MN Fringe Festival Day 8! M, The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy (The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award Winner), Therapist Zero, Chum!

It is day eight of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and I’m back again with four more reviews. To help you plan the final push on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, here is a rundown of all The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winners so far:

Watership Down
Be Not Afraid
Empty Nest
The Importance of Living
A Confluence of Arseholes
The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy

Go to the Minnesota Fringe website here: https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026 to get the scoop on all of this year’s shows. As I do every year, I’ll be posting short reviews of every show I see as fast as I can, including my daily naming of The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award winner.

I can’t see everything, at least not without my glasses. So I encourage you to also follow my colleagues at http://www.cherryandspoon.com/ and https://letteredintheatre.wordpress.com/. You can also access all of the shows on the fabulous new theater website of the Twin Cities, 79 Seconds on Stage, at https://79seconds.org/. That site has links to all of the Fringe shows, as well as any reviews that might be out there for them from print and digital review sources. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you really should.

M is based on the 1931 German film directed by Fritz Lang and adapted and directed by Emma Kessler. This was an interesting experiment, taking a very stylized film and adapting it to the stage. Kessler makes some fun artistic choices, such as the use of shadow puppet techniques in certain scenes to capture locales, windows, even the silhouettes of people at times. It adds a touch of expressionist style that informed many classic German films of the silent era, which led to the bold, dynamic techniques that Lang employed when making M in the early sound era. There are several nice touches, such as having a child’s red ball roll across the stage to signify its owner no longer needs it. The story involves the hunt by the police and the underworld for a child killer. Fans of the film will really enjoy this transfer to the stage. I know I did.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/m

The Choose Your Own Adventures of Turtle Boy is the winner of The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award! The amazing thing is, this was a last-minute change. I had planned to see another show simply because it was in the same venue when, for the second time in two days, someone told me they were contemplating seeing this show for a second time. For die-hard Fringe fans who try and see as much stuff as we can, a statement like that means something. It was a sign from not really above, but more next to me and slightly to my left.

First off, Turtle Boy just melts your heart. From the moment he hides behind his puppeteer’s leg because he’s shy, an act that people in most audiences, maybe not a Fringe one, will instantly identify with. Turtle Boy is a puppet, of the marionette persuasion, controlled by traveling artist Emmanuel Elpenord. Throughout the stories Turtle Boy tells, he reaches a point where he has to choose between two choices, which the audience votes on by applause.

I was a big reader of the Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was a kid. The first ones I ever got were through the book order forms we got at school, they were called Twistaplot. I believe Twistaplot lost a format war with Choose Your Own Adventure, as they only produced 18 books to the latter’s 184. There was also a version by another publisher called Find Your Fate that featured James Bond and Indiana Jones. But maybe I made the wrong choice going down this path, because the review seems to have been lost. I’m going to go back to the previous decision and continue on in another direction.

Turtle Boy is so charming, you just root for him. The other great thing about this is it’s a show the whole family can enjoy, which is not something you can count on for a lot of Fringe shows, so it’s nice to have those options.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/the-choose-your-own-adventures-of-turtle-boy

Therapist Zero is a solo show from Brian Leonard that is very polished, almost to the point where you might call it slick. Leonard is obviously very well rehearsed and comfortable in front of an audience. It felt a little like an HBO comedy special by one of those comedians who also tells you moments of truth, though not as funny. That’s intentional; he sprinkles the show with humor, but it isn’t meant to be a stand-up routine. He’s storytelling or life-lesson sharing.

The stories he tells are all interesting, and they are connected thematically, but it’s hard not to feel that somewhere along the way we lost the central premise. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a cut-down version of a longer show; it just feels like we are missing a chunk of information surrounding his daughter. I wanted to know more about those teenage years, how she is now, not just what she is doing. This is a solid show. If you have nothing else that catches your eye during this slot, this is a solid choice that will not leave you wishing you had the time slot back.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/therapist-zero

Chum! is the second Jaws parody show of the Fringe Festival; this one is a musical. If you see only one Jaws parody show this Fringe, I’d have to say see the other one, Muskie. That one tells its own story set in MN and is very humorous.

Chum! is…well, I don’t know what it is. It uses recognizable characters from Jaws, but then kind of tells a different story that’s also kind of the same. It’s funny at times. The songs are not bad; they aren’t particularly memorable, but they have some clever bits to them. It just seems a little, I wouldn’t say safe exactly, but maybe risk-averse.

They wrote a lot of songs, and the cast is quite good vocally as well as performance-wise. It just fails to really tickle the viewer the way Muskie does. This one may be suffering from being a show I wanted so much to be great, and it was just good. One curious similarity was the way the watery terrors in both shows are sort of dispatched in the same way.

https://minnesotafringe.org/shows/2026/chum-

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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.

The Butler Did It Satisfies the Mystery Lover With a Brand New Sleuth I’m Dying to See More of at Park Square Theatre

Allison Vincent and Steve Hendrickson Photo by Dan Norman

The Butler Did It, the new play by arguably the finest mystery playwright working today, Jeffrey Hatcher, is sure to please any fan of the genre. Done in the subgenre of the inverted mystery, where we witness the killer commit the crime and then watch the cat-and-mouse game unfold between criminal and law enforcement. The format is most famously associated with the TV detective Columbo, for which Hatcher wrote one of the final installments. While this play certainly has shades of Columbo, Hatcher also brings his unique talent for surprising the audience with unexpected twists.

The thing about mystery plays is that there isn’t much you can say without accidentally spoiling the fun. In fact, during the talkback I attended after the show, I realized that even discussing one of the lead characters, and the actor who portrays them, could be considered a spoiler. Even that might be enough for the especially deductive among you to piece things together. Therefore, a play I feel I could write a double-length review about is instead going to get one of my shortest.

The play is set at a school for gentlemen’s gentlemen in 1975 San Francisco. A murder takes place that appears to be a suicide, but we, the audience, know otherwise. Assigned to the case, her first in fact, is the newly appointed Inspector Denise. And that’s about all I dare say of the plot. What I can add is that, for a mystery where you already know the killer, the fun comes from how cleverly Hatcher subverts expectations, how sharp the dialogue is, and how well the cast executes it. The Butler Did It does all three in spades.

Speaking of the cast, there’s exactly one person I feel safe discussing without being hauled away by the spoiler police: Allison Vincent as Inspector Denise. Luckily, I could write about Vincent all day. Hatcher may have modeled aspects of the play after Columbo, but he has created a completely original hero in Inspector Denise. It’s a role that feels tailor made for Vincent, who is one of the most distinctive theater artists in the Twin Cities. Not just a performer, but also a writer and director, Vincent has never once failed to impress. Here, she goes nowhere near Columbo as a character, instead bringing a style and energy entirely her own. Her humor feels like a perfect match for Hatcher’s writing.

After seeing her as Inspector Denise, I’m ready for a full series of plays, a Netflix show, starring Vincent in the role, written by Hatcher of course. Hatcher did mention that of the four future mysteries he’s been commissioned by Park Square Theatre to write, Inspector Denise is a character he’d like to revisit in one of them. Personally, I hope he doesn’t limit it to just one, I’m ready to tag along with Inspector Denise on many more investigations.

I hesitate to discuss the rest of the cast, but they are absolutely perfect. The production is filled with names faithful readers and Twin Cities theatergoers will recognize: Anna Beth Baker, Neal Beckman, Pearce Bunting, Peter Christian Hansen, Steve Hendrickson, and Nora Long. With that lineup and Hatcher’s script, audiences can be confident they’re in for something exciting.

What else can I say without hampering your enjoyment? Director David Ira Goldstein expertly guides the audience through the plot’s twists and turns. Scenic designer Benjamin Olsen has created a wonderful set, which we’re told will be reconfigured and adapted for each of Hatcher’s future mystery/thrillers. Karin Olson’s lighting design features some highly effective cues, from a small gunshot to a large explosion, both convincingly realized. Frederick Kennedy’s sound design includes a delightfully ’70s TV-style motif that brought a smile to my face every time it popped up.

The Butler Did It is exactly what mystery lovers crave, a new play that feels like a classic of the genre. The production runs at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul through August 16. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.parksquaretheatre.org/the-butler-did-it.

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/

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/

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.

Marie and Rosetta Makes its Long Awaited Appearance at Yellow Tree Theatre and Proves it Was Worth the Wait!

Adair Gilliam and Chaz Shermil Hodges Photo by Alex Clark

Marie and Rosetta, after being postponed last season, finally takes the spotlight at Yellow Tree Theatre, and it was well worth the wait. I have no personal connection to gospel music, but I gained a real appreciation for it, and genuine enjoyment, during the 100 minutes I spent with Adair Gilliam and Chaz Shermil Hodges, who play Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight, respectively.

These are perfect roles for both actors, especially Gilliam. I imagine the pool of Twin Cities performers who can handle the intricate guitar work required for this role, while also acting and singing at a high level, is not a large one. But no matter how large that pool might be, I doubt anyone could do it better than Adair Gilliam. Her guitar playing is stunning, her singing remarkable, and her acting equally strong, but she also possesses that intangible quality I can only describe as chemistry with the audience. There’s something in the way she leans into the music, particularly with the guitar in hand, her feel for it, the twinkle in her eye, the smile that spreads across her face as she doesn’t just sing, but communicates the lyrics. It gave me goosebumps, and it will undoubtedly be one of my top theater highlights of 2026, even this early in the year.

Chaz Shermil Hodges is a terrific partner for Gilliam. As Marie, the young protégé Rosetta has taken under her wing, she projects openness and youthful energy, and their vocal performances together are both uplifting and electric.

The story unfolds over their first evening working together, as they rehearse and get to know one another. Interestingly, it takes place in a funeral home. As Black performers traveling the South in the 1940s, their lodging options are limited, so they rely on friends and community connections wherever they go. The women talk about their mothers, the men in their lives, religion, and music, sharing their stories as we come to know them. I found these conversations fascinating, like listening to two people you instantly like open up about themselves. Co-directors Ansa Akyea and Richard Thompson beautifully capture that feeling of connection, the simple act of sitting, talking, and truly listening. It’s something many productions aim for, but few fully achieve.

The show would be worth seeing even without the musical numbers woven throughout, but man, those performances make this one a must-see. Go and swing with Marie and Rosetta which runs through April 19 at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo. For more information and tickets, go to https://yellowtreetheatre.com/marie-and-rosetta.

The Welkin Is Riveting From Start To Finish From Frank Theatre Ending Sunday at the Gremlin Theatre

Cast of “The Welkin” Tracey Maloney and Elizabeth Efteland front and center Photo by Tony Nelson

The Welkin continues Frank Theatre’s tradition of producing incredibly thought provoking and relevant work that speaks directly to our world. I had to reschedule this one three times due to some ongoing health issues. I didn’t want to miss it, but by the third reschedule, when I was looking at finally seeing it during the last weekend, that’s usually when I cut my losses and move on to something with more of a run left. Big shout-out to my friend Jill over at Cherry and Spoon, who made sure I knew this was not to be missed. She has never been more right in all the years I’ve known her. This one has TCTB Awards written all over it.

Here’s the thing: it’s now almost midnight on Thursday, and this show closes Sunday. So this is going to be short and sweet, because I have another show tomorrow night, and if I want to give anyone a chance of catching this, I need to publish tonight. And those health issues? Still ongoing. I’m tired. So Frank Theatre, forgive me if this feels a little rushed.

“It’s 1759 in rural England, and the country is awaiting the return of Halley’s Comet. A young woman, accused of murder, is sentenced to death. When she tries to escape the noose by claiming she is pregnant, twelve ordinary women are gathered to decide whether she is telling the truth.”
—Frank Theatre website synopsis

Wendy Knox directs Lucy Kirkwood’s script, which had its U.S. premiere in 2024, making this the first chance for local audiences to experience it. The show runs close to three hours, with a 15-minute intermission, but I swear it feels like two, and a quick two at that. Knox’s great strength is her work with actors. There are 16 performers onstage, and not a single one fails to captivate for even a moment.

My biggest problem with this show is already looming: when I submit my nominees next January, do I just nominate it for Favorite Ensemble in a Drama, or do I also single out individual performances? Elizabeth Efteland as Sally, the accused, and Tracey Maloney as Elizabeth Luke, the local midwife and her chief supporter, both deserve Favorite Performance in a Drama nominations, but do they end up canceling each other out? That’s a problem for next year. The point is: they are both brilliant.

And then, frankly, so is everyone else. That includes Stages of MN favorites like Grace Hillmyer, Suzie Juul, Eva Gemlo, and Wini Froelich, who shows a side of herself you never saw at The Mystery Café. Simply stunning. Even performers with the fewest lines hold your attention completely. There isn’t a wasted moment, not a throwaway line. In fact, there are a couple of subtle, intriguing lines that could easily be missed but leave you questioning what you’ve actually seen. I won’t spoil those moments. This play is so strong that others will undoubtedly produce it, but I doubt they’ll do it as well as Frank.

The remainder of the run, which ends March 29, is nearly sold out. If you can make it, I urge you to act fast and grab one of the remaining tickets. I’ll make it easy, here’s the link to the Frank Theatre website:
https://franktheatre.org/events/the-welkin/

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the weekly 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.

Abuelita From Prime Productions Needs More Time To Tell its Characters Stories.

The cast of Abuelita Photo by Dan Norman

Prime Productions closes out its 8th season with the world premiere of ABUELITA, a new play by Nathan Yungerberg. There is a lot of good stuff here, but there also seem to be many threads that don’t really lead anywhere. What this material feels ideally suited for is a TV series. There are seven great characters, and four of them get about one scene in which to shine, when they are clearly interesting enough to hold our interest for dozens. In its present form, it feels like there are three characters too many, or perhaps three who are given stage time that should have gone to others, so that more of them could fully realize their roles in the story.

The play opens with Davia, a 72-year-old white grandmother from Iowa who has moved to Spanish Harlem in the summer of 1993 with her fifteen-year-old mixed-race grandson, Jesús, to expose him to his father’s Puerto Rican culture. They meet the other residents of their apartment building on the stoop when they arrive. Davia and Yvette quickly bond over being grandmothers raising grandchildren who have lost their mothers, getting drunk on some sort of alcohol Yvette smuggled back from her last trip to Puerto Rico. Yvette’s granddaughter, Sonya, and Jesús become friends, and she introduces him to her group, some of whom are gay, as we learn Jesús is as well. Davia, in turn, begins to find companionship with Yvette, her sister Indigo, and Wilfredo, a bongo-playing singer who lives next door.

It’s hard to escape the feeling that many of these interactions play like the first of what should be many scenes, or like the third scene, with the previous two missing. Davia is a great character, but almost every moment with her feels like it needed more room to breathe and develop. I also don’t think the character was helped by Mary Gant’s performance; there were simply too many missed or flubbed lines. There is real potential here, but Gant doesn’t quite convey the nuance the role requires. Or perhaps the issue lies more in the script, which rushes toward “aha!” moments that would land more effectively if the relationships had time to grow and unfold.

There are, however, several very enjoyable performances. Skyler Seiler as Sonya is sassy and fun. King Jackson as Jesús starts out somewhat awkwardly, but that seems to be a deliberate choice that tracks with the character; as he becomes more comfortable in his new environment and freer to be himself, the performance comes alive. Pedro R. Bayon is very good as Wilfredo, though he’s another character who gets one strong scene and little else to do, despite feeling like someone you’d want to follow further. Gabi Del Moral as Yvette is also very good, though her relaxed, fluid performance only highlights Gant’s relative stiffness, and their instant friendship doesn’t quite feel earned. Adlyn Carreras as Indigo has a few line flubs as well, but her swagger and attitude carry her through them more successfully. Like others, Indigo feels like a character with much more story to tell. And since I’ve mentioned everyone else, I should note Elsa Vega Pérez as Niego, who is apparently related to Yvette and Indigo, though it’s not entirely clear how. She has only a few lines in Spanish before disappearing for a stretch and then briefly reappearing. She’s good, but likely the first character to cut if tightening the piece.

Ultimately, I’d happily watch these characters for 10 or 12 hours a year. If this play were the first season of a TV series, the ending we see here would probably land around episode six. It’s not that the play is bad, it’s one of those cases where you can clearly see its potential to be something more, and it’s hard not to focus on that. Most plays are easy to take as they are: good, bad, or somewhere in between. But every once in a while, you encounter something that so clearly should be, not different, just more. These characters don’t need better writing; they simply deserve more of it.

ABUELITA runs through March 29th at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. For More information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.primeprods.org/abuelita