Sanctuary City a Complex and Thought Provoking Drama From Frank Theatre at Open Eye Theatre

Stephanie Anne Bertumen, Clay Man Soo, Keivin Vang Photo by Tony Nelson

Last year Ironbound produced by Frank Theatre and written by Martyna Majok wowed me and my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers receiving five Twin City Theater Blogger Award nominations and winning one. Sanctuary City is this years first offering from the socially minded theater company and is also written by the Pulitzer Prize winning Majok. It’s another thought provoking and challenging play that explores the timely topic of immigration. Uniquely structured, the first act contains dozens of brief moments, memories over a course of a couple of years that establish the close friendship between two teenagers G and B, who live in the US illegally. During these scenes which last anywhere from 10 seconds to a couple of minutes each, we learn that one becomes a citizen and they hatch a plan to marry each other so that the other can legally stay in the country as well. Act two is one scene which explores what happens to that plan when a third person, Henry, enters the pictures as a romantic partner. Every reveal in the second act clarifies the situation while complicating the issue itself. As I sat in the audience I found myself constantly reconsidering what I thought moments earlier.

Majok’s script is brilliantly directed by Wendy Knox who always manages to obscure what should be from the audience while making what we should understand clear. When you see the play you will understand what a complex task that is. Joe Stanley’s set design helps to illustrate the differences between the two Acts of the show and make tangible the idea of the first Act as a series of memories. Act one is performed on a bare stage with a few simple boxes that take the place of a bed or a bench. Act Two is revealed as B’s apartment fully realized indicating that this is happening in real time. Majok’s script further distinguishes this fact by the simplistic, almost black and white aspect of the dialogue and emotions in Act one compared to the intricate and often amorphous reality of the present. Tony Stoeri’s lighting is also intricate to the telling of this story particularly in Act one in which the lights fade down and back up to indicate the jump to a new memory.

Stephanie Anne Bertumen who plays G is stunningly good conveying unspoken backstory and emotion through her performance. We not only get a sense of unexpressed emotions and life details but have a sense of what they are without the script actually dictating any of it. Clay Man Soo who plays B, takes as a cue to his character one of the lines his character says at the beginning of the show, “I don’t know what to do.” I’m not saying Soo doesn’t know what to do, I mean that is the key to portraying this character and Soo picks up on it and uses it. B spends his life in Limbo; as an illegal, his live options if he wants to stay in the US are limited, he can’t get aid for school and he needs to work jobs that don’t enforce certain regulations. Because of the introduction of Henry to the plot, he doesn’t know if he’s still going to be able to escape Limbo with G. If he can’t, should he continue to live this life or return to his birth country? Soo perfectly captures a sense of being lost, unsure what he should do, always looking to others for guidance. Henry is played by Keivin Vang and it’s a difficult, at least initially, unlikeable role. Vang does a good job of conveying the characters conceitedness. He enters the play at a point where a third is unwanted by the audience and first impressions are that he is just going to make everything fall apart. But he softens and as more is revealed, we find something to appreciate in the character for a time. It’s here that Majok’s script kicks into overdrive requiring the performers to manipulate the audience’s allegiances from moment to moment.

Sanctuary City runs around an hour and forty five minutes with no intermission. It is a drama, but also contains humor and while it will leave you with a lot to think about and does not end with a super sunny resolution, it’s creativity and performances will leave you feeling excited and engaged rather than depressed. Sanctuary City runs through February 23rd at Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://franktheatre.org/events/sanctuary-city/

Sweet Charity is Full of Dance, Song, and Laughs at Artistry in Bloomington

Shinah Hey and the cast of Sweet charity Photo by Dan Norman Photography

I was a Sweet Charity virgin in the purest most poetical sense of the word. I was in for several surprises not the least of which was that the 1966 musical was based on the screenplay for Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria. I likewise, wasn’t aware that the book for the musical was by Neil Simon. Any time I’m experiencing a musical for the first time I try and go in cold, to let it work on me the way it would have for audiences when it first came out. So it’s always a surprise when you recognize a song or two that you didn’t realize came from the show. That happened with two songs in this show “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now“, but it’s filled with other catchy tunes as well. As fun as the songs are, the real attraction of this production is the dancing. Choreographed by Abby Magalee the cast’s moves will entertain even those for whom dancing isn’t a draw. There’s nothing like seeing a dozen or so performers all moving in perfect synchronization, and who isn’t impressed by a perfectly executed kickline. There were a couple of ensemble members who’s dancing really stood out as flawless, Jaclyn McDonald and Aliya Grace. I’m not hugely knowledgeable about dance and tend to enjoy it most as part of a musical, but I think I could happily while away a couple of hours watching those two dance so exquisitely.

No slouch in the hoofing department either is the star of the show Shinah Hey who plays Charity Hope Valentine. Charity is a dance hall girl who is constantly taken advantage of by the men she falls for. After being pushed in the lake in Central Park by her boyfriend who also steals her purse, Charity is saved from drowning reluctantly by a member of the crowd of people who gathered to watch her drown. This is the first taste of the humor that pervades the show. Charity takes it all in stride and this is the cue for the audience to do so as well. If you don’t take that “shrug it off and keep on going” attitude to heart, you may find yourself severely out of sorts by the end of the show. Shinah Hey is perfectly cast with a relentlessly positive energy and optimism crucial to making the character believable. Other outstanding members of the cast include the always hilarious Brendan Nelson Finn who first came to our attention on the Artistry stage in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He plays Oscar who Charity meets when they get stuck in an elevator together and will become her love interest. Finn is a master at milking every ounce of humor out of any scene, whether verbally, his exclamations of panic in the elevator, or non verbally, his reactions and dancing during the song “The Rhythm of Life“. You don’t want to take your eyes off him for fear you’ll miss something. Adan Varela plays a famous movie star named Vittorio Vidal, he and Charity have less of a love connection but she coaches him in her ever selfless way to a reconciliation with his girlfriend. Varela has a jaw dropping moment when he begins to sing “Too Many Tomorrows” and you get your first exposure to his voice on his own. I thought I’d died and gone to classic movie musical heaven his voice is so full, rich, and what the girls used to call dreamy. Another ensemble member that didn’t get a large stand alone role but played multiple small parts was Quinn Lorez, who after a nice turn as Joanne in Rent at Artistry, brings to this an ability to punch each of her small roles with something to make them memorable, which is a great way to differentiate the characters and become an audience favorite, just the perfect amount of attitude.

This production was Directed by Laura Leffler who masterfully stages the show on what has become Artistry’s go to production design lately. Which is to have the band up stage and have the minimal set pieces, mostly just a few chairs, a door frame, and a table or couch that can be brought on and off quickly. I suspect this has been done in several of their productions over the last year or so as a financial savings, which I understand completely. I’m happy to have them spend less on costumes and sets if it means they can continue to maintain such a full orchestra. Music Director Isabella Dawis and the Conductor Anita Ruth continue Artistry’s legacy of exemplary musical performances. Leffler doesn’t let the lack of set make the show less dynamic, she uses various sections behind the band to add locales and create striking visual moments. Lighting Designer Shannon Elliott also assists with some clever lighting cues including creating the square of the elevator with a box of light shone on the stage floor. I had a great time with this show, enjoyed the singing and dancing and experienced another comedic performance I’m not likely to ever forget.

Sweet Charity runs through February 16th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/sweetcharity

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.

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.

Loudly, Clearly, Beautifully Elena Glass’ Tribute to Her Father, Emotionally Touching and Song Filled.

Gene Glass (pictured) and his daughter Elena Glass Photo by M & D Media

Loudly, Clearly, Beautifully is not only the title of Elena Glass’ new show about her father and their relationship but also the advice he always gave her before she sang. She informs us this is what she tells herself before she performs. That is as simple and true an illustration of the impact of fathers that you could ask for. Years later, even after they are long gone, we hear their words coming out of our own mouths. Glass who wrote and performs the show shares the details of her relationship with her father before and after his diagnosis Multiple Sclerosis. We get glimpses into the the love and honesty with which he parented and the struggles of dealing with such a diagnosis. Yes, there are some tears spilt, but there’s also a lot of laughs, and some fantastic singing. This isn’t a show about the tragedy of a man’s life unfairly cut short by disease. It’s a celebration of that man’s life and his impact on his daughter’s life in so many ways, as a cheerleader, an information distributor (sex talk yikes!!), and as a role model.

Glass lays herself out in a performance that touches the audience with it’s vulnerability. She finds humor in the stories she relates, but what is most important is she finds truth. She doesn’t simply raise her father up on a pedestal and show herself as the courageous daughter in the face of tragedy, always there with patience and selfless sacrifice. No, she acknowledges the moments when she and her father were not at their best, she points out the realities of living day in and day out with this cruel disease. It can make people angry, and impatient, and to pretend that isn’t so would be a betrayal to everyone who has gone through it. It’s important to acknowledge those realities and it’s so amazing of Glass to share that with us. Nearly everyone in the audience for this show will at some point go through something like this, whether it’s MS or another disease, either themselves, a parent, a child, or a partner. They will reflect back on this show and not judge themselves harshly for a momentary loss of patience or a flash of anger. Glass effectively and quite emotionally reassures us that’s part of the journey, part of our humanity, and that is the gift of the artist, to communicate that truth to their audience.

Wesley Frye is the Music Director and Pianist for the show, but also interacts with Glass in welcomed moments of humor and song. Frequently that role is to disappear into the background and provide the music as if out of the ether. The choice to include Frye more directly is a choice that pays off big time. Frye has a wonderful give and take with Glass and a wonderful singing voice, it’s an added gift that we didn’t anticipate, but are grateful for. The show is Directed by The Stages of MN favorite Allison Vincent who tackled similar ground in last summer’s The Stages of MN Fringe of the Day Award Winning Minnesota Fringe show, Daddy Issues, about her own relationship with her father. Vincent was the perfect choice to direct this show having recently tackled her own father/daughter relationship. Also contributing to the show is Leslie Vincent and Emily Dussault whose original song “Who I’ve Always Been” is a beautiful note on which to end the show.

Loudly, Clearly, Beautifully runs at the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers 2024 Award Winner for Favorite Theater Venue, The Hive Collaborative in St Paul, for five more performances through 1/31/25. For more information at to purchase your tickets go to https://www.thehivecollaborativemn.com/events/loudly-clearly-beautifully If you haven’t been before check out all the upcoming programming at The Hive Collaborative and support this wonderful intimate venue!

Parade is a Powerful and Darkly Beautiful Musical That Shines a Light on This Country’s Great Sickness at the Orpheum Theatre

The National Touring Company of PARADE, photo by Joan Marcus

Parade which opened last night at the Orpheum Theatre for a five day run is not what I was originally expecting it to be. When the show was announced as part of the 2024-2025 Hennepin Arts Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin Theatre season, I had some notion it was one of the less popular musicals from the 1940’s and 50’s featuring Judy Garland in the film version. Turns out, I was thinking of Easter Parade, which was never a Broadway show, just a film. This is probably about as far away from that Jukebox musical as you can get. What this is however, is a powerful reflection on the hatred and abuses of power on which our country was, and is run. The ignorance and fear by which people are led to do horrible things all set to a beautiful score. I know this doesn’t sound like the show anyone has the stomach for right now, but to miss it would be a mistake. It is a tragic true crime story that ends not with justice, but tragedy. There is no inspirational fanfare at the end just the applause for artists telling a difficult story very, very well. If you are like me, it’ll make you angry, but that’s a good thing. This is where art can remind us, not to be numb to the injustices around us, but to be angry and to fight. When people tell lies to make others angry and trick them into actions that defy logic, when people in roles of authority don’t care about the truth but just feeding the fear of the masses, you should be angry.

Parade tells the story of the 1913 murder of of a 13 year old girl named Mary Phagan and the man Leo Frank, whom the authorities decided should be guilty. What always upsets me about stories like this is how the authorities do not care about justice for the 13 year old girl. They know they’re manufacturing evidence to get a conviction so that they don’t look bad in the press. They don’t care about catching the person that actually did it. We here stories like this over and over again, why? I’m afraid because it really happens like this, over and over and over again. The creators of Parade, the legendary Harold Prince who co-conceived it and the Author of the book Alfred Uhry and Composer and Lyricist Jason Robert Brown have brought power and beauty to this historical event. The show premiered in 1998 winning Tony Awards, then as well as in the revival in 2023 on which this touring production is based. Director Michael Arden has staged a darkly beautiful tableau making commentary on what is happening with things as subtle as who is singing or more pointedly who isn’t. While there isn’t a lot in the way of dancing, the co-choreographers Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant clearly were integral in designing the movements of the characters outside of what we think of as traditional dancing. There are moments when three young girls are testifying that has a dreamlike fluidity, a nightmarish beauty to it. The production is sprinkled with moments like that throughout. The set design by Dane Laffrey is simple yet effective and makes great use of Sven Ortel’s Projection designs, both of which you can get a taste of in the photo above.

The cast is very strong, the leads Max Chernin and Talia Suskauer as Leo and Lucille Frank are terrific together in their two second act duets “This is Not Over Yet” and “All the Wasted Time“. Their performances as they become closer near the end and Leo begins to see that Lucille brings so much to the table that he never saw before, makes the gut punch ending ever so much more bitter. Another fantastic performance comes from Ramone Nelson who plays Jim Conley, a black janitor at the pencil factory where Leo works and where Mary’s body was found. His song at the trial “That’s What He Said” is the most damning evidence which he has been blackmailed by the D.A. into giving. Nelson is so smooth and convincing that it lends believability to the testimony, it’s a stand out number. Another favorite in the cast was Chris Shyer as Governor Slaton, who pulls a switch on the audience and turns out to be a good guy. But don’t worry, before the show ends balance will be returned to the South when the crooked D.A. get elected as the new Governor of Georgia. Wouldn’t it be great if that last sentence was a joke instead of a reflection of reality? Finally Olivia Goosman needs a mention as Mary Phagan, she only gets two scenes before she is murdered, but Director Arden, ensures that her presence is felt throughout the remainder of the show, frequently placing her high and far upstage, her presence being seen at key moments through the projection screen, a reminder of another injustice, a poor little girl that the South let go unavenged.

Parade runs through January 26th at Hennepin Arts Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/parade-2025

A Taste of Things to Come is a Bit Undercooked at Lyric Arts in Anoka

Bridget Benson, Lydia Rose Prior, Siri Ashley Wright, Natosha Guldan Photo by Molly Weibel

For those who enjoyed I Am Betty at The History Theatre the last two years, which is basically anyone who saw it, Lyric Arts has what plays as the public’s version of that story. A Taste of Things to Come wants to tell us about the lives of the woman who gathered together and cooked from the Betty Crocker Cookbook rather than those who created it. The problem is that A Taste of Things to Come has nothing new to say and isn’t worthy of being talked about as a companion piece to History Theatre’s smash hit. It’s wants to be a Steel Magnolias/Savannah Sipping Society type story and Act I set in 1957 does seem to have something to say about the four woman whose story it is as well about their roles in society at that point in history. There is character details, humor, some surprises, and some drama. Act II leaps forward ten years to 1967 and seems to have nothing to say and nowhere to go. The big reveals in terms of the women’s lives are delivered as if even the characters know none of it means anything. The concept of the show by Hollye Levin along with the musical numbers being done in the style of the 50’s and 60’s had a lot of promise and some of the songs are actually very fun, but the book of the show written by Debra Barsha and Levin wastes a promising concept. We learn more about every theme this show tries to drag out in the second act in a more effective and powerful way in the play Glory, now playing at Theatre in the Round.

Look, there are things to like here, the cast is good, they can’t help that the script has nothing new to say or a fresh way to present it. I actually quite liked maybe every song in the first Act, but really only cared for the final song in the second act. I wish the program listed the songs so I could reflect on them a little more, but it doesn’t. In the performance I saw the understudy Raquel Ponce performed the role of Agnes, I always am in awe of understudies who go on, particularly in the first week of a run. I know they don’t get anywhere near the rehearsal time as the primary cast and Ponce does a nice job. My favorite performer overall was Natosha Guldan who plays Joan. They all had strengths and weaknesses but Guldan was the one who really stood out particularly in her handling of the changes in the character over the 10 years. Bridget Benson played Dottie, the conservative of the group, she’s also the one who struggles with her diet. Benson does everything you can do with the chubby uptight comic relief stereotype, she hits the jokes as well as anyone can. It’s just that the character is so derivative that it’s hard to do anything new when the writing is so uninventive. Lydia Rose Prior plays Connie who in 1957 is days away from her due date of her first child. It’s around this pregnancy that the only interesting plot development occurs. I felt at times that Prior’s voice was the strongest, but she was also victim to one the most off key moments in the show when she sang in duet with Ponce. I’m not sure who was off, but the combination was discordant. Aside from that one moment I felt the cast was the shows strengths, but a good cast can only do so much with this material.

Another strength was the costume designs by Sarah Christenson, they had a great period look to them and contributed to making Guldan’s Joan transformation so effective between the acts. Another strength was also a weakness at the same time and that was the scenic design by Curtis Phillips. It was cute and effective while also being illogical. In the first act we are in Joan’s kitchen and the women have gathered for their weekly cooking club. The set looks very retro modern, the baffling thing is there is a refrigerator, oven, Countertops, but no stovetop, even though theoretically one of the characters boils water for the Jello salad. I noted it and thought that’s weird not to have added that. In Act II, again in Joan’s kitchen, which granted has been remodeled, we now have a stovetop on the counter thats been shifted slightly in the remodel, but is essentially the same counter. Why? But the bafflement in regards to the set doesn’t end there. When we entered the theater after stretching our legs during intermission, a couch, chair and rug had been added. After about five more minutes of no activity on stage, when everyone has come back into the theater and the house lights have been dimmed, then the stage hands come out and move the kitchen set a round while we sit watching them. They move the back side portions of the set half offstage leaving the wall portion with the oven in it half onstage and half off. It felt to us in the audience that the stage hands had forgotten to make all the changes during intermission and then they couldn’t quite get the set all the way off stage. Looking back it seemed to foreshadow the second act as being half assed in general. Now with the back of the set moved away the curtain drops and we get to see the band and they have 60’s style Laugh-In flowers around them, which was a neat touch. But these oddities just added to the sense of an aimless production. The Director is Laura Tahja Johnson whose work I have admired in the past and I know I will again, but I think the material let her down as it did the cast.

A Taste of Things to Come runs through February 9th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.lyricarts.org/taste-of-things

The SpongeBob Musical From Unlabeled Theatre Company Showcases The Power of Theater

It’s hard to imagine a more illustrative example of why theater matters than Unlabeled Theatre Company’s production of The SpongeBob Musical. It isn’t the show itself, which is very fun, but the way in which it is performed. Unlabeled Theatre Company is just beginning it’s second year and this was the first production I was able to attend. The company exists to provide a way for adults with disabilities to participate in theater. Each role is performed by an actor who has a cognitive and/or physical disability or is Neurodivergent, they are paired with a neurotypical “Shadow Partner”. The two actors perform the role in unison, which works surprisingly well. Truth be told, many of these performers from the audience’s perspective, didn’t need their “shadow partners” they were fantastic on their own. Obviously I’m a huge advocate for live theater as an artform, I dedicate almost all of my leisure time to it. It combines storytelling, music, and acting but unlike with a book, CD, or film it does so in a communal setting. We have to go seek it out, but when we do, we do so in the company of others. We can see life reflected on stage or we can be carried away to far off places, even to a pineapple under the sea. It’s an amazing process by which the folks behind Unlabeled Theatre Company have made not just attending theater, but actually creating and performing it for individuals who otherwise might not be able to share in that communal experience. No one should be excluded from sharing in the magic of theater. Seeing these artists on stage reinforced my belief in the power of theater to connect us all, to change or minds and our hearts. This is way more than anyone ever expected from anything having to do with SpongeBob Squarepants.

If you are unfamiliar with the world of Bikini Bottom, the city under the sea which SpongeBob and his friends inhabit, you must not have children that were born in the last three decades. For those of us who have, SpongeBob usually holds a place in our hearts as one of the few shows our kids watched over and over again that we actually enjoyed. The story revolves around a volcano that is going to erupt and destroy Bikini Bottom. Sandy, the Squirrel, is very intelligent and figures out a way using science to prevent the catastrophe. In another of his schemes to take over Bikini Bottom, Plankton and his computer wife Karen work the citizens into a xenophobic furor and turn on the land dweller, Sandy. Meanwhile Patrick, a starfish who is SpongeBob’s best friend has become the leader of a cult of Sardines. The power goes to his head creating a break with his BFF, leaving SpongeBob, whose confidence has been shattered by his boss Mr. Krabs proclamation that he’s just a simple sponge and a fry cook and could never be the Manager of the Krusty Krab, and Sandy, who is on the run from an angry mob, the only ones who can try and climb to the top of Mount Humongous and try and stop the eruption using the bubble device Sandy has created. It’s not shakespeare, but it’s also way more involved than you expect from a musical based on a Nickelodeon cartoon. And if the story wasn’t wild enough, the songs for the show were written not by one team but by multiple songwriters including Panic! at the Disco, Cyndi Lauper, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Lady Antebellum, and They Might Be Giants. And those are just the songs in this abbreviated version, the full length show also features work from the late David Bowie & Brian Eno from The Flaming Lips. John Legend and Sara Bareilles as well. I guess what I’m trying to say is there’s a lot of creativity and talent behind this show to make it enjoyable to non fans of the cartoon.

This is a large cast with a lot of prominent roles and with the doubling of the cast with the inclusion of the Shadow Partners, far too many to write about all of them. So let me just highlight a couple of my favorites from the cast but first a nod of gratitude to all the Shadow Partners who helped the entire cast shine their brightest. Making his theatrical debut in the lead role of SpongeBob is Christopher Mohn. I would never have believed this was his first time on stage, and the lead is an immense ask for any first time actor. Mohn looks like he was born on stage, confident and funny he makes the role his own. My favorite musical number in the show was “I’m not a Loser” performed by Liam Donovan and his shadow partner Joey Deegan. I mention Deegan as well because the directors did something very interesting with this number and it was only made possible because of both Donovan and Deegan. This is the number that got me a little choked up. It started with Donovan beginning the song brilliantly and for the first time in the show without the shadow partner singing along in unison. This allowed Deegan to come in and perform as an actual shadow of Squidward as he converses in song with himself. It’s a beautifully executed moment and one in which the innovation was improved upon. This would not have been possible if Donovan wasn’t such a powerful performer on his own. Zach Williams, who plays Patrick Star perfectly, and his shadow Partner Max Froehich had a similar though much subtler moment. When the Sardines turn on him and frightened he decides to run off, he picks up his shadow partner, almost as if they were Scooby and Shaggy and carries him off stage. Others that really caught the eye were Callie Johnson as Sandy, Nick Jones as Mr. Krabs, and Ella Stewart as Pearl Krabs.

Aside from seeing a very entertaining and fun show this production will touch you at a deeper level. It filled my heart back up with the wonder of humanity, the miracle of live theater and the infinite variables of human beings. Tonight I saw the wonder of theater on the faces of dozens of people who were singing and acting and moving in a way that brought them joy and one assumes a sense of belonging and accomplishment. God I love the theater. The SpongeBob Musical runs through January 19th at Park Square’s Andy Boss Thrust Stage in St. Paul. For More information and to purchase tickets go to https://unlabeledtheatre.org/

On Laugh Support With Lorna Landvik at Bryant Lake Bowl Theater

Lorna Landvik is the best selling local author of over a dozen books including Patty Jane’s House of Curl and its sequel Once in a Blue Moon Lodge. I’d seen Landvik previously at a book signing for another author, but this was my first experience of her as a performer outside that of an author speaking. Taking in her show On Laugh Support With Lorna Landvik, I knew it was a comedic show but I didn’t realize that it was primarily improv. But it’s improv like I’ve never seen before because she’s the only performer. I’m used to seeing improvisational comedy with several different performers all working with each other to create something funny. This was a neat variation on that style and Landvik doesn’t need anyone else to actively play off of. And in the odd moments when she does she invites someone from the audience up to bounce things off of. Now if that’s the kind of sentence that gives you panic attacks, be assured no one is bullied onto stage, volunteers are asked for, so you can simply not put yourself forward. Of course, the more the audience participates, whether it’s volunteering or shouting out suggestions when they are requested the more fun you’ll have.

What can I tell you about the show? It’s improv and so it’s going to be different at every performance. I can tell you that Landvik is very good at creating multiple characters on the fly and that she has a gift for storytelling. I can also tell you that she is very funny. But I don’t know if that tells you very much. I guess the thing I would tell you is whether you want to get up on stage or not, at least when it’s time to shout out suggestions, don’t be shy. This really is the kind of show where the better the audience the better the show. So don’t invite along Uncle Bob who’s lost his hearing and his hearing aids. Do bring six of your most fun friends, and their dates, come early to get the best seats and enjoy dinner in the theater before and during the show. They have full menu and drink service inside the theater, doors open at 6:00 for the 7:00 PM showtimes. The food is very good and along with the usual bar drink fare, they have a lot of great N/A, from mocktails and THC drinks to the a nice variety of N/A Beers.

On Laugh Support With Lorna Landvik runs through January 31st at Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.bryantlakebowl.com/theater