Life of Pi is a Visual Wonder and Fairly Dark Tale at the Orpheum Theatre

Taha Mandviwala, Toussaint Jeanlouis, Shiloh Goodin, and Anna Leigh Gortner
Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Life of Pi based on the Man Booker Prize winning novel by Yann Martel which was also been adapted into the 2012 film directed by Ang Lee, who took home the Best Director Oscar for it. Despite having seen, and actually owning the film on 3D blu-ray I have very little recollection of it. Odd for a film that was nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and even won four. Yet, I just remember there was a boy on a boat with a tiger. I have never read the novel so I cannot speak to how faithfully it adapts the story to the stage. Life of Pi the stage play is a dark tale of faith told with boundless visual creativity that had me fully engaged and often wonderstruck by it’s artful beauty. The story of Pi, the lone survivor of a cargo ship that sank is told in flashback to Mr. Okamoto, who has been sent to interview him to discover what he can about the ships sinking, and Lulu Chen, who is from the Canadian embassy. Pi tells them of the sinking of the ship and how he managed to survive for 227 days at sea in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker as well as a Zebra, an Orangutan, and a Hyena. Mr. Okamoto cannot believe the story Pi tells and so Pi tells him another story in which the animals are replaced by people from the ship. Lolita Chakrabarti who wrote the play uses these two versions of the story as a reflection on the concept of religious faith. Okamoto believes the version of the story featuring people but is forced to agree that the one with the tiger is the better story.

Taha Mandviwala is exceptional as Pi, it’s a role that requires a lot of heavy lifting as he has to carry much of the story acting with puppets, that for the most part don’t speak. You know he’s done a great job when he isn’t overshadowed by what could easily be the star of the show, which is the production design and puppets used to create the animals. The marvelous puppets were designed by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell in a way that captures the idea of the animal without trying to create a lifelike version that would fool the audience. The puppets are brought to life by puppeteers that are visible to the audience but, rather than taking us out of the play, it adds to the enjoyment as we watch their skilled work in capturing the movement and performance of the creatures. One example beyond the larger animals, which are truly amazing, are a group of fish that swim alongside Pi’s lifeboat, they are probably the most realistic of the creations. But the wonderful design isn’t just confined to the puppets as masterfully executed as they are, the scenic and costume designs by Tim Hatley as well as the video and animation designs by Andrzej Goulding contribute immensely. There is an effect that I’m not even sure how they pulled off where the lines on the background set begin to go all wavey like you are viewing it through a sheet of water. The lighting design by Tim Lutkin & Tim Deiling and the sound design be Carolyn Downing also play important roles and have several very impactful moments, especially during the storm that accompanies the sinking of the ship.

Life of Pi might remind some of the delightful creations in The Lion King, but believe me the comparisons end there and parents should be warned. There are several moments that might frighten children, and there are also elements of the story that are probably too intense or disturbing for younger audiences. I’d recommend this for mature 13 year olds and above. Life of Pi runs through March 9th at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/life-of-pi-2025

Now more than ever in the wake of the most recent election and the hailstorm of stupidity and hate it has unleashed, Theater companies need you and we need them. Buy tickets to shows go out and support work that reflects diversity and inclusiveness. Donate to your favorite theater companies, don’t wait until they are on the brink of shutting down. We all need to stand up and fight for our Theaters whose funding is under attack for promoting inclusion, equality and diversity.

Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

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The Rainmaker Feels Very Modern, Very Funny, and Very Worth a Trip to Lyric Arts in Anoka

Eric Knutson, Jack Bonko, Warren Sampson, Nora Targonski-O’Brien, Samuel Burnham Photo by Molly Weibel

The Rainmaker was written in the early 1950’s, set during the great depression, but feels incredibly modern in its approach to interpersonal relationships. The Curry family are losing cattle due to a drought when a Rainmaker comes by and offers to make it rain within 24 hours for $100. That’s the tagline but it’s not really what the play is about. The play is really about believing in yourself, the importance of hope and of having dreams. It’s about the ways in which those without dreams sometimes only see them as dangers, and the damage they can do to those around them in trying to protect them from dreams. I wasn’t sure what to expect, never having seen the play or the famous 1956 film starring Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn, but what expectations I did have were completely off base. I thought it would be a serious drama about the depression and a con man who takes advantage of people down on their luck. Instead it’s a warm, funny, and inspirational work that connects to the audience as they characters strive to make connections to themselves.

Director Ben Thietje has brought together a fantastic cast, some familiar faces and a couple of new ones that were quite impressive. Eric Knutson, as the titular Rainmaker Bill Starbuck, may be a liar but he wants to believe everything he says. His entrance and first scene sets the tone, he is boundless in his quest to find the right line to reel in his prey. With arms outstretched he makes his pitch in the Curry living room as if he was in a large outdoor church meeting tent speaking to a crowd of hundreds. Knutson has the perfect amount of charm to sell the act and make us see the dreamer inside the con man. Nora Targonski-O’Brien is wonderfully subtle and raw as the daughter and sister Lizzie Curry whom her family is worried will never marry, and thus become an old maid. It reminds me of the line in It’s a Wonderful Life when Clarence tells George that if he were never born Mary becomes an old maid!! Like not getting married is the worst possible fate for a woman. It’s a comment on the times in which the play was set and written, but for all that in many other ways it feels very permissive and forward thinking. The entire cast is solid, but there were two performers that I’m not sure I’d really seen before that were both great in their roles. I want to mention them, so as to hopefully have their names stick in my mind so I can watch for them in upcoming productions. Samuel Burnham plays the eldest son and brother Noah Curry and Christopher D. Knutson who plays the Sheriff’s deputy, File. Where other actors need to go big for their roles, these two ground it in a reality, perfect for their characters.

Adding to the evenings entertainment is a wonderful set design by Justin Hooper, Lighting design by Alyssa Kraft, sound design by Corinne Steffens, and some nice costuming from Samantha Fromm Haddow. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Curry family and it’s script by N. Richard Nash seems as relevant and modern as something written today, seventy years later. The Rainmaker runs through March 23rd at Lyric Arts in Anoka. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/rainmaker

But that’s not all! You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Legacy of Light at Theatre in the Round

Anna Olson, Rachel Postle, and Emma Tonn Photo by Tom Taintor

Legacy of Light is the second ply by Karen Zacarias that I’ve seen at Theatre in the round. The first was The Book Club Play which has a run coming up at Lakeshore Players this March. Of the two plays The Book Club Play is the more entertaining of the two, but Legacy of Light is definitely the more ambitious work. The scenes alternate between France in the 1700’s and New Jersey present day. They have common themes connecting the two timelines, astronomy, love, pregnancy, ensuring family is cared for, nontraditional procreation relationships, and family histories. The connection happen thematically and by the end the two threads don’t just compliment each other but actually intersect in several surprising ways. It’s generally well acted, though it wasn’t until the second act that the characters gelled into what they are intended to be.

In the past we follow Emilie du Chatelet, who is the wife of the Marquis du Chatelet, the mother of
Pauline, the lover of both the young poet Saint-Lambert, and the older Voltaire whom she collaborated with on philosophical and scientific works. She becomes pregnant at 42 and fears due to her age and the fact that she almost died from a previous pregnancy that she will not survive the childbirth. In the present day we follow Olivia, an astronomer who may have discovered an embryonic planet, she’s a cancer survivor who can no longer bear children. She and her husband Peter contract a young woman named Millie to be a surrogate for their child. Millie is doing it for the money so that she and her brother Lewis can pay off their debts which have mounted since the death of their mother the previous year.

David Denninger as Voltaire and Hawken Paul as Saint-Lambert and Lewis, are the two Actors who seem to have taken their characters, at least initially in directions that don’t mesh with their characters at the end. But perhaps this is the script or Kari Steinbach’s direction. Voltaire at first seems to be a character we are to see as ridiculous, but that idea is completely wiped from our idea of the character by the end. Saint-Lambert seems the young romantic before becoming ridiculous. Their fight at the outset while humorous seems to come at the cost of a unified character. Paul’s second character Lewis remains constant throughout, which is that of a completely idiotic tunnel visioned and illogical manchild. Paul plays the role well, but it is a character that is hard to feel anything but frustration and dislike for. Rachel Postle as Emilie du Chatelet, Anna Olson as Olivia are very strong as is Emma Tonn as Millie and Pauline, though there is more for her to do as Millie she does get a few good scenes as Pauline as well. Finally Mark Sweeney gets to show a little versatility as a rather direct and centered man in the past and a more easy going, and low key husband in the present day storyline.

The set design by Sadie Ward works well with some creative lighting cues from Lighting Designer Bill Larsen. The apple tree being a nice touch and the math equations and celestial markings painted on the floors and walls combined with light projections of astronomical shapes are nice touches. The period costumes are especially well realized by Costume Designer Colleen O’Dell. Legacy of Light runs through March 16th at Theatre in the Round. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/legacy-of-light/

Groucho Marx Meets T.S. Eliot Has its World Premiere at Illusion Theater

Jim Cunningham and John Middleton Photo by Lauren B Photography

Groucho Marx Meets T.S. Eliot is a play by local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher that dramatizes a dinner between pen pals Groucho Marx and T.S. Eliot. Although that sounds way more straight forward than this play actually is. What we get is multiple versions of the evening in which they try it as Groucho’s game show You Bet Your Life, or as a scene from one of the Marx Brothers movies. Like a Marx Brothers film you are never sure where this play will go next. The topics range from old Groucho routines to a debate about whether T.S. Eliot was antisemitic. There is discussion about breaking the fourth wall and then there is breaking the fourth wall. There are a couple of short songs performed and we even get appearances from the You Bet Your Life ducks. It’s laugh out loud funny at times and actually raises some interesting thoughts about issues such as copyright law and happiness. Hatcher crams an awful lot into a brisk 75 minute runtime which flies by but also seems like the perfect length.

The cast consists of Jim Cunningham as Groucho Marx and John Middleton as T.S. Eliot. Let me start with Eliot because I know next to nothing about him and certainly had no idea what he looked or sounded like. I have seen Cats and was aware it was based on his poetry and I seem to have some recollection of his poem The Waste Land coming up in connection with The Great Gatsby. I’ve no idea if that connection is real or imagined to be honest, it’s a memory from about 40 years ago. So Middleton had a lot of leeway to do what he wanted and if the narrative is accurate in terms of his character, he played it superbly. Middleton does a fantastic Chico Marx impression when he and Groucho reimagine the evening as the trial from Duck Soup.

Cunningham has an uphill battle against decades of familiarity with Groucho. I’ve seen all of the films, I’ve watched many YouTube videos of Groucho on talk shows, I used to watch rebroadcasts of his You Bet Your Life with my Dad as a teenager. I was in my twenties but my Dad like to pretend he was a teenager when we watched. It’s hard not to wish that Cunningham had gone a little further towards capturing the Groucho we all know. In every other respect he does a fine job, there are flashes of Groucho, which is a reasonable choice. He presents Groucho as a man who has come to meet someone and have dinner at their house, he gives a flash of performance to please Eliot and the audience but doesn’t want to play the “Groucho character” in his personal life. It’s a valid choice, but it’s not the one the audience is hoping for. Though perhaps the play doesn’t work if he goes the full Groucho?

Fans of either of these two 20th century legends will get a kick out of this what might have happened play. Groucho Marx Meets T.S. Eliot runs through March 15th at the Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.illusiontheater.org/groucho-meets-ts-eliot

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, This Blogger Beamed With Joy at Ten Thousand Things Theater Latest Triumph

Joy Dolo, Maggie Chestovich, and Katie Bradley Photo by Tom Wallace

“… and tell a world’s worth of stories”
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing by Finegan Kruckemeyer

Tonight Ten Thousand Things Theater (TTT) proved once again that you don’t need a large budget, huge sets, or elaborate costumes to make great theater. Armed with a few simple props and costumes, performed with all the lights up and in the round This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing is as entertaining and creative as anything else you’ll see on any stage. In a world that wants to whitewash our Theaters, TTT offers up a diverse cast telling a story that encompasses the entire planet with a message about self love, helping others, and family. The play is a modern day variation on a fairytale about three sisters, triplets who suffer a loss and then are taken into the woods to be lost. Though triplets, they are very different from each other. Albienne was the oldest and enjoyed cake, Beatrix was next and she was a child of the sun, Carmen was the youngest and carried the world upon her shoulders. When they are left in the woods they each decide what the best course of action will be for themselves and at age 12. They separate, Albienne goes forward out into the world, Carmen stays in the forest, and Beatrix goes back in search of their Father. The play follows each girls story until they are in their thirties and find their way back to each other. Along the way they will first serve others, and then learn to serve themselves.

The five person cast all play multiple roles and every member of this ensemble contributes equally, making it a very special production. Joy Dolo plays Albienne, I have a soft spot in my heart for Dolo. The first time I saw her perform was a show called Every Brilliant Thing. It’s a show where the audience have slips of paper and when she says the number on the slip of paper you have to say or do what is on it. I got the slip that said I was her Father, and I had to make a toast at her wedding. Since that night, she has held a special place in my heart, not just because I played her Father for a minute or two, but because of the connection she made to the entire audience. A connection I have experienced again and again in her performances including this one. Dolo has a way of interacting with the audience that makes them feel welcome and included rather than on the spot. Katie Bradley plays Carmen who just about had us falling out of our seats with laughter as she goes on a feeding frenzy of woodland animals. Maggie Chestovich plays Beatrix, and her character has a manic energy and feistiness, not afraid to go full on wild and crazy when she tries to cheer up a city full of depressed people. The cast is rounded out by Tyson Forbes who plays among many other roles, their Father and Marisa B. Tejeda who among others plays their Mother.

The five together along with the Director Markell Kiefer are masterful storytellers. They convey everything from the changing of the seasons to battles with Vikings with simple movements, small props, and hats that represent the sun and the moon. They use so little, yet use every tool available to them to convey so much. The play is performed to live musical accompaniment by Composer and Music Director Julie Johnson, which is so light and sweet that it floats around the audience lifting us up on it gentle melodic waves. The set and props are designed by Joel Sass, one of the most creative theater designers in the Twin Cities. Equally capable of wowing us with detailed and fabulous designs at Open Eye Theatre or stunning us with the simplistic creativity of a TTT production. The lovely and multifaceted costumes are by Sarah Bahr. The Choreography is by a master of movement, Jim Lichtscheidl, whose ability to complement and enhance the story physically adds immeasurably to the charm of the show.

This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing is filled with humor and creativity, it is exactly the kind of show we need right now. A show that embraces the art of storytelling in a way that inspires us to hope and love and engage. As with all TTT shows this one travels around the area, to find out where they are performing, on what dates, and to grab your tickets go to https://tenthousandthings.org/

The Fight Has Begun. Support Yellow Tree Theatre

“But when you act, you take us away from the squalor of the real world” – From Evita Lyric by Tim Rice

Last Night I did something I rarely get to do, I went to a show for the second time, just to experience and share the joy of it. That show was A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Guthrie Theater, but it could as easily have been a show at Yellow Tree or any of the dozens of actively producing theatre companies in the Twin Cities area. On the ride home after we had dropped off my son and his fiancée and had finished discussing the play, my wife and I got talking about current events. The thought kept coming into my head, this is why we go to the theater, to raise our spirits and take us away from real world for just a few hours. That is one of the many reasons that the theater is so important. Not only does it help us escape, but it has the advantage over streaming at home in that it gets us out of our houses, out into the community, sharing an experience with more than just those on the couch next to us. We are so fortunate here in the Twin Cities to have such a vast and diverse theater community, but it is under attack. If we want to protect that community we have to step up now.

This morning I received an email from Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, who has produced some wonderful theater out in the suburbs. Below are some quotes from the email:

Yellow Tree Theatre relies heavily on national and statewide grants to support our mission. Recently, we have been informed that statewide and federal arts funding have dramatically decreased or have been canceled making grant funding even more competitive and affecting our immediate cash flow. This is a drastic decrease like we have never experienced before.

These challenges threaten not only our ability to keep our doors open but also our ongoing core mission:

Providing access to the arts for everyone, including underserved communities in North Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs.

Championing diverse voices—stories by and for artists of color, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and others historically marginalized in theater.

We believe that theater should reflect the richness of the world around us. That’s why we remain committed to producing bold and inclusive work.

But We Can’t Do It Without You.

If you believe in the power to build bridges, spark conversations, and create change, we ask you to stand with us today. Every dollar makes a difference. Every gift fuels our ability to continue. Donate today to help us sustain our mission, keep our doors open, and continue making Yellow Tree Theatre a home for all.

We are going to see this more and more often going forward. Theaters will close, but let’s not let it happen today, let’s not let it be Yellow Tree. I’ve written before about my belief that these theaters like Yellow Tree and Lyric Arts in Anoka create a valuable link in reaching the goal of creating new theater audiences. That goal is more important now than ever before. We can make the theater community stronger by building that audience. I’m going to ask you to click on the button below and make a donation to Yellow Tree Theatre if you can. I’m also going to ask all of you, faithful readers, to take someone new to a show in the next few weeks. Let’s build that audience up!

https://ci.ovationtix.com/35626/store/donations/39012

Need ideas of what to see?

Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

But that’s not all! You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Paradise Blue is Sexy and Soulful at Penumbra Theatre

Paradise Blue at Penumbra Theatre revolves around a Jazz Club but surprisingly features very little actual jazz. It’s more concerned with the people that call The Paradise Club home. Jazz may be their bread and butter, but of larger the issue is of change, who it effects and at what price. The five characters all have different priorities and value different things, just as in real life. One person’s future is another’s past, one person’s home is another’s prison. It’s a wonderfully acted play and the design is the best I’ve seen at Penumbra. The first Act is undeniably too long, it’s not a case of knowing what should be removed or tightened, just a general consensus among myself and other audience members I spoke with, we were all waiting for intermission. Act one just feels too long, fortunately Act two does not. The play runs two and a half hours including the intermission, I’d guess rather than large changes it needs about 10 minutes of judicious trims from the first Act to play perfectly. It’s a strength of the writing that the answer isn’t an easier fix, it’s hard to imagine the removal of any whole scenes or character arcs. It just needs a minute or so cut from each scene to overcome that sense the first Act needed to end sooner. I don’t think Director Lou Bellamy could accomplish it just by quickening up the pace, I think he has the individual scenes paced and staged brilliantly. The problem lies in the script, which aside from being too long before intermission, is really great. It’s such an odd criticism, I know, but thankfully the only negative thing I can say about it is that Act One seems 10 minutes to long.

Set in Detroit’s Black Bottom district in 1949, during a period when the city was attempting the gentrification of the Paradise Valley. The Valley is an area that is filled with black owned and operated businesses. One such business is The Paradise Club which is owned by Blue who inherited it from his father as well as his musical gift on the Trumpet. Blue’s also rents out the rooms above the club, mostly to the remaining other musicians in his quartet, Corn the pianist, and P-Sam on the drums. Helping him run the place is his woman, Pumpkin (I’m not trying to be sexist here, but it’s never clear in the play if Pumpkin and Blue are married or just together, his woman is how she’s referred to). Blue is making changes after firing the bass player until they find a new one. He first appears after a meeting downtown with the city who are looking to buy up all the property in Paradise Valley. Into the club comes Silver, who is new to town and on her own, with a wad of money looking for a room. Silver might as well be named Sex, because watching her leave a room feels like a sin. Throughout the play we comes to understand the characters roles in this fragile found family. There are struggles between the characters that seem to divide them into those who are looking out just for themselves and those who care for others. It also explores the ideas of what we inherit from others either through family or environment.

A great cast to be sure, but the woman are so truly unforgettable. Nubia Monks plays Pumpkin who really is the glue that holds the club together, she cooks the meals, cleans the rooms, and anything else that needs doing. Monks doesn’t play Pumpkin’s goodness and caring, she exudes it. With every smile, line reading, or moment of peacekeeping she broadcasts Pumpkin’s innate love of her friends. Whereas Pumpkin seems to be purity incarnate, Angela Wildflower plays Silver with a worldliness that comes of intelligence and realism. Wildflower seems to spend about a third of the play in her lingerie, she uses her sex appeal strategically to be sure, but you also feel that when she does end up the lover of one of the characters, it isn’t just for leverage but a genuine attraction. Like the character Wildflower knows how to use her sex appeal to her advantage as illustrated everytime she leaves a room. She is full of confidence and it’s that aspect as well as her walk that has all eyes on her when she’s on stage. Lester Purry plays Corn and Darrick Mosley plays P-Sam, they have an easy banter and understanding of each other. Purry plays Corn as the calm in the center of the storm, watching and coaching and trying to keep the peace between everyone. Mosley plays P-Sam as someone a bit impetuous, who hasn’t been around long enough to see the big picture as Corn does. Mikell Sapp plays Blue, slowly revealing with his eyes that something isn’t quite right. His performance gives us a nonverbal clue to information that is revealed later so we are prepared for it.

The Set Design by Maruti Evans is really something. It’s the bar and stage of the Paradise Club, and some of the tables and chairs, which looked great. Before the show started I was commenting on how much I loved the set design. Then at one point the mirror behind the bar slides up and we see into Silver’s room. It was unexpected and a thrilling surprise. I also loved the costumes by Wanda Walden. Walden has Blue always looking extremely dapper including some really cool shoes that match the color of his ties. Walden dresses Silver in a way that accentuates her sensuality but still preserves the Actors modesty. Some of my favorite touches from Walden though were Corn’s apparel, it isn’t flashy like Blue and P-Sam’s outfits can be, they are more subtle, but beautifully coordinated. The Lighting Design by Marcus Dillard and the Sound Design by Composer Gregory Robinson also add invaluably to the quality of the production.

Don’t let that run time dissuade you from what is really a very good play. Paradise Blue runs through March 9th at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://penumbratheatre.org/event/paradise-blue/#6