Reviewed in Brief: My Fair Lady

The classic musical gets delightful treatment as the Guthrie's 2014 musical production

Sometimes there are shows that sell themselves. 

With a story (and music) as delightful as that of My Fair Lady, it's easy to sell seats - but it's much harder to live up to that packed audience's expectations. 

Fans have nothing to fear of the latest rendition of My Fair Lady currently being performed at the Guthrie. All of the classic elements of the famous musical - down to the soot smeared faces, Cockney accents, and glowing streetlights - are included here, as well as a fabulous cast that includes local musical wunderkind Tyler Michaels, a host of familiar faces who have migrated from Chanhassen Dinner Theaters for this production, and a sterling cadre of British actors to play the lead roles. 

Every lead is strong: Helen Anker is magnificent as Eliza Doolittle, Tony Sheldon is uproariously funny as Colonel Pickering, Jeff McCarthy is appropriately blustery as the long winded Professor Higgins, Michaels brings a new comedic side to his portrayal of Freddy, and Donald Corren is, as Higgins puts it, "deliciously low" as the blustery Alfred P. Doolittle.

The backup cast is no slouch either, singing in lovely harmonies (their interludes in fact comprise the show's musical highlights), and the set and costumes are just as elaborate and magical as one has come to expect of the Guthrie. The choreography is crisp and whimsical, and every detail seems to have been well and lovingly thought-out. 

This show is a must-see; but it won't be around for much longer! Run to get your tickets before it closes on August 31 by clicking on this link. 

A Spunky "Sister Act"

The endearing story of singing nuns rocks the house. 

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theater Trust

What happens when two worlds collide? 

In the best case scenario, the result is something like Sister Act, a story of a witness protection program particiapent who revolutionizes the stuffy nunnery she's brought to. 

Deloris Van Cartier is an aspiring night club singer who has hit rock bottom - truly. When she accidentally witnesses her married lover Curtis killing a man outside of the club she auditions at, she immediately seeks safety from the police. Eddie Souther, one of the policemen and a former high schoool classmate, knows of a quiet nunnery nearby that is the last place Curtis will seek Deloris. 

Disguised as a nun, Deloris tries to adapt to life in the cloister but can't help shaking things up a little bit. She ends up participating in the choir, which sorely lacks soul - and Deloris has that in spades. Deloris' infusions of modern soul and pop sound into the stuffy choir revolutionize the church, bringing the singing nuns fame and a profitable congregation - but also blowing Deloris' cover. 

Ta'Rea Campbell has a voice and aura big enough to fill a church up (and more), and she shines as Deloris. It takes her a while to warm up, but once she's going - watch out. 

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theater Trust.

The chorus of nuns are no slouches either, and the power behind their vocals as they gain confidence is breathtaking. Slight Ashley Moniz, playing novice Mary Robert, is particularly fabulous on the solo "Life I Never Led." Moniz has a rock 'em sock 'em voice packed in a tiny frame, and she's fun to watch. As Mother Superior, Hollis Resnik shows the sorrow of life as a modern day nun, and her musicality conveys a deep yearning for peace and simplicity.

Photo courtesy of Hennepin Theater Trust.

Sister Act's biggest surprise though, has to lie in Chester Gregory as Eddie Souther. Gregory plays Souther's loveable awkwardness to no end, only to unleash a powerhouse voice that is the epitome of soul on his standout "I Could Be That Guy." Keep an eye on him - he's a star. 

On its face, Sister Act is a fun show with great music that lets you romp through church in a way real life would never allow. But there is so much more to be found here - finding quiet in the busyness of modern life; proving that although differences are important - be they racial, musical, or otherwise - they are less important than what we have in common; and most of all, that there is nothing more meaningful in life than loving people and expressing it. 

Sister Act is playing at the Orpheum - check out details for shows and tickets by clicking on this link.

"Once" Deserves a Repeat

"You've got to love Dublin for dreamin', 'ey boys?"

What would you do if you had only one chance for true love?

Once tells the story of just that: a brief but inopportune moment when two people fall deeply into a love they cannot consummate. It's the best-worst kind of heartbreaking, stealing small pieces of your hope for Guy and Girl to just be together until eventually disappointing that hope in the way that only real life unrequited love can. Once's resistance to the happy ending is its greatest strong suit, and as hard as it is to watch, it's a lovely tale and totally relate-able to anyone who's had a broken heart (probably all of us).

Fans of the film may find some differences in the stage version, but it still retains its winsome charm. The music is really the star of the show here, almost all of it haunting and lyrical. "Falling Slowly" is the most famous track from Once, and it's expectedly lovely, but other tracks (such as "If You Want Me" are equally, if not more, winning.

The voices (and talents, as all of the actors play their own instruments live) are across the board great in this show; my biggest issue with Once in fact is that they sing as an ensemble so rarely (it's magic when they all ratchet up). Stuart Ward (Guy) and Dani de Waal (Girl) do an excellent job of anchoring the cast, he with a raw rock growl and she with an almost mystical, lilting Eastern European soprano.

The set and costumes are appropriately spare, with one single large mirror in the back of the bar-set providing a 180 degree vantage point for some of the more complex choreography. In addition to providing an extra perspective, the mirror almost seemed to suggest it was reflecting the audience's experiences into the show, tying all of us together in Once. It's an appropriate metaphor for the equal parts of sadness and joy that love can bring to all of us, that there is always more than one point of view. Once reminds us of all of those things, and it's a great reminder to tell people you love them - you never know when they may have to leave.

Review in Brief: Porgy and Bess

Summertime....when the living is easy.....

But is the living easy? It's unlikely that it was for Porgy and Bess in the musical of the same name, recently featured at the Ordway. 

Porgy and Bess is West Side Story meets Oliver meets Ella Fitzgerald, and I've never seen anything like it. Porgy, a crippled man, falls in unlikely love with Bess, a "loose" woman who turns to him for help after her lover kills another man. After a brief period of blissful happiness, they are separated when the negative aspects of living in poverty in the inner city come back to haunt them, and we never learn if they find each other again.

Porgy and Bess is a relatively unknown musical, which is a shame. With an extremely complex score by the magnificent Gershwins, it's also only the second musical I have ever seen with an all-black cast. I suspect this is part of the reason it's rarely performed; all I can say is that I hope it becomes a more standard part of the standard musical theater circuit.

This cast takes no prisoners, lamenting the story's sad events with haunting voices that pierce straight to the heart. Nathaniel Stampley is excellent as the perseverant Porgy, with a gorgeous voice that shines on pieces such as "I'm on My Way." David Hughey is another great voice, booming through the chorus as Jake. Alicia Hall Moran injects a coloratura tone into Bess, soaring over Stampley in duets such as "I Loves You Porgy."

Aside from the eternal classic "Summertime," other standout songs include a gorgeously robust "It Takes a Long Pull" and a beautiful spiritual interlude as the characters mourn the loss of those who die in a hurricane. The set and costumes are appropriately barebones, with some excellent lighting tricks (particularly an awesome shadow effect during "Leaving for the Promised Land"). 

Although the standard musical rotation featuring classics like Les Miserables and The Lion King is fun, it's always great to see something shake things up. Porgy and Bess deserves a wider audience, as does this cast. If you can, be sure to check it out.

A Pleasant Peter

For fans of Peter Pan, Peter and the Starcatcher is a bit hit-or-miss.

Things are not always as they seem. 

Or at least that's the conclusion I came to while watching Peter and the Starcatcher, the newest iteration of the creation of Peter Pan. 

Peter and the Starcatcher is a story explaining why Peter became Peter Pan. It follows a shy, nameless orphan  boy on the wrong boat who suddenly runs into an extraordinary girl named Molly. Molly is a starcatcher, one of an elect group of specially trained people who keep powerful magical elements from ending up in the wrong hands. When two corrupt captains overtake their ship and battle for control of the treasure Molly is safekeeping, the boy becomes her right hand. In the process, he earns the name Peter Pan and is covered in magical dust, which gives him the confidence to go off on his own. 

There are many more details to the story, of course, but that is the gist. And on the whole, it's an intriguing concept. Unfortunately, the first half of the show spends most of its time demonstrating how lonely Peter is in the bowels of the ship, and less explaining the more compelling details of the Pan transition. Which is a shame, because the very comedic second act proves that the potential for this development is there. 

That's not to say that the cast doesn't give the show all they have, though. Molly (Megan Stern) is the most fun to watch, imbuing her young 'starcatcher' role with a sort of steampunk Wednesday Addams vibe. It's completely unexpected, and it definitely keeps the audience on their toes. Joey deBettencourt is appropriately sullen as the nameless boy who becomes Peter Pan, and provides a vivid contrast to the mischievous imp we all traditionally know. 

John Sanders is the most fun to watch, though, creating an absolutely riotous caricature of Black Stache (the predecessor to Captain Hook, of course). Sanders is a total ham, and singlehandedly rescues the show on more than one occasion. 

Surprisingly, there isn't much music to be found in Peter and the Starcatcher. What is there is great, and I wish they'd add more of it. Props are really creative, particularly in the use of simple ropes to create the illusion of doors, walls, stairs, furniture, and other assorted built items. The set is also fun, either evoking the dark but mysterious bowels of a ship or the hot, steamy air of an island (which we all could use a little more of in Minneapolis right now). 

I imagine that the myth of Peter Pan will always be a beloved one, and there's a lot of fun to be found in this creative portrayal of how Peter came to be. Could it be shorter? More musical? More closely tied to the original story? Sure, on all counts. But Neverland will always be a magical place to visit regardless, and any fans of Pan's owe it to themselves to add this tale to their memories of him. 

For more information about tickets or the rest of Hennepin Theater Trust's excellent upcoming season, click on this link. 

A Magnificent Little Mermaid

For those who can't get enough under the sea: this show is for you. 

Photo Courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner Theater

The Little Mermaid is the first movie I ever saw in my life.

I tell you this to let you know two things: one, that I have a love of the Disney film that is unmatched, and two, because of this, I have extremely high standards for any reproductions I may have come across. 

It's great news, then, that Chanhassen Dinner Theater, which recently debuted the musical on stage for the first time in the midwest, passes those high standards with almost universal flying colors. 

Quick rundown for the few of you who aren't familiar with the story: Ariel is a rebellious teen mermaid princess who refuses to follow her father King Triton's directive to stay away from humans. Triton is predictably angry when he realizes Ariel has fallen in love with a human prince, then despairs when he learns that she has sold her voice to her evil aunt Ursula in order to become a human and be with Prince Eric. Ursula blackmails Triton into giving her his royal power into return for Ariel's freedom, but Ariel and Eric save the day and become happily married shortly thereafter.

Let's start with the superb cast: first and foremost is local musicale wunderkind Tyler Michaels (as Prince Eric), who at this point I am convinced cannot fail at anything with a spotlight and a live orchestra. His voice is pristine, he gets to *briefly* use his wonderful circus experience, and despite a short amount of time on stage, he is, as always, a delight. 

Photo courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner Theater

The surprise of the night went to Caroline Innerbichler, who presented a pitch-perfect Ariel (no, for real: I was actually in nostalgic tears the second she started singing). Innerbichler has the hair, the innocence, and especially the voice to lead the audience through the story. Parents and fellow mermaid-ers, listen up: see. the. show. for. her. 

The rest of the show is also well-cast; other highlights include Kersten Rodau as a deliciously devious Ursula and Jay Albright in a hilarious turn as Scuttle. Andre Shoals is a bit hit or miss as Sebastian, but his solos (including the always delightful "Kiss the Girl") are right on point. 

Due (presumably) to space limitations, this Little Mermaid doesn't have *quite* the Broadway flash that one might expect of a Disney production, and it's the only possible weak spot in the show. While inventive, costumes and sets can feel a little overly cartoonish. But this is a small quibble; the voices and characterizations in this show are so enchanting that a little extra padding and lamé aren't even noticeable.

Photo Courtesy of Chanhassen Dinner Theater

The entire show is musically strong, but standouts include "Part of Your World," "Sweet Child," and "One Step Closer." This Little Mermaid is also surprisingly funny, particularly in "Daughters of Triton" and "Les Poissons." 

Long story short: any fellow Ariel-philes should dive, not doggypaddle, their way to Chanhassen to see one of the most youthful, refreshing plays I've ever seen. It's great fun for people of any age, family and date friendly, and the food is good to-boot. It's also bound to be one of the only times you'll see a full cast this strong all together (Michaels is already slated to head My Fair Lady at the Guthrie this summer), and it's worth taking advantage of. If you want to know more about the Little Mermaid or purchasing tickets, click on this link.

A Voluptuous "Valentino"

What happens when an entire industry is waylaid by the advent of technology?

In a way, American society is experiencing this phenomenon today. Outsourcing has eliminated hands-on, uneducated work; offices are emptied due to overseas call centers; machines are able to perform the essential tasks of a blue-collar employee. 

While Valentino, the new feature at the Minnesota Opera, isn't quite about societal advancement or displacement (a la Singing in the Rain or The Artist), it very much showcases what happens when a human commodity of any sort (be it an actor, secretary, CEO, or mechanic) becomes unwieldy and ultimately replaceable. 

Based on the life of the silent film superstar Rudolph Valentino, the opera Valentino chronicles an immigrant's rise to and epic fall from the entertainment firmament. Valentino's blessing at the start of his career (a firm belief in his talent and value) becomes his downfall (a pride unable to be overruled despite good reason). As a beautiful, untarnished young man, Rudolph is a highly desirable property in the emerging visual juggernaut of Hollywood. When several moguls and savvy players seize upon this potential, Rudolph's internal character (and thus his career) are destroyed by the mechanics of fame.

In many ways, Valentino is a new venture for the Minnesota Opera. The most obvious reason is that it is naturally set in a far more modern era than those in which most opera is portrayed; as such, the set is much harsher, more electric, and cold than the lush backdrops of, say, the 18th century royals might be. In this, as always, the Minnesota Opera succeeds; the set perfectly backdrops the narrative, and for any opera goer it is an exciting departure from the usual trappings. 

Musically, it's also a departure - but not a favorable one, in my opinion. The orchestra and vocalists both provide lovely performances, but rarely seem to agree in their efforts. I'm not sure if it's a musical attempt to echo the times and/or Joyce (aka an intentionally dissonant and abrasive tone), or simply a difficulty with the range of the original cast, but Valentino struggles with cohesion.

That's not to say that it's bad, though - there are still lovely moments, particularly between James Valenti (Valentino, *appropriately*) and Brenda Harris (as June Harris, and who, notably, last had a SPECTACULAR turn as Queen Elizabeth in Mary Stuart).  Their duets are the star of the story, and it's a pleasure to watch them interact. 

The Minnesota Opera has a fabulous cast, fabulous set and costume designers (in my opinion, some of the best in the Twin Cities, in fact), and this is an engaging narrative. Is it what you would expect from an opera, particularly musically? Not at all. But it is still enormously engaging, and very worth a trip. Check out the details and the rest of the season here by clicking on this link.