The Stages of MN: Looking Back at the Year That Was 2024!

As I close the books on 2024 I always like to look back and reflect on the shows I saw and the accomplishments of this site. Before I look at my favorite shows of the year I want to look at The Stages of MN itself. In April of this year I ruptured the bicep of my right (dominant) arm. This made me unable to type out my reviews and forced me to adopt for the short term voice recognition software in order to continue writing. That was a difficult adjustment as verbally is not the way I process what I want to write. It also required a lot of one handed manual corrections. It is not a tool I utilized any longer than I had too. But one good thing did come from that period. Out of necessity the reviews got shorter, and as a result probably more readable. I have for the most part tried to maintain the more reader friendly length of reviews and I think that is ultimately a good thing. I get a little more sleep, readers are more likely to read the entire review. Perhaps the only folks that miss out at times are the technical Theater departments. Theirs are the contributions most often left out or at least shortened, to be honest they are also the areas most difficult to write about meaningfully. When it works I frequently don’t notice, when it’s great I still call it out, when it’s bad I don’t dwell on it. Overall, I think this has been an improvement and I hope you agree.

Reflecting that adjustment to word count, in 2024 I posted 147 blog entries compared to 146 in 2023. The word count in 2024 is 18,000 less words than 2023. Views to The Stages of MN in 2024 grew by 19,000 over the views in 2023. So the site continues to grow steadily which means more people are seeing the reviews which hopefully means more people are getting out to see live theater. Readers can help the site grow by making sure you are following The Stages of MN on Facebook and Instagram. When you see a review you like, like it, when you see one you love share it. Encourage friends to follow as well, the more visibility, the further the reach, the more likely someone who isn’t a regular theatergoer will see a post and hopefully be inspired to check out a show. Creating new audiences for live theater needs to be the objective of anyone in theater or in love with theater. The second objective is to create or promote great theater. Which will hopefully help realize goal three which is to turn occasional theatergoers into regular theatergoers. I’m trying to do my part, I saw more theater this year that any year previous. I saw 190 shows in 2023 compared to 200 in 2024. I wrote reviews of 192 separate productions. I made my first trip to New York City seeing three shows as well as being there for the NYC debut of local Jazz vocalist and actor Leslie Vincent. While I didn’t write reviews of those shows I do feel that the experience benefits you faithful readers as it expands my knowledge and experience of the theater world.

The Best of 2024

Let’s start with Broadway alone because they were all great and if I lumped them in with touring shows as I first planned too, I’d only have 2 slots left for the touring shows.

King Lear (NYC): This was the highlight of my year and the whole reason I finally made it to NYC. Seeing one of my favorite Actor/Director/Writers Kenneth Branagh perform live was a dream come true and he did not disappoint.
The Outsiders: A New Musical (NYC): This was an amazing adaptation of the classic young adult novel. The production design and choreography were unbelievable. I cannot wait for a touring production of this show so I can compare and share with you all.
Suff: The Musical (NYC): This was an incredibly inspirational show that I saw days before the 2024 Presidential election. It was a last blast of optimism and couldn’t have been more timely.

Touring shows, I saw 15 that qualify it that category in 2024 and the below were the top 5 in alphabetical order.

Back to the Future: The Musical (Orpheum Theatre): My favorite film at one time in my life, this one had an uphill battle to justify its existence and avoid negative comparisons. What it lacks in terms of great new songs it more than makes up for in stage magic. The best blending of practical effects and projection I’ve ever seen. I believed a DeLorean could fly.
Come From Away (Ordway Center for Performing Arts): This was my third time seeing Come From Away, it’s a top ten show for me.
Les Misérables (Orpheum Theatre): Third time for this show as well, but this one grows on me more and more. It’s gone from really good in my book to great over the course of my history with the play.
The Lion King (Orpheum Theatre): First time, I know WHAT?!?!?! it’s everything I’d heard it was, beautifully realized adaptation of the Disney film, with amazing production design.
Some Like It Hot (Orpheum Theatre): Maybe the best nonmusical film to musical stage show I’ve ever seen. Wonderful way to adapt a period piece in a way that reflects our modern attitudes. Great choreography, songs, and performances.

Top 5 locally produced musicals in alphabetical order.

McAdo (Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company): I loved the design and original materials written for this hilarious updating of The Mikado. Stand out Comedic performance from Robert Brandt as well.
Rent (Artistry): This is a top 5 musical for me and Artistry took a show I know so well and successfully did some new things with it that really worked.
Scotland, PA (Theater Latté Da): Creative adaptation of a cult film adaptation of Macbeth set in a fast food restaurant. Great ensemble cast, that kept dropping like flies but the understudies were brilliant. Great stage magic as well especially the face in the deep fryer moment (now you are wishing you’d seen it aren’t you?).
The Sound of Music (Artistry): A favorite from childhood, this production wonderfully directed by Max Wojtanowicz with a vocally pure performance by Sheena Janson Kelley as Maria.
The Spitfire Grill (Ten Thousand Things): Amazing cast led by Katherine Fried who knocked me out of my seat with the first notes out of her mouth, more on her later. Honorable mention to St. Croix Festival Theatre for their production as well.

Top 5 locally produced Plays in alphabetical order.

Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (Lyric Arts): I love love love these Christmas at Pemberley plays. Lyric Arts’ production was as good as the Jungle production two years ago. Amazing cast including the yet to make a wrong move Noah Hynick, more on him as well later. First let me say that if you ever see there is a production of one of the three Christmas at Pemberley plays running near you, just go, they are all brilliantly written. Second, let me reiterate my wish that some theater company mount all three plays in Rep some November/December period. It would be a massive undertaking so The Guthrie is probably the best bet, but I don’t see them tackling it, so maybe Park Square, Theater Latté Da, Jungle Theater, or Lyric Arts.
Hamlet (The Great River Shakespeare Festival): This was the best production of Hamlet I’ve ever seen. In a space that doesn’t allow for a lot in the way of production design Director Doug Scholz-Carlson used darkness particularly effectively makeing the supernatural aspects of the play take on a very visceral and chilling feel.
Ironbound (Frank Theatre) Everything about this production floored me but most of all was the performance of Brittany D. Parker in the lead role. It was the best performance I saw all year and I sure hope we see more of her in 2025.
The Lehman Trilogy (Guthrie): This three and a half hour play performed by three actors playing multiple characters across several generations,telling the story of the rise and fall of real life financial company Lehman Brothers had tedious written all over it. And then it was brilliant in every aspect, riveting, educational, funny, tragic, epic.
Stones in His Pockets (Theater Latté Da): A two actor show with Tom Reed and Reed Sigmund each playing a dozen or so characters. Very funny, and a great showcase for two very talented performers.

Every year I add a few performers to my list of “Must See” Actors, Dancers, Singers that I come across throughout the year that I either hadn’t seen before or that really drew my attention that year. They aren’t always new to me, but they did something that made me take notice and say, let’s keep an eye on that one. This year I have four names that I have added to the list that already includes Tyler Michaels King, Max Wojtanowicz, Joy Dolo, Shanan Custer, Daniel Petzold, Em Rosenberg, Jeffrey Nolan, Allison Vincent, and Brendan Nelson Finn to name a few.

First up is Brittany D. Parker whom I believe I’ve only ever seen in one production and that was Ironbound this year from Frank Theatre.

“Brittany D. Parker plays Darja, I hadn’t expected to see someone “new” to me so early in 2024 that blew my socks off through my shoes and up over the audience so that I had to spend 10 minutes after the performance looking around the auditorium for them. If I’ve seen her before and have just forgotten, I apologize. If she just hasn’t been performing much I’d like to know why the hell not? Accent, perfect. Timing, perfect. Emotional openness, I’ll say. There isn’t a moment in the play that Parker doesn’t make what feels like the only possible performance choice and it’s mesmerizing. Never have I seen a performer bring to life a character so strong and in control that you know she can take care of herself, and it makes you want to take care of her. Before I move onto the rest of the cast I just want to welcome Brittany D. Parker onto the list of performers that I will try and see everything they do going forward. I know we just announced the winners of the TCTB Awards last week, but the competition just kicked into high gear for 2024’s best performance and Parker’s is going to be a tough one to top.”

From my review of Ironbound 1/20/2024

Second up is Katherine Fried whose performances in The Spitfire Grill from Ten Thousand Things came out of nowhere and gave me goosebumps. She followed that up with a turn in the wildly creative Scotland, PA at Theater Latté Da.

“When Katherine Fried who plays Percy begins to sing “A Ring Around the Moon” from her prison cell at the opening of the play, you know you’re in for something special. Fried’s voice is stunning as is every aspect of her performance.”

From my review of The Spitfire Grill 5/5/2024

“The leads are Will Dusek who recently played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys as Mac, and his girlfriend Pat is played by Katherine Fried who absolutely bowled me over last spring as Percy in The Spitfire Grill. They both give their all again here and besides sounding great they bring the desperation and guilt to life quite believably.”

From my review of Scotland, PA 10/4/2024

Third on the list is Grace Hillmyer who I saw in Kinky Boots at Lyric Arts and then again at the end of the year at the Jackdonkey Misfits Cabaret fundraiser.

“If there is a flaw with this show it’s in the script which should have given the character of Lauren, played by Hillmyer, more time. Hillmyer’s portrayal is so adorably quirky, everytime she gets the spotlight she sparkles but not in a flashy way it’s more of a twinkle. It’s hard to say what it is about the performance other than it’s great character work, it’s comedic, and vulnerable and undeniably endearing to the audience.”

From my review of Kinky Boots 7/12/2024

Last but by no means least is Noah Hynick who has been on my radar for a couple of years now, but this feels like the year he broke out. From Radiant Vermin to the same end of year Misfits Cabaret as I saw Miss Hillmyer in Hynick can no longer be ignored.

“Hynick and Baack give fantastic performances and hats off to the dialect coach Gillian Constable, because they sound authentically British with Hynick having a distinctly early Hugh Grant quality minus the poshness. Their performances really shine in the reenactment of the garden party in which they each play along with Ollie and Jill at least four other characters” … “I’m not sure if Lyric Arts has Hynick under exclusive contract or what, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him on stage anywhere else, but everything he’s been in at Lyric he has impressed the hell out of me.”

From my review of Radiant Vermin 3/2/2024

“Hynick, who seems to be a strong component of the majority of Lyric Arts productions over the last few years plays Black Stache, the pirate villain of the piece. Hynick plays into the absurdity of scenes but also knows when to be the one who’s smarter than everyone else and sees how silly everyone is being.”

From my review of Peter and the Starcatcher 9/8/2024

“Noah Hynick, frankly I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hynick be anything but perfect in a role. I’m not sure how Lyric Arts seems to have him under exclusive contract, after a performance like this I ask myself again, why isn’t this guy cast in everything at the Guthrie. He is as gifted in his gestures and reactions as he is in his line reading choices. The first time I can remember coming across Mr. Hynick was in 2022 when he appeared in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley at Lyric Arts and since it feels like he’s been in most of Lyric Arts productions, his timing is unerring, and it’s time to officially add him to the must see list, though he was already there to be honest.”

From my review of Georgiana & Kitty Christmas at Pemberley 11/23/2024

It was another great year for theater and I’m looking forward to 2025, I hope you are as well. I write about theater and love it but I’m not a extrovert. That said, I do enjoy meeting readers and artists, so if you see me at the theater, please do stop over and say hi. Finally a note on Twin Cities Theater Chat (TCTC), the Twin Cities Theater Blogger (TCTB) podcast. Last spring our Producer got a day job and that put us in hiatus for a bit. It’s unclear at this time whether the podcast will start up again in the future or not. I’d appreciate, if you read this far, if folks would post a comment either here or in Facebook, or email me at robdunkelberger@thestagesofmn.com, or messenger my personal facebook account whether or not you are interested in a podcast on the Twin Cities theater scene. If there is enough of an interest and TCTC doesn’t come back I may explore the idea of creating one for The Stages of MN. Also the TCTB and or The Stages of Mn are always open to partnering Theaters to participate or facilitate pre and post show discussions or events. So if that is of interest reach out as well. Thanks as always for your continued support faithful readers, now in the immortal words of Carol Jackson “Go see a show!”

Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear, that need never happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.

I Am Betty Returns to the History Theatre After Last Years Delicious Debut

(l-r) Ruthie Baker, Jennifer Grimm, Liv Kemp, Stephanie Cousins, Anna Hashizume, Kiko Laureano, Lynnea Doublette, Erin Capello (Photo by Rick Spaulding)

I Am Betty the hit musical from History Theatre’s 2023 season returns for a second helping this holiday season. Steeped in Minnesota details it celebrates the countless women behind the myth of Betty Crocker. The story tracks the roles of women throughout the 20th century and we see what Betty Crocker, the marketing icon, has represented to different women at different times over the past 100 years. With book and lyrics by Cristina Luzarraga and music and lyrics by Denise Prosek, directed by Maija Garcia with Musical Direction by Sonja Thompson, and featuring a cast of nine of the Twin Cities most gifted female performers, it’s a show that practices what it preaches. The female voice, onstage and backstage, is vital to telling this story. It reminds us how far we as a society have come. I Am Betty celebrates the far too often undervalued accomplishments and contributions of woman throughout the past century. A testament to the career woman as well as the homemaker, showing us the power of diversity and choice.

Luzarraga and Proseks story focuses on two woman who made a deep impact on the world of Betty Crocker. Act I follows the creation and building of the Betty Crocker brand by Marjorie Child Husted beginning in 1921. We see how Betty Crocker went from answering letters to starring on a radio and TV programs. How innovations were created by the women who worked in the General Mills test kitchens. How they created low cost recipes during the depression and creating Bisquick to help save time in the kitchen. Husted was a driven and intelligent woman who sacrificed a personal life for many years because she saw value in the work she and the women she worked with were doing. Act II follows Barbara Jo Davis whom we are introduced to as a young black woman who dreams of growing up to be Betty Crocker and does to the extent that any one woman is Betty Crocker. As we get into the 1960’s and the women’s liberation movement builds, we get a scene where Betty Friedan and Barbara Jo debate the choice to be a homemaker, both having valid points it illustrates the importance of choice, that what seems like a sentence to unpaid labor to some, is something for which others find great pride in.

The cast is a recipe for musical gold and the songs by Prosek and Luzarraga give them all the right ingredients to whip up a musical soufflet. The songs mirror the times in which they are performed, so we get everything from the jazz age to 80’s power ballads. My favorite song was “Lo Bueno Con Lo Malo” which is performed in Spanish by the understudy Lisa Vogel as a Cuban mother singing to her college aged daughter played by Erin Capello. I loved the song, I loved that it was performed in Spanish and I loved the message of those two characters who are revisited throughout Act II. I also loved seeing Vogel nail the song, it was my favorite song last year as well where I saw it performed by Kiko Laureano. Capello also plays Marjorie Child Husted throughout Act I, it’s a great performance that lends a human face and noble aspirations to what one could argue is a marketing tool. Capello lets us see the dedication and desire to help that motivated Husted and lends legitimacy to the symbol that is, Betty Crocker. Lynnea Doublette plays Barbara Jo and really grabbed my attention with her 60’s style girl group song “I Want to Be Her” which is my kind of music. She really takes center stage in Act II and also excels at providing a solid portrait of a role model of an intelligent successful career woman who finds her life’s work in home economics helping to develop Hamburger Helper. The entire cast is great but I have to say my favorite was crowd pleaser Jennifer Grimm, who’s vocal talents are always stunning but who really surprised me with some very comical parts frequently as men. From a Bing Crosby impersonation to a Marketing Exec modeled on Chris Farley I suspect, she meets every challenge drawing both laughs and wowing us with her voice.

I Am Betty runs through December 29th at the History theatre in Downtown St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.historytheatre.com/2024-2025/i-am-betty

This Holiday season why not start a new tradition of taking in a live theater production with family and friends? It’s a great way to create lasting memories and will give you something to look forward to every year as you experience the magic of live theater. Whether your budget is large or small, there is a show for you. Looking for gift ideas? Don’t we all have enough “stuff”? Give the gift of live theater, go to your favorite theaters website, see what shows they have coming up in the new year and give the gift of an experience over material.

McAdo a Hilarious New Adaptation of The Mikado From Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company

Mary Kettlewell, Brandt Roberts, and Graham Remple Photo by Stephen Hage

McAdo is the fourth Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company (GSVLO) production I have reviewed and it is my favorite. I’ve written before about the accessibility of Gilbert and Sullivan, how it seems like the bridge between traditional opera and musical theater. All of that is true here, if you like musicals, you’ll enjoy this. Yes, there will be some lyrics you will not catch, this is particularly true when a large portion of the cast all sings at once. But it’s in English and for the most part if you tune your ears in you catch more than enough. What you don’t catch you simply enjoy the beauty of the voices singing and the wonderful full orchestra performing Arthur Sullivan’s music. There are two completely different casts for the main roles for the show that alternate nights. I saw the Sullivan cast, I’m sure the Gilbert cast is great as well, but for myself, if I had time in my schedule to see it again, and I wish I did, I’d see the Sullivan cast again. There are Performers in roles that I cannot imagine anyone replacing them.

The Gilbert Cast and the Sullivan Cast Performance Schedule:

The Gilbert Cast	The Sullivan Cast
Friday, November 1^st, 7:30 pm	Saturday, November 2^nd, 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 3^rd, 2:00 pm	Saturday, November 9^th, 2:00 pm
Friday, November 8^th, 7:30 pm	Sunday, November 10^th, 2:00 pm
Saturday, November 9^th, 7:30 pm	Friday, November 15^th, 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 16^th, 2:00 pm	Saturday, November 16^th, 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 17^th, 2:00 pm	Friday, November 22^nd, 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 23^rd, 7:30 pm	Sunday, November 24^th, 2:00 pm

McAdo is Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado transplanted from Japan to Scotland thus removing a lot of troublesome and dated material. The adaption actually began with Gilbert and Sullivan Austin, as in Texas. Director Joe Andrews added some of his own tweaks including a hilarious prologue that was pure genius. This isn’t pure G&S, it’s possibly better, certainly for our times. The program contains a synopsis which I highly recommend you read before the play, it allows you to relax and enjoy the proceedings without worrying if you are catching everything. I’m not going to go into the plot here, it’s absurd, imagine Monty Python wrote an opera, well it’s not quite that silly, but it’s pretty damn silly. What is really great about it, is the two people you assume are the villains of the piece really aren’t. They play against the stereotypes of the Government official and the young lovers rival.

If you have never seen a Gilbert and Sullivan show, this is the one to see, it is so much fun and that is due to the wonderful direction of Joe Andrews, musical direction of Randal A. Buikema, and an energetic and playful cast. I can’t mention them all so I’m going to just give a nod to a couple of favorites. First off is Brandt Roberts as Coco, who is the guardian and fiance of Wynn Somme, the young love interest, we assume he’s going to be a villain, considering he’s also the town’s high Executioner. But no, he’s harmless and fairly good intentioned. Roberts is magnificent, his body language in itself creates a fully formed comedic character. He has the tone, the exact level of absurdity down, but he also has a great singing voice, that adds a sweetness to the character. Joe Allen plays Pubagh a town official…actually the only town official, he holds every office except that of the High Executioner. Here again is a character that we assume will be a villain, but by the end you really like him. I’m not sure we are really supposed to have that reaction, I think we are supposed to be indifferent at best, but I think this works better. Allen plays up the comic elements of the character his ambition and snobbery, but when the going gets rough and heads might roll, he’s in there with the rest of the characters trying to find the happy ending. Other performers that caught my eye and that were doing something special to draw the audience in or give us that extra laugh or surprised us with another dimension to their characters were Mallory Rabehl, Therese Kulas, Deb Haas, and Scott A.Gorman.

McAdo is a show I cannot recommend more highly, it’s such an enjoyable night at the theater, when I wasn’t laughing I was sitting there with a grin all over my face. The prologue really sets the tone on this one and I think will perfectly key those new to G&S into the vibe of the show. McAdo runs through November 24th at The Conn Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://gsvloc.org/

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Brings Holiday Cheer Early to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

The Cast of White Christmas Photo by Dan Norman, 2024

I know what you are thinking, and I was thinking the same thing, Christmas already? It’s still Monster Month! Well, when you mount a musical at the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, even an abbreviated run like this, you have to start a little early and run a little late. And guess what? If you want to see this production before Christmas, you’ll need to purchase tickets for an October performance because a quick perusal through the CDT website shows every show from November 1st through until New Years Eve is sold out already. The kicker is, this production, it’s really really good. The dancing alone is worth the price of admission and it will be just as spectacular in October and January as it is in November and December. Choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson has created some brilliant dances, many for large groups, but even the duet routines contain showstopping moves. Filled with perfectly synchronized tap, the cast really gives everything and it pays off. Under the musical direction of Andy Kust, the orchestra and vocalists are as is always the case at CDT of the highest level. Long time Artistic Director Michael Brindisi shows that after over 120 productions he knows just how to stage a show for this theater and its audiences. I promise you, even the Scroogiest will come away from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas with the holiday spirit.

Song and dance man Michael Gruber plays Bob Wallace one half of a song and dance team along with Tony Vierling’s Phil Davis. These two sound and act the part of 1950’s wholesome crooners perfectly. After an opening set in 1944 Europe in which Bob and Phil are entertaining their fellow soldiers including General Waverly, whom they all would follow to the ends of the earth, we jump ahead to 1954. Bob and Phil are huge stars and on their way to Florida over the holidays to work on and rehearse a new Broadway revue. When Phil falls for one half of a sister act, who are on their way to Vermont to perform at an Inn, he tricks Bob onto the wrong train so they can tag along. It turns out the Inn is owned by their former commanding officer General Waverly, it is also financially deep in the red. When they arrive the Inn has just lost all of it’s reservation due to a heat wave that makes skiing and other winter activities unavailable. Bob and Phil decide to move their rehearsal to Vermont and mount a show, getting all their old infantry division to come over the Christmas holiday and save the General’s Inn. Of course the two sisters they followed, Betty and Judy played by Ann Michels and Andrea Mislan, are on again off again romantic interests for Bob and Phil. Misunderstandings occur to keep the couples apart until the end of course, but they continue to make beautiful music together throughout the show. Helping the General to run the Inn is Martha Watson played by Michelle Barber, who used to be a performer herself. Barber has a great bickering chemistry with Joenathan Thomas who plays the general, as well as with his Granddaughter played in rotation by Jenalia Valerio and Malee Cenizal.

The main leads all mentioned above are exceptional at recreating the light and wholesome feel of the 1954 film on which the stage musical is based. They get great support, particularly in the dancing department from the ensemble. There are also a couple of character roles that add immensely to the humor of the show. Jon Andrew Hegge plays a few different roles but it’s as the Inn’s handyman Ezekiel, who apparently came with the place when the General bought it, that he gets some of the biggest laughs of the show, all by seemingly to do very little, but very slowly. In his first scene I swear he was cracking up Michelle Barber with the pace at which he was executing his performance. Another standout is Mark King as the harried stage manager Mike Nulty, he adds a bit of comic flair with his exasperated performance throughout the five days of trying to get the show up and running. But, it’s his interactions with Hegge’s Ezekiel that bring out the best in both performers who feed of each other with a perfect comic timing.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas runs through January 25th at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful food that comes included with your tickets. They also have delicious beverages and desserts you can enjoy, I highly recommend indulging in the Tiramisu. For more information about the show, the menu, and to purchase tickets go to https://chanhassendt.com/whitechristmas/

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations Brings Soul to the Ordway

I previously saw Ain’t Too Proud at the Orpheum in 2022 and loved it so much I was excited at the chance to see it again so soon. Ain’t Too Proud is a jukebox musical in the vein of Jersey Boys, which has made its rounds on tour many times and most recently at Chanhassen Dinner Theaters. Both follow the formation and rise of a famous 1960’s, well let’s call em what they would be considered today, boy bands. That these are two of the greatest boy bands in history means that the shows will be filled with great music, but the similarities don’t end there. For each follows the age old trajectory of success leading to excess. They both even contain the tragic death of one of the members children. You also get the sense that both of these groups should have had a lot more money then they did. I suspect the reason the record companies are not raked over the coals in these shows is that they have to grant use of the music. The Temptations musical has so many songs to feature that it’s weakness is that it doesn’t have time to perform many of these classics in full. In fact, I’m not entirely sure there is ever one song that is actually performed start to finish. So less of a rock concert than a two hour medley of hits. The performance of the songs, and the songs themselves, are so good that we forgive their abbreviation. If you love the music of Motown Ain’t Too Proud will delight you.

The book for this musical does what it needs to in order to tell it’s story but if the show lacks something it’s a better understanding of where we are chronologically and how they actually got their start. We move very quickly from Otis Williams’, the sole surviving member of the original Temptations and the narrator of the show, release from Juvenile Detention, to his putting together a band. He lures new members by pointing out they already have a manager and paying gigs. But how did that happen? Once the group gets connected to legendary Motown Record label founder Berry Gordy, it stops feeling like things are being omitted as much. Like the Four Season, I knew the music of The Temptations but next to nothing about their personal story and lives when I first saw the show. It makes for an interesting history lesson and also a cautionary tale. It’s amazing how familiar the broad strokes are of these tales of celebrity, the egos, the drugs, the infighting. One wonders if anyone is capable of navigating fame without self destructing. Of course there are, and Otis Williams is one of them, assuming he’s a reliable narrator, remember history is written by the victors or in this case, the survivor.

A show like this, has to be cast with exceptionally talented performers. They have to be able to sing in a reasonable facsimile of some very iconic and impressive voices. The cast here is all supremely gifted vocally and their dancing choreographed by Sergio Trujillo is perfectly timed and executed. Surprisingly the best vocal performance in my opinion came from Mikey Corey Hassel who plays several minor characters but really shines early on singing “Gloria“. The one character whose voice is supposed to be so good, that there are worries about replacing him when his behavior becomes to erratic is David Ruffin. At the performance I attended, he was hard to hear, this was most noticeable in the first Act a situation I think the sound technicians attempted to fix during intermission as he was more audible then. What’s exciting is that the performers who briefly appear and sing as some other motown groups like The Cadillacs, The Supremes, and The Five Satins are just as great vocally as the Temptations. The one performer that really embodies the show with its heart and soul is Rudy Foster as Otis Williams. Of course he’s a good singer, but it’s his acting that really draws us to him. He isn’t volatile, he’s deliberate and reasonable, like his character he’s the backbone of the ensemble. He’s trying to do the right things and move everyone forward, he’s the survivor and we can see the toll that surviving takes on him.

If you are a fan of the music of The Temptations, Ain’t Too Proud… is going to be well worth your time. The showmanship on display is very impressive, each performance has its own unique choreography and the vocal performances of so many great songs is almost an embarrassment of riches. I had a blast with the production numbers and was captivated again by the glorious music of Motown.Ain’t Too Proud runs through October 13th at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://ordway.org/events/aint-too-proud/

Marry Me a Little Small and Intimate with a Stellar cast From Skylark Opera Theater at Crane Theater

Marry Me a Little, rescheduled from earlier in the summer, is a show featuring songs by Stephen Sondheim that were cut out of or from as yet unperformed musicals. It’s a strange little show perfectly at home in the Crane Theater’s intimate space. A dialogue free musical revue, it is not however plotless. To some extent we are left to our own devices to extrapolate the details. Basically a love story about two single people living alone who meet, fall in love, marry a little, and then break up. The songs follow the arc from two lonely people to the first hints of romance and on to the decline. Most of the songs I was unfamiliar with but I enjoyed nearly every one of them. A few favorites were “Marry Me a Little“, “All Things Bright and Beautiful/Bang“, and “Pour Le Sport“. It ends with “Being Alive” from Company which is of course a favorite.

The reason to see this show is to bask in the glow of it’s talented performers Bergen Baker and Max Wojtanowicz. Two gifted musical theater talents that know how to tell a story through song. In their hands, the lack of dialogue goes unnoticed. Their body language and expressions convey to us as much as the lyrics themselves do. Is there a more warm and welcoming face in all of the Twin Cities musical theater community than Wojtanowicz? He has an instant communication with the audience as if he’s singing directly to you. Bergen and Wojtanowicz are accompanied on piano by Musical Director James Barnett and the production was directed by Nikki Swoboda. The show runs just about an hour so it doesn’t have to be a late night. It only runs one weekend with the final performance Sunday 8/11/24. Don’t miss your chance to hear Bergen and Wojtanowicz signing Sondheim. For more information and to get tickets go to https://www.skylarkopera.org/home

Disney’s Newsies at Artistry in Bloomington Features Some Very Fancy Footwork!

Surprisingly this is my first exposure to Disney’s Newsies. When the film came out in 1992 I was in college and it just didn’t interest me, and though it’s a frequently performed show of late, the stars had not aligned until now. It’s the story of Newsies (children who sell the newspapers on street corners) in 1899 New York who strike to protest the increased cost of papers and thus their lowered earnings. Led by Jack Kelly, who once rode in a carriage with Teddy Roosevelt, and with the counsel and guidance of newcomer Davey and his little brother Les, the newsies take on Newspaper titan Joseph Pulitzer. It’s a fictionalized telling of an actual historical event that is really rather fascinating. With music by Alan Menken who’s music contributed to the 1990’s Disney animation renaissance with among others The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin as well as the musical Little Shop of Horrors (which coincidentally is running at the Guthrie theater through August 18th) and lyrics by Jack Feldman. With Book by Harvey Fierstein who came to prominence in the early 1980’s starring in his own play Torch Song Trilogy which won him two Tony Awards, he also did the book for Kinky Boots (which coincidentally is running at Lyric Arts through August 11th). It’s a great team and they have created a solid musical, with several stand out numbers that Artistry has staged wonderfully under the direction of Ben Bakken.

What really wowed me with this production was the choreography by Renee Guittar, the entire cast executed with precision and a rowdy sense of energy. The cast is led by Will Dusek, who recently shone as Frankie Valli in Chanhassen Dinner Theatres production of Jersey Boys, as Jack Kelly. Here he gets to put that east coast street smart persona to use again, and while the songs are quite as iconic, his performance is just as impressive. His love interest is a young reporter named Katherine, played by Audrey Parker, who gets a chance to show of her dancing skills and wonderfully matches Dusek as they argue their way into an attraction for each other. Jack’s best friend Crutchie, nicknamed such because he needs a crutch to walk, is played by Tyson Insixiengmai who has a beautiful solo song “Letter From the Refuge” that’s one of the best moments in the show thanks to their performance. Also amazing in the roles of brothers are Pierce Brown as Davey and Maddox Tabalba as Les. Brown’s less street smart but idealistic while Davey is really the heart of the play and the audiences entrance into the world, as he is new to the world of newsies. Tabalba, who’s character is nine and I would guess he’s about the same age, is fantastic in his performance and especially his dancing, really getting to show of his skills in the song “King of New York“.

The music, as is always the case at Artistry, is simply top notch under the musical direction of Kate Mariana Brown. I was pleased to see a more robust set design than we’ve seen lately at Artistry. I liked the detail and feel of 1899 New York by Scenic Designer Michaela Lochen with the huge backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge adding a real sense of scale to the production. Completing the look were the props designed by Katie Phillips and costumes by Meghan Kent all of which help to give the show a period feel. I had a great time with this show so much that I know have an interest in finally seeing the film version, and I’m immediately planning some googling to learn more about the actual historical events that inspired the show. It’s a great cast and along with some great songs, there is some really amazing dancing for fans who like some fancy footwork with their musicals.

Disney’s Newsies runs at Artistry in Bloomington through August 11th. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/newsies

Tired of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself left out when all your friends are talking about that great new play that you didn’t even know about? Never fear that never has to happen again. Now you too can subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN sent directly to your email box. No more hoping the algorithm works in your favor and you actually see a post on facebook or Instagram. No relying on so-called friends to tip you to the best shows in town. To subscribe on your computer: from the home page on the right, enter your email address and click subscribe. On your mobile device scroll to the bottom of the page and do the same. You can also follow me on Facebook, @thestagesofmn click follow and on Instagram thestagesofmn. You can also read some of my reviews syndicated on the MN Playlist website https://minnesotaplaylist.com/ from time to time.

But that’s not all! Think I may have steered you wrong on a show? Well, I am also a member of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can read roundups of shows by m’colleagues and I when you follow us on facebook @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers. We also produce the podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat!! which you can access through this link or wherever you enjoy podcasts https://twincitiestheaterchat.buzzsprout.com/ . Now you too can be in the know about all the fabulous theater happening in and around the Twin Cities.