Hot Funky Butt Jazz Defines True Inclusion

"Folks always tryin' to kill what they can't understand, for whatever reason"

Photo courtesy of Interact

It's rare, but sometimes something comes at me so fresh and so unexpectedly that it takes my breath away.

I had the pleasure of just such an experience last weekend at Hot Funky Butt Jazz, a new musical by Interact theater on stage at the Guthrie's 9th floor studio space (meaning: $9 tickets to all performances!! #getatit). I went to the show because I love jazz and the hook of the plot - the real history of New Orleans jazz as told by infamous voodoo queen Marie Laveau - was just way too tempting to turn down. It was clear, however, that I was in for so much more from the very opening scene, depicting a second line jazz funeral for Laveau that included the most diverse range of faces and bodies that I've ever seen on stage.

If  I'd really done my research, this wouldn't have surprised me at all. This performance is put on by Interact, which "creates art that challenges perceptions of disability." The gorgeous array of humans in this performance certainly upholds that mission and provided so many delightful cameos. The cast is easily the largest I've ever seen in the black box space, as well as the most diverse. Performers ranged from able bodied to people with physical disabilities to people with downs syndrome and more, each a part of the story in a totally organic way that allowed their talents to shine. It was a pleasure to see everyone incorporated so naturally, almost at detriment to the plot at times (there are a lot of asides) - but it was fine, because everyone clearly had such a good time and brought such joy to the audience. This is also a show that takes intentional, responsible risks - such as honestly portraying the history of minstrelsy, Jim Crow dance and even black face without actually using black face - a fact which I really respected and a model I think other theaters who get caught up in being literal (but not always thoughtful) could learn from.

Photo courtesy of Interact

Hot Funky Butt Jazz wouldn't be possible without the spectacular talents of Zena Moses, who oozes swagger as Marie Laveau. Moses has a luscious contralto that comes straight from New Orleans' shores, and I could have listened to a solo concert of just her all night long. The additional musicians playing live - Jeremy Phipps, Eugene Harding, and Kymani Kahlil - do a great job of livening the stage with their bright instrumentation. The rest of the cast shares pretty equal time with one another despite its large size, but there were still a few additional standouts. Naa Mensah (featured in the first photo of this article) brings *all* the heat as Essie. She has several interludes of spunky dance solos that got the audience really engaged. And Messiah Moses Albert is totally charming as the adorable young Louis Armstrong. I hope he retains his interest in theater as he gets older.

I went to Hot Funky Butt Jazz expecting to hear some delicious jazz music, learn a few things I didn't know, and have a pretty standard night at the theater. Like jazz music itself, what I got was a far messier but more beautiful reality. The array of truly diverse performers having the time of their lives is something that will stick with me for a long time, and provided a new standard for what inclusive art really looks like. It's a fun performance that will teach you about the history of jazz music, have you in and out in less than 90 minutes, and spark all sorts of ideas about the unexplored possibilities in representation. It's a reminder that you can be responsible and truthful about the dark times of the past, and still engaging and positive all at the same time - and don't we need more of that attitude in the world? I think it's definitely worth scooting to the Guthrie to see this before it closes on November 18. For more information about Hot Funky Butt Jazz or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Continuing the Conversation: Sexual Harassment Resources

Of all of the many reasons I'm proud to be a Twin Cities Theater Blogger, the #tctbconvo series is at the very top of my list. 

Created as a response to the controversy over Refugia last year, #tctbconvo represents the Twin Cities Theater Blogger's attempt to host proactive dialogues providing solutions and resources for major cultural issues on stage and behind the curtain. Past subjects have included racial diversity in casting and production choices, women in theater, mental health, disabilities and the differently abled, and sexuality and gender identity. We have been blessed to have a diverse, dynamic group of panelists featuring local theater creators and artists - all of whom have generously donated their time - who have fiercely advocated for their work and provided some truly excellent resources to help theaters navigate these issues.

I wanted to write a quick post to quickly shout out our most recent #tctbconvo, which was hosted Monday night at Park Square Theatre and focused on the issue of sexual harassment. I think we all can recognize what a timely subject this is, and I was thrilled with the nuanced dialogue from our panelists. We had our first ever guest moderator (shout out to Caroline Palmer of MNCASA!) and it was a lovely dialogue.

As usual we recorded the entirety of the convo for anyone who couldn't attend. You can click here to go to the YouTube link, or click on the embedded video above, to listen to the whole thing. I also took some breakout notes on good resources the panelists recommended for anyone trying to find ways of crafting policies, making reports, and generally trying to understand this issue, which I have linked below. Please share around and let me know - are there any more resources that are really helpful that we could include on this list? Each organization is linked on the name - click directly to go to their websites.

• For an inspiring group of artists taking action against sexual harassment: Not in Our House - Chicago
• For an unbiased, governmental reporting and policy resource: MN Department of Human Rights
• For an example of a network supporting women in improve: Fair Play Minnesota
• For an anonymous reporting hotline: RAINN
• For a local theater organization hosting trainings, resources and more: MN Theater Alliance
• For a model of a company doing it right: Green T Productions
• For research about the psychology behind sexual assault: The work of David Lisak
• For inspirational resources for women and survivors to find their voice and to heal: The work of Rebecca Campbell
• For understanding the biological effects of assault on a victim: Google search the term "trauma brain"
• For a visual understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment: Watch David Schwimmer's video series
• For resources about getting men to talk to each other: Justin Baldoni's Man Enough Movement

UPDATE: For a consistently updated resource on this issue, please consider visiting the website for Sunshine Behavioral Health. They have put together a resource that discusses emerging solutions to domestic violence that is constantly updated. Some highlights of what it includes are:

• Domestic Violence Defined
• Teen Dating Violence 101
• Stopping Teen Dating Violence
• Early Prevention is Key
• Programs to Stop the Cycle
• Free hotlines / organizations for DV victims 

Click here to find the link and more resources for survivors.

Thanks SO much to all of the panelists for this and previous #tctbconvos - please come join us in the future! Our next date is tentatively set for Monday, April 30. To listen to previous #tctbconvos, please click on this link to go to our YouTube page.

MUST SEE: Dot at Park Square Theatre

This late in the season, I generally think it unlikely to find something so fresh and powerful and amazing that it blows my socks off.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

But I can happily testify that that is the case after seeing Dot, a new work at Park Square Theatre, last night. Dot is a delectable mix of sweet and savory, serious and saccharine, and I hope is a model for what is to come from new scripts on stages across America.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

Created with support from the American Brain Foundation and the Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota, Dot tells the story of a family as they try to navigate their mother Dot's quickly advancing Alzheimer's disease during the holidays. Shelly, Dot's oldest child, has been doing most of the care for her mother by herself and is extremely stressed out. Shelly has received little help from her sister Averie and brother Donnie, both of whom continue to tell themselves that Dot's condition isn't as bad as it is. Adam, Donnie's husband, is very gentle with Dot and despite having some marital arguments is a logical voice in the family conversation about how to best care for Dot. Fidel is the family's barely legal caretaker hired to care for Dot, with whom he shares a unique connection and experience as "the other." Jackie is the family's long time (and somewhat crazy) neighbor and friend, and her dramatic personal problems allow for a break in the drama unfolding around Dot. The most important character, Dot herself, moves throughout the high drama surrounding her with a slow, uneasy gait that demonstrates how much her condition directly affects her and how difficult it is for her to see her memories (and sanity) steadily slipping away.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

The show wouldn't be possible without a believable demonstration of an Alzheimer's patient, and Cynthia Jones-Taylor is remarkable in this role as Dot. She is able to convey so many emotions - seeming simplicity, heartbreak, laughter, confidence, fear, and more - and she makes Dot such a winning force in the show and so much more complex than what might otherwise seem to be a crazy old woman. Her children are very well cast as well. Yvette Ganier is the show's emotional rock as Shelly and does a beautiful job of showing how difficult being a full-time caretaker can be, especially for those who are simultaneously caring for parents and children. Dame-Jasmine Hughes is hilarious as Averie and demonstrates why it is so important not to underestimate younger family members; while she seems irresponsible on the surface, Averie's heart and empathy provide a soothing advocacy for her mother's needs. Ricardo Beaird is hilarious as Donnie and really the epicenter of all of the show's exterior drama. Between Donnie's marital problems, Jackie's unbelievably inappropriate attachment to him, and the terror over truly understanding how his mother feels, Beaird manages to keep Donnie human and connected throughout the show. Anna Letts Lakin does a good job of demonstrating Jackie's pendulum-wide emotional swings, and while her character felt unnecessary to the fuller narrative, Lakin makes the part into a needed break from the devastating impact of Dot's disease as it unfolds. And Maxwell Collyard brings an unexpected warmth to his part as Fidel, proving that you never can judge a book by its cover.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

The set is cozy and familiar, detailing two rooms - a kitchen and Christmas-clad living room - inside a home that could belong to any family, although this one does to Dot in West Philly. Park Square always does a great job of making intimate settings feel real, and small touches like a working sink and stove in the kitchen, messy dishes left in between scenes and a bevy of household props place us squarely inside of Dot's home and family drama. There's nothing really "special" about the wardrobe and costumes, but that's exactly why I enjoyed them; the familiarity of the set and costume design makes the drama of the show much more piercing and mundane, an important factor in the show's goal of raising awareness of the prevalence and severity of Alzheimer's.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

Full disclosure as to why I enjoyed this show so much and think it's so important to see? I adore this cast first of all - they seem like a real family and have such terrific chemistry. It's a truly mixed, messy family with interracial relationships, homosexual relationships, single parents, grieving grandparents and more, and I think those real-world ties are important to see represented in front of us. The script is modern and fresh and could have come off of a new Gabrielle Union or Kerry Washington movie, and it was a joy to see such a narrative on-stage. The design is good and overall this is seasonal without being too Christmassy.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

But the real reason Dot touched me so is that I can attest to its authenticity. I had a grandmother who died of Alzheimer's disease, and watching Dot's decline reminded me so vividly of her and the difficult struggles my family went through to care for her. Although Alzheimer's affects approximately 5.5 million Americans today you almost never see it directly discussed or represented in mainstream media, especially for people of color. Alzheimer's is a growing problem and one that will affect more and more of us as life expectancies increase, and without talking about it and learning how to care for those who suffer from it (as well as their caregivers), we are going to be at a serious societal loss. It is always difficult to watch a loved one suffer from any medical condition, but to see their mind - their their essence, their memories, their spirit, their kindness - dissolve into the ether is a special kind of suffering that cannot be described. It's a death before the physical death, and the point at which your parent no longer knows who you are is the most heartbreaking thing I can imagine, a scene that is poignantly, heartrendingly displayed in Dot.

Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma

I don't want to scare anyone off by making Dot seem like a serious, difficult show. The subject of Alzheimer's alone is agonizing but Dot is legitimately funny, and for every moment of sadness there are so many moments of laughter and joy, especially from Dot herself. The beauty of Dot lies in how it is able to so thoroughly demonstrate all the subtleties of a very difficult subject but in a way that is authentic and relatable and lighthearted. It's a masterful bit of writing and one that would be at home on the silver screen any day. I think anyone can find something to love about Dot, but I especially think that families struggling to understand their relative's Alzheimer's disease in any capacity - care, empathy, implications, finances, all of it - could really find some support and love by attending this show. I hope it reprises all over the country and raises awareness about Alzheimer's to new heights. Dot runs at Park Square Theatre through January 7; to learn more or buy tickets to this must-see show, click on this link.

Waitress is Wonderful

Could Waitress have arrived in Minneapolis at a better time? 

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

With all of the sexual harassment allegations swarming the cultural conversation, women coming forward every day to tell stories of abuse and hardship, and an increasing focus on telling women's stories, what better than to enjoy this positive, aggressively normal story of women supporting each other and emerging from their damaging pasts?

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, a quick overview: Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a master pie baker who married too young and is stuck waitressing at a diner, where she bakes each of the pies they sell fresh every day. We immediately learn that Jenna is recently pregnant by her abusive, deadbeat husband Earl, a fact she thoroughly laments. The rest of the story takes us through Jenna's pregnancy as she conducts an affair with her doctor, watches her waitressing friends find love and affairs of their own, and plans to enter a national pie baking contest in order to win enough money to leave Earl behind. Things don't go exactly as Jenna plans but they do improve her circumstances; while this is no fairy tale, isn't that how life goes?

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

Does this sound like a rather platonic, boring story? It's not. I was immediately swept into Jenna's narrative (the exceedingly catchy orchestration by Sara Bareilles doesn't hurt) and the familiar, loving characters surrounding her life. The cast really sells this script, starting with Desi Oakley as an incandescent Jenna. Oakley has a deceptively big voice for such a small frame, and she trills with ease through every Bareilles-penned musical flourish. Charity Dawson is magnificent as Jenna's friend and co-waitress Becky; my only lament is that she only had one solo (give her her own show, please! She has talent in spades). Lenne Klingman is absolutely hilarious as the third waitress Dawn, especially when paired with Dawn's lover Ogie. Jeremy Morse knocks the socks off of Ogie's role, and as my date said: Morse's songs, played to utmost comedic effect, are the highlight of the show.

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

Ryan Dunkin brings great swagger to his role as Cal, the waitress' boss, and Larry Marshall embodies the trope of the benevolent old man as Joe. Bryan Fenkart is probably the weakest link as Jenna's lover Dr. Pomatter, but his soft-spoken delivery and awkward characterization endear him to the audience even in the back row. Nick Bailey is despicable as Jenna's husband Earl, to the point that the audience booed him at the curtain call. And Minnesota native Prewitt Anderson is hands-down adorable as Jenna's daughter Lulu in a gorgeous reveal at the end of the performance - she did great for being only five years old.

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

The set and props for Waitress are shockingly complex considering how quickly they are removed and arranged. This is a fully operative diner with every small (and working!) accouterments, down to refillable ketchup and mustard bottles, coffee pots and creamers, silverware, and of course Jenna's myriad baking supplies. It's a dizzying amount of items to track, and hats off to the stage hands for keeping everything perfectly in place and quickly re-set. The band delightfully sits on a track on stage and periodically takes a trip across, giving us a full view of the music at work. There are several beautiful scrims at work here as well, including a vista at a rural bus stop, a shitty mobile home, and the latticed crust of a cherry pie. Costumes by contrast are exceedingly simple and mostly kept to uniforms for each character's respective profession. The overall effect is to make this seem a familiar, warm world which comes alive with the lovely performances. It's perfect for the holidays and especially well suited to Thanksgiving week.

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust

I've always been a fan of stories about "normal" people. I get frustrated in the amount of escapism prevalent in our media; while it's nice to fantasize, most of us are never going to possess Kardashian-level riches and that doesn't make our lives terrible! Jenna's heartbreaking story of abuse, reluctant motherhood and inability to change her circumstances is one that faces so, so many people in this country, and it was really great to see it get a chance to shine. Through Jenna's baking escape we are able to see that everyone has a gift to share with the world; you don't need a lot of things to be happy, just inner peace; with the help of your community you can leave abusers and demand better for yourself; and being nice to everyone you meet is never a bad strategy to get ahead in life. Pretty perfect summation of the reason for the season, #amiright? Waitress runs through the holiday and closes at the Orpheum on November 26. It's a great family show and well worth a visit if you need to get out of the house this weekend. For more information or to buy tickets, click here: https://hennepintheatretrust.org/.

Better than Broadway: Mixed Blood's Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time

Broadway isn't always better.

At least that was my thought upon watching A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, the latest (terrific) offering from Mixed Blood Theater. I was lucky enough to see the touring Broadway production of this show last year (you can read my review here), and as much as I enjoyed it then the humbler origins of Mixed Blood's version made the story much more alive for me than ever before.

I'll skip the plot overview this time (a detailed one can be found by clicking here for last year's review), but I want to point out the facets of this production that really impressed me. Chief among them is the stunning performance by MacGregor Arney as Christopher, the main character. Arney's performance is riveting and career-making. He has clearly done his homework, blasting through the show with a kinetic energy that grips you by the throat. Arney has a relatively short resume to-date but I imagine that's about to change after this terrific, star-worthy performance, which is what really sets this production apart from the Broadway version I saw last year. The flashing lights and fancy tech of that production may have had all of the bells and whistles theater can possibly offer, but Arney's immersive, thoughtful take on Christopher in Mixed Blood's production is truly next level and really encapsulates Christopher's character. Go see Arney - you won't regret it.

Another favorite was new-to-me Regan Linton as Christopher's teacher Siobhan. Linton has a warm, comfortable stage presence that enfolds the entire narrative in the emotional equivalent of a plush blanket. It was so wonderful to see a differently abled performer (listen to the TCTB convo about the challenges faced by such performers on our YouTube channel here) on stage with no fuss or irony, just allowed to give a strong, profound performance - and Linton really delivers. I hope she sticks around the Twin Cities for a while, we need more of her.

Zack Myers is back at Mixed Blood (last seen in How to Use a Knife) as Christopher's father Ed. Myers reprises the darker energy of his last role, this time tempered with the frustrated love of a besieged parent at their wit's end. I'm really coming to enjoy Myers' restrained masculinity on stage, and he's a great choice for this part. Miriam Laube is perfectly cast as Christopher's estranged mother Judy. Laube brings real tears and an accessibly broken heart to her performance, and she and Myers make powerful foils for each other as the plot progresses.

There isn't much set to speak of for this performance other than a few artfully arranged cubes that can serve intermittently as doors, tables, beds, etc., and a number of psychedelic projections. It's Mixed Blood's signature spare delivery, and I honestly didn't mind the lack of embellishment. The performances in this show are so necessarily vivid and vital that a lavish staging would take the focus away from where it needs to be, and this approach allowed the audience to fully engage with Arney's showstopping acting. Props are cleverly handled and selected by Abbee Warmboe, and the ingenious idea to embed the extras in the audience throughout the show (thanks to Movement Director Brian Bose and Producer/Director Jack Reuler) not only keeps the energy going at a fast pace but further enhances the feeling that the audience is truly a part of this story.

To my mind, the most extraordinary element of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is the way in which it fully embeds us into the head of "the other." Christopher is someone we "normal" people (although what even does that mean, really?) encounter all the time but don't always know how to understand or reach. By placing us squarely into Christopher's perspective and forcing us to engage with the world through his eyes, we are all exposed to the wonderful things he sees and able to access far more compassion and admiration for his condition than we otherwise might. The miraculous revelations sprinkled throughout this show like so many magical breadcrumbs really do change your perspective after you leave the theater, and there's a lot to think about thanks to Arney's magnificent performance. Mixed Blood always delivers thoughtful, important work, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is planted squarely in their wheelhouse. Take an extended date night and make sure to check out this emotional play before it closes on December 3; for more information or to buy tickets, click on this link: https://mixedblood.com/on-stage/curious/.