Twelfth Night From Ten Thousand Things Theater Company is an Exuberantly Joyous Production

What a week of theater it has been. This concludes a seven day six show week. You might think fatigue would be setting in by tonights show, Shakespeare no less. But such is the power of theater, bad theater can drain us, but great theater can replenish our souls. Ten Thousand Things Theater Company’s (TTT) production of Twelfth Night is great theater. This is how Shakespeares comedies need to be done, in a way that everyone can not only understand but unreservedly enjoy them. TTT’s artists interpret Shakespeare’s work with a modern sensibility, that makes it fresh, funny and above all, accessible. New to me theater companies, theater spaces, and classic shows has become a common theme this season. When M’colleagues in the esteemed body of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers heard that I had never seen a production by TTT, I avoided by the narrowest margins being expelled from the group when a vote of no confidence was called for. I won over the swing votes by promising to see the very next production they put on. In my defense, this was the fourth show I tried to see. I was scheduled to see Thunder Knocking on the Door but Covid shut down the theaters. Last winter I was scheduled to see Mlima’s Tale but the performance got cancelled due to a storm. Last Spring I attempted to put Emilia on my schedule, but literally every theater company in the city opened shows the same two weekends. The date I had finally found to see it on, I had to back out of when my colonoscopy was rescheduled – which is a shitty excuse but there you have it. Long over due but so worth the wait and I’ll never miss another production from this company again as everyone was right. Particularly when they said you haven’t seen Shakespeare performed until you’ve seen TTT perform Shakespeare.

The play written in the early 1600’s by an upstart crow by the name of William Shakespeare is one of a grouping of plays called in some circles, the convoluted comedies, or “the play with the twins”, or “the play with the shipwreck”, even sometimes as “the one where the woman puts on a hat and everyone thinks she’s a man”. To which the inevitable reply to any of these statements is, “Which one?” Yes much like Stephen King or John Irving today, Shakespeare liked to play variations on a theme in some of his plays, great writers can pull that off. This one is the one where twin brother and sister Sebastian and Viola are survivors of a shipwreck though both believe the other to have perished. Viola, for reasons of plot contrivance, decides to disguise herself as her brother but without taking his name, instead taking the name of Cesario, apparently because when spoken quickly it can easily be confused with several of the other characters we’ll meet later in the play (this is a literary technique that would later be used to great effect and consternation by J.R.R. Tolkien in his books about middle earth). Viola becomes the servant of Duke Orsino who is stalking Olivia, whose affections are also sought after by Malvolio and Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Aguecheek is a drinking buddy of Olivia’s uncle Sir Toby Belch, who kinda has a thing for Olivia’s maid Maria. Meanwhile, Sebastian was saved from drowning by Antonio. Finding himself alive, he surprisingly decides not change his name or his gender. Though he does conspicuously disappear for three quarters of the play in the company of Antonio, who at the end of the play professes to anyone who will listen what love he did show Sebastian, so possibly still falling into the LGBTQ+ column. There is also a Jester who defiantly goes by a name not ending in “ia”, “io”, or something sounding like either of those but by the name Feste. Olivia falls in love with Cesario, who remember is actually Viola, who in turn has fallen in love with Orsino. Confused? Let me just assure you, hilarity ensues, it really does.

I saw a production of Twelfth Night a few years ago at The Guthrie Theatre, it was a very good production, but this was Ten Thousand Times better! It’s a combination of the direction by Marcela Lorca, the musical direction and compositions by Isabella Dawis, and an incredible cast. My wife and I play a game after a show where we ask each other who their favorite performer was. We were sort of stumped for answers with this one. Maybe it was Brian Bose as Feste, they had a great singing voice, a wonderfully physical performance, and just electrified the play when he entered it with his energy. Or maybe it was Katie Bradley as Olivia, it’s hard to top her reaction when she finally sees Cesario (aka Viola) and Sebastian at the same time. But wait, what about Maggie Chestovich as Maria and also Orsino’s servant Curio (notice this actor get’s both an “ia”and “io” character to play). Her moments of silent comedy are so perfectly executed. With her it’s as much about the performance moments not speaking as it is speaking. Yet, are we forgetting the duel roles played by Ryan Colbert as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Antonio? Of all the performers playing multiple roles, which is everyone, these two by Colbert are the most hilariously different, that it’s almost hard to believe they are the same performer. Of course Dariana Elise Perez has the task of playing both Viola and Sebastian, sometimes in the same scene which she and Director Lorca have devised a wonderfully creative way to accomplish. Maybe, though its Mo Perry whose stint on a scooter and other bits of comedic physical movement stole the spotlight. Will Sturdivant as Orsino? He somehow makes his “me too” alarm sounding behavior not translate into mood obliterating cringieness. We laugh with the character rather than shake our heads thinking this role is problematic. But then there is Karen Wiese-Thompson as Sir Toby whose performance is only outdone by her small turn as the Priest. This is a comic performance that is probably going to stick with me for the rest of my life.

Do yourself a favor and get to Twelfth Night before it closes on November 19th. If you know anyone who hasn’t ever really seen Shakespeare performed or says they cannot understand the language, take them to this play. Not only will you be creating a new Theatergoer, but also a Shakespeare fan. The show plays at multiple location to find out where and to purchase tickets go to https://tenthousandthings.org/season/twelfth-night

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Last Minute Preview!! The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Sunday Oct. 15th at BLB Theater

I don’t know how it is that Monster Month is already almost half over or where the time went or how I missed yesterday’s Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society (MORLS) “Frankenstein: Two Centuries” event at Crooners Supper Club. Obviously if you are waiting on me and my preview posts to keep up to date on all the latest from the MORLS you are relying on the wrong source. What you need to do is go to https://www.ghoulishdelights.com/ and subscribe to their newsletter. That way if I don’t get a post up you’ll have all the information sent directly to your email box. You know what else you can do on the site? You can become a Patreon Supporter of the MORLS that gives you a link to view a recording of the Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater staged performances that you might not be able to make it to in person. For example like tomorrow nights show which I cannot make it to. Thankfully, I am a Patreon supporter and so I’ll still get to enjoy the the latest installment from this fantastic Theater company.

If you can make it tomorrow night prepare for a program custom made for Monster Month thrills, here’s what’s on the program that includes one recreation of a classic radio script from the series Inner Sanctum and to new scripts from two of the companies artists:

“A Corpse for Halloween” from Inner Sanctum (1949): Severed heads! Shameless puns! Baby tigers! A bizarre tale of psychological horror from the Grand Guignol of Old Time Radio.

“Get to the Castle, Part 2” from Grey Ghost and the Agents of Floor 10 (premiere): The agents discover dark secrets behind the walls of an ancient castle in Austria. This second installment of a three-part serial by Eric Webster includes a recap of the previous thrilling chapter!

“Lost in a Pyramid, or The Mummy’s Curse” from The Weird Library (premiere): Louisa May Alcott’s classic tale of romance and revenge, adapted for audio by Shanan Custer.

For tickets to tomorrow nights performance at 7:00 PM go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-mysterious-old-radio-workshop-tickets-728338067767

For those of you just tuning in The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society are Shanan Custer, Joshua English Scrimshaw, Tim Uren and Eric Webster. This Quartet of radio fanatics bring to life scripts from the golden age of radio as well as original scripts monthly on stages around town. Their performances perfectly emulate the style of the radio programs from the 1930’s on. Along with their vocal work, they also create the sound effects that accompany the tales on stage. Using their voices to paint a picture so vivid that if you close your eyes, you can see the action in your minds eye. There’s something magical about stories told this way. It can engage the audience at times even more than TV or film does because we are given the audio in a way that we use our imagination to fill in the visuals, it requires a more interactive response on our part. I’m a huge fan of this forgotten art form and always get a huge kick out of these performances.

“Life Sucks”, But This Play Doesn’t . A Modern Sort of Adaptation of Uncle Vanya at Open Eye Theatre

The Cast of Life Sucks Photo by Nicole Neri

Chekhov can be heavy, but Aaron Posner’s sort of adaptation Life Sucks while maintaining much of the plot and themes of Uncle Vanya is irreverent and wildly in your face fun. Open Eye Theatre & Girl Friday Productions have teamed up to present The Play featuring performances by seven local favorites. The cast is what drew me to this production as soon as I heard about it at the Minnesota Fringe Festival opening night. Really, all I heard was Sam Landman and I was in. Later, I saw Taj Ruler and one of my wife’s “All is Calm boys” James Ramlet was on the list, I knew who my plus one would be. Being a two show day and a six show week meant I hadn’t had a chance to really look over the entire cast until I got to the theatre. I was surprised that I had seen every member of this cast before and loved their previous work. Even after four years of covering the Stages of Minnesota you’d be surprised how rare it is in a show with more than say four actors to have seen every member of a cast, or at least be able to remember every member from a previous show. This is a remarkable cast in a play that is the type of creative leap that Open Eye does best. This is a play that doesn’t play by the rules in the most engaging way, with the actors addressing the audience and expecting a response, characters making sure we understand who all the characters are and their relationships to each other.

I feel like I’ve already said too much and I’ve barely given anything away. What makes the show so enjoyable is the way that you never know what is going to happen next. Sure, if you know the plot of Uncle Vanya you can make a guess at plot wise what story beats are coming. But this is a show that is less about what happens, than how it happens. And how it happens is the joy of the show and what makes it all work is the talented cast. The way this show changes gears, the improvisational feel of the actors give and take, all required the very best and that is what we have been given. Kirby Bennett as Babs is the wise one of the group, dressed like a biker she brings a lived in feel to the been there, done that don’t judge, old family friend. Georgia Doolittle as Ella exudes the required pheromones to achieve the characters desired reaction from the audience, when you see it, you’ll understand what I mean. She’s excellent at portraying the frustration of being constantly beleaguered by would be lovers. Elizabeth Efteland is cast against type as she was in last, Christmas’s Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, in the role of the homely Sonia. It is only her performance skills and a focus on projecting a lack of confidence that allow us to go along with the idea that she is someone who is considered unattractive. Jonathan Feld plays the object of her unrequited love Dr. Aster as a man who is attractive to several of the characters and he does that by exuding confidence and an air of not being concerned what others think of him. Sam Landman is Vanya, he just about breaks you with his vulnerability when he comes to a realization about himself in the wake of Ella’s rejection. And then has one of the best moments in the show when he asks to have the stage so he can tell the audience one more thing, it’s one of those surprises that feels out of left field, but so perfect. James Ramlet as the Professor is masterful in his portrayal of the superior acting father of Sonia and much too old husband of Ella. Throwing off speeches full of $12 words with a pomposity that gets the best rises out of Landman’s Vanya. It’s one of the best inflated ego performances and Ramlet knows just how to hold himself as he delivers the often incomprehensible to anyone outside of himself sentences. Finally, Taj Ruler brings their patented playful and eccentric style to the character of Pickles who is some kind of relative of Vanya’s. This is easily the most consistently funny performance, the sock puppet seduction scene being a prime example of Ruler’s gifts for making the most ludicrous material elicit screams of laughter, I have no idea how Georgia Doolittle kept her composure through that scene.

Directed by and set designed by Open Eye’s Joel Sass who somehow manages to fit all seven actors on the Open Eye’s tiny stage without looking like they are on top of one another. Sass has harnessed the unique talents of all seven performers and found the best way to play to each one’s strengths. One of the things that always excites me about an Open Eye production is the design of the shows. This one is no exception, Sass’s sets always look like sets but in the most magical way. As always there is more surprises in store than what we see at first look, reference Landman’s final word with the audience scene, something surprising happens with the set that is a little thing but brilliant. The Lighting Designer Kathy Maxwell also needs to be given credit for lighting Sass’s wonderful design and helping to create a sense of changing locations.

Life Sucks is a play in which the characters know they are in a play but without that being the joke or point, it’s just a way for them to address us directly. To comment on the material in a way that feels fresh and inventive. The unique thing is that the cast doesn’t stop being the characters when they address the audience or acknowledge that this is a play. They stay in character they are not actors in a play, the are characters in a play, and that allows them to break the reality of the play without taking us out of their characters. This is a fantastic production and I urge everyone to see it. Like Artistry’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which I reviewed yesterday this is a show that can create theater fans. But unlike that show, you might want to be just slightly more conscious of whom you take. Make sure they are someone that is OK with something that breaks the mold a little bit. Life Sucks runs through November 5th at Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.openeyetheatre.org/life-sucks

The Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement at the Ames Center in Burnsville

There have apparently been nine musicals featuring the Church Basement Ladies (CBL) to date with the most recent premiering in 2022. The original had a book by Jim Stowell and Jessica Zuehlke, music and lyrics by Drew Jansen and the sequels are based on the lives and writings of Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson. Obviously these are wildly popular to have spawned this many sequels and Church Basement Ladies Productions have been mounted in all 48 contiguous States and Canada. Beginning with the first sequel, the book for the musicals were written by Greta Grosch who usually appears in the shows as the character of Mavis Gilmerson, though not in the current production. The Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement is playing now through November 12th at the Ames Center in Burnsville. I’m not the target audience for this show, which I assume is retired Lutherans, as evidenced by the shows schedule which consists largely of weekday matinees. Did I have fun with the show? Yes to some extent, though I think overall I enjoyed some of the performers more than the actual show.

The CBL are three woman Vivian Snustad a widow, Mavis Gilmerson a farmer, and Karin Engelson a wife and mother. The story of this installment set in 1960 in rural Minnesota focuses on the the confirmation, and I suppose coming of age from the Lutheran perspective, of Karin’s daughter Beverly and the second marriage of the town Pastor. It would seem like there are some parallels to be drawn between the young teenagers, first feelings of adulthood and romance, and the middle aged pastor finding love again in middle age. But in true Lutheran fashion, if they’re thinking of those themes, they are keeping them on the inside and instead talking about Jello salads and marshmallow surprise. Many of the scenes feel only tangentially connected, there are the plot through lines but we skip ahead in time and then some scenes actually appear to be told in flashback. It all feels like an excuse to spend time with the CBLs who have some funny lines and sing some songs and as the Pastor says towards the end, keep living their lives.

The performance I saw two of the three CBL’s were understudies and maybe that accounts for a sense of them just playing out scenes rather than inhabiting the characters fully. Though they all did good work, if you’re going to have a show that’s basically just about the interactions of Lutherans in a church basement or kitchen, it should feel like they’ve been through the years together. One of the strongest of the cast is Alexa Johnson as Beverly, who reminded me of a young Zooey Deschanel. She has a really sweet song with Dorian Chalmers who plays her mother Karin called “Growing Up, Letting Go” it’s the song in the musical that most felt like something you could lift out of the show and enjoy on it’s own and both actors sound great. The other cast member that really caught my eye, maybe by being the odd man out, was Gregory Eiden as the Pastor. He looks and behaves like a Pastor, and yes I understand that is the aim of acting, but what I mean is he’s playing the character and so his moments feel more authentic and thus his moments of comedy play better. The CBL are not terribly exaggerated, but they are not very far removed from caricatures, which would work better if the comedy was broader and more fast paced. I don’t want to give the impression I didn’t enjoy the show, it had its moments and was diverting enough. It’s a great show to take the Grandmother too, nothing too risque, and if she’s in her 80’s or 90’s she might feel more of a connection to these CBL’s from the past.

The Church Basement Ladies in A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement runs through November 12th and then returns again January 4th through February 14th at The Ames Center. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.ames-center.com/cbl.html

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, I Spell Hysterical A R T I S T R Y in Bloomington

Furthermore I can use it in a sentence. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Artistry in Bloomington is hysterical! I haven’t laughed this hard in the theater since I almost wet my pants at The Play That Goes Wrong tour at the Orpheum Theatre. Wipe that smirk off your face, I said almost. Luckily, I emptied my bladder before tonight’s show but no amount of pre-show preparation can guard against stomach pains from laughing so hard. And those are what I am experiencing now as I sit down to write this. If I ever see this show on the schedule again, I’ll be sure to begin core strengthening exercises well in advance. Having never seen this show which has been around for almost 20 years I can’t honestly say if it’s the script itself or this dead brilliant cast. I’ve always said that the best comedy comes not from simple one-liners but from characters. The best comedic actors are also the best actors, because in spite of the silliness they imbue their characters with a reality. This cast doesn’t play the jokes, they play the characters which make the jokes land harder. That also allows us to feel for them in the few moments where a little pathos is permitted to seep through.

So their are a lot of credits for this show. It was conceived by Rebecca Feldman, I assume on the couch watching a Spelling Bee unfold on TV, but perhaps in a bed like you and I presumably were. The music and lyrics are by William Finn with book by Rachel Sheinkin and just for good measure some additional material was thrown in by Jay Reiss. Sometimes too many cooks spoil the soup, but in this case each added just the right measurements of each ingredient, as it may take place in a school gymnasium but it’s way better than any cafeteria lunch. It’s the story of six adolescents who are competing in the county spelling bee in hopes of winning and going to nationals in Washington D.C.. They each have their own little stories and quirks and are joined by four members of the audience who each have their own little quirks. For Instance, one of our audience members got their word correct, when I think they were supposed to get it wrong, and so they immediately called them back for another turn so they could eliminate them. Which is one of the great things about live theater, that stuff happens and it adds even more laughs to the night. Aside from the kids there are three adults two are the Spelling Bee hosts, former Spelling Bee winner Rona Lisa Peretti and Vice Principal Doug Panch. The third is the Official Comfort Counselor Mitch Mahoney, who is an ex-con doing his community service at the Bee.

I can give you specific examples of moments of brilliance from each of the actors but I don’t want to spoil the jokes for you so I’ll be as vague as possible. Brendan Nelson Finn plays William Barfee who uses his magic foot to spell out the words before he says them aloud. Finn is all in on this performance, his characters mannerisms alone when simply sitting in the bleachers while others were spelling had me rolling on the floor. Tom Reed is Leaf Coneybear, the homeschooled kid, who is there because the first and second place winners from his school couldn’t make it. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll be saying it again many times, Reed unfailingly finds the funniest way to say any line he is given. Wesley Mouri as Chip Tolentino, last year’s champion, brings the house down with what is the most memorable song in the show “My Unfortunate Erection“. In what is the second best song “I Speak Six Languages” Emma Schuld plays Marcy Park an over-achiever who made it to nationals last year placing ninth. With this song she finally gets to show her emotions and truly let loose, it’s a show stopping number that Schuld makes the most of and makes her final decision feel like she’s won it all! Jillian Sjoquist is Olive Ostrovsky who is the one with a little bit of a melancholy backstory and she’s a great example of what all of the performers do, whatever is happening on stage, she is always playing her character, when she isn’t in the spotlight, you can see her watching the door for her father to arrive. Gabrielle Dominique plays Logainnne Schwartzandgrubenierre who has two Dads that pressure her to be the best and even try and resort to cheating. Dominique plays the entire show affecting a speech impediment flawlessly and breaks our heart a little bit when she wonders aloud if she loses will her Dad’s still love her?

The actors playing the adults are not overshadowed by those playing the children, it’s a show where everyone nails it. Stephanie Cousins and Tod Petersen play the hosts. Cousins leans into the caring empathetic former contestant and there is real warmth flowing from her to these collection of misfit kids. Petersen is perfect, reading out the words, giving the giggle inducing definitions, and using the words in sentences that contribute to those aching stomach muscles. He also plays the character throughout, little moments of frustration sneak through and we realize this is a man who dreamed of being a Principal, but will never get a chance to rise above the number two job. Wariboko Semenitari plays Mitch Mahoney who has a moment that so perfectly puts the emotions and the importance of the event in perspective. He’s the outsider who hasn’t participated in anything like this before and convey’s exactly how this is really in the grand scheme of things, not that important.

The show is directed by Tyler Michaels King and knowing his skills as an improv performer I can imagine what rehearsals might have been like and the discussions around finding the characters. Michaels King stages the show in a way that eskews the sedentary, monotone, and deliberate pace of a real Spelling Bee. Instead, he injects it with near constant motion, that never feels unjustified and uncontrolled but adds an infectious energy to the production. There is never a moment wasted including the time before the show begins. The set design by Sarah Bahr is a full of surprises, which I will not spoil but I will mention the Bleachers that split apart so they can be whisked off and on stage at the drop of a silent letter add to the the shows ability to be light on its feet and constantly shaking things up. Costume/Hair/Makeup Designer Samantha Fromm Haddow certainly puts her stamp on the show, favorites are William Barfee’s ensemble and Leaf Coneybear’s pants. The Musical Director is Raymond Berg who plays piano in the five piece band that backs the show and as is always the case at Artistry, the music is note perfect.

There are great shows I see every season that I recommend but are not for everyone, this is not one of those. This is a great show for everyone and should be seen by everyone. I talk a lot with my fellow bloggers and with theater personnel throughout the city about creating new audiences. The way to get new people into the theater is get them to see one show, that they love, then they will want to go again. This is that kind of show, the kind that can turn a person into a theatergoer. And if people who don’t go to the theater will love it, imagine how much those of you who do are going to love it! So everyone who loves theater make sure you get to this show, it’s one of the reasons you love theater. To have an experience that cannot be replicated with a community that is all enjoying it together. But go a step further, bring someone who hasn’t been to theater in a long time or ever with you. This is the kind of show that can build theater up, it’s the positive experience that audiences will want to have again and again. We have to grab shows like this and build the audiences through them. Once we have them, then we can get them interested in those great shows that are not for everyone. And that is the way forward, that is the way to help ensure that we maintain the thriving and diverse artistic community we have in the Twin Cities.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs through October 29th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase dozens of tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/spellingbee. And when you are done with that go tell two friends, invite them along, the show runs about an hour and forty minutes, there is no intermission, so plenty of time to go out for a drink afterwards and share your favorite moments and make plans to see another show together.

Girl From the North Country Launches North American Tour at the Orpheum

L-R Ben Biggers, Sharaé Moultrie, Jennifer Blood and John Schiappa in the GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY North American Tour (photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade).

*Girl From the North Country* the Broadway musical that uses as it’s songs the works of Minnesota native Bob Dylan launches it’s North American Tour as part of the Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin season. I’m a Dylan fan and have been since high school, when I heard about the show I assumed it would come here and so I’ve avoided listening to the cast recording and really reading too much about it. Several things struck me over the course of the evening. First, there are some really interesting arrangements of Dylan’s songs, sometimes combining elements of more than one song. Second, while I may not be a “super fan” I’m fairly familiar with his works and I found I could identify by name less than half of the songs used. This isn’t a greatest hits collection. In fact, unless I missed something, the title song only makes a brief instrumental appearance. I without fail, loved what they did with the songs I knew, as for the songs I didn’t, what you come away from those with is an appreciation for Dylan’s lyrics, these arrangements put those front and center. Musically, *Girl From the North Country* is a rich and surprising production, performed by a cast that kept surprising me with their talent.

The show is written and directed by Conor McPherson and if there is a falling off in the show it’s the plot. It centers on a failing boarding house in Duluth Minnesota run by a couple, Nick and Elizabeth, who are no longer in love. Prior to the story’s beginning Elizabeth has suffered some sort of breakdown and has to be cared for and watched over. They have a son, Gene, who wants to be a writer and an adopted daughter, Marianne, who is unmarried and pregnant. They have various tenants all with hard luck depression stories, all of them have their moments but none of them seem to coalesce into a whole that is particularly satisfying. McPherson’s direction seems to understand that with his staging some scenes as if they are meant to be really happening but then some musical numbers become almost mini concerts with the performers singing into microphones and back up singers gathering in a half circle in the background. I’m not sure what McPherson is trying to say, but what it said to me is, sit back and enjoy the music, that’s why we’re really here.

The cast kept surprising me, there are about a dozen major characters and in a show that runs a little over two hours without the intermission, that’s a lot. What happens is, a singer wow’s you, another sounds fine and so you think you know what they have to offer but later, they wow you. Time after time I kept thinking, this performers great, build the show around them, but it’s a true ensemble piece, no one seems to be headlining the show. A few of my favorite moments: Jennifer Blood as Elizabeth singing “Like a Rolling Stone” and in fact, her performance is the fantastic in the non singing portions as well. She gets most of the comic relief and knows just what to do with it. Matt Manuel as a boxer coming through town who sings “Hurricane” it’s one of those really effective arrangements that Simon Hale has put together for the show and it’s in this moment that Manuel shines. Ben Biggers as Gene and Chiara Trentalange, as a girl he seems to have been interested in singing a really unique and effective version of “I Want You”. In mostly dialogues roles, John Schiappa as Nick and Jeremy Webb as Reverend Marlowe whose look seems modeled on Tom Waits are really captivating.

The Scenic and Costume Designer Rae Smith seems to have followed McPherson’s lead and given up on having every choice make sense. At times there are backgrounds projected that seem to be designed to create a mood rather than a specific representation of a location. It’s striking but not elaborate, and it again seems to be saying, listen to the music, that’s why we’re here. I did enjoy the period costumes and props and one moment when the entire back wall becomes a beautiful backdrop during a segment meant to represent someone who has left this mortal plain. The Lighting Design is very effective by Mark Henderson, especially when creating a sense of a darker older world, it’s a design that focuses more on the absence of light.

Girl From the North Country runs through October 14th at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Minneapolis for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepintheatretrust.org/events/girl-from-the-north-country-orpheum-theatre-minneapolis-mn-2023/

The Boy Wonder Renews My Faith in Humanity, or at Least That Some Politicians Once Had Some at History Theatre

Emily Dussault, Evan Tyler Wilson Photo by Rick Spaulding

History Theatre in St. Paul launches their 2023-2024 theater season with the world premiere of the new musical The Boy Wonder by Keith Hovis. To say that I found the production exceptional would be to under sell it. In fact, to try and sum up the show in one word would undermine the fact that it is a multifaceted and layered work. For it is inspirational, moving, funny, educational, relevant, and very entertaining. As someone who has lost almost all interest and certainly all faith in politics, this show made me care again, while not boring me by being a musical about politics. Hovis who wrote the book as well as the music and lyrics has a gift for songwriting and storytelling, both which is a rare gift, a boy wonder himself to be sure. The cast is led by the phenomenal Evan Tyler Wilson whom with this performance may finally shed the label my wife uses for him and his former co-stars of “one of my All is Calm Boys“. Which isn’t a derogatory label, as the inclusion in a shows cast of one of her “All is Calm Boys“, guarantees she will be my plus one for that show.

The Boy Wonder tells the true story of Harold Stassen who was the youngest person ever elected to the Governorship of Minnesota. It’s the story of a man who dedicated his life to public service and the rare politician who put principles before party. What people remember of Harold Stassen is his never ending runs for the Republican Presidential Nomination which he did routinely from 1940 through 1992. It’s the story behind a punchline that reveals a man who was so much more than we remember. A man who possibly lost his chance at the Presidency because he followed his sense of duty to his country, resigning during his third term as Governor with a 91% approval rating to join the Navy during World War II. Losing momentum careerwise by following his gut, he still contributed greatly to our country and the world playing a key part in the formation of the United Nations. Obviously, we learn just the barest elements about the real man but if this representation of the man is anywhere near the truth, then I can say of him something I cannot imagine saying about a candidate in the modern era, this is a Republican I would vote for. He also seems to be the antithesis of every Republican of today. He put service, the people, and Country before his party.

Two wonderful local actors portray Harold Stassen via a structural device that Hovis uses allowing us to focus on the his early successes, while we acknowledge the second half of his life that doesn’t have a storybook ending. Bradley Greenwald is Stassen as the story begins in 1991, about announcing his final run for President. He is being urged by his son Glen, played by Thomas Bevan, to stop running. The rest of the show is Glen having the younger version of his father, played by the aforementioned Evan Tyler Wilson, recount his life as he repeatedly tells his father this is a perfectly respectable ending to his public life. Greenwald, plays Stassen briefly throughout but also plays many other roles including that of Harold’s father. Wilson is simply fantastic in the role, with a singing voice that is unmatched by a cast of exceptional singers, he also easily endears us to his character whose idealism finds a way against the odds to win. The heart of the play comes from the relationship between Harold and his wife Esther played by Emily Dussault. Together they create a palpable sense of affection and devotion, it’s a relationship that feels authentic and as ideal as Strassen’s approach to politics. The rest of the cast plays multiple roles wonderfully finding ways to distinguish their different characters in a way that makes it seem like the cast is much larger than nine. I also want to give a special mention of Jen Maren’s performances, comedically as Harold’s mother, and vocally every time she opens her mouth, another flawless vocalist that it’s always a joy to listen too.

The Boy Wonder is directed by Laura Leffler who will always hold a special place in my heart as the Assistant Director of Steel Magnolias at the Guthrie who went on as a member of the cast when there was an illness and received the loudest ovation from the audience. Here as Director, she uses the set designed by the fabulous Sadie Ward to great advantage. The center of the stage is a turntable, Leffler wisely resists the urge to overuse the device, instead making it an impactful element by using it only when it adds the scene. The scenes with songs are all handled well, but it’s the quieter moments where Leffler really shows her skill at creating intimate connections between the characters. These lay the groundwork so that the bigger story beats still create genuine emotions and responses from the audience. Amanda Weis as the Musical Director is on the keys and overseeing a solid group of musicians bringing Hovi’s catching and memorable songs to life.

The Boy Wonder is a mirror for the world today and also its remedy. As you watch it you will ache for a world in which candidates had the integrity and ideology of Harold Stassen. As someone who has lost faith in our political parties, it was amazing to find a hero on the other side of the aisle. Though to be fair his Republican views sound like modern day Democratic stances. The Boy Wonder runs through October 29th at History Theatre in Downtown St. Paul for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.historytheatre.com/2023-2024/boy-wonder