YARRRH! It’s a Double Dose of Piracy, Hilarity, Song, & Bawdy Adventures at Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Festival of Free Musicals at the Hive Collaborative

Wini Froelich, Ariel Pinkerton, and Caitlin Sparks Photo by Kari Elizabeth Godfrey

What started as a Minnesota Fringe Festival show in 2011, followed by a remount at Open Eye Theatre that same fall YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical has become Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s biggest hit. For the company’s 20th Anniversary, co–artistic directors (and father and daughter) Daniel and Ariel Pinkerton have revived the smash and paired it in repertory with a brand new world premiere holiday sequel, Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas. This double bill of pirate booty and busts is the perfect way to celebrate: sharing their most beloved hit while also giving audiences something new. And thanks to a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, both shows are completely free. Yes, free pirate musicals. Worth every doubloon and then some.

Both shows feature the same core characters, and while Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas is a sequel, the cast recaps the events of the original musical in the opening number. So if you catch the Xmas version first, you’ll be just fine. The cast includes three women, Ariel Pinkerton, Caitlin Sparks, and Wini Froelich playing a dozen or more characters each (if you count every pirate in the massive sword fights). Also in the cast is Oliver Hands as Toby Bustle, the young boy whose mission to rescue his kidnapped mother drives the first show.

YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical introduces the whole crew in a treasure hunting adventure. Toby’s mum, Rosie Bustle, owner of the Inn and Out Tavern (who makes extra money on the side on her back), has been kidnapped by pirate Billy Silverhook. He believes she knows the location of a treasure map and brings her to the Pirate Queen, Captain Desirée La Femme. Toby teams up with pirate Captain Jack O’Reilly to pursue La Femme’s ship, rescue Rosie, and outrun the Governor and his soldiers in Jamaica, where one of their party even finds love with the Governor’s niece, Cecily.

Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas features the same crew, at least the ones who survived the first outing. This time, the heroes must save Christmas itself. Father Christmas is kidnapped by Don Fernando del Llania, who wants to Christmas more efficient by firing all the elves and eliminating free gifts. The Krampus, La Femme, and O’Reilly set sail to rescue Father Christmas while Toby, Rosie, and Cecily attempt to deliver the toys themselves.

The first musical is a full throttle parody of pirate movies, packed with big laughs and decidedly adult humor. Consider this one ARRRH-rated, and leave the wee ones at home. It proudly carries its Fringe roots, and if you’ve never attended a Minnesota Fringe show, this will give you a taste of the joyful chaos.

The sequel leans more into political satire and prioritizes swashbuckling over swash-unbuckling, but it still lands solidly in hard PG-13 territory. The songs are fun in both shows, but the sequel contains the two that stuck with me:
• “Whatever Happened to Rough Trade?” hilariously performed by Caitlin Sparks, the strongest vocalist in the cast (though Oliver Hands gives her some competition).
• “On Our Tropical Island” a sweet love duet between Father Christmas and Krampus, played by Wini Froelich and Ariel Pinkerton.
All music is delightfully accompanied by Dee Langley on accordion.

Both shows are written by Daniel Pinkerton and Chris Gennaula, directed by Erika Sasseville, and music-directed by Brenda Varda. Like many Fringe-born productions, the set isn’t elaborate, but what’s there is used extremely creatively. The costumes by Ryan McCanna and props by Jenny Moeller are much more detailed with hooks, hats, swords, treasure maps, corsets, puppets… everything your pirate loving heart desires.

The cast is terrific. They know exactly what kind of show this is and lean into it perfectly. Froelich and Pinkerton aren’t primarily known as singers, but they rise to the musical demands and shine in their comedic timing. Their tossed off asides and improvised moments had the audience roaring. Sparks is not only a fantastic singer but matches the others in tone and energy, with some especially inspired physical comedy in “Whatever Happened to Rough Trade?” Oliver Hands, whom I had not seen before, is someone whose career I’ll be sure to follow going forward. This young performer was in good hands with this cast and I’m sure they played a huge role in helping him deliver such a moving and heartfelt performance.

Their naughty, but also nice pirates, and you are sure to have a blast with both shows! YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical and Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas run in repertory through December 21 at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. For more information and to reserve your FREE tickets, go to:
https://fortunesfooltheatre.org/what-were-doing

Most Saturday and Sunday matinees allow you to see both shows with a 30-minute break between them. Reservations aren’t required, but I highly recommend making one to guarantee a seat. And while the shows are free, please consider giving Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s a gift for their 20th Anniversary with a donation:
https://fortunesfooltheatre.org/support-us

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Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical Adds More Than a Dash of Fantasy at the History Theatre

If you caught the holiday preview episode of The Stages of MN Show, you know from my conversation with Director Laura Leffler that I was really excited for the world premiere of Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical at History Theatre in St. Paul. If you missed that episode, check it out here: https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp21YouTube . It’s one of the most fun ones we’ve put together yet.

This new musical from the fervent imagination of Keith Hovis (music and lyrics) and Rachel Teagle (book and lyrics) tells the story of Cap Wigington and his wife Viola, who has just returned after four years in California. She’s come back hoping to salvage their marriage. Cap, meanwhile, is a career-focused man, St Paul’s first Black municipal architect, who has long put his work ahead of his wife. What begins as a marital conflict evolves into a broader story about marginalization, intertwined with a fantasy adventure in the Winter Carnival realm.

There’s a lot happening in this show, and most of it works beautifully. Still, there are moments when it feels like the show is trying to do a bit too much. Cap’s story alone, being a Black architect in the early 20th century whose designs were credited to his white boss, the strain on his marriage, and the construction of the 1937 Ice Palace, would have been enough for a History Theatre musical. But Rollicking! also wades into the marginalization of Native Americans, the gender politics of Carnival history, and broader questions of who gets to be a hero. And yet, to be honest, many of the strongest songs address those other groups, and the fantasy elements are so wonderfully realized that it would be a shame to lose them.

One of the most delightful inventions is the troupe of gnomes, little exposition engines who dole out historical facts throughout (this is the History Theatre, after all). While I’m almost certain Cap and Viola weren’t literally sucked through a mystical portal into the Winter Carnival fantasy realm, the device works, and the gnomes let the show weave in its historical facts with humor. The standout gnome for me was Gned, played by Elena Glass, whose delightfully bizarre voice and character consistently cracked up the audience.

Performance wise, Roland Hawkins II as Cap and Erin Nicole Farsté as Viola are very strong. Hawkins’ vocals arguably outshine his acting, but with a voice like that, it’s hard to complain. The supporting cast is full of memorable turns. Tara Borman is fantastic as Klondike Kate, Adrienne Zimiga-January brings real depth as Winuna, and it’s always a pleasure to see Benjamin Dutcher in a holiday show.

Hovis and Teagle’s score is fun and filled with surprisingly complex vocal lines. My standout numbers were “The Wild West,” led by Borman’s Klondike Kate, and “I’m Here,” performed by Zimiga-January and Hawkins—a poignant song that gives Winuna’s character real resonance.

Joey Miller’s choreography sparkles, particularly in big numbers like “The Wild West” and “Make It a Hot One.” Bryce Turgeon’s costumes bring the fantasy realm vividly to life, complemented by Eli Sherlock’s shape-shifting set. Marcus F. Dilliard’s lighting and Leslie Ritenour’s video projections work seamlessly with the environment, and Rebecca Jo Malmstrom’s wildly creative props and puppets are a treat.

So… is this a family show or an adult show? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. Adults will absolutely enjoy it, and there’s nothing inappropriate for kids. But because the emotional core of the story revolves around a couple trying to mend a fractured marriage, very young kids might tune out. Ages 12 and up, especially those who enjoy musical theatre, will likely have a great time. I definitely did.

Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical runs through December 21 at History Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit:
https://www.historytheatre.com/2025-2026/rollicking-winter-carnival-musical

Episode 22: Beware the Phantom of the Stages of MN is Up and Ready to View over on YouTube!

On this very indulgent episode of The Stages of MN Show I sit down with my son Alex and we discuss our Phantastic double feature day! It was a trip down memory lane for both of us as we were surprised by the very good production of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium at Park Square Theatre and the gorgeous Touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. You can watch the episode here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode22YouTube. Or if you or not blessed with the power of sight you can listen to the podcast edition here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode22Podcast.

You can still see both of these shows! to get tickets to Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium which runs through December 14th at Park Square in St. Paul bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosebumps and The Phantom of the Opera which runs through December 7th at Hennepin Arts Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis https://hennepinarts.org/events/the-phantom-of-the-opera

A Christmas Carol…More or Less, is Definitely More at Yellow Tree Theatre

A Christmas Carol… More or Less at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo turns out to be decidedly on the “more” side. When a small theater company’s entire cast and crew get snowed in after a ski outing, the theater’s owners, estranged husband and wife Charlie and Sarah, decide to perform the show themselves rather than refund the audience. Much like Dante Hicks, Charlie “isn’t even supposed to be there today.” The same closed mountain pass that traps the cast and crew is also preventing him from catching his flight to L.A., where he’s planning to move to write for Wheel of Fortune. After some arm-twisting, he agrees to Sarah’s plea to uphold the sacred tradition that “the show must go on.”

This isn’t my first two-person Christmas Carol—there’s another fantastic one called A Very Good Christmas Carol, written and performed by up-and-coming Twin Cities performers Jeffrey Nolan and Hawken Paul, which leans fully into the manic chaos of two people desperately trying to stage the entire story themselves. If you can’t get into this Yellow Tree production, absolutely check that one out: https://linktr.ee/AVeryGoodChristmas. It’s a laugh riot.

This version at Yellow Tree is certainly funny, but it also leans into the warmth and genuine emotion that a really strong Christmas Carol can evoke. The script gently chips away at the jadedness of two performers who’ve done the show countless times, revealing something unexpectedly heartfelt beneath the comedy.

Paul LaNave and Kate Beahen are wonderfully paired. Beahen is delightful as the determined theater-maker who simply refuses to quit. She’s game for anything, and while LaNave starts by only playing Scrooge (and a few other characters as he warms up), Beahen takes on nearly everyone else, unafraid to throw out a wild accent, a ridiculous walk, or a silly song. She’s disarmingly charming, broad when it needs to be, and surprisingly nuanced, layering disappointed wife, practical producer, and joyful performer into one compelling presence.

LaNave is equally strong, beautifully portraying a man worn down by the life of a starving artist, someone who has let the lure of financial security pull him away from what truly matters. As the performance unfolds, you can see the spark returning to his eyes; the show becomes, in a way, his own tale of redemption.

Will the night end with disappointing realism or a happy ending? You’ll have to come to Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo to find out. If you can, that is, at the time of this writing, the show is 96% sold out. Wait too long and you may find there are no tickets left… a nice problem for the theater, if not for audiences.

A Christmas Carol… More or Less runs through December 28 at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo.
For more information and tickets, visit https://yellowtreetheatre.com/christmascarol.

Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! Brings Merriment and Mirth to the Phoenix Theater

Dawn Krosnowski and Sam Poppen connect over cocoa Photo by Steve Aggergaard

Still bummed about the first real snow of the season? Still smarting from the Loons’ loss in the division semifinals? Don’t dwell on icy roads, think about the fact that this means we may get a White Christmas! And hey, the new MLS season kicks off February 21st! But if you need help seeing past the disappointments, Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! is just the ticket to kickstart your holiday spirit.

Using the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie template as fodder for comedy isn’t new, but that’s perfectly fitting, because neither are the movies themselves. What matters is the execution. From past experience, I’ve learned that the script determines how successfully this concept lands. It can’t simply skewer one trope after another; it still needs its own story. Just Us Theater’s production, written by Jami Newstrom, not only delivers a story packed with laughs, it even positions itself beautifully for a sequel.

The story follows Victoria Steele, a cold-as-steel big city corporate executive sent to evaluate the town of Snowberry Falls as a potential site for an Evergreen Resort. There, she joins the town’s over-the-top holiday festivities and of course, slowly warms to the cheerfully aggressive Christmas spirit of a place that celebrates the holiday eleven months out of the year. The town is filled with colorful characters: Hank and Betty Evergreen, Grandma Twinkles Evergreen, Mayor Kringle, Carol, Joy, and Nick Evergreen, the handyman and Mr. December in the Holiday Hunk Calendar. As Victoria begins thawing in the glow of Nick’s holiday hunk energy, her smug city boyfriend Chad inconveniently arrives. By the final bow, Newstrom ties up all the main plot threads nicely…but leaves just the right mysteries dangling: What did Carol do to land on Betty’s naughty list? Why only eleven months of Christmas? And what’s the real story with Marzipan, the goat?

The cast is a delight. Dawn Krosnowski is technically polished as the hard edged businesswoman but wonderfully vulnerable as Snowberry Falls works its magic. Instead of acting annoyed by the town’s chaos, she plays amused disbelief, giving us a human being to root for rather than a stock caricature. Tim Uren and Sarah Broude are hilarious as Hank and Betty Evergreen (for a peek of them in character, check out the Stages of MN Holiday Preview episode: https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp21YouTube). One of my favorite moments comes courtesy of Uren’s Hank after sampling a fudge that’s been…unexpectedly microdosed. Sam Poppen’s Nick plays the straight man to the madness brilliantly, even while doing wonderfully silly bits like solemnly adding a log to the fire from his handyman toolbox.

Newstrom, who also directs and designed the production, nails the tone. It sits perfectly between impossibly ridiculous and genuinely sincere. The production design is impressively elaborate for the Phoenix Theater’s small space. The holiday excess feels intentional, curated, and festive, not like someone simply threw tinsel at every surface and hoped for the best.

Let’s make Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! a hit so big that Just Us Theater has to cash in next year with: Mistletoeier & Mayhemier 2: Return to Snowberry Falls! To make that sequel happen, buy your tickets at https://mistletoe-mayhem.com/. The show runs through December 14th at the Phoenix Theater in Uptown.

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a Surprisingly Effective Production

Jack Bechard, Ani Tonoyan, Jack Bonko, and Sophie La Fave Photo by Dan Norman

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a show that I went to for nostalgic reasons fully expecting to be underwhelmed and I’m delighted to say I was pleasantly surprised. This was part of a day spent walking down memory lane with my oldest son Alex. We did a Phantom Double feature, hitting the matinee of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium at Park Square Theatre followed by the evening performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum Theatre. Is R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium as good as The Phantom of the Opera musically or in any way? Of course not. Is that a fair comparison? Of course not! On the scale that this show is produced on, it is actually Really good.

This is a show that is geared towards tweens and teenagers, fans of the popular Goosebumps book series are it’s primary target. But the show with book and lyrics by John Maclay and lyrics, music, Orchestrations & arrangements by Danny Abosch doesn’t content itself with aiming solely for that demographic. It accomplishes what few shows geared towards that audience even seem to attempt, it is a rewarding and effective production for adults as well. My son Alex was a big collector of the Goosebumps books when he was younger his interest began before he was able to read the books on his own and so I do remember a few of the ones I read to him. But to be sure his interest in the books was as much for their covers and titles as it was for anything found on the pages.

While I never read the book this show is based on a quick look at the Goosebumps Wiki entry for the book #24 in the original book series indicates that it appears to be a fairly faithful adaptation. Brooke and Zeke, best friends and horror fans are excited to be cast as the leads of their school’s production of The Phantom. Brian, who’s new to the school and missed auditions is thrilled to at least help backstage. But when a masked figure begins haunting rehearsals and leaving threatening notes, the fun turns frightening fast. Determined to uncover the truth, Zeke, Brooke and Brian launch an investigation. Could the phantom be Tina, desperate to steal the lead role, or Emile, the odd night janitor who always seems to be lurking in the shadows? With opening night approaching, and Zeke being accused of backstage pranks and vandalism they must solve the mystery before the play becomes a real-life nightmare or is cancelled.

The show premiered in 2016 and I’m a bit surprised I haven’t seen it produced locally before. Park Square doesn’t list it as a Regional premiere so perhaps a school or community theater has produced it. I’m glad I got to see it at Park Square, but also a little surprised that Children’s Theatre Company or Stages Theatre Company hasn’t mounted a production.

This is a show that High schools should be putting on all over the country but I’m not sure I wanna sit through a high school production of this. What really made this entertaining was it’s very good cast and solid and effective production design. Jack Bechard plays Brian bringing a romantic lead vide to the show. Sophie La Fave plays Brooke with Jack Bonko as Zeke the two play off each other well, with Bonko providing clueless comedic relief throughout. Along with the three leads also very good in the cast are are Ani Tonoyan as Tina and Logan Lang as Emile.

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is one of those shows that you sort of go in expecting it to be underwritten and it isn’t, this is a tight script. And the songs are fun as well. It opens with the song “Goosebumps” which doesn’t start the plot of the show off but instead pays tribute to the series in general with all sorts of characters from the books making an appearance. The Costumes by Rebecca Gardner are great in particular the recreation of those classic Goosebumps characters for that opening number. The set design by Michaela Lochen seemed solid if unexceptional until we get to the sub basement of the auditorium, then I was truly impressed by what was sprung on us. There is a scene that takes place down there where Zeke, Brooke, and Brian are being pursued that Director Ellen Fenster-Gharib stages to make full use of the design, it’s creepy but also funny. With Karin Olson’s Lighting Design really helping to make that set atmospheric and adding a generally spooky element to many scenes. Lastly I do want to point out Choreographer Jack Moorman, who I assume also choreographed the fight scenes, which there are moments of sword combat that felt real, not the slowly timed and excruciatingly predictable blocking we usually get, it’s fast paced and feels dangerous.

If you were ever or have kids who are into Goosebumps this one should be high on your list of shows to see this holiday season as a bit of counter programing. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium runs through Desember 14 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosbumps

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a show I attended purely for nostalgia, fully expecting to be underwhelmed—and I’m delighted to report I was pleasantly surprised. This was part one of a Phantom double feature with my oldest son, Alex: Goosebumps at Park Square Theatre in the afternoon, followed by The Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum that night. Is Goosebumps musically or theatrically on the same level as Phantom of the Opera? Of course not. Is that comparison fair? Absolutely not. On the scale it’s produced, this show is actually really good.

Aimed primarily at tweens and teens, especially fans of the famous book series, the musical (book and lyrics by John Maclay, lyrics, music/orchestrations/arrangements by Danny Abosch) doesn’t settle for just appealing to its core demographic. Impressively, it works for adults too. Alex was a massive Goosebumps collector growing up. His love began long before he could read them on his own, and I remember reading several aloud, though I suspect the cover art and spooky titles were the real draw.

While I never read the book this musical is based on, the Goosebumps Wiki assures me the stage version is fairly faithful to the book, which was #24 in the series. Brooke and Zeke, best friends and horror superfans, are thrilled to be cast as the leads in their school production of The Phantom. Brian, new to the school and arriving to late to audition, is happy to be part of the backstage crew. But when a masked figure starts haunting rehearsals and leaving ominous warnings, things turn creepy fast. Determined to solve the mystery, Zeke, Brooke, and Brian investigate. Could the phantom be Tina, who desperately wants the lead role? Or Emile, the strange night janitor who always seems to be lurking just out of sight? With opening night approaching, and Zeke wrongly accused of pranks and sabotage, the trio must uncover the truth before the production becomes a real-life nightmare…or gets shut down.

The show premiered in 2016, and I’m surprised I haven’t seen it done locally before now. Park Square doesn’t list this as a regional premiere, so perhaps a school or community theater got to it first. Still, I’m glad Park Square produced it, though I’m a little shocked that Children’s Theatre Company or Stages Theatre Company hasn’t tackled it yet.

This is absolutely a musical high schools should be producing everywhere, but whether I personally want to sit through a high school version? That’s another matter. What makes this production work so well is the strong cast and the thoughtful, effective design. Jack Bechard plays Brian with genuine romantic lead charm. Sophie La Fave (Brooke) and Jack Bonko (Zeke) have great chemistry, with Bonko providing much of the comedic lift. Also excellent are Ani Tonoyan as Tina and Logan Lang as Emile.

The show isn’t underwritten the way you might expect, it’s a tight script with genuinely fun songs. It opens with the musical number “Goosebumps,” which doesn’t advance the plot but instead serves as a spooky, high energy tribute to the entire book franchise, featuring iconic Goosebumps monsters. Rebecca Gardner’s costumes shine here, especially in recreating those classic characters. Michaela Lochen’s set initially seemed functional but simple, until we descended into the auditorium sub-basement, where an impressive reveal transformed everything. Director Ellen Fenster-Gharib stages the chase sequence in that space brilliantly, it’s eerie, funny, and one of the highlights of the production. Karin Olson’s lighting enhances the chills throughout, and I also want to praise choreographer Jack Moorman, whose staging includes surprisingly convincing sword combat, which elevates the action beyond standard youth theater blocking.

If you loved Goosebumps as a kid or have kids who do now, this show should be high on your holiday theater list as some spooky counter programming. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium runs through December 14 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosbumps

The Phantom of the Opera Returns to the Orpheum Theater in Best Production in Decades

Isaiah Bailey and Jordan Lee Gilbert Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

The Phantom of the Opera returns to the Twin Cities for what must be the seventh or eighth time. This tour is billed as a revitalized production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical—based on Harold Prince’s original direction, with staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, recreated by Chrissie Cartwright. The last time the show toured through Minneapolis, the staging was noticeably different from the version I remembered. While I enjoyed that iteration, I’m thrilled this production brings back the staging I first fell in love with.

For the uninitiated, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House and becomes obsessed with a young soprano named Christine Daaé. As he manipulates the opera company to make her a star, Christine is torn between fear, fascination, and her love for childhood friend Raoul. The Phantom’s desperate obsession spirals into jealousy and violence, culminating in a confrontation where compassion becomes his final reckoning.

This is one of those musicals people tend to either love or loathe. I know plenty of musically sophisticated people who dismiss it entirely, but I’m not one of them. My love for this show goes back to my first encounter with it: a high school show choir trip to Los Angeles in 1990, where I saw Michael Crawford in the role he originated in the West End and on Broadway. That performance seared itself into my memory. It was probably the first massive Broadway caliber show I ever saw, and it left its mark. I played the cast recording endlessly, so much so that “All I Ask of You” ended up in my first wedding, which feels incredibly cliché now.

Like every version I’ve seen since, this production doesn’t quite reach the perfection of that first experience, but only just. If you’re a Phantom fan, this may be the strongest tour in a couple of decades.

The cast is solid overall, with a few minor quibbles. Daniel Lopez (Raoul) sings beautifully, though at times his constant smiling felt more like musical theatre autopilot than character driven choice. Jordan Lee Gilbert is a stunning Christine, her voice and emotional performance are exceptional. Isaiah Bailey (the Phantom) felt slightly tentative in Act I, but something clicked for him in Act II, and his performance deepened significantly. Of course, every Phantom I see ends up compared, perhaps unfairly, to Michael Crawford’s definitive interpretation. I also enjoyed William Thomas Evans and Carrington Vilmont as the new opera managers; they brought nuance and personality to roles that can easily become one-note.

As always, two things define Phantom: the music and the design. The score, depending on who you ask, is either lush romantic genius or overly popularist fluff. I fall firmly in the first camp. I find it sweeping, emotional, and unforgettable. Some of the most memorable melodies in musical theatre live here.

The production design is equally superb, truly lush in every sense. From the jaw-dropping moment when the chandelier transforms from dusty relic to blazing spectacle in under two seconds, to quieter scenes like the managers’ office framed by rich curtains, the visual world is breathtaking, theatrical, and immersive.

If you’re already a Phantom devotee, consider this a strong recommendation. If you’ve never seen it, now’s the time, if only so you can finally decide whether you’re a Phantom lover or Phantom leaver.

The Phantom of the Opera runs through December 7 at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis.
For more information and tickets, visit: https://hennepinarts.org/events/the-phantom-of-the-opera