Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors the comedic play by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen is like most adaptations of the classic horror novel by Bram Stoker, very loosely based on the source material. You have some of the basic plot in tact, and many of the characters names, even if they are tweaked ala Jean Van Helsing or they are given to different characters like the swap of Lucy and Mina as the fiance of Jonathan Harker. This adaptation is played for laughs and isn’t meant to be a serious and straight representation of the Dracula story. Stoker’s novel has a sexual undercurrent to it that was quite bold considering it’s Victorian era publication, that is the element that this production has its most fun with. It doesn’t shy away from the sensual aspects of the vampire myth in fact it puts it front and center and isn’t afraid to be very modern in it’s portrayals of sexual fluidity.
This is a show like The 39 Steps or the [Un]Qualified Theater’s 2023 MN Fringe production H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man where there is a small ensemble with one actor playing the lead, here Dustin Bronson as Dracula, and the rest of the cast playing a multitude of characters. There is no pretense that this is not a stage show, in fact much of the humor comes from jokes that acknowledge this is a play being put on for our amusement. From sexy Dracula spraying is own aerosol can of fog simply to make his appearance more sensual to an actor portraying multiple characters in the same scene simply by turning around and putting a different wig on or changing hats. These are not moves meant to fool us but to elicit laughter, which it does. I love a show like this that winks at the audience and uses theater conventions to not only tell its story but also as the source of amusement. Director Joy Donley clearly understand this style of humor and masterfully stages all manner of silliness.
Bronson’s Dracula is sexy as hell but also really funny. Having most recently seen him in the Guthrie Theater’s History plays, this was a nice reminder of his considerable comedic chops which first impressed me in Jungle Theater’s Georgiana & Kitty. He further showcased his comic skills in a few impromptu moments with the audience, knowing just how to add a little something when the situation worked. The other four actors Bradley Johnson, Katie Consamus, Bethany McCade, and Corey Mills get to wow the audience with their versatility and ability to create countless distinct and highly amusing characters. Mills in particular looks to be having a blast playing two extreme’s the especially goofy Mina and the heroic and intelligent Dr. Jean Van Helsing. There is some great design elements from set pieces, props, costumes, as well as the lighting and sound design. Everything is kept simple but effective in terms of size and mobility, which it needs to be because this show moves at a very quick pace. Stage Manager Melisa Kucevic deserve praise for keeping this freight train on the rails at such high speeds.
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs through November 2nd at the Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis. It’s a great show for everyone who enjoys the pleasures of Monster Month and great laughs. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.nocturnalgiraffetheatre.org/currentshow
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Broomstick by John Biguenet and designed and directed by Joel Sass will get you in the mood for Monster Month! It is a monologue show that runs about 90 minutes, no intermission, in which a Witch speaks directly to us in the audience as if we are one of the children she took in long ago and who ran away after a “misunderstanding”. Cheryl Willis doesn’t just play one, she really is a Witch! I know because I witnessed her cast a spell over the entire audience. She spins her tales like a spider a web, drawing you ever inward until you are entirely captive to her appetite. Willis is absolutely mesmerizing surrounded by Joel Sass’ always stunning and detailed sets, she moves from one reminiscences to another speaking always in rhyme. The marriage of atmosphere and Willis’s witchy vocalizations at once playful, almost childlike, then underlined the next moment with a tone of menacingly dark humor. It is a marriage of performer and role that comes along only a few times a year. More than just storytelling this is an experience, Playwright Biguenet has written the audience into the script and Willis draws us into our roles like lambs to the slaughter. I have not the words to describe Willis’ accent, something celtic perhaps, but whatever it is, it’s devine. I could have listened to her for another hour. The character she creates is complicated, understanding, devious, sentimental, questioning, innocent, treacherous, and deadly all conveyed with the skillful inflections of Willis masterfully controlled voice.
If you are looking for something that’s funny without being a comedy, scary without being gross or horrifying, Broomstick is the show for you. Here are a group of theater artists that do what Open eye does better than any other theater their size, make every aspect of production work perfectly together and make it look like a million dollar show. Lighting Designer Kathy Maxwell, Costume Designer Claire Looker, and Sound Designer C. Andrew Mayer all put their mark on the show. It sounds and looks fantastic, which is one of the things I cherish most about Open Eye Theatre. Broomstick runs through October 31st at Open Eye Theatre in South Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.openeyetheatre.org/broomstick
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Mark Rosenwinkle, Melinda Kordich, Julia Ennen, Armando Harlow Ronconi, Kirby Bennett and Gabriele Angieri Photo by Brian Pierce
This was my third time out to Sidekick Theatre in South West Bloomington and my second time enjoying a meal before the show. I know that for some of my colleagues it seems like a bit of a trek for a show, but I’m to the West of the cities and for me this is much closer than going to St. Paul for a show, which I do on a nearly weekly basis. But honestly the reason I’ve come back for the second and third time is not proximity, it’s because I have been thoroughly entertained and indeed impressed with Sidekick Theatre’s offerings. Over the River and Through the Woods is the best show so far and deserves to be seen by everyone. Laugh out loud funny but also touched with moments of sweetness and truth. Characters and situations that everyone can identify with. The humor flows from life not simply one liners and it works it’s way into our hearts because of it.
The script by Joe DiPietro centers on Nick, an unmarried young man who works in the City in marketing, but comes out every Sunday to Hoboken, New Jersey to have dinner with his maternal and paternal grandparents. As the play opens Nick has uncharacteristically come out on a Thursday because he has something to tell the grandparents. We must be 15 minutes into the play before Nick can get out his announcement, though he’s trying to do so from the moment he walks into the house. The announcement that he has been offered a promotion at work comes with the catch that if he accepts it he will need to move to Seattle. Why does it take so long, because none of them listen to him, his Grandma Aida tries to push food on him non stop throughout the entire run of the play, when Grandma Emma and Grandpa Nunzio arrive he informs the audience that they are the two loudest people he has ever known. Throughout the play the characters break the fourth wall and address the audience directly. Much of the humor, and of humor there is much, comes from Nick’s frustrations in dealing with his Grandparents, whether it’s trying to share news or playing Trivial Pursuit. The humor is character based, the best kind, the type that builds and provides avenues for call backs. It is also full of universal beats that ring true to the audience.
The script is well written to be sure but the cast really make it feel authentic. It’s about growing up and growing older, it’s about family that drives you crazy but that you also love dearly. It is a comedy, but a comedy about characters that you laugh at but also grow to connect and even love. And so it isn’t just about laughs, it also contains moments of sweetness and melancholy. And those only come because we have grown to love these characters and that is thanks to the amazing cast. Armando Harlow Ronconi plays Nick and his performance is built as much on his reactions to the other performers as on what he says and how. He has a gift for portraying frustration and incredulity without every overdoing it, every reaction is perfectly calibrated to find the balance between comic effect and keeping the character grounded in a reality. Kirby Bennett as Grandma Aida finds ways of pushing food on Nick constantly without it ever falling into a repetitive comedic routine. Instead, she finds a way to internalized this repeated action into the core of her character. Mark Rosenwinkel as Grandpa Frank, Gabriele Angieri as Grandpa Nunzio, and Melinda Kordich as Grandma Emma all work together so organically that you feel as if they really have lived next to each other for 50 years. They are remarkably gifted at talking over each other, creating a cacophony of voices through which Nick has to try and navigate and yet which the audience is able to follow word for word. Finally Julia Ennen plays Caitlin, the young woman the Grandparents invite to dinner without telling Nick, hoping he’ll fall in love with her and decide not to move away.
Over the River and Through the Woods runs through November 3rd at Sidekick Theatre in Bloomington for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://sidekicktheatre.com/about-the-show-over-river I highly recommend purchasing the optional meal before the show, I’ve found both the weekend brunch and the weekday lunch options to be delicious. It’s always nice when there is something extra like that to make a trip to the theater a little extra special.
Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.
The First National Touring Company of SOME LIKE IT HOT Photo by Matthew Murphy
Some Like it Hot is probably the most successful non musical movie to stage musical adaptation I’ve ever seen. I’ve written before about how few of these types of musicals justify themselves. For every successful one there are four that had better never been staged. They are either a retread of the movie with forgettable songs like Pretty Woman or in the rare instance they are a completely thrilling productions that wows with stage magic with forgettable songs like Back to the Future. Sometimes they can be fun like Mrs Doubtfire was but mostly they suck like Tootsie. But, they all have one thing in common they are trying to recapture the magic of the films on which they are based. What Some Like it Hot does is transform a classic movie in such a way that it recreates the magic of the film but adds meaning and layers that were not possible when the film was made in 1959 by Billy Wilder. It doesn’t change the plot, and it remains a comedy, but it’s also about something, something much bigger than its source material. I love the film, I’ve seen it at least half a dozen times, I expected to enjoy the musical, and hoped it retained the humor of the original and for a change added some memorable songs. I didn’t expect to see a show that told the story I knew while containing at it’s heart a story of transition and of acceptance.
For those unfamiliar with Wilder’s classic film, which is probably more of you than I imagine, the story is set during prohibition. It begins in Chicago where a couple of musicians Joe and Jerry witness a gangland killing and disguise themselves as women so they can leave town with a all girl band. While the gangsters are searching for them they both become entangled romantically. In California, where they plan to put on their big show after trying it out on the cross country trip, Joe, disguised as Josephine falls for the lead singer of the band, Sugar Cane. He assumes the disguise of a screenwriter named Kip to try and Woo Sugar. Jerry under the name of Daphne is pursued by a millionaire and Root beer heir named Osgood Fielding III. While Joe creates disguises in order to deceive and get what he wants. Jerry finds that his disguise as Daphne is where he finds his truth. This show looks and feels like a movie from the time period in which it is set ,1933. There is no out of place rap songs or rock anthems, the songs sounds as if they come from that period, with the exception of a few lyrics here and there. But one major change that does take place is in the races of the characters. This isn’t a case of color blind casting, Jerry and Joe, who call themselves brothers because they grew up together, are obviously not as one character points out. Jerry is black, Joe is white. Sweet Sue, the bandleader is black as is Sugar and many of the other band members and characters. Race isn’t ignored, The film went to Florida, when Sweet Sue is asked if she is taking the band south on tour, she points out that looking like she does and the way the world is, hell no she isn’t going south. Race isn’t a major theme in the show, but it isn’t ignored either. The show is diverse and it’s theme of acceptance carries over to race as well as gender. Neither the themes of race or gender that are present dominate the show but they add to the emotional core of the show. They will resonate beyond the spotlight especially to those in the audience who see themselves reflected on stage in a way they rarely have.
The film used men in drag as a plot device but also for the outdated comedic trope that a man in a dress is funny in and of itself. Here the creators have jettisoned that trope, I don’t recall any instances where the men being in drag alone was supposed to signify something humorous. Instead it is undeniable that Tavis Kordell, who plays Jerry, is far from being a punchline in his disguise as Daphne, he/she is in fact beautiful. That isn’t coincidental anymore than the fact that the role of Sugar, played in the film by the definitive iconic blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe is here played by Leandra Ellis-Gaston an attractive and talented black actor. These are intentional decisions and they are meant to subvert our expectations and expand our capacity to embrace others and erode our prejudices. Matt Loehr who plays Joe/Josephine along with Kordell and Ellis-Gaston are remarkable tap dancers. Everyone in the cast to be honest is amazing as are the routines that have been designed for them by Choreographer and Director Casey Nicholaw. Dance is a major draw of this show and if you are a fan of Dance, particularly tap, that is just another reason not to miss Some Like it Hot. One amazing sequence has the Gangsters chasing Joe and Daphne, the cops chasing the gangsters, and everyone else jopining in. The use a line of floating doors to playout the chase done in dance as if it were an episode of Scooby-Doo. There are a couple of other standouts in the cast that I wanted to mention. Tarra Conner Jones is commanding as Sweet Sue with impeccable comic timing. Edward Juvier who plays Osgood is a comic delight as well, but he’s also the sweetest person in the play, and perhaps the world. When he sings to Daphne “Fly, Mariposa, Fly” a song about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly he wins over Daphne and the audience. The two of them are the emotional center of the film and the subversion of the films iconic final line is brilliant and meaningful.
Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.
The Twin Cities Horror Festival XIII opens in just over a week and already there are a couple of performances sold out. So if you’re like me and want to see every production make sure to plan ahead so you don’t get left out in the dark. Because let’s face it, it’s kinda scary in the dark. The Country’s longest running horror theatre festival takes place over 11 days from 10/24 through 11/3 at the Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. This year the festivities start a day early with a one night only performance of Leslie Vincent Presents: A Monster & Mayhem Cabaret which has already sold out! I look forward to the TCHF every year since I first covered it in 2019. If you like bumpities and spookables this is like a mini Fringe festival with shows that last an hour or less with a new one beginning every 90 minutes. One huge advantage TCHF has over the Minnesota Fringe is that it’s possible to see every one of the shows! Watch for my reviews throughout the festival and, if you see me there, be sure to stop by and say boo.
Murderinos and monsterheads unite for an evening of cabaret, camp, and costumes. Your host, local jazz chanteuse and former TCHF producer (A Morbid History of Sons and Daughters, Writer’s Room) Leslie Vincent, and her merry band will get you in the Halloween spirit with spooky originals and jazz standards as they were never intended to be sung. One night only!
On its 30th anniversary, a group of New York’s most celebrated Shakespearean actors gather to memorialize the bloodiest theatre riot in American history: the Astor Place Riot. After the matinee performance of Macbeth, a horrible accident backstage leaves Lady M on her death bed. As the actors await news of her fate, they gather in the dressing room, amusing and consoling one another with theatre stories, each in turn confronting the bloody secrets of their past and horrors of the date 30 years ago which binds them all together: May 10th, 1849, The Astor Place Riot.
It’s been 25 years since Debbie, Cara and Lucy have seen each other, and 25 years since Debbie has left her house. But don’t worry, Debbie’s hasn’t been alone, Debbie has her dolls. A high school reunion like no other, three friends try to make sense of strange occurrences throughout their lives, and figure out if an all consuming need to return to Debbie’s house has to do with that demon they tried to summon senior year.
Ratings:
Strong Language-5
Blood-3
Suggested Age 16+
Genres of Performance: Theater
Genres of Horror: Camp Comedy
Warnings: Thunder and Lightning (Loud noise, strobe like effect)
A dark fable, performed entirely through blacklight puppetry, about a Hero’s journey to bring their Beloved back to life with the aid of a dubious Alchemist. The Hero must traverse treacherous lands and face dangerous foes to collect the ingredients needed to concoct the Alchemist’s elixir. How far are they willing to go to defy Death in the name of Love?
Taking a uniquely Dangerous Productions approach, this cast of characters tackles the horrors of the American medical system. its a deeply bloody show with equal parts absurd comedy, slapstick and several gallons of blood spilt
Two great tastes that taste great together! Horror Festival favorites team up to tell 100 tales of horror mythology, over five distinct, themed shows, – “Shapeshifters,” “Demons,” “Undead,” “Outsiders,” and “Beasts” – each bringing their own inimitable style! And nothing goes wrong! NOTHING.
Aster and her boyfriend have disappeared. After five days she is found, her boyfriend is not. She has no memory of what happened and begins suffering psychogenic blackouts when pressed about it. Aster’s world turns to chaos as her fractured memory betrays her. To learn the truth she must come face to face with horrors beyond her imagination.
Written, Directed, and Audio Designed by Duck Washington (All Your White Darlings, My Only Hope For A Hero, Charcoal Moon)
Starring: Angela Fox, Kyle Dekker, Jean Wolff, Tim Uren, Philip D Henry, Rob Ward, Elizabeth Douglas, Eric Thompson, and Ariel Pinkerton
Featuring: Maureen Bourgeois, Elizabeth Douglas and Eric Thompson
Stage Managed by Megan Slawson
Make-Up Effects by Kyle Dekker
Violence by Philip D Henry
Original Music by Dissociate
Costumes by CJ Mantel
Ratings:
Strong Language-4
Blood-4
Suggested Age 16+
Genres of Performance: Theater
Genres of Horror: Psychological, Gore, Supernatural, Monster
Henry loves baseball but hates playing it. And watching it. Yet, his obsession over its rules, balance, and history lead him to create his own tabletop baseball simulation where rolling dice and complicated charts determine myriad, bizarre outcomes. When a player is murdered in the game, the search for the culprit turns a pastime into a nightmare.
Do curses exist? Is the paranormal real? In 1904, two rivals try to uncover a series of mysterious deaths. In 2004, three strangers meet up to investigate a curse. Tonight they’re drawn together to answer the most important question: Is someone in here with us? From the team that brought you Girls in Bins.
Written by Rachel Teagle; Directed by Jenny Moeller
Featuring: Rita Boersma, Megan Kim, Heather Meyer, Mickaylee Shaughnessy, and Ben Tallen
Stage Manager and Gore Goblin: Shea Roberts Gyllen; Additional Special Effects: Victoria Pyan; Props Builder: Caden Wessner
Sometimes you wanna’ go where everybody knows your name, but are they *always* glad you came? Here comes “The Regular,” a story of a guy who walks into a bar…but might not walk out.
Featuring: Sam Landman, Claire Chenoweth, Jay Melchior & Lukas Ramsey.
Written and directed by Josh Carson (A Very Die Hard Christmas, Mad as Nell or How to Lose a Bly in Ten Days, A Justice League of Their Own)
Ratings:
Strong Language-5
Blood-4
Suggested Age 16+
Genres of Performance: Theater
Genres of Horror: Comedy and Psychological Thriller
Gather around the theatrical campfire to hear Twin Cities artists and Horror Fest favorites tell their personal stories with the supernatural. It’s like “Are You Afraid of the Dark”… accept these stories are TRUE.
Special When Lit (THE FAE, INCARNATE, STABBY STAB STAB, KIN) is known for spectacle, and Campfire Stories is no different, with live music and effects to make it a full spooky experience. Trick or Treat: There are two versions of the show in rotation, so you can maximize your Halloween season with more spinetingling content.
Wyatt likes to watch. No, he needs to watch. He’s addicted to the thrill of seeing people eat, clean, read, watch TV, and live their lives. But when his passion starts taking on a life of its
Ratings:
Strong Language-4
Blood-3
Suggested Age 16+
Genres of Performance: Music, Theater, One-Person Show
David Andrew Macdonald, Stacia Rice, Daniel Petzold, Bob Davis, Steve Hendrickson Photo by Rich Ryan
Holmes/Poirot the new play from local favorite Jeffrey Hatcher and Steve Hendrickson finally takes the stage at Park Square Theatre where it was originally scheduled as their annual Summer whodunnit in 2023. To be clear, the delay was to do with Park Square’s Financial struggles, which appear thankfully to be righted, and not an issue with the play itself. This play along with Hatcher’s Holmes and Watson are the most satisfying and clever bits of Sherlockian fiction to come along in a long time. I don’t keep up on all the Holmes pastiches but I’ve read a few over the last year, such as the most recent Nicholas Meyer Novels and Robert J. Harris’s A Study in Crimson. For sheer cleverness and enjoyment, nothing tops Hatchers ingenious mysteries. As with Holmes and Watson, the tag line left me unsure how well it would work. For Holmes Poirot it reads:
“Sherlock Holmes never lost a case. Or did he? In this new mystery Holmes comes up against his most diabolical adversary in a tale of intrigue, international politics, wine and murder. And he’s stymied. Enter Hercule Poirot 25 years later to investigate a new crime that rhymes with the first.”
Park Square Theatre Website
It reads like Holmes fails and Poirot comes in and solves it 25 years later, implying he’s the greater detective, which wasn’t what I wanted to see. In the end, while the tag line isn’t entirely disingenuous, in Act One Holmes doesn’t fail to solve the crime, he makes a choice to not reveal the solution, and that reason feels valid to Baker Street fans. Poirot solves another mystery all together in Act two and is aided by information from Holmes’ earlier case. Like the earlier Holmes and Watson, the script itself elements that turn those synopsis on their heads and lead you to twists not guessed at beforehand. Its been probably a decade since I finished my David Suchet Poirot watch, but parts of the Act Two felt like they were inspired by elements from the Christie Stories, the Golfing, the Tramp, the competition between Poirot and Inspector Giraud, I can’t remember if they all come from the same story or if they’re all separate elements from different stories. But it gave Act Two an authentic Christie feel, that felt as different in style from Act One as Conan Doyle’s writing does to Agatha Christie.
There is so much to love about the casting of this show. First the ingenious casting of Steve Hendrickson and Bob Davis in dual roles in which they swap playing the detective and the sidekick during the two Acts. Hendrickson plays Holmes with Davis as his Watson, roles they have played before. In Act Two Davis plays the detective Hercule Poirot with Hendrickson as his Captain Hastings. Perhaps surprisingly give their histories as Holmes and Watson, I enjoyed them even more as Poirot and Hastings. It’s perhaps the nature of the characters, there is a little more to do with the latter, as they are a tad more emotional and colorful duo. Davis’s Watson in the solid by the book gentleman Doctor, his Poirot is witty, and eccentric. Hendrickson’s Holmes is logical and a bit unemotional, whereas his Captain Hastings has more in common with Bertie Wooster than John Watson. These are fun characterizations made even more enjoyable by watching the complete changes these two leads make between the two acts. Other treats in the casting department, it’s great to see Daniel Petzold back at Park Square where he first drew our attention in Airness and Holmes and Watson. David Andrew Macdonald, who was brilliant last year in the Guthrie Theater’s Jeffrey Hatcher adaptation of Dial M for Murder, then stuck around to help out in the History plays, hopefully this means he’s decided to stay in town and add to our pool of Twin Cities Talent. Also nice to see the return of Stacia Rice to the stage, who gives a wonderful performance and is the one Actor who plays the same character in both Acts.
For mystery fans, Sherlockians, and Poirot devotees Holmes/Poirot will feel like Christmas came early. The show runs through November 3rd at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://parksquaretheatre.org/box-office/20242025-season
Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.
Jesse March and Kathryn Cesarz Photo by Dan Norman
I journeyed up to St. Croix Falls for the world premiere of Heck, billed as a new musical comedy by the stars of the show and co-directors Kathryn Cesarz and Jesse March. We made a day of it, doing some hiking across the river in Taylors Falls, enjoying an old fashioned ice cream soda on main street, dinner at supper club and a little shopping. And if you are traveling from the cities to see the show, that’s what I recommend you do as well as I’m not sure the show itself justifies the two and a half plus hour round trip drive. But it is amusing enough as the capper to a days adventure. It feels less like a musical comedy and more like a comedy with a few songs as it felt like there were about five or six songs, three of which really seemed to add something to the show. To be sure, one of them was really a showstopper performed by Kathryn Cesarz and Alexandria Neyhart playing Madam Satan and Gabby (The Archangel Gabriel). What works best and ultimately swings this show into the positive column is the comedy. The individual bits and characters are very funny, though there are a too many storylines that seem poorly defined and in the end, don’t really seem to add up to anything. It isn’t that there isn’t a plot, it’s just that the show seems relatively unconcerned with it and as such, it isn’t very clearly defined. You get to the end and most of the characters are right where they were at the start, and you feel like every storyline was resolved, but you’re not really sure what they all were about anyway.
The positives are much easier to define and really do make the experience enjoyable. First off, is Jesse March’s turn as Satan’s emotional support demon Belpho. March is a truly gifted clown, interacting with the audience in an easy going manner, and always finding the perfect line reading to achieve the largest laughs possible. Cesarz’s Madam Satan, is less concerned with being funny, but she has the character’s air of cold aloofness, superiority, and a touch of the dominatrix down perfectly. Evan Grande gives voice and brings to life the puppet demon Squee, assisted by Mary Margaret Hughes, and Lindsey Fry. Squee is a very successful creation, the three performers work in collaboration in full view of the audience to bring him to life, but very quickly you stop looking at the puppeteers and only see the puppet as a character. The puppet created by Michael Pettit is really an exceptional creation. Final performance note Theater Blogger Alex Lauer of https://onefanshow.com/ gave an award worthy performance as audience member pulled on stage to have their mind read.
For more information and to purchase tickets to Heck which runs through October 27th in St. Croix Falls WI go to https://www.festivaltheatre.org/
Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.
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