It’s been over thirty years since I saw a live stage production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods. After all this time I must say, I really enjoyed this journey back Into the Woods. The production is filled with humor and wonderful performances from new faces around the country as well as many local favorites. It’s especially nice to see a couple of local actors making their Guthrie debuts. It’s fantastic to see a big scale musical back on stage at the Guthrie, this is their first since 2019 when they staged Guys and Dolls just a few months before I launched The Stages of MN. This is such a wonderful production that I’m confident it will usher in the return of the annual summer musical at The Guthrie. It’s also nice that the return is a musical that can be enjoyed by all. Unlike Sunday in the Park with George or Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods is a show that can work for families with kids say 12 and up. I think they will get a kick out of watching the fairytales they grew up with on their ear and viewed from a more mature perspective. It’s also a great gateway into the more sophisticated musical for that age group between 12 and 16, who have been exposed mostly to Annie and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This is Sondheim after all, whose music is complex and layered which can be challenging for those used to the instantly sing-a-longable “Do-Re-Mi”. This is Sondheim at his most accessible and allows those new to his style quicker access to the rewards of his artistic genius. After this, if they are old enough, show them Tim Burton’s film version of Sweeney Todd. By time Company plays at the Orpheum this fall, they’ll be begging you to take them. And that my friends, is how you create a lover of musical theater, and it all starts this summer at the Guthrie.

The classic fairy tales that James Lapine retells with his book for Into the Woods are Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Using the original characters of a Baker, his wife, and the Witch who lives next door, Lapine weaves the stories together. In order to lift a curse that the Witch has placed upon his family, the Baker and his wife must bring her four objects before three days have passed. A Cow as white as milk, a Cape as red and Blood, Hair as yellow as corn, and a Slipper as pure as gold. Each one of the objects plays a role in the four fairytales and so the Baker and his wife find themselves interacting with those characters as their stories play out. By the end of Act One, all of the fairytales has reached their happy endings as well as the new tale of the Baker and his wife. Now be careful, there have been reports of people leaving at intermission not fully aware that there is an Act Two wherein we learn that not everyone lives happily ever after in the woods. Act Two is also where characters have to deal with the consequences of their actions and things they do seem less like a fairy tale plots and more like the foibles of real people. The unfaithful spouse, the overprotective mother, Classism. Stephen Sondheim’s songs don’t simply serve as musical moments for characters to express their emotions or to serve as simple entertainment. The songs serve to progress us through the story, at times replacing dialogue rather than reinforcing what has been said. They are integral to the plot.

It’s very much an ensemble show with the Baker and his wife played by Robert Knight and Madeline Trumble being the closest to leads, as their characters weave in and out of all the other characters stories. Both Knight and Trumble are fantastic with great voices and performances that make you care about them. They also imbue their relationship with a genuine sense of warmth and affection for each other. Lovely to see local artists Suzie Juul as Little Red Riding Hood, Kim Kivens as Jack’s Mother, and Anna Hashizume as Rapunzel making their first appearances at the Guthrie. Juul and Kivens bring so much humor to their characters while Hashizume gets to show off her considerable vocal skills. Always great to see Sasha Andreev and Max Wojtanowicz in a show as any show is lucky to have their vocal talents. Regina Marie Williams plays the Narrator and the Mysterious Man and is perfect in both roles. For the narrator in particular, you need a strong presence and someone who commands the audience’s attention, which is Williams’ bread and butter. Trevor James plays Jack whom his mother tells us isn’t quite right in the head. Playing stupid well takes talent, and James does a great job of making his idiocy come from within the character not just on the nose one liners. We believe he’s that dumb and that his cow is his best friend. Finally, I want to mention John Yi who plays Cinderella’s Prince and more importantly Milky White, Jack’s best friend, the cow. Yi is dashing and charming as the prince, but it’s as Milky White, a silent role, that Yi gets more laughs than probably anyone in the cast.

The production is directed by Sarna Lapine, whom according to a web search, is James Lapine’s niece. It must run in the family because Sarna Lapines understanding of the material and how to stage it, is spot on. We get some wonderful moments staged very creatively, my favorite being the rescue of Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother from inside the Wolf. The Scenic Designer is Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, and it’s a less literal design than I’ve previously seen. There is no beanstalk for instance, but what is there works, it’s more about suggesting where the scene takes place. I think it works well and allows for the scene to be reset quickly with a few design elements being brought on and off. The Music Director is Denise Prosek and she and her orchestra bring Sondheim’s score to life on stage, it’s a great sound and nice to be able to see them, but in a subtle way that never detracts from the action on stage. I’m less enamored of the Costume designs by Valerie Therese Bart, it’s a like a modern dress approximation of fairy tale times clothing most of the time, with some instances of full on period costume (The Princes), but then also some completely modern looking ensembles(Jack after he got rich robbing the giant). The Narrator is wearing a sport coat and looks like she’s heading to a club.

Into the Woods runs through August 13th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2022-2023-season/into-the-woods/

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

I finally saw Jersey Boys a little over a year ago when the national tour came back through town on probably it’s fourth visit. I really loved that production, but I’m thrilled to say that for the second show in a row, Chanhassen has surpassed the National Touring productions. I’ve always had an affinity for this music. Maybe it was listening to the oldies station on the car radio with my Dad growing up or maybe it’s just my kind of music. For a Jukebox Musical, which can be hit or miss, this show has become a favorite. I think it has to do with the fact that it’s their story and music plus most of the songs are performed as if the characters are performing as they did in real life. Jersey Boys is filled with classic songs, what a period in music to draw from and string of great songs The Four Seasons had. But all the great music in the world isn’t going to carry the show if you haven’t got the cast. Chanhassen has the cast.

The show was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music by Bob Gaudio and Lyrics by Bob Crewe, featuring the songs of The Four Seasons and others from the period. It tells the story of the formation of the band, their success, and breakup. The story is told from the points of view of the four men who made up the band. Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, and of course Frankie Valli. What’s interesting, is the way in which they tell their story. The show is divided into four seasons, beginning with Spring and ending with Winter, each season told from the point of view of a different one of the guys. While the story always moves forward, they do reference back to bits that happened before and try to set the record straight from their perspective. It’s an interesting story containing a lot of details I didn’t know anything about the first time I saw it. The script does an excellent job of pushing the story along without feeling rushed, never getting bogged down in one section but you also never feel anything was skipped over. Punctuating the story with humor in just the right amount. It’s fun, informative, and overflowing with great songs.

I told you Chanhassen had the cast and they do, for now. The first character to narrate the story is Tommy Devito played by David Darrow, who has to leave the show at the end of August to return to his graduate studies. The moment he opens his mouth you hear ‘Jersey’, which makes sense as apparently, he’s from there. He’s so strong and the perfect performer to start the story off as he has the audiences confidence from word one. The second Season to take over the telling of the story is Bob Gaudio played by Sam Stoll followed by Nick Massi played by Shad Hanley. The final slot is held for the front man of the group, and the one who to this day is touring with The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, played by Will Dusek. When casting Frankie Valli, the most important question of course is, does he sound like Valli? The national tour I saw at the Orpheum in February 2022, the answer to that question was not quite. The answer when evaluating Dusek’s performance is a resounding hell yes!!! The four leads do such a great job of recreating the sound of The Four Seasons, each has a strong voice and they are all great on their own, but when they harmonize it’s transportive. I felt if I closed my eyes I would be back in Junior high in my Dad’s car riding next to him listening as he sang along, always reaching for, but never quite making it to Valli’s high notes. The show is supported by great musicians led by Musical Director Andy Kust and a fantastic company of supporting performers.

The show is Directed by long time Chanhassen Artistic Director Michael Brindisi who has been in the role now for 35 years. You can tell he has an affinity for this material, it’s staged with confidence and affection. Brindisi recognizes the importance of the iconic image of young men singing under the streetlamp, he not only gives us that moment early on, but calls back to it throughout the show. He ends with each of the Seasons having gone their separate ways spotlighted under their own streetlamp. It’s one of the key design elements in Scenic Designer Nayna Ramey’s contribution to the show. The other striking element of design is the large full moon that hangs stage right, it’s a beautiful set piece. The Choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson gets the synchronized moves of the singing quartet just right, they are just as they were back then, clean and sharp, but not too athletic, as they need to be able to sing. There are some nice period costumes by Rich Hamson, though I thought they could have gone a little farther in evoking the period. I also wanted to point out the work of Lighting Designer Sue Ellen Berger, there were several lighting queues that I found very effective.

If you have any appreciation for the music of The Four Seasons, do yourself a favor and get out to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and check out this production. I don’t know who will be replacing Darrow at the end of August, but I wouldn’t take the chance. I’d get out there and see it while he’s still with the company. If I can, I’ll try and revisit the production when his replacement takes over and let you know how it holds up. Really, any excuse to see it again, it’s that much fun. This is the jukebox musical that redeems and validates the concept. I also recommend getting seats as close as you can, on stage if possible, it’s one of those shows that you want to feel like you are right there in the front row of a concert. For more information and to purchase tickets for Jersey Boys which runs until February of 2024 go to https://chanhassendt.com/jerseyboys/. I highly recommend getting on Chanhassen Dinner Theatres email list, they frequently send out promos to save money on dinner and show tickets.

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

Those of us who frequent the theatre and see most every touring show that comes through town will tell you the worst musicals are usually the ones that are adaptations of films that were not musicals in the first place. There are exceptions, Little Shop of Horrors, Hairspray, A Little Night Music, to name an eclectic few. But most of them fall into the territory of The Bodyguard, Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman. Tootsie isn’t in the first category, the songs are too forgettable for that, but it certainly isn’t in the latter category either. It falls nicely in the middle, in fact the book by Robert Horn is so funny, it might almost work better as a comedic play. It’s no surprise that Horn won one of the shows two Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t hate the songs, they aren’t bad, but they just don’t elevate the show. What works in a surprising way are the changes made from the original 1982 film on which the musical is based. It’s updated to speak to the times of progressive worldview of today and that modern perspective adds another layer to what was addressed forty years ago in the film.

Tootsie, is the story of a forty year old New York Actor, Michael Dorsey, who is an absolute pain in the ass to work with. So much so that basically no one wants to hire him. Michael lives with his best friend Jeff, an aspiring playwright, who tries to be the voice of reason and keep Michaels ego in check. Michael agrees to help his ex-girlfriend and fellow actor Sandy rehearse for an audition for the role of the nurse in a new musical sequel to Romeo and Juliet called Juliet’s Curse. When it turns out Michael is more convincing as the nurse than Sandy, he has the idea to dress as a woman and call himself Dorothy Michaels, then auditions for the role himself and gets it. Now he has to keep up the charade and to top it off he is falling in love with Julie the actress playing Juliet. David Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics to go with Robert Horn’s book, the best of the songs are really just jokes that are sung, and in that way they are funny and amusing. The best non-jokey song is “Gone, Gone, Gone” sung by Julie about her feelings for Dorothy. There’s also one song, the first that Dorothy sings at her audition called “I Won’t Let you Down” that almost builds to something memorable and might fit the bill on repeated listens. The only reason not to convert this from a musical to a comedic play is that the heightened reality of a musical allows you to go with some of the more outlandish things that happen.

The weakness of the show is audio in almost every aspect. The songs, I’ve already touched on, but there were also multiple instances of mics either not turned on or turned way too low. The strengths of the cast matched the strengths of the show, the acting was great, the singing was very hit or miss. Drew Becker who plays Michael/Dorothy seemed ill equipped vocally for the demands of singing in Dorothy’s higher pitched range. But aside from the singing, he was great. The strongest voice was that of Ashley Alexandra who plays Julie and is one of the reasons the song “Gone, Gone, Gone” was so memorable. The audience favorites, and the reason this show is so successful, is Jared David Michael Grant as Jeff and Payton Reilly as Sandy. Grant kills as Jeff in the same way Bill Murray did in the original film but by playing it completely different from his film counterpart. There are moments between Grant and Becker that play out almost silently and get huge laughs. That isn’t the script, that’s the performers taking the beat they’re given, and turning it into a drum solo. Grant in particular is the master of the reaction, he’s almost as funny when he isn’t speaking as when he is. Reilly’s Sandy gets one of the best joke songs called “What’s Gonna Happen“, and you get the feeling they know it’s the best because she reprises it twice, and the audience loves it each time. Another standout comedic performance is Matthew Rella as Max Van Horn, the male lead in the musical within the musical, who falls in love with Dorothy.

You should definitely see Tootsie, particularly if you are a fan of the film. It makes enough changes that it feels fresh while retaining the essence of the plot and characters. I like that the updates make sense from a modern perspective and also in a way that plays better on a stage such as the change from soap opera in the film to a musical in this version. The changes aren’t just for the sake of making changes, they make sense. I know it sounds as if I’m down on the music, but it isn’t bad, it’s just not the reason to see this show. The script and the comedic performances are the reason to see it and believe me they are more than enough reason to see it. Tootsie is only running through June 25th at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Minneapolis so get your tickets soon. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepintheatretrust.org/events/tootsie-broadway-tickets-minneapolis-mn-2023/

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

I’ve seen a musical staged in a car dealership, several plays staged throughout an actual mansion, and just last week I saw a courtroom drama staged in a courtroom. There is something special about site specific theater when it works, especially when you see as many shows as I do. Getting out of the theater, but still experiencing theater, it feels almost naughty, like skipping school. Red Speedo, the new production by the always interesting Walking Shadow Theatre Company, is staged poolside at Hamline University. The photos included in this review may look like promotional, but they’re actually production, and this is what you’ll see. My daughter was on the swim team for a couple of years in school and based on that experience, I was a little worried about the venue. Here’s what a Junior High swim meet is like, loud, humid, seats with no back support, and it goes on for hours, perhaps days. The sensory bombardment makes you lose all sense of time. I was dubious of reliving those experiences without the thrill of watching our girl compete. I was actually relieved when it didn’t look like my schedule would allow me to make it to Red Speedo. By the time a spot on my schedule opened up, m’colleagues had seen the show and assured me that my fears were misplaced. Sound is not an issue, apparently the issue back then was dozens of teenagers all swimming at the same time while hundreds of their friends and family cheered them on. I think the physical activity and the crowds played a factor in the humidity as well, it’s warmish, but dress in light wear, shorts and a t-shirt and you’ll be fine. Honestly, I’ve been much more uncomfortably warm in many local theatres. If you’re older and have a bad back as I do, there are two levels of seats, ones with cushions and backs on the lower level, and ones in the upper bleachers, so you can book accordingly. So that’s the venue and it checks out okay, but is this a gimmick? Is the show itself actually any good? Yeah, it is. It’s actually quite good. It’s directed by Natalie Novacek who really uses the space well and blocks the action so that it feels natural while also playing well to the audience.

Red Speedo is written by Lucas Hnath whose plays A Doll’s House , Part 2 and The Thin Place, I’ve seen produced and very much enjoyed. This play opens in the midst of a heated discussion on the eve of the Olympic Swim Trials. Some performance enhancing drugs have been found in the locker room fridge. The star swimmer, Ray, has reported to the coach that he believes one of his teammates, Tad, is the one who was storing them there. The discussion occuring is mostly between Ray’s brother, who is also his representation, Peter, and the coach with occasional input from Ray. Peter wants the coach to hush up finding the drugs as he fears that Tad’s discredit will tarnish the reputation of the whole team, including his brother, which will jeopardize the iminent endorsement signing of Ray with Speedo. This is the first of many moral dilemmas that the play will pose to it’s characters and the audience. To say anymore about the plot would be to ruin some of the surprises. The play is divided into three acts, this first scene where all the stakes are laid out. Followed by a scene set later that night between Ray and his Ex-girlfriend Lydia whom Peter had a hand in breaking them up and ruining her career. Ending with a scene set after the Swim Trials that include the coach, Ray and Peter.

The four person cast is all wonderful. The trick sometimes with a real world site specific performance is that saying dialogue outside of a theatrical setting, can sound like, well like you are saying dialogue out in the real world. The artificiality of a stage and a set, no matter how elaborate, allows for the suspension of disbelief. Heightened emotions, pointed dialogue, verbal projection can all seem fairly natural in a theatrical setting, but take it out in the real world and it can feel more like a performance, it can be harder to make the necessary allowances in your mind. That isn’t the case here, it plays naturalistic and authentic. Yes, there’s humor in the piece, more than you’d suspect from the synopsis, but by opening the show with a serious discussion particularly with Paul LaNave as Peter, and John Winston Stephens as the coach, you get sucked into their conversation that by the time Logan Lang’s Ray offers some humorous reactions, we’ve already bought them as the characters and the setting as authentic. LaNave who is really strong here, is a fast talking lawyer with a deliverance that reminded my of Jason Lee in a Kevin Smith film. He’s saying some messed up stuff, but in a way that you almost get convinced his way is the best way. Pivoting constantly based on the next piece of information, it always seems like he’s thinking on his feet and never like he’s reciting lines. Stephens is the rock steady moral compass in contrast. His manner and firmness make us feel like there is one person here who cares about doing the right thing. He’s no nonsense in the first scene and it’s just perfect, he gets a chance to take the spotlight in the final scene and shows us a whole new side to the character. Logan Lang’s Ray is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, or is that partly an act? Whatever the reality turns out to be, Lang nails something that isn’t easy to do, playing the dumb guy, who isn’t as dumb as we all think. He does a little manipulating of his own in the second scene, after more or less convincing us he’s clueless. He gets some great laughs through his timing and reactions, particularly in that first scene. The poor guy also has to perform the entire show in a speedo, including spending a fair amount of one act laying on or rolling around on the poolside floor. Amanda Forstrom rounds out the cast playing Lydia, she’s quite good as well. She just gets the one scene but in it she plays several different sides of the character, very controlled, no over-acting. You get a sense that you’re watching this ex-couple have a real conversation and see her as a real person with flaws but not a villain, and certainly not the word Peter uses for her at the end.

Red Speedo runs through July 1st at Hamline University for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.walkingshadow.org/red-speedo/.

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is a terribly silly telling of the events leading up to the assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand. You may ask how can they make light of an event like the assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand? I believe I can answer that question with one word “distance and time”. The event happened in 1914 and you don’t have to be a mathematical genius to realize anyone around at the time would be well into their 70’s or 80’s by now. Well past the age anyone goes to the Bryant Lake Bowl & theater. So the odds of someone showing up to a performance of The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand to stroll down memory lane only to discover they’ve actually wandered into a live performance of The Bullwinkle Show, are slim to none. Anyone who is familiar with The Bullwinkle Show will understand the tone of The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand, the only thing missing are Moose and Squirrel. This production of The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is being mounted by a relatively new theater company Jackdonkey Productions, this was my first run in with them, I had a lot of fun with the show, but my watch is missing.

The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is a play by Joey Hamburger, no relation. Rather than a plot synopsis of The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand, because frankly I’m not sure I could even do that, I’ll try and give you a sense of what to expect when you go see The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand. You will see 12 actors, if you’ve ever been to a show at Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater before, that alone will perk up your ears, it’s not a large space. To clarify, I mean in the theater, there would be gobs of space if they performed it in the bowling alley. But they don’t, because of the balls. Those 12 actors play over 30 different characters. The play begins seconds before the moment the play ends with, though in between those two bookending moments, we go before and after that moment in time. The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission and is broken up into 24 individual scenes. Don’t worry, in the program for The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand there is a rundown of the scenes with the location and date when it takes place. If you forgot your reading glasses, again don’t worry, there is a narrator played by Kat Haugan who appears from the initial establishment of their character to be anachronistically on TV, which is fine, it’s that sort of play. Now, I don’t think there is anything else to worry about, there are guns in the show, but they’re of the cartoon variety. Now I’m a little worried that you may be of too nervous a disposition to be going out of your house, you seem to need a lot of reassurance. I promise the worst thing that The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand will do to you is possibly shatter your funny bone. IT WONT!! It’s a figure of speech, or if it isn’t, it should be. You will not shatter your funny bone, please don’t be afraid of that. Maybe you have some like Lorazepam or something you can take, just to get to the theater? Once there you’ll be fine, they have those THC Seltzers and like the Live Cafe Wine and Beer!

The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand. Is quite The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand. But you’ll want to be careful that your The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand doesn’t dig into your leg.

Of course to make a show like this work you need firstly a script that lends itself to absurdism, surrealism, experimentalism and/or one of the seven other major isms. But what truly makes a show like this take off or sink is the Director finding the correct tone and Actors who are willing to go big and silly while still staying in character. Zach Christensen assures us from the opening voice over that he understands how to set the tone and proves over the next 90 minutes that he can maintain it. I’m fairly certain Christensen hired a Toon to do the opening voice over, that runs with a short video credit sequence after a cold open that ends, just as the shot heard round the world is about to occur. From there, it’s the attention to details that maintain that absurdist feel. You can’t have 12 actors just being wild and crazy, the madness needs to be deliberate. And in Christensen’s hands it is. Every movement of the stools as scenes are set, every exit and indeed entrance taken by an actor, every sound cue are all perfectly planned to create a sense of a play called The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand performed by the Warner brothers, and of course the Warner sister, Dot. This is one of those shows where you have to give a shout out to the Stage Manager in this case, Frankie Miller, who supervises 24 scene changes in 90 minutes. It has to be flawless, otherwise you risk losing the momentum, Miller made sure it was.

The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is one of those shows that have the kind of playbill I hate, no pictures and no cast bios. The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is filled with actors I know I’ve seen before, but in most cases I can’t remember where. There are too many in the cast to discuss them all but a few of the ones that really caught my eye need to get singled out. Playing The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand who gets assassinated is Amanda Espinoza, probably the most grounded performance in the piece but if any character is going to have even a touch of reality in a play called The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand it should probably be The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand right? Going to the other extreme was the wildly winning and possibly animated Caiti Fallon, who played among other roles that of Mailboynewsboy. I know I have seen her before in something, it may have been a Disney or Pixar film. Comic gold everytime Fallon opened her mouth but it was also the way she physically attacked each different character. From the tips of her ears to her toes with every role she was all in, she’s one to watch. Changed my mind, Cate Jackson as Sophie was the most grounded, She’s The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand’s wife. Jackson almost plays her like a patient and wise Jane Austen character, not Elizabeth Bennet, no, but Jane Bennet, she’s totally Jane Bennet! Which works, out of the blue there is this little relationship that’s actually just sweet. The rest of the cast of The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is excellent as well.

All seriousness aside I found the show enormously entertaining, it’s a funny script that is only enhanced by strong direction and fantastic and playful cast. The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand is playing at Bryant Lake Bowl & theater under the title The Assassination of The Archduke of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets as well as checkout the menu go to https://www.bryantlakebowl.com/theater/the-assassination-of-the-archduke-of-austria-hungary-franz-ferdinand

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

Next to Normal is a well known and highly celebrated rock musical that I had somehow never seen. Now that I have, I’m not sure I know where to start with this one. There is a lot to process, and I think in terms of content, everyone’s experience will differ. It’s going to depend on how close to home the themes and emotions explored in Next To Normal hit. There is one aspect that will strike everyone the same, the quality of the production is beyond reproach. That is no surprise, this is Artistic Director and co-founder of Theater Latté Da Peter Rothstein’s final production before he makes the move to a new state and a new creative adventure. Based on the quality of his work over the years, I don’t think there was the slightest doubt that he was going to end on anything but the highest of notes. For his final production he has brought us a show he’s been wanting to mount for years. As an audience, we are in the fortunate position of being on the receiving end of what happens when someone of Rothstein’s artistic vision has years to contemplate how to produce a certain show. The result is accomplished through the precise execution of every departments talents which culminates in an emotionally devastating production.

With music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal premiered Off-Broadway in 2008, opened on Broadway in 2009 winning three Tony Awards that year. It also won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Next to Normal is an exploration of mental illness, specifically Bipolar Disorder and its effects on the person suffering and their family. The show tells us the ways in which her Bipolar Disorder manifests itself in Diana, the mother of a suburban family. We see her in the opening moments as a woman who seems to be holding the entire family together, worrying about her kids, advising them, and keeping the romantic spark alive in her relationship with her husband. Going in blind as I was to this story, the opening song reminded me of the more recent Dear Evan Hansen, and assumed one of the children would be the one with Bipolar Disorder. It wasn’t until she began making sandwiches on the floor that I realized I had it wrong. We will see through Diana’s visits to various Doctors the different treatments and the side effects of them, including ECT and the memory loss she suffers from it. We will also see the results of her condition on her relationship with her husband. We get a sense of what life is like for Diana but also for her husband Dan. The important thing about the work, it shows us the hardship that both Diana and Dan are dealing with day in and day out. It doesn’t judge either of them but allows them both to have their feelings and perspectives heard through the songs. We also see the effect on her children, particularly her daughter Natalie, who is in high school, which is hard enough. Natalie is driven to get a musical scholarship to get away from the home life that is all too uncertain and unstable. She begins a relationship with a fellow student, Henry, and we can see how her home life impacts that relationships development; it also leads to some exploration of drug use. While her relationship with Henry ultimately feels like a positive, it’s hard not to see some of the codependent aspects of her parents relationship developing between the young couple.

Leading the cast as Diana is Erin Capello who is absolutely flawless. A strong voice that never misses a note, never has a moment that feels less than at full power even when flooding it with emotions. Matt Riehle plays her husband Dan and a good match for Capello vocally. Dramatically, he captures the constancy of the character, but also shows us his frustrations and moments of hopelessness. Kyle Weiler plays their son Gabe and Audrey Mojica is Natalie. Weiler plays Gabe with a confidence which helps explain Diana’s over attentiveness to him. Mojica plays Natalie as someone who has learned to guard herself against caring too much about parental attention, as she is clearly not where her mother’s focus is. Henry is played by Sayer Keeley, who caught my attention two years ago at Stages in the role of Buddy in Elf, it’s great to see him in a professional role with such a prestigious company, and proves that he deserves to be there. The various Doctors are all played by Riley McNutt who as my wife pointed out, is an All is Calm boy and thus can do no wrong, which has yet to be disproven.

Rothstein has given us a tremendous parting gift in Next To Normal. Having not seen any previous productions, I can’t say what was inspired by other runs and if there’s a new take on the material. What I can say is that it all works beautifully. The Band led by Music Director Jason Hansen does what Theater Latté Da always does, makes a small group of musicians sound like a much larger group; they do Tom Kitt’s compositions justice. Paul Whitaker’s Lighting and Set Design are a thing of beauty. The lighted outline of the house gives us enough to suggest the settings, and the use of changing the outline from white to red makes the emotions in those moments pop. The decision to utilize a second layer both as the upstairs on the family home but also as the school music practice rooms help to clarify the change of locations and allowed for some visual variety. There is one aspect that I’m still wrestling with and it has nothing to do with this production, it’s with the book itself. I was going to try and keep this vague so as to avoid spoiling the story for others new to the show as I was, but as I tried to write it, it became obvious that no matter how vague I was, in order for it to make any sense almost anyone would know what happens. So skip to the next paragraph if you don’t know the show, and I promise to be brief. At the end of the show Diana decides to not pursue treatment, no more ECT and if I followed it correctly no more medications. Bipolar Disorder is incurable, it can only be treated. I have concerns about the message this sends. To put it another way, a person suffering from severe alcohol abuse has a right to drink themselves to death if they chose, but I’m not sure that’s the best reality to perpetuate.

Next To Normal, is a powerful and difficult work, I was moved throughout the performance by the emotional truths of its characters. Technically and artistically it’s superb, but be prepared to be put through the emotional wringer. Please note these trigger warnings (suicide, drug use, ECT, BiPolar Disorder). Next To Normal runs through July 16th at Theater Latté Da for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.latteda.org/next-to-normal

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. You can dial 988 or go to this link for more information and to access their chat service https://988lifeline.org/

Click here to listen to the new Twin Cities Theater Chat Podcast episode featuring an interview with Peter Rothstein https://bit.ly/43UtIuQ

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.

Theatre in the Round Players (TRP) has the ball at the 10 yard line, it’s 4th and goal and there are seconds left on the clock. If they score here they’ll close out the season with a perfect record. The curtains close to the arena and Jeffrey Nolan has the ball, it looks like he’s stumbling though (gasp!), but wait, it isn’t a stumble, it’s comedic genius! TRP using the Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood Play has scored!!!! The crowd goes wild with laughter! TRP has done it! A perfect theater season! Not only that but they seemed to gather steam and up their game in every area of production as the season wore on. Culminating in the most elaborate and immersive production design I’ve ever seen in this venue. Every season TRP, which is the oldest community theater in the Twin Cities, has some really good shows. so when they started with a strong production of Doubt, I wasn’t surprised. Then their annual Agatha Christie play, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, turned out to be their best Christie production ever. And then, play after play they didn’t take a single misstep, including their guest production of Wit. At $25 a ticket with a $5 discount for Seniors and students, or less than $19 a ticket if you go the season ticket route, which I highly recommend (checkout their upcoming season here https://bit.ly/TRP23-24Season), it’s quality to dollar the best ticket in town.

But enough about TRP, let’s get into this production of Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood. Maybe you saw the Yellow Tree Theatre’s production in 2021, I missed that one, partly due to scheduling and partly because frankly I couldn’t see how you do a Robin Hood Play on their stage. There were two things that really changed my expectations for this play. First, was seeing Ludwig’s Murder on the Orient Express adaptation recently at the Guthrie Theater, clearly this was a gifted playwright who knew how to successfully adapt a well known story. Secondly, the fact that after being produced in 2021, another theater was mounting a production so soon, that spoke volumes to the potential theatre companies were seeing in the play. When I think Robin Hood I think of Errol Flynn, swashbuckling action filled with archery and swordfights. I sort of forget about Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men in Tights, which is a more apt comparison to Ludwig’s play. I imagine Ludwig watching the Brooks film and saying to himself, “I can do better than that”. If that was the case, he was correct, he does. But don’t let me mislead you, it isn’t all silly jokes, there is a fair share of well designed swashbuckling as well. The script is filled with knowing winks including direct addresses to the audience.

Ludwig follows the general Robin Hood legend, if you’ve seen either of the films mentioned above or the Walt Disney animated feature from 1973, you’ll know the basics of the legend. King Richard of England has gone off to fight the crusades. In his absence his brother, Prince John along with his accomplices Sir Guy of Gisbourne and the Sheriff of Nottingham, are bleeding the country dry by raising taxes to fill their own pockets. With the people of England starving, Robin of Locksley becomes the outlaw Robin Hood, who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. He and his band of merry men and women make their home in Sherwood Forest carrying out their good deeds while thwarting and alluding Gisbourne and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin’s love interest is Maid Marian, who is not a damsel in distress in this version, but just as resourceful and skilled a fighter as Robin hood. The core group of of Robin’s crew are filled out by Friar Tuck, Little John, and Deorwynn. Deorwynn is a young woman whose father is killed by Gisbourne and who initially opens Robin’s eyes to what is happening to the people of England under Prince John’s rule.

The entire cast does a great job, from the leads to the ensemble, everyone understands the tone and knows when to be silly and when to be sincere. There are two absolutely brilliant performances that raise everything from “so good” to “Fantastic!”. Those are Jeffrey Nolan who plays the Sheriff of Nottingham and Lisa Shafer who narrates the play as Friar Tuck. I saw Nolan once before in Noises Off as Tim at the Lakeshore Players this past winter. I noted his unique take on the character and brilliant physical comedic bits, particularly during the intermissions, where at one point he spent several minutes somehow entangled with an end table. This production confirms the suspicion that Nolan is a major comedic talent. My only concern is that the theater community won’t know what to do with him as his vibe is so unique. If we don’t see him regularly going forward, it’ll be a disservice on the part of theater companies towards the theatergoing public. Shafer’s strong suit is the confidence and intelligence she brings to the role. Something in her eyes and smirk tells you she understands every letter of every line she speaks, not just the surface content, but every possible nuance, double meaning, and subtext. As the narrator we feel we are in good hands with Shafer. Lance Krohn and Madeline Achen play Robin Hood and Maid Marian with Michael Bloom as Gisbourne, Haley Dale as Deorwynn and Aaron Ruder as Little John. Finally, a broad but wickedly funny turn from Michael Bak as Prince John draws some hysterical laughs from the audience.

Director Stephanie Long pulls out all the stops to realize the various needs of the play. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises in store, but you’ll witness the scaling of tower walls, death defying leaps from castles into moats, and arrows shot from bows during battles. Working in as immersive a set as I’ve ever seen in this space, and with the challenges of staging in the round, there are a few things that will be missed by a handful of audience members depending on where you are seated. My best advice when booking seats is avoid sections B and C and I think you’ll be able to fully appreciate everything. I want to draw attention to Sadie Ward’s set design which extends beyond the stage itself by crawling up every railing and wall and taking over the ceiling and lobby as well. there must be thousands of artificial leaves used in this production, as borne out by the the listing in the program of dozens of names as the Leaf Crew. The costumes by Colleen O’Dell and Carolann Winther are wonderful Renaissance Festival style garbs, I particularly like the Sheriff of Nottingham’s costume which looked like a second skin on Nolan and completed a perfect realization of the character. Also, top marks for Robert Hoffman’s sound design, if for nothing more than the sound of the arrows at the archery contest, and Mason Tyer’s Violence direction for thrilling and well executed sword fights.

Filled with laughs, action, and romance Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood is uproariously entertaining. The type of show that makes for a great family trip to the theater, appropriate and entertaining for anyone from the age of 8 to 85 (above 85 use your best judgement, it may be too funny for those with weak hearts or who have trouble catching their breath from laughing). The show runs through July 2nd at Theatre in the Round, for more information and to purchase tickets click here https://www.theatreintheround.org/home/season-placeholder/current_season/sherwood/.

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 on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. Follow that group, It’s a great way to see reviews for shows I don’t get to or to get another blogger’s take on one I did. 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 weekly 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.