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/

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 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.

My Antonia Reveals Itself in World Premiere as a Beautiful New Musical at Theater Latté Da

Will Dusek and Sara Masterson Photo by Dan Norman

The World Premiere of the new musical My Ántonia at Theater Latté Da is one of the best new musicals I’ve seen in some time. Intimate, inviting, full of memorable songs, and featuring a knockout cast, this feels like a show that should have long legs. It opens with the audience feeling like part of the show, with cast members standing among us as they set the scene of the Nebraska prairie of the late 1800s. We hear the birds and the crickets, the sounds of nature coming alive as the cast sings the prologue.

The novel, which is told in the first person and is semi-autobiographical, translates surprisingly well to the stage. In order to maintain that first-person perspective, we have the main character, Jim, run into Willa in a bar in New York City. They reminisce about the old days, and in particular Ántonia. We then flash back to Jim, recently orphaned, on a train from the East to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. On the train is the Shimerda family, immigrants from Bohemia who will be his neighbors. Young Jim befriends their daughter Ántonia, who is a couple of years older than him. They spend their days together, and he teaches her to speak English. They have a beautiful song that deals with their introduction and the beginning of Jim teaching her the language, called “Name, What Name.” It is the first inkling that the music in this musical might be something special.

We see the characters at different stages of their lives, with Jim and Ántonia being played at different ages by three different pairs of actors. What worked extremely well was the framing device of the forty-something Jim and Willa, who pop in and out of the narrative throughout the show. It allows us the emotional connection that comes as the characters move forward from memory into the present. Who among us cannot relate to thinking back on the past, to that person who slipped away out of our lives, the one we see now that could have been the one we were destined for? We feel certain of it now, but there was usually a reason things went another way. Still, when it comes to memory, nothing is quite as emotionally potent as unrequited or unexpressed love.

This is one of those shows where the cast is so good that if you try to limit how many performers you’ll mention, you won’t even get to Sally Wingert and Bradley Greenwald, who in supporting roles do what they are so skilled at doing, punching those small moments, those little asides, just perfectly. With two of The Stages of MN favorites, Tom Reed and the limitlessly talented Em Adam Rosenberg, as the older Jim and Willa, in a genuinely funny scene beginning the tale, you realize that you’re going to have to breeze through the performers or you’ll be up all night. For the record, Reed and Rosenberg are outstanding; both bring the emotions home in the final moments of the show that, yep, had ol’ Rob in tears again. Damn you, Rosenberg. Every time, really? Honestly, is that necessary?

Right out of the gate we have Lillian Hochman and Maddox Tabalba, who play the youngest Ántonia and Jimmy. Hochman is probably older than the 14 she appears to be, but I’m fairly certain that Tabalba is in the ballpark of young Jimmy’s age, which I’d guess to be 12 to 14. These two are stunningly good. As the young adult Ántonia and Jim, we have Sara Masterson and Will Dusek, who again are just terrific. Add to that Anna Hashizume, and it’s a who’s who of my “must-see” list.

The music and lyrics are by The Kilbanes, whom I’d never heard of, but who clearly should be writing musicals. I was especially impressed by their willingness to venture outside of the period for inspiration. The prairie songs sound different from the town songs, and one song, “Saturday Night Me,” had a subtle ’50s rock ’n’ roll feel to it. It’s about the young people letting loose at the dance hall, and the style is like a shorthand to the audience to convey teenagers coming into their own. I hope this show goes on, I think it has the potential to go beyond regional theater. I, for one, would love to have a cast recording of it. There were several songs that I instantly wanted to be able to hear again.

My Ántonia runs through July 12th at Theater Latté Da in North Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.latteda.org/my-antonia It’s not often that you get a new musical that works this well, don’t miss your chance to see it!

The Most Happy Fella a Joyful and Moving Musical Bursting With Life From Ten Thousand Things

Suzie Juul and Pedro R. Bayón Photo by Glen Stubbe

“If there is one theater company in the Twin Cities that I trust enough to go into a show blind with zero reservations, it’s Ten Thousand Things (TTT). I knew nothing but the title and the cast when I stepped into the makeshift theater-in-the-round space at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, one of almost two dozen venues in which they are performing The Most Happy Fella. Adapted into a musical by Frank Loesser in 1956 from a 1924 play named They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard, it doesn’t feel 70 years old. I would not have been shocked to learn it was a new work. But then, that’s kinda what TTT does, they make whatever they are doing feel new. The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene indivisible, or poem unlimited: Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men and women. Yeah, they give good Shakespeare too!

The Most Happy Fella opens in a restaurant at closing time in San Francisco. The two waitresses, Cleo and her friend, are commiserating over their aching feet, the lack of tips, and the lecherous boss they have to fend off. Cleo’s friend receives a jeweled tie pin as a tip, along with a note from a man named Tony, who, not knowing her name, calls her Rosabella and asks her to send him a postcard. The scene then jumps to four months later in the Napa Valley, on Tony’s grape farm, where he receives his latest letter from his Rosabella. She has sent him a photograph, and he prepares to send her one as well. The problem is she is a young and beautiful woman; he is a much older man who does not consider himself handsome. At the last minute, he switches his photo for one of his handsome young foreman, Joe. A little while later, she has agreed to marry him and is arriving on the train. Tony is frightened that she will be angry with him for his deceit. On the way to pick her up at the station, he has an accident and breaks his leg. Rosabella, at first, upon learning of the switch, is determined to leave before realizing that she has no money and no place to go back to, and so she agrees to marry the injured Tony. Tony senses she is unhappy and sends for her friend Cleo, offering her a job where she never has to stand again, so that Rosabella will have a friend.

Tony is played by Pedro R. Bayón as a man full of life and happiness who loses his way for a bit after the accident. With the guilt of his misrepresentation, he thinks he can finally see himself through Rosabella’s eyes and believes his dreams were absurd. What shines through is his innate kindness and genuine love for Rosabella, and as he convinces himself that she couldn’t love him, she begins to love him. Bayón is the heart and soul of the production, to be sure. Before the dawn, he experiences his darkest moments, but his heart and love win out over meaner emotions. It is a moment that brought this reviewer to tears, and I felt a genuine connection with Bayon’s Tony.

This is one of those casts where you cannot pick a favorite, as everyone is so good, and there are slightly too many in the cast to talk about them all individually. Several of the cast members also play instruments during the musical numbers under the music direction of Isabella Dawis. The music in this show seems to live in a space between opera and musical theater, though leaning heavily toward the musical theater end of that spectrum. At times, even though you are sitting in a large, brightly lit room in a church in Minneapolis, you swear you can almost smell the aroma of Italian dishes being prepared for the wedding banquet and feel the sun on your face, surrounded by Tony’s vineyard. Though the cast is only seven actors, it feels like you are part of this vibrant community, especially during songs like “Standing on the Corner” and “Abbondanza,” where the energy is joyful and bursting with life.

As TTT’s new Artistic Director and the Director of this show, Caitlin Lowans finishes her first season with this triumphant production. It’s the start of a new era for TTT, and I’m now entirely confident that all of these precious ten thousand things are in good hands. Joyful and moving doesn’t just describe this show, but this theater company itself.”—

A Most Happy Fella runs through June 7th at various locations around the Twin Cities. For more information such as locations and to purchase tickets go to https://tenthousandthings.org/

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.

A Chorus Line Dazzles at Park Square Theatre

The Cast of *A Chorus Line* Photo by Dan Norman

Faithful readers will be aware of the group of performers my wife calls her “All Is Calm Boys”, anyone who has appeared in her favorite show, All Is Calm at Theater Latté Da. Well, I’ve decided I have my own version: the “Lizzie Quartet,” the four actors who performed last fall in Lizzie: The Rock Musical, Grace Hillmyer, Lux Mortenson, Abilene Olson, and Marley Ritchie. It’s been an excellent week on that front: I saw Lux Mortenson in Terce on Sunday at Theatre Elision, and now Marley Ritchie in A Chorus Line at Park Square Theatre. Both performances reinforced my feeling that I should make an effort to see everything they’re in.

If you missed Terce, you missed out, Sunday was its final performance, which is why I didn’t write a review. Don’t make the same mistake with A Chorus Line. Get tickets early in the run: they’ve been using multiple understudies at every performance and have already had to cancel one show. I’m not sure of the exact reason, but I suspect dance-related injuries play a role. Once you see the show, you’ll understand why.

Originally conceived, directed, and choreographed by Michael Bennett on Broadway in 1975, A Chorus Line is a physically demanding piece. Park Square has brought in Eddie Gutiérrez, representing the Michael Bennett Estate, to restage the original choreography, and it is intense and absolutely jaw-dropping. At one point, 19 dancers move in perfect synchronization, and it’s truly something to behold.

If you’re hesitant because you’re “not a dance person,” don’t let that stop you. This isn’t about Dance with a capital “D”, it’s about the dancers. And much of the choreography falls squarely into the crowd-pleasing category, the kind that even your farmer uncle would watch and say “Wow! That there is some perty fancy footwork, that was real neat fer sure!”.

The show is set at an audition for the dance chorus of a new Broadway production. The Director and Choreographer, Zach, played by Stages of MN favorite Tyler Michaels King, must cut the field from 24 dancers down to eight. After an initial round, the group is reduced to 17, and Zach asks them to line up and tell him about themselves. Through these monologues and songs, we learn who they are, where they come from, what they’ve endured, and why they dance. Each story is distinct, and each adds another layer to the whole.

With 17 characters, it’s impossible to cover every performance in detail, but suffice it to say that everyone, including the five understudies performing at the show I attended, feels ideally cast. That includes Tyler Michaels King, who not only anchors the show but also joins the ensemble in song and dance at the beginning and end. We all know he is a fantastic singer and dancer. But the role also draws on his experiences as the Artistic Director of Trademark Theater and his work as a Director. I’ve seen him wearing those hats over the years and those experiences of running a room and giving notes, but also encouraging and being compassionate inform this performance.

Two performances stood out in particular. Steven Rada, as Paul, delivers a deeply moving turn. Paul is initially reluctant to open up, but when he finally does, while the others are on break, his story lands with emotional force. His eventual injury has a profound impact on the room, a stark reminder that a single moment can end a dancer’s career. It prompts Zach to ask the group what they would do if they could no longer dance, exposing a vulnerability that feels especially resonant in a time when the arts themselves are under attack. When theater’s like our beloved Jungle Theater, have to cancel productions. I’m sure for this group of performers, having just recently gone through the Covid era when theaters were shuttered, that the thought of what they would do if they couldn’t do this, feels very close to home.

That moment leads directly into the show’s emotional peak: “What I Did for Love,” performed by Marley Ritchie, one of my “Lizzie Quartet,” in the role of Diana. Her rendition is stunning. It isn’t the dancing, as she plays it almost completely still, it is her vocals and acting that are completely captivating. Interestingly, when I looked back at the only other time I’ve seen a production of A Chorus Line, in 2023 at Lyric Arts, it was also Marley Ritchie that I singled out for her performance of this song.

The show runs 2 hours and 8 minutes with no intermission, and evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m. rather than the customary 7:30, so plan accordingly. If you’ve never seen A Chorus Line, this is an excellent opportunity. If you have, I’d wager you haven’t seen it staged quite like this. Either way, don’t let it pass you by.

A Chorus Line runs through June 14 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets go to https://www.parksquaretheatre.org/

Grumpy Old Men the Musical From Minneapolis Musical Theatre is a Rather Fun Adaptation of the 90’s Film.

Jim Ahrens, Michael Fischetti, Ward Eames, and Quintin Michael Photo by Molly Jay Photography

Grumpy Old Men: The Musical, based on the 1993 film, is a perfect fit for the theater company Minneapolis Musical Theatre, which specializes in “Rare Musicals. Well Done.” This is certainly a rarely performed musical and, as is often the case, there’s a reason for that. The show itself isn’t of the quality that a larger theater like Theater Latté Da or the Guthrie Theater is likely to mount. But what MMT does is take those not-quite-hit-worthy efforts and, as their slogan promises, do them well.

The smaller budget, the mix of professional and community theater actors, and sets that lean more on creativity than realism are exactly what make a show like this work. To see Tyler Michaels King, Erin Capello, Tod Petersen, and Roland Hawkins II perform this on the Guthrie thrust stage, surrounded by a set that cost 20 times MMT’s budget, would shine far too bright a light on the material. At this level, we forgive the show’s imperfections, in fact, they become part of its charm. I don’t know if a lavish set could be any more charming than the clever creations scenic designer Maggie Mae Sulentic has devised. Actually, I do know: it would be a step down.

This material was never meant to stand beside Les Misérables or even Legally Blonde. Just as the original film wasn’t aiming for the magic of When Harry Met Sally or Groundhog Day, it was meant to be fun, light entertainment. And if memory serves, it was. I haven’t seen it since 1993, but I remember laughing and, despite it being aimed at people much older than my then tender 21 years, finding it quite enjoyable.

That’s what this is, too. Though I will say, I don’t think most modern 21-year-olds would find it as entertaining as I did. The sweet spot here seems to be my age and older, which, thankfully for MMT, my highly scientific observational poll suggests makes up about 75% of theatergoers. The trick, as with any show, is finding that audience and making sure they know about it. So if you’re under 40 and this doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, let your parents know, they’re going to have a blast.

The grumpy old men of the title are two former friends who have been feuding for more than 30 years. Their rivalry gets a fresh burst of energy when they both fall for a new widow who moves in across the street. Her home furnishings, especially a statue of her late husband, are among the many clever set pieces that add delightful touches to the production.

There’s also a subplot involving their children that might feel unnecessary, if not for the charming performances of Jillian Bader and James Lane, who win you over completely. Jim Ahrens and Ward Eames play the titular grumps, trading barbs and insults like seasoned pros. There are also a couple of real crowd-pleasers. Punky, played by Lisa Denninger, is essentially the show’s version of Woody from Cheers, and if you don’t know what Cheers is, this show probably isn’t for you. Denninger nails the comedy, but she also surprises vocally, arguably the strongest singer in the cast, if I’m being honest (and you know I always am). The other standout is Michael Fischetti as Grandpa, the role made famous by Burgess Meredith in the film. He’s just as funny, and just as inappropriate here.

Grumpy Old Men: The Musical is a great show to take in with a group of friends, say, ages 50 to 87. It runs through April 19th at the Conn Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.aboutmmt.org/2025-26-season/

Mama Mia, Here We Go Again at Lyric Arts in Anoka!

Holli Kingdon, Lisa Vogel, Emily Jabas, and Raquel Ponce Photo by Molly Jay.

I really wanted to like Mamma Mia! at Lyric Arts in Anoka. I love this theater and find it, along with Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, to be key to growing new audiences. I’m so, so, so, so, so sorry that those of you who haven’t already purchased tickets will likely not get to see it. The show opens Friday night, and they let me attend the preview on Thursday because, well, the entire run sold out more than a week before it even opened. I think it was the only date in the first two weeks they could squeeze me in.

Unfortunately for you, I didn’t like the show, I loved it! And so I feel terrible that you have to read about what you’re destined to miss.

I’ll be completely honest: I’ve always loved the music of ABBA. I thought the Mamma Mia! movie was terrible, and I was surprised to find that, despite that, when I finally saw it on stage, I really enjoyed myself. This is probably the fourth time I’ve seen the musical live, but all the others were national tours. This is a pared-down version compared to those, with talented, but, for the most part, not Broadway caliber performers. So why is this the best version I’ve ever seen?

One reason, and I don’t mean to take anything away from the tremendous job director Kassy Skoretz has done with the staging, which is fantastic, is the choreography by Michael Terrell Brown. It’s the real star of the show. The choreography is filled with so much character that it feels like the driving creative force behind the production. Brown, months before the audience even walks in, seems to anticipate their reactions and gives them exactly what they want, along with what they didn’t know they wanted. The movement is confident, full of bold choices and wildly theatrical flourishes that, if they didn’t land, could sink the show. But there’s no fear of that here, everything works. I think the only Lyric Arts audience I’ve seen more enthusiastic in the decade plus I’ve been attending, was opening night of The SpongeBob Musical, those cats were Beatlemania-level excited. I’m genuinely mortified you won’t get to see this.

Another winning aspect of the production is the cast. There are varying levels of vocal ability, and in fact, many performers, particularly Lisa Vogel as Donna, seem to grow over the course of the evening. She starts out solid, quite good, and then at some point becomes great. Does that make the performance feel uneven? Not at all. It feels like Donna is finding her confidence, and maybe Vogel is too, but it works. That’s true across the cast: they’re not polished in the way you might expect, but they feel real. You instantly like them. They surprise you. They connect with you, sometimes literally (I had a flipper land on my head during the show, and I loved it).

It’s a cast where I could go on all night about how good everyone is. But again, and I am sorrier than it is humanly possible to be, if you didn’t already get tickets, it would just be rubbing salt in the wound. And, you know… sleep. I will say that the three men playing Donna’s exes, Eric Lee, France A. Roberts, and Keith Reilly are perfectly cast. Emily Jabas and Holli Kingdon, as Donna’s best friends, are even better. Each gets a number that had the audience screaming with joy: Jabas kills “Take a Chance on Me,” and Kingdon has the audience foaming at the mouth with “Does Your Mother Know.” Both numbers soar even higher thanks to Brown’s brilliant choreography. And I should clarify here, it isn’t Bob Fosse, it doesn’t stun, it delights. And one last comment on the cast Raquel Ponce as Sophie, is magical, the heart of the show.

I know I didn’t give you a plot synopsis, but it’s Mamma Mia!, you already bought your tickets, and if you didn’t, it doesn’t matter… you can’t go. I assume if they could have worked out an extension, they would have announced it by now, but hey, you can always cross your fingers. I really feel bad for you, because this show is pure joy, and we all need a nice helping of that right now.

Mama Mia runs through May 10th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. Though it’s essentially sold out, if you are dying to get a ticket I encourage you to go to https://www.lyricarts.org/mamma-mia as some tickets may free up. Click on the dates you can go and see if there are any left. A quick glance through a few dates revealed a few single seats at some performances.

Gutenberg! the Musical! A Historically Fictional Musical That’s so Funny it Should be Considered True!

Tom Reed and Dominic Schiro Photo by Dan Norman

Gutenberg! The Musical! And for good measure, I’m adding another “!”! Why does it deserve a third, and potentially fourth, “!” (I’m not sure, grammatically, if I needed end punctuation after the ! in “”) “.” ? Well, I’ll tell you why (which is when a harp would be strummed and I’d begin to sing), because this is the kind of show that led to the creation of The Stages of MN in the first place. Faithful readers will remember that the actual shows were Be More Chill and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. By some sort of mystical coincidence, the latter was, like Gutenberg! The Musical!, produced at Theater Latté Da, and the star of that show, Tyler Michaels King, is the director of this one. I assume your mind is now blown.

The show is about two best friends, Doug and Bud, who, thanks to a financial windfall, have rented the Ritz Theater for one night only to present the musical they’ve written together: Gutenberg! The Musical!. The musical (the show within the show) is about Johannes Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press. It is completely fictional and incredibly silly. But the piece is also a send-up of the musical theater form itself, and Doug and Bud get about as much stage time as the characters they portray. When I say “performance,” it’s really a staged reading, in which Doug and Bud play all the roles, aided by an ever-rotating collection of baseball caps to help the audience keep track of which of the dozens of characters they’re embodying at any given moment.

Tom Reed plays Doug. Regular Theater Latté Da patrons may recognize him from another Latté Da production, Stones in His Pockets, where he proved his skill at playing dozens of characters alongside a single fellow performer. A longtime Stages of MN favorite since appearing in one of my all-time favorite musicals, Interstate, he once again demonstrates the comedic timing and musical chops that make him a “must-see” performer for me.

Dominic Schiro first came to my attention a couple of years ago in Ten Thousand Things’ production of The Spitfire Grill, where I immediately found myself asking fellow bloggers, “Who is this guy?” He was far too good for me not to have noticed him before. I knew he could sing, now I know he’s also a gifted comedic actor. Reed and Schiro play off each other beautifully. They make it look effortless (it is not). The supportive banter between Doug and Bud feels genuinely heartfelt, even amid the extremely goofy dialogue, plot, songs, and overall conceit.

Tyler Michaels King is the perfect guiding force for this show. While the book itself is clever, so much of the humor comes from the performances. Michaels King is an accomplished improv performer, as is Reed, and I can only imagine the laughter in rehearsal as they explored blocking, added bits of stage business, shaped reactions, and fine-tuned all the details we don’t consciously see but absolutely feel. A tip o’ the hat as well (don’t ask me where the Irish accent came from [perhaps thinking about Stones in His Pockets] {which is set in Ireland}) to music director Jason Hansen, who even gets in on the action with a few well delivered lines of his own.

This is the kind of show that will have you chasing the theatrical dragon. It’s so fun, warm-spirited, and delightful that you’ll want to see more theater, always searching for that next show that gives you the same high. Do it. Keep going. For in theater, as I’m about to start always saying, here there be dragons!

Gutenberg! The Musical! runs through May 3 at Theater Latte Da. For more information, and to get your fix, visit
https://www.latteda.org/gutenberg-musical