Water For Elephants All the Fun of a Trip to the Circus But With the Added Bonus of Great Music, and No Smells.

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Water for Elephants is based on the novel by Sara Gruen, which I haven’t read, that was adapted into a film, which I haven’t seen. Really, all I knew going in was that Mrs. The Stages of MN and I saw the poster when we were in NYC in 2024 and wished we’d had time to see it.

The story is told by an old man to two circus employees after a performance, so it is a memory play. The older Jacob tells of his days in the circus as a young man who missed taking his veterinary exams when his parents were killed in a car accident. With their house taken over by the bank, he hops a train looking for… what, he doesn’t know. What he finds is a circus in need of a veterinarian who can’t afford a real one. He reluctantly agrees to stay on, and when the circus acquires Rosie, the elephant of the title, he helps train her along with the circus owner and ringmaster August’s wife, Marlena. Marlena and Jacob bond over training Rosie, whose addition to the circus reverses its fortunes, endearing Jacob to the rest of the workers and performers. Everything could be wonderful, but, August is not a good man…

The story is compelling enough, and I enjoyed the score and songs enough that I may give the cast recording a listen or two. Sorry, current audiobook, I’ll get back to you in a day or two. But what really makes this show stand out is the choreography by Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, assuming that’s what you call the spectacular and seemingly peril-filled circus aerial acts. There are some genuinely jaw-dropping moments that you’re amazed they pull off once, let alone eight times a week. As much as I enjoyed everything else about the show, it was those circus acts, and the clowning by Walter, played by Tyler West, that delighted me most. The clowning is so funny and wonderfully slapstick. I loved it, and West was probably my favorite performer in the entire show.

This must be an exceptionally hard show to cast, and to be honest, I think they cast for the ability to do the stunts first and singing voice second. Very few in the cast are outstanding vocally, but none are terrible. Based on what I was most delighted by, I’d say that was probably the right call. The best singers were Zakeyia Lacey, who was in as the understudy for Marlena, and Javier Garcia, who plays Camel, the elderly circus worker who first befriends Jacob. The real stars, though, as I’ve said, are the people floating gracefully through the sky and free-falling headfirst down ropes, stopping themselves inches from the floor. It’s breathtaking.

Visually, in every respect, the show is a winner, from the scenic design by Takeshi Kata, which works seamlessly with Bradley King’s lighting design and David Bengali’s restrained, mood-enhancing projections to create the look of a simpler time. The animals are created via puppets by Ray Wetmore, Jr Goodman, and Camille LaBarre, and while not on the level of Life of Pi or The Lion King, they’re still effective.

Water for Elephants runs through March 8th at Hennepin Arts Orpheum Theatre through March 8th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/water-for-elephants

Connor Sullivan, Helen Krushinski, and Zachary Keller Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

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And Then There Were None Gets a Suspenseful and Atmospheric Production at Lyric Arts

Agatha Christie fans who are only familiar with the 1939 novel And Then There Were None should not avoid this under the assumption that they know how it ends. When Christie adapted her novel for the stage in 1943, she made a significant change to the outcome that most adaptations in other mediums have also utilized. I’ll just say it isn’t as bleak as the novel. Those who have seen previous productions, this is my third, should know that if you’re a fan, this is the best adaptation I’ve seen so far. I attribute that to a uniformly strong cast and excellent direction by Lee Hannah Conrads. Conrads and her cast find humor in the character banter and exploit our fear of the dark with well-designed sequences when the power goes out.

I read the novel in junior high for English class, but I was a Christie fan, and an And Then There Were None fan, long before that. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know who Christie was, and I must have been under ten when I first saw the 1945 film adaptation directed by René Clair. Somehow, a classic whodunnit always feels like it should be in black and white. All the best ones are: And Then There Were None, Green for Danger, The Thin Man. The great missed opportunity of British postwar cinema was that they didn’t make a series of Inspector Cockrill films with Alastair Sim in the 1940s after Green for Danger, one of the greatest mystery films of all time. If you haven’t seen it, seek it out. But I digress.

Christie’s plot will sound familiar to everyone, even those unfamiliar with the title. Ten strangers are brought together by an unknown host. Cut off from the rest of the world on an island, the “ten little soldiers,” as the rhyme goes, begin to find themselves murdered one by one. Each is accused of having murdered someone, and this is their host’s plan to even the scales. Is there a madman loose on the island, or is the killer one of them? It’s devilishly good fun, with a top-notch setup and payoff. Every single slasher movie ever made owes something to it, but don’t hold that against it.

The show does tip its hand a little in that there is a clear attraction between two of the ten, and you can pretty much guess they’ll make it to the final four. Beyond that, all bets are off. Nadya Dominique and Brendan Veerman play the would-be lovers Vera Claythorne and Philip Lombard. Dominique and Veerman perfectly capture the tone, sometimes serious, sometimes playful, of those classic movies I love so much. Bruce Abas gives an intelligent performance as the former judge Sir Lawrence Wargrave, methodical in his attempt to keep everyone safe and root out the true killer. David Denninger gives a very sympathetic performance, particularly in his character’s final scenes, as he seems to get lost in memories of his late wife. It’s disappointing to see Michael Quadrozzi in such a small role as Fred Narracott, who brings everyone to the island at the beginning of the play, and is never heard from again. But perhaps it makes sense, as he’s listed as an understudy, you want someone of his caliber when you need someone who can cover multiple roles. Also, a nod to understudy Sarah Furniss, who stepped in as Mrs. Rogers at the performance I attended and did a very nice job.

Justin Hooper’s set design is well constructed, with perhaps the exception of the glass doors to the patio, which looked to be made of loosely stretched cellophane. It may have been where I was sitting, off to the side of the stage, as the production photos don’t look chintzy, and they hint at a backdrop that adds interesting visuals I may have missed. What was on full display for all to see, or not, was the lighting design by Alyssa Kraft. It’s one of the more effective uses of candlelight I’ve seen in a show. Usually the designer or director is too timid to let the stage be lit solely by candles, but I’ll tell you, it is very effective. I applaud Kraft for going that route, and Conrads stages everything wonderfully, making full use of the darkness to ramp up the tension and play on our collective fear of it.

And Then There Were None at Lyric Arts is a top-notch mystery thriller for those of us who love a good whodunnit and a slap of suspense now and then. The production runs through March 22. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.lyricarts.org/then-there-were-none.

Showdown at the Kar-a-OK-e Corral, One Final Murder to Solve Before The Mystery Cafe Closes.

It was my fifth case with The Mystery Café, and the writing was on the email: this would be my last. After its 38th season, the Café is closing down. The head of the agency, Brian Kelly, cites rising food costs as one of the motives, though I just heard President Trump say grocery prices are lower than they’ve ever been since the Great Depression, so who knows what to believe. One thing was certain: a crime was going to be committed at the Kar-a-OK-e Corral, and I needed to be there to help find the murderer.

The problem? It was the worst weather of the season in Minnesota. The roads were slicker than the cap of an olive oil bottle after the kids have “helped” you cook dinner. I made it to the venue, though it was a white-knuckler if I’ve ever seen one. Mother Nature was angrier than a TSA agent without a paycheck, and I knew this crime needed to be solved quickly before the roads became completely impassable.

When I arrived, I was met at the entrance by Mama Myrna Shamwow herself, owner of the Kar-a-OK-e Corral. Mama was full of life, though her sense of fashion direction had clearly taken a turn down bargain basement alley. It was immediately clear that she might be a little down on her luck, but that didn’t affect her confidence. This was her place, and she was firmly in charge. Rumors of karaoke fixing had swirled around Mama like bees around a little black rain cloud for years, but so far she’d never been stung. This year, however, the Ham Lake City Council announced that things would be watched closely to ensure everything was above board.

The news that there would be no fix this year ran through the contestants like COVID through a senior center on grandkids’ day. They were elated, unlike the residents of a senior center four to seven days after grandkids’ day. All of them, that is, except Tiffany Shamwow, Mama’s daughter and six-time winner of the annual singing competition. Tiffany was none too pleased to learn she wouldn’t be handed the championship on a golden platter this time.

Not yet knowing what crime would be committed, I began making a mental list of potential victims and suspects. First up were Sully and Shar, a couple who saw this as their first real chance to win. Shar was so desperate for victory that she prevented Sully from singing, which clearly upset Sully, and seemed to relieve the audience. Next was Colt Yokum, Mama’s accountant and a man with friends in low places. Then there was Iris Vox, Tiffany’s perpetual second fiddle, who she played like a harp from hell. It wasn’t hard to imagine Iris getting as tired of Tiffany plucking her strings, as this metaphor is. Also in the mix was last-minute entrant Jimi Wylde, as gifted vocally as he was clueless about everything else. Finally, there was Bernie Love, the DJ, who opened with a musical number that left me wondering why he wasn’t competing.

As for the crime itself? I’ll leave that to you, faithful readers, to discover when you make your final journey to The Mystery Café.

This show gives audience members the opportunity to sign up and perform a karaoke song during the evening, for those so inclined. I attended a Sunday brunch performance, when the weather, and therefore the roads, were particularly terrible. I don’t drink, and I’m therefore unlikely to summon the courage to sing karaoke under any circumstances. Add in the time of day and the icy roads, and participation was understandably low. We did have two audience performances, both so good that they effectively shut down the rest of us who lack confidence in our vocal abilities. I’m told evening performances inspire much higher levels of participation, and that it’s a judgment free, just have fun space.

The food, as always, was enjoyable, and I loved seeing some of my favorite local performers. Josh Carson plays Sully and does finally get to sing, once the waitstaff had collected their tips. I’m not saying there’s a correlation, but I’m also not not saying it. Also performing are Twin Cities power couple Nissa Nordland and Sam “the Man” Landman as Tiffany Shamwow and Bernie Love.

This may not be the funniest Mystery Café show I’ve seen, and the mystery itself is no Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle puzzle. Though it’s fair to say it stumped me. But like all their productions, it’s an enjoyable outing with friends or family, but never both, don’t cross the streams. I gave tickets as a Christmas gift to the Aged P’s and my brother and sister-in-law; it’s been a bit of a tradition for us, and I’m genuinely sad to have to find something new next year.

The addition of karaoke is an inspired one and likely adds a lot to the fun. I happened to see it under less than ideal circumstances, but I’m confident that anyone who sings, or drinks enough to think they can, will enjoy it even more.

Showdown at the Kar-a-OK-e Corral runs through February 15 at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake. The show includes dinner (or brunch at matinees) and a crime. If karaoke isn’t your thing, there are two other shows in this final season: A Cruise-mas Carol, running through January 9 at the Sheraton Bloomington, and ’Til Death Do Us Die, playing January 16–31, also at the Sheraton Bloomington.

You can read my reviews of previous years’ productions here:
https://bit.ly/TSOMNCruismasCarol
https://bit.ly/41TqaJh

For performance dates and reservations, visit:
https://www.themysterycafe.com/

A Nice Family Christmas Unwraps a Lot, is This Very Funny Holiday Show at Lyric Arts

Kathleen Winters, Anthony Zadra, Lyreshia Ghostlon-Green, Lori Constable Photo by Molly Jay

A Nice Family Christmas? They should probably call it A Very Dysfunctional Family Christmas, but maybe that’s a little too on the nose. Still, “nice” feels a bit disingenuous. Funny? Yes! Delightful? Absolutely! Nice? Not on your life. Like all holiday stories about families, we get the ugly, the humorous dysfunction, but also, beneath it all, something genuinely good. After all, what is a Christmas story if not an opportunity for redemption, healing, forgiveness, and reconnecting with the people who drive us crazy?

Set in Minnesota, the play takes place on Christmas Eve in Mom’s condo, where her three grown children arrive to find Grandma there unexpectedly from Florida… and then their very unwanted Uncle Bob barges in as well. The three siblings, who barely seem to speak to each other, are all in relationships that are teetering on various precarious edges. Over the course of the evening, secrets will come out, Grandma will deliver approximately 237 inappropriate comments, and yes, everyone will grow a little. But mostly? The audience will laugh their butts off.

It’s hard to imagine anyone who won’t relate to something in this show. A family dynamic, a tradition, an awkward secret, a chaotic holiday memory, or a rogue Uncle Bob. You’ll spot a piece of your own life somewhere in the mix. At times it almost feels like a modern TV comedy—one of the good ones, not something from the late ’80s. Add a dash of The Golden Girls and you’re in the ballpark. Grandma, in particular, channels major Sophia energy, firing off one-liners like she’s got a writers’ room in her purse.

It’s funny, usually when I leave a show, I’ll think, “I wish this person had seen that.” But for the first time I walked out thinking, “I wish I’d seen this with my brother and sisters.” I think we would’ve had a blast, and dinner afterward would’ve been even more entertaining.

Performance wise, Grandma and Uncle Bob are such wildly outrageous characters that you can’t help but love them. Kathleen Winters and Anthony Zadra have fantastic timing and fully commit to the eccentricities of their characters. I most identified with Carl, the middle child, he’s a writer, not for anything as prestigious as The Stages of MN, but for the Star Tribune. I especially related to the moment when his Mom and Grandma come to see who arrived and are visibly disappointed that it’s him and not his brother Michael. Patrick Kozicky does wonderful work as one of the few semi normal humans in this family, and even when he isn’t the focus of a scene, his reactions land perfectly.

Giving him solid competition in the “closest to normal” category is Lyreshia Ghostlon-Green as his sister Stacy. It’s probably the most under written role in the script, but Ghostlon-Green adds more to the role than she’s given on the page. As Michael and his wife Jill, Sam Sweere and Waverly Ann McCollum deliver hilariously physical performances. When Michael needs to make amends with a member of his family, his discomfort at doing so doesn’t just seep into the rest of his body it floods like a busted dam. His wife is a tsunami of hormonal hysteria due to fertility hormones she is on, It’s a lot and it’s hilarious.

Lori Constable masterfully plays Mom, nailing every aspect of the character’s many roles. She’s the one caught in the middle, put upon, the peacemaker, and ultimately the glue that holds the entire family together.

Phil Olson’s script (he’s a Minnesota native) is genuinely funny. While it doesn’t tug too hard on the heartstrings, the characters do grow, and we arrive at a very nice ending. I’m now curious about his companion play, A Nice Family Gathering. I’d love to see Lyric Arts bring it to the stage next season with the same cast.

A Nice Family Christmas runs through 12/21 at Lyric Arts in Anoka.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.lyricarts.org/nice-family-christmas

Episode 22: Beware the Phantom of the Stages of MN is Up and Ready to View over on YouTube!

On this very indulgent episode of The Stages of MN Show I sit down with my son Alex and we discuss our Phantastic double feature day! It was a trip down memory lane for both of us as we were surprised by the very good production of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium at Park Square Theatre and the gorgeous Touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera. You can watch the episode here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode22YouTube. Or if you or not blessed with the power of sight you can listen to the podcast edition here https://bit.ly/TSOMNEpisode22Podcast.

You can still see both of these shows! to get tickets to Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium which runs through December 14th at Park Square in St. Paul bit.ly/ParkSquareGoosebumps and The Phantom of the Opera which runs through December 7th at Hennepin Arts Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis https://hennepinarts.org/events/the-phantom-of-the-opera

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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