Episode 18 of The Stages of MN Show is Up on Both YouTube and the Podcast Version! But Hurry it’s Dated Material.

An episode is up early for a change and that’s because it’s the final Monster Month episode and is primarily reviews of shows from the Twin Cities Horror Festival which ends this Thursday October 30th. So head over and watch (the preferred method) or listen to the episode and then head to https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/ to check the schedule and purchase tickets. I don’t mean to frighten you but some shows are selling out so don’t dilly dally. You can view the show here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode18YouTube or listen here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp18Podcast.

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The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Twin Cities Horror Festival Day 10 Reviews: The Final Two Shows, Cursed Objects and Terms

Show numbers 13 and 14 of the 14th Annual Twin Cities Horror Festival gave me a full TCHF Bingo! I’ve seen them all, and lived to tell the tale. Day 10 was a night of highs and lows, but as my mama always said, TCHF is like a street of houses on Halloween: you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes it’s a Snickers bar; other times, it’s those orange-and-black wax paper wrapped chewy mystery candies. But that’s part of the fun, the unexpected.

The festival runs through October 30, and there’s still time to catch most of the shows. Visit tchorrorfestival.com to explore the schedule and purchase tickets. A few shows are worth planning ahead for, especially Terms, which is hands down the best production in this year’s festival.

Cursed Objects, from Dolly Who? Productions, was a bit of a disappointment. Destiny Davison, the creative force behind Dolly Who?, stars as the Webb sisters, Millicent and Melody, two consciousnesses sharing one body. The pair runs The Cabinet of Cursed Objects, a curiosity shop celebrating its 13th anniversary with a gathering of loyal “Cabineteers.”

When a mysterious door arrives in a shipment, strange things begin to happen, though what exactly is never quite clear. That’s the problem. The setup has potential, and the concept of the Webb sisters is clever. The set design is well done, thanks to the show having the Studio space, which allows the show to remain set up throughout it’s run, but the script lacks focus.

The performances feel under rehearsed, and much of the exposition is delivered inaudibly. Once again, it feels like strong production design is being used to mask a script that wasn’t ready. Davison’s performance as the Webb sisters starts promisingly, but the idea never quite reaches its potential. The shop itself and its clientele are intriguing ideas, but too vague and underdeveloped. And while it isn’t fair to judge a show by what it isn’t, I couldn’t help wishing Davison had woven in some of her delightful cartoon creations.

With Terms, my Twin Cities Horror Festival journey comes to an end, and what a high note to finish on. It’s easily the best show of the festival.

Four Humors, the company that started TCHF 14 years ago, proves you can go home again. The cast featuring company members Ryan Lear, Brant Miller, Matt Spring, and Allison Vincent, and joined by newcomer Corie Casper, is fantastic, as anyone familiar with Four Humors would expect.

The story combines the otherworldly horror of H. P. Lovecraft with the even more terrifying evil of insurance companies. As the show began, I was reminded of a line from The Rainmaker: “Deny all claims.” The plot centers on the firm of BGW, which seems to confirm what we’ve always suspected, That they exist to serve their evil overlords in this case the board of directors.

Terms showcases everything that makes Four Humors special. The performances, script, and production design, from costumes and props to projections, are all at a level few TCHF shows reach. That’s not a knock on the others; it’s the bar to aspire to.

I brought my son Alex and his fiancée Jayla with me. Jayla had seen Rasputin, Four Humors’ 2023 TCHF hit, with me, and we loved it so much we went back for the encore at Open Eye in 2024. On the way home, Alex remarked that Terms, expanded into a longer version, could easily play at the Guthrie. That’s a comment on quality, not content. And honestly, I’d choose a Four Humors show over just about anything at the Guthrie, any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I’m not sure why Four Humors doesn’t produce more often, but the talent of this quartet is evident in every aspect of Terms. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, razor-smart, and executed with split-second precision.

Episode 17 is up and it’s TCHF Heavy.

Getting this post out in time for the weekend hopefully. It’s a great weekend to head out to the Twin Cities Horror Festival and so this show features that heavily. Go to their website to make your schedule and purchase tickets here https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/

Watch the episode here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp17YouTube

Or listen to the podcast here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp17Podcast

Episode 17 has reviews of four Horror Fest shows. A tour of TCHF central, the Crane Theater. We also hear about the Scrimshaw Curse directly from the Duck’s mouth.

Get the details on how to win tickets to an upcoming show at History Theatre thanks to Erica Skarohlid of Lettered in Theatre. You can read her blog here https://letteredintheatre.wordpress.com/ and check out the season lineup at History Theatre here https://www.historytheatre.com/

Murder Inn Supplies a Surprisingly Strong Whodunnit at the Plymouth Playhouse

Murder Inn by Howard Voland and Keith McGregor runs through November 2 at the Plymouth Playhouse. This is community theater, and as such, I don’t hold it to quite the same standards as I would a professional production. The performances are a bit uneven, some very fun and none particularly weak, but the show’s real strength lies in its script.

The set,I assume by Dan Sherman (he’s listed as Set Manager), is impressive, and Bronson Talcott’s costumes add a nice touch of character. But the real reason to see Murder Inn is for the story itself.

It’s a classic whodunit in the spirit of Agatha Christie. A group on a tour of haunted sites in New England becomes stranded by bad weather at an inn that has just closed for the month of November. The inn, run by Martha Talbot and her son Jake, isn’t prepared for guests, but with the roads impassable, the travelers have no choice but to stay. You see, Martha closes the inn every November because the ghost of her ancestor Marcus becomes restless that time of yea. He has a habit of throwing knives at people. That hint of the supernatural gives the play a fun extra layer of suspense.

This production is apparently the first in a series of plays by Voland and McGregor featuring two elderly women, Grace and Doris. Grace played by Wendy Freshman who’s quite good as the amateur sleuth, very much in the tradition of Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher. While Doris, played by Shelley Nelson, provides comic relief that’s a bit over the top. I particularly enjoyed the character work from Amy Madson and Tristan Wilkes and Martha and Jake Talbot and Sher U-F as the slightly goofy Muriel, who travels with a Ouija board in order to converse with the spirits.

Murder Inn is light, funny, and surprisingly satisfying, a charming mystery caper perfect for a fall evening. And one that actually keeps you guessing until the final reveal, and as an added bonus, the reveal is satisfying. Murder Inn, presented by 4 Community Theatre, runs through November 2 at the Plymouth Playhouse. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit 4communitytheatre.org.

Primary Trust a Reminder of the Importance of Having Someone to Connect to at the Guthrie

William Sturdivant (Bert) and Bryce Michael Wood (Kenneth) Photo by Dan Norman

Here’s how my Tuesday played itself out. I went to work, as I had every day for the last seven weeks, at Maple Grove Senior High, working as an education support professional in the special education department. Unlike the previous days, this one was my last. I had to say goodbye to a couple dozen kids I’d grown extremely fond of.

In a Facebook post about my last day, I wrote that I knew these kids would move on and forget me, but I would never forget them. It was a great day because I spent it with those extraordinary, unique students. It was also a sad day because I had to say goodbye to them. Then that evening, I went to see Primary Trust at the Guthrie Theater, and in small and large ways, I saw the emotions I’d felt throughout the day brought to life on stage.

We’re never told exactly what the main character Kenneth’s diagnosis might be. It may simply be the result of childhood trauma, or he may be on the autism spectrum, he is clearly neurodivergent. What he shares with the kids I worked with is that he isn’t always able to communicate his truth to those around him. Yet he can communicate, in his own way, in his own mind. And that’s one of the key elements that struck me about this play.

Kenneth’s best friend, Bert, is imaginary. That’s revealed early enough that I’m not spoiling anything. We learn that Bert was once Kenneth’s social worker, the man who helped place him in an orphanage after his mother died when Kenneth was ten. They had lunch together every day, and when Bert’s work with him ended, Kenneth created an imaginary version of him to fill that void. When I wrote that the students I worked with will move on and forget me, I think that’s true. But they’ll forget because others will step in to take my place, and the people already supporting them will still be there. Kenneth has no one to step in and fill the void, and so he created or more accurately extended Bert’s presence with his mind. Don’t get me wrong, he isn’t crazy, he knows Bert isn’t real, and he knows he should only talk to him inside his head.

I used voice dictation to draft this review as I drove home, because, honestly, there are no spare minutes in my day. Each time I said “the kids will forget me,” the dictation wrote “forgive me.” Did I subconsciously say that, or was it coincidence? It reminded me how much that job meant to me. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I might go back to it. But I haven’t, and I need to make a living. Everyone at MGSH, my family and friends understands and supports that, but I still feel like I let them down. I don’t like leaving things unfinished. Even knowing I made the responsible, real-world choice, I’ll always carry a bit of that guilt. I’ll always be hoping they have forgiven me.

Will Sturdivant plays Bert with warmth, humor, and humanity. I related to him deeply. At one point, Bert, though he’s a figment of Kenneth’s imagination, realizes he must do what any mentor does: encourage Kenneth to expand his world, to connect with real people. It’s a powerful, moving moment.

Kenneth does find connection with Corrina, a waitress at Wally’s Tiki Bar, where he spends most evenings drinking Mai Tais with Bert. Nubia Monks plays Corrina, as well as about ten other characters, each distinct and fully realized. There’s a moment when Kenneth offers his arm for Corrina to take, and it is exactly the way one of my students would take my arm when she needed a break, to take a walk. That small gesture nearly undid me.

Pearce Bunting plays Kenneth’s two bosses, both gruff, intimidating men which he manages to show the tenderness behind their rough exteriors. A reminder that what is on the outside doesn’t always reflect what is on the inside. That aspect is echoed throughout the performance of Bryce Michael Wood as Kenneth who is astonishingly good. By the end of the 90-minute, no-intermission play, it’s clear he’s both physically and emotionally spent. Wood gives two distinct performances: the Kenneth who moves awkwardly through the real world, and the articulate and comfortable Kenneth who exists in conversation with Bert. That difference is illuminating, and deeply human. Don’t we all have a version of ourselves that exists in our minds, more articulate and self-assured than the one we present to the world?

I wondered if my love for this play was amplified by the day I’d had, but my plus one, who didn’t share my emotional baggage felt exactly the same. Primary Trust is a play that connects on many levels. For me, it was personal, emotional, joyful, and full of hope, much like the last seven weeks of my life. It’s about communication, understanding, and the quiet ways people reach each other.

Primary Trust is a beautiful, uplifting play that reminds us, if you need reminding, that people are resilient. I absolutely loved it, and I hope you’ll see it before it closes on November 16 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information, tickets, and details on rush ticket options, visit guthrietheater.org.

Twin Cities Horror Festival Day 5 Reviews: Gudlung, Gospel Gus’s Godly Good Time Get-Together

Two more TCHF reviews for you! Just eight days left to see these amazing shows and experience the unexpected and the uncanny. Go to https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/ for the full schedule and to purchase tickets.

Those of us who’ve been going to the TCHF for years now recognize the large tarp stained over the years with stage blood. We know when we see it on the floor that we’ve entered Dangerous Productions show. There’s one company each year that you know is gonna push the envelope when it comes to blood and guts, and this year is no exception with their entry Gudlung. Gudlung is some sort of demon whom the father of a family gives sacrifices of blood to in order to relive Christmas Eve over and over until it’s perfect. But Gudlung seems to be a bit like Siri in that it doesn’t always understand what you want. We’re not quite sure What’s happening when the show begins, but by the third go around we’ve clued in. It is the third time through the evening for us, but something like the 620th for the characters in the play. I don’t always enjoy the over the top blood shows but I can handle a little bit and this one seems almost a little restrained by Dangerous Productions standards it’s also a very funny script given how dark the humor is at times. There’s a mom who’s dying of cancer which clearly annoys her husband. And the grandma who’s brought back from the dead to hopefully add a little joy to the evening! The blood work is effective but also played for laughs, when someone gets disemboweled it’s more likely to tickle your funny bone than induce your gag reflex. When I started The Stages of MN six years ago, I never imagined writing a sentence like that.

Gospel Gus’s Godly Good Time Get-Together is hands-down the most elaborate large scale Incredible production design I’ve ever seen at a TCHF show. This makes The Neverland production design look like a kindergarten classrooms designs. The other thing it has over that show is a script which progresses the story from start to finish. The show is Created and Directed by Kyle B. Dekker and written by Sam L. Landman, yes that Sam Landman, making this the third show in this years festival that he is involved in. It’s reminiscent of 2023 when I think Allison Vincent was in every other show. Damn that was a good year and so is this! Gospel Gus’s Godly Good Time Get-Together is filled with satirical elements and it gives its competent cast something to work with. The script is inspired by a bit from Dekker‘s Fringe show He-Man is the Devil & Other Satanic Panic Tales from 2022. Its so elaborate, it’s not just the gigantic puppets, the crazy set pieces, and the wild puppetry effects. It’s also a multi media extravaganza! There’s video portions that interact with what’s happening on stage there’s projections, there’s entertaining use of black light technology. It also relies on the cell phone flashlight in the eyes of the audience, it basically uses every Technique we see in any TCHF show but uses every one of them in the same show and it actually seems to be in service of the script. I really like the cast, particularly Natavia Lewis who plays Nina and Angela Fox who plays Izzy. I forgot he was gonna be in there, even though he’s in the program, and giving a completely unhinged performance is Andrew Erskine Wheeler. All I can say is I hoped that the fluorescent liquid he ingests is not toxic. If you’re a fan of TCHF you owe it to yourself to check out Gospel Gus’s… I’m not gonna say it’s the best, but it is very good and is undoubtedly the largest spectacle you’re gonna see at the festival.

Twin Cities Horror Festival Days 3 & 4 Reviews: The Walls, Bay Creek, Familiar, The Neverland: a Horror Fantasia, Murder. Murder. Murder. Murder.

I’m struggeling to keep up so here’s a link to the Horror Fest which runs through 10/30 at The Crane Theater https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/

Now on with the reviews!!

I only caught this one show on day 3 and it was The Walls by Strike Theater and The Improv Movement Project. It features a fantastic cast of local favorites Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, Sam Landman, Peytie McCandless, Jay Kistler Many of them are masters of longform Improv. Now this isn’t improv, it is written and directed by Fotis, but what makes this group great character actors is their ability to Make the interplay between the characters feel real in genuine, a skill they have honed doing their improv. The set up has a young woman at the urging of her meth dealing father‘s partner trying to get money from the bank to ransom her father from a rival group of dealers. They go into the bank where the newly promoted manager and her husband, the recently retired Sheriff are opening up for the day. To be honest everything in the bank is completely fascinating even before things go south. Just listening to the Boersma and Landman, as the Manager and her husband, bicker is brilliant. Once this go off the rails the play changes into something different which includes some really interesting movement, which I don’t wanna spoil or explain the reason for. The sign of good character building is that even if things hadn’t gone south I think I would’ve really enjoyed the show. Just listening to these actors play these characters and interact with each other was time while spent.

Day 3 was a very interesting day at the TCHF particularly in terms of the balance between script and production design. First up was Bay Creek written and performed by Derek Lee Miller which is essentially a one person monologue. Miller’s character is in an interrogation room being questioned by members of the entire alphabet of law enforcement from the FBI to the DEA. We occasionally get recorded voice overs from those agents asking questions but for the most part it’s Miller on his own. The script is in places inspired by stories Miller was told by his family growing up. The story Miller’s character unfolds about his family is one of demonic protection. Miller is never less than completely hypnotizing the script like Miller himself doesn’t have an ounce of fat on it. It’s super tight, while the production design is extremely simple, a man sitting in a chair next to a table with a microphone and folders on it. The lighting and sound cues are not elaborate but are among the most effective I’ve ever seen. The final moment of the show is truly awesome. To be sure this is one of the best of this years TCHF thanks to Miller’s powerful storytelling through script and performance.

The Artistic Director of TCHF Nissa Nordland’s show Familiar felt similar to her Minnesota Fringe show this year in that we are in the world of a teenage girl and her adolescent obsessions. She is or at least fancies herself a witch and her familiar is her cat Zelda. In my mind I break the show up into three parts. The first is getting to know the young teenage Rosemary. This is filled with humor including the content creators she follows on TikTok played by special guests Sam Landman as Virgil Vermillion and Jonathan Feld as Orion. The second part is more emotional when her familiar, Zelda, who is 17 years of age, one year older than Rosemary passes away. I know from listening to other audience members that those who had recently lost pets found this segment particularly devastating, so trigger warning for dead pets. The third section is completely unexpected given it the lightheartedness of the first portion and the emotional reality of the second. The third goes dark and supernatural in an effective and very creepy way. The show featured several musical performances by Nordland on ukulele and Clarinet, which for me, ever since I first saw her sing on stage, is always a treat I look forward to.

The Neverland: A Horror Fantasia takes elements of the Peter Pan story and flies in the much darker direction with them. It has a ton of production design elements, much of it in the arts and crafts vein, but overall it’s very effective and appropriate for the story it’s telling. It’s impressive how they get this set up and taken down in the time allotted between shows. But there’s a rather large cast and I assume they all help out. Excellent costumes and even some shadow puppetry helps this show scores big points in the production design category. The production design however seems to be compensating for a lack of a solid script. While the performances are all solid what they have to do is wander around the stage repeating the same things over and over again. one fellow audience member commented that it’s a show of vibes which I would agree with completely. As such I think my son Alex, who really gets in the mood and vibes of films and plays, might really enjoy the show more than I did. I’m generally looking for a story that holds my interest this one, while the idea or concept, of Peter Pan guiding lost children from life through limbo to death certainly is filled with possibilities, the execution just felt meandering and repetitive.

murder. murder. murder. murder. is by this years one traveling artist company of the TCHF. murder. murder. murder. murder. has a double meaning in its title. First, there are four stories, which is why there are four murders in the title. Secondly, all of the stories contain crows and as we know a group of crows is called a murder of crows. And if you didn’t know that, you’re welcome. This is another story that had a pretty tight script while set design was fairly minimal, but always enough to set the scene. It does have have some very good costume work as well. The first three stories use a framing device of a radio DJ we hear before and after each story and then the fourth story features the DJ and her producer. Some of the stories are comic, some dark, and some darkly comic. It was nice mix and I think each story was the perfect length, nothing felt rushed but likewise nothing felt like it was padded out.