Little House on the Prairie at Lakeshore Players

Little House on the Prairie is a musical for those who grew up with the classic TV series and/or read the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder on which it was based. I grew up with both and as such I had a an affection for the material that helped me over some of the hurdles non fans might experience. It isn’t a great musical, but the cast and crew of Lakeshore Players Theatre do a nice job with their production. Newcomers to the story might find it a little hard going but those familiar and fond of Laura’s story will find enough to see them through. Based on the books by Wilder, the musical follows Laura Ingalls and family, Ma, Pa, her older sister Mary and her younger sister Carrie as the journey east to stake a claim in the west. The Government will give them the land if they live and farm on it for five years. As with the TV series, the family is beset by one tragedy after another. The first year is an especially brutal winter and the supply trains can not get through. The second year the crops are all burned up in a wildfire. Add to this, Laura’s sister Mary contracts Scarlet Fever and goes blind. Any fan of the TV series knows that if something can go wrong in pioneer days, it will happen to the Ingalls. But as with the series the focus of the musical is overcoming adversity and the grace and faith in each other with which the Ingalls family persevere.

The musical has a book by Rachel Sheinkin music by Rachel Portman and Lyrics by Donna Di Novelli and premiered at the Guthrie Theater in 2008 featuring the star of the TV series Melissa Gilbert in the role of Ma. This production is directed by Kristin N. Fox with choreography by Ruby Carlson and musical direction by Jack Johnston. The team does a nice job with the the exception of a few odd choices, one of which was at the end of a town fourth of July celebration dance, although rather short, the cast ends in a pose as if they’ve just wowed us with some really tricky footwork. It leads you to expect it’s time for intermission but it isn’t. It’s a bizarre choice that breaks the fourth wall which stuck out to both myself and my companion. The set design by Brandt Roberts makes versatile use of several section of a wood structure that can be rearranged in different configurations to create the different settings, from the Ingalls family house to Oleson’s store, and the schoolroom among others. For needing to be wheeled on and off continuously throughout the production the transitions were surprisingly smooth and quickly accomplished.

The cast has some stand outs both Kate Piering as Laura and Bridget Benson as Mary are very good vocally, their duet on “I’ll Be Your Eyes” was beautifully done and for me quite an emotional moment. Piering has the unenviable task in the first half of the play of being a twentysomething (I’m guessing) playing a younger girl in her early teens. It’s a tricky performance to pull off without grating on the audience and I thought she avoided the usual performance landmines and kept the audience on her side. Other standouts for me were James Lane as Pa who embodies the same characteristics that we came to know and love in the character on TV decades ago. Lane captures the wisdom and decency of the character and also proves to be a strong singer. Malea Hanson is very fun as Laura’s nemesis Nellie Oleson, particularly in her solo song “Without An Enemy” in which she laments the fact that Laura has gone away to be a teacher in another town. She is also great in a nonverbal scene towards the end at a wedding in which she stays in character even when no one is supposed to have eyes on her, always a sign of an actor who has committed to a role.

Little House on the Prairie runs through February 10th at Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/little-house-on-the-prairie

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Toil & Trouble a Millennial Retelling of the Scottish Play at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo

Olivia Kemp, Jason Ballweber, and Alex Galick                  Photo by Alex Clark

I’m not an expert of shakespeare but I am a fan so I try to and engage with his work whenever I can. I’m not a purist either, I love a good retelling or modern take, everything from Branagh’s Love’s Labours Lost to Strange Brew has a place in my film collection. Toil & Trouble by acclaimed playwright Lauren Gunderson is a modern riff on Macbeth set during the 2008 recession featuring thee thirtysomething friends who, inspired by a fortune cookie, conspire to take over a small island country off the coast of Chile. You know, instead of getting real jobs. Adam and Matt sit around their apartment as Adam comes up with one hairbrained idea after another for inventions to make money, while Matt shoots them down. Their friend Beth is a junior Sportscaster for Action 6 News whom they both “like” like. The characters have morals on par with the characters on Seinfeld, Adam hatches the plan, Matt follows along thanks to a fortune cookie message that says “Matt will be King hereafter”, and Beth is ruthless ambition incarnate. What starts as a strong comedic play about slacker roommates and the friend they both want to get with takes some very strange turns as it attempts to tell it’s story while loosely following some aspects of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. What is recognizable at the start as our world peopled by characters we can recognize, if not relate too, by the end has become a complete fantasy with the characters frequently interspersing their dialogue with snippets from Shakespeare. It’s an odd approach that doesn’t entirely add up to much and the fault dear readers is not with the production but in the script. I loved everything about the production, the performances, the design, but the sum of its parts left me wishing these elements were in service of a better script.

Jason Ballweber who usually is to be found behind the scenes plays Matt in a performance that goes a long way to making this near miss still worth checking out. His Matt and Alex Galick’s Adam end up complete opposites by the end of the play from where they started. As it opens, Ballweber plays Matt as the realistic, intelligent, and more mature seeming of the two, has an air of authority over the flighty Adam who thinks anything that Rhymes is an innovation. By the end he’s a pug snorting follower who passes out at the sight of hot sauce whereas Adam has become confident and holds the upper hand. Both actors handle the transition well and make the reversal seem plausible. Olivia Kemp plays Beth as someone who knows what they want and how to get it, masterfully playing off the men’s desire for her to manipulate them into doing exactly what she wants. Well directed by Brandon Raghu who along with Lighting Designer Alex Clark stages a dramatic looking play to be sure. I also enjoyed the set design by Sarah Brandner which has a depth that is well utilized particularly in a scene when Adam comes home late at night and leaves the refrigerator door open after heading to bed in the pitch black apartment.

Ultimately, I enjoyed much of the production but found the script absurd and out there but in an unfulfilling or engaging way. Gunderson’s idea of filling the final scene with Shakespearean dialogue is less effective that the modern rewordings or nods used earlier in the play. She needed to go one way or the other. The plot is insane but not in a ‘this is wild’ way, but more I can’t find any sort of grounding for this story so that it lands with some sort of impact. It’s a rare for a script by Gunderson not to work completely but this just comes up short. That said, there’s enough good stuff on offer with the play to make it a fun excursion to the theatre. Having a decent knowledge of Macbeth will increase your appreciation of the piece, some humor really does work only if you know the play. Also, it feels like my fellow bloggers and I have been saying this a lot lately but if your play can be done in 100 minutes or less, you don’t need an intermission. Toil & Trouble runs through March 3rd at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://yellowtreetheatre.com/toilandtrouble

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Cabaret From Theatre 55 is Risque and Relevant at Mixed Blood in Minneapolis

This was my first time taking in one of Theatre 55’s productions. The unique theatre company that was formed as a way to give those over 55 a chance to continue to play the roles they were no longer being offered by most other companies. Past productions include Hair and most recently last years sold out run of Rent. I don’t know if it’s the companies mission to only produce shows with one word titles but this winters production continues that theme with Cabaret. Cabaret features a book by Joe Masteroff with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, and is based in part of the Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood which I recall listening too on audiobook when I was about the age of the characters in this musical. It’s interesting to revisit that world at about the age of the performers, perhaps a hair younger. Anyone familiar with the material will know this isn’t a show to take the kiddies to, even if Grandma and Grandpa are it in it. I think the recommended age is about 16, in terms of bladder strength it’s recommended for those with strong to heavy duty organs. The first act runs easily 90 minutes and with a late start and a word about the company before hand your looking at 100 minutes before the interval. The second act runs around 30 minutes which seems unbalanced but it’s hard to argue with the placement of the intermission, it’s the turning point in the play and lands powerfully.

The story follows Cliff played by Jeff Goodson, a novelist who has come to Berlin to write and give english lessons for extra cash. On the train he meets Ernst played by Jeff Bieganek, who is smuggling something across the border. Ernst helps him find a room in Frau Schneider’s boarding house and introduces him to the Kit Kat Klub where Cliff runs into an old lover named Bobby and meets Sally Bowles who performs there. Sally played by Prudence Johnson loses her job at the club and more or less forces herself on Cliff becoming his roommate despite his protestations. Frau Schneider is bought off by the increase in rent and perhaps because she has a soft spot for what she assumes are young lovers. She is carrying on a flirtation with Mr. Schultz another one of her tenants who woos her with fresh fruit from his shop. This is Berlin in the late 1930’s and it is revealed early on in conversation that Schultz is Jewish, and from there you can get a sense of where the story is inevitably heading, but for the most part until the final scene Act I is a Cabaret of old chums.

The clubs Emcee is played by Rik Kutcher who, like most performers before him in the role, steals the show every time he’s on stage. Let us not forget that Joel Grey won the Tony for the original Broadway production and Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the role in the 1972 film directed by Bob Fosse. Alan Cumming also won a Tony for the role in the 1998 revival. It’s a juicy highly eroticized role that is a hell of a lot of fun and Kutcher slays. He sings and performs wickedly good throughout the production but raised it vocally to another level with his rendition of “I Don’t Care Much”. It feels like there should be something extra shocking about the roles of the Kit Kat Klub performers both male and female who, it is more than implied, are also sex workers. But it isn’t and I think that’s the point of Theatre 55 to show us that age doesn’t matter. These are actors playing roles and the older you get the more the idea that good times and indeed sex itself are the exclusive purview of the young becomes more and more silly. Johnson as Sally is most at home with the singing aspects of the role, which is how she primarily spends her time in front of audiences. You can tell that acting isn’t where her primary training is, she does well in the role but the imbalance toward the vocal is noticeable, chiefly because she has such a fantastic voice. Goodson is also very good as Cliff, the role doesn’t require much in the way of singing from him but when he does get a few bars, it’s clear he would do just fine had the role called for more. The other favorite among the cast was Brenda Starr, not the 1940’s comic strip heroine, a current actor who plays the role of Frau Schneider. She isn’t the best performer on the stage, but there is a truth and authenticity to her that stands out, don’t be surprised if you come away with a warm feeling about her performance that you can’t explain but stays with you.

Richard Hitchler the founder of Theatre 55 produces and directs the show. Hitchler blocks the show using all areas available to him, even some of the audience become part of the act as their tables and chairs double as customer seating in the Kit Kat Klub. The space is limited but Hitchler definitely makes the most of it, it’s a well directed show with the exception of the curtain call, which contains a good message that is lost a little bit in what feels like an under rehearsed presentation, but I think that will improve greatly over the run of the show. With the band center stage throughout the show we get a chance to watch Musical Director Shirley Mier and her band at work. It’s wonderful how they are costumes as well, so they are essentially part of the cast as the Kit Kat Klub band. Costume Designer Alicia Vegell must have had a blast putting the look of this show together, it’s risque and cheeky and just plan old naughty fun. But aside from the fun there is a message that seems very relevant today, as Cliff says if you are not against it you are for it. I’m not sure that I saw any added layer that emerged from the story or themes of the musical by the casting of actors over 55 but I did learn that age is just a number, an actor is an actor and that in theater, we should be looking at the performance not counting wrinkles and gray hairs.

Cabaret runs through February 10th at Mixed Blood in Minneapolis for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://theatre55.org/cabaret-winter-2024/

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Stones In His Pockets at Theater Latté Da Featuring Tom Reed Sigmund

Reed Sigmund and Tom Reed                         Photo by Dan Norman

Stones in His Pockets is Performed by only two actors Tom Reed and Reed Sigmund but they people the stage with more than a dozen different characters. Providing a rich Irish soundtrack that adds emotion and depth are Jason Hansen and Theresa Elliott. Hansen in the role of Music Director and Composer is on the Piano, Keyboard, Guitar, and the Bodhran with Elliott on an beautifully expressive violin. It tells the story of a Hollywood film crew that has come to an Irish village to make a movie; however, it isn’t the story of the interlopers but of the villagers who are hired on as extras. It’s a contrast between the dream makers and those who have lost theirs or are struggling to keep them alive. The two primary characters are Charlie Conlon played by Tom Reed who lost his Video Store business when a big chain came to his town. So he packed up and has been traveling around Ireland with his tent, he’s loving the 40 pounds a day pay and free meals, but his dream is to get someone on the set to read the screenplay he’s written. He’s befriended by Jake Quinn played by Reed Sigmund who has recently returned home to the village from America because he says got homesick, or perhaps America didn’t live up to his dreams. Now he’s back and on the dole living with his Ma and doesn’t know what to do or seem to have faith in himself.

There is a lot of humor played out through a rich tapestry of characters all played with amazing specitivity by Reed and Sigmund. Within seconds an actor will turn around, pop on a cap or throw a scarf around their head, and be another character. At some points there is a conversation happening between more than two characters, astonishingly the performers have made such clear distinctions between the characters that the audience is never lost. Charlie and Jake are the most fully formed characters and are played not only with great wit but with a real compassion and relatability. They are the emotional center and comedic heart of the play, their journey from extras to dreamers is as beautiful as it is hilarious. Two characters any actor would feel privileged to play and then to add another half dozen of so and it’s either maddenly hard work or joyfully fulfilling. Hopefully a nice helping of both. There are so many wonderful side characters male and female that they play and they do it with wonderful Irish accents and Hollywood self importance, depending on the role. The accents are thick at the beginning and for a minute you might be a little worried, but it takes approximately two and a half minutes to tune into them and then I had no trouble following the dialogue. It cannot be overstated how wonderful the performances are by Reed and Sigmund two truly gifted comedic actors at the top of the game in roles they were made to play.

The play written by Marie Jones is masterful in the way it brings characters in and out of scenes in a way that the two performers can play all the roles. Would it be as good if there were 12 actors? The story would hold up, but there is an element of joy that would be lost. There is something about watching actors working like this that just adds to the experience. Marcela Lorca Directs the play keeping everything moving and flowing beautifully. Blocking the actors so that we always know when they have changed characters might seem simple, but it’s essential that every change has a visual cue to the audience and Lorca does the work to make those clear and yet unobtrusive. A nice choice was to have the actors do bows as their different characters at the end, they each had some prop or costume piece that we came to identify them with but the body language also changed and even without any dialogue you knew for whom you were applauding. With so many character changes the set design like the costumes need to be simple and versatile and Benjamin Olsen as scenic Designer and Kathy Maxwell as the Projections Designer have found a way to accomplish this and still give us a sense of the place. The use of projection is used to provide the background not as a special effect. The choice to have Jason Hansen compose and perform the wonderful Irish soundtrack and to even have them interact slightly was a brilliant choice, between the accents, the setting, and the music you leave having felt like you just spent two hours in Ireland.

Stones in His Pockets runs through February 25th at Theater Latté Da in Northeast Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.latteda.org/stones-in-his-pockets

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Crazy For You’s Got Rhythm and it Certainly Has Music at Artistry in Bloomington.

Kyle Weiler (Center) and the cast of Crazy For You               Photo by Sam Levine

Crazy For You features the music and Lyrics of George and Ira Gershwin and a book by Ken Ludwig, this accounts for the fantastic songs and the generous portions of humor. With such great source material, it was likely to be a good show, but Artistry in Bloomington, who is producing this production didn’t take any chances. They got Anita Ruth back as Music Director conducting a nearly unheard of for a local production, 20-piece Orchestra. With Choreography by it’s leading man Kyle Weiler and Elly Stahlke that will knock your socks off and a cast full of fabulous voices, I went crazy for this show. The story of Bobby Child who dreams of being a dancer, but his fiance Irene and his Mother Lottie have other plans for him. Sent by his mother to Deadrock Nevada to foreclose on a disused theater, Bobby falls in love with Polly whose father owns the Theater. When Polly finds out who he is and why he’s there she will have nothing to do with him, so he disguises himself as Bela Zangler the Theatrical Producer and together they plan to put on a show to raise the money to save the theater. The problem is that the theater is in a ghost town in the middle of a desert and an hours walk from the train station. Things get even more complicated when the real Bela Zangler shows up.

First off, most shows do not have an orchestra this size and the benefits are apparent in the richness of the music. There is more room for nuances and subtleties within the songs even to my untrained ear. For that alone should any fan of the Gershwins popular songs like “Someone to Watch Over Me“, “Embraceable You“, “I Got Rhythm“, “They Can’t Take That Away From Me“, and “But Not For Me” rush out an buy a ticket. Anita Ruth masterfully conducts the Orchestra which is placed in center stage throughout the show. What they spent on 20 musicians they saved on set design, it’s staged in a way I’ve never really seen a musical done before. The actors are sitting in chairs in front of the orchestra until they needed to perform in a scene, then they step out and are in character, singing and dancing and acting. It appears like it’s going to be a concert with dancing but then the actors do actually perform the roles. It’s a strange hybrid, that puts the spotlight on the musicians and dancers by keeping everything that might distract from them to a minimum. It’s a bold choice by director Ben Bakken, that I think is largely successful because of the talent in the orchestra and of the actors.

The cast is filled with talent, the leads Kyle Weiler as Bobby and Annika Isbell as Polly are truly exceptional. Weiler’s dancing is just a joy and when there are a group of seven or so of the cast up there all synchronized, it’s awesome to behold. Isbell has a wonderful voice, I was really impressed by rendition of “Someone To Watch Over Me“. There’s a lot of fun character work to from a local favorite Carl Swanson as Lank Hawkins whose trying to Polly’s father to sell him the Theater and is constantly trying to get them to stop putting on a show! France Roberts has his work cut out for him playing Polly’s father Everett and as Eugene Fodor who comes to Deadrock to write about it for his Travel Books. If I’m not mistaken he plays both men in one scene and pulls it off admirably, he’s also got a nice singing voice that he gets to show off in a fun number “Stiff Upper Lip“.

Crazy For You runs through February 11th at Artistry Theater in Bloomington for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/crazyforyou

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Handprints Writer and Star Greta Oglesby Shines at History Theatre

Dennis Spears and Greta Oglesby                Photo by Rick Spaulding

Handprints written and performed by, I think it’s safe to say the incomparable, Greta Oglesby is a sharing of her personal story. But story doesn’t feel like quite the right word, that implies that we get the biographical details, which we do get some, but it’s less her story and more her stories. It feels more personal, more intimate, like we are in fellowship with her. The stories she would tell gathered with family members are the stories she acts out for us. She tells them chronologically, but it isn’t the story of her life but the flavor of it. She’s giving us the experience of the people who left their handprints on her life. Through the people who influenced her, particularly her mother, father, and aunties we get a sense of who she is as well. Handprints is a deeply personal gift to the audience. Oglesby shares the reality, which to some of us seems like how things were when we were growing up, for others it will seem traumatic at times. At once its specific to Oglesby and yet familiar to many of us. A sharing filled with humor and truth that is brought to life by Oglesby, Dennis Spears, who plays multiple roles including her Father, her husband, school bullies, and a particularly touching cousin Cece. Rounding out the onstage presence is Music Director and recent Twin Cities Theater Bloggers Nominee Sanford Moore on the keys and several puppets. If that doesn’t peak your interest, I don’t know what will.

Minnesota audiences are familiar with Oglesby’s work and come expecting some music and they will not be disappointed. What an amazing voice she has, and the show contains a fantastic scene when she goes out for her first audition but after botching the monologue she absolutely wows them, and us, with her singing. There are so many moments in the play that have us laughing and nodding in recognition. One of the great sections is the all too brief chronicles of her performing career, where we are treated to a few short but powerful scenes of roles she has played on stage, from August Wilson to Shakespeare. It is a joyful and uplifting performance that had the audience on their feet before the curtain call even began. In Dennis Spears she has found a lively scene partner he goes big for the comedy adding to the enjoyment with characters like the young school bully, but brings it way back and provides a subtle and effectively compact performance as her Father. Combining both choices to create one of the most moving characters in the piece, transgender cousin Cece. I don’t think Oglesby could have found a better Actor to entrust these characters to than Dennis Spears.

Handprints is Directed by the new Artistic Director of History Theatre, Rick Thompson. Thompson fakes us out with a 30 minute first Act and an hour long second act. The set changes after intermission explain the timing. Scenic and Prop Designer Kirby Moore has a working stove brought on for the start of Act 2, on which Oglesby actually cooks some eggs. It’s a wonderful set that allows Thompson to stage scenes like kids dropping water balloons out of a third floor window, they are actual water balloons, I saw the splash. I have two disappointments, one is the shows and the other is my own. Firstly the show is too short, I wanted more, I wanted to know about her husband, there is a sense that her acting career at times caused difficulties as evidenced at his response to her accepting roles with a Shakespeare company, but it’s never really gone into. The second is my own, Oglesby’s book is for sale in the lobby, we saw it when we purchased beverages before the show. It wasn’t until we were driving home that I started kicking myself for not buying a copy and trying to stage door to get it autographed by Oglesby. Don’t make the same mistake, get your copy and hangout afterwards to see if you can spot her and get an autograph. Handprints runs through February 18th at History Theatre in St. Paul, For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.historytheatre.com/2023-2024/handprints

Don’t want to miss a single review from The Stages of MN? You can subscribe and have every post sent directly to your email. 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. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/

I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by my colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . We post biweekly longer form episodes that will focus on interviews and discussions around theater topics. There is also shorter episodes in which we Bloggers tell you what we think you should get out and see as well as what we have on our schedules that we are most looking forward too.

Dial M For Murder is Simply to Die For at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis

Gretchen Egolf, Brian Thomas Abraham, and David Andrew Macdonald     Photo by Dan Norman

Dial M For Murder opened Friday evening with a newly adapted script by local favorite Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott. Knott also wrote the screenplay for the Famous Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation. For those curious, I am happy to report that like the Hitchcock film, this new adaptation is also presented in 3D. Hatcher keeps the basics of the original work but adds several twists that make the play feel more modern though it retains the original 1950’s London period setting. Normally with a thriller I’d be hesitant to give anything away, and I still intend to keep most things under wraps. But, unlike an Agatha Christie story, this isn’t really a whodunnit, it’s more like a Columbo episode. You know who the criminal is very early on, the thrills come from seeing how his plan comes off and how he adapts when things don’t go according to plan. The piece I won’t spoil is a sequence that Hatcher inserts during the commission of the crime, it doesn’t change Knotts basic plot but it adds another layer of suspicions, and it’s a ingenious little twist.

The plot revolves around Tony Wendices plot to have an old acquaintance murder his wife after having discovered she had an affair with a writer that ended a year previous. One major change is a gender swap of the former lover from Max to Maxine. He also changes the professions of Tony and Maxine which adds another dimension to Tony’s motivations. For those keeping track, we are now up to four dimensions if my math checks out. Probably Hatchers greatest contribution is an injection of humor into the script, not so much as to feel out of place but just the perfect amount to add to the overall enjoyment of the piece. Bringing out that humor perfectly is the performance by David Andrew Macdonald as Tony, he’s the perfect marriage of actor and role. Macdonald’s choices all work, his timing and line readings are impeccable. More than any other actor on the stage he seems to be on the same wavelength as Hatcher and it’s a key to this productions success. Since we know who the villain is, the thrills come from whether or not he’ll be found out. Our investment is increased by the fact that we are so entertained by Macdonald, we find ourselves feeling anxious that he’ll get caught, when our sense of justice should be rooting for him to be. Gretchen Egolf plays Margot Tony’s wife and Lori Vega the ex-lover Maxine, Egolf plays the role straight laced, which works well with her motivations to withhold information from other characters while Vega, playing an American is more vibrant and hip. Brian Thomas Abraham gives an intelligent performance as Inspector Hubbard making piecing together the crime feel like effective reasoning even when it’s wrong, you can see why it seems correct to him. Continuing the trend of three named actors is Peter Christian Hansen as Lesgate the old schoolmate of Tony’s whose persuaded to murder Margot. Nice to see a local actor in a show that seems full of imports, and Hansen is, as always an asset to any production.

Tracy Brigden does a nice tight job of direction, everything is clear, she gives the audience the time to watch the characters work out what to do next but never a second more than is necessary. The staging of the murder is particularly effective, the deadly blow being executed very effectively and also providing us with a few jump inducing moments. Just listening to the opening night audiences reactions, the oohs and ahhs and the laughter it’s clear that Hatcher and Brigden had the audience in the palms of their hands. I’m so glad that Hatcher kept the time period of the play in the 50’s, it allowed for a beautifully retro aesthetic. From the wonderful set by Walt Spangler to the gorgeous costumes by Valerie Therese Bart, it captures the look of a 50’s era Hitchcock film. I also noticed in a good way, the lighting design by Xavier Pierce which wonderfully set the mood of the scenes especially well done was the stormy night of the murder which featured some great sound design from John Gromada as well. Dial M for Murder is a murderously entertaining production filled with twists and turns and just the right proportion of humor peppered throughout. Dial M for Murder runs through February 25th at the Guthrie Theater for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2023-2024-season/dial-m-for-murder/

In case you missed it I had the opportunity last summer to interview Jeffrey Hatcher for the Twin Cities Theater Chat Podcast you can listen to that conversation here https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/2150807/13157328

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