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

The Jungle's Miss Bennet is Holiday Perfection

It is a truth universally acknowledged... 

Photo by Dan Norman

That holiday season stagings need a refresh.

Don't get me wrong; I will always harbor love for How the Grinch Stole Christmas or A Christmas Carol. That said, do we need to see them *every* year? Done exactly the same way? What about trying some new stories?

Photo by Dan Norman

That's why I'm so thrilled with the new tradition gracing the Jungle Theater's stage: a rotation of holiday themed, fan-fiction sequels to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Last year I had the great pleasure of attending The Wickhams, a rip-roaringly funny play about the servants at Pemberley while the lords and ladies of the house celebrate upstairs. It was one of my favorite plays of the entire year, in fact, and I can't wait for them to bring it back.

Photo by Dan Norman

This year I got to check out the original adaption that I missed two years ago. Miss Bennet takes place a couple of years before The Wickhams, except it is upstairs in the main house and stars all the main characters of the beloved novel. Fan fiction can get dicey; it's hard to recreate the author's signature style without veering into wildly fantastic side stories or awkwardly stilted dialogues. Thankfully playwrights Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon do a masterful job of channeling Austen's voice into a believable, relevant new script that I think is destined to stick around for quite some time.

Photo by Dan Norman

Miss Bennet takes place over Christmas two years after the end of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are happily married and hosting the rest of the Bennet family over the holidays. First to arrive are Elizabeth's elder sister Jane, who is heavily pregnant; her husband Mr. Bingley; and their sister Mary Bennet (the titular 'Miss Bennet'). Mary is a relative afterthought in the original book, but this play gives her her full due. An overlooked middle child with a bookish, severe personality, Mary always struggled to stand out. Fate is on her side this time, however, with the arrival of Mr. Darcy's cousin Arthur de Bourgh, who is set to inherit the now-deceased Lady Catherine de Bourgh's massive estate. Arthur is similarly awkward in company and ecstatic to find a kindred spirit in Mary. Things seem to be going swimmingly until the arrival of Lydia Wickham, the younger and most troublesome of the Bennet sisters, and the surprise arrival of Lady Catherine's daughter Anne de Bourgh. There are several delightful twists in the romantic plot between Mary and Arthur so I will stop here, but suffice it to say it lives up to the original wit and romance of Pride and Prejudice.

Photo by Dan Norman

Miss Bennet has a very talented young cast, starting with Christian Bardin as a stunningly good Mary. Bardon lives and breathes this role right down to her squinty eyes and peculiar mouth tics, and she is a master class performer. She is well partnered with Reese Britts as Arthur de Borugh; his performance is so charming I would scarcely know he is a recent UMD grad. Veteran favorite Sun Mee Chomet sparkles as Elizabeth and has heartwarming chemistry with James Rodriguez as Mr. Darcy. I was very happy to see Roshni Desai again, this time as Jane Bingley; I wish the part allowed her witty comedic side to shine a little more, but I still enjoyed her performance immensely. Jesse Lavercombe has vivacious energy as Mr. Bingley and Anna Hickey is deliciously snobby as Anne de Bourgh. Andrea San Miguel is thoroughly irritating as Lydia Wickham, and the audience clearly loved her antics. And I have to call out Jennifer Ledoux and Abilene Olson as the singing servants, who provided gorgeous music for everyone to enjoy as scenes transitioned.

Photo by Dan Norman

Sarah Bahr designed both the costumes and sets, and the cohesive, period-specific presentation is lovely. Clever details like refreshing the set by continuously decorating for the holidays throughout the show, or adjusting a costume with a smart jacket or well placed scarf, keep everyone looking consistent but fresh. Marcus Dilliard's expert lighting washes the stage with warm wintry light, and Sean Healey's sound design subtly lets us hear every line. Robert Grier shares inspired wig design, particularly with Anne de Bourgh's magnificently curled piece. And John Novak chooses careful props that add just enough detail to each scene to reveal another layer to each character.

Photo by Dan Norman

While I didn't find Miss Bennet quite as uproariously funny as The Wickhams, I still enjoyed it very much. Because it stars Mary this is a quieter sister to Pride and Prejudice, and I found that it had some real gems of wisdom to offer. Many of the much-maligned characters of the original story (especially Mary and Mrs. Bennet) struggle to get their just due, and it's wonderful to see at least one of them treated well. Miss Bennet is a charming comedy and love story brimming with wisdom and a huge heart. If I had to choose only one holiday story this season, this is the one I would go with. I highly recommend you check Miss Bennet out before it closes on December 29; click here for more information or to buy tickets. And if you don't already know the plot of Pride and Prejudice and want to check it out before seeing Miss Bennet, you're in luck! Park Square Theatre is currently showing a production of the original story. Click here to read my review and learn more.

Ride the Cyclone is an Un-missable Ride

Holy shit Becca Hart. 

Photo by Dan Norman

Pardon the profanity, but I'm just not sure how else to describe one of #tctheater's buzziest ingenues without it. Her performance in the Jungle's season opener Ride the Cyclone - which is a wild ride overall and worth seeing - is a standout that I'm calling early on as one of the best of the year. It's an audacious claim, I know, but I think it's warranted.

Photo by Dan Norman

Backing up a bit - Ride the Cyclone is a new musical that tells the story of a quintet of high school musicians, all of whom are killed as they ride a roller coaster called the cyclone. They are invited by a talking carnie machine named Karnak to play a game for the chance for one of the students to return to real life. The rules? They must unanimously vote for who they send back, which is tough with teenage attitudes running high. The wild card? A headless body was found under the cyclone, that of ghostly Jane Doe. No one knows who Jane is (including Jane herself), so she is entered to play with the five classmates for the chance to return and learn who she really was. Each player spins the wheel to make a case for their shot at Life 2.0, giving a solo about their distinct pasts and what we need to know about them. There are a few surprises revealed during these acts - an obsession with Weimar-era French drag; a fantasy about space sex with a race of kittens; an obsessive goody two shoes who couldn't be more insufferable if she tried; a surprisingly romantic Ukrainian whose tough facade reveals a goey sentimental center; and a lonely but kind girl who struggles to define herself outside of her peer's expectations. It's Mean Girls meets Phantom of the Opera (the Love Never Dies version, to be specific) with a sprinkle of Pippin, a truly weird mix of things that somehow works.

Photo by Dan Norman

The plot can get a little loose at times (if you can't tell in a previous paragraph, there's a *lot* happening here) and some of the stereotypes presented in the way the characters are written could use refinement, but overall I was surprised how well this show worked. That is high key thanks to the amazing performances, which are executed with a crisp military precision that makes the whole thing sparkle. At the heart of it (pun intended) is Becca Hart as the ghastly Jane Doe. I literally gasped the second she appeared on stage; her performance, but particularly her body work and choreography, is truly extraordinary. Nothing about her looks as if it's of this earth, and my jaw dropped several times as she floated through the stage. It's a stunning performance and worth your ticket price alone - do not miss this one, as it's going to be the talk of the town for months to come.

Photo by Dan Norman

The rest of the cast is excellent too. Jim Lichtscheidl (who also masterminded that crisp choreography) brings a striking physical performance as Karnak; he barely blinks and moves just like a machine. His otherworldly performance ties the loose stories of the students together, and he's a magnificent anchor for the show. Shinah Brashears lends her clarion voice as Ocean, the perfectionist that could, and her deliciously hateful performance could be in Mean Girls itself. Gabrielle Dominique is lovely as the shy Constance; I wish she had more time to shine. Michael Hanna is riveting as always as the dark Mischa, clearly having the time of his life. Josh Zwick relishes the strip you never saw coming as Noel, and although probably the weakest of the cast vocally, his charismatic performance is a lot of fun to watch. And Jordan Leggett goes all in as the crippled Ricky; he gives a full commitment that has more than a little Prince in it, and it's a welcomely weird surprise.

Photo by Dan Norman

This production design is one of my favorites in a long time that I've seen anywhere. Chelsea Warren's set design has so many layers, from Karnak's magical box to the handsome carousel with hidden projections and clues to the contestant's pasts; it's hyper-detailed and gorgeous. Trevor Bowen's costume design is wildly imaginative and it's so fun watching the crew prance around through various fantasies. Marcus Dilliard's lighting design and Sean Healey's sound design is seamlessly detailed, down to the crank activating each round of the game and the twinkling lights on each ride. Kathy Maxwell makes the most creative use of projection I've seen in a while, melting into the set design as one cohesive whole. Paul Bigot's wig and makeup design creates distinct characters for each performer. And the props design by John Novak shows the same care and attention to detail that makes every element of the show stand out.

Photo by Dan Norman

There's really no way to adequately encapsulate Ride the Cyclone into a textual review; all I can do is encourage readers to go and enter a world that is truly unlike any I've seen before. The season blurb online didn't really engage me - I decided to go because I trust the Jungle and wanted to know what they'd do with something so abstract, and I was more than rewarded. Becca Hart is truly transformative in this role, and I'm calling it as her star-maker performance in a run that's had several standouts so early on. The rest of this young cast is eager and talented and vivacious too, and you can't help catching some of the sparkle they release through their performances. It won't take much of your time - 90 minutes without intermission - but it will definitely leave you feeling changed. I can't think of a better show to usher in the Halloween season. Make sure to get your tickets before they disappear on October 20; click here for more information or to buy some.

Stinkers Smells Pretty Fresh

What happens when you end up parenting your own parents?

Photo by Dan Norman

Has any locale in #tctheater had a better year than the Jungle?

Photo by Dan Norman

In a climate when many of our treasured thespian institutions seem to be crumbling under the repercussions of #metoo era revelations, this small Uptown enclave seems to be faring better than ever. Packed audiences (many of whom are skewing into the much-desired under 40 demo); shows running on concurrent stages; selling out in a polar vortex; debuting 3 new world premieres; hiring women for all manner of roles off-stage and quietly changing the face (and resumes) of our production community… the list of successes is endless, and it’s only getting better if evidenced by the Jungle’s season closer, Stinkers.

Photo by Dan Norman

Even the story behind Stinkers is amazing: Sally Wingert commissioned a new play from an exciting young playwright who decided to make it about parenting – with dad staying at home and toddlers as actual characters on stage. Like so much of the Jungle’s recent work, Stinkers has just the right amount of subversive energy to keep you giggling in your seats but thinking really hard for days after you see it. It's a delightful piece of new writing that will be making the circuit long after Wingert is gone, and another jewel in the Jungle's crown of recently commissioned originals.

Photo by Dan Norman

Overall, Stinkers tells the story of Brad, a former chef of a failed restaurant whose current career is Stay At Home Dad. Brad seems okay with his life, until his mother Joyce – who has just been released from prison – appears at his house to crash the party. With Joyce comes her prison friend Lilith and the clingy attention of Brad’s good friend Calvin, a supremely lazy man who just can’t seem to get his life together. Joyce quickly whips the household into a ruckus, convincing Brad to start a business selling toy trucks and Calvin to achieve his lofty dreams. The only problem is the underhanded way she does this, using Brad's business as a front for money laundering and coaxing Calvin into taking risks he can ill afford with his lack of employment. Everything crumbles apart as Brad learns his mother hasn't changed that much since prison and Joyce loses her ill-gotten nest egg, leaving them left to appreciate the only thing that really matters anyway - each other.

Photo by Dan Norman

This is such a brilliantly unique script and Sally Wingert shines in the role she commissioned. Wingert's Joyce is unabashedly cocky, completely unapologetic, and a delightful mess. It's the perfect foil for John Catron's very modern father figure in Brad. Catron plays his role so winningly, and it was wonderful to see an unironic portrait of fatherhood and a male character wrestling with many of the struggles and blessings that are often faced by stay at home mothers. George Keller was delightful as the swashbuckling but tenderhearted Lilith, adding depth to what could have been a cliched character. Nate Cheeseman stole the show (as always) with his devastatingly unmotivated Calvin, always eliciting giggles from the audience. And Megan Burns and Reed Sigmund were clever as the puppeteers behind the Brad's children Evie and Oscar. Their presence really helped depict the chaotic state of a home filled with little kids, and their total commitment to the preschool mindset lent a welcome comedic relief to several tense scenes.

Photo by Dan Norman

One of the reasons I love the Jungle is that I can always trust them to do something totally unique. Stinkers is no different and is worth an audience visit. Wrapped inside this lighthearted comedy are some important narratives about recidivism, parenting, modern fatherhood, and so much more. It's a colorful piece perfect for the depths of summer and something you can enjoy taking your best friend or wryest auntie to. It's a fantastic capstone to a transcendent season at the Jungle, and I highly encourage you to check it out. Stinkers runs through August 18; for more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Photo by Dan Norman

Small Mouth Sounds Has a Quiet Brilliance

Sometimes the most interesting aspect of a piece of art is what it does not include.

Photo by Dan Norman

After all, when we see a play we take for granted that there will be things like lines in it, right?

Photo by Dan Norman

So imagine if a play removed one of its core elements - dialogue - for the majority of the time, and instead had you take a closer look at the gestures and small intimations that actors utilize to convey their characters outside of literal words.

Photo by Dan Norman

That's the concept behind Small Mouth Sounds, a quietly brilliant new play showing at the Jungle Theater. The show focuses on a group of strangers attending a meditation retreat. All are thrilled to go for their own individual reasons, but learn the retreat has one caveat: it is completely silent throughout, and no one except for the teacher will speak for the entire week. This has varying degrees of success at first as characters encounter different obstacles: one woman is forced to share a room with a man and wants to be moved; a couple in the retreat end up in a fight halfway through; a few budding romances take awkward turns. But for the most part, it's a joy watching six completely individual characters find a voiceless peace, each in their own totally unique way.

Photo by Dan Norman

A play this quiet needs a robust cast, and this one is a joy. Christina Baldwin is expressive as ever as Joan, who attends the retreat with her partner Judy (played with tearful, inspiring determination by Faye M. Price) and experiences some heartrending moments. Becca Hart continues her growth into one of my favorite character actresses in #tctheater with a turn as Alicia, Small Mouth Sounds' emotional hurricane. Eric Sharp is a literal heart-breaker as Rodney, the sexy yoga guru with a secret. Michael Curran-Dorsano was surprisingly poignant as the earnest but seemingly cursed Ned. Jim Lichtscheidl lent a quiet profundity to Jan, the most eventually enlightened member of the retreat. And Jay Owen Eisenberg holds it down as the Teacher, who is not only the character with the most lines but is also the only one we never see on stage. Eisenberg gives a fascinating voiceover performance, solidifying his place as one of the most iconic local voices around (and maybe a firm step towards a future career in voiceover work on the silver screen?).

Photo by Dan Norman

Mina Kinukawa's scenic design is a masterful exercise in multifaceted minimism. What appear to be the blank walls of a room at the retreat are retracted like blinds to become trees; the stage rotates on a wheel to provide ever-changing views of deceptively simple pieces, and combined with Karin Olson's elegant lighting, the overall effect retains the feeling of calm, peace and feng shui generated by Small Mouth Sounds' quiet script. Sarah Bahr's costume design cleverly delineates between each character, telling us so much through their appearance that we can't learn through words. And Reid Rejsa's subtle sound design allows the quiet to open up through the theater, enveloping the audience in meditation with the characters and facilitating the effect of every tiny sound.

Photo by Dan Norman

I think Small Mouth Sounds is likely to be an acquired taste for some theater-goers. It is such a different kind of performance, with such different elements than you traditionally see, that you could leave underwhelmed if you're expecting the usual kind of play. I, however, really loved how this flips the script (literally) and forces the audience to do most of the work reading into the performance. We become in communion with the show itself, and the peaceful ambiance generated by the lack of words lets so much more shine through. This is a truly human show that packs a lot of life into 95 short minutes, and I've been smiling on reflection of it ever since. Small Mouth Sounds is on stage through June 16, so make sure to click here for more information or to get your tickets.

Photo by Dan Norman

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

The Wolves Remains a Hit

Is anyone in #tctheater having a better year than Sarah Rasmussen? 

Photo by Dan Norman

Named the Star Tribune's 2018 Artist of the Year, Rasmussen must be flying on a cloud. The Jungle Theater has produced hit after sold out hit since she took the helm in 2015, and her fresh, female-forward perspective is boldly changing the kind of stories and the way those stories are told on #tctheater stages beyond her queendom in Uptown.

Thanks to this success, the Jungle now has two stages running concurrently for the first time ever! On their marquis space on Lyndale is The Children (which I reviewed a few weeks ago - click here for the link). Last night The Wolves, an immediate sell-out and the Twin Cities Theater Blogger's pick for best ensemble performance in 2018, re-opened at the Southern Theater on Seven Corners. I was one of the few unlucky souls who didn't manage to snag a ticket to last year's performance, so I was thrilled to get the chance to check it out this year. Spoiler alert: it was completely worth the wait.

Photo by Dan Norman

The Wolves is a true ensemble drama, depicting the pre-game chatter of a team of high school-aged soccer players as they stretch and warm up before their games. We hear them talk about tampons vs. pads; sneaking out to drink at parties; deeply debate the subject matter in their history homework assignments (Pol Pot vs. Hitler makes an appearance); struggle to feel seen and included; absorb a "new girl" who moves late into their tight knit circle; gossip about shared acquaintances; strategize how to beat their next opponent; support each other after their friends and family members die; and so much more. In short, it's the entirety of teenage girl's experiences told exclusively by teenaged girl characters, distilled into a zippy 95 minute drama that instantly captivated the audience.

Photo by Dan Norman

I think The Wolves is the perfect harbinger of the Jungle's success under Sarah Rasmussen, and let me tell you why: this show felt so organic, so natural in the flow of the season, and is so perfectly cast and produced, that you don't even realize how revolutionary it is. The Wolves moved me deeply despite the seemingly banal nature of its subject matter because I've never seen such an honest depiction of a teen girl's experience on stage. Obviously what The Wolves portrays is not an exact avatar for all teen girls' lives - there are always shades in everyone's experience of the world and the experiences collected here don't cross every race / sexuality / economic line - but overall it allows a frankness that isn't often allowed to women at all, let alone girls in their teenage years. Teens experience things like death or serious illness or injury all the time, but due to their young age it's often assumed that they are unaffected or don't understand the severity of such events. The experience boys have in puberty are infamously portrayed in all sorts of shows, from wet dreams to having sex with pies, to sneaking dirty magazines - but how often do you hear a tampon thrown around in casual conversation? Or using Plan B? It's revolutionary content because it is so commonly ignored, and bravo to Sarah Delappe for a fabulous script that unveils the layers of this experience in a way that all audience members (including the men, of which there were many), can relate to.

Photo by Dan Norman

Part of the success of The Wolves is also due to its tightly knit ensemble actors. All of this dynamic, spicy young cast has gone on to great things in other shows; just look at this lineup!

• Chloe Armao, who was part of the Guthrie's thoughtful Trouble in Mind
• Megan Burns, part of the stunning production of Little Women at the Jungle as well as shows with Mixed Blood, Theater Latte Da and other of my local favorite companies
• Michelle de Joya, who has delighted in several Mu Performing Arts productions including Flower Drum Song and Tot: the untold (yet spectacular) Story of a Filipino Hulk Hogan
• Becca Hart, who jumped into leading roles in Mary Poppins and Into the Woods after this performance
• McKenna Kelly-Eiding, who starred as Sherlock Holmes in Baskerville at Park Square Theatre, one of my favorite shows of last year
• Isabella Star Lablanc, also a standout in Little Women and who is breaking new ground as a Native American artist on stages and on film across the country
• And a host of up and coming young actresses who are certain to become well known, including Rosey Lowe, Shelby Rose Richardson, Meredith Casey, all of whom are backed up by local legend Jennifer Blagen

It was such a pleasure to watch them all engage in a public form of sisterhood, and I hope their impressive collaboration here allows for more shows with multiple women (hello Bechdel test!) on stages across the Twin Cities. This is a show that is clearly made by women, starring women, for women, and I can't express enough how meaningful that experience was for me. I am so glad the Jungle decided to re-mount this excellent production, and if you didn't get a chance to see it the first time around it absolutely deserves a look. The run goes through February 17 and if last night's packed stage (despite the polar vortex) is any indication, you'll want to snap up your tickets immediately because this one is sure to sell out again. For more information about the dynamic, the powerful, the incredible play The Wolves, click here to see more and to buy those tickets.

The Children Brings a Pensive Start to 2019 in #tctheater

This disaster minded drama features impeccable acting and a thoughtful plot

Photo by Dan Norman

Art is supposed to reflect and explain the world around us, right? That said, with the political world in chaos these days it seems only natural that dystopian fiction and high drama should make appearances with increasing frequency on screen, stages and pages around the world.

The Children, the latest play on offer from Jungle Theater, falls somewhere between these two categories. Not quite dystopian (or at least as I would define it - it falls short of blatantly apocryphal scenarios like those offered in The Road, for example), it still presents a dire vision of the hard choices humanity will be required to make as the fallibility of our modern world becomes ever more apparent. Hazel and Robin are a husband and wife who have uprooted their life after the fallout of a nuclear power plant in the U.K. They are living an intense existence for the so-called first world - no power, an inability to drink running water, etc. - and are visited by surprise by an old friend named Rose. All three are nuclear scientists who helped build and run the now-failed nuclear plant in its glory days but retired before the fallout. Through the length of Rose's visit we learn of many intricate ways this group is connected that go far beyond sharing a place of work, and that Rose's visit has far deeper (and harder) implications than that of reconnecting with a long-lost friend they haven't seen in decades. The reveals are central to enjoying the show so I won't say more, but suffice it to say there are plenty of surprises scattered throughout this story.

Photo by Dan Norman

The Children can best be described as a slow burn, with a seasoned cast that gently unveils layer by layer of the lives of the trio on-stage. It couldn't work without a deep level of nuanced acting, and luckily the three actors chosen here are ringers. Linda Kelsey brings a comfortable British plebianism to her character of Hazel, with a witty charm that lightens the mood of a plot that could otherwise feel devastating. Stephen Yoakam charms as the kindly yet duplicitous Robin; when reveals are made about Robin's character, Yoakam performs them with a gentleness that knocks your heart straight below your stomach. Laila Robins is marvelous as the troubled, regretful Rose. It is Rose's mistakes and missed opportunities that drive the entire plot, and the stealthy way Robins tiptoes through the plot's many landmines keeps the suspense heightened throughout the show. You never quite know what grenade Rose will throw next, and it leads to an astonishing range of emotional experiences as a member of the audience.

Photo by Dan Norman

The set is an understated cottage interior that, like the plot itself, reveals unanticipated depth. Designed by Chelsea Warren, doors open to reveal multiple floors and windy moors; bathrooms gently flood over; working appliances transition from day to night; and overall we are firmly grounded in the eerily silent reality of Hazel and Robin's everyday life. Costumes by Mathew Lefebvre tie directly into this presentation and are comfortable and straightforward. C. Andrew Mayer performs a few neat tricks with the sound design, wisely allowing the silence and pregnant pauses between the stunning reveals of the story to do most of the work. And Marcus Dilliard grants subtle lighting to finish the environment and show the transition of the narrative from day to night.

Photo by Dan Norman

The Children is a play that defies easy description and leaves a lingering memory, much like the actions of the characters in the show. It is a pleasure to see a trio of seasoned, skillful actors share the stage on equal footing, and the fact that it was so striking to note an absence of anyone under 50 on-stage made me simultaneously thrilled to see such genius and sad that it's so rare to find in culture at large. There's a bruising, truly adult beauty to The Children's darkness that assumes a maturity of the audience that I found uncommon and often unsettling. It asks impossible questions of us: Who is worth sacrificing amidst a wide range of suffering? Is there ever a time when your own selfishness should take priority over the needs of many others? What makes a life worthy of having been lived? When humanity has taken "progress" too far to the edge, who is responsible for fixing it? How should you spend the last days of your life? The Children asks us all of this and more, and it's certain to leave a strong impression as it does so. It's a quiet, impactful start to 2019 and worthy of a viewing; click here for more information and to get your tickets.

The Wickhams Brings a New Festivity to Pride and Prejudice

How can you find a new way to indulge your love for Jane Austen? 

Photo by Rich Ryan

You took all the Buzzfeed quizzes about "Which Bennet are you?" and watched every Austen remake to be found thousands of times (here's looking at you, Clueless). What's left at this point to fuel your Austen fire?

Thanks to the ever-visionary Sarah Rasmussen, the Jungle Theater in Uptown has you covered. On the heels of last year's unbelievably successful Miss Bennet, the Jungle is providing #tctheater with another witty world premiere play to keep the story of the Bennets living on after Lizzie's marriage to Mr. Darcy at the end of the beloved book Pride and Prejudice.

Photo by Rich Ryan

While Miss Bennet, which premiered last year (and which I didn't see - but my friends over at Talkin' Broadway have the full scoop, just click here to catch up) focused on the story of the oft-forgotten Mary Bennet, The Wickhams gives us all the juicy details of what Lydia has been up to since her secretly forced marriage to George Wickham. It's an unlikely but visionary entree back into this world, providing a surprisingly fruitful plot line for a lively cast and a delicious piece of fan fiction that left me wanting even more.

Photo by Rich Ryan

Think of The Wickhams as "The Untold Story of Lydia" meets Downton Abbey. Fans of the original book know that George Wickham's famously unscrupulous behavior was the bane of many people's existence. After Mr. Darcy forces Wickham to marry Lydia, Wickham is forever banished from Pemberley Hall. This creates a conflict, of course, when the rest of the Bennet family is in town for the holidays. They can neither leave the Wickhams out altogether nor invite George Wickham, so Lydia travels to Pemberley alone to join her sisters. Lydia is a fascinating character who becomes richer as I get older, and The Wickhams plumbs her potential to the core. We learn that Lydia is much smarter than she receives credit for and presents a silly facade to veneer over her unhappy marriage. Throughout The Wickhams, her true relationship to George is unveiled and great plot twists change their lives forever.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The entire play takes place in the kitchen at Pemberley, where the main characters intermittently seek relief from the holiday festivities and stifling family judgement upstairs, and we get to meet a whole new cast of characters via Pemberley's servants. This approach has the advantage of fleshing out a fuller picture of the true life (and class system) at Pemberley, and gives us a window into how George Wickham became the disastrously immoral character he is in the book. It's not a sympathetic portrait but it's a clear-eyed one, and it lends a surprising level of nuance to the original text. Several juicy side plots, including a blooming romance between Cassie, a new servant at Pemberley, and Brian, a long-time servant who knew Wickham intimately as a child; and general existence of housekeeper Mrs. Reynolds, who brings a sharp wit and a spot-on Mrs. Hughes vibe to the house; kept the audience enthralled as we whirled through this new story.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The standout elements of this show were the impeccable comedic timing, directed to perfection by Christina Baldwin. This ship is run as tightly as a British naval frigate and the cast whips through jokes with casual ease. That cast is small but smart, by the way, and everyone serves their roles perfectly. Standouts include Nate Cheeseman, who miraculously manages to make George Wickham not only totally compelling but downright sympathetic at times; and Roshni Desai as Cassie, with a pitch perfect accent and plenty of sharp insight into the new household thanks to her friendship with Brian (setting a new rom-com standard in Jesse Lavercombe's performance). Sun Mee Chomet is an excellent choice for Elizabeth Darcy and keeps the audience giggling and the charmingly flustered James Rodriguez in line as Mr. Darcy. Anglea Timberman anchors the action as Mrs. Reynolds, and I can't imagine her in another role after the steadfast part she plays here. And Kelsey Didion brings surprising complexity to her role as Lydia, leading us to a sympathy we would never have expected from her character. In all it's a very special cast who are clearly having the best time with this new work, and I would happily revisit Pemberley with them again and again.

Photo by Rich Ryan

The devil is in the details and this production team is stellar. I kept finding new minutiae to delight me with every scene. As previously mentioned the lovely set, designed by Chelsea Warren, stays entirely in Pemberley's kitchen. Glowy burnished copper tools grace the walls, a sturdy table centers the room, and a plethora of doorways and secret hallways allow us to watch the characters spy on frank conversations, hide from each other, and otherwise enjoy far more action than a static set has any right to generate. Sarah Bahr's costume design draws clear contrast between the landed class and the servants, and a smart selection of props from John Novak (such as endless biscuits or steaming cups of tea) make this feel like a cozy working home. The real standouts are the lighting design by Marcus Dilliard and dialect coaching from Keely Wolter. I noticed out the gate that these are some of the best (and most consistently delivered) British accents I've heard on stage in recent years, and the lighting is an absolute marvel. Transitioning from shadowy firelight to candle-lit moments to the garish light of day, Dilliard brings a rare nuance to the lighting that really pushes this show to the next level.

Photo by Rich Ryan

Jane Austen was one of the first authors I was truly obsessed with. Like many of us I devoured Pride and Prejudice (and subsequently the rest of Austen's catalog) with a fervor that has not waned over the years. It's one of the few books I've re-read multiple times, and I adore many of the clever re-imaginings that have graced popular culture over the years (such as the Bridget Jones series or Clueless). The Wickhams leads us into a new level of Austen fan fiction that has infinite depths to plumb, and I am so grateful to the Jungle for not only having the vision to commission a brand new work for the holidays (rather than re-hash the same tired stories we see everywhere else) but to use the opportunity to add new richness and understanding to a familiar story. I can see this series becoming a new cycle of holiday plays traveling the country every Christmas season, and it's a world I won't mind revisiting again and again. For more information about The Wickhams or to buy tickets before the show closes on December 30, click on this link.