Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy from Minnesota Dance Theatre is a Gorgeousity of a Production

Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy is a variation on The Nutcracker Ballet performed to the classic score by Tchaikovsky. The basis for which is a short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E. T. A. Hoffmann. Probably most peoples introduction to ballet is some version of The Nutcracker, whether it be from a segment on TV, a film version, or the live experience. It’s a timeless tale of a little girl Marie, her Godfather Drosselmayer, and the dream she has that her Nutcracker toy has come to life. After a Christmas party at her home, Marie falls asleep under the tree. Drosselmayer, the toymaker and wizard awakens her in a dream where her Nutcracker and his toy soldiers defeat the Rat Queen and her army after a fierce battle. After her Nutcracker has transformed into a Prince they travel with her Godfather Drosselmayer through the the Kingdom of Jam and the Land of Marzipan Sweets to the Castle of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s highly encouraged to read through the full plot synopsis in the program before it begins so that you will have some idea what is happening. But really, the key is not to get hung up on the details of what is happening but to sit back and let the beautifully performed score, exquisite dancing, and sumptuous visuals wash over you.

As soon as the lights go down we know we are in good hands with the 44-piece Nutcracker Orchestra conducted by Philip Brunelle. There is something about a full orchestra that brings out the full power and beauty of classical compositions. No CD or MP3 file can compare with being in the room with the orchestra as they perform Tchaikovsky’s masterwork. I am not a orchestral music connoisseur by any means, there are few pieces I can recognize by ear. But The famous “Nutcracker Suite” is certainly one of those I can. Going all the way back to what I am sure was my first exposure in Walt Disney’s Fantasia which I can remember seeing in the theatre in 1977 as a young lad. My new favorite from the show is “Scene XIV – Pas De Deux: Dance of the Prince & the Sugar-Plum Fairy” I cannot place it, but I have recently heard some piece of music that was clearly inspired by this segment. It’s a subtly romantic movement wonderfully performed by Philip Brunelle’s Orchestra.

I do not know enough about dance to write intelligently about it. Nor can words do justice to the beauty and eloquence of this dance company. All I can tell you is that I was enchanted by what I saw and amazed at the athleticism of these dancers. It isn’t just the dancers in the three or four lead roles you can identify, there has to be about three dozen dancers in this production. I’d like to single several of them out, but it is difficult, because it isn’t clear who they all are. Dario Mejia as Godfather Drosselmayer is a standout, as is Lily Scott as Marie. Another favorite with the entire audience was the dancer performing as the windup toy, unfortunately I cannot determine who that was from the program. But again, it would be impossible even if you could determine who was who to single everyone deserving out as this is certainly a dance company in top form from the oldest to the tiny little kids who play the mice.

Classical music may not be your jam, and watching Ballet dancing might not be your idea of a fun evening. But when those two are performed so superbly and then combined with the amazing set designs, lighting, and costumes it’s really hard to imagine anyone leaving the theatre not in awe of what they just experienced. Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy is the perfect gateway to nurturing an interest and appreciation in dance and classical music. There’s always something wonderful to hear or see. I was really impressed with the set designs and lighting work. The sets are by James Gunther, Bruce Allen, Tim Burton, Margaret Allen, John Clark Donahue (Snow Scene), and Laura Hohenshelt (Nuremberg and Pink Ball). They work beautifully in conjunction with the Lighting Designer Michael Murnane efforts. Though I will say that for all the spectacle and creativity with which the show opens with Drosselmayer’s Toyshop and the Parlor at the Christmas party, Act two is a little sparse in terms of new reveals. What keeps amazing from scene to scene though are the costumes by Costume Designers Judith Cooper, Sarah DeMers (Snow Corps de Ballet), Kari Holmberg (Snow Soloist Tutus), Kathy Johnson (Comedia), Nancy Pohl (Cavalier Jackets), Vanessa Lopez (Divertissement III), and Katie Danielle Johnson or Robyn Peterson (Sugar Plum Tutus). The mouse costumes I have to give a shout out too, as they were just the most fabulous little costumes and they were worn by what must be the youngest members of the cast with the tiniest little legs dancing around in them, adorable.

Minnesota Dance Theatre has been presenting Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy for decades. For many attending this is already a tradition, it’s certainly going to become one for me. Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy an enchanting evening or music and dance with production design and costumes that create a neverending whirlwind of new wonders to behold with every scene. The production runs through December 22nd at the State Theatre in Downtown Minneapolis. For tickets click here Nutcracker Fantasy

The Longest Night is a Celebration of the Winter Solstice at Open Eye Theatre

Sonja Thompson and Bradley Greenwald Photo by Bruce Silcox

As the program notes state, it’s “Not a concert, and not a play, The Longest Night is a meditation”, a very apt description for this program. Rather than a narrative or just a series of songs, this is an exploration of what the Winter Solstice is from scientific explanations to what it ultimately represents to the human condition. Weaving poetry and music, Bradley Greenwald has given us a unique and rewarding experience. The sources range from pop to classical, humorous to dark, narrative to abstract. Featuring a wealth of writers and composers such as Carole King, Sting, Ogden Nash, Joseph Campbell, Tom Jones, Margaret Atwood, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hart and Rodgers, and even Johann Sebastian Bach. After a humorous original “welcome” by Greenwald to music by Harvey Schmidt, the evening begins with the specific. The scientific data which explains what the Solstice is and why it occurs. From there we are taken from the specific to the broader interpretation of what early man thought of the shortening days. Throughout the production it’s a blending of the specific with the abstract and we go from a song about Amber and her Uncle to meditations of darkness.

Open eye theatre is an intimate setting and the combination of piano and single voice with a smattering of Baritone Horn thrown in is the perfect balance for the room. Greenwald has a rich baritone voice which he employs equally well in song and recitation of the poems. Containing within his voice the ability to embody an impish humor while also bringing the gravitas required of a couple of the more dramatic pieces. He has also compiled and constructed the various works into such a way that they flow effortlessly into one another. During one section, the reading of a poem actually created a sense memory of being out in the cold while sitting in a comfortably cozy theatre. Then bringing us back into the warm with a well placed humorous song. Thompson cleary a very talented musician effortlessly supports Greenwald finding the perfect timing to help transition into the next selection.

The benefit of a show like this, whatever your tastes are there is likely something for you. Nothing last so long as to outstay it’s welcome and for most attendees, including me, everything will work. My favorite single section was the song “The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams. A humorous song that moved me unexpectedly, as it touched on family and differences in beliefs, finding the common ground and focusing on that. I loved the variety the different ways to look at and explore this idea of winter and the longest night. Dealing with topics as far ranging as mythology, celebrations and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Ending with a discussion of why so many cultures throughout history have based celebrations around this time. It finishes on a note of optimism that is sorely needed every year at this time and perhaps these last few years more than ever.

The Longest Night runs a little over an hour making it a very manageable weeknight show. It plays through the actual Winter Solstice December 21st at Open Eye theatre in Minneapolis for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.openeyetheatre.org/the-longest-night

Anastasia Delivers the Spectacle at the Orpheum

Kyla Stone as Anya Photo by Jeremy Daniel

I saw the the 1997 animated film of Anastasia in the movie theatre at the time of its release but to be honest, I remember very little about it. Not surprising as I haven’t seen it in nearly 25 years. This Broadway musical differs from the Disney model of animated films transferred to the stage in that, while yes it has its origins in the animated film, it really only uses that as a springboard on which they have built of mostly original work. They kept about six of the songs from the film and have added about twenty new songs. I remember the film had Rasputin in it, but the stage show has removed him as the antagonist. All that’s by way of saying, don’t come expecting the film transported to the stage, come open to a new telling of the legend of a lost princess of the Russian Empire. But whether you are a fan of the animated film or the earlier film starring Ingrid Bergman or not, you’ll probably have a great night at the theatre with this charming musical.

All of these stories are based on the story of Anna Anderson a mentally ill woman who claimed to be Anastasia. She wasn’t but those rumors persisted and thus we have these fantasies. In this version we see a young Anastasia and her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, at their last meeting. Anastasia is her grandmother’s favorite and she is given a music box as a parting gift. The Dowager Empress is leaving for Paris and talks to her granddaughter about seeing her therein the future. That visit is never meant to be, prevented by the outbreak of the Russian Revolution. Where it is thought that the Czar and all of his children were executed. But rumors begin that the princess Anastasia survived and her Grandmother has offered a reward if she is reunited with her in Paris. Two con men Vlad, who was once at court before the fall of the empire, and the young and handsome Dmitry cook up a plan to find a young woman they can pass off as Anastasia. They team up with a young amnesiac named Anya who is being drawn to Paris by memories she cannot quite recover. As Dmitry and Vlad begin to drill her on the facts of the Romanovs, they are surprised by the things she says that they hadn’t told her yet. As our trio heads off to Paris they must elude the new Russia personified by General Gleb. Glebs father as it turns out, was one of the soldiers who executed the Romanovs and his orders from above are to finish his father’s work. Along the way Dmitry begins to fall in love with Anya and also believes she really is the lost princess. But as Vlad points out, if the Dowager Empress believes she is Anastasia, Dmitry will never be able to see her again.

The cast does an excellent job with the songs and there are a lot of them. I frequently have a little trouble at the Orpheum understanding the lyrics, but that wasn’t the case tonight at all. The cast and the orchestra were perfectly balanced and all the performers sang with perfect clarity. Sam McLellan as Dmitry and Kyla Stone as Anya sell the burgeoning love of their characters particularly in the song “In a Crowd of Thousands”. Vlad played by Bryan Seastrom and his love interest Countess Lily who is the Dowager Empress’ lady in waiting played by Madeline Raube, have a great little song together “the Countess and the Common Man”. Raube in particular in that and in the preceding song “Land of Yesterday” shines with a great voice and the ability to play the humor in the lyrics as well. The strongest voice and performer in the cast though was Brandon Delgado as Gleb. He plays the villian, but a conflicted one who believes in his cause but also secretly loves Anya himself. He gets a great moment towards the end of Act I with the song “Still”.

The true star of this show though is the Projection Design by Aaron Rhyne. The set is basically some panels on which projections create the majority of the set. There was a three to four minute stretch at the beginning of the show when it looked like there was a technical malfunction happening. I was worried the show was going to be marred by red laser beams breaking through the backgrounds. But that cleared up and from then on the effects were really superb. I’m usually a little disappointed when I see a production is going to rely heavily of projection for it’s set design. I like my sets practical for the most part, but this show did an amazing job with it’s digital design. In fact, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing in the beginning until the technical glitch revealed the truth. The perspective graphics that come up at times are truly mind blowing. Anastasia’s book is by Theater Hall of Famer Terrence McNally with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music Stephen Flaherty.

The show is marketed as if it’s another Frozen, but this isn’t for little kids. Older kids I’d say 12 and above depending on their interest level would probably enjoy it. The younger ones are going to get bored as there isn’t a singing snowman in sight. Also beware it does run about 2 hours and 45 minutes, so that should probably rule out taking anyone too young. Anastasia works great for adults though, don’t let the inspired by the animated classic fool you. It’s more historical romance than animated antics. The tour is in town through December 19th and there will be a special Kids Night on Hennepin event on Wednesday, Dec. 15 with a special 50% off ticket offer. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepintheatretrust.org/

“qaDan nughDaq, maHvaD wanI’ tlhaQ nIvqu’ lunob. (English Translation) The Classic Klingon Holiday Classic “It’s An Honorable Life” is Great Fun for Fans of Star Trek and Holiday Shows

OK this was a strange but fun one. It’s an Honorable Life is a parody of the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life set among Klingons. Now that’s an interesting enough idea, but there’s more. The play is performed in the Klingon language. For those who are not fluent in Klingon, the english translation is projected above the stage. Is this show for everyone? No, not really. You have to be familiar with Star Trek and the Klingon way of life at the very least. The more you know about the world of Star Trek TOS and TNG, the more you will get out of the show. Those familiar with It’s a Wonderful Life, The Day the Earth Stood Still, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and other sources will be rewarded with countless easter eggs throughout the show.

The twist on the classic story is that instead of everyone praying for George Bailey to be OK, they are praying for Bailey, Son of Peter, to have an Honorable Death. After Bailey is tricked into accepting a position as teacher to young warriors by Councilor Potter, thus sentencing him to a life away from the battlefield and robbing him of the chance to die gloriously in battle, those around him pray for him to find an honorable death. The pleas are heard by beings from the Q Continuum and they send one of their kind to toy with Bailey for their amusement. We follow Bailey the Klingon and Q as they look back at his life. From a battle against the Federation “Red Shirts” which has fun with the ease which the red shirts die in Star Trek TOS. To Bailey’s wife Mary’s attempt to stage a Christmas Pageant for the humans at a treaty negotiation. And what would have happened had he died as a younger man to his wife and daughter Zuzu. The script was written by Bill Stiteler, Brian Watson-Jones, Tim Uren, and Tim Wick and directed by Jason Kruger. It’s a clever script that occasionally sticks to a joke to long. The parody of How the Grinch Stole Christmas outstays it’s welcome a little bit. There is a lot of humor that anyone familiar with holiday classics and pop culture in general will get, but the show is really for fans of Star Trek. You don’t have to speak Klingon, but you will want to have at least noticed that Klingons from TOS and those from the movies onward look different. If that isn’t you, this probably is not the show to see. If you are a fan, it’s a really fun show. The costumes and props are all good enough, the Bat’leth’s (Klingon Weapons) are particularly well done. I also appreciated the prosthetics designed by Bill Hendrick, they are not TV quality, but for a stage show at the Mound Theatre, they were way more than I was expecting.

I was wondering how hard it would be for a cast to learn the entire script for a play in a foreign language. I mean sure some of them might know Klingon but there are 17 cast members, what are the odds they all speak Klingon? Well, it turns out you don’t have to memorize the Klingon dialogue. There were three teleprompters set up along the stage front that the actors could read like cue cards. This is surprisingly effective as the audience spends a lot of time looking up at the projected translation, and I was a ways into the play before I noticed one of the actors reading from the prompter. To be fair most of the actors seem to be using it as reference and perform a lot of the dialogue without reading. I’d liken it to the average SNL skit, it’s obvious at times that they are reading a cue card, but are still able to deliver a performance. It’s a gimmick but it works and makes the show unique.

If you are a Star Trek fan and looking for something fun to do this Holiday season I think you’ll get a kick out of It’s an Honorable Life. I really enjoyed the venue as well, there are movie theatre concessions, popcorn, candy, soda, coffee, beer, wine, and even mixed drinks for sale that you can enjoy during the show. The productions runs through December 19th, for more information and to purchase tickets go to It’s an Honorable Life.

Moving and Accessible Skylark Opera Theatre’s Amahl and the Night Visitors

Opera can be a little daunting. It’s a play told with singing, a set, and a plot but it isn’t a musical. It’s a different art form. Of all the performing arts, it’is the one that seems to fall under the “acquired taste” description. No one but opera singers go around singing arias while many of us can be caught singing our favorite show tunes from time to time. The musical passages just aren’t individually catchy and the the singing is not the style we are used to. It can be difficult due to the style of singing to understand the Libretto. As such, a person’s first experience with Opera can leave one lost. If this is you and or you haven’t yet exposed yourself to Opera but are curious, this is the show for you. If you enjoy Opera and would like to introduce the artform to a young person in your life, this is also the show for that. Amahl and the Night Visitors side steps the usual barriers to understanding and enjoying opera for the uninitiated. It’s understandable, under an hour in running time, and for this reviewer, quite moving.

Amahl and the Night Visitors was composed by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1951 for NBC, it was the first opera ever written for television in the US and premiered on Christmas Eve 1951. It tells of Amahl a 10-year old disabled boy who has to walk with the aid of a crutch. Amahl and his widowed mother are very poor and will soon have to resort to begging in order to survive. They are awoken in the middle of the night by a knock on the door. It is three kings who are following a star to find a newborn king and bring him gifts. Amahl and his mother give them shelter to rest on their travel. They send for the other villagers to bring what they can to feed the kings and to dance for them. After the other villagers have gone and the kings and their servant have gone to sleep the mother tries to steal some of their gold in order to feed her and Amahl. The servant catches her and threatens to beat her. Amahl fiercely attacks the servant to save his mother, in the commotion the Kings are awoken. Seeing the love Amahl has for his mother and knowing how poor they are, the Kings tell her to keep the gold, describing the new king they go to see. The mother repents and refuses the gold and regrets she has nothing to send the new king herself. Amahl offers his crutch, his most prized possession and with this gesture something miraculous occurs.

The Part of Amahl is played on alternate dates by twins Oskar Helle-Morrissey and Henry Helle-Morrissey, fifth graders. The production I saw featured Henry as Amahl, it’s an impressive to see a 10 or 11 year old singing Opera and performing with other talented performers. Everyone in the cast is exceptional, Vicki Fingalson as the Mother is a standout with a beautiful voice which is also easily understood. You are never at a loss for what she or any of the performers are singing. Wesley Frye, Maje Adams, and Rob Riordan play the three kings, each with a distinct personality and rich voices. When the villagers dance for the King’s it’s beautifully performed by Penelope Freeh and Sam Johnson. The dance interlude is the perfect length, it lasts long enough to impress but doesn’t last too long for the younger members of the audience.

The show is performed in the Andy Boss Thrust Stage at the Park Square Theatre. It’s an intimate setting with a very nice set designed by Ann Gumpper and effectively lit by James Eischen. It’s a one set production in a small space of high quality. It basically conveys the inside of Amahls home, with all that is needed by the story, the portion of a window on one side for the mother to call Amahl through, and a door opposite for the visitors to knock on and enter through. The back wall connecting the two partial sides contains their fireplace, and behind the set a large screen on which a starry sky can be suggested. The music is provided by two keyboards played by Jordan Buchholtz and Music Director Carson Rose Schneider. It is the perfect accompaniment for the performers and space.

If you are a fan of, or curious about opera, and looking for a Christmas themed show that tells a story set around the birth of Jesus, Amahl and the Night Visitors is a great choice. I found it accessible, beautifully performed, and ultimately emotionally moving. For more information and to purchase tickets go to ht tps://www.skylarkopera.org/home

Uff Da, That’s Good Clean Fun! “Another Miracle on Christmas Lake” at Yellow Tree Theatre

So Leaving the theatre after Another Miracle on Christmas Lake, I turns to the wife and I sez, “So Micky, Whatcha think of dat der show?” And Micky, well ya know she turns ta me and sez, “Yah, dat was pretty good. What about you, Did you enjoy da show?” Well I said, “Yah sure, you betcha I did, it was real good, real good.” and Micky agreed, she said “Yah”, and then for good measure so as not to seem wishy washy added “Real good.” To reassure her that we were on the same page and our marriage was still on solid ground I added, “Real good.” Because a lot can happen in two hours and you don’t always want to assume things. I knew a guy once who went out ice fishing after lunch one Saturday and when he came back for dinner, his wife had packed her bag and gone to her mothers. I asked him why she went and did that, he had no idea. They hadn’t fought or anything. They’d had their lunch as peaceful as anything. When he finished his tomato soup and grilled cheese, he got up from the table, kissed her, and headed to the ice house. Just same as he did with every free minute he had once the lake froze over every year. But when he came home, she had packed up, taken their new baby, and headed to his mother-in-laws. So you know, there’s no tellin’ sometimes what can happen in a just a few hours.

One thing you can be certain of is having a lot of laughs and a heck of a good time at Yellow Tree Theatre’s Another Miracle on Christmas Lake. The play was written by the cofounder of Yellow Tree Theatre Jessica Lind Peterson. There are several different plot threads in the play. Colin and Tess are trying to mount a Christmas play during a Goat Flu outbreak, which has laid up most of the town and left them without a cast. The Goat Flu has also hit the town hard financially as they rely on tourism economically. Without the tourists dollars this year, the town will again fall short of their budget and likely be annexed by the neighboring town of Potterton. Which will also lead to a chemical plant being built in Christmas Lake, and as we all know, chemicals will melt your face. But all is not bleak. To town comes a Hollywood Location Scout, Stefan, who brings with him the hope that they might choose Christmas Lake to film a remake of It’s a Wonderful Life. The dollars from such a project would save the town from annexation and the chemical plant. Add to all of this a love square between Stefan, local sweethearts Martha and Neil, and the volunteer Police Chief Gunther, who lives with his mother. What is it about Martha that drives all three of these men to vie for her affection? Is it her lizard or her tater tot hotdish?

A show like this with a script that’s full of dumb humor but in a very smart way succeeds or fails on it’s cast. The cast is up to the task. Antonio Duke as Colin and Sophina Saggau who has stepped in for the original actress as Tess play the straight roles. Duke is at his best reacting to the far crazier characters whirling about him. You wouldn’t have guessed that Saggau wasn’t onboard from the start, she fits right in. She and Duke have a chemistry that felt surprisingly real for such a silly show. There is a sexual spark between them not of the hot and heavy type but of the sweet, married, but still like to be a little naughty variety that’s much more interesting in real life. It added something unique and special to these straight person roles. Jason Ballweber who plays three distinct characters is great, and the thing is you almost don’t realize how great until his third character comes on and then you replay the three roles in your head, it’s quietly impressive. Lisa Vogel and Ryan Nelson as Martha and Neil both excel at voice work. Vogel nails the comedic over the top Minnesotan accent. Nelson’s Neil is under the impression that acting is doing impressions. So when they perform the Christmas play we get him doing a spot on Peter Griffin from Family Guy and a pretty good Christopher Walken. They both save their biggest surprise for the final moments of the play. Finally, Michael Quadrozzi who plays Stefan as a force of nature who blows into town as if he just stepped out of a cartoon. A Hollywood blowhard by way of bedrock. His wardrobe by Costume Designer Samantha Fromm Haddow as well as his hair combined with his fantastically broken, yet fully understandable english to create a hilariously memorable character. Stefan’s fight on stage with Neil, is one of the highlights of the show, brilliantly executed by both actors.

The playbill tells me it’s the sequel to Miracle on Christmas Lake, which I have not seen. I don’t think it is necessary to have seen its predecessor. I was able to follow the plot and figure out who everyone was and what was happening. I suppose it’s possible that I would have found deeper themes, a richer sense of the characters. Perhaps a subtextual meditation on gender roles and the suppression of the “self”, but I doubt it. It seemed fairly straightforward to me. I don’t think there was anything deeper going on, I think this was meant to entertain and bring joy. Sometimes that’s all we want or need. Something to make us laugh together and take our minds off work, Christmas shopping, the bad play we saw last week or the wife who has taken our six week old daughter and moved back home to her mother’s house.

Another Miracle on Christmas Lake runs through January 2nd 2022 for more information and to purchase tickets click here https://yellowtreetheatre.com/

Theater Latte Da’s “All is Calm” is a Soulful History Lesson that Rejoices in our Shared Humanity. Not to Be Missed!

My first Experience with All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, came in late 2019 when my wife and I were in the audience while they filmed the production to air on PBS. That experience though filled with starts and stops as multiple takes were done of various scenes still gave us a taste of something wonderful. Last year we watched the full uninterrupted production on PBS. This year We sat second row, dead center, and were enveloped in the beauty of this magnificent work. If you’ve only seen All is Calm on PBS you are only getting a fraction of its power. For a little over an hour, ten men sang songs that were over 100 years old, sometimes in languages I do not speak, and I was under their spell completely.

All is Calm tells the story of the spontaneous truce that occured on Christmas day 1914 in the Trenches of the western front during World War I. The play opens in complete darkness, then a voice cuts through the silence singing acapella “Will Ye Go to Flanders?”. A shiver runs up your spine. Slowly lights come up as one lone man emerges from the darkness and takes center stage. Then slowly as if out of the past the others appear. Throughout the show the performers stand in for the real men who fought that hellish war. They will read dialogue that is taken from actual letters, journals, official war documents, and even poetry among various other sources. It is through these spoken snippets and the songs that are sung that we follow the pulse of those early days of the first world war. The first songs and dialogue are about the thrill of joining up, doing your part for King and country. But then the grim reality of war sets in and the tone changes. We get a sense of what living and fighting in the trenches was like day after day. Then Christmas comes and with it the truce and we experience through the eyes of these men the universal truth that we are all the same underneath. What a beautiful reminder at this time of year and in this world we live in. And as always happens, Christmas ends, and so does the truce. The soldiers who were exchanging gifts, taking photographs together and playing football in no man’s land, go back to fighting for another three years.

All is Calm was created and directed by Peter Rothstein who is also the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latte Da. The musical arrangements are by the Music Director Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. The marvel of the show is the way the songs weave together and the layering of the harmonies. Sitting in the theater listening to these ten voices working in unison without the aid of musical instruments, just their voices creating some of the most beautiful music I’ve heard. Flowing from one song into another, sometimes in concert with each other and then having a performer step forward and become a young Scottish soldier or a gruff German Sergeant. Adding a human voice to the chorus of angels, giving us the context within the emotion. It is an accomplishment that will surely rank among their greatest creative achievements. Completing what is about as near as you can get to a perfect production is the work of Lighting Designer Marcus Dilliard. The key to the look of this production is simplicity, it is a black wardrobe, black backdrop and the lighting sells the mood, the setting. It’s subtle in its perfection, it’s the slight lowering or raising of the light to just exactly the right level. It looks simple because it feels meant to be. The Costumes by Designer Trevor Bowen also simple, but undeniably right. Everything about All is Calm, even the backdrop which is mostly black, but at times shows clouds, mist, a moon and stars, is simple, but perfect. It all comes together to create an experience so beautiful, so engrossing, that you don’t want it to be over. In fact, if there is one complaint it’s that the show isn’t longer.

To say that the cast is full of terrific singers is to undersell them. these are not great singers they are vocal Gods. From the first song which seems to transport you to the Scottish highlands from your seat in north Minneapolis. These voices envelope you and carry you along to war. Normally I would single out my favorite performers but that is impossible, they are to a man, brilliant. There were several new faces in the cast from the ones I had seen during the filming and on PBS. And one member of the cast that was there before and was in the program but wasn’t on stage was James Ramlet, Counting the cast member from this program and the program I have from 2019 I suspect that Ramlet and another performer must alternate. I may have to try and see it again before it closes to compare. Honestly, it’s the sort of show you wish you could have a season pass to, so you could just drop in any night and let the music wash over you.

All Is Calm runs through Jan 2nd 2022 at The Ritz Theater in North Minneapolis. This is the best Musical theatrical Christmas show you are going to find this year or any. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.latteda.org/