Guthrie's Noura is Unafraid to Ask Hard Questions

Can you fix a broken heart? 

Photo by Dan Norman

One of the unfortunate side effects of America's broken educational system is that it completely prevents a nuanced understanding of the world. Take, for example, the average American's cultural understanding of the Middle East. Do they understand the difference between Persian and Arab? Sunni and Shiite and Wahabi Muslims? Do they know there are dominant religions present other than Islam, and the cultural traditions that transcend religion to provide commonalities between them all?

Photo by Dan Norman

Frequently the answer is no or not really, and that lack of detail is crucial. People vote for elected officials to conduct policy decisions on behalf of American citizens without knowing the full story of the places that will be affected, inevitably creating potential for enormously disastrous policy choices.

What's the fix? Taking the burden upon ourselves to become informed citizens and invest time in growing our understanding and perspective of people and places different from us. What's the best way to do it?

Photo by Dan Norman

Surely one of the most fun (if not impactful) is to watch boundary-pushing theater like Noura, now showing at Guthrie Theater. Noura tells the story of an Iraqi Christian refugee named Noura who has lived in New York City with her family for the last decade. Aside from her best friend Rafa'a, who is an Iraqi Muslim refugee and close childhood friend, Noura is isolated from her community - her family has fled their home in Mosul and now lives in locations scattered across the globe. Her isolation and longing for past tradition is a key reason she is so intent on "adopting" Maryam, another refugee from Mosul - but with much different memories of the life and culture she left behind. There are several revealing twists that deeply impact the characters' relationships to each other that I will not reveal here, but they are just as heartbreaking as the circumstances the characters flee. Noura leaves the audience with a deep ache and a slightly closer understanding to the immense grief faced by those who have to flee their homes without knowing if they will ever see them again.

Photo by Dan Norman

As Noura, Gamze Ceylan is moving and confined, conveying an almost crazed appetite for comfort and familiarity. Watching Ceylan unravel is difficult but vital, and she fully takes us all down with her. Fajer Kaisi is shocking as Noura's husband Tareq, with a few choice lines that had even the most stoic audience members clutching their pearls. Kal Naga is the ultimate homme fatale (can I do that?) as Noura's friend Rafa'a, and he seemed easily the most reasonable and open minded character to me. Layan Elwazani plays Maryam with a quiet defiance, displaying a strength I found magnetic the longer the performance went on. And Aarya Batchu was fine as Noura's son Yazen.

Photo by Dan Norman

The production design, like the cast and the script itself, is a study in scarcity, leaving most things to liminal spaces in between what's actually said. Matt Saunders' scenic design constructs an apartment out of brightly marked shipping crates; what should feel like a cozy home instead feels like a sterile pass-through. Dina El Aziz delivers some quietly elegant costume design that I genuinely coveted, and it felt very New York City. Reza Behjat and Sinan Refik Zafar provide equally staid lighting and sound design, respectively, literal enough to place us in the present but suggestive enough to impart little ghostly whispers that infuse even the most seemingly loving interactions with a chilly fear.

Photo by Dan Norman

The last time I saw a Taibi Magar-directed production it was Familiar, easily one of my top five favorite shows of all time. Noura is a much more difficult beast to love - it's not funny or winsome or, well, familiar - but it still has very important things to say and displays Magar's impeccable attention to detail. I learned so many nuances to Iraqi history and culture that I didn't before, and wept inwardly to think of the many real-life people who have been left in a position just like Noura's. Crises like refugee migration, terrorist attacks and invasion of nations are not problems with easy solutions, and you won't leave this play filled with answers. Instead, Noura asks all of us to come with closed mouths and open ears, simply to receive a story of grief and heartache, and to try not to repeat the mistakes of our past. To do a little better next time. To find a way, any way, to help our fellow neighbor - because we never know when it will next be us. I'm so glad the Guthrie decided to tell not only Noura's story but other stories as part of the Arab diaspora, and I highly encourage you to check out their work this month. For more information about Noura, to buy tickets, or to research other shows as part of the Guthrie's upcoming Arab series, click on this link.

Photo by Dan Norman

Theater Mu's Fast Company is a Fun Ride

Dare to keep up with this witty new con caper. 

Photo courtesy of Theater Mu

As we roll into holiday season, the typical reason for the season spiel, while appropriate, can start to get really tired.

Photo by Rich Ryan

I mean I'll readily admit that I'm a Grinch, but be honest: don't you get a little tired of seeing the same kinds of stories this time of year?

Photo by Rich Ryan

If you're anything like me, eschew Christmas this and holiday that and enjoy a show like Theater Mu's Fast Company, a witty new comic-mystery, instead. This story focuses on a family of con-men and miscreants who are so devious that they even betray each other. Blue tries to pull off the heist of a lifetime: swindling a collector out of a rare $1.5 million first edition comic book. It seems ready to go off without a hitch; that is, until her brother H steals it right from under her nose. It turns out that H is in deep gambling debt with a gangster named Jimmy, but unfortunately his theft not only breaks the con-man code but endangers his sister's life as much as his own. Blue turns to her other brother Francis and mother Mable to find a way to con the comic out of H's hands. Her idea, which utilizes game theory, is air tight - except someone else gets it before she can get to H. The rest of the play involves the family tracking each other around the world and immersing into increasingly complex cons to gain equal footing, until a final explosive reveal ends their competition once and for all.

Photo by Rich Ryan

It's not quite what I was expecting but I really enjoyed the wry nature of this story. It's an edgier and more profane play than I'm used to seeing Theater Mu perform, but it was one of the most genuine group performances I've seen them do in a while. The cast all had great chemistry, and if this is any sign of the future from new Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal I'm really excited about what's ahead. Jeannie Lander has a subtly devious energy as Mable that reminded me of the sly way Michelle Yeoh is playing the evil captain on the new Star Trek: Discovery series, which is to say: I loved her. Ming Montgomery stumbled on a couple of lines but I really liked her overall as Blue. She has a very genuine delivery that made this crazy story believable. Brian Kim was cool as a cucumber as the criminally talented Francis and his energy really drove the show. Rounding out the cast was Eric 'Pogi' Sumangil as the problematic H, who I've had the privilege of seeing in several shows. This might be my favorite performance of his to-date, as he brings a delightful comedic twist to his otherwise troubled character and really lets his warm charisma shine through.

Photo by Rich Ryan

Joel Sass's set echoes the comic book theme of this theatrical caper, and it mostly succeeds. I wish the projections, designed by Miko Simmons, were just a little bit brighter to really bring the theme home; as it is, they feel a bit washed out and don't have the full comic dynamism that could have lent this a Marvel edge. Ash Kaun's costumes are pretty straightforward and each character feels modern and comfortable. There wasn't much special about Karin Olson's lighting design or Montana Johnson's sound design, but everything seemed to run well. Overall, I have to extend a hearty bravo to director Brian Balcom, who has directed several other shows locally and in Chicago but I have somehow missed until now. He coaxed dynamic performances out of this cast and I hope to see his talented hand guiding future #tctheater shows.

Photo by Rich Ryan

Fast Company's closing is quickly approaching, so you have to book it quickly if you want to catch it before the last performance on November 24. For what it's worth, I think you should go. It should be no surprise to long-time readers that Theater Mu has consistently been a local highlight for me, and I'll admit that I was more than a little concerned about their future around this time last year. The company is still early under Lily Tung Crystal's fledgling leadership, but I'm really impressed with what I've seen so far and excited for what's ahead. Fast Company has all the elements I like in plays: it's modern, comedic, includes a mystery and is very approachable for a wide audience. It's a breath of fresh air from heavier dramatic and seasonal fare at this time of year and a great option for a quick pre-Thanksgiving date night. Click here to get your tickets before this little gem of a play is gone.

Steel Magnolias Has a Heart of Gold

The air was thick with nostalgia as the audience settled into their seats. 

Photo by Dan Norman

After all, you'd have to live under a rock not to remember the infamous 1989 film featuring a veritable who's who of a pillar pre-#metoo feminine Hollywood. I mean how can you forget a cast starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, AND Julia Roberts?!

Photo by Dan Norman

But forget we did as the lights lowered and the stage turned to reveal the cozy home salon of Truvy in the Guthrie's lovely stage production of the same name. It's hard to compete with a movie as iconic as Steel Magnolias was, but the Guthrie succeeds in spades (perhaps partially because several of the production team leaders have never seen the film themselves). It's a softer, warmer play than we often see at the time of year that seems to usually call for heavy dramas as dark as the sky outside, and it was a welcome ray of sunshine on a Tuesday evening.

Photo by Dan Norman

Steel Magnolias is simply a story about life, centered in the salon of Truvy. A local hairdresser whose shop is the heart and soul of the social life in a small Louisiana town, Truvy is deliciously owned by Austene Van in one of my favorite roles I've ever seen her play. The story follows the conversation of Truvy's regular clients M'Lynn (Melissa Maxwell), Clairee (Amy Van Nostrand) and Ouiser (Sally Wingert) as their lives pass through deaths, new jobs, trips, romance and more. A central figure is Shelby (a radiant Nicole King), M'Lynn's daughter who is plagued by severe diabetes, as she gets married and starts her family. Shelby's delicate health is a marked contrast to the spunky and hearty Annelle (Adelin Phelps), Truvy's assistant and a newcomer to the town.

Photo by Dan Norman

I won't spoil the poignant ending for those unfamiliar with the show, but I am happy to praise the rich, nuanced chemistry this colorful cast brings to the stage. Wingert is hilarious as usual and a comedic star every time she appears. Nostrand has a very Shirley MacLaine delivery and I found her wry and delightful. I wanted Maxwell to have just a titch more gravitas as M'Lynn, but she brought a warmth as Shelby's mother that was beautiful to behold. Phelps is a total stitch as the bumbling, earnest Annelle, and I would have loved to see even more of her throughout the show. And as mentioned above, hats off to Austene Van for her beautiful performance as Truvy, the stylish and beating heart of Steel Magnolias. Van is our local Regina King and I adored seeing her in such a soft, plush role. It fits her like a comfy dress you never want her to take off.

Photo by Dan Norman

Speaking of style, the 1980s period-perfect costuming designed by Kara Harmon is delicious front to back. You'll get wigs, shoulder pads, ornate belts, and all the hairspray you can handle, and I couldn't get enough. Narelle Sissons' sturdy scenic design gives us a literal 360 degree view of Truvy's salon, which rotates on a turnstile from season to season and feels like a cozy alcove we all share in confidence. Cat Tate Starmer's lighting design perfectly enhances that feeling with a warm glow, and Jane Shaw's subtle sound design provides just the right mood. Hats off to director Lisa Rothe and this all female production team (called out in the program with photos! - a detail that I loved) for a beautiful, feminine production that is appealing to audiences of all gender identities and persuasions. I can attest that my husband (who has not seen the film either... maybe it's not as universal as I always thought?) was apprehensive about enjoying this show as we first sat down, but left with glowing words by the time it ended, so I know that this is one that can cross gender lines.

Photo by Dan Norman

One of the things I think that gives Steel Magnolias such staying power is its (regrettably, still,) unusual focus on the lives of ordinary, every day women. There are no kingmakers or harlots or business titans here, just a group of ladies living their mundane lives in camaraderie and gratitude. It's still so rare to see stories about everyday ordinary people that don't involve some overstated, manufactured point of interest (like a murder or winning the lottery), and especially so when the protagonists are all women. It was a real pleasure to hear a celebration of the little things in life, and a reminder of how far technology has removed most of us from the joys of physical connection and companionship - a habit that perhaps we should reclaim. After all, how many of us walk into a beauty shop these days and actually (gasp!) talk to each other? Steel Magnolias is a psalm for the soul, a beautiful meditation of the little ways we can all mean very much to each other, and I couldn't recommend it enough. This is a lovely option for a holiday gift, a trip with the gals in your friends or family circle, or even a date night the special guy in your life will connect more to than he'd admit. Click here for more information or to get tickets before Steel Magnolias closes on December 15.

Photo by Dan Norman

A Shattering Glass Menagerie

When you think of vaunted authors of American Theater, few names loom larger than Tennessee Williams. 

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Pick just about any famous play or screenplay from the mid-20th century - A Streetcar Named Desire, Camino Real, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - and his name will be there.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

The Glass Menagerie (aka the play that started it all) is currently on stage at the Guthrie Theater, and it provides an interesting rear view 75 years after it's original publication. The definition of a smash success, this semi-autobiographical play immediately launched Williams into the upper echelons of the American literati, a precipitous climb which he struggled to withstand for many years (as beautifully described in his essay The Catastrophe of Success, which may hold more wisdom in our hyper-digital age than when it was first published). It's a strange play for a first work, with a wistful, haunting patina that is older than its years.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

For those who have (like I had) not seen The Glass Menagerie yet, the quick synopsis is: The play opens on the fire escape outside the Wingfield family apartment, which is composed of Tom, his crippled sister Laura, and their audacious mother Amanda (their father having flown the coop years before). Tom is desperately unhappy, spending nights full of dreams of becoming a working author or traveling adventurously and slogging away at the local warehouse by day. Laura is desperately shy and becomes increasingly insular as she ages, preferring her glass animal collection (the glass menagerie) to contact with the outside world. Amanda has spent years bootstrapping her children into adulthood but begins to panic about Laura's future as she yawns towards her late 20s with no suitors in sight, and recruits Tom to help her make a match for Laura. Tom inadvertently chooses the one person who can light Laura's flame: her childhood crush Jim O'Connor. Jim spends a lovely evening in courtship with the Wingfields until a devastating revelation cuts the night short and ends the play, leaving us all to wonder at Laura's future and the cruelty of chance.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

It doesn't sound like much but it's a full world in that apartment, architecturally designed by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams. The characters drift through in ethereal costumes from Raquel Barreto, Christopher Akerlind's soft lighting design and the gentle hum of Darron L. West's sound design, which only enhances the dreamlike effect. Despite being housed on the cavernous Wurtele Thrust stage, the focus of our attention as an audience feels small, like viewing the play through an aperture. We're on a constant full zoom, whether it's on Laura's tinkling glass trinkets or the luminous candelabra and cushions on the floor. It's a total snap in time, a sepia-toned postcard to the past, and it leaves you in a bit of a hush as you exit the theater.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

The cast's sophisticated presence, three of four of whom are Guthrie newcomers, adds to this antique effect. I adored Remy Auberjonois in Cyrano de Bergerac last spring; as Tom here, he has less panache but a humble Jimmy Stewart quality that works for the play. Grayson DeJesus is everyone's favorite heartbreaker as Jim O'Connor, winsome and sweet and sentimental. Carey Cox, who was the understudy for on Broadway, is a spectral whisper across the stage as Laura. You can't help but feel sorry for the chaos around her, and she's just as delicate as the glass menagerie itself. The real star for me, though, was Jennifer Van Dyck as a magnificent Amanda Wingfield. Abrasive, direct and completely unflinching, Van Dyck is the blend of Joan Crawford and Kris Kardashian that you never knew you needed; I founder absolutely riveting throughout the show.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

I'm not really sure how to describe my feelings about The Glass Menagerie overall. It's a strange play - a first publication for the author that feels like a retrospective; 75 years old with monologues that feel right at home in our icily digitized modern social structures; a snapshot of the past with the everlasting tale of heartbreak and loneliness. I can say that it has haunted the edges of my subconscious since I saw it, licking at the back of my thoughts and turning into phantasm all its own. It's an unusually quiet season opener and worth a stop on one of our endlessly rainy fall evenings before it closes on October 27. For more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Floyd's Is A Poignant Delight

It's starting to feel like Lynn Nottage is the only name I've heard in theater the last few years. I'm ok with that. 

Photo by T Charles Erickson

The famous don't always live up to their reputation, but Lynn Nottage sure does.

Photo by T Charles Erickson

The Guthrie made no secret of the fact that Nottage was debuting a world premiere new composition this season as a companion piece to her history-making play Sweat, which won the 2017 Pulitzer and made her the first woman (and first African American woman) in history to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama a second time. While I haven't seen Sweat myself (just heard innumerable glowing recommendations from everyone else who has), I have to say that if it's anything like Floyd's, the hype is very real.

Photo by T Charles Erickson

Floyd's takes place in the back kitchen of a sandwich restaurant of the same name, where all of the employees are formerly incarcerated people. They all struggle to find careers and stable lives after leaving prison, and Floyd's is the first place willing to hire them and pay them a decent wage to hep them get on their feet. The only problem? Floyd, the owner, is a truly negative person. She abuses the employees physically and verbally, flies off the handle at any given time, and takes full advantage of the fact that she knows - and they know - that as much as they don't like her, there is nowhere else they can go to get back on their feet. Little by little, we learn the backstory of each employee and how it infuses their time at Floyd's and dreams for the future. The slow reveal of their lives is one of the most poignant elements of Floyd's so I won't spoil it here, but suffice it to say, it's a long overdue humanization of a very American problem that is beautifully written and acted.

Photo by T Charles Erickson

This tight-knit cast is filled with Guthrie debuts, like Floyd's itself. At the heart is a long-term favorite of mine, Dame Jasmine Hughes, who shines as Letitia in scene-stealing cameos. I can't believe it's her first time on a Guthrie stage and I'm certain it will not be her last. John Earl Jelks is wonderful as the zen-master Montrellous, lending wisdom and poise to every line. Reza Salazar is another scene stealer as the energetic Rafael; he demonstrates big heart through is performance that won the whole audience over. Andrew Veenstra gives the former white nationalist Jason a surprising amount of depth, inserting nuance into a very important stereotype these days. And Johanna Day is deliciously, heartbreakingly cruel as Floyd. Day is like the Cruella de Vil of the formerly incarcerated, and she clearly relishes the role.

Photo by T Charles Erickson

The set, designed by Laura Jellinek, cleverly opens like an aperture from an initial small vignette into a larger wide-screen, workable kitchen. It reminded me quite a bit of Mixed Blood's How to Use a Knife a couple of years ago, and it never wavers from the image of a simple prep kitchen. Jennifer Moeller's costume design is similarly straightforward. Christopher Akerlind hides all sorts of cherries into his nuanced lighting design, with special spotlights and special effects enhancing the dialogue. Justin Hicks' original music is a great background to the pauses between vignettes and gives the cast plenty of charisma to work with. And Director Kate Whoriskey has clearly provided a singular, clear vision for Floyd's that is beautifully executed by the rest of the wider production team.

Photo by T Charles Erickson

I am predisposed to enjoy shows that have a social / political message, and Floyd's fits right into my sweet spot. It's my second Lynn Nottage play (after the magnificent Ruined I saw at Mixed Blood several years ago - my first glorious time seeing Regina Marie Williams on stage), and I have a lot of catching up to do on the rest of her work. It's exciting to see the momentum mounting in the theater community towards commissioning and producing new work that reflects our current way of life, rather than constantly re-hashing old "classics" that may not have as much to say about our modern dilemmas. Nottage is a master at embedding a nuanced, believable, direct message into a highly entertaining package, and Floyd's is accessible and enjoyable for any kind of audience. I highly encourage anyone able to check out the show; click here for more information or to buy tickets before Floyd's closes on August 31.

Also: make sure your stop at the Guthrie isn't your only engagement with this subject matter. Floyd's might be a fictional play, but it represents very real problems. All Square, a restaurant in South Minneapolis, is a living embodiment of the issues raised in Floyd's. Make sure to visit All Square to get some delicious sandwiches and pay it forward to the formerly incarcerated community. 

A Mindful Metamorphoses

The Guthrie's modern take on Roman mythology will leave you with lots to ponder. 

Photo by Dan Norman

In a world of ever-shrinking budgets for the humanities, sometimes it's good to get back to the basics. People aged 30 and older likely had at least minor engagement with Roman mythology at some point in their education, but I'm willing to bet the Millennial-on-down era probably has less-to-none.

Photo by Dan Norman

If that's the case, the Guthrie Theater's modern take on Ovid's Metamorphoses provides a great opportunity to brush up on your ancient mythology. In strikingly modern incantations, the show flashes through vignettes of each story almost like a photographic flash, leaving visual imprints that bring the dusty tales to life. Many of the most famous stories are here, such as the heartbreaking end to Orpheus and Eurydice, Phaëton's daring chariot ride, King Midas' tragic golden touch, and even a quick, totally silent flash of Narcissus. It's a fresh way to reinvent the stories for an audience with much shorter attention spans than those of 8 A.D. (when the original text was composed), providing new entry points into the myths.

Photo by Dan Norman

All roles are shared in a rotating manner by the cast. Rodney Gardiner has fewer lines than other actors, but provides standout, striking cameos (including that silent moment as Narcissus). Sango Tajima likewise has fewer speaking roles than some other cast members but provides a powerful, deeply physical performance that will rock you to your core. Felicity Jones Latta brings great gravitas to her part, with a cinematic voice and the nuanced delivery of a Cate Blanchett. Louise Lamson gives an especially emotional performance as Alcyone, telling the origin of seabirds. Benjamin T. Ismail lends a livelier presence on-stage, and Alex Moggridge is a romantic comedy charmer in several of his roles.

Photo by Dan Norman

The real main character of this play isn't really a character at all: the entire show takes place around a giant, deep pool of water which is deftly manipulated by the actors to transform the narrative. It's the element that attracted me to this show in the first place, and it was really interesting to see how emotional the use of the water could be: terrified splashing, flirty droplets, passionate waves, placid slow ripples. The actors are clearly unafraid of getting doused, and the more I've reflected on Daniel Ostling's meditative scenic design, the more I really enjoy it. T.J. Gerkens and Andre Pluess pair their lighting and sound design, respectively, to make sure that additional context is provided through the minimal sets and props. Mara Blumenfeld cleverly finds simple but elegant ways to pay homage to each character and allow for quick transitions between them, be they intricate headdresses or flowing robes (or, in one case, no robes at all - be warned of full frontal male nudity, if that's not your jam).

Photo by Dan Norman

It's pretty clear to me that Director Mary Zimmerman (who is also the adapter of this play) had a very defined vision for which mythologies she wanted to tell and how. It's very interesting to see the ancient world through her thoroughly modern eyes, like bringing a Helenic statue to life in the middle of the Walker Art Museum. Much of the content of these stories does not age well - incest, violence and vengeance is rife throughout most of them - but there is a certain amount of undeniable humanity and eventual beauty to be found through their devastation by the end. I imagine it's one of the reasons Zimmerman wanted to adapt this in the first place, and I would be interested to hear a panel of responses from audience members of very different ages and walks of life about their reactions to this staging. This is the kind of play that you will receive very differently depending on your life circumstances, making this ancient text a breathing, engage-able object that is much more complex than its seemingly simple packaging would indicate. It's a thoughtful presentation and one that modern art lovers are likely to find visually stunning. I do think it helps to be previously familiar with this content before you attend, so consider brushing up on the Wikipedia overview at the least before going. Click here for more information and to get tickets before Metamorphoses closes on May 19.

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Lashed But Not Leashed is Totally Lovely

Is drag having a golden age? 

Photo by Gustavo Garcia

Between *the* Ru Paul, the effervescently gorgeous (and shamefully overlooked this awards season) Pose on FX, and the preponderance of local drag brunches like Flip Phone immediately selling out, it seems there's never been a better time to do drag.

Lashed But Not Leashed, a part of the Guthrie's "Get Used To It" series to celebrate queer artistry, fits perfectly into this tradition. Starring drag queen Martha Graham Cracker, Lashed But Not Leashed manages to weave subjects as disparate as library science, the ghost of Joe Dowling and the funkiest all-white jazz combo you'll find anywhere together into one neatly laced corset. Part monologue, part cabaret, and part impromptu concert, Lashed But Not Leashed is a whole lot of fun.

Photo by Gustavo Garcia

The whole thing only work thanks to the charisma of host Martha Graham Cracker. She reminded me of a cross between Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot and Cecily Strong on Saturday Night Live. While her voice isn't classically beautiful, Martha Graham Cracker's utter confidence and witty banter really won me (and the rest of the audience) over. She has an intellectual style to the monologue that kept taking surprising turns, and I really appreciated the time she took to customize the show to the location at the Guthrie. I can easily see how this is a show that could endlessly please; it's short (less than 90 minutes), accessible, and completely unintimidating. I really liked it.

Photo by Gustavo Garcia

Martha Graham Cracker's on-stage band was very well put together, keeping a tight quintet that had everyone engaged. They flex very well along with Martha's wandering (both physically and verbally), and it was easy to see they were having a whole lot of fun. I would happily have returned to watch a variation of this group multiple nights in a row - which is not something I often will say. Combined with the mostly-female team behind the scenes, the whole event had a really cozy, thoughtful, ladies-who-brunch feel that I really appreciated.

Photo by Gustavo Garcia

Unfortunately Lashed But Not Leashed has already sashayed away from the Guthrie's Level 9 studio, but you're in luck: there is still one more performance available this coming weekend as part of the "Get Used To It" series. Click here to learn more and get your tickets before this innovative, exciting celebration of queer artists leaves the stage.