The Hired Man Is Not what You Expect It to Be, It’s Better! At The Crane Theater From Theatre Pro Rata

Bee Davis, Jessica Winingham, and Phi Hamens Nelson Photo by Alex Wohlhueter

The Hired Man is a show that could be easily spoiled, so I’m going to try and tiptoe around things a bit. Know that this modern-day tale told on a cattle ranch in Wyoming owes as much to Greek tragedy as it does to the Western. And it’s both of those things in their most soap-opera way. That might sound like a dig, but it isn’t; I really enjoyed this one. You may think you know where the story will head at the beginning, but believe me, you don’t. This is like one of Shakespeare’s comedies where everyone loves someone who loves somebody else, or thinks they do.

The story opens with Tim and Ellen, two young folks. He’s 23 and the hired hand on Ellen’s grandfather Hank’s ranch; she is 18 and graduating soon from high school. Tim is falling in love with Ellen, and since he’s already like a member of the family, hopes that he and Ellen will end up working the ranch together once Hank is gone. Ellen is just having fun. They are caught in a compromising position by Hank, who punches Tim, fires him, and tells him to get off his land.

Tim is left adrift, with nowhere to go and no job, and still pining for Ellen. Georgette, Hank’s girlfriend, is worried that if he can throw Tim out so fast, maybe he’ll turn on her too, and so she ups the pressure to get married. They have been together five years, and while she has a home in town, her life is out here on the ranch.

Hank hires a new hired man, or in this case, a woman, named Matty. She comes equipped with a guilty conscience in the form of Linda, whom we realize early on is only in her head, meaning she can see her but no one else can. Georgette is jealous of this hired woman; she doesn’t want another woman around the ranch when she’s trying to get Hank to commit. That’s just the setup, and I’m not going to reveal anything more plot-wise.

No one is an outright villain in this play, with the possible exception of Linda, who has nothing positive to say inside Matty’s head. all of the characters have their motivations and the actions they take a understandable.

The performances are strong. Bee Davis, apparently capable of anything, gives an alternatively playful and smoldering performance. She is the sex drive of the play, and yes, this play definitely has a sex drive. Hot off her performance as a rabbit in Watership Down and writing the beautiful songs for that show, here she brings a seductive energy that convincingly attracts both male and female characters, all while convincingly embodying an18 year old.

Phi Hamens Nelson brings a James Dean quality to the role of Tim. He’s vulnerable in his one-on-one moments with Davis, and he even shows the hurt he’s feeling at being thrown out when he’s trying to make his play at payback. We’ve seen Nelson in a smaller role with Theatre Pro Rata; it’s been nice to see him in meatier roles again here and in last summer’s Fringe show. Definitely one to watch, I definitely think he’s on the right path, and I hope to keep seeing him in more roles.

Jessica Winingham, whom I think I’ve only ever seen in the last Pro Rata production, is fantastic here again. I hope this means she’s living locally and we’ll see her in more things. She brings a toughness to Matty that fits the character of a female hired hand on a cattle ranch, but also shows a sweet side and a vulnerable side. And don’t forget the slightly crazy, talking-to-the-woman-in-your-head side. Every aspect of the character is played just right, from desperate embraces to dawning horror.

Andy Chambers and Jenny Ramirez, as Hank and Georgette, capture that “been together for a while” vibe perfectly, and it’s their scenes together that really sort of ground the play in a less melodramatic way. They feel real.

And what can I say about Wini Froelich? She nails it as the character you do not want to go home with when the bar closes. It is an excellent turn from a great character actor. Just watching her blow her cigarette smoke in Matty’s face is classic.

The set design by MJ Leffler looks great. I loved the bits of grass peeking out from every corner, the hay bales, the benches, it all set the sense of place nicely. The one downside, and I think this was the director’s choice, is that every time the scene changes, everyone in the cast moves pieces around the stage. They do it efficiently, but I’d prefer if they just left certain areas set up to be this location and that location a little more. It would benefit from half the number of set reconfigurations. Otherwise, I thought the direction was very strong.

I don’t often single out the intimacy and fight choreographers, but I think Annie Enneking, who handles both jobs in this show, did great work. There are several physical fights, and they were very well done. And the intimate scenes were also done in a way that the passion came through, but it didn’t feel exploitative.

I went in knowing nothing. I immediately assumed we would be watching a young forbidden-lovers tale once it started, and what I ended up with was very different. The denouement is truly unexpected and hits the audience perfectly.

The Hired Man runs through October 11th at the Crane Theater in NE Minneapolis. From more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreprorata.org/production-history/the-hired-man

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Fringe Extra!! Derek Lee Miller’s Bay Creek

So there is one show that I saw at last year’s Twin Cities Horror Festival that is playing at this year’s Minnesota Fringe Festival as well. As brilliant as I thought it was, I can’t bring myself to see something I’ve already seen over the chance to see something new. But I have spoken to someone who has seen it at both festivals, and they assure me the production hasn’t changed. So, because I highly recommend it, below I’m sharing my review from last fall of Derek Lee Miller’s fantastic Bay Creek!

Bay Creek written and performed by Derek Lee Miller 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.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/bay-creek

The Cottage is a Wonderfully Light Comedy in the Style of a Noel Coward Play at the Gremlin Theatre

Corey DiNardo, Sarah Malfara, Sasha Andreev Photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography

The Cottage by Sandy Rustin is the sort of comedy Noël Coward might have written, if he were writing today, and a woman. It isn’t vulgar, but it carries a distinctly modern sensibility, freer than the comedies of manners Coward penned in the 1920s and ’30s.

The play opens in 1923 at a country cottage, where two lovers, Sylvia and Beau, have just spent a night together. We quickly learn they are both married, and, in fact are brother- and sister-in-law. In a fit of impulsive honesty, Sylvia has sent telegrams to their respective spouses confessing the affair, assuming she and Beau will simply move on and marry each other. Naturally, this decision brings those spouses, and a few surprise guests, crashing onto the scene. To reveal more would spoil the fun, but suffice it to say this is an old-fashioned farce with a decidedly modern, feminist edge.

Sarah Malfara opens and closes the play alone on stage as Sylvia. At first, her performance feels overly mannered, but it soon becomes clear this is intentional, Sylvia is “playing house,” posing within a role of her own creation. As revelations unfold, Malfara gradually strips away that façade. By the end, she has transformed from a fluttering romantic into a clear-eyed woman firmly in control of her own narrative. It’s a terrific turn from an actor I was previously unfamiliar with, and Malfara keeps the audience constantly reassessing both her performance and Sylvia herself.

All Is Calm alum Sasha Andreev puts his dashing good looks to excellent use as Beau, a man who clearly has no trouble attracting women. Andreev is as adept at turning on the charm as he is at landing sharp comedic beats, particularly in his well played exits after a confrontation with a potentially deadly visitor. Mira Davis, as the delightfully unpredictable Dierdre, makes the most of every entrance (often from unexpected places) and mines plenty of laughs from her character’s… incapacitated state. Corey DiNardo (Clarke) and Shana Eisenberg (Marjorie), the wronged spouses, most strongly evoke the classic 1920s British comedy-of-manners style, while still sneaking in some wonderfully surprising flourishes. And Chance Carroll, as Richard, delivers one of the evening’s biggest surprises with a transformation that once again upends expectations.

The Cottage is a light but thoroughly delightful comedy, packed with unexpected twists, entrances, and revelations. Just when it has exhausted its surprises, it lands on a message that feels fully earned. Director Brian Balcom captures the spirit of a Noël Coward comedy with precision while allowing Rustin’s modern voice to shine through.

The Cottage runs through August 2 at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets, visit https://gremlintheatre.org/the-cottage/

Wicked at the Orpheum Theater Defies Expectations and Proves Wicked Fatigue is Not a Real Thing. It Soars!

Claudia Bennett as Glinda and Aline Mayagoitia as Elphaba Photo by Joan Marcus

From the first time I saw Wicked, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Each time I see it, though, I enjoy it more. Going into this, my third touring production, I was curious how both the audience and I would respond. Was there potential for Wicked burnout after the phenomenal film adaptation of the first act, which I greatly enjoyed, and the decidedly less popular film adaptation of Act II, which I have not seen?

I think if fans went in thinking that maybe they were over the whole Wicked thang, they left with a rekindled love for the show. Like its most popular song, this show is “Defying Gravity.” First-timers are discovering the magic that has made it the second highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time. I know because I brought a first-timer with me, and she flipped for it. For myself, I can truly say I fell in love with the show this time. I followed the character arcs more closely, thanks in no small part to two fabulous performances in the lead roles. I also appreciated the allegorical nature of the story more, while still being wowed by the production design and effects work. I will say this, though: Act I of Wicked is brilliant; Act II is good, not great. I think this accounts for the less favorable response to the film Wicked: For Good.

Wicked is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It tells the backstory of The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. From this perspective, The Wizard of Oz is merely propaganda designed to manipulate the population in order for the Wizard to maintain power over the people. Remember, history is written by the victors, which is the crux upon which both the novel and the musical are based. We learn the details of Elphaba’s conception and birth, and that she is shunned because of her green skin. From there, we jump to her and her sister Nessarose going off to Shiz University. Here Elphaba meets Galinda, later to be just Glinda. At first, they feel a mutual loathing, but an act of mistaken kindness creates a bond between the two. This moment also unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes.

What’s a musical without a love story or, in this case, a love triangle. They both pine for Fiyero, the Winkie Prince bad boy who isn’t as shallow as he wants everyone to think. Elphaba has a gift for magic, which attracts the attention of the headmistress, Madame Morrible, who begins to teach Elphaba how to use her gift, and at Elphaba’s insistence, Glinda as well. When the Wizard sends word for Elphaba to come see him, Glinda goes with, and they discover the truth behind the curtain. One of the things the Wizard is doing is restricting the rights of Animals, who in this world can speak and even teach at the university level. The novel was published in the mid-1990s and the musical opened on Broadway in 2003, over 20 years ago, and it’s still going strong. When they created the show, I’m sure their intention was to present an allegory that reminded us of our own world’s history, a show meant to caution us against repeating the past. Now, it seems to be speaking directly to the world we somehow find ourselves in. There’s a scene in the second act that seems to reference Eva Perón’s balcony moment in “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from Evita, which itself evokes a fascist regime.

In my previous review of the show, I stated that “the real star of the show are the set design, special effects, lighting, and costumes. All of which are amazing, but they are utilized in the service of the story for the most part, which is really the way it should be. Scenic designer Eugene Lee’s sets are detailed and dazzling. Kenneth Posner, the lighting designer, creates just the right look in every scene, truly enhancing the sets. Projection designer Elaine J. McCarthy and special effects creator Chic Silber work wonderfully together and with the other departments to pull off what is honestly one of the most innovative and evocative shows I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Finally, Tom Watson on wigs and hair and Susan Hilferty as costume designer complete the picture with so many different looks and styles, sometimes borrowing motifs from the past, sometimes creating something that feels wholly original.”

That is all still true, except the part about those elements being the real stars of the show. This time around, the real stars are Claudia Bennett and Aline Mayagoitia, who play Glinda and Elphaba. Bennett particularly gets the humor just right; she is perfect as Glinda, and someone I imagine is going to have a very long career. Mayagoitia rises to the challenge of the show’s most iconic scene, bringing power and passion to “Defying Gravity,” making it not only the high point of the show but of the theater season. They are supported by a solid cast, including Tom McGowan, who played Station Manager Kenny Daly on Frasier, as the Wizard of Oz. That was an unexpected and delightful surprise.

Wicked may seem like the perfect show to take kids to, but it isn’t really. I’d say teenagers and above. It’s set in the land of Oz; there are witches and wizards and tin men and flying monkeys, but it’s also a deeply political show that deals with issues that draw clear parallels to many of today’s concerns, from restrictions of rights to fake news. But for anyone interested in the political side of things, it is a dazzler of a show, with great music, jaw-dropping special effects, and every aspect of the production layering together to create some truly magnificent environments.

Wicked runs through August 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked

Blithe Spirit A Ghostly Comedy Brought Effectively to Life at Theatre in the Round

Cast of Blithe Spirit Photo by Aaron Mark Photo Film

Ever worried about your ex, or your partner’s, coming back into your life? Well, Blithe Spirit takes that concern and doubles down on it, making your own worries seem trivial.

Noel Coward’s classic comedy follows novelist Charles Condomine, who invites a quirky psychic named Madame Arcati over for a séance as research for his next book. What could go wrong? Well, she accidentally summons the ghost of his first wife. And only he can see her.

What follows is a delightfully chaotic battle between the living and the dead, as Charles’ current wife, Ruth, finds herself competing with a very present ex, Elvira, who refuses to move on. Witty, fast, even at two hours and 45 minutes, and deliciously ridiculous, Blithe Spirit is a supernatural farce where the afterlife has better comedic timing than most of the living.

As Charles Condomine, James Lane seems to have completed his transition from supporting player to lead. I’ve been seeing Lane in productions all over town for years now, and his two performances this year, a supporting role in Grumpy Old Men: The Musical and the lead here, are among his best. This is a big role, and Lane makes it look easy, with perfect timing not only in his line delivery but also in his reactions to the characters around him.

As the two wives, Megan Blakeley as Ruth and Dani Pazurek as Elvira take very different approaches to their roles. Blakeley has great timing in her appalled reactions to Charles’ comments, which are directed at Elvira but assumed to be meant for her. Her slide into haggard despair at the constant presence of the deceased wife is well modulated. she primarily reacts to the world around her. In contrast, Pazurek is effortlessly superior as the ghost, able to criticize her replacement without fear of retort, since Ruth cannot hear her. She plays the role as a character above everyone else, she makes her statements and lets others react, free from their worries. She’s dead; she can focus only on what she wants, without fear of consequences.

I have seen and greatly enjoyed the David Lean film adaptation from 1945, particularly the role of Madame Arcati, played by one of my favorite character actors of all time, Margaret Rutherford, who also originated the role in its West End premiere. Janice Stone plays the role here and very much makes it her own. She is spry and full of eccentric energy, and she pulls off the difficult task of making me forget Rutherford’s performance to become a highlight of the show.

The supporting cast is also very good. Dr. George Bradman and his wife Violet, who are part of the original séance, are played by David Rinzema and Lori Constable. Constable, in particular, adds a twinkle to her character reminiscent of the great character roles of the 1930s and ’40s. Hailey Zeissler plays Edith, the perpetually high-strung maid, with the perfect deer-in-the-headlights combination of panic and stunned indecision.

Dann Peterson directs the show with an assuredness that comes from having helmed 27 productions for TRP. The play is well suited for the in-the-round space, with Elvira constantly circling the stage, leading to moments where those who can’t see her are conversing with the empty space she just occupied. Thomas L. Valach adorns the space with a well designed set, complete with French windows from which Elvira can make her spectral entrance.

It’s a very fun play and a wonderful conclusion to another great season from Theatre in the Round. I look forward to their next, the 75th season, which is filled with great shows, all with a Minnesota connection. Read about next season here, season flex passes go on sale June 23rd!

Blithe Spirit runs through July 12th at Theatre in the Round. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.theatreintheround.org/blithespirit/

Monty Python’s Spamalot At The Ordway Can’t Compete With Classic Film, It Works Best When It Goes Its Own Way

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Monty Python’s Spamalot is a stage musical adaptation of the British comedy troupe Monty Python’s film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It doesn’t compare to the brilliance of that film, at least for this lifelong fan of everything Monty Python. That isn’t to say it’s bad, but the film has set a very high bar.

For me, the evening started off on the wrong foot, as it seemed that the sound was not balanced well. I had trouble hearing the vocals, even dialogue, if there was music playing as well. Struggling to hear a fun show is no fun. I’m not sure if adjustments were made during the show or if my ears were able to tune in to the actors better over the course of the evening, but I struggled less as the night wore on. Perhaps for that reason, perhaps for others, I found Act “Moo” to be much more enjoyable.

The main contributing factor, aside from the sound issue, for the second act’s success was that it seemed to deviate more from the film. When you know a film as well as I do this show’s source, it’s hard to get too excited about line readings that aren’t as good as the original. That’s no knock on the cast, I don’t think many actors would fare well in comparison to Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. It’s not really fair to compare them, but when you are saying the same lines they did, it’s also hard not to. The best parts of the show were when they incorporated new material. The show’s book and lyrics are by original Python member Eric Idle, so the additional material feels like it belongs.

As for the parts lifted straight from the film, it’s a testament to how well written the film was that some sections still get big laughs. But there is something that works against a show when, while you are watching it, you are thinking about the superior version. I wish Idle had taken more license to create something fresher. I think 50% less original material would have allowed the truly classic bits, the ones you can’t leave out, to feel like welcome nuggets of nostalgia rather than long sections of straight screen-to-stage translation.

So the big criticisms are the sound balance and the unenviable task of actors who have to take on such iconic material, a losing battle for anyone. That said, let me also say that I really liked the cast. It isn’t their fault they are not John Cleese or Graham Chapman. A standout for me was Major Attaway as King Arthur; one of his best moments is the song “I’m All Alone,” both vocally and comedically. Another is Amanda Robles, who plays the Lady of the Lake. She delivers some seriously funny, but also vocally impressive, moments that really brought the house down.There is a song where she does snatches of other songs that’s quite funny. Another successful bit, is a scene that pokes fun at the idea of making this film into a musical by replicating a moment from Phantom of the Opera. A nice Easter egg for fans of musical theater.

The production design by Paul Tate DePoo III relies heavily on some well-used projections. DePoo similarly utilized projections to even greater effect in The Great Gatsby, which played the Orpheum last week. I do think part of me was hoping for a little more stage magic, but when I thought about it, this is more in keeping with the film’s small budget, and I think the design approach is ultimately the right choice for the show.

Monty Python’s Spamalot runs through June 14th at The Ordway Center for Performing Arts in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://ordway.org/events/spamalot/

Gorgons Take off the Kid Gloves at Yellow Tree Theatre

Christina Baldwin and Jamie White Jachimiec Photos by Alex Clark

Gorgons by Don Nigro is clearly a fictional take on the feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and the making of their late-career classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? But in this telling, Bette is named Mildred and Joan is named Ruth, and the film they are making is called Gorgons. Why? I don’t know, maybe for legal reasons, though if someone really wanted to sue over this, I don’t think you’d have too hard a time convincing a jury whom the play is based on. But maybe it’s because, for the ending, it decides to veer into Once Upon a Time in Hollywood territory. I’m not implying there is a flamethrower or anything, it’s much more subtle, but it begins with the Academy Awards, a scene that definitely did not happen in real life.

The play is 90 minutes of two strong-willed actors trading brilliantly comic insults back and forth. I don’t know if it matters or not in terms of enjoyment, but I relished all the little Easter eggs that any student of film history, particularly the workings of the studio system and the gossip surrounding these two legends, is likely to catch. In a certain way, this is sheer entertainment, and if that’s all you get out of it, you’ll go home a happy camper. But there is also a message here about the way society encourages women to compete against each other, and I suspect that was one element that attracted director Austene Van to the material. Austene is someone who does not prescribe to the concept that the way to get ahead or succeed is by putting others down. She is of the “raise others up, because we all do better when we all do better” school of thinking, a school I’m happy to be a fellow graduate of.

Nigro, who just passed away last February, is noted as being among the most widely produced and published playwrights in the world, with nearly 500 plays to his credit. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before tonight. is not that strange? Frankly, if they are all as well written as this is, I’m not sure why I’ve not come across one before now. Of course, as well written, sharp, and witty as it is, this one relies heavily on a cast who can do it justice. Both actors, Christina Baldwin in the Bette Davis (like) role and Jamie White Jachimiec in the Joan Crawfordish role, are up to the task. They know just how to sling an insult through a smile, and exactly when to drop the facade and just tear into the other. Watching them is like watching Benedick and Beatrice trade barbs, but without the underlying sexual tension, or is it about lesbians?

White Jachimiec has the slightly less showy role. If you’ve seen Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, you’ll know that Crawford plays the sane sister, while Davis is the full on cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs sibling. She tries to capture Crawford, but it mostly comes down to the eyebrows; otherwise, she might as well just be playing an actress named Ruth, which, actually, she is, so it works. The only thing that makes that less effective than really seeing Crawford in her is the fact that Christina Baldwin absolutely nails Bette Davis. Granted, there is makeup and wigs used in aid of the transformation, but it is also the cadence of her voice and the way she moves around the stage. It’s kind of uncanny, but in a way that isn’t distracting but entrancing. The strange thing is, if you’d asked me to cast this show with local actors, I might have hit upon Baldwin for Crawford, but Davis never would have occurred to me. I’d have probably cast Sally Wingert, who I’m sure would be good, but I doubt anyone could surpass Baldwin in this role. To quote Kim Carnes, “She’s got Bette Davis eyes.”

This is a fast-paced, inside Hollywood comedy, with the perfect amount of genuine emotion sprinkled in to remind us that some of their bluster is meant to mask their inner wounds. Fans of old Hollywood, great acting, sharp tongued strong women, and fantasy revisionism of history will find Gorgons a delight.

Gorgons runs through June 21st at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://yellowtreetheatre.com/gorgons-1