Thrillist: Best Places to Travel in 2020

Look ma, I made it! 

Photo courtesy of Thrillist

I cannot describe how thrilled I was when Thrillist decided to include my pitch about a smalls lice of my African honeymoon in this year's 20 top destinations list! It's the most in-depth piece I've written for travel sections by far, and I'm really proud of how it turned out. Here is the link to the full series; my summary is excerpted below. I'll be doing a focus post on my work on Cape Verde in a following post, so please keep an eye out for that. Thanks for following everyone!

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Cape Verde
Multiracial culture and soulful music are a backdrop to a beach getaway like nowhere else

Cape Verde has all the usual trappings of a tropical beach getaway: sparkling beaches with sand of every shade, historic colonial towns, green mountaintop vistas, shipwrecks to explore, and whales to spot. But this gorgeous island nation, 350 miles off the coast of Senegal, goes deeper. Influenced by the rich & nutty stews of Senegal, colonial heritage of the Portuguese, party-loving spirit of Brazil, democratic ethos of Ghana, and wine expertise of the French, Cape Verde is one of the world's most unique cultural mixes.

Arid and uninhabited when the Portuguese landed here in the 15th century, Cape Verde has weathered deep struggles to forge a truly modern culture across 10 stunning islands, each with its own character. Music is everywhere -- listen closely to the mournful, beautiful tones of morna, Cape Verde’s national musical style, and you’ll hear joy, sorrow, struggle, and celebration all bubbling at once. Born of the windy natural soundscape combined with the lonely songs of enslaved people at port through the island's colonial history, morna is the specialty of world-renowned Cape Verdean singer Cesária Évora, who sang:

The sky has cleared
Consciousness has brightened
The time has come to face reality
A suffering people
Have soothed their pain
To live in peace and progress

Tourism is fast on the rise among Europeans, especially Brits, who have quietly visited for decades. But despite being closer to the East Coast than Hawaii, Cape Verde flies under the radar for Americans. Plan it right and airfare can be found for under $600. -- Becki Iverson

Meet the writer & start planning your trip to Cape Verde.

Theater Mu's peerless Stands On Its Own

The dark saga of teen girlhood continues on

Photo by Rich Ryan

What is it about teenaged girls that imbues our society with such a primal fear?

Photo by Rich Ryan

There is a rich heritage of horror narratives about girls around the age 16 mark. Sometimes they're heroes (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, natch), but more often they are complicated villains (here's looking at you Heathers and Mean Girls) or even veer towards to outright horrifying (think Stephen King's gruesome Carrie or the all-male Lord of the Flies).

Photo by Rich Ryan

The latest new work from Theater Mu (now showing at the Gremlin Theater in St. Paul through February 16) stands smack on the Carrie end of the spectrum. peerless details two sisters who are nearly identical in appearance and are well on their way towards achieving lofty ambitions despite their young age. When they are not accepted immediately into the prestigious Ivy league college that is the foundation of their future plans, the sisters panic and take drastic (and I mean DRASTIC) action to eliminate their competition, both among school peers and even a former boyfriend. They soliloquize plenty of soul crushing assumptions about race, class and gender along the way, and learn with the help of a clairvoyant classmate that even accurate predictions do not always result the way they seem they should and that no one can be trusted.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The small cast here often performs double duty, with exception of our leading sisters M and L. Francesca Dawis plays M and Isabella Dawis plays L. They are eerily similar in appearance, and once they got into a flow they seemed like an uneasy mirror of one another. Their yin and yang dynamic tugs the audience through an emotional upheaval, and the Dawis sisters have no fear in taking their characters' darkness all the way. Meredith Casey is convincingly unhinged as the oracle, aka Dirty Girl, whose sickening predictions set the whole wheel of disaster in motion. Kenyai O'Neal is sadly lovely as M's doomed boyfriend BF, and I wished we saw a bit more of his character throughout. Neal Beckman was the bright spot as the charmingly cursed D; his appearances were often the sole spot of humor in the show, an element peerless sorely needed.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The scenic design by Joe Stanley is multitasking and innovative, featuring revolving walls, benches that also serve as beds and TV consoles, and hidden lockers. I enjoyed watching the seemingly simple setting continue to expose new tricks, and it works really well to keep the action fast-paced. Karin Olson's lighting design and Kevin Springer's sound design are dramatic and lend the full creepy feeling to the show. I loved Khamphian Vang's vibrant, color-blocked costuming; it's very vibey and may even have been my favorite element of the whole play.

Photo by Rich Ryan

peerless is self-described as Macbeth for modern teenagers but exploring race issues, and I think that's about right. It's Lily Tung Crystal's first time directing since she was named Theater Mu's artistic director last year, and it's a striking debut. For myself: I have to be honest - peerless was not my flavor of the week. I've enjoyed many texts in this genre, but something about the Jiehae Park's script felt disconnected to me. There are several moments of shocking revelation, especially in the sisters' relations to people of other races. I understand why they were included the way they were and the point they were trying to make, but the resolution of the play to me felt too bare-boned for the complexity of the problems and assumptions named throughout the script. The issues peerless raises are deep and darkly internalized for a lot of us, with devastating consequences for their real-life victims; I really hoped for an honest confrontation about them to help the audience learn from the sisters' mistakes, rather than a simple slash and burn approach to justice (which felt like the easy way out).

That said, if the horror genre is your jam then you will probably find many elements of peerless to like and it seemed much of the audience found this funnier than I did - so why not check it out? peerless was a bold choice for Tung Crystal to open her leadership with, and I'm excited to see what she has next in store. For more information or to get tickets, click on this link.

Thrillist: The Best Twin Cities Distilleries For Tours and Tastings

Take my advice and go get ya fancy drank on. 

Photo courtesy of Thrillist

If you, like me, love a potent, locally made, well-mixed cocktail, then look no further than my latest roundup for Thrillist. I got to locate all the best local distilleries for y'all and even interviewed one of my favorite female founders for the piece. My full text is below, or click through to see the Thrillist page and more of my fun roundups you never knew you needed.

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Pretty much everyone knows that breweries have exploded around the Twin Cities. But there’s an equally robust renaissance happening right under our noses -- distilleries are opening up left and right in Minnesota. People tend to have a divisive relationship with spirits. But Heather Manley, the founder of Crooked Water Spirits, has nothing but love for them. Manley founded Crooked Water, the first certified woman-owned distillery in the country, after enjoying a transcendent sip of a dill infused aquavit made using 50 pounds of dill per batch.

“It was like tasting a strawberry from a store versus fresh out of the garden,” she said.

Manley went home inspired to make her own potently flavored spirits. First up was a cask finished bourbon launched in 2014. After quickly selling out of that first batch, Crooked Water has since expanded to include vodka, bourbon, apple brandy, rye whiskey, gin, and its crown jewel: two ready-to-pour cocktails that rival anything you can get made fresh at a cocktail bar.

“We don’t do ‘normal.’ We’re looking at how we can be an elevated brand using elevated ingredients. We may have a higher price point, but it’s a next-level experience,” Manley says.

The proof is in the pudding, as Crooked Water has won 50 national awards and it’s become well-known for its ready-to-pour Negroni and proprietary sweet vermouth, which are primarily available in local markets. “As we’ve grown, we’ve been transparent in what we can offer, what we’re willing to give, to make sure I can fill my backyard first.”

A number of similarly excellent distilleries have sprung up around the Twin Cities over the last few years. Luckily, they have tasting rooms where you can directly sample spirits and choose a bottle or two to take home. If nothing sounds better to you than a dirty martini or unctuous Old Fashioned, read on for our favorite distilleries in the Minneapolis metro area.

Crooked Water Spirits
Uptown, Minneapolis
Although Crooked Water does not have its own tasting room, you can try its products at rotating locations around the Twin Cities. Follow the distillery on Facebook to find the next event. Our recommendations to buy? Crooked Water offers sample size bottles of the Kings Point Bourbon, Old Hell Roaring Bourbon, and the transcendent pre-mixed Manley’s Old Fashioned to try a few at once. Or splurge for a full size of one of the Negroni or Old Fashioned pre-mixed cocktails. You will be shocked at how flavorful they are compared to a fresh mixed drink. Coming this year? A pre-mixed Boulevardier and we can’t wait.

Norseman
Northeast, Minneapolis
Founded in 2013, Norseman claims to be the first legal micro distillery in Minneapolis since Prohibition and boasts one of the world’s largest craft spirits portfolios. Order a Shark Bait, mixing pineapple rum and pineapple chipotle gin, or a Flamingo with ingredients like tehkeela, yellowstone liqueur, and creole bitters. Norseman also offers fun events like distillery tours or cocktail classes that allow you to be hands on. If that isn’t enough, check out its solid happy hour every Wednesday that includes half-price classic cocktails and deals from the I Heart Tacos truck. Make sure to take a bottle of one of the distillery’s 31 unique spirits home. While the standards like gin or rum are excellent, spring for one of its unique offerings like the Olympia Liqueur, which features notes of peppermint, parsley, sage, and star anise.

Du Nord
Longfellow, Minneapolis
While micro-distilling is a field that inherently prioritizes high quality, Du Nord takes it one step further by ensuring all of its base grains and fermentables are grown right here in Minnesota. Best known for its classic spirits, Du Nord features cocktails like the Fitzgerald gin gimlet or L’Etoile vodka martini.(Read about said farmers on the website, if you want to put a face to a name.) Du Nord serves up happy hour every weekday from 5-6pm, allowing guests to bring in takeout food from local vendors. Hour-long public tours are available every Friday and Saturday.

Copperwing Distillery
St. Louis Park 
A recent addition to the distillery scene, Copperwing has made a big mark in a small amount of time. In addition to standards bourbon, vodka, and gin, Copperwing distills a proprietary liquor called Vodskey, a clear spirit made from bourbon mash that is distilled like vodka. Consider it a tasty, full-bodied spirit and a welcome flavor punch. Or try Copperwing’s signature Fresas, combining its smooth gin, fresh strawberry juice, and a bit of sweetness. Recommended cocktails include the Napoleon, made with gin, orange liqueur, and red wine aperitif, or a classic Old Fashioned. Copperwing also offers weekly live music on Wednesdays and one-hour distillery tours on Saturdays.

Tattersall
Northeast, Minneapolis
Tattersall is likely the first name that comes to mind when seeking Minnesota-distilled products. The gold standard for local distilleries, this impressive brand has more than 50 San Francisco Spirits Awards, a free app providing nearly 400 cocktail recipes at your fingertips, and was recently named one of the top 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America with no sign of slowing down. Perhaps because the distillery manager has a foraging background, Tattersall offers 24 spirits with unique flavor profiles like Creme de Fleur, a liqueur made with six different kinds of flowers, or Fernet containing more than 30 distinct botanicals. If you’re ordering at the cocktail room, we recommend getting one of the $15 flights to taste a range of products before settling on a single bottle or cocktail.

Twin Spirits
Northeast, Minneapolis
Another Minnesota-made, woman-founded distiller is Twin Spirits Distillery, offering solid standards like gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey. Twin Spirits’ differentiating product is its moonshine, which is made from Minnesota-raised honey and brewed once a month during the full moon. Feel free to make your visit an all-day affair by visiting its signature M coffee shop (where you can order your coffee with a spirited kick) in the morning, and staying through the afternoon hours on the dog-friendly patio. Twin Spirits is open Wednesday through Saturday and can provide tours with founder Michelle Winchester by request.

Dampfwerk
St. Louis Park
Opened in November 2019, Dampfwerk is a fresh addition to the Twin Cities distillery scene but already looks poised to stay. The spot sources locally grown fruits like apples and grapes to make European-inspired fruit liqueurs. Order a flight to get a taste of the brandies or herbal liqueurs, then splurge on a creative cocktail like the Green Card with gin, sarsaparilla, egg white, and bitters or the 1913 with pfeffersack (a German-style fernet), rose water, honey, and cardamom. Although the distillery is open every afternoon starting on Wednesdays, we recommend hitting it up on Sunday to order off of the sweet dessert Kaffeeklatch menu.

Royal Foundry
Harrison, Minneapolis
Royal Foundry distills spirits in the classic British tradition, meaning it turns out high quantities of gin, barrel-aged rum, and single-malt whiskey. The affordable menu includes nonalcoholic cocktails, savory snacks and tonics on tap. For the booze, snag a Cabin Fever made with butter rum, cocoa nib bitters, maple syrup; Sweater Weather combining pear vodka and cardamom bitters; or a Flight of the Kiwi mixing vodka, kiwi shrub, and bitter honey liqueur. If you like to move around while you sip your cocktail, you’re in luck: Royal Foundry has three pub skittle lanes (think bowling with smaller wooden pins) to play on while you drink.

Flying Dutchman 
Eden Prairie
Inspired by the founders’ globetrotting Dutch ancestry, Flying Dutchman takes a worldwide approach to distilling. Offering four core spirits (vodka, rum, an agave-based spirit similar to tequila, and a Mediterranean herbal gin), Flying Dutchman is more focused on the group experience than individual drop-ins. Contact the distillery to schedule tours, group tastings, or corporate events. Or, if you want to get even more hands-on, apply for the apprenticeship program to learn the entire craft of distilling from bottom to top.

Vikre
Duluth
If you fancy your cocktails a little further from home, consider road tripping to beautiful Duluth to sample the delights of Vikre Distilling. Vikre’s dynamic founders have compelling stories you’ll want to chat about for hours over drinks. Luckily, its products are as good as their origin stories. The signature cocktails are supremely creative. We recommend a Ponyboy (apricot-infused aquavit, coconut milk, turmeric syrup, and lime) or the Odd Job (a bracing blend of olive oil-washed gin and americano). Vikre also offers an equally creative menu of zero-proof cocktails if you’re off the wagon, and stay tuned for their rotation of bottled spirits to expand in the near future. Buy a to-go pack of the Frenchie, Vikre’s signature canned cocktail that riffs on a French 75 with an effervescent blend of gin, rosé, lemon, bubbles, and floral liqueur.

Jungle's A Doll's House Brings Feminism to the Fore

Maybe the golden rule doesn't always shine so brightly

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

The saying goes to "treat others as you would want to be treated," but what if the way you want to be treated is entirely antithetical to what someone else would want for themselves? Whose opinion wins? How do you know what the best, fairest approach to such problems is?

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

The question of conflicting moral priorities is at the heart of A Doll's House Part 2, the brilliantly modern sequel to Henrik Ibsen's classic 1879 play A Doll's House. The setting is in the same domicile as the original, 15 years after Nora Helmer loudly slammed the door shut on her marriage, family and domestic life. Here, in a much sparser, colder version of that home, Nora has returned to officially close another door - that of an official divorce from her estranged husband Torvald. Nora has had no contact with her children or husband since she left, and as such bears tense reunions with Torvald, her daughter Emmy, and house servant Anne Marie. The play shifts between demonstrating each person's perspective of what Nora's absence has meant to themselves, to the family, and as a signifier of the state of the world at large.

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

It's a fascinating exercise in moral absolutism vs. modern sensibilities. Are people made to be monogamous? Do children really need two parents? Is it better to sever old, toxic connections entirely, even if it means leaving some of those you love behind - or do you owe it to everyone to stay in touch, even when it wounds you deeply? What do you owe a partner who doesn't love you anymore? What do you owe a parent you've never really known? When is it time to prioritize your wants and needs over others regardless of the cost, and when should you suffer through it instead to benefit the collective good?

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

It takes a strong, mature cast to tackle such deep questions (especially in only 90 minutes), but the Jungle's group is up to the task. Shining as Nora is Christina Baldwin, a perfect choice for this role. Baldwin's detailed, subtle acting flashes every one of Nora's complex emotions across her face; you almost don't even need the character's biting monologues to follow the action on stage. Baldwin's work is a masterclass in physical manifestation of emotion, and it's hard to imagine the show without her. Angela Timberman is winningly straightforward as Anne Marie. Much like her work in the devastatingly good The Wickhams, Timberman melds a warm demeanor with a no bullshit attitude, and she's an ideal center of gravity for the characters to hover around. Megan Burns is delightful as the snobbish, precocious Emmy. The second she stepped through the door I knew exactly what we were in for, and she provides some true curveballs even for those who are usually pretty good plot predictors. And Stephen Epp takes a well rounded approach to Torvald, helping the audience connect to his story even in his most outrageous moments.

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

The set is much sparser than what I'm used to seeing at the Jungle, but it bears deceptive layers that I appreciated the longer the show went on. Chelsea M. Warren's scenic design mimics the bellows of a view camera, a clever touch of concentric frames moving toward the aperture of *that door*, through which all the action is revealed. I didn't like it when I first sat down but I loved it by the end; the clear focus built into the frame of the show itself made total sense to me. Mathew J. Lefebvre has designed a single costume per character, but boy does he make it count. The rich detail in each period-specific piece blossoms against the sepia-toned set, giving the audience time to appreciate even the tiniest movements. Marcus Dilliard's lighting design is bright and clean, and Sean Healey's sound design offers a fun if unexpected soundtrack to the show. Congrats overall to director Joanie Schultz for a crisp, punchy production that is sure to leave all audience members deep in thought.

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

To be honest, despite my Norwegian heritage and general love of this kind of subject matter, A Doll's House has never been among my favorite plays. Productions of it have always felt a little too staid and precious; most have left me in a snooze. A Doll's House Part 2, however, was just the lightning rod I needed to reconnect with this material. It put my rusty logician skills to work, and I found myself inwardly exclaiming with agreement at each turn. It genuinely gave me some plot twist surprises and deep questions to ask of myself, and I always appreciate experiencing such thoughtful texts. As always, the Jungle provides us with an expertly executed production that will have the town talking for months to come. Word on the street is that tickets are selling quickly; for more information or to snatch yours before they're gone on February 23, click on this link.

Photos by Lauren B. Photography

CTC's Three Little Birds Is As Bright As Jamaica Itself

It's been a while since I made my way to Children's Theatre Company...

Photo by Glen Stubbe

But when I saw the folks involved in producing Three Little Birds I knew it was time to return. A musical of Bob Marley songs with an all-black cast featuring Nathan Barlow, Kory Laquess Pullam, a few new-to-me faces and production team including Trevor Bowen and *the* Shá Cage? I mean how could I possibly miss it?!

Photo by Glen Stubbe

Three Little Birds has a little bit of the same vibe as the books of Nnedi Okorafor*, particularly Zahrah The Windseeker. The play follows Ziggy, a Jamaican boy with luscious dreadlocks who loves his island home but is scared to go outside lest he encounter a devastating hurricane or an evil local spirit like Duppy, who steals children's hair for his powers. Ziggy is persistently chased by Nansi, a young girl with a crush on Ziggy who is a trickster with a zest for life. Ziggy's best friend is a bird named Doctor Bird from the other side of the island, who fully embodies the relaxed, no-stress Jamaican approach to life. Ziggy's mother Cedella hates seeing her son so shut in and encourages him to take a more childish, adventurous approach to life (and step away from the TV). After his mother's nagging, Nansi finally convinces Ziggy to take a trip to the beach but they are quickly lost and alone in the jungle. Isolated in the dark trees, Duppy follows Ziggy in order to entrap him and steal his beautiful long dreadlocks. Ziggy and Nansi team up with the audience to defeat Duppy and save his lovely locs, retaining Ziggy's power and defeating Duppy once and for all. They then return safely to Ziggy's home, where they fill his mother in on the full adventure.

Photo by Glen Stubbe

It's an extraordinary amount of plot to cram into a show that's barely over an hour long, but the cast drives us through with ease. Ellis M. Dossavi Alipoeh was charming as Ziggy, and I hope to see him shine in future productions. KateMarie Andrews was the perfect choice for mischievous Nansi, with a high energy and huge smile that wound us all in her web. Nathan Barlow's gorgeous voice made for a delicious Doctor Bird, and my main complaint is that we did not hear enough of him throughout the show - I wanted a few more star-turning solos! Timotha Lanae brought fluttering choreography as Doctor Bird's friend Tacoomah, and Lynnea Monique Doublette was magnificent as Cedella and other ensemble cast members. I have no idea how I've missed Doublette until now, but suffice to say that her outstanding charisma has me on high alert for future performances! And Kory Laquess Pullam was a clear crowd favorite as the devious Duppy; I'm not sure I've ever seen him have so much fun on stage, and it was such a pleasure watching him relish every sly line with a wink and a flourish. This whole team seemed to have such a blast together, and their energy really carried through to the audience.

Photo by Glen Stubbe

Lawrence E. Moten III's scenic design is a riot of color that brightly invited us to the balmy Jamaican beach, a welcome respite from the cold outside. Paired with Trevor Bowen's equally splashy costume design, it made for a vibrant, eye-catching production. Clever lighting and sound effects from Wu Chen Khoo and Stan Severson, respectively, easily placed us from home to jungle to back again, and the performers made most of the dynamic stage. Alanna Morris-Van Tassel provided high energy, afro-centric choreography that perfectly paired with the bluesy guitars and deep drums expertly directed by Sanford Moore. Three Little Birds is not only an entertaining musical but includes hilarious educational interludes, such as an audacious depiction of the history of colonial powers on the island of Jamaica that had me in stitches but learning things as well. Overall, Director Shá Cage has brought to life an unapologetically, firmly black and proud production that couldn't be better timed going into Black History Month.

Photo by Glen Stubbe

That embrace of complexity is at the heart of Three Little Birds and a good reason to go. It's short but packed with content; visually bright with a deceptively deep plot; filled with entertaining music and educational history that we could all stand to know a little more about. Popular culture tends to associate Bob Marley (and by extension all reggae) with marijuana and little else, which is such a shame because he stood for so much more. And in an age where black children are (incomprehensibly) still being told how to wear (and most often to cut) their hair, there is immense power and grace in seeing a positive depiction of protective styles told through a proudly black lens. Three Little Birds gently expands our understanding of island history, black hair and reggae music and wraps it in an entertaining, adventure-filled package. Please go support this dynamic young creative team - I think there's no better way to celebrate Black History Month in #tctheater. For more information about Three Little Birds or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Photo by Glen Stubbe

*If you haven't heard of Nnedi Okorafor, I HIGHLY suggest immediately going to your local library site to order her books - think of them as a Harry Potter-style universe but exclusively African. It's unbelievably magical. I'll wait.

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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 Latte Da's Bernarda Alba is Blackly Beautiful

When is the last time you saw an all-female cast?

Photo by Dan Norman

It's a short list for me. There was Six, a treatise on Henry VIII's wives that's about to blow up on Broadway; the eternally lovely Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie; the Jungle's devastating The Wolves and heartfelt School Girls; Park Square Theatre's lyrical Marie & Rosetta, transcendent Nina Simone: Four Women, and hilarious Calendar Girls; Penumbra's goddess-like For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf; Prime Productions' powerful Little Wars; Theatre Elision's sweet debut Ragtime Women; the Jungle's stunning Two Gentlemen of Verona (also Sarah Rasmussen's Artistic Director debut); and that's just about all I can remember.

Photo by Dan Norman

All of the above were excellent, but it's a real shame how rare it is. I've been writing about theater for almost 10 years now, and the list above totals 11 shows out of the hundreds I've watched, 5 of which were in produced in the last year. Makes you think twice, right?

Photo by Dan Norman

Thankfully we now have another excellent addition to this list currently running at Theater Latte Da. Bernarda Alba is a brand new epic in the tradition of Man of La Mancha but with hauntingly familiar themes, a dark exploration of female life that is still sadly all too true. Bernarda Alba is a fearsome matriarch who rules her home of five daughters with an iron fist after her incestuous husband dies. Determined to keep her daughters chaste until married off to a man of the appropriate caste, Bernarda holds them captive under lock and key to disastrous consequences. Unschooled in the ways of the world, Bernarda's daughters lay vulnerable to predatory male attention and ruthlessly competitive between each other. I won't spoil the turn the story takes, but suffice it to say it's a tragic ending that remains devastatingly common in our allegedly modern world.

Photo by Dan Norman

Bernarda Alba benefits from a truly rock star cast, beginning with the HBIC herself Regina Marie Williams as Bernarda. Williams has long been a favorite local star of mine, with the queenly carriage of Angela Basset and the fearsome talent of Viola Davis. Her performance here is deliciously severe, and the whole audience shivered every time she struck the stage floor with her cane. The roles of Bernarda's daughters feature many of my favorite local actresses. Kate Beahen is Angustias, the oldest and the family outcast. Nora Montañez is Magdalena, the second oldest and most chaste of the five sisters. Britta Olmann is the pious Amelia; Meghan Kreidler is Martirio, the "ugly" sister (which couldn't have been more ironic casting if they tried); and Stephanie Bertumen is Adela, the untameable youngest. Together this quintet forms a stunning chorus, ranging from deep contraltos to trilling sopranos, and their diverse voices blend as well as their diverse performances into the narrative.

Photo by Dan Norman

A spectacular standout for me was Aimee K. Bryant as Bernarda's right hand servant Poncia; I was so glad to see her fantastic talent on display with this powerhouse crew, where she more than held her own. I can't think of anyone better suited to narrate the story, and Bryant's lithe vocal stylings fully entranced the audience by the end of the first song. Sara Ochs proves once again that she's one of #tctheater's most versatile performers, anchoring the cast vocally and doubling as swaggering male figures. Kim Kivens is eerie as Bernarda's mother Maria Josepha, at times a terrifying presence on stage. And Haley Haupt rounds out the cast as another servant, providing plenty of vocal color.

Photo by Dan Norman

The detailed scenic design from Kate Sutton-Johnson revealed so many layers as the show continued. For example, it turns out that most of it is constructed from strung ribbons and lace, echoing the theme of "women's work" that is at the heart of Bernarda's conflict with her daughters. It was a subtle but brilliant touch that added so much texture and movement to the set, completely unlike anything I've seen. Mary Shabatura lights the stage like a film noir, and when combined with Kevin Springer's soft sound design that warmly embraces silence, it provides a reverent patina to the show. Alice Fredrickson's costume design is functional and sexy all at once, giving each actress plenty of dramatic fabric to swan around in. Kelli Foster Warder's choreography cleverly turns the actresses into castanets and horse hooves, and none of it seemed forced.  I loved director Crystal Manich's vision for Bernarda Alba, and the rest of the strong production team she assembled delivers a crisply clear production and high quality performance that truly draws you in.

Photo by Dan Norman

I think Bernarda Alba belongs in the canon of great female roles. It reminded me of some of my favorite dark stories starring women - August: Osage County, Doubt, How To Get Away With Murder, Sunset Boulevard - but with the musical themes of Man of La Mancha. I have a sneaking suspicion that some regular theater goers might consider eschewing Bernarda Alba because of its all female cast which would be such a shame - these actresses are giants in our local theater community and it's such a pleasure watching them sink their teeth into complex, difficult roles finally worthy of their talents. Bernarda Alba has all the quality Theatre Latte Da is known for delivering; don't chintz yourself by missing it. It's the first show I've seen in 2020 and if this is a harbinger of things to come we are in for a very good year of theater. For more information or to buy tickets before Bernarda Alba closes on February 16, click on this link.

Photo by Dan Norman