Head Over Heals From Minneapolis Musical Theatre Has the Beat @ LUSH, So Much Fun You’ll Think You’re On Vacation

Molly Jay Photography

Head Over Heels is a musical that could easily lead you down the internet rabbit hole. I started down it myself before I came to my senses. It is a musical featuring the songs of The Go-Go’s and Belinda Carlisle. It is based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney, though the playbill doesn’t reflect whether it is The Old Arcadia or The New Arcadia. This 16th-century literary landmark also inspired some of Shakespeare’s work as well. And I think it’s fair to say that Shakespeare inspired some of the dialogue in this show. The show was conceived and the original book written by Jeff Whitty and then adapted by James Magruder. Just Google every other word of the above and spend a fascinating three to five hours on Wikipedia. You’re welcome, or I’m sorry, depending on how you feel about those lost hours.

So what is Head Over Heels? I can sum it up in two words: a blast! Is it Les Mis, Hamilton, or even Mamma Mia? Oh, Lord, no. It’s the music of The Go-Go’s, who were an iconic 1980s band, but they had like four songs you can remember. The level of recognizable songs grows to six when you add in Carlisle’s solo career contributions. This has to be the thinnest catalog of songs to ever spawn a jukebox musical. To be fair, the six songs are really bitchin’. And honestly, most of the songs worked well; they just weren’t familiar to this teenager of the ’80s.

The story is as follows. In the kingdom of Arcadia, a royal family discovers that love, gender, and identity don’t always follow the rules. When a series of prophecies from the non-binary Oracle Pythio start coming true, they realize the kingdom is in danger of losing its magical “Beat.” Add disguises, mistaken identities, and forbidden romances, and you have a queer Shakespearean comedy with an ’80s sensibility and a late-2000s social conscience. In the end, Arcadia learns that maybe the best way to save the kingdom is to stop worrying so much about who people are supposed to be and let them be who they are.

The queer nature of the musical makes LUSH Lounge & Theater in Northeast Minneapolis the perfect venue. The acoustics, to be honest, are not ideal, but that is made up for by the unique staging, which has cast members not only playing out along a long stage protruding phallically into the audience like a fashion-show runway, but they also enter, exit, and sometimes dance through the audience. This is a small mainstage, and it was a wise choice for Director Kari Steinbach to utilize the runway and block the characters out in amongst the audience. It allows for the show to open up. Choreographer Michael Terrell Brown, who has been doing some really exciting work out at Lyric Arts lately, faces the spacing challenge and comes out the victor. The movement is very fun, and the cast does a great job of not looking like they are crowded on the stage.

The cast is filled with folks I’m not familiar with; only two members of the cast are ones I know I’ve seen multiple times. I am always surprised when I come across someone I didn’t know by name who’s really good, and there were several folks here who were too good to have flown under the radar. There are essentially two would-be couples, the two princesses and their loves. Each of the quartet has some really strong moments. But we all know lists of who was great get old quick, so I’m going to hold myself to a moment that, amidst all the fun and energy of the show, caught me spellbound.

It’s toward the end, when Philoclea thinks her love has been killed. Ellie Turk, who plays the character, sings “Here You Are.” This is a show where you are always looking around; there is always something happening on or off stage, and then all at once you are instantly zeroed in on Turk. Her voice is perfect for this song, her performance draws your focus immediately, and you simply cannot take your eyes off of her. It’s a goosebumps moment.

There are a lot of standout moments in this show. Sometimes it’s the vocals on a song; sometimes it’s the hilarious performances from the cast. Is it RENT? No, but it isn’t trying to be. It had a Broadway run, but where this was always really meant to be performed were venues like LUSH, where the audience is loose and ready to have a good time. Children of the ’80s will have a blast remembering some of these songs and have acid-washed-jeans-induced flashbacks to some of the ’80s aesthetic. It’s one of those shows you need to see with a crowd, and one of those where you are tempted during the end number to get up and dance along.

Head Over Heels is an infectiously fun musical with an upbeat 1980s new-wave pop vibe that’s totally rad! This is the show that’s perfect to go out to with a bunch of friends. You’ll have such a great time that you’ll decide to make it a monthly thing. It’s also a great show for the LGBTQ+ readers among you; it has some beautiful messaging about love and gender.

Head Over Heals runs through October 10th at LUSH Lounge & Theater in NE Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.aboutmmt.org/2026-27/

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Indecent a Fascinating Story of a Play From the Early 20th Century That Has Lots to Teach Us Now at Theater Latté Da

Courtesy of Theater Latté Da – Photo by Dan Norman

Indecent tells the story of the play The God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch. The play premiered in 1907 in Berlin. It was eventually translated into English and performed on Broadway in 1923, where it was shut down and the cast arrested on obscenity charges. The play contains the first lesbian kiss on Broadway.

I’ve never seen the original play, but we are shown bits of it here and told about much of it. The beauty of the play was that it treated the relationship between two women as something beautiful. One character compares the big scene where the two women are caught in the rain to the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet.

A survey of Berlin pre-Hitler reveals a town very different from what it would become with the rise of Fascism. Many of the earliest films about homosexuality were German silent films, such as Different From Others (1919), Michael (1924), and Sex in Chains (1928). Berlin was very open and progressive in many ways. Much as it felt our country was becoming about 15 years ago. Now, as we see the rise of fascism again, we see the attempts by those in power to squash anything progressive or enlightened.

There is a lot of historical knowledge one needs to bring to a play like this in order to fully understand the world in which it takes place. If there is a flaw with this powerful play, it is that it does not provide that historical background. Whether it’s knowledge of Germany’s more tolerant social scene at the beginning of the 20th century, the rise of antisemitism, or even McCarthyism, the more knowledge you come in with, the more you are able to appreciate the play.

But I’m always thinking about that elusive new audience made up of people 20 to 35 years of age. How informed is that person of the canvas on which this play by Paula Vogel is performed? Of course, if the text provides too much historical information, it can kill the narrative drive. I didn’t feel like there was much I missed, but I’m aware that my knowledge of these things might be a little deeper than most, based on the fact I see a lot of theater, watch a lot of movies and have always been fascinated by the classhes between art, politics and social progress. I think a little more context would help in making it accessible to those without the background knowledge. There is some info in the program that I think is useful, but that fact only goes to illustrate the downside of these damn digital programs, which are impossible to view easily on your phone. But we are getting off track here.

The design of the play is steeped in old-world atmosphere. In the opening scenes, it feels as though the action is taking place in a time before electric lighting was widely available, which it is. There is a warmth combined with shadows and smoke that carries the nostalgia of the gas-and-candle age.

The lighting by Søren Olsen is tightly controlled, creating a beautifully atmospheric space. Sarah Bahr’s scenic design and costumes blend elegantly into the light and shadows created by Olsen. Pirronne Yousefzadeh’s direction is filled with well-thought-out choices: the ashes that fall from the characters’ hands at several points, the use of the ghost light at the opening and ending of the play, the contrast between the prudish and the profane, and the realization at the end of the women in the rain scene. It was just the perfect way to end the show.

The cast includes three musicians who pull double duty. This isn’t really a musical, but a play with music in it, and they all do a nice job. I appreciated the music that was there, and am always a fan of seeing it performed live on stage.

A favorite for me in the cast was August Forman as Lemml, the stage manager. He is the uncorrupted narrator of the piece, bringing humor, idealism, and integrity to the story.

Robert Dorfman plays the famous actor who plays the father and brothel owner in The God of Vengeance. He is good in that role, but his best moment is when he plays the elderly Sholem Asch at the end of the play.

I also thought the two actors playing various actresses who play the lesbians of the play, Aila Peck and Ani Tonoyan, were especially good, giving all the variations on characters they played a uniqueness that came across.

Indecent runs through October 18th at Theater Latté Da. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.latteda.org/indecent

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Bull In a China Shop a Free Play From Fortune’s Fool Theatre at the Hive is Worth Every Penny and Then Some

Victoria Pyan as Mary Woolley Photos by Ariel Lopez

Bull in a China Shop by Bryna Turner is a wonderful historical play about Mary Woolley, who was the president of Mount Holyoke College from 1900 to 1937. The play focuses heavily on her relationship with Jeannette Marks, a former student who was her partner until the end of her life.

An amazingly accomplished woman, Woolley was the first female student to attend Brown University. The play, however, confines itself to the timeframe from her decision to accept the position at Holyoke through her retirement. The play is a forum in which women’s rights can be highlighted within the historical context of the time. The verbal debates between Woolley and Marks showcase the women’s intelligence and their strategies. Marks’ idealism doesn’t outshine Woolley’s, but Woolley’s is tempered by a maturity that comes from being 12 years older and holding the position of president of the college. Turner’s play uses the relationship between Woolley and Marks and their discussions to engage us emotionally, as well as to teach us about their goals for women.

We have two very strong performances. Ariel Pinkerton, who along with her dad, Dan, is the co-producing Artistic Director of Fortune’s Fool Theatre, she plays Marks. Marks is idealistic and uncompromising. She says what she believes and suffers no fools. I think this casting was a no-brainer; this character fits Pinkerton like a glove in temperament. There are also moments, such as when she is contemplating a relationship with a student, where Pinkerton expertly shows us the uncertainty and inner struggle the character is facing.

The real surprise is Victoria Pyan as Woolley. I’ve sat and chatted with Pyan at Fringe shows and seen her work with the Improv Movement Project, and possibly some smaller roles here and there, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen her carry a play. She doesn’t just carry it, she throws it over her shoulder and marches away with it.

Pyan plays Woolley as an intellectual, always calmly leading conversations logically, guiding others toward the logical conclusions as she sees them. There are two moments when Pyan allows Woolley to show unrestrained emotion, and those moments, one explosive and another subtle, are powerfully played. They highlight Pyan as a truly talented performer who we should be seeing onstage more.

The show is directed by one of my favorite theatermakers. Whether she is performing with The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society or Unlabeled Theater, or directing as she is here, Shanan Custer always brings out the best in the material and her cast. This is no exception. The show flies by, but where we are and what is happening is never in doubt. The direction is clear, and the moments where ideas are shared do not seem preachy, but logical, conversational, and inevitable.

Fortune’s Fool Theatre offers this production to everyone FREE of charge so that anyone can attend. I joke in the headline that it is worth every penny. The truth is, if they were charging $45 a ticket, it would still be worth every penny.

You can support Fortune’s Fool Theatre in producing more works like this by donating at https://bit.ly/DonateFFT

Bull in a China Shop runs through September 27th at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. For more information and to reserve tickets go to Bull at Hive

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Waiting For Godot Is Very Funny. Who Knew? At the Guthrie Theater

Jimmy Kieffer, Jim Lichtscheidl, Will Sturdivant and David Strathairn Photo by Dan Norman

I’ve been waiting for Waiting for Godot for decades. I started my college career as a Theater Arts major before transferring to film studies. And you can bet that my first class in that department was History of Theater, in which I read about Samuel Beckett’s influential play. All I knew was that two men wait for a man named Godot, who never comes. It sounds bleak and important and impenetrable, doesn’t it? I knew it was an important piece of theater, and so I’ve always been on the lookout for it, knowing that I must see it at some point if I was ever to earn my wings.

I went into tonight with conflicted feelings, mostly excited to finally see this landmark play, but also with apprehension. What if I don’t get it? How will I write about it? What if it never ends? Seriously, what if the show never ends and three weeks from now we are still trapped in our seats watching two men sitting on stage waiting for someone? How would we be fed? Where would we sleep?

Well, I’m home, and that didn’t happen. And just like that time I ran into a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them, I now wonder what I was scared of.

ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYS OF THE 20TH CENTURY!!! is daunting. Seeing Waiting for Godot, however, was a joy. Writing about Waiting for Godot could be daunting, or it could be fun. I choose fun.

The plot: two men, Didi and Gogo, meet up, as they always do, to wait for a man named Godot. They talk of this and that, despair, suicide, and try to find ways to pass the time. Along the road comes a man named Pozzo, who is accompanied by his servant Lucky, whom he keeps tethered to a rope and occasionally uses a whip to incentivize. They all interact, then Pozzo and Lucky leave. A boy comes and tells Didi and Gogo that Godot cannot come today, but he will come tomorrow. The men decide to leave. They do not. End of Act One. Act Two: a variation on Act One.

The play isn’t about the actions of these men; it is about their inaction. What makes the play so enjoyable is what they are saying to each other and how they are saying it. Of course, there is a meaning in all of this, commentary on life and what it all means, or doesn’t mean. But you know what? I just saw it an hour ago. This will take some processing, and it’s also the sort of play where different people are going to come to different conclusions about it.

I want you to see it with your own eyes and let it find its meaning in how you see it. The one thing I can do to help you is to let you know that it is two hours and twenty minutes spent in the company of performers who never let you lose interest for a moment. The show is funny, at times absurd, but also oddly sweet.

Jimmy Kieffer and David Strathairn play Gogo and Didi, and it’s hard not to see the influence of comedic geniuses of the silver screen such as Laurel and Hardy or Chaplin. And before you say I’m projecting my love of cinema onto the play, remember that Beckett’s sole screenplay is for the short film Film, starring Buster Keaton.

It’s fun to have an Academy Award nominee like Strathairn at the Guthrie, but it is anything but stunt casting. He is absolutely perfect for the role, making nonsense sound organic, adding touches of melancholy strategically, and bringing a sense of genuine love for his old friend Gogo. Kieffer, who replaced John Carroll Lynch shortly after rehearsals began, for undisclosed reasons, brings the perfect balance to the pairing. His character is more unsteady; he swings from moody and complaining to smiles and sunshine mid-sentence. It’s great comic timing.

Will Sturdivant gives what is probably my favorite performance of his I’ve ever seen, and faithful readers know that I’m a fan of his work, so that is saying something. He makes Pozzo’s extreme demands both grossly demeaning and hysterically funny. Wait until you see him engage Gogo in helping him sit down.

As his nearly completely silent servant Lucky, can you ask for anyone better in that type of role than Jim Lichtscheidl? Twin Cities theatergoers have had many opportunities to see what he is capable of doing with a stage and no dialogue. I only wish there was more for him to do in this show.

Everything is top-notch, from the bleak set design by Marion Williams to the muted color schemes and worn-down look of the costumes by Trevor Bowen, which fit perfectly with the landscape. Part of the wonder of the play is how funny it is despite the gloominess of the environment. This world is bleak, the lives of these characters are bleak, so why is it so damn funny?

I had an idea as I left the theater for a Minnesota Fringe show, and I encourage anyone to take the idea and run with it: a version of the play with SpongeBob SquarePants as Didi and Patrick Star as Gogo, Mr. Krabs as Pozzo, and Squidward as Lucky. You just do a shortened version of the play with those characters in the roles, minimal changes, a few changes to keep the themes in line but use the SpongeBob universe’s tropes.

I’m so glad I finally got to see Waiting for Godot. I was surprised by how accessible it was, how funny, and just plain entertaining. I also know that there is more under the surface than I’ve covered here, partly because I need to process it but also because I want you to go in without preconceived ideas and see what meaning you take from it. One thing is for sure: you will be entertained.

Waiting for Godot runs through October 11th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/whats-on/waiting-for-godot/

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Merrily We Roll Along at Lyric Arts is a Chance to See This Sondheim Musical That is Having it’s Moment Live!

Noah Hynick, Brendan Veerman, and Maureen O’Malley Photo by Dan Norman

Stephen Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along is having a moment. 2023 saw the Off-Broadway revival transfer to Broadway, starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. You can actually stream a recording of that revival, which was released theatrically in 2025. There is also a feature film in the works from director Richard Linklater, who is shooting it over a 20-year period so that the actors can age with the characters. It began shooting in 2019, so watch for that in 2039 or 2040. Tickets are not on sale yet. I recommend not waiting for the film and getting out to see it at Lyric Arts.

This is not one of Sondheim’s better-known works. In fact, it was a bit of a flop when it made its Broadway debut in 1981. To be fair to audiences then, it has been extensively rewritten since. So what we see now is not what the 1981 audience saw that caused the show to close after 16 performances. This version buries that reputation and allows fans to experience what a musical would look like if Christopher Nolan directed one.

Merrily We Roll Along’s book is by George Furth, with music and lyrics by the late, great Stephen Sondheim. The story is told in reverse chronological order, following the relationships and careers of three friends: Frank and Charley, who collaborate on musicals together, and Mary, who is a writer. So we start with a Hollywood party celebrating the release of Frank’s new movie. His old friend Mary is there, and they discuss their friend Charley, who does not appear, as he and Frank are estranged. Mary drinks too much, it’s revealed that Frank is having an affair, and he and his wife are not happy together. Ultimately, Frank declares that if he could go back to the beginning to write with Charley and give all his success up, he would, because he’s not happy.

Each successive scene is a time jump backwards. We see the moments that destroyed friendships and marriages, and then we see the ones that began to fracture them. The play ends with the moment that Charley and Frank met Mary for the first time.

In a way, this feels like Sondheim’s commentary on the musical form. He has the theatrical producer Joe comment on Frank and Charley’s musical audition, saying that they need to add a melody to the songs, give the audience something to hum and tap their toes to. This attitude is presented as the sellout commercial view. Frank and Charley’s songs reflect Sondheim’s own approach to music, which is far more complex than verse, bridge, chorus.

The structure is a 50-year-old realist’s version of the way to give your show a happy ending. The older we get, the more we come to terms with, like the characters in Merrily We Roll Along, what our life has been and what it’s leading towards. Rarely do we realize all of our ambitions; rarely does our love life play out like the great romance we envision when it begins.

The way to achieve the happy ending that a musical audience wants, but maintain the reality of the world, is to tell it in reverse. In the movies, the climax is the high point of the story. In life, we find, as we look back, that most of the exciting stuff was the beginnings. What’s more exciting, the first kiss or the 2001st? Why do so many people who achieve success seem to feel unsatisfied? Because it is the effort to succeed that is exciting. The success is the end, it’s a period at the end of an exciting sentence that you thought would be an exclamation point.

It begins with the old, disillusioned, drunk, and absent, then ends with the young, idealistic, and hopeful. It’s the age-old cautionary story of the cost of success. Frank is successful at the beginning, but at the cost of many things, most dearly of which is happiness.

The show has a great trio leading the cast. Brendan Veerman as Frank was in good voice. I really enjoyed his quieter moments of song, such as in “Not a Day Goes By (Reprise)” and the final song, “Our Time.”

It appears that Lyric Arts has renewed their contract on Noah Hynick. It’s a smart move, as it will keep people coming out from the city to see his performances. Hynick plays Charley and does what he always does, which is make it his own. No one reacts or speaks dialogue quite like Hynick. There is always something special in everything he seems to do. It’s subtle, but constant. I’ve dubbed it the Hynick Nuance. He’s great as always, which may sound boring, but it isn’t.

But the big question, and not even the folks at Lyric Arts seem to know the answer to, is: Who is Maureen O’Malley, who plays Mary? The program says, “Bio coming soon?” I’m sure I’ve seen her before in one of the Christmas at Pemberley plays. Well, whoever she is, she does a great job, particularly in conveying her unrequited love for Frank, which is apparent in every glance.

There are several other familiar faces in the cast that it’s always nice to see, including Emily Grodzik, Steven Ramirez, and France A. Roberts. Also great to see Faith Winship Smith and Nykeigh Larson, both of whom I feel like we haven’t seen much from lately, but have always been notable additions to any cast.

Merrily We Roll Along is a very good production of a less well-known Sondheim work that is enjoying a well-deserved reappraisal. Engaging, funny, moving, and thought-provoking, it makes us confront our own unfulfilled dreams but also gives us that all-important happy ending.

Merrily We Roll Along runs through October 4th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. Make the trip; you won’t be sorry. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.lyricarts.org/merrily-we-roll-along

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle Will Only Be Bouncing Around Artistry’s Black Box Theater Thru 9/20

Max Wojtanowicz Photo by Jenna Oslin

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle celebrates its 10th anniversary with a short run at Artistry in Bloomington. Max Wojtanowicz, who wrote and performs the show, began performing it in 2016. The show is about Max’s battle with testicular cancer. Wojtanowicz is a favorite of, well, probably everyone who has ever seen him perform or worked with him. He’s a walking encyclopedia of musical theater, a gifted actor and vocalist, and if anyone could make a show about testicular cancer shine, it’s him. But it does more than shine. It encourages the audience to internalize it and, in a way, allows it to become a cathartic outlet for their own story.

The show deals with the specifics, which allow it to become universal. One detail here and another detail there will ring true to different audience members. By the end of the show, we have all found something to relate to.

Originally a show at the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival, Wojtanowicz gives us a few winks and a couple of saucy signals, but keeps it at a PG-13 level. Which is good, because it means you don’t need to feel any hesitation about bringing your teenage sons to the show. Because the point is to help others either discover they need treatment or show them how you can get through it, you just have to make a start.

And Wojtanowicz knows exactly how to make that message land. He’ll make you laugh, think, feel, then laugh again. It’s ultimately a genuinely uplifting experience, but not in the sweet and sugary way. It gets there through humor and honesty. And song, one of it’s biggest selling points is surely not just the chance to listen to Max sing, but to sing about his testicles.

This is a very special show with a very short run. Only five performances remain, so don’t miss this remount of Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle. It’s a show about cancer, loss, survival, and finding your way forward, and somehow, it’s also a hell of a good time.

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle runs through September 20th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://artistrymn.org/ball

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

The Great Gatsby Launched TRP’s 75th Anniversary MN Themed Season

Cast of the Great Gatsby Photo by Tom Taintor

The Great Gatsby kicks off the 75th season of Theatre in the Round, a season they have devoted to telling stories with Minnesota connections. Gatsby, of course, is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a native of St. Paul. One of the greatest American novels ever written, it’s a solid choice for TRP to open this landmark season. I encourage everyone to be a part of this historic season of what is the longest-running community theater in Minnesota.

It was interesting to see this smaller-scale play version after seeing the lavish touring Broadway musical earlier in the year. They both have their advantages. This version is a much less glamorous affair, but the intimacy of the venue also allows for the story to take center stage.

Set in 1922 on Long Island, the story is told by Nick Carraway, a young war veteran who rents a small cottage next to the estate of Jay Gatsby. After receiving an invitation to a party, Nick meets Gatsby, who asks for his help in reuniting with the girl he fell in love with before going off to the war, Daisy. Daisy is Nick’s cousin, who is now married with a child, though not happily. Her husband, Tom, carries on affairs, which everyone, especially Daisy, is aware of. Daisy’s childhood friend Jordan Baker is also on hand as a possible love interest for Nick. The other major characters are George and Myrtle Wilson. George runs a gas station while his wife is having an affair with Tom.

The novel deals with the themes of the American Dream, class, and how the two collide. Much as it is becoming more and more the case today, the dreams of the lower class are decimated by the excesses and disregard of the wealthy. This stripped-down version is less concerned with those larger issues and focuses on the love story and interpersonal relationships between the characters.

The acting overall is done in a slightly mannered fashion. It’s off-putting at first because it’s not what we expect, but I came to enjoy the put-on, old-timey cadences. Gatsby, played by Jake Leif, is scripted to say the phrase “Old Sport” 87 times in his dialogue. There is no way to make that feel organic. The choice is to stylize the entire performance, which works. Likewise, Tom Buchanan, played by John Blocher, affects a unique delivery for all of his dialogue, which works equally as well. It is heightened and a little removed from humanity, which is a perfect representation of the character. Nick, the narrator, played by Gavin Webb, is much more naturalistic in his delivery, which reflects his character’s more genuine nature.

The set design by Michael Haas is limited by the venue, but he utilizes the upper portions of the theater, with each point of a triangle used for a vital piece of the design. In one corner, we have the Saxman, Maje Adams, who plays some tone-setting music. For the most part, it’s an interesting choice, but I was worried at the opening when the sax was threatening to overpower Nick’s opening narration. They should work on lowering the strength of the sax if they can. In the other two corners, we have the iconic billboard with the spectacles and eyes that light up, and the third is the green light that Gatsby can see from his property that marks where Daisy’s house is. I thought all of these design elements were very well done.

The Great Gatsby runs through October 4 at Theatre in the Round. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/greatgatsby/

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

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