Compendium

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Marvelously Matilda

Roald Dahl's eerie story reigns at the Orpheum Theater this week.

Photo by Tim Trumble.

There are some things I am grateful for being sheltered from as a child. I was lucky in a lot of ways, and an analog upbringing was really good for my mental and emotional development.

But sometimes I feel like I really missed out on things everyone else experienced, and Roald Dahl is one of them. To this day I have never read a Roald Dahl book, a sad fact that I hope to remedy in coming years. I was lucky enough to encounter several film adaptations of his books, and while I was never entranced by most of them there was one that stood out above all others: Matilda. Maybe it was because it was so different from all the other stories I heard as a child, maybe it was the macabre nature of the story; whatever it was, I was hooked. I saw the film dozens of times growing up, so it's no surprise that I was really excited to see the stage adaptation coming to Minneapolis. I love seeing the magic of movies come to real-life interpretation, and Matilda felt like the perfect candidate for stage magic (right up there with Mary Poppins).

Photo by Joan Marcus.

For those who are Roald Dahl newbies like me, here's the story: Matilda is a child accidentally born to two parents who couldn't want her less. She is a genius, teaching herself multiplication and how to read at a very young age, which is all the more impressive because she does it with zero support at home. Matilda concocts stories to help her escape her abusive home, each of which gets more elaborate as time passes (and some of which prove to be true). Matilda's greatest hope for escape is to begin school, but there's a catch: school is run by the evil Miss Trunchbull, a principal even more abusive than Matilda's parents who loathes children and makes everyone's life she touches miserable. Matilda's only saving grace is a meek, loving teacher named Miss Honey, whose kindness inspires Matilda to action to save herself (and all of her classmates) from their living nightmare. The story meanders its way to a happy ending, but make no mistake: this is a dark tale, and it pulls no punches.

Photo by Tim Trumble.

It's always hard to reliably cast children, whose school schedules and few years on earth (in terms of artistic development) can be somewhat unreliable in terms of quality performance, but have no fear here: these kids are true professionals. Anchoring the cast with a halcyon voice and kick-butt attitude is Gabby Gutierrez as Matilda (one of three possible cast members touring as Matilda with this show). Gutierrez is perfect for this role, with a crystal clear pitch and a grounded but sassy attitude that defines Matilda's defiance. She is helped by a grouping of fellow wonderful kids, especially Gabrielle Beredo as Matilda's adorable best friend Lavender and Soren Miller as the heartwarming cake-thief (and aspiring rock star) Bruce. The kids tumble through some seriously impressive choreography (including switching swings, tumbling over an obstacle course and some thoroughly coordinated calisthenics) all the while maintaining their punchy harmonies. They're really good, and any kids in the audience (like the ones who sat behind me last night) will be totally inspired by their performance.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

The adults in this cast are also enjoyable. The audience was rolling at the antics of Dan Chameroy as fearsome Miss Trunchbull, whose butch bullishness brought just the right touch of comedy to Miss Trunchbull's truly dark soul. Darcy Stewart was absolutely hilarious as Matilda's mother Mrs. Wormwood, particularly in her standout song "Loud" with her dance instructor Rudolpho (marvelously portrayed in a flared jumpsuit by Stephen Diaz). Their knockout choreography is a high point in the play, and I could have watched them dance for hours. The kids loved laughing at Matt Harrington as emerald-haired Mr. Wormood, Matilda's father, and Darren Burkett brings a Family Guy-meets-Jason Schwartzman vibe to Matilda's brother Michael. Jennifer Bowles has a lovely voice as Miss Honey, which is beautifully paired with Justin Packard (who plays multiple roles, most notably the Escape Artist and Miss Honey's father).

Photo by Joan Marcus.

There are several really lovely songs in this show. "When I Grow Up" is the most spectacular, with a breathtaking scene featuring swings and winsome harmonies. Matilda has a standout moment in her solo "Quiet," with some gorgeous, songbird-like arpeggios. "School Song" features some truly imaginative choreography, including a set of interlocking letter cubes that innovatively spell the whole alphabet. And the show ends with a bang (literally) with "Revolting Children," a riotous explosion of song and dance.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

The production design is quite busy but also truly draws the audience in. The loveliest moments are those featuring Matilda's story about the Escape Artist and the Acrobat, which not only features a brilliant narrative and glitzy cameos but a really gorgeous animation piece reminiscent of the interlude in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film. There's a lot of spectacular lighting here as well, which is notable because Matilda is mostly a story of shadows. This is not the place you will find a lot of rainbows and hearts and sunshine, but there is still a lot of love and heart and vibrancy to be seen between the dark places.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

Matilda is a story that feels fresher than ever despite it's age, and it's one that I look forward to revisiting again in the future. Matilda's oppression as a child who loves learning in a world that values cheap distraction and entertainment is a contemporary one, and there is much that kids and grownups alike can learn from her insistence on pursuing truth and knowledge at any cost. It's also a great demonstration that abuse and neglect can take many forms, and that we must all be careful in the way we approach childhood. After all, we only get to experience it once; shouldn't we do our best to get it right? Matilda runs through April 2 at the Orpheum Theater; for more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

To Begin With Goes Back to the Beginning

Everyone has their celebrity obsessions.

Photo by Paula Keller.

For some, it's television personalities. For others, it's movies or video games or activists. For me, it's authors.

I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. A huge part of my childhood involved breathlessly waiting for Wishbone (R.I.P.) to come on after school; I cannot credit that show enough for the millions of ways it opened my mind to new worlds and encouraged a deep, lifelong love for books. One of my favorite sets of episodes were those based on books by Charles Dickens, whose work I now read on my own with fervent admiration. I went on to conduct an independent research project on women in Victorian literature in college, a project partly inspired by my love for Dickens' work. A keystone architect of the modern novel, one of the first writers to put real people's voices, problems and social causes into his writing, and an all around master of human caricature, Charles Dickens is a hero I will never stop re-reading.

Photo courtesy of the Hennepin Theatre Trust.

So it's no surprise that I RAN to the Historic Wesley Center to see none other than Gerald Charles Dickens portray his great-great-grandfather in a To Begin With, a new play by Jeffrey Hatcher. The one-man show follows Charles as he dictates his tussles with Algernon Charles Swinburne (yes, the famous poet - but here in child form) over the issue of religion and particularly Christ. Part C.S. Lewis, part serial novel, the show is narrated fully by Dickens and is replete with charming caricatures of Swinburne, Swinburne's family, and Dickens' children. The crux of the plot is Dickens' determination to create a version of the gospel written solely for and appealing to children, to help them age with a love of the gospel and develop a relationship with Christ. The show includes an entire abridged re-telling of the gospels through Dickens' voice, a recitation of several of his famous opening lines and window into his creative process, and a lively debate between a 12-year-old atheist and a highly spiritual adult.

Photo by Paula Keller.

Dickens' is wonderful in his role, with a rich delivery and animated expressions that reminded me very much of Geoffrey Rush. Hatcher did a great job with this script, keeping it modern enough for current audiences to relate to while retaining the flavor of Charles Dickens' writing style and witticisms. It's clear that Gerald's relationship to the work is profoundly personal, and he brings a robust humanity to his part. Gerald also has quite distinct iterations for each separate character that clearly delineate between voices in conversations, and the lively delivery keeps the audience engaged.

Photo by Paula Keller.

The costume design is accessible and appropriate, as is the set design, by Nayna Ramey. My one complaint is the large, boring, black curtains backstopping the set piece and covering up the magnificent organ in the Wesley Center. I'm sure the intention is to provide a blank slate to focus attention onto the action on-stage, but the effect is quite abrupt (as the organ is highly visible around the curtains anyway). It would feel a little more appropriate to the era to just do away with said curtains and let the piece rest in the unabridged Wesley Center - maybe they can tweak this later on? Sound design, by John Markiewicz, is spot-on and provides effects that really round out the sense of place in To Begin With. Lighting design, by Michael Klaers, is pretty straightforward and does the trick.

Photo by Paula Keller.

I must say that although well-timed with Easter season coming up, the religious overtones of the show can feel a bit heavy handed (at least for those who have more than a rudimentary grasp of the bible). The discussions between Dickens and Swinburne are lively, interesting, and raise some profound questions about the nature of faith and why we believe what we do; but do we really need a full re-telling of Christ's story? Even so, Gerald Dickens brings the script to vibrant life, and it's a joy to feel in the presence (even if a few generations off) of the great Charles Dickens. Anyone who enjoys Charles Dickens' books, from A Christmas Carol to The Mystery of Edwin Drood, can find something to love in To Begin With. To Begin With runs through April 15 at the Historic Wesley Center; for more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Realish Housewives of Edina 2 Packs a Punch

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love reality television, and those who hate it.

And I can see arguments on both sides of the aisle on this issue. Reality TV certainly isn't the next Shakespeare. It doesn't have the panache of an opera or some other form of "high art." It's hardly the sort of thing you can see future generations re-watching hundreds of years from today.

But that doesn't mean that it's easy to make or doesn't have a place in our entertainment pantheon. It takes a certain kind of person to excel at reality television, particularly to be able to hold society's attention for more than a fleeting season or two, and the tawdriness of most reality television provides an uncomfortable magnifying glass of our society's obsessions. Love or hate Kim Kardashian (the master of the genre), but you can't deny: something about her keeps people wanting more. Kimmy mastered the concept of entertainment capitalism, and it's fascinating to watch.

So it's no wonder that localities are starting to pick up on the reality trend in live shows. This was wonderfully seen at the New Century Theater in 2015's The Realish Housewives of Edina, a deliciously Minnesotan spoof on the reality television show Real Housewives of [Insert Metropolis Here]. Realish Houswives did so well (the New Century's best-selling show to-date, in fact) that it is now back for round two, and it couldn't be better timed.

For this sequel, four of the five ladies have returned after Desiree perished on the Spoon and Cherry after her FroYo addiction was discovered; Desiree's twin sister Delilah, a brain surgeon and wannabe neck model, joins the cast as their new fifth member. Gwen has been released from prison and is making her way through the rich old bachelor rolodex of Edina (as well as embezzling funds from local city government); Brooke is going stir crazy as a new super-mommy taking a break from her kitschy, high powered entrepreneurial ideas; Claudia-Louise is listless and randy as a stay-at-home scorned homemaker; and Ravonka is unrecognizable after a severe set of plastic surgery in an attempt to jump start her life. Each of these ladies' personal plot threads wends through the show, crashing into each other as they sensationalize their problems (and their shame) for public consumption. There are plenty of jokes and droll insights provided by Randy (an Andy Cohen postulant) and the silent but sarcastic stagehand as they lead us through the absurdities of housewives with too much money and time on their hands.

The cast is much more familiar with each other this time around and provide a clique-y chemistry that really works for this show. Katherine Kupiecki brings a disarming sincerity to her role as white collar thief Gwen, and despite her nefarious actions she is really charming. Ditto for Anna Hickey as Brooke, the only character who doesn't lose much between both shows. Brooke's complete destruction of her friends' lives should be despicable, but something about Hickey's cocky portrayal can't help but make you admire Brooke's plucky determination.

Quinn Shadko is fervent as Claudia-Louise and addresses the audience with a wide eyed interest; she comes off as an ingénue despite having two children and a set of personal baggage the size of Lake Calhoun. Karissa Lade is deceptively Barbie-esque as Deliliah and flips the bimbo script. Delilah's occupation as a brain surgeon is an inspired choice and makes the absurdity of the housewives' arbitrary wealth that much more obvious. Sierra Schermerhorn is thoroughly Orange County as the only cast member not reprising her role (she plays Ravonka). Schermerhorn fits right in with the crowd and brings a coastal vibe to her character; she seems straight out of the television show and her faux everything is hilarious.

Adan Varela alternates between exhaustion and exuberance as host Randy, and it's not hard to see why - wouldn't you be wiped out chasing after so many divas all day? Varela's best parts, however, are playing assorted male characters encountered by the housewives, particularly a bewildered brain surgery patient. His presence really balances the cast.

Staging design is kept relatively simple by set designer Theresa Akers, props designer Sarah Salisbury and costume designer Suzanna Schneider; the main set features several simple vignettes of couches, high top tables and various gifts and alcohols, and each lady prances around in well tailored sheaths and high heeled accessories. It is great to note that most of the production team (which also includes sound designer Nate Hessburg, stage manager Shannon Hessburg and lighting designer Monica DeRee) is female; I always love to see diverse teams working backstage, particularly on shows with lots of women front of house.

And that focus on women is once again my favorite thing about the Realish Housewives. Is it silly? Yes. Is it a hard-elbow-jab to suburban life? For sure. But the best part of the show was being able to sit back after a long work week and enjoy a simple, entertaining piece made by, for and about women. Even if trite at times it was a nice escape from real-world problems, and isn't that what reality shows are all about anyway? Women aren't always Disney princesses who are perfect and kind; sometimes they are flawed, messy and just plain annoying. The Realish Housewives of Edina series allows an all-female cast to plumb the depths of backstabbing bitchery, and I can only imagine that it's a rocking good time for them.

It may not be the Kardashians, but the Realish Housewives of Edina 2 provides a just-relatable-enough fantasy that will keep you chucking through your cosmopolitans. This show is definitely best for a ladies night out and some escape from the kids - bring a group to check it out. Realish Housewives of Edina 2 runs at the New Century Theater through April 15. For more information and to buy tickets, click on this link.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Booty and the Beast is Blissfully Blithe

The snarky show hits lots of high notes.

One day, I would love to be a fly on the wall at a brainstorming session for the Brave New Workshop's (BNW) feature shows. Somehow their comedic crew always comes up with something fresh, on point, and timely.

Their current piece Booty and the Beast: A Tinderella Story fits perfectly into this paradigm, nestling neatly between the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast (starring every-famous-star-you've-ever-seen) and an explosion of thinkpieces (including Aziz Ansari's excellent Modern Love) about the state of modern dating. Waffling between fairy tale parodies and asides on current dating habits, there is something for everyone to relate to in this hilarious show.

Standout sketches include the opening number, a glorious, perfectly pitched riff on "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast detailing the criticisms a woman goes through when she decides to be adamantly single as well as the target placed on her back by serial harassers. Others include an entertaining jaunt through one gay man's Tinder messages; the vagaries of using Buzzfeed quizzes to determine your life and happiness; a Tinder-based fairy godmother advising fellow fairy tale creatures how to find true love; the strange morals that come from fairy tales; the concept of a programmable robot date for women; and many more. Part of the fun of BNW is the spontaneous feel of the sketches, so I won't list them exhaustively; instead, make sure you go see the show and giggle through every vignette.

It's worth noting that this is the first show I've seen at BNW that is heavily led by the cast's two female leads, Taj Ruler and Lauren Anderson, who carry the show with ease. Taj is always a favorite mine, and she weaves between a myriad of characters with some impressive vocal work and a really lovely singing voice. Lauren is wonderful at making awkward characters (always based on someone you know - everyone has one of those awkward people in their lives at some point) really relatable, using humor to find the heart. Denzel Belin has a larger role in this show and provides a welcome non-CIS perspective to many of the sketches. His sarcastic commentary gives a refreshingly honest perspective to how ludicrous many dating behaviors are. Ryan Nelson and Tom Reed bring the bro into the show and provide an interesting contrast for gendered behaviors and gamely dive into any strange task they are asked to perform. By so happily flipping the script and shining a light on the ridiculousness of arbitrary objectification, Nelson and Reed are able to provide some surprisingly nuanced critiques of patriarchy and the gender roles we all fall into. And I would be remiss not to mention the amazing accompaniment of Jon Pumper, who provides pitch-perfect piano pieces to support each tenor of the sketches.

Booty and the Beast is a sketch comedy and intended to be silly, and it definitely fits the humor bill. But it also crosses into serious satire territory, using the seemingly innocent platform of dating apps and fairy tales to demonstrate some thoughtful reasons that we may all want to pause when considering our society's relationship with relationships. As is said beautifully by Artistic Director Caleb McEwen:

"At times it feels like we are defined less by who we are than we are by the relationships we form. It is as if society has deemed us incomplete, broken things that must be bolstered by others in order to be made whole. It is more natural for a young woman to be locked in a dungeon and slowly coerced into cohabitation with a giant lion-dog than it is for that same woman to be on her own and content in her own individual development. Thus we have a tradition of fairy tales in which princesses are locked in dungeons, towers, glass coffins and fish bodies until a man can save or somehow "fix" the - yet being single is considered odd."

Bravo Caleb! I couldn't have said it better myself.

If you're looking for something really fun to do, feel like you need a good laugh, or simply want to escape the seriousness of the world for a while, check out Booty and the Beast. It has heart, it has brains, it has chutzpah, and it will make you laugh while it makes you think - a total home run. It runs through June 24 and it is absolutely worth a stop. Find more information and purchase tickets by clicking on this link.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Grease is Hot as Lightning

The beloved classic feels fresher than ever in a new staging at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

Photo by Dan Norman.

What's full of black leather, shiny cars, sizzling tunes and a full frontal spoof of the 1950s?

Why that would be Grease, fully revitalized and hanging out at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's main stage until October 28.

Photo by Dan Norman.

For anyone born after Grease debuted on Broadway in 1972 who has been living under a rock, here's a synopsis: Grease follows a troupe of too-cool-for school gangs, the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds, through their senior year at Rydell High School. The story focuses particularly on Sandy, a new goody-two-shoes, and Danny, Rydell's resident bad boy, as they navigate peer pressure after a summer of innocent love. Their friends, featuring ribald Rizzo and Kenickie; overweight but loveable Jan and Roger; 16 going on 36 Marty; and ill fated Frenchy, Doody and the Burger Palace Boys; are also navigating their own transition to adulthood with varying degrees of success. The music and plot entirely center on spoofing the ridiculously wholesome facade the 1950s painted over itself and allows the characters to dive into some surprisingly deep themes, including teen pregnancy, slut shaming, choosing between violence and your reputation, managing addiction and general societal expectations.

Photo by Dan Norman.

Grease is most famous of course for the film version in 1978 starring Olivia Newton John and John Travolta (the highest grossing movie musical), as well as recent iterations including a live version staged on NBC a couple of years ago. I have to say that as much as I enjoyed those renditions, this live version gives the films a definite run for their money. There are some key differences; for example, there is no car race as in the film's famous rumble scene at the end of the movie; many of the more nuanced interactions with Sandy and the pink ladies have been removed; and a lot of the fluff in the story has been eschewed for a lean, streamlined performance (that runs under two hours without an intermission!). I *really* like this pared down version and the clippy speed with which it progressed, but if you're devoted to the film just note that there will be differences.

Photo by Dan Norman.

The cast is wonderful, and one of the best things about this restructured plot is that each person gets a chance to shine rather than having such a heavy focus solely on Danny and Sandy's relationship. Starring as Danny and Sandy are Aleks Knezevich and Caroline Innerbicheler, respectively. Both have a charming chemistry and gorgeous vocals. Innerbicheler absolutely owns her performance of "Hopelessly Devoted to You," and Knezevich has a Travolta twitch in his hips that will keep you giggling throughout the show. Their opening rendition of "Summer Nights" is a knockout. Other great pairs include Evan Tyler Wilson and Therese Walth as Roger and Jan who have a hilarious (but poignant) moment with "Mooning." Although the song is silly, their vocals are seriously incredible, and Wilson's lyrical Irish tenor is a gorgeous companion to Walth's spunky harmonies. "Mooning" was one of my favorite pieces from the show and I'd love to see it again.

Photo by Dan Norman.

Ruthanne Heyward is much darker than we're used to seeing her as Rizzo; Heyward brings a much more adult, jaded attitude than what we've seen from her in previous turns at CDT as Belle, and the sober tenor really suits her. She brings a heavy (and literal) tear to "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" and lends a necessary serious note to the whole production. Ben Bakken is fully in the James Dean attitude as Kenickie, and he has a fabulous version of "Greased Lightning" that gets him literally swinging from the stage. Keith Rice's dulcet tones serenade the audience throughout scene changes as radio maven Vince Fontaine, and it's a fabulous place for his rich voice. And Shinah Brashears is thoroughly winning as Frenchy, the ill fated beauty school dropout with easter egg colored hair.

Photo by Dan Norman.

Speaking of beauty school dropouts, I'd be amiss not to mention the show-stealing, go-for-this-one-performance-only drop-dead antics of Kasano Mwanza as the Teen Angel who serenades Frenchy with "Beauty School Dropout." Long the bane of the film for me, I didn't expect much of this number, but Mwanza exceeds every possible expectation in his role, strutting out with flappable wings and a Prince-meets-Ru Paul attitude that sells the shit out of the whole song. I've never thought of the piece with such a snarky attitude, and it's a glorious show stopper for act two. Mwanza also anchors a rich rendition of the flagship "Grease Is The Word" song to close the show. I know he has a side career as a musician and other things to do, but Kasano, PLEASE: come sing in every local production of everything, ever. (Yes, I realize what hysteria that sounds like but I can't emphasize enough: this is a very, very talented young man. Go watch. You'll have zero regrets).

Photo by Dan Norman.

Grease has never been a favorite show of mine, but I really enjoyed this new production at CDT. It's sharp, it's smart, it's short, and the cast is immeasurably talented. Please note that this is not a show for little kids; there are lots of adult themes and language, and they won't be watered down. But that's all the better; take your partner on a fun date night for dinner, drinks, and an (excellent) show and be back home in less than three hours from start to finish. I would happily re-watch this production at any time, and I may do just that; there's plenty of time to go since it runs through October 28. Go like Greased Lightning to get your tickets as I'm sure this will be a top seller. For more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.