Triple Espresso Keeps the Audience Wired and Alert at the Plymouth Playhouse

Bill Arnold, Michael Pearce Donley, and Bob Stromberg Photo by Camille Branham – BTE Media!

Triple Espresso is a show I’ve seen signs and ads for seemingly my entire adult life. But, I’ve never seen it until now. Many of you will have seen the show, at one point it played annually for 13 years at The Music Box in Minneapolis. It hold records in cities across the world as the longest running show, it’s earned over $50 Million dollars in ticket sales and been seen by over 2 million patrons. How am I just seeing it now? Whatever the reason I’m glad I finally had the opportunity to sample the beans. For those in the dark, roasted the plot is a reunion of three guys who as far as I can tell never really even had an act, they just wound up in one disaster after another together. As they reunite on stage, they tell the story of their misadventures which we see played out in flashbacks. There is a fair amount of audience participation, get seats in the back corners if you you don’t want to run the risk of being part of the show. What I really enjoyed about Triple Espresso is that it’s the kind of show you can bring the whole family to. It’s clean humor, the jokes are nonstop and wide ranging from comedic magic tricks, songs, and even shadow puppets.

The show is being performed for the majority of the run by the original creators Michael Pearce Donley, Bob Stromberg, and Bill Arnold. John Bush, who has performed the role in Des Moines Iowa, will take over the role of Bobby in the third week and then be joined by his fellow Des moines castmates Patrick Albanese and Paul Somers on select dates. All six of the performers have done the show thousands of times all over the world, so if you can’t make it to the first three weeks, I’m sure you’ll be a good hands. It’s the sort of show that some people will laugh all the way through and then say that was sort of stupid. Well you know what? Try it. The jokes are funny because they seem to flow naturally and sure many are corny and seem like obvious plays on words. It’s like when a magician reveals how a trick is done, you are wowed as it’s happening and then once you know how it’s done you scoff at it because it seems so simple. So don’t ask how it’s done, enjoy the wonder and amazement you feel as it’s happening. Enjoy the laughs as they come and get caught up in the thrill of joining in with a group having a great time. If the jokes feel obvious once you stop laughing, don’t forget the part where you were laughing. It always looks easy when someone does something effortlessly, but believe me it takes creativity, wit, and practice to write and perform a show like Triple Espresso. It is the kind of show that everyone can enjoy and laugh at, but if having fun isn’t you cup of tea, skip it. I for one wish I’d brought all my grown children, siblings and parents with me. Or a group of friends, what a fantastic night out with loved ones this would be.

Triple Espresso runs through August 11th at the Plymouth Playhouse in (three guesses, the first two don’t count) Plymouth! For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.tickettailor.com/events/tripleespressoplymouthplayhouse/1084614#

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 never has to 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. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . Now you too can be in the know about all the fabulous theater happening in and around the Twin Cities.

Kinky Boots Makes a Splash at Lyric Arts in Anoka

Grace Hillmyer, Mitchell Douglas, and Erik Speegle Photo by Molly Weibel

Kinky Boots might just be the best thing playing in the Twin Cities area right now. Based on the 2005 film the musical features a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, that’s a winning combination and it pays off big time. They provide the basis for the show but it’s the cast that really makes this show sing. I usually prefer to use production photos in my reviews, but I wasn’t provided one that really showcased the three outstanding leads Grace Hillmyer, Mitchell Douglas, and Erik Speegle. Speegle plays Charlie whose family shoe business, Price and Sons, is not how he wants to spend his life. After his father’s sudden death he has to return home to take care of business, only to find that the business is family but no one wants well made shoes anymore, they want cheap shoes. After a chance encounter with Lola, a drag queen played by Douglas, he hits upon the idea of making the titular kinky boots, based on a suggestion from Lauren, played by Hillmyer. Rather than close down the shoe factory the decide to try and save it by catering to a niche market, crossdressing men. Will they save the factory? Will the factory workers accept Lola as the new designer? Will they even accept Lola as a person? Even if I told you the answers you’d still need to see the show, it’s not about the story it’s about the message and the way it’s delivered. Director Vanessa Brooke Agnes has made the journey to these answers one well worth taking.

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. She’s in love with Charlie who doesn’t get to sparkle, he’s the one with all the responsibility and Speegle, whose new to me does a nice job playing the straight man, though at times he seems a little unsure what to do with his hands. Where he gets to shine is whenever he sings, as good as everyone in the cast is, Speegle for my money had the best voice, possibly second to Daze Bishop who as George, the factory manager and part of the ensemble, only got a brief moment of singing on their own, but it was eye opening. Undoubtedly the star of the show is Mitchell Douglas whose performance as Lola sparkles in the flashy way that Lola would not have any different. Douglas moves as if he was born wearing heels and he nails Jaclyn McDonald’s choreography. In full drag costume he is stunningly beautiful, with attitude and confidence to spare. Then suddenly there are moments in his performance of vulnerability, it’s a remarkable performance and it deserves to be seen by as many people as can get tickets. Hats off to the entire cast but particularly to those playing Lola’s Angels, his backup drag queens, they have the moves down, and it was such a pleasure to watch their performances, they all were amazing.

It’s not often with my schedule that I even entertain the idea of seeing a show more than once. But Kinky Boots is one I’m seriously considering a second trip to see. The show runs through August 11th at Lyric Arts in Anoka for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/kinky-boots

The complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) at the Phoenix Theater in Uptown

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare!!!! Who’s got time for that? You say. Well honestly, everyone does. you see with some judicious cuts, the authors of this production Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield have managed to cut the running time of producing all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays from roughly five days to a little under two hours, including an intermission. The amazing thing is that for such a large amount of cutting to the text, I struggle to identify what they cut. Of course I’m pulling your hypothetical leg, as I’m not so foolish as to assume that every reader does in fact have legs. I think even those with a small exposure to Shakespeare will be able to spot a few of the most blatant cuts, and those of us familiar with many of the plays will notice even more, I counted 12 cuts that I’m pretty sure were made? Possibly 13 but I couldn’t remember for sure if Big Bird was in Titus Andronicus or not. But fear not, whether a Shakespeare scholar, casual fan or not a fan at all, indeed whether limbed or not, you should have no trouble whatsoever enjoying this production. Unless of course you have lost, misplaced, or had the misfortune to be born without a funny bone. Funny bones, they’re not just for romantic comedies anymore.

This production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is produced by Jackdonkey Productions and performed by Amanda Espinoza, Noah Hynick, and Adam Iverson and directed by Zach Christensen. Having just returned from the Great River Shakespeare Festival and seeing Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, it seemed like a great idea to see the rest of the plays. Now I can say I’ve seen all of the plays performed in the first seven months of 2024! Well… not really as it turns out. But I have seen one of the funniest Plays about Shakespeare’s works as I imagine I ever will. A detailed plot synopsis would involve the plots for all 37 plays, and I don’t want to spoil any of them in case you plan to see this show or any of the 37 plays on their own. So I’ll just say that it’s a show about three actors performing all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays. It’s an unimaginable task, which is where the humor lies. In all seriousness, it’s very silly, but the cast takes the silliness very seriously.

The cast is a dream, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, they do it all. The physicality of the performances adds as much to the humor as the script. I understand that improvisation is encouraged when producing this play, but having never seen it performed before I cannot comment on what’s added or changed. But I will say that the entire cast, particularly Espinoza, adds so much humor just by her body language and line readings, that it’s hard to imagine anyone performing the role of Amanda Espinoza better. To clarify the actors all use their real names, but I mean anyone playing the first actor or whatever they’re called in the script. Christensen’s direction and collaboration with the actors produces something manic with an energy that buzzes through the theater. And then, at one point Iverson stops and recites a soliloquy from Hamlet and it isn’t silly, and the energy changes. It’s a brief moment but I think it’s there to remind us, that as much fun as we are having with Shakespeare and at his expense, there is a reason we still produce his plays centuries after his death. It’s a wonderful little pause in the hilarity, and then we are right back to it.

Whether you love Shakespeare or don’t get him, this show is sure to make you laugh. For fans of Shakespeare it’s an especially fun night out. The Complete Works of William shakespeare (abridged) runs through July 21st at the Phoenix Theater in Uptown Minneapolis for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/jackdonkeyproductions/the-complete-works-of-william-shakespeare-abridged#

Great River Shakespeare Festival, Destination Theater in Winona MN, More Than Worth the Trek

Last year I made the journey down to Winona MN for the Great River Shakespeare Festival for the first time. I had such a great time that I vowed to return, and so I have. This year’s festival consists of two Shakespeare’s plays Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing. When it comes to Shakespeare’s drama’s my favorite is Hamlet and of his comedies, it’s Much Ado About Nothing. I grant you that these are obvious choices for favorites, but the heart wants what the heart wants. So this was a perfect lineup in my view. Not that I needed any coaxing to attend this yearly theater oasis in the somewhat drought like summer theater schedule.

Winona is a quaint little city that for the most part seems to close on Sundays. So, if you’re curious to explore and do some shopping in the downtown area I recommend making your schedule to allow for that on Saturday afternoon, not Sunday. It is possible to travel down on Saturday morning, see both plays and travel back after the evening show. But, I think it’s more enjoyable to make a little weekend getaway out of it if you can. There are more things in The Great River Shakespeare Festival than just the plays and a stay over allows you to partake of some of the festival events as well. There are free Sunday morning Company Conversations at Blooming Grounds Coffee House, and Ice Cream Socials after ever Friday and Saturday evening performances. About 45 minutes before each show there is a Green Show put on by the understudy company members to prepare you for what you are about to see. There are also post show discussion and a variety of programs and classes for young aspiring actors from ages 4 to 18.

Melissa Maxwell, Will Sturdivant, Emily Fury Daly, and Diana Coates Photo by Dan Norman

Much Ado About Nothing is the story of two sets of lovers. The young couple Claudio and Hero who are subject to all the deficiencies of youth, jealousy, naivety, rashness. The older couple is Benedict and Beatrice who are the template on which the “will they or won’t they” and the opposites attract characters such as Sam and Diane (Cheers) and David and Maddie (Moonlighting) are based on. They are too wise to woo peaceably and thank God for that because it’s much more entertaining when they wage a battle of the wits upon each other. While both Hamlet and Much Ado about Nothing are worth the trip, Much Ado… is the less successful of the two. The setting for the play is updated to modern times at a block party welcoming home soldiers from the war. There are some very effective choices made that fit well with a modern setting and a modern audience. One being the outcome of the conflict between Claudio and Hero played by Daniel Ajak and Emily Fury Daly. The resolution feels valid and more in keeping with human behavior in the 21st century, but it is at odds with the inciting incident and its repercussions. They play the conflict as if it bares the same weight as it would have 400 years ago, but the denouement is more in keeping with our social norms, the discordance doesn’t mesh as well as it should. Look, Benedict and Beatrice are always the stronger couple that’s no surprise. Daly and Ajak do what they can with Hero and Claudio, but they just are not as dynamic of characters, though the changes to the resolution do give Hero a stronger part.

What does work like gangbusters are the choices Melissa Maxwell and Will Sturdivant make as Beatrice and Benedict. Their line readings and the way in which they carry themselves along with the comedic physicality which they bring to the roles is unique and brings a fresh perspective to these timeless characters. The space they have to perform in is limited, but like the Ten Thousand Things productions here in the Twin Cities, the physical limitations seem to act as a catalyst for creativity. That Sturdivant and Maxwell shine in the roles is no surprise to anyone who has seen them perform in the past. To see them in these roles is worth the trip alone. What was a pleasant surprise was Diana Coates whom is new to the company this year and was a revelation in multiple supporting roles in both plays. In Much Ado Coates plays Margaret, Antonio, and Borachio. The best role is Margaret as she is less encumbered with disguises, as she is particularly in the role of Antonio, and her charisma and stage presence are like a magnet for the audience’s attention. I hope to see her back next year with a lead role.

Michael Fitzpatrick, Tarah Flanagan, and Emily Fury Daly (background) Photo by Dan Norman

This is hands down the best production of Hamlet I’ve seen on stage. At two hours and forty minutes including intermission it’s also probably one of the shortest while also covering much more of the text than I expected. Right from the start Director Doug Scholz-Carlson affirms his understanding of the multilayered tapestry that is Shakespeare’s greatest play. It is a play about revenge, it is a play about political intrigue, it is a play about love, it is a play about our ability and inability to act, and it is a GHOST STORY! The play opens embracing the supernatural aspect, and not just in a philosophical way but in a visceral hair raising approach to the staging. The first scene, where the guards and Horatio encounter the ghost of Hamlet’s father, is played in almost complete darkness. The sound design by Jeff Polunas and the lighting design by Avery Reagan perfectly combine to create a genuine sense of terror in the audience. It’s the best embrace of the horror aspect of Hamlet I’ve ever experienced and it’s used effectively again when Hamlet encounters the ghost. The Ghost and Claudius are played by Will Sturdivant, the costume for the Ghost is really well executed by designer John Merritt adding another eerie element of the supernatural with a glowing chest. The opening scene starts the play off with a scream and then basically doesn’t stop or allow the audience to catch their breath until intermission. Part of what really makes this production so successful is that relentless pace, there isn’t time for the audiences mind to wander, you are on the edge of your seat from that first moment when the lights go down and stay down.

Tarah Flanagan is a wonderful Hamlet. Part of the characters defining characteristics is his indecisiveness, Flanagan’s physical petiteness adds a visual element to the sense of the characters inability in the first half of the play set a course, this sense that he is being blown around by a strong wind. But Flanagan also displays a keen intelligence so you never feel like Hamlet is weak or ineffectual, that blowing in the wind aspect comes from his uncertainty as to what is true and how best to act. When the final sword fight comes between Hamlet and Laertes, it’s really well choreographed by Benjamin Boucvalt, and Flanagan looks an equal match for Carl Schack, who as understudy was playing the role of Laertes. It’s one of the best sword fights I’ve seen on stage, made all the more impressive by the fact that half of it was being performed by the understudy. The cast is perfect in every role, It’s Flanagan’s show without a doubt but she has strong support from Sturdivant as the Ghost and Claudius, Melissa Maxwell as Gertrude, Michael Fitzpatrick as Polonius and the Gravedigger, Emily Fury Daly as Ophelia, truly heartbreaking as Ophelia separated from her senses after the murder of her father.

I strongly urge you faithful readers to take a trip down to Winona and take in these wonderful plays. The festival runs through July 28th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.grsf.org/

A Wrinkle in Time Full of Stage Magic at Theatre in the Round

A Wrinkle in Time is an American Newbery Award winning young adult novel published in 1962 by Madeleine L’Engle. Cherished by many, not me, but many. I’m not saying it’s not a good book, I’m saying I haven’t read it, and honestly now I wish I had. A little research has informed me that there are actually 5 books in the series that make up the Time Quintet. A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of Meg Murray, her younger brother Charles Wallace and their new friend Calvin O’Keefe who are sent on an adventure through time and space to rescue the Murray children’s father. The story takes us to several different planets where the trio will encounter strange beings and a powerful darkness known as It. Their guides on the journey are the three Mrs. W’s: Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, who it is suggested by a line of dialogue could perhaps be the three Witches from Macbeth.

The Director Penelope Parsons-Lord has chosen to produce the show using only practical effects so there are no projections or recordings used. For the most part this approach works and in fact is one of the charms of the production. There are a few aspects of the story for those of us not familiar with it that are a little hard to follow. When they reach the planet Camazotz where Mr. Murray is imprisoned, much of what occurs there is hard to follow in the literal sense, though you get a general understanding of what happens overall. I mention this because the play is appropriate for younger audiences say Ten and up, but those unfamiliar with the story might get lost during this section. In terms of the production design I enjoyed the fairly barebones approach; I always like what I call stage magic. It really is a combined effort to create the illusions used to illustrate the fantastical elements of the story. Lighting Designer Mark Kieffer makes excellent use of Black Light technology for the interplanetary traveling sequences. The team behind the characters’ looks: Co-Costume Designers Krista Weiss and Penelope Parsons-Lord, Makeup/Hair Designer Robin Gilmer, and Puppet Designer Elliot Van Winkle create some very distinct images and creatures very simplistically.

The three leads are all relatively new to me; Ryan Pierce as Charles Wallace, Harriet Spencer as Meg, and Tic Treitler as Calvin. Pierce has it the toughest, being the biggest of the three but playing the youngest (six years old in the book), it’s an uphill battle, but I’m not sure most child actors would be able handle some elements as when the character is possessed by the spirit of It. Spencer and Treitler have an easier time suspending our disbelief, as they are playing 13 and 14 year olds. They also somehow create a romantic connection between the two characters that you can sense but I’m not sure is explicit in the script; in my research I find it foreshadows their relationship in the later books. My favorite performances were those of the Mrs. W’s played by Shelley Nelson, Robin Gilmer, and Ariel Pinkerton. Nelson’s portrayal of the quirky Mrs. Whatsit who is the quirkiest of the three is especially fun.

Highly recommended for fans of the book or those who have seen one of the two screen adaptations. I think foreknowledge of the plot is a great help in following certain elements of the plot. The story is full of ideas, themes, and concepts that I think an audience not struggling to follow the plot will focus in on more completely. A Wrinkle in Time runs through July 14th at Theatre in the Round Players for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/home/season-placeholder/72nd-season/wrinkle/

Little Shop of Horrors Brings the B Movie Classic to Life at the Guthrie Theater

Will Roland (Seymour Krelborn) and Yvonne Freese (Audrey II Puppeteer) Photo by Dan Norman

Last night The Little Shop of Horrors opened as the summer musical at the Guthrie Theater in Downtown Minneapolis. Based on the 1960 film by the legendary independent filmmaker Roger Corman, who just passed away last month, the musical was an off Broadway hit in the early 1980’s. Leading to a film adaptation of the musical in 1986, which most audiences are probably more familiar with. I will say that if you are thinking of skipping this production because you’ve seen the film, don’t, it has a different ending. The musical was written book and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken the team that resurrected the Disney Animated film with their one two punch of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Their songs here have a 1960’s feel which is always my cup of tea even featuring a trio of narrators who sound like a 60’s girl group. They are embodied by the fantastic Erica Durham, Gabrielle Dominique, and Vie Boheme and might just be my favorite part of the entire production. It is a great cast to be sure but it’s the set and overall production design that is the real star of the show. Scenic Designer Lex Liang’s city street with Florist shop that opens is impressive and filled with wonderful little touches like the billboard signs, I especially liked the one for the 1959 film Return of the Fly.

The story revolves around Seymour a young man working in a florist shop on skid row. Seymour has obtained an exotic looking plant and convinces his boss Mr. Mushnik to display the plant which he has named Audrey II after the shop girl he is in love with. The plant attracts attention and the shop goes from the brink of going out of business to a success. The plant grows and grows until it takes up most of the shop, the only problem is the plants diet. It will only eat blood, human blood, and I guess human meat as well, as before the shocking conclusion Audrey II will have ingested multiple characters whole before your very eyes! Did I mention it’s a dark comedy, but with very singable songs. The Puppets used for Audrey II were designed by Chris Lutter and is controlled by Yvonne Freese and voiced by Twin Cities legend T. Mychael Rambo. It’s a dream team that perfectly brings the creation to life, it’s not realistic, but it’s very very fun. China Brickey as Audrey, Will Roland as Seymour, and Robert Dorfman as Mr. Mushnik are all well cast. Brickey is unrecognizable in the role as brings a vocalization that is broad without being a caricature, It was perfect for the character and so different that what I seen her do before. David Darrow plays multiple roles but it’s the role of Audrey’s sadist Dentist boyfriend Orin that steals every scene he’s in. His singing on “Be a Dentist” is one of the shows highlights.

There are a couple of weak points in the show, the first is something that hopefully can be corrected and that is the sound mix. Everything is just slightly too loud, at times just a decibel too much robbing the songs of some of their musical qualities. The second relates to the costumes by Sully Ratke, most of which are very good. But there is something going on in the final scenes with a series of characters played by David Darrow, he comes on as various people who want to sign Seymour to contracts, they all appear to have little Audrey II’s growing out of their head. I thought perhaps they would turn out to be aliens, but it goes unexplained and felt very out of place and bizzare. Overall I found the cast and the design worked to create a spectacular evening of laughs and song, it’s a crowdpleaser to be sure.

The Little Shop of Horrors runs through August 18th at the Guthrie theater for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2023-2024-season/little-shop-of-horrors/

Suor Angelica an Immersive Opera at The Basilica of Saint Mary by Out of the Box Opera

Out of the Box Opera’s immersive production of Giacomo Puccini’s Suor Angelica is being performed in The Basilica of Saint Mary in Downtown Minneapolis. It’s a unique experience to be sure and for fans of Opera I’m sure it will be a special treat. Faithful readers will know that I’m not afraid to dip my toes into Opera from time to time, but am also willing to admit that it is not a natural attraction for me. I find my best experiences have been Opera’s that fall to one extreme or the other, either simply performed in English in nontraditional spaces or a full on MN Opera experience with gigantic sets and costumes. This production uses three locations in the Basilica labeled the Cloister, The Chapel, and the Nave. Each location occupies about 15 to 20 minutes of time, after which we are ushered to another location. The first and last were spacious and well thought out. The middle was cramped, too warm, and some audience member couldn’t get into the room, with close to half having to stand throughout. Nothing like standing in too warm a room listening to people sing in a language you don’t know to test your opera loving credentials. You are given a bookmark with QR codes on it for each location. When scanned you can read a synopsis of what is happening in that scene. That’s something, but if I’m honest I need more, I need the text transcription projected.

This is not a show for people curious about opera or like me trying to get a feel for it. This is a show for dyed in the wool opera lovers, they will no doubt get so much more out of it than I ever could. There were aspects I admired such as the wonderful music conducted by Stephen Hargreaves. The amazing vocalizations particularly of the lead Alexandra Loutsian, when she signs in the final location which is in the cathedral of the Basilica the acoustics are something otherworldly. The beauty and the ornate carvings and stained glass windows of the cathedral were a joy to behold especially while accompanied by Puccini’s music. So those are the positive takeaways. The negatives are based on who you are. It’s like a guitar solo, if it’s really elaborate, a one minute guitar solo can just about hold my interest, but I don’t play guitar and I don’t go to concerts to just listen to the guitar, so anything beyond that is testing my patience. A guitar player will sit and watch a great 30 minute guitar solo and think it ended too soon. It’s the same with this, if it’s your jam, you’ll like it, but it isn’t the crossover hit you need to create new opera audiences. You know if this is for you or not, if you are unsure, I’d reccomend waiting for a production that at least gives you subtitles so you can follow along moment to moment.

Suor Angelica has a short run ending this weekend for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.outoftheboxopera.org/