A Cathartic Polarizing Express

Things these days are just ridiculous, aren't they? 

I mean you have to laugh at what's going on, or you'll go crazy. It seems like every morning we wake up to new news about something horrendous beyond imagination, and if you can't find a way to smile through it you'll never get out of an unshakeable depression.

If you need help finding the silver lining in the absolute absurdity of current events, look no further than the Brave New Workshop (BNW). The longest running satirical comedy theater in the United States, BNW has been bringing a comedic perspective to current events for more than 60 years and is the perfect place to let off some steam in the face of the outlandish state of things. BNW's current show The Polarizing Express blends the holidays and politics to provide an on-point critique and self-flagellation that will give you laughter therapy for days. Here were some of my favorite sketches:

• The show opens with an incredible spoof on the opening scene of The Music Man. For the uninitiated, this scene involves a series of traveling salesmen bouncing as if on a train while they recite a rhythmic line of gossip about incoming salesman Harold Hill. BNW has taken this intro - some of it verbatim - and slightly twisted it to address current headlines about politics. It's an absolutely hilarious spoof and thoroughly delighted my inner musical theater nerd. 
• Denzel Belin does a magical number about vogueing through the holidays that had me in stitches. Don't know what vogueing is? Watch Paris is Burning, stat (and shame on you!).
• Lauren Anderson stars in a sketch about a mom getting high on a marijuana-laced fruitcake that was outlandish and fun and more realistic than any of us would like to admit. 
• The cast visits Whoville, where the Grinch's relatives the Granch (a health food obsessed Grinch); the Grunch (a brunch cooking Grinch); and the Grench (a trench digging Grinch) surprise Cindy Lou Who. 
• Ryan Nelson sings a Seth McFarlane-esque ballad to his fears of being alone at the holidays, including his fear of pet cats. 
• Rhonda, one of Santa's elves, is in charge of Santa's sex toy division. Two elves pay her a visit and are inundated with innuendo (this sketch was so good it could easily star on Saturday Night Live).
• Per holiday tradition, BNW wraps up the show with a refreshed rendition of the "12 Days of Christmas." This year the featured verses include cats not counting as grandkids; black hipsters; Chewbacca Christmas; nosy neighbors hating on your noisy Christmas lights; marijuana mom; guilt-inducing grandma; Amazon's Alexa; your dad who won't turn up the thermostat; and how the Superbowl will ruin your life (#truuuuuue). 
• As always, the core cast members (Lauren Anderson, Ryan Nelson and Taj Ruler) are thoroughly hilarious. Denzel Belin, who has become another core team member, seems to have really found his comedic footing and was wonderful in his scenes. Newer cast member Heather Meyer has a very different comedic style that took me a bit to understand but I really enjoyed by the end - it's a more cerebral humor and added some depth to the show that made it fresh. 

For more information about The Polarizing Express or to buy tickets, make sure to head to the BNW website by clicking on this link. And if you want more information about BNW and past shows, check out my previous reviews:

• The best kind of commentary on the presidential election in The Lady and the Trump
• Last year's holiday hilarity with What the Elf? 
• A spoof on romantic fairy tales and modern dating in Booty and the Beast 
• Politics meets superhero humor in the Guardians of the Fallacy

Giggling at the Guardians of the Fallacy + Downtown's Best New Date Night Restaurant

Brave New Workshop's latest brings humor back to our unending political drama.

Photo courtesy of the Brave New Workshop

Hats off to the Brave New Workshop's (BNW) always-on-point branding, which led me to believe that their latest show was supposed to be a superhero spoof. Think about it though: when is the last time you heard of Guardians of the Galaxy? I thought so (#wonderwoman #trumped #getit?).

Instead, BNW chose to spoof the current political climate (again), relieving all of our exhaustion with the never-ending news cycle with a few laughs. In an era where everyone is offended all the time about something or another, why not celebrate that fact and take it all the way?

Like all their shows, Guardians of the Fallacy: Executive Disorder takes BNW's trademark wry humor and infuses it into a number of pointed, timely sketches. These include Donald Trump singing his own praises in parodies of pop songs; forlorn women spending endless days on the couch with slow jams and photos of Hillary Clinton, hiding from their depressing post-election reality; and a magnificent tour of the future Trump dynasty's presidential library, including a full suite reserved solely for screenshots of his Twitter account. Hillary makes a couple of appearances reminding everyone why they should miss her, and the actors each take turns starring in pieces that help release some of the collective tension and disappointment in the current political reality.

LOVE the BNW's clever branding schemes. Always on point! 

The regular cast is here for this show - meaning Ryan Nelson as the Trump impersonator extraordinaire, Denzel Belin with his signature double take delivery, Tom Reed as the closest thing in the Twin Cities to Andy Samberg, Lauren Anderson with her Hillary wig and guff to match, and the always hilarious Taj Ruler with a medley of spot-on characters that keep you rolling in your seat.

I will say overall that the energy felt a little lower on this show than usual - I think we're all a little drained with this subject matter - but the show was still hilarious. Our friends (who were visiting BNW for the first time ever) absolutely loved this performance and raved about it for hours afterwards. If you haven't gone to a BNW show yet, I'd highly recommend it - Guardians of the Fallacy runs through October, so you have tons of time to go! More information and tickets can be found by clicking on this link.

After the scripted show the audience has the opportunity to check out the cast in a series of improv sketches. I have always stayed for these session and I'd highly recommend you do the same - it's like two shows for the price of one! Pro tip: if you go, make sure to plan some good suggestions for their sketches. The most inventive of the night we went was "Pineapple Surprise," which turned into a musical delight.

Mercy outdid themselves with this gorgeous, summery scallop dish.

I'd also like to mention that a trip to BNW makes a fabulous group outing or date night. This time my guy and I took four of our friends on a big couples date bonanza and we had such a great time! It's so fun watching people discover the joys of my old theater favorites for the first time and our crew really enjoyed themselves.

If you decide to take the group route and want a suggestion for where to eat before, you have to check out the new Mercy restaurant inside the Le Meridien Chambers hotel downtown (previously the overpriced and over-formal Mirin). They have a great (for downtown Minneapolis) happy hour running twice a day every day, but that's not even the best part. In addition to gorgeously cooked food (I had a scallop/corn/pepper/succotash medley that was phenomenal; the regular menu also features duck with potstickers, pork chops, beer can chicken and steaks and oysters), they offer an unbeatable deal of a true party punch.

Two words: PARTY. PUNCH. Yes, you need it. Now. 

When is the last time you ordered a group beverage at a restaurant? Never? I thought so. Remedy that IMMEDIATELY if you go to Mercy, where we got a booze laden and perfectly curated punch bowl that managed to please every palate. For those who have had the IPA vs. cosmopolitan vs. rose wine battle in group settings, this is no mean feat. It was also a whole lot of beverage; although the menu lists it as 6-8 servings we easily got three times that out of it. In fact, that single bowl of punch covered libations for six moderate to heavy drinkers for an entire dinner and pregame moment, and it all worked out to about $8 per person. That kind of price is unbeatable in such a restaurant and general location; I highly recommend you check it out for your next group event. Additionally, Mercy has one of the few (really nice!) off-street patios in downtown, which you can check out any time you dine there. More information about Mercy can be found by clicking on this link.

Living the Podcast Dream with MN Tonight: Child Care Episode

It's amazing how things come full circle. 

CD's are out and vinyl is in. MP3 players went the way of the dodo, and parachute pants and chokers are back on fashion's frontlines. But you know what old technology is having the biggest renaissance of all? Radio.

Radio in the form of podcasting, that is. Who could have predicted even 10 years ago that an over 100-year-old technology would be the way of the future? With smash success podcasts like Serial and S Town (the former which broke the internet on its release in 2014 by going straight to #1 on iTunes and hitting 5 million downloads faster than any other podcast; and the latter which smoked Serial's record two years later by hitting 10 million downloads in only four days) sweeping the nation and jumps into the podcast pond from everyone from blogger influencers to Malcom Gladwell and Tim Ferriss, it seems everyone has some skin in the podcast game.

And why not? Personally, I think that in our oversaturated pop culture and era of unending newsfeeds, blips, clips, and quick taps and swipes there is a *deep* yearning among the general populous for thoroughly researched stories, nuance and thoughtfulness. It's why we're seeing such an upsurge in readership of major news and long form publications that have struggled ever since the internet ripped the print business model to shreds, or seeing an upsurge in interest in documentaries, or have long-form monologues like John Oliver's Last Week Tonight receiving millions of YouTube hits. People crave considered perspective, and it's just not possible to provide that level of insight in a 140-character soundbyte.

I am a huge fan of podcasting, online shows and long-form comedy for all of the above reasons. Additionally, they provide a free medium that can give me something to do on my walking commute or data entry days, and there are so many terrific, totally unique podcasts* that provide information I can't really find elsewhere. So I was so excited when MN Tonight reached out and asked if I would be willing to attend a live recording of Episode 5 of Season 2 of their life TV show. Although MN Tonight isn't technically a podcast (it's an online television program), the format really felt like my favorite podcast and comedy shows, so it was an opportunity to witness something totally new. I'd never heard of the show, but I couldn't pass this one up; an opportunity to indulge my nascent podcast obsession, get an inside view into how online shows are recorded and written, and learn more about serious issues facing Minnesotans today? SIGN ME UP SALLY.

MN Tonight is a multifaceted package; think Steven Colbert's musical interludes meets the Daily Show's correspondents meets John Oliver's well-researched monologues and interviews, and wrap all that up with a focus solely on Minnesota politics and current events, and you have a good idea of the subject matter. Season 1 tackled light subjects such as Islamophobia, police brutality, water quality, trans rights, and marijuana and liquor law changes on the ballot. Season 2 fits right into the fold with episodes (so far) on the bee and pollinator crisis, refugee communities, and affordable housing, all issues about which I'm super passionate and deserve a deeper (and more fun) dive than local newspaper clips are able to provide. Wednesday's show was a bit of a mix-up due to the special session at the state legislature; the show had Representative (and all-around #girlboss) Peggy Flanagan on deck to discuss the urgent issue of affordable childcare in the state, but she was unable to attend due to, you know, doing her job and shit. Thankfully the team was able to pull in Bharti Wahi, the inimitable head of the MN Children's Defense Fund**, and she did an admirable job of explaining the issues facing our state's most vulnerable population. MN Tonight founder Jonathan Gershberg did a good job of pinch-hitting to help fill the gaps, and it will be very interesting to see where he takes the show as he matures in his role as the show's host.

Outside of the featured interview, there were some inspired performances by the Shrieking Harpies***, who provided a few hilarious (and totally improvised! so impressive) songs about the Minnesota summer, brunching and other awkward tales. Kerri and Kenzi did a hilarious segment on the issue of legalizing weed that hit home with much of the Millennial audience. But my favorite sketch was easily Native American correspondent and MN Tonight writer Dave Anaya's wonderful segment on LIHEAP****, a vital federally funded program that provides financial assistance to provide heat through the winter for those with low incomes. As you might imagine this is an issue key for Minnesotans, and is urgently threatened as the program is on the chopping block in Trump's new budget. Anaya gave a richly rounded overview of LIHEAP and argument in its favor, and I would love to see more segments from him in the future. His winning delivery and clear passion for the subject really sold it to the audience, and you could see him fitting right in with Trevor Noah's Comedy Central crew.

Despite the programming hiccups, I had a romping good time at MN Tonight and I'm looking forward to tuning in to future performances. It's so fun when organizations "lift the veil" and allow audiences to participate in their activities. I stand 1,000% behind MN Tonight's mission to make issues that tend to be dry or boring for people in Minnesota a little "sexier," and I think they have a crack team that's only going to go further. I LOVE that they focus on issues facing all of Minnesota, even the small, poor, rural areas. I grew up in a small town and although I'm a city girl now, there are tons of people still living outside of the Metro and their issues matter too! There's a clear focus on diversity in the show, and I imagine that will only continue to grow as it evolves. The Brave New Workshop is a great comfy venue for MN Tonight and I hope that as the audience grows, more live shows can be added than just once a month (think Prairie Home Companion style).

I highly encourage you all to check out MN Tonight - I mean it IS free y'all - and support some of the causes they are detailing. The show is not only fun but provides real, actionable ways that all Minnesotans can be involved in making our state a better, safer, happier, healthier place to live, and who doesn't love that? Plus at the very worst, their branding is dope AF and you can get some gorgeous new local art to Instagram. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. You can check out MN Tonight at their website here, where details about the next live show and copies of past episodes can be found.

* I can recommend you *so* many podcasts - faves for sure are Malcom Gladwell's Revisionist History, The Tim Ferris Show, The Skinny Confidential, Serial and S Town of course, Krista Tippett's On Being, and NPR's How I Built This for starters - and that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

** Check them out guys - they do amazing work and always need extra support! Worth a volunteer day or a donation for sure. Link here. 

*** The Shrieking Harpies are currently in residence at HUGE theater through the end of June, so make sure to check them out. 

**** For real LIHEAP is super important - more information here. 

Booty and the Beast is Blissfully Blithe

The snarky show hits lots of high notes. 

One day, I would love to be a fly on the wall at a brainstorming session for the Brave New Workshop's (BNW) feature shows. Somehow their comedic crew always comes up with something fresh, on point, and timely.

Their current piece Booty and the Beast: A Tinderella Story fits perfectly into this paradigm, nestling neatly between the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast (starring every-famous-star-you've-ever-seen) and an explosion of thinkpieces (including Aziz Ansari's excellent Modern Love) about the state of modern dating. Waffling between fairy tale parodies and asides on current dating habits, there is something for everyone to relate to in this hilarious show.

Standout sketches include the opening number, a glorious, perfectly pitched riff on "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast detailing the criticisms a woman goes through when she decides to be adamantly single as well as the target placed on her back by serial harassers. Others include an entertaining jaunt through one gay man's Tinder messages; the vagaries of using Buzzfeed quizzes to determine your life and happiness; a Tinder-based fairy godmother advising fellow fairy tale creatures how to find true love; the strange morals that come from fairy tales; the concept of a programmable robot date for women; and many more. Part of the fun of BNW is the spontaneous feel of the sketches, so I won't list them exhaustively; instead, make sure you go see the show and giggle through every vignette.

It's worth noting that this is the first show I've seen at BNW that is heavily led by the cast's two female leads, Taj Ruler and Lauren Anderson, who carry the show with ease. Taj is always a favorite mine, and she weaves between a myriad of characters with some impressive vocal work and a really lovely singing voice. Lauren is wonderful at making awkward characters (always based on someone you know - everyone has one of those awkward people in their lives at some point) really relatable, using humor to find the heart. Denzel Belin has a larger role in this show and provides a welcome non-CIS perspective to many of the sketches. His sarcastic commentary gives a refreshingly honest perspective to how ludicrous many dating behaviors are. Ryan Nelson and Tom Reed bring the bro into the show and provide an interesting contrast for gendered behaviors and gamely dive into any strange task they are asked to perform. By so happily flipping the script and shining a light on the ridiculousness of arbitrary objectification, Nelson and Reed are able to provide some surprisingly nuanced critiques of patriarchy and the gender roles we all fall into. And I would be remiss not to mention the amazing accompaniment of Jon Pumper, who provides pitch-perfect piano pieces to support each tenor of the sketches.

Booty and the Beast is a sketch comedy and intended to be silly, and it definitely fits the humor bill. But it also crosses into serious satire territory, using the seemingly innocent platform of dating apps and fairy tales to demonstrate some thoughtful reasons that we may all want to pause when considering our society's relationship with relationships. As is said beautifully by Artistic Director Caleb McEwen:

"At times it feels like we are defined less by who we are than we are by the relationships we form. It is as if society has deemed us incomplete, broken things that must be bolstered by others in order to be made whole. It is more natural for a young woman to be locked in a dungeon and slowly coerced into cohabitation with a giant lion-dog than it is for that same woman to be on her own and content in her own individual development. Thus we have a tradition of fairy tales in which princesses are locked in dungeons, towers, glass coffins and fish bodies until a man can save or somehow "fix" the - yet being single is considered odd."

Bravo Caleb! I couldn't have said it better myself.

If you're looking for something really fun to do, feel like you need a good laugh, or simply want to escape the seriousness of the world for a while, check out Booty and the Beast. It has heart, it has brains, it has chutzpah, and it will make you laugh while it makes you think - a total home run. It runs through June 24 and it is absolutely worth a stop. Find more information and purchase tickets by clicking on this link.