially combining his soul and Christian's face into one spectacular lover. The plan works swimmingly until Christian realizes that Roxane is really in love with Cyrano through the letters he has written and that his pretty face is no longer enough; unfortunately, Christian dies before he is able to tell her, and Roxane and Cyrano spend the next 14 years in comfortable friendship before she learns too late that Cyrano's was the voice she loved so well.

T Charles Erickson

This large cast seems even larger thanks to a constant transformation between various wigs, facial hair and costumes. It's a dizzying array that only works due to the excellence of this band, led first and foremost by the awe-inspiring Jay O. Sanders as Cyrano. Sanders has so much gravitas in his performance; he reminded me on stage of a Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellan, possessing a Shakespearean temperament but a French joie de vivre. It's a potent combo, and the cast swans around him to meet his excellence. Jennie Greenberry is wonderful as Roxane, completely charming the audience from her first line. Ansa Akyea had the audience in stitches as the multifaceted Ragueneau; he truly is our local Idris Elba, and I'm always so happy to see him in leading roles on main stages. Remy Auberjonois brings his best Dumasian Three Musketeers temperament to his role as the captain Le Bret, giving the show a steadfastly honest pillar. Cameron Folmar is excellent as the slimy Count de Guiche, managing to make the character sympathetic despite his despicable tendencies - no mean feat. And I have to call out Nate Cheeseman from among the many supporting company members, all of whom were excellent. Between his sniveling Wickham and lively soldiering in Cyrano, Cheeseman is quickly becoming my favorite period actor in #tctheater. He manages to find the comedy and special moments in every show he's in, and his quick punctuations throughout Cyrano are definite highlights.

T Charles Erickson

As alluded to before, not only is the acting rock solid, but this is easily my favorite production design so far this year. Cyrano glitters from every feathered cap to bejeweled high heeled shoe, and it's a stunning visual. The set, designed by McKay Coble, is a life-size lacquered cabinet of curiosities, which is slowly stripped away and re-set in ever-sparser iterations as the action unfolds. Jan Chambers provides the *most* lavish costumes; it seems nearly every character is dripping in laces and capes and gloves and jewels, shining sumptuously at us from the stage and manipulated with charisma by each performer. I didn't see a person named for the wig and facial hair design, but I have to call it out separately - they add so much to place us firmly in the French aristocracy, and it truly enhances the fantasy and comedy of each scene. Ditto for the makeup and prosthetics team, who do a superb job crafting Cyrano's infamous nose (which is made fresh for every - yes *every* - single performance). The all-female blocking team, including Kara Wooten for fighting, Maija Garcia for movement, and Lauren Keating for intimacy, clearly coached this cast to perfection down to the last twitch of a fingertip. Elisheba Ittoop provides soft, looming context with her sound design, and Rui Rita gives us truly painterly lighting design - every scene is like looking through a Rembrandt, and it makes those gorgeous sets and costumes gleam even more richly.

T Charles Erickson

All the elements of this show perfectly align to make a delicious performance. It's visually sumptuous, beautifully acted, and the story is just so captivating. Not quite fairy tale, not quite romance, it exists in a liminal space between genres that truly has something for everyone. Swordfights? There's one every other scene! Comedy? The lines are often hilarious plays on words! Romance? Everyone is trying to woo each other in this show! Drama? Cyrano closes with a soft, wistful monologue that has all the gravitas of Hamlet's soliloquy.

T Charles Erickson

My favorite part about Cyrano is that it fully resists easy answers. As an audience, you can't help falling in love with Cyrano's beautiful soul and weep for his loneliness. However, as the character himself says - this is not a story where the beast transforms into a prince. The lesson in Cyrano is not only that looks are not the most important part of a person, but that sometimes we are our own greatest inhibitors of happiness. Had Cyrano just told the truth, he may have been able to spend many happy years with his love. It's a deceptively poignant play, and is in my top three favorite shows I've ever seen at the Big G.

T Charles Erickson

The Guthrie clearly spared no expense in putting on this production and it certainly paid off. This show would make a delightful date night and if for nothing but the eye candy (although the content is pretty good too!), it's certainly worth a trip. Click here for more information or to get tickets before Cyrano closes on May 5.

T Charles Erickson

Pangea World Theater's "Mother Courage" is Worth Consideration

What makes a good mother? 

*Correction: I unintentionally misspelled the name of Marcela Michelle as Marcella Mobama in my initial review; I apologize for the mistake and have corrected it here. 

That's always been a mercurial question, but it's harder to answer than it seems. We live in an era of helicopter parenting, and while there seems to be a backlash coming - what is the alternative? Do we want to return to the days of moms doing martini lunches sitting bored at home all day and chain smoking Mad Men style? Where's the healthy balance?

Asking the question far more dramatically than Matthew Weiner ever did is Bertolt Brecht's legendary play Mother Courage and Her Children (Mother Courage), now being produced by the delightful Pangea World Theater (Pangea) at the equally delightful Lab Theater in the North Loop. Mother Courage details the story of a woman of the same name as she navigates the devastating 30 Years' War over the course of 12 years (in 12 scenes). Mother Courage travels to the battlefront in hopes of profiting off of others' misfortunes but quickly finds her own; first one (Swiss Cheese, the honest), then the other son (Eilif, the brave) are recruited by the army and die in equally sad ways. Her mute daughter Kattrin eventually dies as well after many years of hard toil and suffering at her mother's side. Various figures of the war, from soldiers to peasants to prostitutes to generals to cooks, waft in and out of Mother Courage's orbit and illuminate the deep level of suffering the war caused. Overarching the show is the question - what kind of mother brings her children into a war zone (and then lets them leave to die)? But in a world of poverty and devastation, at the end of the day - what kind of mother wouldn't try to take advantage when no other options were left?

This is the second Pangea show I've had the pleasure of seeing, and let me say: they are really a delightful bunch doing incredible work under the radar. Despite the heavy material, Mother Courage still has a lot of heart, hope and entertainment wrapped within it. The darkness won't leave you feeling depressed by the end, and that's mostly due to the passionate and charismatic cast. Almost all the actors serve in multiple roles, and they convincingly paint a much wider picture than their small numbers would indicate. Favorites for me included Marcela Michelle as a duty-bound soldier; Clay Man Soo as convicted recruit Eilif; Ricardo Beaird as the deceptively charming cook; and Adlyn Carreras as the wily, empathetic Mother Courage. They all find small details that breathe their characters into life (such as Beaird's pipe and Mobama's sooted soldier's face) and tackle this material with full humanity. I also want to call out that this performance uses some of the most impeccable diction I've ever heard on stage (thanks to vocal coach Mira Kehoe); Brecht can be a little winding and obtuse, but their care with the dialogue and characterization ensures that nothing gets lost in translation.

This is somehow my first time ever attending a show at the Lab Theater and I have to tell you - I have been completely missing out! It's a stunning setting that gives plenty of room for the mobile set (mostly comprising of a wagon and accouterments, designed sturdily by Orin Herfindal) to breathe and easily implies the starry night skies of a battlefield. Costumes, designed by Mary Ann Kelling, are generally simple but feature the same careful and iconic attention to detail as the actors pay to their parts. Mike Olson composed music to punctuate the script and mimic Brecht's iconic dissonant style, and with musician Homer Lambrecht he provides an audible context for the tone of each scene. Overall, director Dipankar Mukherjee's vision is clearly realized and emotionally conveyed by this eager creative team both on and behind stage, and I really appreciated the obvious care with which they approached this material.

Brecht's purpose in writing this play (allegedly within only a single month in 1939) was to bring awareness within Germany to the dangers of the swiftly rising forces of Fascism and Nazism. Unfortunately we all know how that story ended, but one hopes that staging Mother Courage in our modern era - another time when Facism seems to be gaining quick and terrifying popularity at locations around the world - will help educate audiences toward another, better outcome. Don't let the idea of Brecht or the subject matter scare you away from seeing Mother Courage; it's a very well made show with a gorgeous program that will explain everything you didn't know, and the performers will leave you with an emotional, heartfelt performance. If you've made the rounds of the heavyweights in the local theater circuit (the Ordways and Guthries and Hennepin Theater Trusts and yes, even the Jungles) - and if you're reading this I'm guessing you've attended each of those venues a time or three - consider branching out into a lesser known (but by NO means less important) local theater company that is also beautifully producing "classic" work. Pangea's mission to support diversity and true, genuine inclusion at all levels of a production is more of what we need to see in the world (aka providing solutions), and your dollar will go much further there to spread throughout the local arts community than it will at theaters with much shiner endowment lists. Mother Courage runs through March 31; for more information and to buy tickets, click on this link.

GSVLOC Modernizes "The Mikado"

Are you familiar with Rick Shiomi? 

Photo courtesy of GSVLOC

If not, what rock have you been hiding under!

One of the legendary luminaries of the #tctheater scene, Rick founded Mu Performing Arts (one of my favorite local companies), Full Circle Theater (another favorite local company!), and has been pitching in at theaters around the Twin Cities to consult and produce various shows.

One of the most interesting things about Rick, to me, is that while firmly (and correctly) in the camp of increasing on-stage diversity, he is not someone who always agrees we should throw out racist old shows. In the first ever Twin Cities Theater Blogger Continuing Conversation series, which was focused on race (and unfortunately was the only one our group never recorded - such a shame!), Rick spoke eloquently and at length about the possibility of rewriting such scripts to be more historically accurate, not racist, and still retain the spirit of the original that audiences have admired for generations. The case study he presented at that time was The King and I - did you know that the real-life Anna Leonoens was actually bi-racial, completely changing the context of that musical in a good re-write?! - but it turns out that's not the only show he has thoughts about.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company (GSVLOC), which produces one Gilbert & Sullivan show every year, chose The Mikado as their show for 2019. If you are not familiar, the show goes like this: Franki-Poo, the crown prince, has run away from home (and Katy Shaw, the woman who has betrothed herself to him), in order to regain freedom of choice and find true love. He meets and falls in love with Tum Tum, the beautiful young ward - and fiancee - of the creepy (but cunning) Co Co. Co Co is kept in power by the Lord High Everything Else, the man who singlehandedly holds all offices in this imaginary English city called Ti-Tea-Pu. When the King of England sends word he will visit, he also sends word that Ti-Tea-Pu is in need of holding an execution. The chosen subject is none other than the king's son-in-disguise Franki-Poo, who is willing to die from pining after his lost love; but there's a catch. Tum Tum doesn't actually want to marry Co Co, instead finding a way to marry Franki-Poo; and the leaders of Ti-Tea-Pu all learn Franki-Poo is the king's son and can't be killed anyway. Typical Gilbert & Sullivan shenanigans ensue, and everything turns up roses by the end.

Photo courtesy of GSVLOC

The historic issue with The Mikado is that Gilbert & Sullivan wrote it to be a parody of England, and it became an enormously successful one - but only because it was set in Japan. The Mikado is easily the best selling Gilbert & Sullivan show in history, while also being historically performed in yellow face with abounding racial stereotypes about Japanese people. Throw in a few n-words and other racial stereotypes on top of it, and the show becomes atomically problematic. See the trouble?

So along comes Rick Shiomi at the request of GSVLOC, who not only rewrote the show to remove those harmful stereotypes, but delightfully modernized it to reflect today's American politics and cultural references. The effect is a show you would never know was re-written, that is infinitely easier for an audience to understand and relate to, and in my humble opinion the most Gilbert & Sullivan-y way to treat such a script to begin with - after all, every one of these shows was originally written as a cultural commentary before things like Saturday Night Live or Key & Peele existed, so shouldn't contemporary productions reflect current events as well?

I first discovered GSVLOC last year, which is a shame because I generally love Gilbert & Sullivan humor and they are a terrifically talented group. The ensemble sounds gorgeous every chance they get to assemble, and I found myself often wishing there were more full-ensemble numbers, a rarity for me in a show that clocks nearly three hours. All of these leads are charismatic, but I especially enjoyed Maggie Matejcek as a sly Tum Tum; Anthony Rohr as a love-stricken Franki-Poo; Alex Kolyszko as Lord High Everything Else (and the winner for Man Having Most Fun On Stage at my performance); and Lara Trujillo as a spectacularly devious Katy Shaw. I could have watched Trujillo alone all night, and I really hope I encounter her in future productions.

Photo courtesy of GSVLOC

With so many people on stage and involved in the musical aspects of The Mikado (at least 50 between the singers and pit orchestra), the production design is relatively straightforward - which is not a bad thing. The static set by Larry Rostad is painted with romantic technicolor tones reminiscent of an Old Hollywood watercolor and Edwardian English style. The costumes, by Barb Portinga, are similarly grounded and effective. The music direction, by Randal Buikema, is gorgeous and the supporting orchestra does a beautiful job of pacing the music. And the overall stage direction by Rick Shiomi - much like his inspired script re-writes - keeps this show feeling fresh, young, and engaging, an experience which I greatly appreciated.

I am all about advocating for new work to be written and produced that is inclusive and modern and not-problematic; but I also recognize that there are shows that have been beloved for other reasons, and that companies still want to produce them. By bringing in a visionary like Rick Shiomi to move The Mikado into the modern era, GSVLOC has found a way to have their cake and eat it too. They clearly enjoy working with this new script and perform the music with full conviction. It's a really fun experience with all sorts of hidden gems that will delight anyone who follows the news every night, and I think this refreshed version of The Mikado is a much more accessible version of the show than you might assume at first glance. GSVLOC generally only does a show or two a year, so now is your chance to catch them before The Mikado is gone; click here for more information and to buy tickets before the show closes on April 7.

MUST SEE: Roe at Mixed Blood Theatre

History is way, way more important than modern society gives it credit for. 

Photo by Rich Ryan

And I'm not just saying that because I was a history major in college.

When people think of history, they tend to think of a boring giant textbook with tests that make you memorize endless dates and stories about a bunch of fusty old white dudes who have nothing to do with modern life.

History as I think of it is a living, breathing text coexisting all around us. It's the context that frames our understanding of life and culture (although we don't always know it). History doesn't just tell us the who and the when of a thing; it tells us the why. And that why really matters when it comes to solving big problems like racism or sexism or income inequality. Good history helps us understand the problem itself and the way forward by asking fundamental questions like: Why does this system exist? Who made it, and for what purpose? Can it be better? How?

Those origin questions are at the heart of Roe, a dense, fabulous new show at Mixed Blood Theatre and my first MUST SEE production of 2019. Roe tells the story of the Roe vs. Wade court decision, the infamous case that legalized abortion procedures across America. Thanks to two generations of legality, abortion is cropping up again in the cultural consciousness as an issue to be debated. Unfortunately, that debate is mostly absent the context that history provides - Why did "Jane Roe" win her case? What about her argument was compelling? What does the Supreme Court decision actually say is and is not legal? Why has this law been applied unequally state by state? What is the impact of reversing that decision and going back to the days when abortion was illegal?

Photo by Rich Ryan

These are not trivial questions, and it's imperative that we ground this conversation in context with that level of detail. Lives are literally at stake, and once this right is reversed it will not be so easy to get it back again. Roe is a MUST SEE because it provides a fully fleshed context to understand the issue of legal abortion by centering those most affected by it: women. Leading the show are Tracey Maloney as Norma McCorvey (the real life Jane Roe) and Laura Zabel as Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who argued and won the Roe vs. Wade case in front of the Supreme Court. The story could have stayed narrowly focused on the relationship between these two women and still been fascinating; the origins of the Roe vs. Wade suit and the way the case was argued are really interesting and rarely discussed. Roe's genius is that it takes that relationship, gives it the long perspective of stretching over several decades, and then adds in voices from many others along the way who seem to be otherwise completely absent from this conversation: medical professionals who worked in clinics before abortion was legal and saw the medical trauma women would go through when they were botched; experiences of any stripe of women of color; lesbians; and many more.

This subject, and the level of detail that Roe utilizes, could easily become daunting or obtuse. The brilliant cast at Mixed Blood does an excellent job of turning it into a riveting, almost game show-level piece of entertainment that educates as thoroughly as it enthralls. Maloney and Zabel are superstars in the leading roles and perfect shepherds of this material. They both bring great complexity to their performances; neither is a villain or a saint, and Maloney in particular totally disappears into her role as Norma. They force us to find empathy on all sides of the aisle, and in a debate as fraught as this one that is no mean feat. A host of spectacular supporting actors provide great depth to the show that helps transition the action through the years. Several regular favorites, such as Dame-Jasmine Hughes, Bonni Allen, and Kate Guentzel grace the stage and are just as good as ever. Two new-to-me actresses also provided astonishing depth in their short times on stage: Lisa Suarez, who was devastating as Norma's partner Connie; and Jamila Joiner, who pops out of nowhere and give a heartrending monologue at the end of the show, closing Roe out with a moving, modern understanding of what this issue really means.

Photo by Rich Ryan

Hats off to director Mark Valdez for his stunning vision for this performance. The cast is perfect and the production design sets a clean stage for the complexity of the story. Anna Robinson keeps the scenic design understated so the large cast can quickly rotate through roles, a wise choice. Sarah Bahr and Emma Gustafson provide iconic costume and wig design, respectively, placing us smack in the middle of each decade featured in the play. C. Andrew Mayer provides subtle sound design that subconsciously moves the audience between perspectives, and Paul Whitaker's lighting design fleshes out the lean set. Abbee Warmboe places several key props - such as hanging judicial coats - that loom over the drama, helping us never forget who is really in charge of this issue.

Why do I declare Roe a MUST SEE performance? For one, it's a damn good piece of theater work; the writing is tight and engaging, the cast is filled with rock star performers, and it's overall a beautifully run production. The real reason, though, is that the issue of abortion is only abstract until you need one, and people need them more often than you think. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 75% of abortion recipients are poor or low income and 62% are religiously affiliated. Perhaps most astonishingly, 59% already have at least one child and 60% are obtained by women in their 20s or older - not their teens.

Photo by Rich Ryan

It is very hard to watch the debate around abortion - especially as a woman - and know there is so much misinformation being weaponized within it. What is undeniable about this issue is that women WILL get abortions whether they are legal or not. The question as a society is: do we want to make that process safe? Do we care about the lives of pregnant women who are put at risk, or who will be put at risk by receiving dangerous care on the black market? Wherever you stand on this issue, Roe is the best thing I've seen yet that provides important context and detail to help you distill your thoughts. It turns the issue of abortion from an abstract but vitriolic debate into one with flesh and blood and very important consequences. I think any person of any belief system can find valuable information in Roe and I highly encourage everyone to check it out before it closes on April 14. For more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

The Hobbit is Thrilling at Children's Theatre Company

Who would dare tackle turning Tolkein's The Hobbit into a stage show for a children? 

Photo by Dan Norman

Better yet, who would dare tackle The Hobbit for a wide age-range of audience (but focus on kids) in less than two and a half hours with only five actors and a two piece band on stage?

Photo by Dan Norman

The Children's Theatre Company (CTC) has always been audacious, but their newly minted production of The Hobbit is a gamble of another order. Adapting beloved stories well is always tricky, but it's especially difficult with an epic story set across dozens of fantastical landscapes and including magical creatures like trolls, goblins, dragons, gollums and more. How fortunate, then, that CTC's gamble has paid off - we left the theater to the loudest applause I can remember at a show there, and it's gotten nothing but buzzy social media shares ever since.

Photo by Dan Norman

For a quick overview, The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a member of one of Middle Earth's gentlest and most domestic species - the homebound hobbits - as he is abruptly thrown into an adventure of epic proportions. Bilbo is conscripted to join Gandalf, a wizard, and a team of ragtag but extremely proud dwarves (led by their king Thorin Oakenshield) to recover the dwarves' ancestral home and extreme riches buried in the Lonely Mountain. In addition to an unbelievable series of obstacles, including traversing long distances on foot, goblin infested caves, hungry cannibalistic trolls, vengeful wood elves and more, the group has to contend with the ultimate challenge at the end of their quest: an enormous dragon named Smaug, the same dragon who displaced the dwarves and stole their treasure decades ago. The group is successful in their goals although it takes a wandering path to cross the finish line, and many lessons are learned by their band - and the audience - along the way.

Photo by Dan Norman

The biggest question I had about this show was: how on earth are they going to cover all that ground in just a few short hours? Especially with only five actors? When The Hobbit was first announced I envisioned a magnum opus with dozens of children playing each set of magical creatures, an endless revolution of detailed sets, projections, harnesses - in other words, the works. Thanks to a truly excellent cast, it turns out you don't really need all of those other trappings. CTC company member Dean Holt narrates the show as Bilbo, and he's an excellent example of how careful timing, audience engagement and extremely expressive acting can fill in imaginative gaps that sets or props might otherwise cover. He's a perfect choice for the part, and I can't imagine anyone else as Bilbo. Joy Dolo holds it down as many of the story's iconic characters - including Gandalf (!!) and Gollum - and is an inspired choice for those parts. She brings a new, modern life and consciousness to each role, and she's a major reason this production feels so fresh and energetic. H. Adam Harris and Becca Hart both do a great job filling in key context as some of those "other creatures" - like Smaug and Bard, the human who kills Smaug - giving glimpses into each world with shocking ease. It is HARD to switch characters so quickly, and they do an awesome job of nimbly jumping between parts to keep the story feeling fully fleshed out. Reed Sigmund is an anchor as well as Thorin Oakenshield; it's a change from his usual Grinch-y roles, but one that really fits his rich baritone and steadfast stage presence.

Photo by Dan Norman

The scenic design by Joseph Stanley is ingenious and fully utilized by the cast. What looks like a skeleton set becomes caves and spiderwebs and mountains, and all sorts of secret surprises are tucked into the stage. I will be honest - I was really hoping for something a little more lush and literal with this show, so I wish CTC had gambled a little more on that front - but logistically I do understand why they decided to go this route, and I definitely think it works. The costumes by Annie Cady look simple, but it's amazing what small details - such as the addition of a weapon or a change of goggles - can do to transform a character. The lighting and sound design, by Nancy Schertler and Sten Severson, respectively, is pitch perfect - and it has to be. Flashes of light show Bilbo "becoming invisible" with his magic ring, crashes signify the heat of a battle, and an illuminated map leads the way to the Lonely Mountain. On a set and cast this sparse, lighting and sound are imperative to provide context, and this team succeeds in that goal. I also have to call out the movement direction by Joe Isenberg. There are so many clever blocking and choreographed sequences in this show that make it seem bigger than it really is, and hats off to him for visualizing how to expand that set into a full Middle Earth-ian universe.

Photo by Dan Norman

If I had my druthers (and an endless budget and time span), I'd love to see The Hobbit on stage turned into a sprawling hours-long extravaganza with lush sets, dozens of extras and every special effect that can be summoned in modern theater. Neither I nor CTC has these things, however, so instead CTC wisely chose to use this show as a challenge to get kids to use their imaginations and inspire them with the fundamentals of good theater - excellent acting, a judiciously edited script, and clean but versatile production design. It was clear that the audience of kids and grownups alike was entranced by this play - it nearly got a standing ovation at intermission, and a boy sitting next to me wept at the ending - and the fact that such a beloved narrative (and especially one that has been done so well on film) can become a captivating experience as a live audience is a testament to the excellence of CTC and this cast. I have a feeling The Hobbit is going to become one of the highlights of CTC's current season, and I hope it inspires other companies not to fear producing some of these epic fantasy and adventure stories. With hard work and good fundamentals we can move anything into reality, and isn't that what live theater is supposed to be all about? Snatch your tickets while you can before The Hobbit closes on April 14; click here for more information or to buy tickets.

Photo by Dan Norman

Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's Mamma Mia is a Merry Good Time

Who else has the muddy March blues? 

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

I don't know a single Minnesotan who hasn't felt positively demoralized by our last six weeks of hellish winter weather. Yes, it's now 40 degrees and endlessly rainy, but what comfort is that when it feels like we will never see the sun again?!

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

If you're like me (and everyone else it seems) and are wrestling off some heartily thriving winter blues, look no further than Chanhassen Dinner Theatre (CDT) to raise your spirits. Mamma Mia, the ultimate musical of beachy sunshine and feel good tunes, just opened and if that's not enough to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart, I don't know what is.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

For a quick plot recap: Mamma Mia tells the story of Sophie, a young woman about to be married, as she searches for her father. She secretly reads her mother Donna's diary for a clue of who he is and invites three possible candidates sight unseen to her wedding. All sorts of shenanigans unravel on the small Greek island Sophie and Donna call home as the guests arrive - including all three possible fathers and Sophie and Donna's best friends - and each character reconnects to their pasts and their identities. The entire score is comprised of Abba tunes seamlessly woven in between the plot lines.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

Let me preface this review by saying that although I've seen this show in several iterations, Mamma Mia has always felt a little overblown to me; even for a musical the plot is a little overwrought, the songs tend to be vastly over-sung, and although I enjoy Abba's music, it's never been my preferred playlist to pop on at the end of a long day.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

All that said, Mamma Mia is a perfect choice to feature CDT's perennially peppy cast members, and their trademark kitschy delivery is a great fit for this show. Even further, clearly there's something I don't know in feeling meh about the show overall - because Mamma Mia has been seen by more than 60 million people and grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales worldwide since it premiered 20 years ago. It was one of the first times that three women collaborated as a creative team behind a show, and its undeniable success has made a huge case for increasing the roles of women in creative and production teams across the theatrical world. That's a story I can get behind.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

As I mentioned, CDT's core of cheery cast members are perfect to deliver this show, and many long-term players steal the show. Kersten Rodau is flawless as Donna; she blows me away every time I see her, and I am so happy to see her front and center here in Mamma Mia. Jessica Fredrickson is blissfully peppy as Sophie and has just the right energy to lead the show, a sunny soprano to Rodau's bold contralto. The crowd literally burst into applause at the sight of Michelle Barber and Therese Walth as Donna's friends Tanya and Rosie, respectively, and it's no wonder. Barber has never looked better, clearly enjoying swanning around as the vainest character of the show. Walth always seems to be relegated to the "funny friend" roles (can we get her a lead outside of Hairspray already? She's tres fabulous), and she had the crowd absolutely roaring as the grounded and hilarious Rosie.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

The men take a back seat throughout the show for once (an unfortunate rarity in the musical world), except for the preponderance of washboard abs popping up all over the stage. Aleks Knezevich is his usual charming self as Sophie's fiancee sky, and I was glad to see him back. Rush Benson is a scene stealer as the flirty young Pepper, and he gives saucy Michelle Barber a run for her money in their coquettish scenes. Michael Gruber has a pleasant groundedness as "headbanger" Harry; Jay Albright brings a physical comedy to his role as Bill Austin; and John-Michael Zuerlein brings a darker perspective to his role as Donna's long-lost love Sam Carmichael. Zuerlein's portrayal, combined with Rodau's fierce Donna, brought a different kind of chemistry to Sam and Donna's partnership than I've seen in the past; I think it gave this Mamma Mia a little more gravitas than it usually has, and I really appreciated the thought they put into their roles.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

The stage has been painted blue to resemble those gorgeous Grecian seas for this production, and it really brightens the entire show. I always enjoy seeing how CDT manages production design on its unusual stage size, and Nayna Ramey's airy scenic design really gives the beach concept an efficient but breezy feel. Rich Hamson provides some flirty costuming, and combined with technicolor lighting design by Sue Ellen Berger it warms you up from the inside out (something we all need right now, no?). One of my favorite parts of CDT shows is always Tamara Kangas Erickson's lyrical choreography; unfortunately Mamma Mia doesn't allow for many true dance scenes, but several clever moments (such as a pseudo-tap dance done in flippers) utilize her trademark style and were crowd pleasers.

Photo Credit: Tom Wallace, 2019

In short: if you're going to see Mamma Mia (or if you enjoy it more than I always have and it's a perennial fave), CDT's perky production is the one you need to visit. They put their trademark style on this show, and the talented musical cast and sunny dispositions of their portrayals are just what I needed to brighten my winter blues. What could be better to cure your seasonal doldrums than seeing one of the most successful musicals (especially produced by and for women) in history for Women's History Month? It's a two for one surefire winning idea, and a word to the wise: get your tickets ASAP. I've heard runs of Mamma Mia are already selling out and it looks certain to be a tough ticket to nab if you don't book quickly. Click here for more information or to get your tickets.

Review in Brief: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Is this really a world of pure imagination? 

Photo by Joan Marcus

How do you feel about Roald Dahl?

Let me back up. It seems to me that when it comes to opinions about the tenor of art marketed towards children, there are two decidedly different camps. On the Disney-fication side are those who only want positive, colorful, sanitized versions of stories. "Let the kids be kids," they might say; "protect their innocence." On the other side are the dark-hearted "realists" - the Brothers' Grimms and Roald Dahls - who say "this world is trash - kids should know that as soon as possible."

Photo by Joan Marcus

Because of this deeply split perspective, your opinion on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, now showing at the Orpheum Theater through Sunday, might vary wildly. Dahl aficionados should leave pleased at a standard presentation of one of his most beloved stories. Disney fans will likely leave disappointed at the lack of spectacle they are used to in signature stagings like Lion King or Aladdin.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Quickly for those in the dark: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tells the story of Charlie Bucket, a young boy living in extreme poverty under the ominous shadow of a candy factory. Charlie loves chocolate - a treat he only receives once a year - and dreams of touring the factory to learn how his hero Willy Wonka makes all of his favorite treats. Unbeknownst to Charlie he meets his hero in disguise and inspires him to open his factory up to tours for children with golden tickets and a contest to win a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. The chance to win a golden ticket inspires a worldwide Wonka frenzy, and despite all odds Charlie gets his golden ticket to enter the contest. A number of odd (and horrifying) things happen during the factory tour, but Charlie ultimately leaves Wonka with everything he desires most.

Photo by Joan Marcus

There were a few real standouts among the cast of this show. As Charlie's mother, Amanda Rose boasts a pristine voice and winning Ellie Kemper-like quality that I found totally charming. Rueby Wood was the image of Charlie, and he steered the show with a confidence quite outside his age. James Young was a little wobbly in the vocals as Charlie's Grandpa Joe, but his sweet mannerism and blustery delivery made the character a highlight. Benjamin Howes skips Johnny Depp and heads straight to a Gene Wilder iteration of Willy Wonka, a decision that seemed to be a crowd pleaser. And something about Daniel Quadrino's cameos as Mike Teavee had me giggling in stitches throughout the show - "Chocolate Neeeeeews!" might just become my new tagline thanks to him.

Photo by Joan Marcus

To be honest, I found the production design overall a little underwhelming. I came expecting the Dahl equivalent of the Cave of Wonders, but the bulk of the production relied so heavily on projections that it almost felt like I was watching a movie with live actors. I wanted a little more of the tactile magic I've seen in other shows and the preponderance of projections felt like it stole that magic away. I realize that not everything can be Disney level, but Willy Wonka's factory is such a fantastical world - can't we do a little more to bring that magic to physical life?

Photo by Joan Marcus

I'm somewhere between the Dahl vs. Disney camps - I appreciate Dahl's perspective, but sometimes it can be a little *too* dark for me. The main reason I wanted to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory live was to re-discover that sense of wonder in the factory; this seemed like the perfect kind of show to go really over the top. While the overall effect was successful, it didn't have that magical, lush quality that I was looking for. The audience was delighted throughout the show with the Oompa Loompas and kitschy asides, so if you're a giant fan of this story you will probably still enjoy it. There are several ear-worms among the soundtrack - "Willy Wonka," "Pure Imagination" and "If Your Father Were Here" were all standouts - that I haven't stopped humming since I left the theater. I'm glad I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this time around, but I don't think I'll attend again. If you want to check it out on your own (and you should! don't take my word for it), make sure to click here for more information and to buy tickets.

Photo by Joan Marcus