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.

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

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.

The Cherry Orchard a Co-Production By The Moving Company and Jungle Theater

Nathan Keepers, Tracey Maloney Photo by Lauren B. Photography

This was my first experience with Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. I’ve seen three Chekhov adaptations over the last few years, but before that, I only knew him by reputation and the titles of his plays. With this production, I’ve now seen an adaptation of what Wikipedia calls “the four outstanding plays by Chekhov.” Out of curiosity, I read the synopsis there to see how faithful this version might be, but I resisted reading any analysis or criticism as I didn’t want to be told what I was supposed to think or feel about this revered work. I wanted my reactions to reflect how I responded in the moment, not through the lens of 1902 Russia when it was written.

These are my initial gut impressions, which I think are valid if you’re deciding whether The Cherry Orchard is something you want to experience. We all want to know up front: am I going to enjoy this? I did. I found it surprisingly funny, which sent me back to the synopsis to confirm whether that was typical. I’d never heard Chekhov described as funny; I always imagined his work as dark or depressing. This isn’t a straight-up comedy, but I didn’t expect the amount of humor in this production. The internet tells me Chekhov considered it a comedy; “dramedy” might be the best descriptor. Like Shakespeare, the play seems flexible allowing directors and actors to lean into either the drama or the humor depending on their interpretation.

The Moving Company consistently delivers strong performances, and this production is no exception. Nathan Keepers, exquisitely dressed by costumer Sonya Berlovitz, is excellent as Lopakhin, a wealthy businessman who once worked for the family that owns the cherry orchard of the title. The story follows a once-wealthy family who, through denial and poor decisions, have squandered their fortune. Their land and its famous orchard are about to be auctioned to pay their debts. Lopakhin offers a plan to save their estate, but the family is too paralyzed to act.

The concept of a privileged but foolish family losing everything feels like a reflection of Russia’s shifting social order—The Cherry Orchard premiered just thirteen years before the Revolution. Director Dominique Serrand, who also plays Leonid, the aging uncle, brings both humor and pathos to the production. Alongside Tracey Maloney as Liubóv, his sister and head of the family, the two create characters we should want to shake some sense into, but can’t help pitying even as they bring about their own downfall.

I don’t know if this is a typical interpretation of the play, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am glad to have finally experienced such an important work.

The Cherry Orchard runs through November 2 at Jungle Theater in Uptown. For tickets and information, visit jungletheater.org/the-cherry-orchard.

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.

Two Gents Another Delightful Shakespear Interpretation From Ten Thousand Things

Kimberly Richardson and Michelle de Joya Photo by Tom Wallace

Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona is believed to be his first play, and many consider it one of if not the, weakest of his works. You can see the early seeds of plots and themes he would later refine, but as a whole, it’s undeniably problematic. Because of that, it’s performed far less often than his more popular comedies like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, or Twelfth Night. I’ve only seen one other production, at the Jungle Theater more than a decade ago, and the plot had completely left my memory. That’s fine, though, since this new version makes some changes, which feels like a valid way to approach it. One of the most remarkable things about Shakespeare’s work is its universality, which allows artists to continually reinterpret it in new ways.

Nobody does Shakespeare quite like Ten Thousand Things (TTT), and Two Gents, their take on Two Gentlemen of Verona, is no exception. Part of the company’s mission is to make art accessible to everyone. They create stripped-down productions that can travel easily, bringing theater directly into the community. But they also make Shakespeare accessible by casting performers who can make the language clear and engaging for a modern audience. Which is something not every actor can do as skillfully as this cast.

I won’t try to summarize the plot, it can be a bit convoluted, but I always understood what was happening in a general sense, even if the finer details occasionally blurred. With this particular play, perhaps more than any other, the pleasure comes from the performances rather than the story itself.

This five-actor ensemble plays roughly sixteen or seventeen roles, and that’s where much of the production’s joy lies. One character, Sir Thurio, is actually portrayed by four different actors throughout the show. That might sound confusing, but Caitlin Lowans, the new artistic director of TTT who is making her directorial debut for the company, ensures it’s always crystal clear who’s who at any given moment.

As usual with TTT, the entire cast is strong. The standout is Kimberly Richardson, who plays Launce, the play’s most beloved comedic character. Richardson, a gifted comic actor, brings her considerable talents to all eight of her roles, stealing nearly every scene she’s in. Don’t mistake me though, the rest of the cast, which includes Michelle de Joya, Kamani Graham, Kurt Kwan, and Sara Richardson, definitely hold there own. It’s a true ensemble piece and every player adds to the whole!

Faithful viewers of The Stages of MN Show may remember my interview with Ryan Lee and Tod Petersen back in Episode 4. This production was one of the projects Ryan hinted at but couldn’t announce yet. Here, he creates an unobtrusive soundscape that perfectly complements the action onstage.

This may not be the best Shakespeare adaptation I’ve seen from Ten Thousand Things—which makes sense given the play’s reputation—but even weak Shakespeare, in TTT’s hands, is always entertaining.

Two Gents runs through November 2 at various locations. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit tenthousandthings.org/two-gents

Oops, I Did it Again! Episode 14 of The Stages of MN Show is Posted…Days Ago

So sorry, once again I took way too long to create the blog post that the latest episode of The Stages of MN is up and ready to be viewed on YouTube https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode14YouTube. Or listened to in a slightly condensed version in podcast form here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode14Podcast or wherever you enjoy podcasts.

Episode 14 is sponsored by Prime Productions, a theater company devoted to celebrating women in their second act. Check them out here https://www.primeprods.org/

This episode opens with a special announcement from Theater Blogger Jill Schafer about the 15th Anniversary of her blog Cherry and Spoon. Find out how you can help mark the Occassion and win theater tickets in the process! check out the details here http://www.cherryandspoon.com/

We also have another segment in our “What the Hell’s a Theater Blogger?” series. This time I’m chatting with Erica Skarohlid of Lettered in Theatre fame. You can read her blog here https://letteredintheatre.wordpress.com/

We’ve two reviews for you, one from guest blogger Jill Schafer of Cherry and Spoon. Jill gives us a review of The Ruins running through October 12th at the Guthrie Theater. Get tickets here https://www.guthrietheater.org. I’ll review the latest from Theatre Pro Rata, The Book of Will which runs at the Crane Theater through October 11th. Click here for tickets https://www.theatreprorata.org/

Special thanks: To Ryan Lee for the use of his music catalog which is available at https://ryanlee.bandcamp.com/

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Stages of MN or just have a question of comment on the show or want to join The Stages of MN + 1 Club you can email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com

The Book of Will is Both Funny and Moving From Theatre Pro Rata at the Crane Theater

Sean Dillon, Jeremy Motz, Nissa Nordland, Kjer Whiting, Alex Hagen, Andrew Toth, Sandesh Sukhram Photo by Alex Wohlhueter

The Book of Will is a play by Lauren Gunderson, co-author of the much-beloved Christmas at Pemberley Trilogy of which I have gushed on more than one occasion. The play tells the true story, though through a fictional lens, of the men and women, chiefly, Henry Condell and John Heminges, who worked alongside Shakespeare, who ensured that William Shakespeare’s work survived after his death. The play opens With Condell and Heminges in The Globe Tap House with the actor Richard Burbage. The three friends of Shakespeare’s, actors in his theater company, discuss the poor quality of the pirated versions of Shakespeare’s plays that were being performed by younger actors after his death. Burbage dies the next day. Condell and Heminges realize that with Burbage, who had the plays memorized, gone, they no longer have copies of most of his plays. They make it their mission to track down the plays and through their efforts we learn a lot about the theater practices of the period. The play is both funny and emotionally poignant as it explores the importance of story and theater in the lives of its characters and society at large. It is a theme I am completely in sync with.

The cast is incredibly talented, including favorites like Nissa Nordland, who plays Heminges’ daughter, providing brief moments of the sort of romantic spark with Carter Graham’s Isaac Jaggard, that we have come to expect from Gunderson. Though unconsummated, Graham and Nordland generate the kind of instant chemistry that made me wish the play was ten minutes longer to devote to developing that spark. Kjer Whiting, whose Ben Jonson was Shakespeare’s rival, but here clearly a friend as well, plays it so that we can clearly see that duality. The always interesting Jeremy Motz gives a rapid-fire mashup of Shakespearian dialogue in a scene where he confronts one of the younger actors he sees as ruining Shakespeare’s works. It’s a moment that sets the bar high for the night. Sean Dillon as Condell is passionate, refusing to give up on the project. His best moments come in his portrayal of the friendship between Condell and Heminges, with the ability to convey heartfelt compassion, and with decency always being chief among Dillon’s strengths an actor and a person.

This brings us to Andrew Troth, who plays Heminges. Troth is absolutely heartbreaking as a bereaved Heminges trying to make sense of the world after his wife passes away. I’ve always enjoyed Troth’s performances, but here he surpassed mere enjoyment and left me impressed with his emotionally raw performance.

Gunderson’s script plays well to general audiences, but for those of us with a familiarity with much of Shakespeare’s canon, it’s filled with Easter eggs that reflect the author’s love of the plays. It’s easy to be amazed at the lack of foresight the people of Shakespeare’s time had in the importance of preserving the plays. He was one of the most popular playwrights of his time, and yet three years after his death, his acting company had but a handful of his scripts. It’s easy to scoff at the short-sightedness of those in the arts of the time and think we would never be such poor custodians of our cultural and artistic heritage. Then we remember that three hundred years later, the motion picture industry was making the same mistake, leaving us a world where 75% of all silent films are lost. Is the lost Lon Chaney film London After Midnight as important an artistic achievement as Shakespeare’s lost Love’s Labour’s Won? Who is to say? Rubble&Ash provides the wonderful period costumes, which are always one of the joys of a play set in this time. But my favorite visual element of the show was the set design by MJ Leffler. I ran into Leffler before the show, when we discussed the design. Leffler informed me that the design was made up 100% of recycled and repurposed pieces. There is a giant feather standing like a pillar along the back wall that rang a distant bell for me. It turns out the feather was part of the Guthrie’s Cyrano de Bergerac from 2019. It makes the perfect accent to this play about the greatest English language writer of all time.The Book of Will is a treat for any fans of Shakespeare, to be sure. But understanding Shakespeare or even appreciating him isn’t necessary going into the show. It’s a fascinating look at the idea of legacy and the importance of preservation. The play runs through October 11th at the Crane Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreprorata.org/production-history/book-of-will.

Treasure Island at Children’s Theatre Company Sets Sail for High Adventure

Truman Bednar, Reed Sigmund, Theo Janke-Furman, and Jon Schumacher Photographed by Glen Stubbe

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson was the first “classic” novel I read on my own which I found thrilling. I was also a fan of the Walt Disney film starring Robert Newton as Long John Silver. So I was excited to revisit this tale of pirates and buried treasures. Children’s Theatre Company’s (CTC) production of Stuart Paterson’s adaptation remains true to the source material. Just as with reading of young Jim Hawkins’ adventures as a young boy, I once again found myself setting course for danger and adventure upon the high seas. Marking the CTC directorial debut of new Artistic Director Rick Dildine, he proves that CTC has the ship heading in the right direction. The show which is recommended for ages 8 and up may be a little violent and dark for some of those 8 year olds. There are sword fights, gunfights, talk of hangings, and several on stage murders occur. There are also moments such as during a storm at sea where the theater is darker and the storm noises may be too much for some more sensitive children. The key is to know your children, and whether this is one that will thrill them or frighten them.

The role of Jim Hawkins in shared in alternating performances by Truman Bednar and Mason Yang, I saw Bednar perform the role and thought he did a great job. Reed Sigmund, braves his fear of water and loses a leg to play Long John Silver. Sigmund and the entire cast play their roles completely straight, there is no pandering to younger audiences. They’re there to tell the story of Treasure Island with all it’s thrills and dangers intact. Sigmund is electric as the ships cook who befriends young Hawkin’s only to be revealed later as the mastermind behind the pirates who want to take over the ship they serve on to steal the gold for themselves. The show also features some Stages of MN favorites in roles. Max Wojtanowicz plays Doctor Livesey and Em Adam Rosenberg plays Squire Trelawney, the two men who have arranged the trip to find the buried treasure and represent the heroes of the tale. Rosenberg lends their beautiful voice along with other performers including Matt Riehle to a surprising amount of musical performances that act as interludes between scenes. They are very well done and I really enjoyed their inclusion, and it felt as if those moments gave the children an opportunity to reset between moments of conflict.

Technically the production is wonderful as well. The set design by Christopher and Justin Swader is elaborate able to open as a Seaside Inn, transform into a mighty ship, and then become the Island destination of the title. The decorative motif of books throughout the set is a nice reminder that the story comes from a classic of children’s literature. Alexa Behm’s costumes are top notch whether adorning the sophisticated Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey, or a boatload of pirates. Lighting Designer Jeff Behm’s contributions are significant in creating the look and feel of the open sea and the storm which also uses projections by Blake Manns to complete the illusion. Sound designer Melanie Chen Cole completes the illusion and also has a lot of effective cues throughout like well timed splashes when something or someone is tossed overboard..

The production was darker in tone than I was expecting from the CTC, which was a pleasant surprise. If you love the story as I do, but don’t have any kids to take, don’t worry. This is one of those CTC shows that is as entertaining for the parents as it is for the kids, perhaps even more so. Treasure Island runs through October 19th at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/treasure-island/

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The Stages of MN YouTube Channel is home of the weekly The Stages of MN Show which you can view by clicking on this link https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the latest episodes and Subscribe to the channel so you’ll always know when a new episode has dropped. Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I’m also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read review roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.