Lorna Landvik is the best selling local author of over a dozen books including Patty Jane’s House of Curl and its sequel Once in a Blue Moon Lodge. I’d seen Landvik previously at a book signing for another author, but this was my first experience of her as a performer outside that of an author speaking. Taking in her show On Laugh Support With Lorna Landvik, I knew it was a comedic show but I didn’t realize that it was primarily improv. But it’s improv like I’ve never seen before because she’s the only performer. I’m used to seeing improvisational comedy with several different performers all working with each other to create something funny. This was a neat variation on that style and Landvik doesn’t need anyone else to actively play off of. And in the odd moments when she does she invites someone from the audience up to bounce things off of. Now if that’s the kind of sentence that gives you panic attacks, be assured no one is bullied onto stage, volunteers are asked for, so you can simply not put yourself forward. Of course, the more the audience participates, whether it’s volunteering or shouting out suggestions when they are requested the more fun you’ll have.
What can I tell you about the show? It’s improv and so it’s going to be different at every performance. I can tell you that Landvik is very good at creating multiple characters on the fly and that she has a gift for storytelling. I can also tell you that she is very funny. But I don’t know if that tells you very much. I guess the thing I would tell you is whether you want to get up on stage or not, at least when it’s time to shout out suggestions, don’t be shy. This really is the kind of show where the better the audience the better the show. So don’t invite along Uncle Bob who’s lost his hearing and his hearing aids. Do bring six of your most fun friends, and their dates, come early to get the best seats and enjoy dinner in the theater before and during the show. They have full menu and drink service inside the theater, doors open at 6:00 for the 7:00 PM showtimes. The food is very good and along with the usual bar drink fare, they have a lot of great N/A, from mocktails and THC drinks to the a nice variety of N/A Beers.
On Laugh Support With Lorna Landvik runs through January 31st at Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.bryantlakebowl.com/theater
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.
Faithful readers will know that this is not my first time trying to assist a bunch of actors solve a crime. But it is fair to say I’ve never successfully unmasked the killer/thief. Tonight was no exception. Yes I love a whodunnit but no, I’m not very good as a detective. Which would only matter if I was competitive, which I’m not. Just like board games or trivia nights, I don’t care if I win, I just like to play. This is my fourth Mystery Cafe adventure and it’s surprising how different they can be. This one set at an all years class reunion for Mellencamp High School, “Go Cougars!!!” differed from the others I’ve attended in that it featured less of the broad humor I’d come to expect from The Mystery Cafe. There is still humor so don’t be disappointed when you read that, but this one isn’t quite as overflowing with the kind of Dad joke, punny, and broad humor that I’ve noticed in the previous productions. That’s not a good or bad thing, just a difference. This one like all of them is possible to solve, my problem is I get hung up on motives when everyone has one. The key is to think about who had opportunity, who knew things that others didn’t, who lied about something. If you ask yourself more than just who had a motive, you can logically get there.
The cast of this production is a lot of fun. You have Adam Fielitz as Jack to Heather Meyer’s Diane. Jackie was gon’ be a football star, Diane’s debutante backseat of Jackie’s car, along with Class President, head cheerleader, Prom and Homecoming Queen. But that was years ago, now they are a middle aged married couple. Diane is still trying to run the world including organizing the Class Reunion, while her ex-jock husband who seems to have suffered a few too many concussions runs her father’s car dealership. Pete Colburn plays Principal Blake who is devastated by the fact that come Monday morning they are tearing down Mellencamp Senior High, where he has spent the last 40 years. Standing by him to wipe his nose and keep the school organized is the school secretary Ms. Belleweather played by Brittany Oberstadt, who has a secret crush. Acting as D.J. is Patina played by Jessika Wheeler who has some pretty funny music queues, but also spins some fun tunes. As Stanley, the class nerd who made it big, is Josh Carson fresh off his sold out run of the final season on A Very Die Hard Christmas. Stanley wants revenge on everyone who went to the High School. When secrets are revealed and it’s clear that he has something horrible in store for everyone of the other characters, you begin to think to yourself. He’s the baddie, he’s definitely going to get killed because everyone here has a motive to kill him. And that’s all I’m going to say about the plot of the show.
If you enjoy trying to solve mysteries, eating a nice meal while interacting at whatever your comfort level is with actors, and getting caught in the rain, you’ll enjoy any of The Mystery Cafe Shows. They have another show running through January as well called Til Death Do Us Die which I saw and enjoyed last year click here to read that review https://bit.ly/41TqaJh . For more about Alma Murder: A Killer Class Reunion and to purchase tickets go to https://www.themysterycafe.com/alma-murder. The Mystery Cafe can also be hired to perform for private functions whether it’s a family reunion or office party. The stories and humor are always PG and just good clean fun for everyone. I enjoy them immensely and have given tickets as gifts two years in a row now. Hopefully there is a new show or two next year so I can make it into a tradition.
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.
As I close the books on 2024 I always like to look back and reflect on the shows I saw and the accomplishments of this site. Before I look at my favorite shows of the year I want to look at The Stages of MN itself. In April of this year I ruptured the bicep of my right (dominant) arm. This made me unable to type out my reviews and forced me to adopt for the short term voice recognition software in order to continue writing. That was a difficult adjustment as verbally is not the way I process what I want to write. It also required a lot of one handed manual corrections. It is not a tool I utilized any longer than I had too. But one good thing did come from that period. Out of necessity the reviews got shorter, and as a result probably more readable. I have for the most part tried to maintain the more reader friendly length of reviews and I think that is ultimately a good thing. I get a little more sleep, readers are more likely to read the entire review. Perhaps the only folks that miss out at times are the technical Theater departments. Theirs are the contributions most often left out or at least shortened, to be honest they are also the areas most difficult to write about meaningfully. When it works I frequently don’t notice, when it’s great I still call it out, when it’s bad I don’t dwell on it. Overall, I think this has been an improvement and I hope you agree.
Reflecting that adjustment to word count, in 2024 I posted 147 blog entries compared to 146 in 2023. The word count in 2024 is 18,000 less words than 2023. Views to The Stages of MN in 2024 grew by 19,000 over the views in 2023. So the site continues to grow steadily which means more people are seeing the reviews which hopefully means more people are getting out to see live theater. Readers can help the site grow by making sure you are following The Stages of MN on Facebook and Instagram. When you see a review you like, like it, when you see one you love share it. Encourage friends to follow as well, the more visibility, the further the reach, the more likely someone who isn’t a regular theatergoer will see a post and hopefully be inspired to check out a show. Creating new audiences for live theater needs to be the objective of anyone in theater or in love with theater. The second objective is to create or promote great theater. Which will hopefully help realize goal three which is to turn occasional theatergoers into regular theatergoers. I’m trying to do my part, I saw more theater this year that any year previous. I saw 190 shows in 2023 compared to 200 in 2024. I wrote reviews of 192 separate productions. I made my first trip to New York City seeing three shows as well as being there for the NYC debut of local Jazz vocalist and actor Leslie Vincent. While I didn’t write reviews of those shows I do feel that the experience benefits you faithful readers as it expands my knowledge and experience of the theater world.
The Best of 2024
Let’s start with Broadway alone because they were all great and if I lumped them in with touring shows as I first planned too, I’d only have 2 slots left for the touring shows.
King Lear (NYC): This was the highlight of my year and the whole reason I finally made it to NYC. Seeing one of my favorite Actor/Director/Writers Kenneth Branagh perform live was a dream come true and he did not disappoint.
The Outsiders: A New Musical (NYC): This was an amazing adaptation of the classic young adult novel. The production design and choreography were unbelievable. I cannot wait for a touring production of this show so I can compare and share with you all.
Suff: The Musical (NYC): This was an incredibly inspirational show that I saw days before the 2024 Presidential election. It was a last blast of optimism and couldn’t have been more timely.
Touring shows, I saw 15 that qualify it that category in 2024 and the below were the top 5 in alphabetical order.
Back to the Future: The Musical (Orpheum Theatre): My favorite film at one time in my life, this one had an uphill battle to justify its existence and avoid negative comparisons. What it lacks in terms of great new songs it more than makes up for in stage magic. The best blending of practical effects and projection I’ve ever seen. I believed a DeLorean could fly.
Come From Away (Ordway Center for Performing Arts): This was my third time seeing Come From Away, it’s a top ten show for me.
Les Misérables (Orpheum Theatre): Third time for this show as well, but this one grows on me more and more. It’s gone from really good in my book to great over the course of my history with the play.
The Lion King (Orpheum Theatre): First time, I know WHAT?!?!?! it’s everything I’d heard it was, beautifully realized adaptation of the Disney film, with amazing production design.
Some Like It Hot (Orpheum Theatre): Maybe the best nonmusical film to musical stage show I’ve ever seen. Wonderful way to adapt a period piece in a way that reflects our modern attitudes. Great choreography, songs, and performances.
Top 5 locally produced musicals in alphabetical order.
McAdo (Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company): I loved the design and original materials written for this hilarious updating of The Mikado. Stand out Comedic performance from Robert Brandt as well.
Rent (Artistry): This is a top 5 musical for me and Artistry took a show I know so well and successfully did some new things with it that really worked.
Scotland, PA (Theater Latté Da): Creative adaptation of a cult film adaptation of Macbeth set in a fast food restaurant. Great ensemble cast, that kept dropping like flies but the understudies were brilliant. Great stage magic as well especially the face in the deep fryer moment (now you are wishing you’d seen it aren’t you?).
The Sound of Music (Artistry): A favorite from childhood, this production wonderfully directed by Max Wojtanowicz with a vocally pure performance by Sheena Janson Kelley as Maria.
The Spitfire Grill (Ten Thousand Things): Amazing cast led by Katherine Fried who knocked me out of my seat with the first notes out of her mouth, more on her later. Honorable mention to St. Croix Festival Theatre for their production as well.
Top 5 locally produced Plays in alphabetical order.
Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (Lyric Arts): I love love love these Christmas at Pemberley plays. Lyric Arts’ production was as good as the Jungle production two years ago. Amazing cast including the yet to make a wrong move Noah Hynick, more on him as well later. First let me say that if you ever see there is a production of one of the three Christmas at Pemberley plays running near you, just go, they are all brilliantly written. Second, let me reiterate my wish that some theater company mount all three plays in Rep some November/December period. It would be a massive undertaking so The Guthrie is probably the best bet, but I don’t see them tackling it, so maybe Park Square, Theater Latté Da, Jungle Theater, or Lyric Arts.
Hamlet (The Great River Shakespeare Festival): This was the best production of Hamlet I’ve ever seen. In a space that doesn’t allow for a lot in the way of production design Director Doug Scholz-Carlson used darkness particularly effectively makeing the supernatural aspects of the play take on a very visceral and chilling feel.
Ironbound (Frank Theatre) Everything about this production floored me but most of all was the performance of Brittany D. Parker in the lead role. It was the best performance I saw all year and I sure hope we see more of her in 2025.
The Lehman Trilogy (Guthrie): This three and a half hour play performed by three actors playing multiple characters across several generations,telling the story of the rise and fall of real life financial company Lehman Brothers had tedious written all over it. And then it was brilliant in every aspect, riveting, educational, funny, tragic, epic.
Stones in His Pockets (Theater Latté Da): A two actor show with Tom Reed and Reed Sigmund each playing a dozen or so characters. Very funny, and a great showcase for two very talented performers.
Every year I add a few performers to my list of “Must See” Actors, Dancers, Singers that I come across throughout the year that I either hadn’t seen before or that really drew my attention that year. They aren’t always new to me, but they did something that made me take notice and say, let’s keep an eye on that one. This year I have four names that I have added to the list that already includes Tyler Michaels King, Max Wojtanowicz, Joy Dolo, Shanan Custer, Daniel Petzold, Em Rosenberg, Jeffrey Nolan, Allison Vincent, and Brendan Nelson Finn to name a few.
First up is Brittany D. Parker whom I believe I’ve only ever seen in one production and that was Ironbound this year from Frank Theatre.
“Brittany D. Parker plays Darja, I hadn’t expected to see someone “new” to me so early in 2024 that blew my socks off through my shoes and up over the audience so that I had to spend 10 minutes after the performance looking around the auditorium for them. If I’ve seen her before and have just forgotten, I apologize. If she just hasn’t been performing much I’d like to know why the hell not? Accent, perfect. Timing, perfect. Emotional openness, I’ll say. There isn’t a moment in the play that Parker doesn’t make what feels like the only possible performance choice and it’s mesmerizing. Never have I seen a performer bring to life a character so strong and in control that you know she can take care of herself, and it makes you want to take care of her. Before I move onto the rest of the cast I just want to welcome Brittany D. Parker onto the list of performers that I will try and see everything they do going forward. I know we just announced the winners of the TCTB Awards last week, but the competition just kicked into high gear for 2024’s best performance and Parker’s is going to be a tough one to top.”
From my review of Ironbound 1/20/2024
Second up is Katherine Fried whose performances in The Spitfire Grill from Ten Thousand Things came out of nowhere and gave me goosebumps. She followed that up with a turn in the wildly creative Scotland, PA at Theater Latté Da.
“When Katherine Fried who plays Percy begins to sing “A Ring Around the Moon” from her prison cell at the opening of the play, you know you’re in for something special. Fried’s voice is stunning as is every aspect of her performance.”
From my review of The Spitfire Grill 5/5/2024
“The leads are Will Dusek who recently played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys as Mac, and his girlfriend Pat is played by Katherine Fried who absolutely bowled me over last spring as Percy in The Spitfire Grill. They both give their all again here and besides sounding great they bring the desperation and guilt to life quite believably.”
From my review of Scotland, PA 10/4/2024
Third on the list is Grace Hillmyer who I saw in Kinky Boots at Lyric Arts and then again at the end of the year at the Jackdonkey Misfits Cabaret fundraiser.
“If there is a flaw with this show it’s in the script which should have given the character of Lauren, played by Hillmyer, more time. Hillmyer’s portrayal is so adorably quirky, everytime she gets the spotlight she sparkles but not in a flashy way it’s more of a twinkle. It’s hard to say what it is about the performance other than it’s great character work, it’s comedic, and vulnerable and undeniably endearing to the audience.”
From my review of Kinky Boots 7/12/2024
Last but by no means least is Noah Hynick who has been on my radar for a couple of years now, but this feels like the year he broke out. From Radiant Vermin to the same end of year Misfits Cabaret as I saw Miss Hillmyer in Hynick can no longer be ignored.
“Hynick and Baack give fantastic performances and hats off to the dialect coach Gillian Constable, because they sound authentically British with Hynick having a distinctly early Hugh Grant quality minus the poshness. Their performances really shine in the reenactment of the garden party in which they each play along with Ollie and Jill at least four other characters” … “I’m not sure if Lyric Arts has Hynick under exclusive contract or what, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him on stage anywhere else, but everything he’s been in at Lyric he has impressed the hell out of me.”
From my review of Radiant Vermin 3/2/2024
“Hynick, who seems to be a strong component of the majority of Lyric Arts productions over the last few years plays Black Stache, the pirate villain of the piece. Hynick plays into the absurdity of scenes but also knows when to be the one who’s smarter than everyone else and sees how silly everyone is being.”
From my review of Peter and the Starcatcher 9/8/2024
“Noah Hynick, frankly I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hynick be anything but perfect in a role. I’m not sure how Lyric Arts seems to have him under exclusive contract, after a performance like this I ask myself again, why isn’t this guy cast in everything at the Guthrie. He is as gifted in his gestures and reactions as he is in his line reading choices. The first time I can remember coming across Mr. Hynick was in 2022 when he appeared in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley at Lyric Arts and since it feels like he’s been in most of Lyric Arts productions, his timing is unerring, and it’s time to officially add him to the must see list, though he was already there to be honest.”
From my review of Georgiana & Kitty Christmas at Pemberley 11/23/2024
It was another great year for theater and I’m looking forward to 2025, I hope you are as well. I write about theater and love it but I’m not a extrovert. That said, I do enjoy meeting readers and artists, so if you see me at the theater, please do stop over and say hi. Finally a note on Twin Cities Theater Chat (TCTC), the Twin Cities Theater Blogger (TCTB) podcast. Last spring our Producer got a day job and that put us in hiatus for a bit. It’s unclear at this time whether the podcast will start up again in the future or not. I’d appreciate, if you read this far, if folks would post a comment either here or in Facebook, or email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com, or messenger my personal facebook account whether or not you are interested in a podcast on the Twin Cities theater scene. If there is enough of an interest and TCTC doesn’t come back I may explore the idea of creating one for The Stages of MN. Also the TCTB and or The Stages of Mn are always open to partnering Theaters to participate or facilitate pre and post show discussions or events. So if that is of interest reach out as well. Thanks as always for your continued support faithful readers, now in the immortal words of Carol Jackson “Go see a show!”
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.
Juyeon Song and Jenna Agbayani Photo by Dan Norman
The Heart Sellers by Lloyd Suh tells the story of two women who are recent immigrants to the US in 1973. But what it’s about is the journey of friendship, or more pointedly the birth of friendship. My wife commented as we made our way out of the theater how universal friendship between women is. Suh tells what seems like a very specific story about two women, Jane and Luna, who are strangers in a strange land. Both friendless and yearning to connect to someone. The play opens as they arrive at Luna’s apartment after having struck up a conversation at the grocery store. Both of their husbands are doing their medical residency and since it is Thanksgiving and they are foreign, they get to work the holiday. Jane and Luna are drawn to each other, as so many of us are to new friends, by what we have in common. When they arrive their interactions betray their uncertainty, Luna talks incessantly, nervously trying to make this new acquaintance feel at home. Jane is quiet and timid at first, overwhelmed by Luna’s nervous energy. It’s the awkward dance we all know when we feel a connection but are unsure how to nurture it without smothering it. Over the course of the evening the women will open up, a couple of bottles of wine, as well as to each other.
Jenna Agbayani as Luna and Juyeon Song as Jane let the trust and connection between the characters blossom slowly and believably throughout the evening. They share information about their days alone while their husbands are at work. Looking for more links between them, they tell about their families back home, what they dream of doing. Slowly they both relax, Luna talks less and Jane more. Agbayani and Song who played the roles previously opposite each other are exquisite in their nuanced portrayal of two women for whom the common language is foreign to them. But the need to connect is as my wife put it, universal. They get pulled along through uncertainty and discomfort by a shared need to engage, to find someone to break them from their isolation. They find humor in the smallest bits of dialogue and a deeper bond in their shared fears developes. And while part of the play is certainly about their specific situations as new immigrant housewives in 1970’s America, it’s really a story of the beginning of a friendship. By the end, one imagines that if we were able to follow these characters into the future to the end of their lives they would still be sitting on a couch next to each other having been witness to each other’s lives. We feel as though we are privileged to be a part of the beginning of something beautiful. Agbayani and Song create such vivid characters that they go on in our minds long after we have left the theater. We want to spend more time with them, to feel along with them the building of the community that these two women are destined to birth.
May Adrales directs The Heart Sellers with such a light touch that everything seems completely unscripted, from every line of dialogue to every move in the blocking. The costumes by Junghyun Georgia Lee are perfect extensions of the characters, Luna, who is more outgoing is dressed like a 1970’s woman, in clothes that have a little more character to them. Jane is more reserved and her dress could have been worn by a woman in any decade, it’s conservative and reflects a simple but graceful taste. The Set Design by Wilson Chin is intricately detailed and grounds the entire productions in a way that enhances our sense that these characters are real people. I also want to mention in conjunction with the Set Design the Sound Designer/Composer Fabian Obispo and Lighting Designer Kat C. Zhou. As the play opens Obispo’s music comes up in synch with the lights in the windows of the apartment buildings that make up the backdrop of the stage, it’s a moment that echoes the birth of a new day, a very zen moment for me. Zhou also had a nice lighting queue when Luna turns on the TV and we see the old Blueish white glow that used to shine on the faces of black and white TV viewers.
The Heart Sellers runs about 90 minutes with no intermission and this is one of the few times that I wish a play was longer. I didn’t want to leave these characters, I felt as though I had been a part of a new friendship coming into existence and I didn’t want that feeling to end. The Heart Sellers runs through January 25th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2024-2025-season/the-heart-sellers/
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.
This was my second year attending Holiday Office Party at Strike Theater. This is a long form improvisational comedy, which means everything you see at your show is being made up on the spot and that all of it fits together as one cohesive story. So that means two things, first and most importantly, if you love it, you can go again and see a completely new show! Secondly, anything I tell you specifically wouldn’t matter because those jokes wouldn’t appear at another performance. So what can I tell you besides that the performance I saw was really funny? Well, there is the set up which you should be able to inuit from the title. Essentially, we are watching a group of coworkers at their company holiday party. Each of the performers becomes a character which they develop over the course of the show. Much of the humor comes from clever call backs to things that happened earlier. For instance, at our performance one of the characters, played by Anna Tobin, explains to her coworkers that she is an orphan. Every detail of her story is brought up again later in the show building on the groundwork that Tobin set up at the beginning. That running gag throughout the show referenced not only by her character but others not even in scenes with her adds to the sense of this as a story unfolding before us rather than just improv moments. That’s what the best Improv performers bring to a show, not just a quick wit but the ability to create an arc for the character within the improvisational framework of a piece.
So I’ve seen some great improv at theaters like Strike, where Holiday Office Party is running, and the sadly closed Huge Improv Theater in Uptown. I’ve also seen some not so great improv, so how do you know what improv to spend your hard earned money and precious time on? Well the best way to hedge your bets is become familiar with the performers and producers of improv and watch for their shows. Holiday Office Party is produced and directed by Mike Fotis who is one of the co-founders of Strike Theater. I’ve seen Mike perform in the shows he’s created before so I know from those that he’s a good bet. Fotis appears in this show but he’s directing the show by the use of lights. So basically the performers know during specific video text prompts what the next scene will be, for example it might say “the party continues”. The performers know to form small groups in designated areas of the stage and when Mike turns the light on their area that is their cue to speak. Fotis then determines when a scene has run its course and will turn the lights off and redirect us to another group. So that’s a name for the improv novices to remember Mike Fotis. When you see him, he’s either performing or behind the scenes you’ll know you are in good hands. In fact, since he’s directing the show he’s on stage much less than the other performers, but when he jumps in, the energy on stage gets an adrenaline shot. He’s been doing improv for a long time and his skills are on another level.
But here’s the thing, Fotis is a guy who works with and casts the best, there isn’t anyone in the cast who didn’t have a great show. There was one recurring scene clearly based on the Pam and Jim trope of the office co-workers who should be together but never quite get up the courage to move beyond flirting. The performers Sam Baker-Harris and Nels Lennes take on that role this year and the talk in our car on the way home was “are they a couple in real life?” because we were all buying the attraction. In the end, my wife convinced us they weren’t because they didn’t kiss at the end, but they sure seemed like they wanted too. The entire cast comes up with funny moments throughout but I can’t describe everyone’s bit; however, they were all fantastic and hilarious so I do want to mention everyone in the cast. Along with those already mentioned the cast included Erik Hoversten, Kerri O’Halloran, Christian Unser, Heather Meyer, Nels Lennes, Jonathan Adri Feld, Gubby Kubik-Nielsen, Matt Prindle, Lacey Mamak and Amee Nefzger Banks. The show runs for three more performances December 22nd, December 27th and December 28th at 7:30 PM. For more information about this and other shows at Strike Theater and to purchase tickets go to https://www.strike.theater/shows.html
This Holiday season why not start a new tradition of taking in a live theater production with family and friends? It’s a great way to create lasting memories and will give you something to look forward to every year as you experience the magic of live theater. Whether your budget is large or small, there is a show for you. Looking for gift ideas? Don’t we all have enough “stuff”? Give the gift of live theater, go to your favorite theaters website, see what shows they have coming up in the new year and give the gift of an experience over material.
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.
Santa’s Surprise Party is the party to attend this holiday season. This new show from The Mechanical Division, the brainchild of Ben Thietje and Amanda White formerly of DalekoArts, continues that Theater’s tradition of holiday fun. Directed by White who plays the voice of Jessica Claus and written by Thietje who appears in the cast as an elf named Sandwich. The show takes place at an assembly of the ELFS (Midwest Chapter). While waiting for the meeting to start Mrs. Clause joins the meeting through Microsoft Teams and reminds the Chapter that it’s Santa’s 250th birthday and so far none of the other Chapters has even said happy birthday to Santa. This Chapter is going to be the last meeting and it’s up to them to wish Santa a happy birthday and raise his spirits. Before they can begin to make plans, a human discovers them inside the building without permission. They must use elf magic to keep him from leaving and with his help they plan a surprise party for Santa.
I don’t want to give away the best bits or the surprises in store so I’m going to keep things vague. First off, if you enjoy Christmas at all and love a good laugh, you’ll want to snatch up tickets for the three remaining performances. If the show I was at tonight wasn’t sold out, there couldn’t have been more than one or two seats left. I’ve written before about a game we sometimes play on the drive home from a show called who was your favorite. When you can’t name who was your favorite, it’s either one of two things, no one is any good, or everyone is perfectly cast in their roles. This is the latter. Let’s start with Ben Thietje usually cast as the romantic lead due to his matinee idol looks, completely disappears into the role of Sandwich. He’s the nerdy, not dealing with a full deck, possibly a touch psychotic elf with slicked over hair and glasses with lenses as thick as coke bottles. He’s found the character and never breaks from it whether he’s pushing to burn the human or just in the background ritually touching a Christmas light. He hasn’t the fewest lines but makes the biggest impression. Siri Hellerman plays Bing Bong, the President of the Midwest Chapter of ELFS. She runs the meeting like a pro and knows exactly how to keep control of everyone, but is particularly adept at calming Sandwich down with a sip from a juice box. Hellerman handles such absurd moments so matter of factly that they become even funnier. Nora Sonneborn who really caught my attention earlier in the year in Lyric Arts Production of 9 to 5 proves that notice was well deserved, she has comedic chops and displays once again a really strong singing voice, which I’d like to have had even more of. Bradley Beahen who serves as the Music Director also plays Sprinkles. Beahen whom I’m used to seeing mainly as a Music Director is great in the role and his rendition of “Like a Virgin” but with festive lyrics is a blast. Finally, Patrick Kozicky plays Cole, the human who reluctantly helps them plan the party. Kozicky masterfully captures the human responses to the ridiculousness of the elfs. I loved watching him process the rules to the elf party games like Tinsel and Tickle and Elf or Dare.
Santa’s Surprise Party is everything it needs to be, it has holiday spirit, a touch of darkness, a ton of super silly elf nonsense, and even some great singing. It runs a quick 70 minutes with no intermission so there’s still plenty of time in your evening to get presents wrapped and nog some eggs. It runs through 12/21 at The Hive Collaborative in St. Paul, which if you haven’t been, you’re in for a treat. It’s just about the coziest little theater there is, bring some cash so you can make a donation and enjoy some snacks and beverages. Plus whether you need it or not, visit the furthest restroom, or perhaps I should say the Batroom. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.thehivecollaborativemn.com/events/santas-surprise-party
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. But that’s not all! Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.
The Little Mermaid is a musical based on the 1989 Disney animated film of the same name. When the animated film came out it ushered in a second golden age of animation for Walt Disney Studios which had been floundering for over a decade. It also introduced the the musical form to a new generation, suddenly there was an animated film that had great songs. It was like a Broadway musical, but in animated form. It’s no surprise that it would be adapted into a Broadway musical years later. The strange thing is that Universal turned Wicked into a two part movie the first part running as long as the stage musical, and it works great. Disney has taken the reverse route and turned an 83 minute film into a two and a half hour stage musical, and it’s too much. The show would be really good at 90 minutes, and would be perfect for it’s target audience. At well over two hours even without the intermission time, it’s padded with songs that just are nowhere near as good as the originals by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Am I saying skip it? No I’m not, I just want you to go in with the correct expectations. What works, works great. Those original songs are still great. And the production design, specifically all of the stage magic employed to create a world under the sea is fantastic. You will believe a Mermaid can fly.
The cast is game, they are doing their best to sell those new songs. Leianna Weaver as Ariel has a wonderful voice, which is a good thing given that the Prince has fallen in love with the voice. My other favorite in the cast was Dana Orange as the crab Sebastian, partly because my two favorite songs from the show are “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl”, which are very Sebastian centric. Orange captures that calypso voice I loved from the film perfectly. By the way, if you don’t know the plot of The Little Mermaid by now, and need a synopsis to help you decide whether or not to go. This isn’t the show for you. If you loved the movie and those songs, you’ll have a really nice time with this. I attended with a ten year old girl and a twelve year old boy, neither of whom had seen the movie, and they both enjoyed it, the young lady more than the young man, but it still elicited a thumbs up from both. So take your kids they will be amazed at all of the visual tricks and special effects. But this doesn’t transcend and become a crossover show. This is not The Lion King. But hats off to the design team and cast for making it worth the extended run time.
The Little Mermaid runs through December 29th at The Ordway Center for Performing Arts in St. Paul. For More information and to purchase tickets go to https://ordway.org/events/disneys-little-mermaid/
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 Stages of MN
Stay informed with curated content and the latest headlines, all delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now to stay ahead and never miss a beat!
You must be logged in to post a comment.