Reviewed in Brief: The Last Firefly by Theater Mu

What does community outreach mean to you? 

Photo courtesy of Mu Performing Arts

How about accessibility?

For a lot of people I imagine the definition would be pretty literal - have you invited people to attend your show? Do you have ramps and elevators for those who can't climb stairs? That's usually where those answers end.

I'd like to open a dialogue about a deeper kind of accessibility and outreach: Who gets to make art to begin with? Where do they perform it? How do they expand their group to organically include more and more types of people?

Theater Mu (Mu), one of my favorite local companies, really excels at this mission, and their latest show The Last Firefly takes it a step further. The Last Firefly is a zippy 70-ish minute script that tells a fable about how a girl (Boom) discovers who her father (Thunder) is; finds a long-lost sister (Lightning); makes friends with woodland creatures (Monkey and Spider); and rescues her mother (Kuroko) from her evil stepfather (Ax). Its a simple, animistic tale that I find a spare beauty in and really enjoyed at the Children's Theatre Company (CTC) a couple of years ago (click here for my review). Mu's staging is decidedly less lavish than CTC's, but it includes a lot more participation from untrained actors in the local community, and the contrast was really interesting to me.

The core actors are formed of Mu cast members and are surrounded with participation from local schools. Shina Xiong makes for a plucky Boom, and what she lacks in finesse she makes up for in great energy and spirit on stage. Gregory Yang clearly relishes playing the dangerous Ax, and I loved the clean lines and physicality Kajsiab "Jade" Yang brought to her role as the zesty Lightning. I think this is Daisuke Kawachi's first time directing Mu, and he incorporates many new faces we haven't normally seen in this crew. The results have mixed success, but I think that's okay - this is a very young crew overall, with many students in their first time ever on a professional stage, and they bring so much heart and energy to their parts.

And this last point is what I really wanted to get at with the conversation about outreach and accessibility. What better way to build a theater community - both in audiences and on-stage - than to take a risk and include students in your shows? It might not give a production a highly polished sheen like you'd see on a CTC or Guthrie stage, but it will inspire a passion in the hearts of those kids and pay it forward many times over as they grow older, learn more about theater, and one day decide how they want to remain engaged with that world. I think that's an honorable cause, and one I don't see a lot of local companies take.

The Last Firefly marks a new era and a fresh start for Mu in many ways; for that reason, this is going to feel decidedly different than their other work has over the last few years. Like any new beginning there are sidesteps and stumbles; this wasn't my favorite Mu show I've seen in recent memory. But all of that said, there are so many risky, new ideas here (like that troupe of excited young actors or an abstract set design that moves around the actors - instead of the actors around the set), and I appreciate that Mu is willing to take a chance on trying something different and moving forward in an innovative new way. Watching the students on stage brought back fond memories of my first experiences in theater - scared to death, intimidated by all those blinking eyes in the darkness, and the confidence it brought when I finally found my voice there. I have always liked the sweet script of The Last Firefly and the study in contrasts between this production and CTC's gives me lots of food for thought. I think there are important places for both approaches to this story, and I'd encourage curious readers to give this show a chance to see what you think. Click here for more information and to get tickets before the show closes at Steppingstone (such a cool local venue!) on April 7.

Mr. Popper's Penguins Brings Delightful Puppets to Stage

God bless children's stories. 

Photo by Dan Norman

When times are dark, and the weather is darker (literally), all I seem to want to do is seek out things that make me feel good. Comedies, cozy clothes, endless amounts of carbs - call me a hedonist all you want, but at this time of year you do what you have to do in order to survive the darkness.

Photo by Dan Norman

Leaving with an endless feeling of light and joy is one of the main reasons I appreciate the Children's Theatre Company (CTC). Even their dramas always contain moments of brightness, and the casts are so skilled at being bubbly and positive without being cloying (a feat in itself) that you can't help leaving without a smile on your face.

Photo by Dan Norman

Enter the latest CTC production, Mr. Popper's Penguins. Based on a popular children's book (which was adapted into a film by the ever-great Jim Carrey in 2011), Mr. Popper's Penguins details the story of a man's life as it's turned upside down in favor of great (albeit chilly) adventure. Mr. Popper is a simple painter living in Stillwater, where the biggest joy of his life is learning about the creatures in and history of the exploration of the South Pole. One day, Mr. Popper's favorite explorer reads his fan mail aloud on the radio and sends Mr. Popper a surprise gift as a thank you. Inside the noisy crate Mr. Popper finds a penguin, who he promptly names Captain Cook. The trials and tribulations of raising a penguin in a Minnesota living room, including finding additional penguins to keep Captain Cook company; going bankrupt feeding Captain Cook's progeny; and eventually making the heartbreaking decision to return Captain Cook to his Antarctic home; provide plenty of G-rated antics throughout the show.

Photo by Dan Norman

Although it's on the main stage, Mr. Popper's Penguins features actors transplanted from the U.K. rather than the typical CTC company members. I have to say that I did miss their familiar faces, but it was refreshing to find a brand new, thoroughly charming cast on-stage. Richard Holt is the definition of pleasant as the amiable Mr. Popper. His light British accent and winning smile got the audience on board right away. Monica Nash hits all the high notes as Mrs. Popper and brings a Mary Poppins vibe to her role. The rest of the cast - Susanna Jennings, Christopher Finn and Oliver Byng - smoothly transitions between a wide range of supporting characters and excellently handle the stream of penguin puppets on stage. I've always been impressed with the puppet work CTC conducts (most recently in The Lorax - click here for my review of that excellent production last year), and the puppets here are no different. The dynamic movement the puppets perform make them seem almost like real penguins, and the adorable nature of them - especially the eight baby penguin puppets as they "grow up" - charmed kids and grownups alike.

Photo by Dan Norman

The set (designed by Zoe Squire) appears small and centralized at first glance, but is ingeniously used with great diversity throughout the show. A poster backdrop becomes a see through screen into a kitchen; a living room transforms into an Antarctic exploration ship; and combined with Ric Mountjoy's clever lighting design, many tricks are revealed throughout the show that delight despite their simple nature. The production design's standout, however, are clearly the adorable puppets from Nick Barnes (who also developed the puppets for The Lorax). Interactive, dynamic and detailed, there are so many delightful nuances to these puppets that you easily forget they aren't real penguins. Their clever use is what really sells Mr. Popper's Penguins, and we had so much fun once they came out.

Photo by Dan Norman

I can truly testify that Mr. Popper's Penguins is a show for all ages. I took my baby nephews to their first-ever play to see it, and even the infant was thoroughly entranced with the action on stage. It was such a joy watching them engage with the story, and my parents (a steady six generations older) left raving about how much they enjoyed the experience as well. This gentle, lovely show doesn't pull any punches; there are no major twists or tense moments, and that's exactly what I liked about it. Sometimes it's nice to wrap yourself up in a cozy blanket of a play and warm yourself from the inside out. Mr. Popper's Penguins is a delightful, all-ages treat that will bring you the magic of puppets and a renewed satisfaction with the simple things in life. It's a great gift for any kids you forgot to buy presents for over the holidays, so click here for more information or to buy tickets.

Photo by Dan Norman