Episode 12 of The Stages of MN Show Features the full schedule for the upcoming Twin Cities Horror Festival!

Late again with this post—sorry, faithful readers who rely on these updates to know when a new episode is out! Remember, you can also subscribe to the YouTube channel to be notified as soon as new episodes drop.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Theatre in the Round. They offer excellent flex pass packages and a fantastic season lineup, including Pride & Prejudice, which we review this week along with Theater Mu’s Maybe You Could Love Me. You can learn more about Theater Mu at theatermu.org.

On this week’s episode, we have our first-ever exclusive! I’m joined by Nissa Nordland and Duck Washington, the Artistic and Executive Directors of Twin Cities Horror Festival XIV (TCHF), to reveal the full schedule for this year’s lineup. Learn more at tchorrorfestival.com. You can watch the episode here or listen to the podcast version here.

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A Doll’s House at the Guthrie is Funnier and More Relevant Than One Expects From This Classic Play

Andrew May, David Andrew Macdonald, and Amelia Pedlow Photo by Dan Norman

A fresh adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House by Amy Herzog which premiered on Broadway in 2023 opened the 2025-2026 season at The Guthrie Theater. Written in 1879 Ibsen’s A Doll’s House was a controversial play that challenged societal and theatrical institutions. The story centers around Nora, a devoted wife and mother, who struggles with a secret she has long held. With it’s reveal and her husbands reaction, she learns that her value to him lies in her subservience, in her being exactly what he wants her to be. The final scene of the play we are witness to a woman coming into herself, or at least ready to take the steps necessary to discover who she is as a human being, not just as a wife and mother. In the later half of the 19th century it was a daring exploration of gender roles and the rights of women. You can see why Ibsen is seen as one of the most influential playwrights of his time and often referred to as the father of realism.

I had never seen the play performed live but in preparation for seeing Noura, a modern play inspired by it, the Guthrie in 2020 had a production of Lucas Hnath’s sequel A Doll’s House, Part 2 at the Jungle Theater that same winter. I watched a television version starring Julie Harris and Christopher Plummer from 1959. It’s a bit fuzzy now, but I didn’t remember that version being as funny as this one is. One thing that does hold true is how astonishingly progressive this play seems for a play written in 1879. I think that one might mistakenly attribute that to Herzog’s adaptation, but that isn’t the case if memory serves me. There’s been a lot of chatter about the updating of the language with some feeling that Ibsen’s language should be left alone and doesn’t need to be changed for modern ears. Well Ibsen’s language was Norwegian, Danish so unless you are seeing it in that language, you are not getting Ibsen’s language anyway. The act of translation is also the act of adaptation. The translator is rewriting the text so that a different audience can understand the work. This latest adaptation is simply doing that again but for an audience who understands 21st century English. I had no problem with the script and found it to be humorous but still grounded in the realism that Ibsen was so famous for. The ending still packs a dramatic punch, though I suspect our audience was less shocked and more sympathetic as a whole to Nora’s choices than those in 1879.

The set design by Luciana Stecconi in combination with the lighting design by Robert Wierzel creates a dramatic feel to the proceedings that Director Tracy Brigden undercuts effectively with a generous stream of comedic moments. The tone of the set helps to underscore the darker under currents that run beneath the characters cheerful facade. Amelia Pedlow as Nora has a light touch when the character is simply being, simple. But when things gets serious, Pedlow expertly shows us the shattering of Nora’s illusions about her husband and her coming to terms with Torvald’s outburst and what they represent to her. David Andrew Macdonald, as her husband Torvald, is masterful at playing sweetly condescending while also bringing gasps and jeerings from the audience with his line readings.

A Doll’s House is a strong opening to the Guthrie’s Theater season delivering an adventurous (get used to hearing people say that word this season) take on this classic play. One may ask, why stage this play now? The answer is that more than ever in today’s political climate when the rights of women are coming under attack. We need to remind some of our neighbors that women are not wives and mothers first, but human beings. It’s shocking that nearly 150 years after it was written, we are having to make these statements. A Doll’s House Runs through October 12th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2025-2026-season/a-dolls-house/

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Treasure Island at Children’s Theatre Company Sets Sail for High Adventure

Truman Bednar, Reed Sigmund, Theo Janke-Furman, and Jon Schumacher Photographed by Glen Stubbe

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson was the first “classic” novel I read on my own which I found thrilling. I was also a fan of the Walt Disney film starring Robert Newton as Long John Silver. So I was excited to revisit this tale of pirates and buried treasures. Children’s Theatre Company’s (CTC) production of Stuart Paterson’s adaptation remains true to the source material. Just as with reading of young Jim Hawkins’ adventures as a young boy, I once again found myself setting course for danger and adventure upon the high seas. Marking the CTC directorial debut of new Artistic Director Rick Dildine, he proves that CTC has the ship heading in the right direction. The show which is recommended for ages 8 and up may be a little violent and dark for some of those 8 year olds. There are sword fights, gunfights, talk of hangings, and several on stage murders occur. There are also moments such as during a storm at sea where the theater is darker and the storm noises may be too much for some more sensitive children. The key is to know your children, and whether this is one that will thrill them or frighten them.

The role of Jim Hawkins in shared in alternating performances by Truman Bednar and Mason Yang, I saw Bednar perform the role and thought he did a great job. Reed Sigmund, braves his fear of water and loses a leg to play Long John Silver. Sigmund and the entire cast play their roles completely straight, there is no pandering to younger audiences. They’re there to tell the story of Treasure Island with all it’s thrills and dangers intact. Sigmund is electric as the ships cook who befriends young Hawkin’s only to be revealed later as the mastermind behind the pirates who want to take over the ship they serve on to steal the gold for themselves. The show also features some Stages of MN favorites in roles. Max Wojtanowicz plays Doctor Livesey and Em Adam Rosenberg plays Squire Trelawney, the two men who have arranged the trip to find the buried treasure and represent the heroes of the tale. Rosenberg lends their beautiful voice along with other performers including Matt Riehle to a surprising amount of musical performances that act as interludes between scenes. They are very well done and I really enjoyed their inclusion, and it felt as if those moments gave the children an opportunity to reset between moments of conflict.

Technically the production is wonderful as well. The set design by Christopher and Justin Swader is elaborate able to open as a Seaside Inn, transform into a mighty ship, and then become the Island destination of the title. The decorative motif of books throughout the set is a nice reminder that the story comes from a classic of children’s literature. Alexa Behm’s costumes are top notch whether adorning the sophisticated Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey, or a boatload of pirates. Lighting Designer Jeff Behm’s contributions are significant in creating the look and feel of the open sea and the storm which also uses projections by Blake Manns to complete the illusion. Sound designer Melanie Chen Cole completes the illusion and also has a lot of effective cues throughout like well timed splashes when something or someone is tossed overboard..

The production was darker in tone than I was expecting from the CTC, which was a pleasant surprise. If you love the story as I do, but don’t have any kids to take, don’t worry. This is one of those CTC shows that is as entertaining for the parents as it is for the kids, perhaps even more so. Treasure Island runs through October 19th at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/treasure-island/

Maybe You Could Love Me a World Premiere From Theater Mu

Ashembaga Jaafaru and Sushma Saha Photo by Rich Ryan

One of the things I love about seeing so many productions is the different cultural perspectives I get to see the world through. The shows Theater Mu presents during its season are great examples of this. Maybe You Could Love Me by Samah Meghjee gives us an inside look into the lives of two young Muslim girls, Noor and Sajida, who are best friends. The play explores topics familiar to us as coming of age themes but through their specific cultural lens. It highlights what is universal about the human experience while also reflecting the unique ways in which our environment effects the ways in which we process those experiences. Like many white midwesterners, I know far too little about Islam, so while I’m not always sure what the characters are referring to specifically, Meghjee’s script provides enough context for me to understand what is happening without ever feeling like I’m being spoon fed information. We are simply observing the relationship between Noor and Sajida through time, seeing how their relationship develops through glimpses into three different ages 8, 17, and 26. It explores sexuality with a frankness that feels genuine and completely non-exploitative. Maybe You Could Love Me is a fascinating exploration of how friendship, queerness, and culture intermingle in the lives of these two young women.

Katie Bradley, who directs the show, is becoming a very strong Director with a clear understanding of how to communicate the growing and changing relationships between characters. Her last effort Stop Kiss, also for Theater Mu, also focused on two young women navigating their sexuality and relationship over multiple time periods. Bradley’s experience as an Actor is a strength in helping her guide these stories which focus on relationships and the connections between the characters. You can see her sensitivity towards the actor’s process in the way she stages the transitions between scenes. Building in time for Ashembaga Jaafaru and Sushma Saha, who play Noor and Sajida, to reset and center themselves into the next age as they change costume on stage. I do want to also note how much I enjoyed the spacious set by Scenic Designer Mina Kinukawa, which even features a bathroom that pushes out from the back wall complete with shower that is used to great effect.

There are other characters in the play that appear only via voices heard through the door to Noor’s room or on a telephone, but this is essentially a two hander between Jaafaru and Saha. Both performers handle the age shifts effectively, finding little touches to show us how they have changed as well as how they have remained the same over the 18 years which the play spans. It’s interesting to note through the script and the performances how the characters have swapped places in key ways. The younger Noor is the more adventurous of the two the one who is less strict with following the tenants of her religion. While Sajida the more timid and more apt to worry about whether something is allowed or isn’t. By the end it is Noor who has fallen inline with the cultural expectations of her community, while Sajida has chosen to follow more of her own path. This also reflects the status of their home lives, where Noor’s family is intact, Sajida’s parents are divorced and her father is uninvolved in her life. Jaafaru and Saha have an very natural intimacy between them which establishes them quickly in the minds of the audience as girls who have known each other since before they can even remember. The final scene plays all the more powerfully because of the bond we feel between them in the scenes from Act 1. Saha as faithful viewers of the YouTube show know is a Stages of MN favorite and they are well matched with Jaafaru. These are two very strong performances that make Maybe You Could Love Me a powerful play that speaks to everyone, while also allowing us a better understanding into Muslim culture.

Maybe You Could Love Me runs through September 28th at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatermu.org/maybe

Pride & Prejudice Rocks Out At Theatre in the Round

Erika Sasseville, Eva Gemlo, Maya Vagle, Stephanie Kahle, Davin Grandstaff Photo by Tom Taintor

Wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I make the commitment to see less shows, I see one that I want to go back and see again. When I talk about pointing people towards shows that will make them want to see more theater, this is what I’m talking about. Playwright Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Pride & Prejudice condenses and changes some details but, in the most faithful was possible. What remains untouched is the spirit of Jane Austen’s novel which was written over 200 years ago but feels as if it was written only yesterday. Those unfamiliar with Austen’s works might feel as though it has been completely modernized and Miss Elizabeth Bennett may feel like a character out of time but that is simply because Austen’s writing, especially in terms of female characters, was ahead of it’s time. Director and co-Sound Designer Penelope Parsons-Lord injects the play with a healthy dose of bold and unabashed energy, utilizing pop songs with confidence. It’s the sort of staging that feels like a risk that paid off, resulting in a show that made you want to get up and join the dancing. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a musical version of the story. The music takes place between scenes and during various Balls for the most part.

All the pop songs in the world won’t elevate a show without strong performances. Pride & Prejudice has a great cast including several new to me Actors. First and foremost without a strong Lizzy Bennett you’re lost. This production, my first stage show of Pride & Prejudice, though I’ve seen several screen adaptation, features what might possibly be my favorite Lizzy. Eva Gemlo’s performance as Lizzy is sublime, the perfection of which cannot be overstated. It’s a performance perfectly attuned to Theater in the Round’s intimate space. Relying as much on subtle facial expressions and body language as it does on line readings. Gemlo projects Lizzy’s intelligence, wit, and independent spirit while also inviting the audience into her inner feelings, key to building that moment of vicarious joy one feels when Austen’s characters finally realize and find their love. The entire cast is strong including Luke Langfeldt who gets the duality of Mr Darcy. It’s key that we find him as arrogant as Lizzy does in the beginning, and equally as key that we buy the characters growth and are excited by the change in their feelings towards each other. With a knowing nod to the famous Colin Firth performance, he gets his own dripping wet shirt scene. There are some great comic performances, that bring out the playwright and Directors comedic flourishes. Mary Lofreddo plays Miss de Bourgh whose face we never see but whose expressive black rubber gloved hands look like something out of a horror film. Michael Hundevad plays Mr. Bingley as if he were a puppy dog, an aspect played up with a ball as his favorite prop. But the standout of the supporting Actors is Stephanie Kahle as Mary Bennett. Kahle’s expressive eyes are fixed in a hard stare, creating a sense of uneasiness in the her fellow characters whom she is constantly startling. Much humor is derived from Kahle’s unpredictable and often clueless behavior as Mary.

Theatre in the Round’s production of Pride & Prejudice is a high-spirited and fast paced comedy with heart. Fans of Austen’s work will be thrilled by the production which ramps up the humor without losing a bit of the heart that is so crucial to Austen’s work. It’s also a great gateway show to people who don’t normally attend theater or think they wouldn’t enjoy a Jane Austen adaptation. This will shatter an audiences own prejudices about what a romantic play set in the early 1800’s will look like. I strongly encourage the bringing of teenagers and young adults who maybe haven’t been exposed to theater. This is the kind of show that often leads to regular theater attendance. Pride & Prejudice runs through October 5th at Theatre in the Round Players in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/prideandprejudice/

Anyone Can Whistle: In concert Brings an Oddball and Rare Stephen Sondheim Show to Audiences Courtesy of Minneapolis Musical Theatre

Anyone Can Whistle is a rarely produced musical featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Debuting on Broadway on April 4, 1964, the show ran for twelve previews and nine performances before closing. Unlike much of Sondheim’s works Anyone Can Whistle is rarely performed. It’s easy to see why. And no, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, I actually quite enjoyed this goofy little oddity. But goofy little oddities that strike that perfect cord that transfers into the kind of success that can sustain a Broadway run are few and far between. This clearly wasn’t and probably still isn’t that kind of show. But honestly, I think it’s weird enough with some great music to warrant a fully staged production by someone like say, oh I don’t know, Minneapolis Musical Theatre. I’m grateful that they have given us the opportunity to see the show in concert, though I should tell you this is more than just actors singing their songs, they are playing the characters and there is some blocking and visual storytelling going on. You get the full production here, don’t worry that you will just see singers singing through the songs, as the “In Concert” suggests.

The story centers around an economically depressed town run by Mayoress Cora Hoover Hooper and her stable of corrupt officials who fake a miracle in order to attract tourists. The plan works until Nurse Fay Apple brings her patients, known as Cookies from the local mental asylum which is referred to as The Cookie Jar, to see if the miracle will cure them. Things get kinda weird after that. Dr J. Bowden Hapgood comes to town and Nurse Apple who is in hiding, disguises herself as a French nurse with a bright red wig, a romance ensues. There’s also a weird suggested sexual relationship between the Mayoress and the City Comptroller, which may or may not be transactional. There are several stand out performances including both Hope Quinn as Fay Apple, and William Lucas as Dr. Hapgood. But I also enjoyed Benjamin Kruse as Comptroller Schub and Mary Palazzolo as Mayoress Hooper along with several members of the ensemble. Directed by Max Wojtanowicz with music Direction by Walter Tambor, they get a lot of bang out of a four person band.

This shaggy dog of the Sondheim oeuvre deserves to be seen, the closest thing I can compare it to plot wise is Urinetown. It’s fun, and does contain some pretty fantastic songs. But don’t wait too long it’s short run ends this weekend September 14th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.aboutmmt.org/

Big Fish is an Evening of Tall Tales Told With Humor and Heart at Lyric Arts in Anoka

Kate Beahen and Ben Bakken Photo by Molly Jay

Big Fish based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the 2003 Tim Burton film from Columbia Pictures, could be aptly titled Dad Jokes and Stories: The Musical. I saw the film in the Theater with my son Alex when he would have been about five and a half years old. It sticks with me because of a memory I have of Alex laughing his head off at a scene where a baby goes sliding down the aisle of, I want to say an airplane. I’m not 100% sure that scene exists, and seeing the show with Alex 22 years later has made us both curious to revisit the film and see if my memory is true.

Daddy and Alex at Lyric Arts for Big Fish 9/5/2025 Photo by my right hand

I don’t know how faithful it is to the book I never read or the film I barely remembered, though story details did come back to me as we watched. I feel like there is a lot of consistency at least between the film and the musical. Which also makes sense because the screenplay for the film and the book for the musical were both written by John August. The show is about the relationship between a father, who tells tall tales, and his son who expecting his own son in a few months. The father, Edward, is dying and his son Will wants to know the truth about his father who has been an embarrassment to him throughout his life, always telling wildly implausible stories. The fun of the show is the enactment of these stories, which feature mermaids, giants, the circus, and a war story in which Edward thwarts the assassination of a general. Much of the humor comes in the style commonly referred to as Dad Joke’s, which being a Dad, I loved. The heart comes from the relationships. Whether it’s the romantic and loving relationship between Edward and his wife Sandra, the attempts to connect between Edward and Will, or how the myriad of other characters with who Edward interacts create a tapestry that tells his mythology. I can’t say any of the songs by Andrew Lippa have actually stuck with me, but they were enjoyable enough as the show played out.

The cast is led by Ben Bakken, who is terrific as Edward, with boundless energy and a twinkle in his eye as he unloads every whopper of a story. The other cast member whose performance I found really touching was Kate Beahen as Edward’s wife Sandra. Beahen is a gifted vocalist, but it’s the warmth and unwavering love she displays for Edward throughout that really grounds that relationship making her the glue that binds the family together. Director Scott Ford along with Music Director Wesley Frye, and Choreographer Hannah Weinberg-Goerger, wonderfully stage everything from the tall tales to the group dance numbers. Special shout out to Costume Designer Samantha Fromm Haddow who must have 5 or 6 different costumes for each of the 21 cast members. And special little nod to two performers in small roles that absolutely put their uniques stamp on the show, Justin Betancourt and Alex Stokes.

The show runs about 2 hours and 35 minutes including the intermission, but it doesn’t feel long at all. The storyline that threads its way through the episodic stories told by Edwards keep it clipping along and allows us a variety to the storytelling that keeps it fresh. Alex and I both really enjoyed revisiting the story of Edward and Will and all the fantastical characters that populate it. Big Fish runs through September 28th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/big-fish