Come From Away Returns to Bleary the Eyes and Sniffle the Noses of the Twin Cities Theatergoers

Touring Cast Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Full disclosure portions of this review are adapted from my review from the January 2022 tour that ran at the Orpheum Theater. Because, as I read through it I found that it said everything I want to say about this show, better than I thought I could ever say it. That review opened thus “It was approximately 7:38 PM on opening night of Come From Away at the Orpheum Theatre. Eight minutes into the show and I began to cry.” Tonight on opening night at the Ordway I felt the first tear well up in my eye and glanced at my watch it read 7:38 PM, don’t believe me? Ask my wife, I showed her my watch so that I could explain to her after the show why the time was important. Don’t take that wrong, this is not a dark show, though it deals with one of the darkest hours in my lifetime. It isn’t a sad show, though many of the tears are of loss. Most of the tears are happy tears. The tears that come to us when we recognize the inherent good in our fellow man. When we see people at their best, pulling together to help one another. The tears that well up and overflow when we are overcome by the coming together of a community. The show runs around one hour and 40 minutes and you are going to spend much of it either laughing or crying…or both. You expect to be wiped out after an evening like that. But it’s the kind of emotion that uplifts you rather than drains you. Come From Away is simply one of the most emotionally invigorating musicals I’ve ever experienced. I should feel drained, but I feel renewed.

Come From Away is the musical written by Irene Sankoff & David Hein based on the true events of Sept 11th 2001 and the days following. After two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City and another crashed into the Pentagon, all air travel was grounded and the airspace above the US was closed. All airplanes inbound were diverted to the nearest airfield outside the US. Thus 38 airplanes carrying about 7,000 passengers found themselves stranded in the small town of Gander on the Island of Newfoundland. This small town and its neighboring towns took in these 7,000 passengers from all over the world, fed them, gave them shelter, clothed them, and made them honorary Newfoundlanders. The show does what must always be done with stories about something as large as 9/11, it focuses on a specific aspect and a smaller group of people. This approach allows us to comprehend the incomprehensible, by taking a huge event and bringing it down to a personal level. We get to know key members of the community, passengers, and the pilot of one of the planes and through them we see this moment in history from a new perspective. The overall focus of the play is on the community coming together and caring for these stranded people. Relying heavily on humor that seems very Newfoundlandish but also very Minnesotan. While the play doesn’t dwell on the tragedy of 9/11 and the negative reactions that came from it, it also doesn’t ignore them. And those aspects are definitely responsible for their fair share of those ever present teardrops.

Come From Away is an important work of art, but it doesn’t feel like it should be. A lighter more energetic musical would be hard to find. The show moves with a pace and humor of a broad comedy. It’s a testament not only to the writing but the direction by Christopher Ashley that while the show barrels ahead from one witty lyric to the next, that with all the joy we are feeling, we are also constantly aware of 9/11. In some ways it reopens a wound that I felt had long ago healed over. But in doing so it also begins to heal that wound again at the same time. This is a tightrope walk I can’t really wrap my head around. It’s at once life affirming, joyous, funny, and moving while also reminding us of a tragedy that changed our world, that shocked and saddened us to our very cores. Yet these disparate elements are not at war with each other, they live organically intertwined, as if the one wouldn’t work without the other.

It’s hard to single out the cast, they are all fantastic. It’s refreshing to see a cast filled with such talent, that look like they could really be the characters they are portraying rather than impossibly perfect looking people playing regular folks. They all take on multiple characters between the townsfolk and the passengers on the planes I’m sure every cast member plays at least four different roles. Yet, I was never confused at who anyone was playing on stage at anytime. The set is simple, a little more than chairs that become everything from rows of seat on a plane or a bus, to seats in the local Tim Hortons, and a scenic overlook. Character changes are accomplished by the removal of a jacket or the donning of a hat. Simple, clean, perfect. In terms of the songs, it’s odd, I loved the music, though many of the songs seem to be very similar to each other. Most of them seem to just be musical accompaniment to the singing of the dialogue. There are several songs that do stand out in a more traditional sense such as the opening “Welcome to the Rock” and “Me and the Sky” which is beautifully performed by Addison Garner who plays Beverly one of the Captains of the stranded aircraft. I also really like “Stop the World” which is a love song duet performed by Stanton Morales and Molly Samson. And before we leave the music, it must be noted that the musicians and the instruments they utilize are perfectly minimal. After the cast curtain call, the musicians get their own and it was great to see them so into it and to get a little moment to highlight their talents. There is a nice celtic aspect to some of the music and the mandolin, Whistle, Fiddle, and Bodhran are perfect to bring that out.

Come From Away runs through June 16th at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in Downtown St. Paul For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://ordway.org/events/come-from-away/ . While it does deal inherently with a very real world tragedy, ultimately it’s about people helping each other and being their best selves. This is a theme we could do with more of. I think the more people who see this show the more of that we’ll see out in the world. Don’t let the subject matter put you off this or limit who attends, this show is appropriate for anyone 12 and up. I think it’s a great show for a family to go together to see as it can lead to some very good conversations afterwards and it’s modeling excellent citizenship.

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The Servant of Two Masters Dishes Out the Absurdity to a Dizzying Degree at Lyric Arts

Katrina Stelk, Kyle Marks, Alex Stokes, and Brandon Osero. Photo by Molly Weibel

The Servant of Two Masters adapted by local favorite Jeffrey Hatcher and Paolo Emilio Landi from the original 1789 commedia dell’arte classic by Carlo Goldoni, is a joyfully funny and self aware production. There is no attempt at selling this as realism, in fact the play opens with an apology by the patron of the theater company that the troupe is running late. Once the players arrive we are treated to several minutes of behind the scenes silliness as the stage manager and performers work out what they will be doing. The play reads like a Shakespeare Comedy crossed with an episode of Three’s Company directed by Corky St. Clair. It involves a pair of twins, one of which the male, is dead and the other a female who has taken on the identity of her brother posing as a man. There are multiple pairs of lovers who all seem on the brink of losing their true loves, and at the center is a quick thinking but not terribly bright servant who tries to serve two Masters at the same time in order to get paid and fed by both. This adaptation premiered in 2004, if it sounds familiar, you may have seen a later adaptation from 2011 that starred James Corden titled One Man, Two Guvnors which updated the play from 1700’s Italy to 1960’s England.

What I loved about this production is the constant awareness that these are actors performing in a very stylized manner. They pose, they ham it up for the audience, and they are not above earning a little on the side by participating in some product placement. There is something freeing about a comedy that lets you know up front it’s not to be taken seriously. In some way it loosens the audience up and the laughs flow freely unabated by any sense of self consciousness. The production is directed by Scott Ford who has directed some of the best shows at Lyric Arts since The Stages of MN came into being and before. Here, his playful approach to the staging, the controlled chaos perfectly watch the style of the script. The use of onstage musical accompaniment, which though providing some background music composed by Melissa Bergstrom, mainly serves to provide comedic sounds to emphasize the buffoonery of the characters actions. Nice to see Callie Aho as the Intimacy Director as the show has a fair amount of risque business, and it’s good to know that there is someone making sure everyone on stage is being cared for so we can enjoy the humorous nature of these moments guilt free. Wonderfully adaptive set design by Michaela Lochen and costumes by Samantha Fromm Haddow make for a nice looking and inventive look to the show. Special praise though to Katie Kaufmann’s Mask Design work which is a hallmark of the commedia dell’arte style, they are beautifully realized and amazingly expressive (see the photo at the top for an example).

On stage the entire cast is terrific, with special shout outs to those performing through masks, which results in the loss of an actors eyes, which they say are the windows to the soul. This acting requires a different set of skills an exaggerated movement of the head in order to compliment the masks and make the face seem alive. Kyle Marks and Brendan Veerman excelled in acting through the masks, to the point I almost lost sight of the masks. Loved seeing Nykeigh Larson and Kyler Chase again, both of whom I first discovered on the Lyric Arts stage, they wonderfully played the the Masters of the Servant who are so hysterically hot for each other they can’t barely see the other without trembling all over. And fantastic to finally see what Alex Stokes can do with a good sized role, and it’s as I suspected, comic gold. My advice is for Theater’s to keep finding larger and larger roles for Stokes, he’s proven he’s capable of being much more than the one liner comic relief ensemble player.

The Servant of Two Masters runs through June 22nd at Lyric Arts in Anoka for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/servant/#servant-tickets

The Spitfire Grill From Ten Thousand Things is Wonderfully Intimate and Beautifully Done

Michelle Barber, Katherine Fried, George Keller, and Dominic Schiro. Photo by Tom Wallace

* Disclaimer: On March 28th I suffered a rupture in my right bicep muscle, which has left me without the use of my right arm. I will endeavor to continue seeing and reviewing shows however the reality is that the reviews will need to be significantly shorter. For now I will attempt to provide you, faithful readers, with a few sentences that will make clear whether a show is worth your time and money. My apologies to all of the artists in front of the curtain as well as behind whose work I may not be able to comment on. Hopefully this will be a short-term accommodation, I will do everything in my power to get back to writing full reviews as soon as is humanly possible.

Ten Thousand Things Theater is rapidly becoming my favorite theater company. This production of The Spitfire Grill in their trademark stripped down, theater in the round, lights on, and minimal sets style is simply a revelation. This is going to be one of those boring reviews because everything’s great and I won’t be able to find words expressive enough to praise the show. Based on the 1996 film of the same title it tells the story of Percy Talbott, a young woman just released from prison who looks for a fresh start in a dying small town named Gilead. Percy’s bus is met by the local Sheriff Joe Sutter who will serve as her parole officer. Sheriff Sutter takes her to the Spitfire Grill a rundown old Diner and convinces the owner Hannah Ferguson to take Percy on as a waitress and give her a room. At breakfast on her first morning, the town begins to wonder about Percy led by the town gossip and Postmistress Effy Krayneck. We also meet Hannah’s nephew Caleb and his wife Shelby, Caleb has been trying to sell the Spitfire Grill for the last 10 years. Just when Percy is questioning her decision to live in Gilead, Hannah falls and breaks her leg. Percy is enlisted to run the Spitfire with help from Shelby. Running the diner together Percy and Shelby bond and hatch an idea to raffle off the Spitfire Grill. Hannah gradually warms to the idea and they post the contest in newspapers. To enter, contestants need to send $100 and an essay on why they want the diner. The musical isn’t really about contest and a diner it’s about making connections and laying down roots, it’s about the concept of second chances in the re-emergence of hope.

I’ve written before about my preference for the front row in any theater, my desire to remove as many barriers between myself and the performers as possible. Wonderful thing about a Ten Thousand Things performance is that even if you’re in the back row you’re about as close to the performers as you are in the front row at any other theater. 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. There is something about the intimacy and immediacy of being so close to such talent, and that includes the entire cast, that cannot be outdone by the most elaborate touring production at the Orpheum. Michelle Barber as Hannah perfectly balances the gruff and hardened widow with the gradual thawing of her character as hope returns to Gilead. Katie Bradley as Shelby also handles her character’s transition from a timid wife to someone who is ready to embrace her own destiny with confidence. George Keller’s Effy is wonderfully played, Keller knows how to play the part to nail every moment of comic relief. Tom Reed reminds us that there isn’t anything he can’t do, playing Caleb who tries to be in charge but sees the town’s failure to thrive as his own failure. Well known for his comedic chops, Reed’s performance on the song “Digging Stone” displays his powerful singing voice. Making his professional debut is Dominic Schiro, as Sheriff Sutter, Schiro positions himself as a performer with a bright future and one to watch. The cast is rounded out by Tyson Forbes in the role of the a mysterious visitor, as well as one of the musicians. It’s a small but critical role that Forbes handles just right making the characters skittishness and solitude palpable.

The production is co-directed by Michelle O’Neill and outgoing Artistic Director Marcela Lorca who are more than up to the challenge creating so much with so little. Stripping the show down to its bare essentials rather than creating a more artificial feel strengthens the connection between performer and audience. Credited with movement is Jim Lichtscheidl who creates some ingenious ways to help set the locales using wooden poles which held by the actors become everything from prison bars to a bus. This production of The Spitfire Grill it’s a very embodiment of why I love live theater, the talent on display, the creativity, and the emotional connection to the work being performed all contribute to giving this my highest recommendation. It’s the type of performance that reminds you why the Arts not only matter but are of vital importance to our souls as human beings.

The Spitfire Grill runs through June 9th, at various locations and at affordable prices for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://tenthousandthings.org/

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Matilda JR. is a Charming Condensed Version Perfect For Introducing Children to the Musical

The latest production from Stages Theatre Company is Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR., the JR. indicates this is an abridged version of the full musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. I saw Matilda at the Orpheum Theater when it toured a few years back and fell in love with it. Stages production has so much to love about it and only one real criticism, which isn’t even fair, and that is that I miss all the stuff that had to be left out. The purpose of these abridged productions, also very popular with the Disney shows, is to get productions to a length that is more appropriate for young audiences and performers. Recommended for ages 5+ they are a great way to introduce school-age children to the live musical form, it gets them the story the experience of seeing actors sing and dance and opens their imaginations to the creativity inherent in live theater. Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. Is the story of a young girl of incredible intelligence completely unsupported by her parents who begins school that is run by an evil headmistress that hates children. It’s a cautionary tale about the resiliency of children and the damage that can be done when adults forget the importance of their role in nurturing young people. Which may sound a little adult but the story is told in such a way that children can understand and relate. The use of humor in the songs and the book are very entertaining and will keep the attention of children.

I make it a rule in general not to comment on performances of school-age children unless they are in a professional touring company. It feels like an unnecessary rule when it comes to this production as the entire cast, made up largely of children, are all fantastic. There are several of the kids whose voices and stage presents indicate a bright career should they choose to follow that path later in life. The two actors I do feel like I can single out are Aniya Hollie and DeZhanè Antionette. Hollie who plays Miss Honey the teacher with a heart of gold and a bottomed out self-esteem is a veteran of eight Stages Theatre Company shows. She has matured into a very good actor making palpable her character’s desire to protect the children while dealing with the crippling intimidation of the headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. Antionette plays Trunchbull and perfectly embodies the villainous head of the school who clings to her glory days when she threw the hammer for her country in the Olympic Games. Antionette relishes the juicy role digging into the tyranny while also seething with frustration when her injustices are foiled by the clever children.

Co-directors Sandy Boren-Barrett and JC Lippold, who’s also the Music Director, keep the show moving along at a Brisk pace, critical to holding younger audiences attention. Choreographer Krysti Wiita does an impressive job with the young cast and I felt came up with some good alternatives to what the touring company had created, particularly in the song “When I Grow Up“. High marks as well go to the design team which include Set Designer Joe Stanley, Costume and Makeup Designer Meghan Kent, Props Designer Philip Hoks, Lighting Designer Tony Stoeri, and Sound Designer Gretchen Katt. Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. runs through May 19th at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.stagestheatre.org/matilda/

Artistry in Bloomington is Alive With the Sound of Music

When I was growing up in the pre-cable days of television there were four channels and no home video. There were three movies that I was aware of being broadcast yearly on one of the three major networks ABC, NBC, and CBS. They were The Wizard of Oz which we always watched, Gone with the Wind which I never watched, and of course The Sound of Music which we never missed. It’s fair to say those early screenings planted the seed from which my love of theater and musicals grew. Sometimes revisiting childhood favorites can be a disappointment, thankfully that isn’t the case with Artistrys production of The Sound of Music. Director Max Wojtanowicz has tapped into a deep vein of emotional memory that had my eyes overflowing throughout the evening. It’s a musical filled with such joy and Wojtanowicz’s directorial flourishes only add to it. I’m not sure anyone in the Twin Cities knows as much about musical theater as Wojtanowicz, his mastery of the form shows in every scene. One little touch that I absolutely loved was the use of a bed sheet and shadow hand puppets during the performance of “The Lonely Goatherd“. The set design by Katie Phillips is minimal but Music Director Raymond Berg could have the top notch musicians that beautifully underline the actors vocals. Oh! before I continue, I should just say if you’re looking for plot synopsis, I’m not going to provide you with one, but I would like to welcome you out from under the rock you’ve apparently been living under.

As a rule I do not critique the performances of adolescent actors so all I will say is that they were wonderful and every one of them should continue on this path. The big name in the cast is Susan Hofflander who plays the Mother Abbess, She has a powerful voice and there’s a true connection between her and Maria that is solidified when they sing “My Favorite Things” together and carries throughout the show. Rodolfo Nieto, one of my wife’s All is Calm Boys, plays Captain von Trapp, his deep rich voice and severe look brings a different characterization to the Captain but one that’s very effective. Now for the show’s secret weapon, in the role of Maria, Sheena Janson Kelley was a revelation. Kelley’s voice was not only beautiful but crystal clear. Seeing as many shows as I do, I’m used to hearing great singers, powerful singers, beautiful voices, Kelley’s is exactly the voice I always want to hear in this type of role. Her voice is the embodiment of this character who’s all love and joy and music. Sometimes a character this good can also come off as boring, there’s nothing boring about the perfection of Kelley’s Maria. Every choice she makes in the role whether it’s singing or acting endears her to the audience, we are with her from her first line to her final bow. To the best of my knowledge I’ve not seen Kelley perform before, but I sure hope I do again, and soon. To this reviewer’s mind if you’re casting a musical I can’t understand why you wouldn’t give the lead to Sheena Janson Kelley. Whatever the role is, it’s hard to imagine there’s a better choice.

If you were planning to give The Sound of Music a pass thinking you’ve seen the movie a million times so you don’t need to go see it again, you’re going to want to correct that thinking. This production will remind you why you’ve seen the movie so many times, because it’s so damn good. This production may lack the scenic views but it has everything that makes the musical great intact, heart, lots and lots of heart. The Sound of Music runs through May 12th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/thesoundofmusic

Join us for a twin cities theater blogger event at the Guthrie Theater for their Shakespeare history event. We are also planning a Twin Cities Theater Bloggers post show Gathering on April 27th following the Richard II matinee for 20% discount on tickets to that performance use the code TCBLOG or click on the link http://securesite.guthrietheater.org/single/PSDetail.aspx?psn=33583&promo=TCBLOG

The Cradle Will Rock An Opera Theatre Presentation at Heart of the Beast/Avalon Theater

The Cradle Will Rock is a show I know of but had never seen, it’s sort of that kind of show. There’s an incredible true story about its staging in 1937 that Actor and Director Tim Robbins made into a film in 1999 called Cradle Will Rock, it’s a good movie and a fascinating story. You can get the general gist of what happened in An Opera Theater’s program for this show, which is packed full of captivating information and thoughtful commentary from the people behind this staging of Marc Blitzstein’s condemnation of greed and corruption. The show runs about 65 minutes and as such, it eskews subtlety being very direct and clear about its message. A message whose time has come again, not that it ever really left. The show consists of 10 scenes that play out showing us the ways in which it’s villain Mr Mister exploits, manipulates, and controls not only the people but institutions for his own personal gain. The production directed by Christina Baldwin along with Lizz Windnagel as Puppet Director/Creator is visually inventive with creative use of lighting by Claudia Errickson, and wonderfully stylized costumes by Sonya Berlovitz.

Baldwin speaks in her program notes about the importance of being silly, and it’s a lesson she has successfully instilled in her cast. Written in a very Brechtian Style, the infusion of whimsy that Baldwin brings to the piece makes it more digestible to modern audience. The cast has some familiar faces in it but also new ones. Benjamin Dutcher sounds brilliant as always but, it’s his playful, and yes, silly characterizations were the real joy of his performance. His stylistic movements as his first character Dick were a perfect match for the overcoat designed by Berlovitz for the character. Maurice Fields III is someone I had not seen before but they certainly made an impression. Fields has a wonderful tenor voice but again, it was their characterizations that really stuck out as Reverend Salvation, for example they illustrates how we got to this state we’re in with regards to the religious right. They perfectly play the gradual seduction of the man of God by the power of the dollar. It’s a wonderful cast all around and the production team as well particularly those involved with the puppeteering really make this a production stand out. What’s also intriguing about this company, An Opera Theater is their commitment to community engagement with performances being followed by round table discussions with community leaders as well as resources available in the lobby and in the program. For them, it’s not just about putting on a show it’s about engaging an audience and a community, which is a beautiful thing.

The Cradle Will Rock runs through April 21st at Heart of the Beast /Avalon Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and purchase tickets go to https://anoperatheatre.org/cradle

Bear Grease is the Word an Indigenous Peoples Parody Presented by New Native Theatre at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul

Bear Grease is a rough around the edges but very fun show that wears it’s Fringe Festival roots on it’s Pink Aunties jacket sleeve. Most Fringe shows, at least from my experience with the MN Fringe Festival run about 50 to 55 minutes, This show runs about 75. It opens with some comedic making of skit videos and then 4 classic songs from 50’s and 60’s performed in their original style, two by the Pink Ladies and two by the Tug Boats as if in concert. Which then brings us to the show proper which runs about 50 to 55 minutes. Does that opening detract from the show and feel like the padding it probably is? No, I loved it all, but then that’s my kind of music. If they had wanted to call the show Bear Grease and then just come out and done covers of early rock-n-roll songs for 75 minutes, I’d have been just fine with that. The lead singer of each group do great renditions of the songs and the rest of the cast have the background singer sounds and moves down perfectly. The team behind the creation of Bear Grease, Crystle Lightning and MC RedCloud would love for it to make it to Broadway. It’s a long way from being ready for that, but they have the bones of something that could be built up. As I said this began as a show for the Edmonton Fringe Festival and it has the budget and production design that matches that level, which is absolutely fine for presentation.

The story follows the basic, though extremely abbreviated, plot of the movie Grease, which is subtly different from the original Broadway musical version. The twist is that aside from having a cast that is made up entirely of indigenous performers, it has also been rewritten with that community in mind. As a white man I’m sure I didn’t get all of the jokes, but I think I got most of it if not from prior knowledge but from context. The show will obviously have a much higher understanding by those from the native cultures from which it draws it’s humor, but is very accessible to all. They also replace a lot of the 50’s and 60’s style music with Hip Hop, thankfully for many of the songs they have the words projected behind them on a screen, I personally don’t have the best hearing and fast paced Rapping can leave me unsure of all the lyrics. I enjoyed all of the music whether is was new lyrics to a classic Grease song, or the often humorous hip hop take on moments from the original. One of my favorite moments was when Tammy Rae as Rezzo sang Stand By Me, most of it in I think the language of the Cree. The cast is great, there is some really fun dancing and the vocals are very good. Particularly the vocal work of Melody McArthur as Sandy and Bryce Morin as Danny, they could sing me the top hits of early days of rock n roll all day.

The theater world is getting better about giving voice to communities other than white which has dominated for so long, but it still has a long way to go. We can all help with that, by attending shows like this and others put on by companies like New Native Theatre. We need to show that there is an audience, a curiosity, and a market for these stories. Diversity and different perspectives enrich life and help us connect to each other, and it doesn’t always revolve around deep and political ideas or message plays. Sometimes, and maybe more often it should be about what’s funny and joyful about the communities from which these stories come, like with Bear Grease. the show runs one more weekend through March 9th at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://newnativetheatre.org/bear-grease-comes-to-minnesota/