YARRRH! It’s a Double Dose of Piracy, Hilarity, Song, & Bawdy Adventures at Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s 20th Anniversary Festival of Free Musicals at the Hive Collaborative

Wini Froelich, Ariel Pinkerton, and Caitlin Sparks Photo by Kari Elizabeth Godfrey

What started as a Minnesota Fringe Festival show in 2011, followed by a remount at Open Eye Theatre that same fall YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical has become Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s biggest hit. For the company’s 20th Anniversary, co–artistic directors (and father and daughter) Daniel and Ariel Pinkerton have revived the smash and paired it in repertory with a brand new world premiere holiday sequel, Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas. This double bill of pirate booty and busts is the perfect way to celebrate: sharing their most beloved hit while also giving audiences something new. And thanks to a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, both shows are completely free. Yes, free pirate musicals. Worth every doubloon and then some.

Both shows feature the same core characters, and while Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas is a sequel, the cast recaps the events of the original musical in the opening number. So if you catch the Xmas version first, you’ll be just fine. The cast includes three women, Ariel Pinkerton, Caitlin Sparks, and Wini Froelich playing a dozen or more characters each (if you count every pirate in the massive sword fights). Also in the cast is Oliver Hands as Toby Bustle, the young boy whose mission to rescue his kidnapped mother drives the first show.

YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical introduces the whole crew in a treasure hunting adventure. Toby’s mum, Rosie Bustle, owner of the Inn and Out Tavern (who makes extra money on the side on her back), has been kidnapped by pirate Billy Silverhook. He believes she knows the location of a treasure map and brings her to the Pirate Queen, Captain Desirée La Femme. Toby teams up with pirate Captain Jack O’Reilly to pursue La Femme’s ship, rescue Rosie, and outrun the Governor and his soldiers in Jamaica, where one of their party even finds love with the Governor’s niece, Cecily.

Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas features the same crew, at least the ones who survived the first outing. This time, the heroes must save Christmas itself. Father Christmas is kidnapped by Don Fernando del Llania, who wants to Christmas more efficient by firing all the elves and eliminating free gifts. The Krampus, La Femme, and O’Reilly set sail to rescue Father Christmas while Toby, Rosie, and Cecily attempt to deliver the toys themselves.

The first musical is a full throttle parody of pirate movies, packed with big laughs and decidedly adult humor. Consider this one ARRRH-rated, and leave the wee ones at home. It proudly carries its Fringe roots, and if you’ve never attended a Minnesota Fringe show, this will give you a taste of the joyful chaos.

The sequel leans more into political satire and prioritizes swashbuckling over swash-unbuckling, but it still lands solidly in hard PG-13 territory. The songs are fun in both shows, but the sequel contains the two that stuck with me:
• “Whatever Happened to Rough Trade?” hilariously performed by Caitlin Sparks, the strongest vocalist in the cast (though Oliver Hands gives her some competition).
• “On Our Tropical Island” a sweet love duet between Father Christmas and Krampus, played by Wini Froelich and Ariel Pinkerton.
All music is delightfully accompanied by Dee Langley on accordion.

Both shows are written by Daniel Pinkerton and Chris Gennaula, directed by Erika Sasseville, and music-directed by Brenda Varda. Like many Fringe-born productions, the set isn’t elaborate, but what’s there is used extremely creatively. The costumes by Ryan McCanna and props by Jenny Moeller are much more detailed with hooks, hats, swords, treasure maps, corsets, puppets… everything your pirate loving heart desires.

The cast is terrific. They know exactly what kind of show this is and lean into it perfectly. Froelich and Pinkerton aren’t primarily known as singers, but they rise to the musical demands and shine in their comedic timing. Their tossed off asides and improvised moments had the audience roaring. Sparks is not only a fantastic singer but matches the others in tone and energy, with some especially inspired physical comedy in “Whatever Happened to Rough Trade?” Oliver Hands, whom I had not seen before, is someone whose career I’ll be sure to follow going forward. This young performer was in good hands with this cast and I’m sure they played a huge role in helping him deliver such a moving and heartfelt performance.

Their naughty, but also nice pirates, and you are sure to have a blast with both shows! YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty, Pirate Musical and Have YARRRHself a Lusty Busty Xmas run in repertory through December 21 at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. For more information and to reserve your FREE tickets, go to:
https://fortunesfooltheatre.org/what-were-doing

Most Saturday and Sunday matinees allow you to see both shows with a 30-minute break between them. Reservations aren’t required, but I highly recommend making one to guarantee a seat. And while the shows are free, please consider giving Fortune’s Fool Theatre’s a gift for their 20th Anniversary with a donation:
https://fortunesfooltheatre.org/support-us

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

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

Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! Brings Merriment and Mirth to the Phoenix Theater

Dawn Krosnowski and Sam Poppen connect over cocoa Photo by Steve Aggergaard

Still bummed about the first real snow of the season? Still smarting from the Loons’ loss in the division semifinals? Don’t dwell on icy roads, think about the fact that this means we may get a White Christmas! And hey, the new MLS season kicks off February 21st! But if you need help seeing past the disappointments, Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! is just the ticket to kickstart your holiday spirit.

Using the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie template as fodder for comedy isn’t new, but that’s perfectly fitting, because neither are the movies themselves. What matters is the execution. From past experience, I’ve learned that the script determines how successfully this concept lands. It can’t simply skewer one trope after another; it still needs its own story. Just Us Theater’s production, written by Jami Newstrom, not only delivers a story packed with laughs, it even positions itself beautifully for a sequel.

The story follows Victoria Steele, a cold-as-steel big city corporate executive sent to evaluate the town of Snowberry Falls as a potential site for an Evergreen Resort. There, she joins the town’s over-the-top holiday festivities and of course, slowly warms to the cheerfully aggressive Christmas spirit of a place that celebrates the holiday eleven months out of the year. The town is filled with colorful characters: Hank and Betty Evergreen, Grandma Twinkles Evergreen, Mayor Kringle, Carol, Joy, and Nick Evergreen, the handyman and Mr. December in the Holiday Hunk Calendar. As Victoria begins thawing in the glow of Nick’s holiday hunk energy, her smug city boyfriend Chad inconveniently arrives. By the final bow, Newstrom ties up all the main plot threads nicely…but leaves just the right mysteries dangling: What did Carol do to land on Betty’s naughty list? Why only eleven months of Christmas? And what’s the real story with Marzipan, the goat?

The cast is a delight. Dawn Krosnowski is technically polished as the hard edged businesswoman but wonderfully vulnerable as Snowberry Falls works its magic. Instead of acting annoyed by the town’s chaos, she plays amused disbelief, giving us a human being to root for rather than a stock caricature. Tim Uren and Sarah Broude are hilarious as Hank and Betty Evergreen (for a peek of them in character, check out the Stages of MN Holiday Preview episode: https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp21YouTube). One of my favorite moments comes courtesy of Uren’s Hank after sampling a fudge that’s been…unexpectedly microdosed. Sam Poppen’s Nick plays the straight man to the madness brilliantly, even while doing wonderfully silly bits like solemnly adding a log to the fire from his handyman toolbox.

Newstrom, who also directs and designed the production, nails the tone. It sits perfectly between impossibly ridiculous and genuinely sincere. The production design is impressively elaborate for the Phoenix Theater’s small space. The holiday excess feels intentional, curated, and festive, not like someone simply threw tinsel at every surface and hoped for the best.

Let’s make Mistletoe & Mayhem: The Hallmark Parody of the Season! a hit so big that Just Us Theater has to cash in next year with: Mistletoeier & Mayhemier 2: Return to Snowberry Falls! To make that sequel happen, buy your tickets at https://mistletoe-mayhem.com/. The show runs through December 14th at the Phoenix Theater in Uptown.

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a Surprisingly Effective Production

Jack Bechard, Ani Tonoyan, Jack Bonko, and Sophie La Fave Photo by Dan Norman

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a show that I went to for nostalgic reasons fully expecting to be underwhelmed and I’m delighted to say I was pleasantly surprised. This was part of a day spent walking down memory lane with my oldest son Alex. We did a Phantom Double feature, hitting the matinee of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium at Park Square Theatre followed by the evening performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum Theatre. Is R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium as good as The Phantom of the Opera musically or in any way? Of course not. Is that a fair comparison? Of course not! On the scale that this show is produced on, it is actually Really good.

This is a show that is geared towards tweens and teenagers, fans of the popular Goosebumps book series are it’s primary target. But the show with book and lyrics by John Maclay and lyrics, music, Orchestrations & arrangements by Danny Abosch doesn’t content itself with aiming solely for that demographic. It accomplishes what few shows geared towards that audience even seem to attempt, it is a rewarding and effective production for adults as well. My son Alex was a big collector of the Goosebumps books when he was younger his interest began before he was able to read the books on his own and so I do remember a few of the ones I read to him. But to be sure his interest in the books was as much for their covers and titles as it was for anything found on the pages.

While I never read the book this show is based on a quick look at the Goosebumps Wiki entry for the book #24 in the original book series indicates that it appears to be a fairly faithful adaptation. Brooke and Zeke, best friends and horror fans are excited to be cast as the leads of their school’s production of The Phantom. Brian, who’s new to the school and missed auditions is thrilled to at least help backstage. But when a masked figure begins haunting rehearsals and leaving threatening notes, the fun turns frightening fast. Determined to uncover the truth, Zeke, Brooke and Brian launch an investigation. Could the phantom be Tina, desperate to steal the lead role, or Emile, the odd night janitor who always seems to be lurking in the shadows? With opening night approaching, and Zeke being accused of backstage pranks and vandalism they must solve the mystery before the play becomes a real-life nightmare or is cancelled.

The show premiered in 2016 and I’m a bit surprised I haven’t seen it produced locally before. Park Square doesn’t list it as a Regional premiere so perhaps a school or community theater has produced it. I’m glad I got to see it at Park Square, but also a little surprised that Children’s Theatre Company or Stages Theatre Company hasn’t mounted a production.

This is a show that High schools should be putting on all over the country but I’m not sure I wanna sit through a high school production of this. What really made this entertaining was it’s very good cast and solid and effective production design. Jack Bechard plays Brian bringing a romantic lead vide to the show. Sophie La Fave plays Brooke with Jack Bonko as Zeke the two play off each other well, with Bonko providing clueless comedic relief throughout. Along with the three leads also very good in the cast are are Ani Tonoyan as Tina and Logan Lang as Emile.

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is one of those shows that you sort of go in expecting it to be underwritten and it isn’t, this is a tight script. And the songs are fun as well. It opens with the song “Goosebumps” which doesn’t start the plot of the show off but instead pays tribute to the series in general with all sorts of characters from the books making an appearance. The Costumes by Rebecca Gardner are great in particular the recreation of those classic Goosebumps characters for that opening number. The set design by Michaela Lochen seemed solid if unexceptional until we get to the sub basement of the auditorium, then I was truly impressed by what was sprung on us. There is a scene that takes place down there where Zeke, Brooke, and Brian are being pursued that Director Ellen Fenster-Gharib stages to make full use of the design, it’s creepy but also funny. With Karin Olson’s Lighting Design really helping to make that set atmospheric and adding a generally spooky element to many scenes. Lastly I do want to point out Choreographer Jack Moorman, who I assume also choreographed the fight scenes, which there are moments of sword combat that felt real, not the slowly timed and excruciatingly predictable blocking we usually get, it’s fast paced and feels dangerous.

If you were ever or have kids who are into Goosebumps this one should be high on your list of shows to see this holiday season as a bit of counter programing. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium runs through Desember 14 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosbumps

R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium is a show I attended purely for nostalgia, fully expecting to be underwhelmed—and I’m delighted to report I was pleasantly surprised. This was part one of a Phantom double feature with my oldest son, Alex: Goosebumps at Park Square Theatre in the afternoon, followed by The Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum that night. Is Goosebumps musically or theatrically on the same level as Phantom of the Opera? Of course not. Is that comparison fair? Absolutely not. On the scale it’s produced, this show is actually really good.

Aimed primarily at tweens and teens, especially fans of the famous book series, the musical (book and lyrics by John Maclay, lyrics, music/orchestrations/arrangements by Danny Abosch) doesn’t settle for just appealing to its core demographic. Impressively, it works for adults too. Alex was a massive Goosebumps collector growing up. His love began long before he could read them on his own, and I remember reading several aloud, though I suspect the cover art and spooky titles were the real draw.

While I never read the book this musical is based on, the Goosebumps Wiki assures me the stage version is fairly faithful to the book, which was #24 in the series. Brooke and Zeke, best friends and horror superfans, are thrilled to be cast as the leads in their school production of The Phantom. Brian, new to the school and arriving to late to audition, is happy to be part of the backstage crew. But when a masked figure starts haunting rehearsals and leaving ominous warnings, things turn creepy fast. Determined to solve the mystery, Zeke, Brooke, and Brian investigate. Could the phantom be Tina, who desperately wants the lead role? Or Emile, the strange night janitor who always seems to be lurking just out of sight? With opening night approaching, and Zeke wrongly accused of pranks and sabotage, the trio must uncover the truth before the production becomes a real-life nightmare…or gets shut down.

The show premiered in 2016, and I’m surprised I haven’t seen it done locally before now. Park Square doesn’t list this as a regional premiere, so perhaps a school or community theater got to it first. Still, I’m glad Park Square produced it, though I’m a little shocked that Children’s Theatre Company or Stages Theatre Company hasn’t tackled it yet.

This is absolutely a musical high schools should be producing everywhere, but whether I personally want to sit through a high school version? That’s another matter. What makes this production work so well is the strong cast and the thoughtful, effective design. Jack Bechard plays Brian with genuine romantic lead charm. Sophie La Fave (Brooke) and Jack Bonko (Zeke) have great chemistry, with Bonko providing much of the comedic lift. Also excellent are Ani Tonoyan as Tina and Logan Lang as Emile.

The show isn’t underwritten the way you might expect, it’s a tight script with genuinely fun songs. It opens with the musical number “Goosebumps,” which doesn’t advance the plot but instead serves as a spooky, high energy tribute to the entire book franchise, featuring iconic Goosebumps monsters. Rebecca Gardner’s costumes shine here, especially in recreating those classic characters. Michaela Lochen’s set initially seemed functional but simple, until we descended into the auditorium sub-basement, where an impressive reveal transformed everything. Director Ellen Fenster-Gharib stages the chase sequence in that space brilliantly, it’s eerie, funny, and one of the highlights of the production. Karin Olson’s lighting enhances the chills throughout, and I also want to praise choreographer Jack Moorman, whose staging includes surprisingly convincing sword combat, which elevates the action beyond standard youth theater blocking.

If you loved Goosebumps as a kid or have kids who do now, this show should be high on your holiday theater list as some spooky counter programming. R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium runs through December 14 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosbumps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Twin Cities Horror Festival Day Two! Madness and Betrayal: A Grand Guignol Double Feature and The Last Menagerie

I can confidently recommend every show I’ve seen so far at this year’s Twin Cities Horror Festival (TCHF). But if you put a hatchet to my noggin and made me pick just one, it would probably be The Last Menagerie. Thankfully, you don’t have to choose. One of the great things about TCHF is that, unlike the Minnesota Fringe Festival, it’s not only possible but easy to see every show. For the full schedule and tickets, visit tchorrorfestival.com.

Madness and Betrayal: A Grand Guignol Double Feature delivers exactly what the title promises, and then some. While it presents two main stories, it also includes a surprise interlude between them that I won’t spoil, but trust me: it alone is worth the price of admission.

The first story is titled The Lighthouse Keepers and was written in 1905 and tells of a father and son who are lighthouse keepers together, when one of them becomes sick hours into their 30 day shift, things turn from bad to worse quickly. follows a father and son tending a lighthouse. When one of them falls ill early into their 30-day shift, the situation spirals from bad to worse. The second, The Final Kiss written in 1912, tells of a woman disfigured by acid at the hands of her fiancé. When he’s released from prison, he visits her to express gratitude for her forgiveness, an encounter that doesn’t go as planned.

Both tales use impressively effective blood and other effects. The first story lands with more impact; the second telegraphs its ending a bit too much. my favorite section was that bonus interlude, which I thought was rather ingenious..

Minnesota Fringe Festival favorites Melancholics Anonymous make a triumphant TCHF debut with a script by Stages of MN favorite Jeffrey Nolan and Managing Director Timothy Kelly. The Last Menagerie reimagines Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie, with zombies.

It’s been years (high school, to be exact) since I’d seen The Glass Menagerie, but the broad strokes came back as this undead version unfolded. It works remarkably well. Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with the original; my plus-one had never seen it and declared this her favorite show she’s ever seen at TCHF. High praise indeed.

After this past summer’s Our Zombie Town (a zombified Our Town) turned out to be one of the weakest shows of the Fringe, leave it to Melancholics Anonymous to redeem the concept. Everything in this production clicks, from the pumpkin-headed projectionist using an overhead projector to create sound effects and title cards, to the outstanding ensemble led by the always-brilliant Jeffrey Nolan as Tom, the narrator.

So far, I’d recommend every production I’ve seen at this year’s festival. But if you can only fit one show into your schedule or your credit card, The Last Menagerie is the one to beat.

Red Paints a Bold Portrait at Lakeshore Players

Red is a fictional account of the relationship between artist Mark Rothko and his assistant, Ken. To call it a “relationship” might suggest they connected on a personal level—which, at first glance, they do not. Their dynamic appears to remain strictly that of boss and employee, or perhaps teacher and student. The play unfolds as a series of conversations between the two men about art—what it is, what it means, and how each interprets and values it.

On reflection, though, one might reconsider the claim that they never connect personally. After all, what could be more personal to an artist than their beliefs about art? Though they withhold most details of their private lives, they reveal their deepest convictions to one another in the area that matters most to them: art.

The production takes place in the Black Box Theatre of the Hanifl Performing Arts Center. Seating is general admission, and the theater is kept on the cooler side. The intimate setting is well-suited to this two-hander, which is set in Rothko’s studio.

Both roles are played by actors I was unfamiliar with prior to this production, but I won’t soon forget them. Justin Hooper, who identifies primarily as a scenic designer, plays Rothko. He alternates between curmudgeon and lecturer—full of opinions and impatient with fools. He is the kind of mentor the mentee both admires and resents. Hooper excels, perfectly capturing the cantankerous artistic temperament while also exposing the intellectual workings of a man who deeply understands what art is and represents.

Brian McMahon plays Ken. He begins timid and unsure, but by the end, he is standing up to Rothko and calling out his hypocrisies. McMahon skillfully conveys Ken’s initial hesitancy while gradually giving his character a stronger voice and growing conviction. When the two finally clash in heated exchanges, the sparks truly fly.

Red offers an engaging glimpse into the life of a working artist, from preparing a canvas to mixing paints. It feels like a play about painters where you actually leave with a slightly better understanding of what an artist does and how they think about their art form.

Red runs through October 12 at Lakeshore Players Theatre in White Bear Lake. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lakeshoreplayers.org/red-season-73.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox—it’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

Come Back, Little Sheba Is a Riveting and Dark & Stormy Production At Gremlin Theatre

Peter Christian Hansen and Sara Marsh Photo by Alyssa Kristine

Come Back, Little Sheba the latest from Dark & Stormy Productions is a strong play featuring some truly great performances from it’s leads Peter Christian Hansen and Sara Marsh. Marsh is miscast as a frumpy overweight housewife, but she’s so good that I prefer to say the fault is with the script that tries to insist the character has those qualities. Marsh finds here own way to accomplish what playwright William Inġe wanted from the character. While I’ve never seen the play before or the 1952 film adaptation, I suspect that Marsh’s interpretation is deeper and more nuanced because she doesn’t rely on that outdated archetype. Hansen and Marsh play Doc and Lola who have been married for twenty years. Doc is almost one year sober, but the presence of their renter, a young college student named Marie, begins to weigh upon Doc’s sobriety. It isn’t the cliche of the older man tempted by the young vibrant woman, it’s the memories her lifestyle brings to the surface. The career as a Doctor that he had to give up when Lola got Pregnant and they had to marry.

Hansen plays Doc as a man working the program, who is making amends to his wife by maintaining a pleasant attitude and being helpful. He is the one making sure that the breakfast is ready for Lola and Marie, trying to make everything run smoothly. He projects a virtue on Marie that isn’t there and feels unrealistic by todays standards. When he realizes she is a normal girl, it brings forth old doubts and repressed guilt about his and Lola’s start in life. He gets every aspect from the sobriety to the slip just right. Marsh slowly reveals the cracks in Lola’s confidence, her uncertainty about how to reconnect with Doc. We see hints of someone recovering from the trauma of living with a substance abuser. When she realizes the Whiskey bottle has vanished and Doc is late coming home, the fears and anxieties come in glimpses and waves. But like all partners of addicts she has to keep his secrets and hide what she is afraid has happened from Marie and others. Marsh shows us in that moment how every choice she has made performance wise up to that point has all stemmed from these moments. It’s a portrayal that seems deceptively simple at the start only to be revealed by the end to be an intricately crafted and complex performance. She give us a character that longs for connections but has been forced into a world of isolation, who clings to hope through the belief that her dog Sheba, who has been missing for months will come home one of these days.

Come Back, Little Sheba runs through September 7th at The Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.darkstormy.org/current-production-1

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