An Act of God Brings a Message and laughs From the Lord Via Sally Wingert at Six Points Theater

God visited Six Points Theater in the person of Twin Cities Actor Sally Wingert this weekend. If you missed it, fear not, the lord will be spreading the good word through May 18th. The purpose of this visit is to reveal the new and improved ten commandments. There are a few favorites making a return on the list such as “I am the Lord thy God, King of the Universe. Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me.” and “Thou shalt not take My name in vain.” but it’s the inclusion of others like “Thou shalt not tell others whom to fornicate” that promise to make this new big ten controversial and ensure it’s a best seller. It’s hard to imagine a modern day list ever gaining the popularity of the original in this day and age of niche culture, but if so desired, God obviously has the power to make it happen. One can see why God decided to use Sally Wingert as a vessel to share this message. Some of it like the one addition I revealed above might not go over so well with those who claim to be God’s most devoted fans. Wingert’s distinct delivery adds much humor and much like Mary Poppins’ spoonful of sugar, it is that which helps the medicine go down.

In order to present these new commandments in a way that will feel familiar to us, God has chosen what feels like a talk show approach. Assisted by two Angels Michael, in the corporal form of Kevin Brown Jr. and Gabriel inhabiting the body of Andrew Newman. Michael roams the theater taking questions from the minds of audience members for God while Gabriel runs sound effects and shares bible quotes. I must say that Brown and Newman are perfect little angels. Obviously, the chance to see God should not be missed and I really appreciated God’s decision to share this information in such an intimate and down to earth way. God really opens up and it’s surprising how funny our world is when you see it through God’s eyes. While I’m certainly going to miss such staples of morality as “though shalt not bear false witness (lie)”, I can certainly see why in todays climate that one had to go. I do look forward to the opportunity to covet my neighbors wive and ox going forward. I also appreciated that while going through the new ten commandments that God was willing to go off topic and discuss things that have always been stumbling blocks for me, like how all those animals fit in Noahs Ark. So even if you aren’t a big “rules” person there will be plenty of information God has to share and it’s guaranteed to but a smile on your face and have you laughing out loud.

An Act of God was written by David Javerbaum and Directed by Craig Johnson with great panache. It’s bold, confident and wildly funny, deftly performed with the unique comedic voice of Sally Wingert. Who, if not an actual God, is certainly a God-like figure in the Twin Cities theater scene. Six Points Theater’s production of An Act of God runs through May 18th at the Highland Park Community Center. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.sixpointstheater.org/an-act-of-god

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The Barber of Seville is a Comedic Delight at the Minnesota Opera

MN Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville Photo credit: Cory Weaver

The Barber of Seville closes out the Minnesota Opera’s 2024-25 season and it turns out to be my favorite of their productions. As the lights dimmed in the theater and the audience cheered as the conductor took his place and began the Overture my mind conjured up visions of a talking grey rabbit and a hunter with a speech impediment. The music by Gioachino Rossini is one of probably two or three operas that someone who has never seen an opera will immediately recognize. There was a moment during the Overture when I swear I heard Bugs Bunny singing “Can’t you see that I’m much sweeter, I’m your little senoriter. For a moment, I worried that the night might be plagued by intrusive thoughts of wascally wabbits. But to my delight the action on stage pushed all such images from my mind and I was extremely engaged with the production. My opera experience has been growing since I began The Stages of MN, from having seen one in my pre-blog days to I would guesstimate about twenty now. It’s never going to be my favorite performance art, but my appreciation is steadily growing. This production in particular I found to be very accessible and charmingly funny.

The plot feels like something out of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina, who loves him as well though she knows him by the disguise he has assumed as that of a poor student named Lindoro. At two points in the story, as Lindoro, he will assume a third disguise, first as a drunken soldier and later as a substitute teacher named Don Alonso. He must do this to try and get into the house of Dr Bartolo who is Rosina’s guardian and intends to marry him herself. The Count is assisted in his schemes to gain access to Rosina by his friend Figaro, the Barber of the title. Dr Bartolo is aware of the Count’s intentions and is making his own schemes to thwart him with Rosina’s music teacher Don Basilio. It sounds rather confusing but it isn’t partly due to one of the downsides of Opera’s, which is the belief on the part of the writers of operas, if something is worth singing, it’s worth singing five times, in a row. I’m used to that at this point and accept it, but what this production did surprise me with is how funny, fresh, and modern it felt. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Stage Director Chuck Hudson was acknowledging the cultural impact of The Rabbit of Seville with a wink to the audience in a couple of places where the humor was delightfully cartoonish.

The cast was very good all around standouts included Takaoki Onishi as Figaro, Kathgerine Beck as Rosina, Lunga Eric Hallam as Count Almaviva and Stefan Egerstrom as the surprisingly deep voiced Don Basilio. Matthew Anchel gave a very good performance as Dr. Bartolo, but there were several instances when he was singing that I couldn’t hear a single sound from him. The really delightful thing about all the performances was not the vocals (which of course were tremendous) but the acting. The reality is that first and foremost at the Opera, the voice reins supreme, a great singer can stand on stage and sing and carry off the role brilliantly without even doing much in the way of acting. But in this case, all of the performances where as strong as the vocals, it’s a comic opera so there isn’t necessarily a lot of rich character building expected. But as any actor with tell you comedy is hard, and they all pull of the comedic performances superbly.

As is always the case with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra they sounded elegant under Principal Conductor Christopher Franklin. Usually the Overture is something I wish they would cut, but tonight I was thoroughly enjoying it. One of the things that keeps me coming back to at least a couple productions of the Minnesota Opera a year are the design elements and this was no different. The Scenic Design by Allen Moyer relied heavily on painted backdrops but they were accented so well by set pieces that I rather enjoyed the overall aesthetic. There were no corners cut in the costume department, the designs by Mathew J. Lefebvre were richly textured and striking to behold. I do also want to credit Lighting Designer Eric Watkins along with Moyer for a scene that acts as a little ballet during Act II of people with umbrellas navigating their way through a thunderstorm, it’s very effectively done and while disposable to the plot, I’m sure glad it was there.

The MN Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville runs through May 18th at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://mnopera.org/season/2024-2025/the-barber-of-seville/

The Nacirema Society is a Comedy Powered by a Powerhouse Cast at the Guthrie Theater

Dedra D. Woods, Joy Dolo, Nubia Monks, Greta Oglesby, & Regina Marie Williams Photo by Dan Norman

The Nacirema Society is a play about differences, differences between generations and class, between the educated and undereducated, and between those who serve and those who are served. But above all of those it is a comedy that is meant to entertain us, which it does in no uncertain terms. Featuring a wonderfully detailed set design by Takeshi Kata and gorgeous costumes designed by Trevor Bowen, which you can get some sense of in the photo above. But as wonderful as the show is visually and technically, it’s the performances of this marvelous cast that I relished the most. The cast is stacked with powerhouses that get to play light comedy, showing us how great actors bring strong characterizations to every role. This is a play that would work wonderfully with very broad characterizations, but it becomes so much better when you have actors of this calibre who bring fully dimensional characters to bear upon the material.

The Nacirema Society is a social tradition of the affluent and wealthy black families in Montgomery Alabama. It’s 1964 and they are celebrating their 100th anniversary, and the matriarch’s of the Dunbar and Green families are organizing the event which will feature their Grandchildren Gracie and Bobby, whom they hope will marry. Gracie and Bobby don’t love each other but think of each other almost as siblings. Bobby is in love with someone else, but his Grandmother Catherine threatens to cut him off, if he doesn’t do as she wishes. Gracie’s grandmother Grace, expects her to go to the college that women in their family have always gone to, but she wants to go to New York to become a writer. I think from that description you probably think you know what kind of play this is and where things will go. Well, you’re probably wrong. Did I mention the Blackmail scheme, the girl who thinks she’s been thrown over for her rich rival, the long hushed up family secret, and the reporter from the New York Times who is staying in the Dunbar’s house to do a story on the Nacirema Society. The matriarchs try to keep up appearances and keep the skeletons in the closet, while the young people try and follow their hearts. It begins very straightforwardly and then the situation becomes more and more loaded, each scene adds another complication, another ball to try and keep in the air.

Greta Oglesby plays Grace Dunbar as refined and completely unflappable, she never loses her composure, especially when she pretends she has. It’s a skillful and beautifully controlled performance, she appears to be completely devoted to tradition and propriety, but she is also a realist and when she’s most despised by a character who has every right to despise her, she shows that she values more than just her good family name, she wants things a certain way but accepts that the world is changing and she will bend with it. Regina Marie Williams plays Catherine Green, it was such a change from the usually powerful and commanding characters she usually plays. It’s so fun to see her play the one one who gets flustered and faints. Aimee K. Bryant plays Alpha Campbell Jackson, the daughter of the Dunbar’s former maid and mother of Lillie, who is the girl Bobby loves. Bryant is terrific in the role and gets a particularly memorable moment when she gets to tell Grace what she thinks of her and her whole family. The entire cast is great but those three are the the engine behind the whole show and they couldn’t be stronger. What’s so wonderful about this show are is that all the roles are filled with great performers, many favorites including Joy Dolo, Nubia Monks, and Darrick Mosley just to name a few.

The Nacirema Society runs through May 25th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2024-2025-season/the-nacirema-society/

Anything Goes at Lakeshore Players

Anything Goes is an enjoyable enough show, the plot is lightweight but it features some great Cole Porter songs. The production is directed and choreographed by Kyle Weiler and I expected to be wowed by the dancing in this one. I kept expecting it throughout the first Act and had just about given up when the show stopping title song came to close out Act I. All of the pent up desire was consummated in one fell swoop. The performance of “Anything Goes” is probably worth attending the show for that alone. Thankfully, while not a must see, there are still plenty of other elements that contribute to an all around good time at the theater. Weiler’s choreography is brilliant and there is more of it on display in Act II, though nothing does or probably could top the ending of Act I. I’m not as high on Weiler’s direction which is only serviceable. I suspect trying to direct and choreograph a show that was very dance heavy spread him a little thin and he wasn’t able to put as much thought into the direction. It feels like there is a lack of connection comedically between the outlandishness of some of the story elements and its staging. The original book for the musical included P.G. Wodehouse among its authors, though this production is based on the 1987 revival, with a new book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman. I can’t speak to the changes but I’m sure they were allowed more moral latitude in the update.

There are several standouts in the cast, first and foremost is Hope Nordquist as Reno Sweeney a Night Club singer who is performing the entertainment on an ocean liner heading from New York to London. Nordquist gets several great numbers to shine in, the aforementioned “Anything Goes” as well as “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” and “The Dancer in Me” which she goes toe to toe with Lewis Youngren’s Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Its a fun number that has some nice footwork but also inspired comical moves as well. You may have noticed the absence of a plot synopsis, that’s because it doesn’t really matter, at least in this production. There are multiple sets of romances, none of which we actually care a thing about, there are gangsters and bosses and hiding out and pretending to be someone else. The reason to see this show is for the songs, the dancing, and while we care very little for any of the characters, we still have fun with some of the performances. Other enjoyable portrayals come from Marley Ritchie as the tough talkin’ Erma, who’s full of sass and attitude. Another crowd favorite was Adam Bloom as Moonface Martin, a gangster who is public enemy number 12.

The set design by Justin Hooper is well conceived and constructed with large staircases on either side of the stage leading to an upper platform. I expected Weiler to take more advantage of this Busby Burkeleyesque structure, but there is probably only so much you can safely do on those decently steep stairs, and I’d rather everyone was safe. The toilet in the brig of the ship was an inspired touch. Meghan Kent’s costumes for the most part where well done, though there was a dinner jacket that was hard to ignore that was coming apart at the seems, but that may have been the result of some strenuous dancing. Overall the production ran well technically, with each department adding value to the whole. I enjoyed the show, but I do think that it would be improved if we came to care about the characters a bit more.

Anything Goes runs through May 18th at Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake. For more information go to https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/anythinggoes-season-72-1-1

Scarecrow on Fire is a Charmingly Askew Take on the Further Adventures of the Characters of Oz

Dan Chouinard, Kevin Kling, Simone Perrin, and Stephen Yoakam Photo by Lauren B Photography

I didn’t expect when I headed to the Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis for Illusion Theater’s production of Scarecrow on Fire to find quite such a confluence of my personal interests. The play written by Kevin Kling is performed as an old time radio show, faithful readers will know of my love for this genre by my frequent praise of shows from The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society. The show features musical performances from the House of Mercy Band, which are often accompanied projected on the back of the stage clips from silent film versions of The Wizard of Oz, silent film is another passion of mine. The play itself begins in the land of Oz and is narrated by the Scarecrow played by the playwright Kevin Kling. After receiving a troubling response from a Crow, the Scarecrow sneaks a look into the Wicked Witches crystal ball and sees a vision of Dorothy seeming distressed and saying the phrase Scarecrow on Fire! The Scarecrow gathers the Tin Man and the Lion and they agree to use the ruby slippers, which are a doorway to Kansas to journey from Oz and find and help Dorothy. In Kansas, the trio all arrive separately and have their own odd adventures in the mysterious land of Kansas.

There isn’t anything that doesn’t work in this production, the live music performances from House of Mercy Band are terrific beginning with a terrific version of “If I Only Had a Brain“. But to forewarn you, almost all of the rest of the music and songs do not come from the famous 1939 film. That isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t want to leave you with the wrong impression. The play is however filled with little Easter eggs and winks to our collective cultural consciousness of the film. It’s part absurdist fish out of water tale and part exploration of the mind itself. Much like Dorothy’s experience in the film, where everything could be explained by her mind taking parts of her reality and molding them into a fever dream fantasy. The script is smart, funny, and knows its audience has this shared knowledge of The Wizard of Oz, which we do, it’s like it’s part of our genetic makeup. Though I wonder now, if I’m among the last generations that will contain that film within our DNA.

Along with Kling as the Scarecrow the cast contains Dan Chouinard as The Tin Man, Stephen Yoakam as the Lion, and as Dorothy Gale, Simone Perrin, who wonderfully sings a couple of songs during the show with a real 1930’s feel to her style. Both Chouinard and Yoakam along with their primary roles fill in as other side characters as needed. All four members of the cast are excellent vocal performers perfectly suited to the requirements to play multiple characters within a scene. Yoakam particularly has fun conversing with himself, swapping hats as he changes his voice as a visual gag for us, the studio audience. Along with the House of Mercy Band, Chouinard tinkles the piano keys occasionally and other background music is performed by Cellist Michelle Kinney. There is so much happening in the intimate black box theater space that you sort of forget it is being performed as a radio play. I don’t think anything would be gained and a lot might be lost if this were performed as a fully mounted stage play. This is the ideal format for this story it’s such an original and delightful piece that is built upon all of these artifacts from years gone by.

Scarecrow on Fire runs through May 4th at Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis as part of Illusion Theater’s 50th Anniversary season. For more information, to purchase tickets or to make a donation to Illusion Theater go to https://www.illusiontheater.org/scarecrow-on-fire

Waitress is Sexy and Delicious at Artistry!

Adair Gilliam, Erin Capello, and Julia Diaz Photo by Alyssa Kristine

This production of Waitress at Artistry serves up the best slice of this modern American classic yet. Portions of this review not specific to this production are taken in part from my review of the touring production at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in 2022. I know, I know, another musical based on a movie, the difference is this time it wasn’t a blockbuster hit movie that everyone and their grandmother saw. This time, the musical is based on an independent film that your Grandmother probably didn’t see. Chances are you haven’t either, but you should, and you should see this musical as well. The film was released in 2007 starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion and co-starring the films Writer/Director Adrienne Shelly. It’s cult success was bittersweet due to the murder of Shelly in 2006. It’s nice to see her work gain a new life and continue to bring joy to audiences. Opening on Broadway in 2016, it ran until 2020. National Tours began in 2017. The tour made two stops in the Twin cities and I saw and enjoyed them both. But this production takes the pie! It’s a fairly naughty show, but in a very sweet way. If you haven’t seen a production yet, you are in luck like a tasty dessert you’ve saved the best for last. Maybe I’m just becoming more in tune with our local talent but the last two shows I’ve seen produced locally, I had also seen and loved the touring productions of, I’ve come away preferring the local productions. First it was Fun Home at Theater Latte Da, now Waitress at Artistry!

Jenna Hunterson is the Waitress of the title she has a gift for making pies which she puts to good use at Joe’s Diner. Work is populated by the grouchy short order cook and manager Cal, fellow waitresses and Jenna’s friends Dawn and Becky, and daily customer/owner the elderly Joe. Home life is Earl and only Earl, from that magic mold that so many Earl’s seem to come from. You know the type, the kind that makes people write songs with titles like “Goodbye Earl“. Things go from bad to worse for Jenna’s personal life when she discovers early in the show that she is pregnant. A trip to her OB/GYN further complicates matters when she finds herself attracted to him. During times of stress Jenna creates new pies with fabulous names like Deep Dish Blueberry Bacon, Betrayed By My Eggs Pie, and Almost Makes You Believe Again Pie. While the play focuses on Jenna, we also explore the love lives of the other characters. Particularly the introverted and innocent Dawn who has her own whirlwind romance with Ogie, whom she meets through a service and who is a spontaneous poet.

The book is by Jessie Nelson with Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles based on the film written by Adrienne Shelly. This being my third time seeing the show, I went from more of the songs sticking with me to, I love these songs!!!! Bareilles has some real winners here from the truly funny to the emotional. Maybe I just needed the right cast to bring all of them into focus for me. Although, I suspect it also has something to do with the tight and on stage orchestra under the musical direction of the Bradley Beahen. Director Amanda White has taken a show that I felt warmly about and transformed it into a show I feel giddy about. She’s found the exact right person for each role and found the perfect way for each of them to find their moment in the spotlight. If I start listing cast members and my favorite moments this will become too long and you’ll stop reading. So I’ll limit it to a few and them. Erin Capello as Jenna is brilliant and her vocals are angelic. Eric Morris is genuinely loathsome as Earl, I’ve met Eric Morris, he is no Earl, but a disturbingly good portrayal of a really nasty guy. Armando Harlow Ronconi brings every possible laugh and then some out of the nerdish Ogie. JoeNathan Thomas plays the cantankerous old joe with no nonsense, and then stuns with his song “Take it From an Old Man“. Oh shit I’m doing it, It’s getting long, but I just have to mention that I also loved everything Julia Diaz and Adair Gilliam did as Dawn and Becky. Oh and Ryan Lee as Cal, and of course Chris Paulson as Dr. Pomatter, and the matter of fact delivery of his “your not pulling the wool over my eyes nurse played by Lisa Vogel.

When you can’t pull out just a couple of good performances to mention you know it’s a very special production. It’s brought to life with wonderful design work by Sarah Bahr and the choreography by Gabrielle Dominique that really adds to the visuals and magic of this show. Waitress runs through May 11 at Artistry in Bloomington, but it’s selling very well so don’t assume you’ve got plenty of time. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/waitress

Disney’s Frozen Makes You Want to Build a Snowman as it Brings an Arctic Blast of Magic to Children’s Theatre Company

Laura Marie, Julia Ennen, Gillian Jackson Han, and Adam Jones Photo by Glen Stubbe Photography

The Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical National tour came through the Twin Cities in the fall of 2021 where I saw it and was wowed by the stage magic employed by the touring company. Now The Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) has mounted their own production using a fraction of a fraction of the Broadway budget of $35 million. And you know what happened? I was wowed by the stage magic employed by the CTC. CTC’s original production can’t recreate all the awe and wonder of the touring production with all its Disney dollars behind it, but they find effective ways to bring their own sense of wonder. Even finding their own way to recreate one of the biggest gasp inducing costume changes from the Broadway production. I was as thrilled by that moment as the theater filled with parents and children, we all collectively gasped then applauded! It doesn’t hurt that that scene is accompanied by the best song in the show “Let It Go” sung wonderfully by Gillian Jackson Han as Elsa.

The cast brings all the characters from the beloved Disney animated film to life including Olaf a living Snowman played by Laura Marie and Sven the Reindeer played by Adam Jones in terrific puppet designs by Eric Van Wyk. Gillian Jackson Han is fantastic as Elsa and admirably keeps the character front and center even when competing with some elaborate special effects. Julia Ennen is delightful as Anna and the heart of the production. Matthew Hall is magnificent as Kristoff and gets to show of some very strong vocals in the song “Kristoff Lullaby“. Other highlights in the cast were CTC constants Dean Holt and Reed Sigmund, bringing their signature quirkiness to multiple characters each.

Scott Davis’ scenic design is grand and striking, the large wooden doors to the castle of Arendelle that dominate the stage at the opening led a sense of the epic to the production. The ice staircase is an impressive stage piece and I appreciated the fact that it didn’t simply roll on and off stage, it appeared in different locations of the stage. That added mobility gave the impression of the point of view changing as different characters came upon it, as if we the audience had ourselves moved position in the ice palace. The Lighting Designer Driscoll Otto, The Sound Designer Sten Severson, and the Projection Designer Michael Salvatore Commendatore pool their talents creating a seamless blend of elements to create the magical powers of Elsa, the Ice Queen. The show is wonderfully choreographed by Rush Benson making even a song like Hygge, which I had trouble understanding the lyrics to, a great deal of fun. Director Tiffany Nichole Greene keeps the story moving and lively and with the reveal of the true villain, it’s clear from the collective gasp, that despite 95% of the audience knowing what’s coming that Greene had us in the palm of her hand. The Music Director Denise Prosek gets a nice full sound out of her miniature orchestra, it never overpowers the vocals but feels rich and full and well, magical.

Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical runs through June 15th at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. For mor einformation and to buy tickets go to https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/frozen/