The Guthrie Theater’s new production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is outrageous fun from start to end. Featuring a cast of 10 local artists who bring this nearly 420 year old play to fresh and vibrant life. The Guthrie has a long tradition of staging Shakespeare. Recent years have seen wonderful productions of Romeo and Juliet and As you Like It. This new production of twelfth Night is my favorite. It had been years since I’d seen a production and it took a little while to refresh my mind as the play proceeded. I highly recommend those new to the show read the Synopsis in the program before the play begins. It’s one of those Shakespeare comedies that involves shipwrecks and twins, if you don’t know the basic plot you may find yourself as confused as the characters in the play are. But rest assured, even if you are lost, you are still in for a treat.

Twelfth Night typically begins after there’s been a shipwreck which has separated twins Sebastian and Viola. In the Guthrie’s production, we get to see the shipwreck, which is well handled. But the real start of the play is a treat too sweet to spoil. Viola disguises herself as a man and enters into the service of Duke Orsino. The Duke sends Viola, now called Cesario, to woo the wealthy Countess Olivia on his behalf. Olivia falls in love with Cesario, while Cesario…I mean Viola, has fallen in love with Orsino. There are two other suitors who wish to become Olivia’s husband, Sir Andrew and a servant Malvolio. Remember there is an identical, though opposite gendered twin out there too and you can imagine the antics that will ensue. Add to this three characters that seem soley bent on creating mischief and misleading people. Throw in the Mr. Furley and the Roper’s and you’d have the makings of every single episode of Three’s Company.

A cast this good it’s hard to single out individuals, but my favorites are mostly made up of characters not mentioned above. Sarah Jane Agnew plays Maria, Olivia’s Lady in waiting who plots with local legend Sally Wingert’s Sir Toby, to make a fool out of Malvolio. I found my eyes drawn to both whenever they took the stage. Olivia’s fool Feste is played by Luverne Seifert. Seifert in addition to his unexpected first scene also contributes to one of the major pluses of the production, he sings, and well. One of the unexpected joys of this production is the music that has been infused into the proceedings. Wingert’s Sir Toby is behind Sir Andrews wooing attempts. Joy Dolo portrays Sir Andrew with the intelligence of Lou Costello and the fashion sense of Elton John.

The Costume Designer Ann Closs-Farley efforts are a highlight of the show. From the outrageous outfits of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby’s wild suits to Olivia’s sexy purple dress and Feste’s fool outfits, reminiscent of a clown. The set design by Naomi Dawson, with a water pond in the center and dock-like structures creates a unique environment. Aided by Yi Zhao’s Lighting Design and Sartje Pickett’s Sound Design and musical compositions, this is a well rounded and cohesive production. The use of balloons at several different points works quite well visually. The aforementioned shipwreck is particularly well handled, with the stage proving to be deeper than suspected. The use of ropes and the deck on the outermost portions of the deck was particularly effective. Credit is due to Movement Director Carl Flink particularly for staging a thrilling shipwreck and for that opening I don’t want to spoil. Fight Director Aaron Preusse also does strong work, they is a physicality to this production that makes it feel light and alive. I admire Director Tom Quaintance’s willingness to try something so bold in terms of restructuring the play so we see the shipwreck. The entire production is filled with moments of glee and self awareness. There are many instances of characters playing to the audience or even with them. That first scene really does set the stage for what to expect, which is the unexpected.

Twelfth Night plays through March 22nd for more information and to purchase tickets please visit https://www.guthrietheater.org/ .

Controlled Burn began life at Patrick’s Cabaret in 2016. When the venue closed in 2018, they entrusted the project to 20% Theatre Company.

Named for the practice of burning a prairie to promote new growth, Controlled Burn is a space for queer rage, revolution, and reclamation, aimed at regeneration.

20% Theatre Company Controlled Burn Program

Essentially Controlled Burn is a cabaret act that runs for three nights, each night there is a different lineup. The show is curated by Taja Will, Ondine, and Marcela Michelle, Artistic Director of 20% Theatre Company. Since each night will feature different performers doing their own original pieces there is little point in describing each act. You will not see those; you’ll see different acts during the last two nights. Instead I want to give you an idea of the types of things you can expect. First off let me say that the quality is a little all over the board, but all of the acts I saw had merit, and none of them were deserving of being left out. The key with this type of show is you are seeing multiple short acts, so even if you don’t like one, it will not last more than 20 minutes tops and you’ll be onto a different performer. Besides if you are coming simply to be wowed I think you are missing the point. You hopefully will be wowed – I think that’s our hope every time we head out to the theater. But you should be going to this show to hear these unique voices expressing themselves through their art. You should be going to show support for people who are using art to share their experience with others.

The first performer was Snem DeSellier whose act was titled Vibratory, it was a combination of movement and a monologue, which seemed part poetry part guided meditation. Act 2 was by Maitreyi Ray and was a video titled Blue accompanied by a poem but also some dialogue, it was very non-narrative. Third up was Stephanie Maari Booker and her futuristic narrative monologue Adjudicated. Then we had HANE who sang and danced and vamped his way through four songs. Finally, There was Jasper Rubin Hardin. You know how I commented that we always hope to be wowed, well this was the one that wowed!. They performed a poem titled The Six Genders of the Talmud. This refers to the Jewish text called the Mishna, which identifies six genders. Hardin’s poem covers the six genders, and as the father of a transgender, gay son, I heard a lot of my son’s journey reflected in the words. It also illustrated in a new light some of the aspects of his journey that I felt I understood, in an new, fresh way. It deepened my understanding of the challenges my son has faced. This was a very powerful piece and they delivered it with a palpable courage that stunned me with awe.

I highly encourage everyone to get out and see Controlled Burn it runs through February 15th for more information and to purchase tickets go to http://www.tctwentypercent.org/

Daddy Long Legs performed in the James J. Hill House in St. Paul is as intimate a production of a musical as I’ve ever attended. A chamber musical with only two actors standing at times only a foot away from and actually making eye contact with you. The stage is set in the main hall of the grand old mansion, chairs seated around the area the actors will occupy along with a few desks and tables that makes up the minimal set. They occasionally climb the stairway as well at the top of which on the first landing is where the four musicians play from. And here is the amazing thing, they are performing in the a hallway/stairway of a big old house, there is a four piece musical ensemble playing at the top of the stairs and this was one of the best sounding musicals I’ve heard. The balance between the musicians and the Performers was perfect, every word was clear, not a lyric was lost.

Maddie Olsem plays Jerusha Abbott a orphan who has grown up in the John Grier Home for Orphans in the early 1900’s. She is called into Mrs. Lippett’s, the headmatron of the house, office. She is informed that a Mr. John Smith a trustee of the orphanage, having read some essays she had written has decided to send her to college, paying her tuition, room and board, and giving her a monthly allowance. He has devised a 9 point plan for her, one of the points being that she must write to him regularly informing him of her progress. Another states that he will never read the letters and that she should never say thank you or expect any response from him. The play from then on is almost exclusively the characters letters. In her first letter to Mr. Smith which is obviously a fake name, Jerusha acknowledges this and gives him her own name which is Daddy Long Legs. She also asks him questions which she is not supposed to do about how grey his hair is, if he’s bald, if he is old, or old old! As it turns out he’s young, but her assumption is key to the rest of the story. He is Jervis Pendleton played by Chris Paulson. Jervis is intrigued and amused by her sense of humor and her unconventional personality. He is the uncle of one of her classmates and as such meets Jerusha. Through her letters and their personal meetings he begins to care for her. But the fact that he didn’t correct her assumption that he was old, or identify himself as her Daddy Long Legs when they first met, has put him in an awkward position. Her letters are almost like diary entries which include, among other things, her feelings about Jervis Pendleton.

Maddie Olsem and Chris Paulson both seen earlier in the season in Lyric Arts production of Bright Star are the perfect performers for these roles and this venue. Performing basically in the midst of the audience without the usual distance created psychologically as well as physically by the separation of the stage is tricky. Being too close can reveal the artifice in a performance, but there is no loss of contract made creatively between the actors and the audience in this case. This is a skill easily overlooked and noticed more in it’s absence than when it is successful. They also have wonderful voices, Paulson stretches occasionally to reach the higher registers, but 95% of the role seems to be right in his sweet spot. Olsem sets the tone for the show as she opens it and right away I was impressed with her voice. The quality of the sound, and as I mentioned earlier, the clarity of their singing. Too many shows we become resigned to missing some of the lyrics no matter what level of production it is. A few hours before attending this performance I was at the Ordway for Once On This Island, which was a fun show, and much like this I was very close, seated on the stage with the actors all around me. It was everything a national touring production can be, an elaborate set, great costumes, special effects, and powerful performers. What it lacked, as many of those larger shows do, is the loss of clarity. You miss lyrics, but you accept it. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to accept that with this show. The musicians are really tight and don’t overpower the performers. Minneapolis Musical Theatre is rapidly becoming one of my favorite theatre companies, their production of Be More Chill last spring was one of the highlights of last season, and I regret missing their fall offering Night of the Living Dead: The Musical.

Daddy Long Legs plays at the James J. Hill House through February 29th, for more information and purchase tickets go to http://www.aboutmmt.org/

The White Card by Claudia Rankine opened last night at the Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul. The Playwright was in attendance and there was a brief Q & A after the performance with her and the Director Talvin wilks. Before they began and again at the end the interviewers Junauda Petrus and Erin Sharkey from Free Black Dirt asked us to talk to the person next to us. I am not an extroverted person, I don’t talk to strangers easily, I’m good once I know someone, and I definitely prefer to meet new people in a group setting. I was seated next to my wife, whom I ignored as I didn’t really think that is what they meant. To my left was an older black man, For those who don’t know me, I’m younger than he was and white. We did as we were instructed, though it wasn’t a long conversation, I believe that is because of my lack of skills in talking to new people out of the blue and not that he was a different skin color than I am. The initial instruction while they were getting set up was to ask each other a question or get each others reactions to the play that we just saw. He asked what I thought, I said that it really made me think and that I’m not sure what the answer is to those questions that it raised. He replied that he didn’t think there was an answer. I said maybe the point is to listen, and to this, he nodded. When they concluded their Q & A they asked us to return to that neighbor and say the one word that would be on our minds as we leave the theatre. I said “Privilege”. He said “Hope”. I like his answer better, but as I think about it, maybe his word was an response to my word.

The White Card is a great play performed by a fantastic cast. Rankins Script beautifully articulates the issues of race and racism in contemporary American Society while also exploring the differences with which we interpret art. Act one is set in the home of Charles and Virginia Spenser wealthy art patrons who specialize in collecting works depicting social injustice and particularly the violence that has been inflicted on black Americans. They are expecting Charlotte, a black photographer who is on the verge of breaking big. The Spenser’s Art Dealer and friend Eric has arranged the dinner so that the couple and the photographer can meet, as the Spenser’s would like to buy her latest works. As the evening begins the quartet discusses the art on the Spenser’s walls as well as Charlotte’s work. Before long they are joined by the Spenser’s son Alex who is a college student and activist, he does everything he can to fight social injustice and the current political regime. As the evening progresses we learn more and more about each of the characters and their true selves are revealed. This is where things get tricky. There are not easy answers here, Virginia shows here understanding of racism to be on the surface, with a solid core of white privilege, blatantly sitting right under that black loving topsoil. Charles is more deeply well intentioned, but he tries to do what he thinks are the right things, but as Charlotte and Alex point out, he doesn’t really understand what that is. Eric, seems to be on Charlotte’s side but is also motivated by his desire to add her work to the collection. Unlike Charles and Virginia, he seems capable of hearing the privilege and condescension that comes out of their mouths and works tirelessly to counter every misstep they take. Charlotte is the perspective of the black person who understands on one hand that the Spencers are well intentioned, but on the other hand they do not understand, how much they don’t actually understand. Charlotte points out at one point that Charles’ interpretation of this art is an illustration in itself of white privilege. His art focuses on the violence done to the black person, it should be shining a light upon the white people who inflicted it or stood by as it was inflicted. He views the blacks in his artwork as the victims, which is a condescension, he should be focusing on the Whites as the perpetrators. Alex is the possibly, too “woke” voice of youth. He and Charlotte share a lot of the same views, but Charlotte has a more grounded and measured approach, whereas Alex is young and idealistic and has not yet learned the all important lesson of compromise and balance.

John Catron plays Eric always observing and we can see the watchfulness in his eyes. He is ready at a moments notice to jump in and smooth over the faux paus. When he learns Alex will be joining for dinner, that’s the first time we see panic in his eyes. Catron telegraphs to us that this is the one variable he is not confident he can control. The character could have come off as manipulative and slick, but Catron plays him as someone who is talented and negotiating prickly situations. We sense that his motivations is to get what he wants, but that he also feels it will be in both of the other parties best interest. Bill McCallum as Charles has the largest character arc to deal with, he begins his performance as a man Confident in his opinions and his place. Before long his interpretations of art and his understanding of his own place are challenged. McCallum, shows us this change gradually throughout the play, going from a position of superiority and comfort to one of defensiveness. When what he sees as a move that will save the evening, the unveiling of a new piece of art he has acquired backfires, his entire identity as an art expert, intouch liberal, and friend of the less fortunate is under siege. Michelle O’Neill as Virginia feels like probably the most authentic character, she spouts what she knows is the correct political jargon but with the way she says things and the cluelessness with which she says things. White privilege is the thing white people have because they don’t know they have it. O’Neill is perfect at playing that clueless aspect, every line reading feels authentic, we have all seen this person enough to recognize as real. Jay Owen Eisenberg was so good last spring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and delivers another standout performance. He captures the idealism of youth and the single mindedness that sometimes comes with it. He is well informed and well intentioned and seems to understand what his role in this campaign is as a white male better than his parents do. Eisenberg also rounds out a character that could be one note, by making the various contradictions of Alex, play as real. He is all idealism and activism, but he still has a very recognizable streak of parental resentment and we see another side of him that displays his own blindspot to privilege when he talks about his brother. Charlotte played by Lynnette R. Freeman is the one character who sees Alex and seems to understand him. They are on the same page for the most part politically and in their understanding of white privilege and art. But she also tries to temper his all or nothing thinking, by pointing out different perspectives and understanding others. Freeman is masterful in the way in which she reacts to the other actors. Much of the strength of her performance is in the way she allows us subtly to see her characters reactions and acceptance of human nature. Whereas Alex cannot let a single wrong word slide, Charlotte shows us she has the patience and the wisdom to realize there is a difference between being a bad human being and being misguided or deluded. When Alex argues with his parents he yells and uses profanity, when Charlotte disagrees for the most part she uses civil discourse, she states her truths and challenges theirs. Freeman is wonderful at showing us that she is the most rationale and truthful person in the room. And when it’s time for her to raise her voice, she has the power to do that as well. This is a very talented ensemble.

The White card is a play that educates us by making us question and process our understanding of race and art. It shows us that our interpretations of art and racism are based on our perspectives and to really understand either we need to shift our perspectives and come to an understanding from somewhere other than simply our own experience. I was familiar with the idea of white privilege, but this play made we think deeper about it and gave me a better understanding of the complexities that exist within that concept. It’s the sort of play that gives you a lot to unpack and discuss afterward, it was a very lively discussion in the car on the way home and also in my own head since I left the play. I come from a place of white privilege. I live somewhat in fear that I will say the wrong thing in this review and like Charles Spenser, with the best of intentions make things worse. I can tell you that I’m writing my reactions with positive intentions. That the play has illuminated things for me and that one of those is my own ignorance. It has reminded me to listen to those who understand this more than I do and made me think about “Privilege” . I think that is a start and reason enough to “hope”.

For more information and to purchase your tickets to The White Card visit https://penumbratheatre.org/