The Orpheum Theatre is Alive With The Sound of Music in This Fantastic Production, Highly Recommended!

Kevin Earley (Captain Georg von Trapp) with the von Trapp Children (with guitar) Ariana Ferch (Liesl), (seated) Luciana VanDette (Gretl). Also pictured: Haddie Mac (Brigitta), Ruby Caramore (Marta), Benjamin Stasiek (Kurt), Eli Vander Griend (Friedrich), Ava Davis (Louisa) in The Sound of Music. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

A strange thing happened as I sat in the theater tonight watching the touring company of The Sound of Music. A wave of nostalgia washed over me, and unlike the typical wave that comes and goes, it stayed with me. I’m not sure my eyes ever fully dried; they just kept leaking. Why was this? There is something about art that affects us in a unique way, particularly those works that are our gateways.

The film version of The Sound of Music was a yearly viewing event in my family’s house. Beginning in 1979, NBC began airing the film yearly, usually in February. I can clearly remember the first time I saw it during the 1979 broadcast. I was seven years old. It wasn’t my first film musical; I’m sure that was The Wizard of Oz, but I honestly don’t think of that as a musical for some odd reason, because clearly it is. But it’s a children’s fantasy first and foremost. The Sound of Music was an adult film, and everything about it moved me profoundly.

For years, I thought the dance between Liesl and Rolf during “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” was the most beautiful dancing I’d ever seen. I think Charmian Carr, who played Liesl, was my first celebrity crush. Little did my seven-year-old brain know that by that time, she wasn’t just nine years older than me, surely a number we could work through, but by the time I saw the film, she was 30 years older than me.

So tonight, I think all of those memories, of staying up way past my bedtime, of falling in love with Liesl, of that wonderful dance, and of all those beautiful songs, flooded back into my heart. I was reminded of that first pure love of a musical, long before I had a critical eye with which to view things. I don’t know that any other musical could have had as deep an impact as this one did. Tonight, I was reminded of all of that, and I think I was weeping for all of the reasons above, but also because I had been reminded of my love of the musical as an art form. These songs are like old friends, and seeing the show felt like coming home.

I think for some, The Sound of Music falls under the heading of shows they know well and think they don’t need to see again. To that, I would simply say: You’ve heard Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell a bunch of times. Does that mean you never need to hear it again? Of course not! And that’s why my fellow bloggers and I go and see shows we’ve already seen productions of, because the great shows are like a favorite album. They are a joy to revisit, and they remind you of who you were when you first saw them. Each production is like hearing something new on a well-known album.

Now, fans of the film who have never seen a stage production may also be surprised by several differences. There are two songs in the stage musical that do not appear in the film. They flesh out the roles of Max and Elsa. Truth be told, they were no real loss from the film. But all the songs you know and love from the film are here, though sometimes not when you expect them to appear. “My Favorite Things,” for example, is sung by Maria and Mother Abbess before Maria leaves the Abbey. Missing from the stage musical is “I Have Confidence,” which was written for the film. Oddly, “Something Good,” which was also written for the film, does appear in this version in place of the original song “An Ordinary Couple.”

The changes are ones we note mentally and then let wash over us. They work where they are, just as they worked in the film, where director Robert Wise and screenwriter Ernest Lehman moved them to. There is very little in this production that doesn’t work. It was not just nostalgia that provoked the reactions I was having; it was also a response to this production.

One of the standout elements is the scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt. Something as simple as following Mother Abbess through the Abbey in the opening is made dynamic by the set pieces that move along with her. The transitions are expertly timed and executed by director Jack O’Brien and the stage management team. There are some gorgeous backdrops, and the final set piece, depicting the grounds of the Abbey and the mountains the von Trapp family escapes Austria by climbing over (which they actually do in the show), is brilliantly designed.

The children are all great, as is Kevin Earley as Captain von Trapp. Ariana Ferch, who plays Liesl, is a standout. She is constantly adding little movements that give the character added awareness and depth. When she first plays the guitar in front of her father, sensing his protest, she moves forward in a way that conveys a new sense of defiance and agency, it’s silent, but it speaks volumes.

Lisa Howard plays Mother Abbess with a stunning voice that brings the theater alive with the sound of music. The real stunner, though, was Sydney K. Borchers as Maria, who is in as the understudy. It’s hard not to think we lucked out in getting the understudy, because it’s hard to imagine anyone playing the role better.

Borchers is absolutely a revelation in the role. This is Maria as we know and love her, but she’s also different. There is a freshness, a youthfulness, possibly even a slightly more modern edge to her. No, “edge” is the wrong word. She is not edgy in the slightest; she is sweet, good, loving, joyful, wise, all of those things, but without any of the cornier aspects those words summon.

I’d love to see this production again while it’s in town, but I’d be worried we wouldn’t have Borchers, and at this moment, I have no desire to see anyone else in that role. She is that good. Watching her, I completely forgot Julie Andrews’ performance, and that is really saying something, as Andrews is so ingrained in my mind as Maria.

There was just one casting choice that was all wrong: Dylan Bradford, who plays Rolf. He is supposed to be 17; Liesl is 16, and Ferch looks like she could easily be 16. I’m sure she is really in her twenties, but she doesn’t look it. Bradford looks 34, and it feels weird and just pulls you right out of the play for a moment. You can cast someone who’s 34, but they need to at least be able to pass for 17-ish.

Fans of The Sound of Music, don’t sit back and let this one come and go. Grab your tickets; you will not be disappointed. If you are a fan of musicals but haven’t ever seen The Sound of Music, it’s a musical you absolutely need to see, and this is probably the best stage version you’ll ever see.

The Sound of Music runs through October 25 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to Hennepin Arts.

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Lizzie The Rock Musical Returns to Take Another Whack at Open Eye Theatre MUST SEE PRODUCTION

Grace Hillmyer and Lux Mortenson Photo by Bruce Silcox

Last year Open Eye Theatre struck gold with Lizzie: The Rock Musical; it sold out the entire extended run. Its popularity was so strong that the decision was made very early on to bring it back this year, locking in the same amazing cast. I loved the show so much last year that I went back for a second time, a luxury I can rarely afford to do with my schedule. This October is very busy, and I’m going to have to miss a week or two of shows in the middle of it, but there was no way I was going to skip this show even though I saw it twice last year. It’s that good.

Last year I declared that this one is an all-time favorite, and that holds true more than ever. It’s like a Wes Anderson movie: it gets better every time I see it. Lizzie: The Rock Musical is the high we theater junkies chase. When every element, from music and lighting to performance and design, collides at the intersection of awe and adrenaline. Like last year, I left the theater absolutely buzzing. Tonight, as I left the theater, I had the same thought I did the previous two times: I want to go again!

You may not know what to expect from a musical about the infamous Lizzie Borden, who was acquitted in 1892 of the axe murders of her father and stepmother. Open Eye Theatre’s program describes it as a “Victorian punk homage” to the notorious figure, and that fits perfectly. It’s important to understand that this is a fictionalized retelling of the true-crime story, inspired in part by the childhood rhyme:

Lizzie Borden took an axe
Gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
Gave her father forty-one.

The musical assumes Lizzie’s guilt, as does pretty much everyone throughout history. It suggests her father’s “affection” may have crossed unsettling boundaries. It also explores a romantic relationship between Lizzie and her friend Alice Russell, what Lord Alfred Douglas once called “the love that dare not speak its name.” Amid all the blood and thunder, it’s the softer songs between Lizzie and Alice that linger. Numbers like “Will You Stay” and the haunting “Will You Lie?,” which is a response to the former, offer moments of tenderness, grace, and humanity that add layers to the characters.

Grace Hillmyer, Lux Mortenson, Abilene Olson, and Marley Ritchie Photo by Bruce Silcox

Lux Mortenson plays Lizzie in a ferocious, take-no-prisoners performance. They slay every moment and every song. Their chemistry with Stages of MN favorite Grace Hillmyer as Alice is electric: their scenes are tender, tentative, and deeply moving. Mortenson’s powerhouse energy drives the show like a drumbeat, while Hillmyer’s quiet strength and lyrical vulnerability provide the emotional melody. Abilene Olson as Lizzie’s sister Emma and Marley Ritchie as the family’s servant Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan complete the quartet with precision and presence. This cast is so perfectly aligned that future productions will inevitably pale in comparison. I’m so grateful that Open Eye was able to secure the entire cast from last year. I cannot imagine it with anyone else in the roles.

Helping elevate Lizzie to such heights is Joel Sass, who serves as both director and set designer. Open Eye Theatre consistently delivers exceptional design work, and Sass’s design is another example of its excellence. Michael Murnane’s lighting design adds a striking atmosphere, while Amanda Weis’s music direction ensures a tight, thunderous sound from the band. This is a small theater, but it’s a big sound coming through, and it’s also exceptionally clean sounding. Samantha Haddow’s costumes beautifully balance period detail with punk-rock attitude. The result is a production that’s a full sensory feast, sights, sounds, and emotion working in perfect harmony.

When Lizzie makes her final rockin’ entrance and the rock anthem swells, there is a shot of electricity that goes through the entire theater. In that moment, we are all one, sharing the kind of communal experience you rarely get, and that is unique to smaller intimate venues like Open Eye. I had the telltale Stages of MN tear sliding down my cheek. This is joy, and it wasn’t just me. You could tell by watching them that the cast was having a blast, too, and loving the audience’s reaction.

What is it about this show? From the moment they enter the stage wearing those creepy-as-hell doll masks, I’m all in! Maybe it’s the music, which definitely has a late-’70s, early-’80s vibe. There is a Jim Steinman feel to some of Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt’s songs. It doesn’t simply rock, it fuckin’ rocks like a Bat Out of Hell!

You know how the Guthrie puts on A Christmas Carol every year, it’s a Twin Cities tradition right? Can we get Open Eye to do that with Lizzie every October? Because chances are I’m not going to have this same high until I see it again. Though, of course, I’ll keep trying. I’ll keep chasing the dragon, and I’ll be sure to let you know where you can get your fix.

Lizzie: The Rock Musical runs through November 1 at Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.openeyetheatre.org/lizzie-the-rock-musical. But don’t wait. I’d be very surprised if many, if not all, of the performances sell out again this year. There probably isn’t a better musical to see in the Twin Cities this entire month, probably the rest of the year that this!

Head Over Heals From Minneapolis Musical Theatre Has the Beat @ LUSH, So Much Fun You’ll Think You’re On Vacation

Head Over Heels is a musical that could easily lead you down the internet rabbit hole. I started down it myself before I came to my senses. It is a musical featuring the songs of The Go-Go’s and Belinda Carlisle. It is based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney, though the playbill doesn’t reflect whether it is The Old Arcadia or The New Arcadia. This 16th-century literary landmark also inspired some of Shakespeare’s work as well. And I think it’s fair to say that Shakespeare inspired some of the dialogue in this show. The show was conceived and the original book written by Jeff Whitty and then adapted by James Magruder. Just Google every other word of the above and spend a fascinating three to five hours on Wikipedia. You’re welcome, or I’m sorry, depending on how you feel about those lost hours.

So what is Head Over Heels? I can sum it up in two words: a blast! Is it Les Mis, Hamilton, or even Mamma Mia? Oh, Lord, no. It’s the music of The Go-Go’s, who were an iconic 1980s band, but they had like four songs you can remember. The level of recognizable songs grows to six when you add in Carlisle’s solo career contributions. This has to be the thinnest catalog of songs to ever spawn a jukebox musical. To be fair, the six songs are really bitchin’. And honestly, most of the songs worked well; they just weren’t familiar to this teenager of the ’80s.

The story is as follows. In the kingdom of Arcadia, a royal family discovers that love, gender, and identity don’t always follow the rules. When a series of prophecies from the non-binary Oracle Pythio start coming true, they realize the kingdom is in danger of losing its magical “Beat.” Add disguises, mistaken identities, and forbidden romances, and you have a queer Shakespearean comedy with an ’80s sensibility and a late-2000s social conscience. In the end, Arcadia learns that maybe the best way to save the kingdom is to stop worrying so much about who people are supposed to be and let them be who they are.

The queer nature of the musical makes LUSH Lounge & Theater in Northeast Minneapolis the perfect venue. The acoustics, to be honest, are not ideal, but that is made up for by the unique staging, which has cast members not only playing out along a long stage protruding phallically into the audience like a fashion-show runway, but they also enter, exit, and sometimes dance through the audience. This is a small mainstage, and it was a wise choice for Director Kari Steinbach to utilize the runway and block the characters out in amongst the audience. It allows for the show to open up. Choreographer Michael Terrell Brown, who has been doing some really exciting work out at Lyric Arts lately, faces the spacing challenge and comes out the victor. The movement is very fun, and the cast does a great job of not looking like they are crowded on the stage.

The cast is filled with folks I’m not familiar with; only two members of the cast are ones I know I’ve seen multiple times. I am always surprised when I come across someone I didn’t know by name who’s really good, and there were several folks here who were too good to have flown under the radar. There are essentially two would-be couples, the two princesses and their loves. Each of the quartet has some really strong moments. But we all know lists of who was great get old quick, so I’m going to hold myself to a moment that, amidst all the fun and energy of the show, caught me spellbound.

It’s toward the end, when Philoclea thinks her love has been killed. Ellie Turk, who plays the character, sings “Here You Are.” This is a show where you are always looking around; there is always something happening on or off stage, and then all at once you are instantly zeroed in on Turk. Her voice is perfect for this song, her performance draws your focus immediately, and you simply cannot take your eyes off of her. It’s a goosebumps moment.

There are a lot of standout moments in this show. Sometimes it’s the vocals on a song; sometimes it’s the hilarious performances from the cast. Is it RENT? No, but it isn’t trying to be. It had a Broadway run, but where this was always really meant to be performed were venues like LUSH, where the audience is loose and ready to have a good time. Children of the ’80s will have a blast remembering some of these songs and have acid-washed-jeans-induced flashbacks to some of the ’80s aesthetic. It’s one of those shows you need to see with a crowd, and one of those where you are tempted during the end number to get up and dance along.

Head Over Heels is an infectiously fun musical with an upbeat 1980s new-wave pop vibe that’s totally rad! This is the show that’s perfect to go out to with a bunch of friends. You’ll have such a great time that you’ll decide to make it a monthly thing. It’s also a great show for the LGBTQ+ readers among you; it has some beautiful messaging about love and gender.

Head Over Heals runs through October 10th at LUSH Lounge & Theater in NE Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.aboutmmt.org/2026-27/

Bull In a China Shop a Free Play From Fortune’s Fool Theatre at the Hive is Worth Every Penny and Then Some

Victoria Pyan as Mary Woolley Photos by Ariel Lopez

Bull in a China Shop by Bryna Turner is a wonderful historical play about Mary Woolley, who was the president of Mount Holyoke College from 1900 to 1937. The play focuses heavily on her relationship with Jeannette Marks, a former student who was her partner until the end of her life.

An amazingly accomplished woman, Woolley was the first female student to attend Brown University. The play, however, confines itself to the timeframe from her decision to accept the position at Holyoke through her retirement. The play is a forum in which women’s rights can be highlighted within the historical context of the time. The verbal debates between Woolley and Marks showcase the women’s intelligence and their strategies. Marks’ idealism doesn’t outshine Woolley’s, but Woolley’s is tempered by a maturity that comes from being 12 years older and holding the position of president of the college. Turner’s play uses the relationship between Woolley and Marks and their discussions to engage us emotionally, as well as to teach us about their goals for women.

We have two very strong performances. Ariel Pinkerton, who along with her dad, Dan, is the co-producing Artistic Director of Fortune’s Fool Theatre, she plays Marks. Marks is idealistic and uncompromising. She says what she believes and suffers no fools. I think this casting was a no-brainer; this character fits Pinkerton like a glove in temperament. There are also moments, such as when she is contemplating a relationship with a student, where Pinkerton expertly shows us the uncertainty and inner struggle the character is facing.

The real surprise is Victoria Pyan as Woolley. I’ve sat and chatted with Pyan at Fringe shows and seen her work with the Improv Movement Project, and possibly some smaller roles here and there, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen her carry a play. She doesn’t just carry it, she throws it over her shoulder and marches away with it.

Pyan plays Woolley as an intellectual, always calmly leading conversations logically, guiding others toward the logical conclusions as she sees them. There are two moments when Pyan allows Woolley to show unrestrained emotion, and those moments, one explosive and another subtle, are powerfully played. They highlight Pyan as a truly talented performer who we should be seeing onstage more.

The show is directed by one of my favorite theatermakers. Whether she is performing with The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society or Unlabeled Theater, or directing as she is here, Shanan Custer always brings out the best in the material and her cast. This is no exception. The show flies by, but where we are and what is happening is never in doubt. The direction is clear, and the moments where ideas are shared do not seem preachy, but logical, conversational, and inevitable.

Fortune’s Fool Theatre offers this production to everyone FREE of charge so that anyone can attend. I joke in the headline that it is worth every penny. The truth is, if they were charging $45 a ticket, it would still be worth every penny.

You can support Fortune’s Fool Theatre in producing more works like this by donating at https://bit.ly/DonateFFT

Bull in a China Shop runs through September 27th at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. For more information and to reserve tickets go to Bull at Hive

Merrily We Roll Along at Lyric Arts is a Chance to See This Sondheim Musical That is Having it’s Moment Live!

Noah Hynick, Brendan Veerman, and Maureen O’Malley Photo by Dan Norman

Stephen Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along is having a moment. 2023 saw the Off-Broadway revival transfer to Broadway, starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. You can actually stream a recording of that revival, which was released theatrically in 2025. There is also a feature film in the works from director Richard Linklater, who is shooting it over a 20-year period so that the actors can age with the characters. It began shooting in 2019, so watch for that in 2039 or 2040. Tickets are not on sale yet. I recommend not waiting for the film and getting out to see it at Lyric Arts.

This is not one of Sondheim’s better-known works. In fact, it was a bit of a flop when it made its Broadway debut in 1981. To be fair to audiences then, it has been extensively rewritten since. So what we see now is not what the 1981 audience saw that caused the show to close after 16 performances. This version buries that reputation and allows fans to experience what a musical would look like if Christopher Nolan directed one.

Merrily We Roll Along’s book is by George Furth, with music and lyrics by the late, great Stephen Sondheim. The story is told in reverse chronological order, following the relationships and careers of three friends: Frank and Charley, who collaborate on musicals together, and Mary, who is a writer. So we start with a Hollywood party celebrating the release of Frank’s new movie. His old friend Mary is there, and they discuss their friend Charley, who does not appear, as he and Frank are estranged. Mary drinks too much, it’s revealed that Frank is having an affair, and he and his wife are not happy together. Ultimately, Frank declares that if he could go back to the beginning to write with Charley and give all his success up, he would, because he’s not happy.

Each successive scene is a time jump backwards. We see the moments that destroyed friendships and marriages, and then we see the ones that began to fracture them. The play ends with the moment that Charley and Frank met Mary for the first time.

In a way, this feels like Sondheim’s commentary on the musical form. He has the theatrical producer Joe comment on Frank and Charley’s musical audition, saying that they need to add a melody to the songs, give the audience something to hum and tap their toes to. This attitude is presented as the sellout commercial view. Frank and Charley’s songs reflect Sondheim’s own approach to music, which is far more complex than verse, bridge, chorus.

The structure is a 50-year-old realist’s version of the way to give your show a happy ending. The older we get, the more we come to terms with, like the characters in Merrily We Roll Along, what our life has been and what it’s leading towards. Rarely do we realize all of our ambitions; rarely does our love life play out like the great romance we envision when it begins.

The way to achieve the happy ending that a musical audience wants, but maintain the reality of the world, is to tell it in reverse. In the movies, the climax is the high point of the story. In life, we find, as we look back, that most of the exciting stuff was the beginnings. What’s more exciting, the first kiss or the 2001st? Why do so many people who achieve success seem to feel unsatisfied? Because it is the effort to succeed that is exciting. The success is the end, it’s a period at the end of an exciting sentence that you thought would be an exclamation point.

It begins with the old, disillusioned, drunk, and absent, then ends with the young, idealistic, and hopeful. It’s the age-old cautionary story of the cost of success. Frank is successful at the beginning, but at the cost of many things, most dearly of which is happiness.

The show has a great trio leading the cast. Brendan Veerman as Frank was in good voice. I really enjoyed his quieter moments of song, such as in “Not a Day Goes By (Reprise)” and the final song, “Our Time.”

It appears that Lyric Arts has renewed their contract on Noah Hynick. It’s a smart move, as it will keep people coming out from the city to see his performances. Hynick plays Charley and does what he always does, which is make it his own. No one reacts or speaks dialogue quite like Hynick. There is always something special in everything he seems to do. It’s subtle, but constant. I’ve dubbed it the Hynick Nuance. He’s great as always, which may sound boring, but it isn’t.

But the big question, and not even the folks at Lyric Arts seem to know the answer to, is: Who is Maureen O’Malley, who plays Mary? The program says, “Bio coming soon?” I’m sure I’ve seen her before in one of the Christmas at Pemberley plays. Well, whoever she is, she does a great job, particularly in conveying her unrequited love for Frank, which is apparent in every glance.

There are several other familiar faces in the cast that it’s always nice to see, including Emily Grodzik, Steven Ramirez, and France A. Roberts. Also great to see Faith Winship Smith and Nykeigh Larson, both of whom I feel like we haven’t seen much from lately, but have always been notable additions to any cast.

Merrily We Roll Along is a very good production of a less well-known Sondheim work that is enjoying a well-deserved reappraisal. Engaging, funny, moving, and thought-provoking, it makes us confront our own unfulfilled dreams but also gives us that all-important happy ending.

Merrily We Roll Along runs through October 4th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. Make the trip; you won’t be sorry. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.lyricarts.org/merrily-we-roll-along

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle Will Only Be Bouncing Around Artistry’s Black Box Theater Thru 9/20

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle celebrates its 10th anniversary with a short run at Artistry in Bloomington. Max Wojtanowicz, who wrote and performs the show, began performing it in 2016. The show is about Max’s battle with testicular cancer. Wojtanowicz is a favorite of, well, probably everyone who has ever seen him perform or worked with him. He’s a walking encyclopedia of musical theater, a gifted actor and vocalist, and if anyone could make a show about testicular cancer shine, it’s him. But it does more than shine. It encourages the audience to internalize it and, in a way, allows it to become a cathartic outlet for their own story.

The show deals with the specifics, which allow it to become universal. One detail here and another detail there will ring true to different audience members. By the end of the show, we have all found something to relate to.

Originally a show at the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival, Wojtanowicz gives us a few winks and a couple of saucy signals, but keeps it at a PG-13 level. Which is good, because it means you don’t need to feel any hesitation about bringing your teenage sons to the show. Because the point is to help others either discover they need treatment or show them how you can get through it, you just have to make a start.

And Wojtanowicz knows exactly how to make that message land. He’ll make you laugh, think, feel, then laugh again. It’s ultimately a genuinely uplifting experience, but not in the sweet and sugary way. It gets there through humor and honesty. And song, one of it’s biggest selling points is surely not just the chance to listen to Max sing, but to sing about his testicles.

This is a very special show with a very short run. Only five performances remain, so don’t miss this remount of Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle. It’s a show about cancer, loss, survival, and finding your way forward, and somehow, it’s also a hell of a good time.

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle runs through September 20th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://artistrymn.org/ball

MN Fringe Festival Day 5! Glengarry Glen Elvis, Maxxeapolis Goes to Hell, A Magician, The Importance of Living (The Stages of MN Fringe of the day Award Winner)

Day five of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and I have four more reviews to share with you, faithful readers. As you plan your Fringe, I hope you are finding them useful, especially The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winners. Go to the Minnesota Fringe website here: https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026 to get the scoop on all of this year’s shows. As I do every year, I’ll be posting short reviews of every show I see as fast as I can, including my daily naming of The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winner.

You know, try as I might, I can’t see everything, but it’s not for lack of trying. So I encourage you to also follow my colleagues at http://www.cherryandspoon.com/ and https://letteredintheatre.wordpress.com/. You can also access all of the shows on the fabulous new theater website of the Twin Cities, 79 Seconds on Stage, at https://79seconds.org/. This site is a marvel; if you haven’t checked it out yet, you need to.

Glengarry Glen Elvis is a parody of the David Mamet play Glengarry Glen Ross. I saw the film adaptation in theaters, but that must be over 30 years ago, and I’ve never seen the play performed on stage. But it felt very Mamet, aside from one character, Sebastian, either being Elvis or being obsessed with Elvis. I’m not prepared to say which I think it is. Sebastian is played by the writer of the show, Michael Shaeffer, whom I’m sure started with the idea of a show he could do to showcase his Elvis singing skills. Mamet is not an obvious choice, and honestly, I think you could do this with a lot of different plays. The marriage between the two isn’t quite as organic as these types of mash-ups sometimes are. But it doesn’t matter; the Mamet part is well executed. Particularly spot-on is the performance of Andrew D. Artley as Ricky Roma. And the Elvis song interludes that Sebastian launches into at the slightest provocation rock. Shaeffer does a great job working the crowd and performing the songs. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think you will too.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/glengarry-glen-elvis

Maxxeapolis Goes to Hell is a sketch comedy show in which the members of the show arrive in Hell. Their only chance of escape is for Satan to approve of their show, so this better be the best one they’ve ever done! I’m a fan of the format, but I don’t remember ever having seen one live on stage outside of The Brave New Workshop. I really enjoyed this group of performers, and I thought the writing was very smart. There might be one or two sketches that don’t fully work out of the dozen or more they present. But if you think about it, that blows SNL’s batting average out of the water. I didn’t know anyone in the cast aside from Alex Stokes, who I’ve long thought was underused in the Twin Cities. This is the perfect format for his talents, in fact all of them seem to be perfect for this style of comedy. I’m not sure if this troupe, Maxxeapolis, is a group that performs sketch comedy together in other places or not. If anyone knows, please let me know. I’d love to check them out again in the future. If you find yourself regularly tuning in to SNL for the couple of sketches a week that work, you will love this!

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/maxxeapolis-goes-to-hell

A Magician is a magic show that has magician Jordan Rooks, who has worked with all of the great magicians, telling his own story as he amazes the audience with the things he has up his sleeves. The storytelling part is fairly interesting. The magic act has a couple of WTFHTHDHDT? moments. For those unfamiliar, that’s “what the fudge, how the heck did he do that?” Others are a little underwhelming, and a couple seem to have gone slightly askew. Overall, if you are a magic enthusiast, you’ll want to check it out; if you’re not into magic, it’s probably a skip. But for many, when you trek to these outlying theaters, it’s about staying in the same place for a few shows. If this makes sense because you are at Open Eye already, you’ll have a good time. I actually found talking with Rooks after the show to be as interesting as the show, so if you have time afterwards visit with him.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/a-magician

The Importance of Living is the Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winner! This play stars two of The Stages of MN favorites, Ariel Pinkerton and Tim Uren. Uren, who also wrote the script, plays Samuel, who comes across Louise, played by Pinkerton, the producer of the show. He finds her enjoying a meal and reading a book, and he engages her in conversation. He begins by telling her a story, and they ease into an easy give-and-take, trading stories of their lives. Both of them have done a little murdering, it seems. Where they are and if they are both really there is one of many details revealed over the hour. Like Uren’s previous scripts, this is very literary; the language is specific and filled with detail and nuance. Both Uren and Pinkerton do delicious accents, and it’s a joy just listening to them play with the dialogue. The text is filled with dark humor, and as I learned reading the program, both of their characters and their exploits are real. So true-crime fans, take note: this is one for you, or anyone who loves a great story, well acted. It is directed by Duck Washington, who, as the Executive Director of the Twin Cities Horror Festival, knows his way around a dark tale. This is a devilishly dark two-hander that I highly recommend.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/the-importance-of-living