Abuelita From Prime Productions Needs More Time To Tell its Characters Stories.

The cast of Abuelita Photo by Dan Norman

Prime Productions closes out its 8th season with the world premiere of ABUELITA, a new play by Nathan Yungerberg. There is a lot of good stuff here, but there also seem to be many threads that don’t really lead anywhere. What this material feels ideally suited for is a TV series. There are seven great characters, and four of them get about one scene in which to shine, when they are clearly interesting enough to hold our interest for dozens. In its present form, it feels like there are three characters too many, or perhaps three who are given stage time that should have gone to others, so that more of them could fully realize their roles in the story.

The play opens with Davia, a 72-year-old white grandmother from Iowa who has moved to Spanish Harlem in the summer of 1993 with her fifteen-year-old mixed-race grandson, Jesús, to expose him to his father’s Puerto Rican culture. They meet the other residents of their apartment building on the stoop when they arrive. Davia and Yvette quickly bond over being grandmothers raising grandchildren who have lost their mothers, getting drunk on some sort of alcohol Yvette smuggled back from her last trip to Puerto Rico. Yvette’s granddaughter, Sonya, and Jesús become friends, and she introduces him to her group, some of whom are gay, as we learn Jesús is as well. Davia, in turn, begins to find companionship with Yvette, her sister Indigo, and Wilfredo, a bongo-playing singer who lives next door.

It’s hard to escape the feeling that many of these interactions play like the first of what should be many scenes, or like the third scene, with the previous two missing. Davia is a great character, but almost every moment with her feels like it needed more room to breathe and develop. I also don’t think the character was helped by Mary Gant’s performance; there were simply too many missed or flubbed lines. There is real potential here, but Gant doesn’t quite convey the nuance the role requires. Or perhaps the issue lies more in the script, which rushes toward “aha!” moments that would land more effectively if the relationships had time to grow and unfold.

There are, however, several very enjoyable performances. Skyler Seiler as Sonya is sassy and fun. King Jackson as Jesús starts out somewhat awkwardly, but that seems to be a deliberate choice that tracks with the character; as he becomes more comfortable in his new environment and freer to be himself, the performance comes alive. Pedro R. Bayon is very good as Wilfredo, though he’s another character who gets one strong scene and little else to do, despite feeling like someone you’d want to follow further. Gabi Del Moral as Yvette is also very good, though her relaxed, fluid performance only highlights Gant’s relative stiffness, and their instant friendship doesn’t quite feel earned. Adlyn Carreras as Indigo has a few line flubs as well, but her swagger and attitude carry her through them more successfully. Like others, Indigo feels like a character with much more story to tell. And since I’ve mentioned everyone else, I should note Elsa Vega Pérez as Niego, who is apparently related to Yvette and Indigo, though it’s not entirely clear how. She has only a few lines in Spanish before disappearing for a stretch and then briefly reappearing. She’s good, but likely the first character to cut if tightening the piece.

Ultimately, I’d happily watch these characters for 10 or 12 hours a year. If this play were the first season of a TV series, the ending we see here would probably land around episode six. It’s not that the play is bad, it’s one of those cases where you can clearly see its potential to be something more, and it’s hard not to focus on that. Most plays are easy to take as they are: good, bad, or somewhere in between. But every once in a while, you encounter something that so clearly should be, not different, just more. These characters don’t need better writing; they simply deserve more of it.

ABUELITA runs through March 29th at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. For More information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.primeprods.org/abuelita

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.

Sleuth Will Keep You on Your Toes and on the Edge of Your Seat as This Classic Thriller Hits The Guthrie Stage

John Tufts (Milo Tindle) and Ramiz Monsef (Andrew Wyke) Photo Credit: Dan Norman

I’m fairly familiar with Sleuth, though I’d never seen it performed. I have seen the two film versions, which have their own interesting backstory. The play, written by Anthony Shaffer, premiered in 1970 and won the Tony Award for Best Play. It was adapted by Shaffer into a film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine.

The play was adapted again in 2007 with a screenplay by Harold Pinter, who had never seen the earlier film or the play before. That film, directed by Kenneth Branagh, starred Michael Caine again, this time in the older role, with Jude Law taking over the part Caine played in the original film. Few plays have such an interesting lineage, where one generation of actors quite literally inherits the roles from the previous one.

Which made it a particular pleasure to finally see the original version as it was intended: on stage.

The two-act play is a cat-and-mouse game between Andrew Wyke, a writer of mystery novels, and Milo Tindle, who owns a travel agency and happens to want to marry Andrew’s wife. Andrew says he has no objections; he just wants to make sure that Milo can afford her and won’t find her back on his doorstep. Andrew has a plan to have Milo pretend to burglarize his house and make off with a fortune in jewels, which Milo can sell for cash while Andrew collects on the insurance money. But is it as straightforward as that? Is that even straightforward? The twists and turns are what make the show such an enjoyable entertainment, so discussing the plot any further feels like robbing it of its bread and butter.

John Tufts as Milo and Ramiz Monsef as Andrew both do solid work. Tufts in particular is very good, and while Sleuth isn’t exactly a comedic thriller, the performers find quite a bit of black comedy to play with.

That said, I was a little disappointed in the Guthrie for bringing in a cast of out-of-towners rather than utilizing the deep bench of talent we have here in the Twin Cities. Monsef also strikes me as a little young for Andrew. I couldn’t help imagining what someone like David Andrew Macdonald might have done with that role, with Peter Christian Hansen as Milo.

Rounding out the supporting cast is a particularly droll performance by Stanley Rushton as Inspector Doppler, with smaller roles for Liam McNulty and Robin Mayfield as fellow policemen.

I always say that a play that uses black wooden boxes to stand in for every piece of set can be just as thrilling as a set that costs the budget of some theater companies’ entire seasons. And I believe that to be true. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love a well-dressed and elaborate set. Todd Rosenthal has created a playroom of a set, which you can see in the accompanying photo, and it’s a thing of beauty.

If you enjoy a twisty-turny mystery, Sleuth will be right up your alley. It’s a well-mounted production and the cast is really quite good, even if they aren’t local. Sleuth runs through May 10. I read in a program recently that Agatha Christie was single handedly keeping theater doors open. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but this is along those lines and should fill seats and entertain theatergoers.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to:
https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2025-2026-season/sleuth/

The 39 Steps Hilarious and Faithful Adaptation of the Hitchcock Classic

The 39 Steps is a stage play adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and the film by Alfred Hitchcock, one of Hitch’s early successes during his formative British years. It was also one of the earliest VHS tapes my family owned in the late 1970s. The novel later served as the basis for a 1978 film starring Robert Powell, which I also devoured endlessly as a kid. So this story of a man wrongly accused, on the run to clear his name while trying to foil a plot by foreign agents, holds a special place in my heart. I’ve seen this stage adaptation before at Lyric Arts and have always found it to be a clever and affectionate tribute to Hitchcock’s take on the story.

The 39 Steps answers the question: What if a Hitchcock movie were performed by four people who drank too much coffee and refused to slow down? Richard Hannay is framed for murder, chased across the countryside, and swept into an increasingly absurd web of spies, secrets, and romance. With dozens of characters, breakneck pacing, and comedy that borders on athletic, the show is a non-stop joyride where the thrills are fake, the laughs are real, and the ingenuity is jaw dropping.

Director Sarah Nargang, who has a background in clowning, puts that experience to excellent use in staging the controlled chaos that unfolds over the course of the play. One of the great joys of this production is its use of meta-humor. There’s no attempt to disguise the fact that four performers, assisted by two stagehands or “background clowns”,are staging a cross-country chase involving dozens of characters and at least as many accents. In fact, much of the humor comes from acknowledging exactly that. A lightning fast costume change might earn a round of applause from the audience and a gracious bow of acceptance from the performer.

Michael Kelley as Clown 1 and Lois Estell as Clown 2 handle most of the rapid fire character changes, and their timing is impeccable. I love that roles are assigned regardless of gender, giving the performers freedom to fully commit to the absurdity. Kelley and Estell are brilliant at creating a wide variety of characters, each one as distinct as it is hilarious. The background clowns, who also serve as understudies for the other roles, deserve recognition as well. Though they primarily assist with scene changes and passing tree branches outside train windows, Dominic DeLong-Rodgers and Sophie Finnerty contribute enormously to the show’s momentum and humor.

Hannah Steblay also plays multiple roles, but unlike the clowns, she generally inhabits characters with longer arcs. She portrays both Annabella Schmidt, the spy who passes her mission to Hannay with her dying breath, and Pamela, the woman Hannay finds himself handcuffed to, resulting in an inspired and delightfully physical routine as the pair attempt to navigate a gate together. Hannay himself is played with matinee idol poise and dashing charm by Grant Henderson, who nicely captures the easy charisma of Robert Donat in the original Hitchcock film. It’s excellent casting all around.

The 39 Steps is a great show to take the family to: a classic thriller story performed with comic brilliance that allows the magic and ingenuity of stagecraft to shine. The show runs through February 7th at Lakeshore Players in White Bear Lake. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.lakeshoreplayers.org/39steps-season-73

Watch the 2025 TCTB Awards on the latest episode of The Stages of MN YouTube Show!! https://bit.ly/TSOMNEp25YouTube

Twin Cities Horror Festival Days 3 & 4 Reviews: The Walls, Bay Creek, Familiar, The Neverland: a Horror Fantasia, Murder. Murder. Murder. Murder.

I’m struggeling to keep up so here’s a link to the Horror Fest which runs through 10/30 at The Crane Theater https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/

Now on with the reviews!!

I only caught this one show on day 3 and it was The Walls by Strike Theater and The Improv Movement Project. It features a fantastic cast of local favorites Mike Fotis, Rita Boersma, Sam Landman, Peytie McCandless, Jay Kistler Many of them are masters of longform Improv. Now this isn’t improv, it is written and directed by Fotis, but what makes this group great character actors is their ability to Make the interplay between the characters feel real in genuine, a skill they have honed doing their improv. The set up has a young woman at the urging of her meth dealing father‘s partner trying to get money from the bank to ransom her father from a rival group of dealers. They go into the bank where the newly promoted manager and her husband, the recently retired Sheriff are opening up for the day. To be honest everything in the bank is completely fascinating even before things go south. Just listening to the Boersma and Landman, as the Manager and her husband, bicker is brilliant. Once this go off the rails the play changes into something different which includes some really interesting movement, which I don’t wanna spoil or explain the reason for. The sign of good character building is that even if things hadn’t gone south I think I would’ve really enjoyed the show. Just listening to these actors play these characters and interact with each other was time while spent.

Day 3 was a very interesting day at the TCHF particularly in terms of the balance between script and production design. First up was Bay Creek written and performed by Derek Lee Miller which is essentially a one person monologue. Miller’s character is in an interrogation room being questioned by members of the entire alphabet of law enforcement from the FBI to the DEA. We occasionally get recorded voice overs from those agents asking questions but for the most part it’s Miller on his own. The script is in places inspired by stories Miller was told by his family growing up. The story Miller’s character unfolds about his family is one of demonic protection. Miller is never less than completely hypnotizing the script like Miller himself doesn’t have an ounce of fat on it. It’s super tight, while the production design is extremely simple, a man sitting in a chair next to a table with a microphone and folders on it. The lighting and sound cues are not elaborate but are among the most effective I’ve ever seen. The final moment of the show is truly awesome. To be sure this is one of the best of this years TCHF thanks to Miller’s powerful storytelling through script and performance.

The Artistic Director of TCHF Nissa Nordland’s show Familiar felt similar to her Minnesota Fringe show this year in that we are in the world of a teenage girl and her adolescent obsessions. She is or at least fancies herself a witch and her familiar is her cat Zelda. In my mind I break the show up into three parts. The first is getting to know the young teenage Rosemary. This is filled with humor including the content creators she follows on TikTok played by special guests Sam Landman as Virgil Vermillion and Jonathan Feld as Orion. The second part is more emotional when her familiar, Zelda, who is 17 years of age, one year older than Rosemary passes away. I know from listening to other audience members that those who had recently lost pets found this segment particularly devastating, so trigger warning for dead pets. The third section is completely unexpected given it the lightheartedness of the first portion and the emotional reality of the second. The third goes dark and supernatural in an effective and very creepy way. The show featured several musical performances by Nordland on ukulele and Clarinet, which for me, ever since I first saw her sing on stage, is always a treat I look forward to.

The Neverland: A Horror Fantasia takes elements of the Peter Pan story and flies in the much darker direction with them. It has a ton of production design elements, much of it in the arts and crafts vein, but overall it’s very effective and appropriate for the story it’s telling. It’s impressive how they get this set up and taken down in the time allotted between shows. But there’s a rather large cast and I assume they all help out. Excellent costumes and even some shadow puppetry helps this show scores big points in the production design category. The production design however seems to be compensating for a lack of a solid script. While the performances are all solid what they have to do is wander around the stage repeating the same things over and over again. one fellow audience member commented that it’s a show of vibes which I would agree with completely. As such I think my son Alex, who really gets in the mood and vibes of films and plays, might really enjoy the show more than I did. I’m generally looking for a story that holds my interest this one, while the idea or concept, of Peter Pan guiding lost children from life through limbo to death certainly is filled with possibilities, the execution just felt meandering and repetitive.

murder. murder. murder. murder. is by this years one traveling artist company of the TCHF. murder. murder. murder. murder. has a double meaning in its title. First, there are four stories, which is why there are four murders in the title. Secondly, all of the stories contain crows and as we know a group of crows is called a murder of crows. And if you didn’t know that, you’re welcome. This is another story that had a pretty tight script while set design was fairly minimal, but always enough to set the scene. It does have have some very good costume work as well. The first three stories use a framing device of a radio DJ we hear before and after each story and then the fourth story features the DJ and her producer. Some of the stories are comic, some dark, and some darkly comic. It was nice mix and I think each story was the perfect length, nothing felt rushed but likewise nothing felt like it was padded out.

Misery at Yellow Tree Proves the Old Adage Third Times the Charm

Laura Esping and Dustin Bronson Photo by Alex Clark

I like to begin all of my reviews of Misery—and this is the third—by saying I’m Stephen King’s number one fan. Although after watching Annie Wilkes demonstrate the extremes of fandom toward writer Paul Sheldon, I’m not sure I should be so quick to claim it. I say it because it’s true, but I realize faithful readers may find the line repetitive. That was also my first reaction when I saw Yellow Tree Theatre was producing Misery again, making this the third production in as many years. There’s so much good theater I miss because I simply can’t see it all. Having already seen Misery twice since 2023—including Yellow Tree’s last staging—I thought I might skip this one. Then I saw the cast list: Laura Esping as Annie Wilkes and Dustin Bronson as Paul Sheldon. F*#%!. And so there I was once more, seated in the audience for Misery, William Goldman’s stage adaptation of King’s novel (Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the 1990 film).

The play opens with writer Paul Sheldon regaining consciousness in the home of Annie Wilkes, his self-declared “number one fan.” Disoriented, he learns he’s been rescued from a car wreck caused by a snowstorm. With both legs broken and a dislocated shoulder, he’s at the mercy of Annie, a former nurse who has splinted his injuries and dosed him with her stockpile of painkillers. But the phone lines are down, the roads impassable—or so she claims. What begins as a story of apparent salvation quickly shifts into one of entrapment. Annie’s quirks spiral into unsettling behaviors, until it becomes clear she loves Paul too much to ever let him go.

I want to tread carefully here, because I enjoyed both previous stage productions I’ve seen—Yellow Tree in 2023 and Lakeshore Players in January 2025. The actors then gave fine performances, and I praised them in my reviews. But Esping and Bronson deliver the strongest portrayals I’ve yet seen of these roles. Esping doesn’t command the physically intimidating presence of earlier performers or Kathy Bates’s iconic film version, so she wisely takes a different approach. Her Annie is less explosively menacing and more quietly dissonant, at times even comic. A scene where she clambers onto the bed to pull Paul back feels borrowed from silent film comedy, yet lands perfectly in character. She channels something closer to Julie Harris with violent mood swings—an unsettling mix that makes Annie’s darkness even more disturbing.

Bronson’s Paul Sheldon brings a sharper intelligence and freshness to a role I thought I knew inside out. I’ve read the book, seen the film in theaters when it premiered, owned it on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray, and now watched three stage productions. Yet Bronson made it feel new again. Previous actors played the part well; Bronson inhabits it. In moments, I forgot I knew the script by heart, hearing familiar lines as though for the first time. That’s an extraordinary achievement—and it’s exactly why we return to plays over and over: great actors breathe fresh life into familiar works.

As with all productions of this script, the weak link is Buster, the sheriff. That’s no fault of Chance Carroll, who plays him here. In the film, Richard Farnsworth made the role memorable, especially alongside Frances Sternhagen. The stage version drastically trims Buster’s part, leaving it underdeveloped and his fate underwhelming. Goldman might have been better off cutting the character entirely. Still, the limitation lies in the script, not the performer.

If you’ve never seen Misery, now is the time. If you have, this production is well worth revisiting for its fresh, incisive performances. Esping and Bronson prove how much a cast can transform a play.

Misery is directed by John Catron, who also helmed Yellow Tree’s 2023 production. The show runs through October 19 at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo. For tickets and information, visit yellowtreetheatre.com/misery2025.

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.

Singing in the Rain Will Tap its Way Into Your Heart at Artistry in Bloomington

The cast of Singing in the Rain Photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography

During the rush, chaos, and exhaustive exhilaration that is The Minnesota Fringe Festival I found time thanks to a weekday matinee to take in Singing in the Rain at Artistry in Bloomington. A longtime favorite film musical of mine, due to its subject matter revolving as it does around the transition from silent to sound movies. I had never seen a production of this early 1980’s stage version, which closely adheres to the plot of the 1952 film. There had been other opportunities but in a world where we have to choose three or four out of ten possible shows to see some weeks, I think I always opted out of this one, afraid it couldn’t live up to my fondness for the film. If you are a fan of the film you can throw those fears aside, this productions is delightful. The story for those unfamiliar with the film follows the career of Silent film star Don Lockwood who rose up through the entertainment ranks with his best friend Cosmo Brown. Now a big star alongside the,”dumb or something” Lina Lamont, Don has to navigate the changing world of cinema as the “Talkies” become all the rage. Meanwhile, Don has fallen in love with Kathy Selden, an up and coming actress, which puts Kathy in the crosshair of Lina who believing her own publicity mistakenly thinks she and Don are madly in love with each other.

The reason to see this show is the magnificent choreography by Danny McHugh who plays Don Lockwood in the show and the shows Director Kelli Foster Warder. This has some great toe tapping and heal tapping, and well…it has great tapping! A strong ensemble of precision dancers create impressive show stopping dance numbers that will wow even the most casual of dance appreciators. McHugh is great as Don Lockwood which is saying something as he’s filling Gene Kelly’s shoes. Also doing a great job is Armando Harlow Ronconi, who plays Cosmo Brown filling the shoes of Donald O’Connor. Brown’s best song in the film is “Make ‘Em Laugh” and they do a good job of translating it to the stage here. It isn’t quite as slapstick and manic, but honestly I don’t know how you could safely do that on stage night after night, they find a nice compromise. Brittany Mendoza-Peña makes a great Kathy, with a sweet voice and the stage presence to stand up to Don in the early sparring scenes of their relationship. Serena Brook is also very strong as Lina Lamont, a character who’s successful portrayal is judged on how much you can barely tolerate her speaking without actually reaching that nails on chalkboard sensation. Brook perfectly finds that line and stays just this side of it, it’s a gloriously comic performance.

There were some technical elements that I was really impressed with as well. Sarah Bahr’s scenic and costume designs were fantastic, with the costumes featuring some great period style suits and gowns. The set design features a movie screen in certain scenes that is used really creatively in multiple ways. In one scene the actors perform behind it with film grain projected on the surface to give the appearance of an old film. While in other scenes actual video footage is projected onto the screen and it’s here that there’s a special cameo for local Theater fans. As is always the case at Artistry, the music is perfectly done under the steady hand of Music Director Sanford Moore. Singing in the Rain has been extended through August 31st at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/rain

Don’t depend on a Facebook or Instagram algorithm to ensure you hear about a great show. You can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. It’s the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the theater action. 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.

I’ve officially launched The Stages of MN YouTube Channel which you can view by clicking on this link. https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the weekly episodes. 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.

Zephyr Theatre’s Robin Hood Steals From the Rich and Gives to the Audience

Robin Hood by Greg Banks marks the directorial debut of Twin Cities Actor and Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) Member Reed Sigmund. His greatest gift as a Director is in the casting of the play and then empowering that cast to bring their own voices to their characters and the production. The character work in this show is strong and so funny that one doesn’t know if it’s the script or the performers that make it so hysterical. This version of the Robin Hood tale is framed by a homeless camp sequence in which the four actors playing unhoused people share with the audience the legendary story, which they then enact. The Set Design and all of the costumes come from items that one might expect to be found discarded in such an encampment. There’s no note in the program of who is responsible for those aspects but they are well found and add to the surreal feel of this adventurous retelling. These aspects add a touch of appropriate timeliness to what is mostly a hilarious entertainment. I loved Sherwood when I saw it a couple of years ago at Theatre in the Round, which also featured the comedic genius of Jeffrey Nolan. I think this version of Robin Hood is my new favorite comedic take on the folklore hero. The Temperature was 109 in the shade and everyone in the audience was so entertained but what we were seeing that we forgot to even sweat.

The usual question my wife and I always ask each other is who was your favorite. But as you might expect, the question this time is who was your favorite character played by Jeffrey Nolan? I’m going to go with Prince John, but the five other characters tie as a close second. Nolan is enough to get me to any production as faithful readers will no doubt have realized by now. A more original and unique comedic voice you will not find, it feels like only a matter of time before we see him on SNL. What pushes this show into the stratosphere is the rest of the cast. Finding four other performers who aren’t going to be overshadowed by Nolan, particularly in a comedy where he plays about six different parts including a horse, seven if you include a remarkable, though brief, portrayal of a deer, is an amazing feat. But that’s what we have here. Grace Hillmyer, who readers will also be familiar with as someone who has impressed us in every role we’ve seen her in since first coming to our attention in Kinky Boots at Lyric Arts, plays among other roles Maid Marian. Hillmyer again shows us a new side of herself and her talent with this comedic side that previous roles had only hinted at.

Two of the performers I wasn’t familiar with is Antonisia Collins who plays Robin Hood, and Brandon Brooks as the Sheriff of Nottingham. From what I gather Collins has been racking up small supporting roles at CTC, well. I hope the people at CTC see this production because Collins is clearly ready for leads, which I hope to see her in again very very soon. Brooks, had apparently stepped away from acting a bit, clearly on stage is where he belongs. He is the villain of the piece, but the kind of villain you kinda love to watch. It feels like we are watching the convergence of the next group of actors that will be the ones who move on to bigger cities (please don’t) or are the ones we see constantly working at all the big theaters around town. The cast is rounded out by Jay Scoggin, who has a few small roles but mostly plays live music and provides sound effects throughout the show, which is such a fun treat, I love a live musical score in a play, especially when they are on stage and you can watch them creating the soundscape. When Scoggin does join in the show, he’s as funny as the others and very protective of his Skittles.

The Zephyr Theatre’s production of Robin Hood Runs through August 3rd at Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater, MN. It’s performed in the great outdoors which reminded me of my childhood theater going experiences at Trollwood Park in Fargo, ND. This is another great show to take the whole family too, but don’t think on it too long as there is just one more weekend to catch it. For more information and to purchase tickets either the chair seats or bring your own chair go to https://www.stillwaterzephyrtheatre.org/home/#events

I’ve officially launched The Stages of MN YouTube Channel which you can view by clicking on this link. https://www.youtube.com/@TheStagesofMN. Check out the intro videos and the weekly episodes. 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.