Episode 21: The stages of MN Holiday Preview

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-kgtuw-19d12f0

Welcome to Episode 21 of The Stages of MN, a weekly show about the live theatrical experience.

Today’s episode is our Sponsored Holiday Preview episode! Thanks to our Sponsors History Theatre, Yellow Tree Theatre, New Native Theatre, and Just Us Theater. Go to their websites to purchase tickets to their Holiday shows previewed on this episode.

Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical at History Theatre thru 12/21 https://www.historytheatre.com/2025-2026/rollicking-winter-carnival-musical

A Christmas in ochopee from New Native Theatre runs from 12/3 thru 12/21 https://www.newnativetheatre.org/a-christmas-in-ochopee

A Christmas Carol…More or Less runs from 11/28 thru 12/28 at Yellow Tree Theatre https://yellowtreetheatre.com/christmascarol

Mistletoe & Mayhew from Just Us Theater runs 11/28 thru 12/14 https://mistletoe-mayhem.com/

There’s one holiday themed MN Honest review for you this episode A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater runs thru 12/28 https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/a-christmas-carol/

Special thanks: To Ryan Lee for the use of his music catalog which is available at https://ryanlee.bandcamp.com/

You can read all my reviews at The Stages of MN https://thestagesofmn.com/

Follow me on Facebook/thestagesofmn and Instagram/thestagesofmn

The show is also available on YouTube at https://bit.ly/YouTubeTSOMN

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Stages of MN you can reach out to at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com. Have a question of comment on the show or want to join The Stages of MN + 1 Club you can also email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com

My Fair Lady at Theater Latté Da Feels Fresh and New, While Still Retaining its Classic Charms

Tod Petersen, Jon-Michael Reese, and Anna Hashizume Photo by Dan Norman

Usually, when it comes to a long runtime, I secretly wish they’d cut the overture. My thinking is, the show is already long enough, I don’t need a preview of every song I’m about to hear over the next three hours. But here, director Justin Lucero turns the overture into an unexpectedly delightful launchpad.

The entire score is played on two pianos, one musician dressed as an upper-class pianist (Joshua Burniece), the other as a working-class player (Wesley Frye). This establish one of the show’s key themes, class divide right at the top of the show. The playful interaction and energy between them makes the overture feel like a friendly dueling piano act. This was one overture I really enjoyed.

And that’s just the first of many smart choices Lucero makes to pull My Fair Lady into the 21st century. His direction doesn’t ignore the source material’s outdated gender dynamics but he doesn’t let them pass without commenting on them either. In subtle ways he works to undermine them and in doing so makes the show relevant to a modern audience. Perhaps if the producers of Purple Rain had enlisted the services of Lucero, they’d have cracked the code and their Broadway chances would seem more hopeful. The parallels between the two shows, especially in how we now view power, agency, and gender, are striking.

Without question, the heart, soul, and blazing force of this production is Anna Hashizume as Eliza Doolittle. She brings fire, dignity, and grounding to a character who has too often been framed as a fantasy version of compliant womanhood. Hashizume wants no part of that narrative. Her Eliza is sharp, funny, evolving and increasingly unwilling to accept the terms of her transformation.

She’s wonderfully comedic at Ascot, quietly heartbreaking when ignored after her triumph, and electrifying in the final scenes as she claims her autonomy. And, as always, her vocal work is stunning. This role showcases both her classical training and her musical theater skills.

Jon-Michael Reese’s Henry Higgins feels like The Kid from Purple Rain, but this time, the actor has the charisma and nuance to make the character compelling even when he’s insufferable. Reese finds humor and rhythm in Higgins’ arrogance, giving the score a fresh tone without softening who the character fundamentally is. His dynamic with Hashizume feels carefully calibrated, and the result is a very well matched pairing.

Stages of MN favorite, Tod Petersen, brings his inherent goodness, warmth, and perfect comedic timing to Colonel Pickering. His scenes with Norah Long (as Higgins’ mother) are a particular delight. Felix Aguilar Tomlinson rich voice delivers one of the night’s vocal highlights with a powerful performance of “On the Street Where You Live.”

Eli Sherlock’s set is wonderfully ingenious. It consists of two parts, a center column on which the dual pianos are situated with an outer ring that rotates around that stationary center. One side is Henry Higgins’ home with the other side standing in as various locations. Amber Brown’s costumes are exquisite, and when Hashizume appears at the top of the staircase ready to head to the embassy ball her costume takes the entire theater’s breathe away.

Also deserving of praise is the Choreography of Abby Magalee, her work on the song “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” being the standout. Which brings up one baffling thing, I wasn’t sure if I was just hearing it wrong or did they change it from Loverly to lovely? or were they just downplaying that “R”?

My Fair Lady runs through December 28, 2025 at Theater Latté Da in Northeast Minneapolis.
Tickets and info: https://www.latteda.org/my-fair-lady

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Episode 20 of The Stages of MN Show Featuring an interview with Anna Hashizume and my appeal for Everyone to Give to the Maz on November 20th is Up in Both YouTube and the Podcast Versions!

lo faithful readers this is to let you know that the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube and podcast is up and ready for your enjoyment! Of paramount importance is the appeal to donate to your favorite theaters on Thursday 11/20/25 which is MN Give to the Max Day! go to https://www.givemn.org/ and find your favorite theaters. Once you’ve donated please send me an email at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com and let me know you did your part. You don’t need to say how much or which theaters unless you want too.

On this episode I got a chance to chat with the endlessly talented Anna Hashizume who is currently starring as Eliza Doolittle in Theater Latté Da’s production of My Fair Lady which runs through 12/28. Here’s the link to purchase tickets to that show https://www.latteda.org/my-fair-lady

We have one reviews for you this week The Resistible Rise of Arturo UI from Frank Theatre which runs through 11/23, you can get tickets here https://franktheatre.org/events/resistible-rise-arturo-ui-bertolt-brecht/ .

You can view the show here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEP20YouTube or listen here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode20Podcast.

A Christmas Carol Still Has it, at Least For Me, at the Guthrie Theater

The cast of A Christmas Carol Photo by Dan Norman

It’s hard to get through the holiday season without experiencing at least one version of A Christmas Carol, and the Guthrie Theater’s annual production seems particularly inescapable for me. I usually end up seeing three or four versions each year, and because it’s such a busy time both theatrically and personally, I always tell myself I’ll skip the Guthrie’s for once. But then someone in my inner circle really wants to go, and they pull me back in. Thankfully, it’s always a journey worth repeating, and one I’m glad I never miss.

This marks the 51st production of the Guthrie’s A Christmas Carol and the fifth year of the current adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani, first performed in 2021. This year’s staging is directed by Addie Gorlin-Han, based on the original direction by Joseph Haj, the Guthrie’s Artistic Director.

After so many years and so many versions, I’m still amazed by this story’s capacity to captivate me. There’s something enduring about Dickens’s tale of reflection and redemption. Its familiarity allows it to be endlessly adaptable. The core plot and themes appear throughout modern storytelling. Everyone has a favorite version: for my son Alex, who was my plus-one this year, it’s Patrick Stewart’s made-for-TV version; for me, it’s the 1951 British film starring Alastair Sim. Alex wasn’t completely won over by this stage version, perhaps he holds his favorite too tightly to let another in. That’s fair and I think something we’ve all experienced from time to time. I’m happy to say that once again the Guthrie’s version did completely win me over. And I had the telltale tears on my cheeks at the end as proof.

Last year my review focused on changes I wasn’t sure were new, this year I had the same thoughts. Was that second hug Bob Cratchit gives Scrooge there last time? Was the astonishingly quick transport of Scrooge from the trapdoor to his bed new? Regardless, it all works beautifully. There aren’t many cast changes this season, but it was great to see Daniel Petzold join as Young Scrooge and Aimee K. Bryant in a newly credited role as Kitty’s sister Dahlia. Kitty herself finally gets a name after years of being listed simply as “Fred’s wife.” Both are welcome additions. I also loved seeing Noah Hynick, apparently on loan from Lyric Arts, joining the ensemble. Hopefully it’s just a matter of time before he takes on larger roles at the Guthrie.

The elements that have wowed me in past productions continue to shine. Nathan Huberty’s Ghost of Christmas Future, in a haunting costume by Toni-Leslie James, remains nightmarish enough to give the wee ones a genuine scare. The moment when the ghost emerges from the darkness, engulfed in fog and towering over a cowering Scrooge, is pure theatrical adrenaline—especially from my front-row seat. Alex said that moment almost triggered his fight-or-flight response. The set design by Matt Saunders and lighting by Yi Zhao strike a perfect balance between detailed realism and expressionistic atmosphere. Sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman and music director Jason Hansen weave together Jane Shaw’s evocative score, traditional carols, and well-timed sound effects to create a rich, immersive experience.

The one scene that still puzzles me is the brief moment when Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present observe the ship at sea. I know it’s in the book, and many adaptations include it, but it’s so short and requires such elaborate staging, complete with, to be fair, excellent projections and a separate set piece, that I can’t help wondering if the payoff justifies the effort. I promise to stop harping on this by next year; I know it’s a dead horse.

As I’ve said before: if you’ve never seen A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie, it’s actually required by the state constitution once you’ve lived here more than five years. And if you’ve seen it before, even this same adaptation, it absolutely rewards repeat viewings. Unless, of course, you’re fiercely loyal to Patrick Stewart’s version; then all bets are off. I’m not sure how this story keeps reaching me year after year, but I think Dickens’s source material is simply too brilliant to ever grow old. Its message remains timeless: our fellow man is the business of all of us.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 28 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and tickets, visit guthrietheater.org.

Episode 19 or The Purple Rain Episode of The Stages of MN Show is Up on Both YouTube and the Podcast Version!

Hello faithful readers this is to let you know that the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube and podcast is up and ready for your enjoyment! Mostly reviews this week but it’s got a big one Purple Rain! Even if you read my print reviews this one might be work taking a look at. But there are also two other reviews One for Primary Trust at the Guthrie and the other for Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, both are fantastic shows but Primary Trust closes this weekend and Natasha, Pierre…… is almost sold out. So watch and then get online and book those shows ASAP. Here’s a link to all three so you can do just that. https://hennepinarts.org/events/purple-rain-2025, https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2025-2026-season/primary-trust/, https://www.theatreelision.com/comet

You can view the show here bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode19 or listen here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode19Podcast .

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Plays Like a Comicstrip Allegory for Authoritarianism Told Through the Lens of the Godfather

Gary Briggle and David Beukema Photo by Tony Nelson

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a 2½-hour play written in 1941 by Bertolt Brecht about the rise of Nazism, told through the lens of Chicago gangsters. Brecht. The rise of Nazism. Two and a half hours. Sounds like heavy stuff, right? Perfect material for a Sunday afternoon nap at the theater. But while the show deals with dark, all-too-topical themes, it’s entertaining as hell.

I’ll admit it, I’ve caught myself almost nodding off at more shows than I’d care to confess lately. Luckily, I’m the type who jolts himself awake the second his head tips forward, so I rarely miss anything. It’s never a reflection of the show, I’m just exhausted most of the time. Despite that tendency, I still refuse to give up my favorite seat: the front row. And I’m proud to say there wasn’t a single moment of head nodding during this performance. Partly because the room was a crisp (and probably only to me, comfortable) 65 degrees, but mostly because the show is completely engaging.

The play is an allegory for the rise of Adolf Hitler, reimagined through the story of Arturo Ui, a Chicago gangster who takes control of the cauliflower market and runs protection rackets on local grocers. The tone is distinct, a product of Brecht’s epic theatre philosophy. Brecht wanted audiences to remember they were watching a play, not reality, so actors occasionally break the fourth wall and address the audience directly. The makeup is stylized, almost a subtler Kabuki style, and the performances are broad without being cartoonish. Everything about it, from the make up to the costuming, evokes the visual world of the old Dick Tracy comicstrips. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s not strictly dramatic either, “entertaining” really is the best word for it.

The cast is terrific. David Beukema shines in multiple roles, starting as the announcer who humorously introduces the major players and later in a great scene as a washed up Shakespearian actor brought in to give Arturo tips on how to come off more polished to the everyman. Jim Ramlet is sympathetic as a politician seduced into corruption in a moment of weakness. E.J. Subkoviak stands out as Ernesto Roma, Ui’s right-hand man, exuding both dry humor and menace. But the undeniable star of the show is Gary Briggle as Arturo Ui. His performance feels like a cross between two Al Pacino roles from 1990, The Godfather Part III’s Michael Corleone and Dick Tracy’s Big Boy Caprice. Yet it’s entirely his own creation, filled with menace, manipulation, weariness, and a darkly comic edge. Briggle commands the stage with equal parts charm and danger.

Frank Theatre’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui runs through November 23 at the Ivy Building for the Arts in South Minneapolis. For more information and tickets, visit franktheatre.org.

Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Blazes Across the Stage at Elision Playhouse

Remember last month when I told everyone to get tickets to LIZZIE: The Rock Musical? Some of you listened and some of you didn’t. Then it sold out, they added a week, that sold out too, and you missed your chance. Well, here’s your second warning: get tickets to Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 now! It runs through November 22, but only a few performances still have tickets available. I’d be shocked if this one doesn’t completely sell out.

So, what is this unusually titled show about? Here’s the biggest surprise of all: it’s a sung through electro pop opera adapted from a 70 page section of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. A word of warning to students, don’t think you can catch this show and then fake your way through a book report on War and Peace. A nice hardcover version I found on Amazon is a little over 1200 pages, so this adaptation is just telling the smallest sliver of that grand story. If you do see the show and want more but don’t have two years, seven months, three weeks, and five days to invest in reading the novel, there is an absolutely spellbinding Russian film version that runs a mere seven hours that I highly recommend. It is available on physical media from the Criterion Collection and is absolutely stunning.

This small taste of that story focuses on the romance of Natasha, who is engaged to Prince Andre who is “not here” (off fighting the Napoleonic wars), and Anatole, who is “hot” and well, here. It also follows Pierre, Andrei’s friend and Anatole’s brother-in-law, a man unhappily married and searching for meaning. Around them swirl half a dozen vivid characters, including Andrei’s eccentric father, Pierre’s unfaithful wife Hélène, and Balaga who’s there “just for fun!” In early 19th century Russia, Natasha’s affair has devastating consequences.

Theatre Elision, much like Open Eye, has a distinct artistic identity, where Open Eye is known for its inventive design, Elision is renowned for its musical excellence. Yet Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 bridges both worlds beautifully. Directed and designed by Lindsay Fitzgerald, the show transforms the black box space into an immersive, electrifying environment. Actors move among the audience, and high tables around the central performance area (available for reservation at an extra charge) enhance the atmosphere. Fitzgerald’s unified vision creates a fluid, exhilarating experience that exceeded all expectations. Laina Grendle’s lighting design adds surprises and depth, while the unnamed costume designer deserves special mention for the richly detailed period aesthetic. Harrison Wade’s music direction is, as always, impeccable.

The cast is uniformly excellent. Phinehas Bynum (Pierre) and Anna Beth Baker (Natasha) are outstanding, Bynum even plays the accordion during the show. Hawken Paul pulls double duty as violinist and the hilariously energetic Balaga, while Christine Wade handles three roles Hélène, vocal director, and oboist with skill and charisma. Bradley Johnson is pitch perfect as the “hot” womanizer Anatole, and it was a delight to see Kyler Chase back onstage, a familiar face from Lyric Arts several years ago. Honestly, I could name the entire ensemble, they’re all terrific, trust me.

And trust me when I say you need to get your tickets now. Like LIZZIE, this is one you’ll regret missing. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 runs through November 22 at the Elision Playhouse in Crystal. For more information and tickets, visit theatreelision.com/comet.