Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's Nostalgic Music Man

Sometimes, staying in your lane can be a good thing. 

Photo by Rich Ryan

When you go to the theater, do you tend towards revisiting the same shows over and over again? Or do you come seeking something new, modern, or avant garde?

I find that, like with most arts consumption, there are two wildly divergent philosophies. If you're a person who annually re-reads certain books or re-watches the same films on endless loop, you're probably in the former camp. If you're like me, you probably tend toward more of the latter - a one and done-er who doesn't re-experience a text unless there's something really different about it.

When it comes to this little hobby of theater reviewing, however, my usual approach doesn't always work. Certain plays and musicals seem to come back frequently, and with an ever-shrinking geographic range and amount of time on my hands it's not always possible to do the far ranging exploration I'd like to. Or, on a very rare occasion, I want to just show up somewhere comfy and do the absolute least (so sue me).

One of my cozy once-in-a-while comfort spots is Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT). I've written before about my nostalgic love for the nation's largest dinner theater (the scope of their operation is truly extraordinary for logistics-nerds like me. Over 50 million cups of coffee served! Over 12.5 million guests who have all received multi-course meals! I mean come on, how can that not impress?!), and it stands. This was the place where professional theater was first introduced to me at a production of Brigadoon when I was 8 years old. I'll never forget seeing the graceful dancers emerge from the misty air and learning how transportive live theater could be for the first time.

It turns out that Brigadoon is an apt metaphor for CDT itself. This is not a venue of surprises; CDT knows its niche and embraces it with open arms. Rather than short run, rotating seasons of the newest cutting-edge scripts, visitors will find long-term runs of shows culled from what is known as the "golden age of Broadway," the experience of which is almost like stepping straight into a TCM screening of a Gene Kelly movie.

Take their latest production of The Music Man, which opened last weekend. The story of a traveling con man-gone-good thanks to the stubborn integrity of the people in a small Iowa town is most famous for the opening scene, which features a spoken word interlude and iconic choreography imitating a bouncy train ride across the Midwest. The plot is an oversimplified romance with an easy happy ending - no surprises here. It's full of jazzy tap scenes, kitschy slang like "swell" and "gee whiz," and a clarion portrait of the quickly disappearing ethos of the lily white world that used to be identified (at least popularly) as America itself.

Photo by Rich Ryan

I say all this to help you, potential audience members, choose whether or not you'd enjoy seeing this Music Man. If you prefer experiencing well-produced shows with familiar faces, you're going to love it. CDT favorites Michael Gruber and Ann Michels are back in the lead roles of Harold Hill and Marian Paroo, respectively. Like their performance in Holiday Inn, the two share an easy chemistry and chummy rapport reminiscent of the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers dynamic, but with much better singing. Peggy O'Connell is delightful as Marian's mother Mrs. Paroo, with a pitch perfect Irish accent and a charming delivery that instantly won over the audience. Tony Vierling brings his signature Kelly-esque hoofing style to Marcellus Washburn, and it's fun to watch him swan through the dance scenes. John-Michael Zuerlein, Shad Olsen, Aleks Knezevich and Evan Tyler Wilson make a lovely barbershop quartet, with gorgeously harmonized voices that smoothly move the show along. Keith Rice and Michelle Barber eagerly ham it up as the bristly Mayor Shinn and his wife Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, and it's a perfect cameo for their skill sets.

As always, the unique challenges and benefits of CDT's low-ceilinged space are maximized to the utmost by a top-notch production design team. Rich Hamson's 1910's-era costume design is detailed and danceable, pluming the actors into a perfect period setting. Most of the set is composed of floating rooftops and strategically symbolic props, constructed by a veritable army of prop masters and artisans, carpenters, painters, and other design staff, demonstrating a true team effort and the deep bench required to make such complex numbers appear effortless. Kudos to Artistic Director Michael Brindisi and Technical Director Logan Jambik, whose close attention to detail is clearly evident in every stiffly pointed toe, meticulously curled wig and puff of "dust" from a library book.

If you haven't gathered by now, this rendition of The Music Man is not a production that is going to rock the boat. There's been no modernization of this production and it remains solidly in the realm it first appeared under Meredith Wilson's vision in 1957. If you're hoping to see Harold and Marian twirling through rows of computers or Tommy and Zaneeta sneakily setting up dates through Snapchat, this ain't the one. But it will hit every peak vision of a nostalgic, sepia-toned vision of American Gothic America for the sentimental among us.

I did a lot of thinking over the weekend about my feelings on this. After all, I also just came out of a performance of My Fair Lady that totally put me off with its blatantly sexist script; why was I more comfortable at CDT? The Music Man has problematic characteristics too, and there's nothing firmly moving this production into the modern era. It's not in my top 5 or even top 10 favorite musicals.

Some of it has to do, I think, with that 8 year old that will always be inside me when I sit in CDT's close quarters. I have an inner child there that is hopelessly nostalgic and it looks like it's here to stay. A bigger part, I suspect, is that CDT has carved a specific niche for itself that I understand fully even before I attend. This is not the Guthrie or the Walker Art Center or the Jungle; CDT has a completely different business model, locally available audience, and cast willing to audition for its shows. Like most industries, theaters are enduring the challenges of rapidly evolving audience expectations juxtaposed with a tough business model; this production fully embraces what CDT knows and does best, for better or worse.

Someday I'd love to see some more diverse shows like In The Heights, The Color Purple or Dreamgirls grace this stage. I hope that day will come, and if / when it does I trust that the CDT production machine will make a dreamy, movie-worthy production for the ages that such dynamic scripts deserve. In the meantime, The Music Man was a chance for me to just enjoy a high octane musical production at face value. Like the fellows of Brigadoon, I got to float back to my past in a smashing array of tap dances, high kicks and percussive scene transitions that was as familiar as the towering chocolate cake for two, a welcome moment of sentimental rest that is all too fleeting for me these days.

Everyone approaches theater with their own context and I'm sure readers are out there who will disagree with me on either end of this review. For myself - I liked this Music Man, I know my parents will adore it, and my friends will probably never go. I'm okay with all of those choices, and I don't regret indulging for a few hours in sunny memories, warm smiles and an oversimplified plot line once in a while. It's what I needed this weekend amid the tumult of our world and I don't think I'm alone. If you like period musicals and beautiful production design, you'll want to check out The Music Man before it closes on September 5. For more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Thrillist: Best Spring Shows and Exhibits in the Twin Cities

Whatcha up to these days? 

Photo courtesy of Thrillist

I'm a little behind on sharing my latest Thrillist pieces, but I'm prioritizing this month get caught up! First up is a list of some of the coolest shows and exhibitions available in the Twin Cities this spring. Some have unfortunately passed, but several are ongoing, excellent exhibits and shows that deserve an afternoon or evening of your time.

We are so lucky to have such a wealth of cultural experiences right at our fingertips, and I encourage you to get outside (especially now that the weather is improving) your cozy abode to experience the best and most unique of them. Click here for the full article or scroll through below to see what cool shenanigans await for you over the next couple months.

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It should come as no surprise that the Twin Cities has a thriving, vibrant arts community -- after all, we have the second-largest number of theaters per capita in the country outside of New York City and a vibrant East African community that contributes to the local arts scene. If you’re feeling the winter doldrums, challenge yourself to get out of the house and explore some of the world-class art, museums, and theaters that Minnesota has to offer. We’ve rounded everything from plays inside a planetarium to an exhibit about the legendary Prince. So spend these snowy months in the warm embrace of the Twin Cities arts community.

The Out There Series
Weekly throughout January at the Walker Art Center 
Lowry Hill / Loring Park
You’ve probably gone to a museum to check out art exhibits, but have you gone to one to see theater? Undoubtedly one of the wildest live performance series you can find is the Walker Art Center’s annual Out There series, which kicks off every January with a bang. This year’s series includes a re-enactment of a real FBI interrogation; a provocative investigation of Latinx cliches and identity politics; a latex-clad “Gothic melodrama;” and a treatise on the powers of artificial intelligence by a group of disabled performers.
Price: $26 for individual shows

After The Explosion: Documenting Chernobyl
On view through February 23 at the Museum of Russian Art
Windom/Tangletown 
If you were mesmerized by HBO’s recent Chernobyl TV series, don’t miss the chance to engage with a real piece of Chernobyl history. Featuring images originated from the archive of Nikolai Tarakanov, the major general who supervised the removal of highly radioactive elements from the Chernobyl site, this exhibit provides a visceral reminder of human fallibility.
Price: $12

First Avenue: Stories of Minnesota’s Main Room
On view now through May 3 at Minnesota Historical Society
Cathedral Hill
The most legendary club in Minnesota finally has an exhibit of its own. First Avenue has been the pinnacle venue for the early careers of many local legends like Lizzo, Prince, The Replacements and more since it opened in 1970. The list of acts who have strutted this stage is a veritable who’s who of music history, featuring everyone from Ike and Tina Turner to REM, RunDMC, the Fugees, Lady Gaga, Billy Idol, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Patti Smith, and many more. Seep in the unseen history of a Minnesota musical institution while you still can.
Price: $12

Prince: Before the Rain
On view now through May 3 at Minnesota Historical Society
Cathedral Hill
It may be three years since Prince died, but in Minnesota the grief still feels fresh as ever. Mend your broken heart a little by stopping by this special exhibit tracking Prince’s early career and rise to superstar fame. All photos are taken by Prince’s personal photographer and friend Allan Beaulieu and are sure to include images even the biggest fans have never seen before.
Price: $12

Black Comedy
January 10 - February 7 at Theatre in the Round
Cedar-Riverside
What would you do if you had to impress an important guest, but all your power went out and your party had to continue completely in the dark? That’s the question at the center of Black Comedy, an unusually funny play written by Peter Shaffer (who is better known for writing heavier dramas like Equus and Amadeus). Theatre in the Round’s unique stage construction will give Black Comedy a whole new perspective, literally. Attend for the chance to brighten up the dark winter nights at this time of year.
Price: $22

Noura
From January 11 - February 16 at the Guthrie Theater 
Downtown East
Questions of identity and immigration are extremely relevant topics right now. Noura, a new play by Heather Raffo, describes an Iraqi woman named Noura who struggles with her new life in the United States and feels left behind by her husband and son, who are more assimilated. Inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, this is a modern take that is not to be missed.
Price: $25-$79

Apollo: When We Went to the Moon
From February 1 - May 10 at the Science Museum of Minnesota
St. Paul
Though it has been more than 50 years since Neil Armstrong and crew touched down on the lunar surface, the Apollo missions feels just as enthralling today. This Science Museum of Minnesota exhibit takes visitors from the beginning of the Space Race to the debut of the International Space Station and more. From a simulated Apollo 11 launch experience to artifacts from the US Space & Rocket Center, museum-goers will feel ready to blast off themselves.
Price: $14.95-$19.95

Bernarda Alba
From January 15 - February 16 at the Ritz Theater
Northeast
Theater Latte Da can always be counted on to provide high quality, thought-provoking musicals. Bernarda Alba, which stars 10 of the Twin Cities finest musical theater actresses, is no exception. This lesser-known musical details the unhappy lives of five sisters under their strict mother’s harsh reign after her second husband dies. Think of it like August: Osage County, but with music. There won’t be many productions of this one elsewhere; seize the chance to see it while you can.
Price: $33 - $53

An Art of Changes: Jasper Johns Prints
From February 16 - September 20 at the Walker Art Center
Lowry Hill / Loring Park
To commemorate the legendary artist’s 90th birthday, this touring exhibit chronicles six decades of Jasper Johns’ famous printmaking. The traveling exhibit showcases various techniques and motifs that the artist explored throughout his career, including his well-known paintings of the American flag, as well as his work with numbers and the alphabet. See how Johns bridged the gap between abstract impressionism and pop art -- and why he’s regarded as one of the most influential 20th century American artists.
Price: $15

A Doll’s House Part 2
From January 15 - February 23 at the Jungle Theater
Lyn-Lake / Uptown
One of the smash hits of the 2017 Tony Awards, A Doll’s House Part 2 imagines the consequences of Nora Helmer’s choice to leave her family in the original Doll’s House published in 1879. What happens when she shows up back at their door years after leaving them behind? This smart, powerful drama is a perfect choice for the feisty Jungle Theater, which has been turning out record audiences and completely rebranded under the expert hands of Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. Get your tickets early as almost all of their plays sell out quickly.
Price: $20-$55

Sherin Guirguis: Here I Have Returned
On view now through February 23 at the Minnesota Museum of American Art
St. Paul
African-born and Los-Angeles-based artist Sherin Guirguis has had a long-standing interest in exploring the forgotten histories of Egyptian feminists. Her most recent exhibit comes to St. Paul and fills the museum’s two-story Rauenhorst Court with her installation of hand-cut paper artwork, sculpture, and other artifacts inspired by writer Doria Shafik, best known for organizing 1500 women at the American University of Cairo and storming the gates of Parliament, demanding that women be given the right to vote and hold public office.
Price: Free admission

Skeleton Crew
From January 30 - March 1 at Yellow Tree Theatre
Osseo
Don’t miss this new play by Dominique Morrisseau, a contemporary playwright who is quickly becoming a critical darling along the likes of Lynn Nottage. Skeleton Crew tells the story of a group of auto workers struggling with the future of their jobs at an automotive factory in Michigan during the Great Recession. The material is relevant, powerful, and is acted by a cast of Twin Cities all-star actors; don’t miss it.
Price: $26-$30

Silent Sky
From February 22 - March 8 at the Bell Museum 
Falcon Heights
Site-specific theater is a growing trend in Minnesota. One of the most exciting in 2020 is Silent Sky, which Theatre Pro Rata is bringing to the planetarium at the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum. The show tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt and other female “computers” in their work at Harvard University, helping to document and discover hundreds of stars and other planetary bodies. Think of it like your local, live acted version of the smash successful film Hidden Figures.
Price: $30

The Mystery of Edwin Drood
From March 13 - April 5 at Lyric Arts 
Anoka
You probably know a certain author named Charles Dickens for his famous novels like A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist, both of which have been turned into hit musicals. But did you know about his last work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood? Because the novel was never finished (Dickens died while writing it), the musical lets the audience choose who they think killed Edwin Drood, giving every performance a completely different ending. It’s a night of interactive musical theater that lets you solve a mystery and see a comedy at the same time; think of it like a musical Clue.
Price: $30-$35

Storytelling: Julie Buffalohead
On view now through September 6 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Whittier
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (or MIA as it prefers to be known) has long been the hidden gem of Minnesota museums, allowing visitors to view the majority of its vast collection for free. Several exhibits celebrating female artists are coming this winter, including Julie Buffalohead. Buffalohead is an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and creates visual narratives told by animal characters, a mystical subject matter that rarely graces museum walls.
Price: Free

A Passing Feeling for My Fair Lady

Am I getting jaded or are things not aging well? Maybe both?

Photo by © Joan Marcus

If you were to ask people to name the first thing that comes to mind when you say the word musical, one of the first is likely to be My Fair Lady. Its vaunted pedigree, from the book adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, to the original Broadway performances starring Rex Harrsion and the one and only Julie Andrews, to the film starring an effervescent Audrey Heburn (bolstered by Marnie Nixon's stunning vocalizations), is about as elite as a musical's could be and well beloved by fans all over the world.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

I, like I suspect of many readers, was raised watching and loving the movie version of My Fair Lady. I knew every word by my early teens and dreamed of playing Eliza Doolittle someday.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

The current tour at the Orpheum is an admirable rendition of this beloved show (I won't bother recapping the plot as I assume it's quite familiar to most readers - if you really need a synopsis, click here). Laird Mackintosh is horrifically (but appropriately) conceited as Professor Henry Higgins; I cannot comment on Kevin Pariseau's rendition of Higgins' kindly counterpart Colonel Pickering, as he was sick the night we attended, but his substitute was warmly enjoyable in the role. Shereen Ahmed's nimble voice trills through Eliza's plight as Higgins' dusty but determined plaything, and I respected that she kept up a good fight throughout her role. Sam Simahk is sparklingly silly as Freddy Eysford-Hill, and Adam Grupper clearly relishes the role of scoundrely Alfred P. Doolittle. The ensemble cast is quite strong and are fun to watch swanning around the gilt stage in their elaborate costumes.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

I was quite dazzled by the vastness of the set design, which includes endless (but quickly moving) painted backdrops and scrims. The focus, however, lay on a deliciously detailed, rotating 360 degree view of Higgins' home, a truly remarkable feat of scenic design that is flexibly and versatilely used. I was really impressed at how seamlessly this piece moved in and out and the variety of experiences created with just the one element; it had to have been mind-bogglingly expensive to build and I have zero clue how they move that thing weekly between faraway cities, but damn it's impressive. The costumes are likewise delightfully luxe and period-appropriate, and production design junkies overall will find endless amounts of eye candy to enjoy throughout this staging.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

All that said, it surprised me when, sitting through this very well-produced tour of a classic musical that I was raised to love, things just didn't hit quite right. In the era of #metoo, revitalized women's movements, and the all-too-prevalent sexism hitting our female changemakers on all fronts (R.I.P. Elizabeth Warren's devastatingly impressive presidential campaign), I just couldn't find a way to enjoy this show. Higgins' allegedly comedic insults came off as screeching misogyny; Eliza's ignored protestations rang a little too similarly to domestic abuse; and Higgins' mild comeuppance towards the end just couldn't satisfy the thorough thrashing I wanted him to get.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

Please note, dear reader, that I fully realize that all of the above impressions are thoroughly subjective and are my own opinion. The audience laughed right on cue and seemed to have a dapper time watching this show, and I suspect that any other long-term fans will equally adore this well-produced version. It's got everything that Broadway-lovers seek, and the production design is truly gorgeous and special. This post is not a screed against the show or a treatise on why you shouldn't attend.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

This review is, simply, my confession: I have a severe case of sexism fatigue, and My Fair Lady triggered right into it. This is a beautiful production and please go if you enjoy My Fair Lady, or if you've never seen it and want to experience a well-made version. You'll get your money's worth. The magic was just gone for me this time around, and I'm left mourning the days when it was easy for me to slip into a theater and shut my filter off. The world has changed around many of these classic old shows, and it's just harder and harder for me to watch them simply as fictional stage plays without my modern gaze.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

If you want to get tickets to My Fair Lady go quick - it's only open through this weekend. Click on this link to order them.

Photo by © Joan Marcus

Once On This Island Heats Up the Ordway

And the gods heard her prayer... 

Photo by Joan Marcus

If you're feeling "over" the Minnesota winter but don't have the cash money for a beachside escape, you're in luck - the next best thing has hit #tctheater stages at a fraction of the price.

Photo by Joan Marcus

First came Children's Theatre Company with Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, transporting audiences to a sunny island filled with reggae music and folklore. The Ordway Center has quickly responded by hosting their own version on the other side of the river - the traveling Broadway production of Once On This Island, which comes to Minnesota for the first time ever.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Think of Once On This Island as a more politicized, folkloric version of The Little Mermaid. Set on the island of Haiti, it tells the story of a beautiful orphan named Ti Moune who is raised by an elderly couple named Tonton Julian and Mama Euralie after she washes on their beach in an enormous storm. Ti Moune's story is closely followed by the gods of the island - hospitable Agwé, water powered Asaka, fearsome Papa Ge, and the kind, beneficent Erzulie - who grant her wish for true love as she gets older. The only catch? The gods never give you exactly what you want. Each places a condition on granting her wish, including the harshest of all from Papa Ge: that Ti Moune must choose between herself and her love as a test of whether her commitment is true.

Photo by Joan Marcus

Ti Moune unfortunately falls for Daniel Beauxhomme, son of the island's legendary (and legendarily wealthy) Beauxhomme dynasty. Against the advice of her family and friends Ti Moune nurses Daniel back from the brink of death, even going as far as to bargain her life in favor of his in a ghastly trade with Papa Ge. Ti Moune follows Daniel back to his faraway home in the city, where she becomes his mistress to the great disapproval of the Beauxhomme crew. Comprised of mixed folks descended from white French settlers and their Black servants, the Beauxhommes are a highly colorist and classist tribe who have no interest in Ti Moune and make no secret of getting rid of her. Heartbroken, Ti Moune stays long enough to see Daniel marry Andrea, another Haitian elite, and is unable to kill him to revenge herself with Papa Ge. The gods finally have pity on Ti Moune and free her from her mortal longing by turning her into a beautiful tree who watches over the island and Daniel's family as it grows.

Photo by Joan Marcus

I'll be honest: the moral of this story was lost on me. Ti Moune was so pure and so lovely, and all she got was becoming a tree in the end?! Seams like a crummy deal. What wasn't lost on me, however, was the fabulous work of this highly talented cast. Courtnee Carter is insanely talented as Ti Moune, with the kind of wide eyed wonder and explosive voice that made Cynthia Erivo such a star. Tamyra Gray was a quick favorite as Papa Ga, slithering around the stage with full confidence and creepiness. I enjoyed Kyle Ramar Freeman's smooth voice as water god Asaka and Jahmaul Bakare's lithe vocals as earth god Agwé. Tyler Hardwick has the sweaty abs and confident carriage Daniel Beauxhomme requires and it was hard to watch him break Ti Moune's heart. Cassondra James brought shades of Glenda the Good Witch to her role as Erzulie, the goddess of love, and often provided the story's most peaceful moments. And by far my favorites were Phillip Boykin and Danielle Lee Greaves as Tonton Julian and Mama Euralie, respectively. These two have vaunted, thunderous voices that wash over the audience like waves of the deep sea; they blend beautifully and I could have watched an entire show featuring just their work.

Photo by Joan Marcus

I believe the original staging of Once On This Island in New York City had the audience seated in a 360 degree formation with the stage at the center. Unfortunately that option is not available here, so as a remedy the production team has placed some seats on stage. I found the presence of the audience there a bit distracting, but the set is already quite busy so it is not completely unbalanced. I LOVED the vibrant, dynamic costumes - the colors truly pop and the movement gives such grace to the equally charismatic choreography. And there are several clever lighting tricks that make the stage really shine - a starry night sky, a lit fire on the beach, a gleaming firefly - and make the most of what is otherwise a pretty straightforward staging.

Photo by Joan Marcus

I grew up loving mythology and fairy tales. It was a pleasure to live on Haiti's shores for a couple of hours, warming up to island beats, learning about the Haitian gods, and seeing a stage filled with Black faces during Black History Month. The ending did confound me a bit - I wanted to see Ti Moune thrive, and she seemed cheated to me here - but that has nothing to do with execution; the show is beautifully produced and a really unique piece of traveling Broadway. Once On This Island is a true célébration de la vie, a fête for the ages. It bears the timeless qualities of all good lore and fables and will fill you with joy despite the story's innately unhappy ending. I'd love to see more national tours of such diverse casts and crews, and for that reason alone I think this is an important one to fill seats for. Once On This Island has a very short run through February 9 at the Ordway in St. Paul; click here for more information or to buy tickets.

Photo by Joan Marcus

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

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

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

Photo by Glen Stubbe

Theater Latte Da's Bernarda Alba is Blackly Beautiful

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

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

Photo by Dan Norman

The Band's Visit Is A Quiet Masterpiece

This is the one. The one I've been waiting for. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I can't describe to you how incredibly excited I was to see The Band's Visit last night. I was hooked ever since seeing Katrina Lenk's magnificent performance of "Omar Sharif" at the 2018 Tony Awards (the same night she won best performance by a leading actress in a musical). I wasn't able to see a performance with the original cast in New York City, so I was thrilled to find it coming to Minneapolis as part of the Broadway tours through Hennepin Theater Trust.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Band's Visit is quite simple on the surface, telling the story of a small group of Egyptian musicians who get lost on their way to perform for the opening of a new Arab Cultural Center in Israel due to a mix-up of the name of the town they are to visit (they end up in Bet Hatikva, rather than Petah Tikvah). The troupe is stranded with little money and taken in by a cafe owner named Dina, who feeds them and finds homestays for them to pass the night until the next bus to Petah Tikvah will run. Dina immediately connects with the conductor Tewfiq and contemplates a romantic relationship with him as she later gives him a tour of Bet Hatikva, a dream that seems to flourish until withering as she learns his sad past. Haled, a younger member of the band, sneaks out to enjoy a night on the town and ends up counseling a shy young man named Papi in the art of flirting. Simon, an older musician, witnesses a fight and difficult relationship between the husband and wife he is staying with. His music provides a sense of peace to them as they resolve their fight. A boy waits endlessly by a payphone for his girlfriend to call. Much like the nearby sea, life ebbs and flows in Bet Hatikva until the night ends, the band boards their bus to Petah Tikvah, and Dina's life returns to the everyday cycles it always endured.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

There has been a lot of hype about this show (it did win 10 Tony Awards, after all) and I wasn't disappointed. The success of The Band's Visit begins and ends with Chilina Kennedy who is magnificent as Dina. Kennedy has a dynamic voice and sexy, lithe presence that does complete justice to this complex character. James Rana was quietly lovely as the shy and tortured Tewfiq, and his understated performance added real power to this role. Joe Joseph blessed us with a gorgeous voice as Haled, and his smooth stylings provided welcome comedic moments and some beautiful romantic ballads. The musical standout of the show for me may have been Mike Cefalo's unexpected star as the young Telephone Guy, with a haunting solo that rose admirably into chorus to close out the show with "Answer Me." I also have to shout out the crew of silent musicians who played their instruments live on stage in various formations. They were spot-on and added a rich additional layer of perspective to the staging, almost like an extra group of friends to watch with, that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The clever set is, like the show, much more than it first appears. Seemingly a drab collection of sandy colored buildings, each structure unfolds into varying levels of depth to provide totally new settings (for example, flip open a wall and an alleyway is suddenly a roller skating club). A turntable stage cleverly allows for dynamic choreography and scene changes, quickly transitioning us through locations and plotlines. Several well-chosen projections are also included, almost creating dreamscapes as characters describe their inner desires, and I appreciated the mystical affect they offered.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

We live in a noisy world. A disjointed world. A hurting world. A world in chaos. The success of a show like The Band's Visit, an uncomfortably quiet, emotionally haunting, darkly comedic, 90 minute meditation on finding beauty through life's hardest moments in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of the earth, is hardly assured. And yet... I couldn't help thinking in the dark theater, sitting in communion with my fellow arts lovers as the stunning strings of "Omar Sharif" wafted through the air like the most precious incense and Chilina Kennedy gracefully wended like altar smoke around the moonlit stage, that maybe The Band's Visit is exactly what such a world needs.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

This is a production that defies all attempts to classify itself into dichotomies, staying firmly put in the much messier, harder but truer, world of the liminal. There is no good or bad, villain or hero, right or wrong. Actions taken with good intentions have devastating consequences, just as actions that might be classified as bad or immoral provide some of the only moments of happiness these characters experience. I found it a moving, vital salve to the extreme noise that confronts me every time I look at my newsfeeds. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to turn off the noise, listen to the sounds around us, and silently conduct our bodies into harmony with the natural world, weeping hearts and all. The Band's Visit is a lovely, wistful balm for what ails us all these days and highly worth a visit. Click here for more information or to buy your tickets before it leaves town on December 15.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Six is a Divine Experience

Six puts the spotlight back where it belongs: on the women who made the man.

Photo courtesy of the Ordway

True story: I have always been a history buff, for my whole life. Even in elementary school, I sought out books about the days of yore, imagining what it might be like to wear a ruff or practice a harpsichord or cross the ocean on a great ship.

I never thought about it at the time, but in retrospect I always made a point of seeking books about women first. Queens were my favorite. I had a book about 10 of the most powerful queens in Europe (many of whom, such as Eleanor of Aquitaine or Catherine the Great, are still sadly neglected in history studies) that I read so many times I nearly had it memorized. I bought all of the Dear America series (RIP), read American Girl books as soon as I got my hands on them, and was obsessed with the Royal Diaries series, which introduced me to queens like Nzingha and Kaiulani who were never covered in my textbooks.

It says a lot, however, that the above series were about the limit of what I was able to find about women in history when I was growing up. And they weren't easy to access - in my small town the libraries didn't carry most of these books, so I had to scrimp and save my allowance to buy them at book fairs (they weren't cheap), or borrow from friends who got them as gifts.

So imagine the joy of elementary school age me when it was announced that Six was coming to the Ordway. Six is a rock concert style show that tells the story of the six wives of Henry VIII (the first Queen Elizabeth's father, if you're not sure who he was). Each wife gets the chance to sing her story to the audience in a competition to determine which had it worst. By the end, however, they realize that they've been given short shrift; they aren't famous because they were the wives of a king - their king was famous because he had so many colorful wives. Instead of competing, they band together to re-define their stories and leave on their own terms.

Photo courtesy of the Ordway

It should be no surprise that I LOVE this concept. It helps that the team of queens performing is terrifically talented and more than give these historical figures their due. As there's not much of a plot beyond what I just described, let me break down the characters for you to give you a better idea of what goes down:

1. Catherine of Aragon: Henry's first and longest-lasting wife, Catherine of Aragon, was never intended to marry him. Sent from Spain at the age of 16, she was intended for Henry's older brother Arthur. When Arthur died shortly after their marriage she instead married Henry and bore him a daughter, Mary. Catherine was older than Henry and struggled to have more children, and a rift grew between them as he cheated more and more frequently. Henry went to extraordinary lengths to divorce Catherine, including leaving the Catholic Church and founding the protestant Church of England (which ushered in an era of violent religious instability in the U.K. for centuries). Catherine is played with spunk and charisma by Adrianna Hicks. I appreciated her no-holds-barred attitude, perfectly befitting what I imagine to be the inner dialogue of a queen who was constantly overlooked and passed around without her will throughout her life. 
2. Anne Boleyn: Anne Boleyn has been thoroughly castigated in history as a seductive, husband-stealing, six-fingered witch. I have always thought she got short shrift and am thankful that her story is finally being re-written by historians. Anne was the woman Henry incurred his first divorce to marry. She mothered the indisputably great Queen Elizabeth 1 and was known for being plain spoken and willful. I love her backbone and that she was one of the few people to publicly fight against Henry in his time, and she was accomplished - fighting to pass a bill helping the poor and homeless and writing the now-famous song Greensleeves. Anne was tragically beheaded after being successfully accused of adultery, but she went down swinging. Her fuck you attitude is delightfully rendered here by Andrea Macasaet in a wry, pointed performance that had me in stitches. I dare you to leave Macasaet's performance without at least changing your mind about Anne Boleyn, if not loving her a little more than the others.
3. Jane Seymour: Allegedly the only wife Henry VIII ever loved, Jane is also the only wife who bore him a son. She was quickly (and for her I'm sure, terrifyingly) betrothed to him only the day after Anne Boleyn was violently beheaded, and died shortly after birthing Edward VI. Jane is a little more boring than the others on the surface, but her real life had some tragic elements. Her character in Six is therefore the most ballad-oriented, and her solo was beautifully sung by understudy Mallory Maedke. Maedke puts some dynamism it what could have been a snoozy role for me, and she was a few audience members' clear favorite by the end of the night. 
4. Anna of Cleves: Anna was the luckiest of Henry VIII's wives and it happened completely by accident. Needing a wife after Jane's tragic death, Henry VIII solicited portraits of eligible ladies from around Europe and selected Anna's (a wealthy German royal) after determining it was the prettiest. The trouble was that her real-life appearance and demeanor did not match the glow-up given in her portrait, and Henry VIII was totally turned off after actually meeting her in person. They were briefly married but quickly divorced so Henry VIII could seek greener pastures, meaning Anna was left to enjoy a single life of great wealth in not one but two palaces with the freedom to do however she chose. I saw understudy Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert play Anna in Six. While I think she was the weakest vocally of the crew, she was indisputably the comedic highlight. I loved watching her confidently strut around the stage and gain the ultimate life of a royal wife, which felt like a much deserved win for at least one of these ladies. 
5. Katherine Howard: Katherine is perhaps the most-forgotten of Henry VIII's wives. A cousin of Anne Boleyn's, Katherine married Henry VIII at the ripe old age of 17 (he was 49, hmmmmm) in the same year he divorced Anna of Cleves. Unfortunately she met the same ill fate as her cousin: successfully accused of adultery and beheaded for it. Katherine always seemed to have the least amount of choice in her fate of all of Henry VIII's wives, and her fury at that lack of agency is wonderfully portrayed by Samantha Pauly. Pauly has all the attitude of a 10 Things I Hate About You's Julia Styles, and her solo really hits home how little choice the women of the Tudor era had to control their own fates. 
6. Catherine Parr: The only wife to outlive Henry VIII in their marriage, Catherine Parr had a long life outside of her relationship to the king. She was highly educated and a political force, publishing books, creating educational programs for women, and generally leading a rich and interesting life. Catherine is played brilliantly by Anna Uzele in what was undoubtedly the musical highlight of the entire show. As I recently saw so wisely stated on Instagram, "There are people who can sing, and there are people who can sang." Uzele is firmly in the all-caps SANG camp, whipping out a dynamic voice that is supple as a knife and powerful as a hurricane. Time stopped during her solo and I can't wait to see her career explode; she has all the potential of an Audra McDonald, a true vocal star. 

All the ladies sing beautifully in complex six part harmonies throughout the show. They are backed up by a kickass all-female band (appropriately dubbed the "Ladies in Waiting") comprised of Julia Schade conducting on keys, Michelle Osbourne anchoring on bass, Kimi Hayes shredding on guitar, and Elena Bonomo killing it on the drums. It warmed my heart to see a stage filled with 100% badass lady musicians, and these girls more than hold their own on the instrumental front.

Because the story is told as a concert, there's no moving set pieces - just a compelling staging that you could easily place at a Coachella-style festival, designed by Emma Bailey. Dynamic lighting from Tim Deiling enhances that effect, and the choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille reflects your favorite girl groups on stage. Far and away my favorite part of the production design were the clever costumes designed by Gabriella Slade. Each queen wears a modernized riff on Tudor wear, with gowns slashed to mini-skirt length, leathery leggings, and tough accents like spiked crowns and studded boots (which, mercifully, were not sky high heels for once, allowing the actresses to actually dance and move on stage. More costume design by women for women please!!). I would happily wear any of those outfits as a Halloween costume or frankly just on a date night - let's hope it inspires some creative designer-to-commercial releases.

If there's only one thing I can be grateful to Hamilton for (and there are many), it's that its wild success has completely demolished the idea that history is boring and people don't care about it. History is filled with fascinating stories, especially of groups like women and people of color that are so often erased in textbooks, and those stories deserve their time on stage. Six was a delightful flip of the historical script, finally putting the focus where it was always due: on the extraordinary women who had to survive and thrive in an era where they had very few options to do so. This staging is beautifully executed and had the normally staid Ordway audience out of their seats, on their feet and totally committed to enjoying this concert. It also challenges the lie that these shows have to be long to be good; Six clocks in at barely 90 minutes and was very well received. Six is a little part Spice Girls, a little part Chicago, a little part Hamilton, and 100% fantastic. It's going to be a huge success once it hits Broadway, so make sure to see it right here at home before it's expensive and hard to do so. Click here to nab tickets before Six closes at the Ordway on December 22.