9 to 5 is Sure to be a Hit at Lyric Arts in Anoka

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows however the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

Opening night of 9 to 5 at Lyric Arts in Anoka looked to be a sold out house, perhaps it’s a popularity of Dolly Parton, perhaps it’s that the average age of theater audiences grew up with the 1980 film that starred Lily Tomlin Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton. Whatever the reason for opening nights business what will likely result in a near, if not complete, sell out run is the work of Director Shanan Custer in the phenomenal cast. The musical features a book by Patricia Resnick with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. I enjoyed all of the new songs, they seem to fit well with the original hit “9 to 5“. And they sound great under the musical direction of Bradley Beahen and if I’m counting correctly, his 12 musicians strong band. Before moving on to the cast, praise must be given to Custer as director, she’s a favorite of this writer long before The Stages of MN and it’s not hard to see her comedic touches throughout the production. It’s a rare example of a show where you can genuinely sense the directors personality stamped on every element of the production to the productions benefit.

On to the cast and where to start in these days of the injury where reviews are necessarily briefer, it’s hard to know who to single out but for the moment, set aside the three leads and focus on a couple of the supporting roles. Emily Jabas plays Margaret, one of the women who work in the office who happens to drink on the job. It’s a small role but Jabas makes the most of every moment with just the right touch of comic relief but it’s the tiny part that everyone was talking about on the car ride home. True, it’s the kind of part that’s written funny and most actors would get laughs but Jabas does more than get laughs, she makes a lasting impression. Ben Thietje plays the chauvinist pig boss Franklin Hart Jr., like Dabney Coleman in the film version it’s hard to imagine anyone you’d love to hate more. Thietje perfectly threads the needle making him horrible but in a very very funny way.

First off the trio playing the three leads Violet, Judy, and Doralee jockeyed throughout the show for favorite performance crossing the finish line in a three-way tie. The wonderful thing is they all do something different but they all do the exact right thing for this production. Audrey Johnson plays Doralee, the Dolly Parton role, and she plays it like Dolly Parton but that’s exactly what you have to do. That character is Dolly Parton and she is iconic, going another direction isn’t a place that the audience wants you to go. Johnson doesn’t do a caricature, she doesn’t do an imitation, she just goes to the same places that Parton did in the original film, her singing voice is very close which is exactly what needed to happen. The other two roles can be their own thing and that’s what the actors do. Emily A. Grodzik plays Violet the Lily Tomelin role as the competent but overlooked supervisor. She makes her a strong independent woman whom we can easily believe could lead any company to much greater success than Franklin Heart Jr.. Nora Sonneborn plays Judy the Jane Fonda role but she takes the character in a different direction than Fonda did, she makes her meaker more of a Wallflower which adds greater effect when she comes out of her shell. When the three leads sing together it’s magical and they all have wonderful voices that sound great together. But if there’s one standout moment vocally, it’s Sonneborn’s solo “Get Out and Stay Out“, it’s probably a little hyperbolic to say this but for me in this show, in that moment it had the power of “Defying Gravity” in Wicked. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the applause for that song was the longest and loudest of the evening. Of the three leads Sonneborn was the revelation as I had only seen her in supporting roles and after this performance I have to ask why?

9 to 5 runs through May 12th at Lyric Arts in Anoka for more information, like a plot synopsis, and purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/9-to-5

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.

Die Winterreise at The Hive Collaborative

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows however the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

Die Winterreise is the latest in The Hive Collaboratives conceptual beginning series. It takes the classical song cycle Franz Schubert’s Winterreise set to 24 poems by German poet Wilhelm Mueller. What The Hive’s website says about the piece is it uses the everlasting story of lost love to explore the human need for connection and acceptance but I’m going to have to take their word for that. The show is sung by baritone Justin Spenner completely in German while being accompanied on the piano by Carson Rose Schneider. A QR code is provided at the theater which will bring you to a side-by-side translation of the poems in German and English. I tried to follow along and realized at the end that the best approach, assuming you don’t already speak German, is to set the translation aside sit back and let the music and performance wash over you. The mind is a wonderful thing but sometimes it can get in our way, it’ll try and impose a narrative in such a way that closes you off to what the artist is giving you. First off, if sitting and listening to someone sing in German for 80 minutes sounds like torture to you this isn’t the show for you and that’s okay. But if listening to a fantastic singer wonderfully accompanied for 80 minutes in a very intimate space is something you would enjoy, then there’s a lot to get out of this experience. I’ve seen Justin spenner perform in Opera and that’s very much what Winterreise sounds like, he’s a fantastic vocalist and to hear him in whatever language is always something special.

Winterreise will have one more performance April 13th at 5:00 p.m. At The Hive collaborative in St Paul for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.thehivecollaborativemn.com/events/winterreise-a-winters-journey

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.

God of Carnage is Wickedly Funny at Theatre in the Round

Mia Josimovic, Kendra Mueller, Michael Postle, and D’aniel Stock Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows however the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

God of Carnage the Laurence Olivier and Tony award-winning play by Yasmina Reza has the simplest of setups, two couples the Raleigh’s and the Novak’s who have gotten together to discuss an incident between their sons that resulted in one losing a couple of teeth. What begins as a civilized discussion slowly spirals out of control over the 85 minute run time of the play. The content warning for the play which states strong language including derogatory insults with some racist and homophobic terms, simulated vomit will give you some idea of what is in store. This is a very black comedy that I’ve heard criticized as entitled people Behaving Badly. I think that is far too simplistic, the play exaggerates for comedic effect but underneath the reactions, the characters have whatever they’re entitlements may be ring true to those observant of human nature. Ultimately it’s about illustrating the differences between the persona we show other people and how we really feel. It’s about our hidden natures, our hidden resentments, and our hidden entitlements how all of these can emerge when the right buttons are pushed. It reminds us that no matter how old we are or how civilized we think ourselves to be, there is still within us all, a child. Someone once said grown ups are just children who owe money which is the simplified theme of this play. All of the action takes place in the living room of the Novak’s a set designed by Michael Haas that perfectly exploits the theater in the round forum.

If the play sounds familiar you may have seen the Roman Polanski film from 2011 entitled Carnage which sported the to-die-for cast of Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly. It’s a play whose brilliant script sinks or swims on the shoulders of the cast, Director Alissa Blaeser’s ensemble looks to have trained for the Olympics. They are Mia Josimovic, Kendra Mueller, Michael Postle, and D’aniel Stock. The play is a true ensemble piece where every part is equally important and the cast, while playing characters who seem to be in constant competition with each other, never seem to be trying to steal the spotlight from each other. The roles require each actor to modulate their characters loss of control showing provocation to momentary outbursts then regaining composure again. There’s a delicate and subtle give and take that in lesser hands would not feel authentic, the strength of this cast is that while the responses are certainly heightened they maintain a sense of realism.

God of Carnage is a dark comedy that invites us to take pleasure in watching not great people having one of the worst days of their lives. Blaeser finds the perfect tone to enable us to get to that mental place to enjoy their misfortune. It’s at times shocking how far the characters allow themselves to regress but there’s also a delicious sense of Schadenfreude in watching it happen. God of carnage runs through April 28th at Theatre in the Round Players in Minneapolis. For more information and purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/home/season-placeholder/72nd-season/carnage/

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.

I Am My Own Wife is a Fascinating Study of True Transgender Pioneer at Lakeshore Players Theatre

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows; however, the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully, this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

I am My Own Wife, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning play by Doug Wright began a two-week run in Lakeshore Players Theater’s intimate Black Box theater last night. This one person show, about the real life Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, who as a trans woman survived Nazi Germany and life in East Berlin during the Cold War. It’s an extraordinary story about a complex woman, some of which may or may not be true. But even if every detail isn’t completely true, the reality of her existence and what she accomplished is simply astonishing. The play is based on conversations Doug Wright had with Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in the early 1990s. Mahlsdorf was a collector of antiquities and in the 1960s opened the Grunderzeit museum, which also became a meeting place for LGBTQ society.

Speaking of astonishing, the performance of Lewis Youngren who plays dozens of characters is the very definition of the word. Youngren slides effortlessly between characters male, female, and transgender while always keeping the audience completely under their spell. This seems to be a year full of actors performing multiple roles within a scene, following on the heels of Stones In His Pockets and Radiant Vermin, Youngren’s performance is another exhilarating example of the technique. This was my first visit to the Black Box Studio at Lakeshore players; it’s a small but versatile space that director Craig Johnson makes excellent use of. The Production Design and Lighting by Eric Morris and Tracy V. Joe is full of delightful little surprises. What initially looks like a bare stage is revealed to be much more elaborate and the effective use of lighting helps to convey the changes in time and place. It’s a Wonderful show that also teaches us the history lesson as well as a valuable message about being your authentic self.

I am My Own Wife runs through April 14th at the Lakeshore Players Theater in White Bear Lake. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/i-am-my-own-wife

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.

PREVIEW!! Live Podcast Recording of The Mysterious Radio Listening Society at Bryant Lake Bowl Theater 4/6/24 and Live Performance at Crooners Super Club 4/20/24.

This month The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society (MORLS) have two live shows. Faithful readers and listeners will know that a fan I am of this group, not only their live performances of classic radio scripts as well as their own original scripts done in the style of classic radio, complete with the onstage creation of sound effects and music, but also their podcast. If you haven’t heard it yet now’s the perfect time to give a listen to my interview with gang on the Twin Cities Theater Chat Podcast, here’s a link to our discussion. This month starting on Sunday April 7th there is a very special performance, where you can get a little taste of both the live performances and the podcast see the details below.

Join society members Eric Webster, Tim Uren, Joshua English Scrimshaw, and special guest Laura Zabel for a live recording of their five-star (iTunes) podcast The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society. The line-up includes a classic episode from the 1940s radio program Suspense starring the legendary Angela Lansbury, a rollicking no-holds-barred debate on the merits of the episode, and a full-length improvised radio play, including live sound effects and music.

Performing at the Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
810 West Lake St, Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, April 7
Showtime: 7:00 PM
Doors are at 6:00 PM
Tickets: $18

For Tickets go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-mysterious-old-radio-listening-society-live-tickets-868537879177 . I’m planning on attending this performance with family to celebrate my Birthday, if you make it, be sure to stop by and say hi. If you can’t make it to Bryant Lake Bowl on April 7th, they have another performance on April 20th at Crooners Super Club, here are the details for that show.

Before classic shows like Gunsmoke and Dragnet were on TV, they were on the radio. Enjoy two golden age dramas performed in the style of an old-time radio broadcast, including vintage commercials and live sound effects.

“The Cabin” from Gunsmoke (1952): Marshal Dillon seeks shelter from a blizzard only to discover there are worse things to fear than the cold.

“The Big Speech” from Dragnet (1951): Joe Friday pursues “the facts, ma’am, just the facts” in his investigation of a violent drug store robbery. Once the case is solved, his mother helps him write a speech on the dangers of drugs for the local high school.

Performing at Crooners Supper Club
6161 Hwy 65 NE, Minneapolis, MN

Saturday, April 20
Showtime: 8:00 PM
Doors are at 7:00 PM
Tickets: $25-$35
Take a look at their menu!

For tickets to this performance go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mysterious-old-radio-listening-society-before-they-were-television-shows-tickets-864605888487

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.

The Lion King is Simply Astonishing at the Orpheum Theater

Gerald Ramsey photo by Matthew Murphy

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows; however, the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

The Lion King begins a five-week run at the Orpheum Theater as part of the Hennepin Theatre Trust Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season. This marks the shows fifth return after it’s sold out pre-Broadway World premiere at the Orpheum in 1997. Somehow I have failed to ever see the show, I guess I didn’t realize what I was missing. At the start of the day I felt very old, but when the house lights went down and The Lion King began I felt young again. I watched in wide-eyed wonder as animals filled the stage from seemingly every corner of the theater, including the lobby. There is a reason The Lion King won six 1998 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography and Best Direction, and now I know what it is. The masks and puppet design by Julie Taymor and Michael Curry along with the costume designs by Julie Taymor, who also directed the show, while not realistic are fantastically realized. The parade of animals including the particularly impressive elephant and giraffes are so creatively designed and executed that I begin to tear up upon seeing them.

This may be based on a Disney animated film but this is a show for everyone. Where Disney’s Aladdin was impressive and magical for the way it realized it’s technical illusions, The Lion King goes a more artful path where the stagecraft doesn’t simply wow you it moves you as well. This production is a thing of beauty and wonder with stagecraft at the highest possible level. Along with Taymor’s considerable contributions I must also sing the Praises of Scenic Designer Richard Hudson and Lighting Designer Donald Holder. The entire cast it’s fantastic, their execution of choreographer Garth Fagan intricate and beautiful movements was among the best I’ve ever seen. For quality of cast creativity of design and sheer spectacle, The Lion King gets my highest possible recommendation. This is a show not to be missed and it’s something your entire family will remember.

The Lion King runs through April 28th at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepintheatretrust.org/events/disneys-the-lion-king-orpheum-theatre-minneapolis-mn-2024/

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.

Apples in Winter Erases Theater and Creates a Reality at Gremlin Theatre

Angela Timberman Photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography.

A one handed play requires the very best performer to hold an audience’s attention for 90 minutes on their own. Gremlin Theatre is apparently aware of this and thus cast Angela Timberman who not only keeps our attention but keeps us utterly and completely enthralled. Apples in Winter by Jennifer Fawcett tells the story of Miriam who spends her time upon the stage making an apple pie. While preparing and baking the pie in full view of the audience she slowly reveals why she is making the pie. A slice of her apple pie is what her son has requested for his last meal before he is executed for a crime he committed 20 years ago. He was a drug addict, that isn’t an excuse for his actions, this story isn’t about him, it’s about Miriam. He has been incarcerated for 20 years for a crime he committed, what the play shows us is that his mother was essentially serving this sentence with him. It’s one of a parent’s worst nightmares, what do you do when your child has done something that many find unforgivable. We know how to grieve for the families of the victims, but how do we treat the family of the one who has killed someone else’s children? Fawcett’s play builds slowly and steadily from Miriam speaking to us about making pies to slowly revealing the details of where she is and why. It has been twenty years of routines and isolation and as her son approaches the end of his time, she is faced with losing her routines, and the toll his crimes have taken upon her.

Back to Angela Timberman, her performance as Miriam is like a masterclass in acting. Emotionally and technically flawless. There is a moment towards the end when Timberman feels sick and needs to sit down, but there are no chairs and so she finds herself on the floor. Let me be clear, I have seen Timberman perform multiple times, I know her on sight, and I know her to be an accomplished actor. In that moment when she sinks to the floor, I had to actually restrain myself from going to her and putting my arms around her. I wasn’t seeing Angela Timberman anymore, I was seeing Miriam. She is going through all the stages of someone who has loved someone with addiction issues goes through. She was trying to be the caregiver, she was blaming herself, and ultimately she was angry about the lies and deceit and pain she had been put through. And in that moment I wanted to go to her and tell her it wasn’t her fault and hold her for a moment, so she had a minute when she didn’t feel like she had to hold up the world on her own. The kicker is that on top of giving such a convincing and emotional performance, she made a pie, without a recipe! I can’t make a dish I’ve made dozens of times without referring to the recipe a couple of times, let alone monologue a script and give a performance so good that you make an experienced theatergoer forget they are in a theater watching a performance.

The production is well directed by Brian Balcom whose staging allows us to slowly get absorbed into the action, which is small and contained drawing us in. Later moments of explosive emotion are all the more powerful because we were initially drawn into the quiet matter of fact manner of the pie making. The set and lighting design by Carl Schoenborn looks like an institutional kitchen and it is lit that way which really help to remove any sense of theatricality and achieve a sense of realism, that causes reviewers to momentarily forget they are part of an audience. As do the costume and props designed by Sarah Bauer, who choses Timberman’s costume such that we immediately feel we know her type, she is every middle aged mother or young grandmother. Which is a reminder that these horrible things can happen to anyone, anyones child can become an addict. It also helps us to put ourselves in her place and empathize with the impossibility of her position. I also want to mention the sound design by Montana Johnson, which is minimal, but plays a very important role when it comes to Miriam’s recounting of the night her son committed the crime for which he has been condemned. It’s handled extremely effectively signifying the way the sound of rain plays a particularly vivid role in Miriam’s memory of the night, almost the way a smell will sometimes bring back a certain memory.

Apples in Winter runs through April 7th at the Gremlin Theater in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://gremlintheatre.org/apples-in-winter/

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.