The Heart Sellers is Surprisingly Warm and Touching at the Guthrie Theater

Juyeon Song and Jenna Agbayani Photo by Dan Norman

The Heart Sellers by Lloyd Suh tells the story of two women who are recent immigrants to the US in 1973. But what it’s about is the journey of friendship, or more pointedly the birth of friendship. My wife commented as we made our way out of the theater how universal friendship between women is. Suh tells what seems like a very specific story about two women, Jane and Luna, who are strangers in a strange land. Both friendless and yearning to connect to someone. The play opens as they arrive at Luna’s apartment after having struck up a conversation at the grocery store. Both of their husbands are doing their medical residency and since it is Thanksgiving and they are foreign, they get to work the holiday. Jane and Luna are drawn to each other, as so many of us are to new friends, by what we have in common. When they arrive their interactions betray their uncertainty, Luna talks incessantly, nervously trying to make this new acquaintance feel at home. Jane is quiet and timid at first, overwhelmed by Luna’s nervous energy. It’s the awkward dance we all know when we feel a connection but are unsure how to nurture it without smothering it. Over the course of the evening the women will open up, a couple of bottles of wine, as well as to each other.

Jenna Agbayani as Luna and Juyeon Song as Jane let the trust and connection between the characters blossom slowly and believably throughout the evening. They share information about their days alone while their husbands are at work. Looking for more links between them, they tell about their families back home, what they dream of doing. Slowly they both relax, Luna talks less and Jane more. Agbayani and Song who played the roles previously opposite each other are exquisite in their nuanced portrayal of two women for whom the common language is foreign to them. But the need to connect is as my wife put it, universal. They get pulled along through uncertainty and discomfort by a shared need to engage, to find someone to break them from their isolation. They find humor in the smallest bits of dialogue and a deeper bond in their shared fears developes. And while part of the play is certainly about their specific situations as new immigrant housewives in 1970’s America, it’s really a story of the beginning of a friendship. By the end, one imagines that if we were able to follow these characters into the future to the end of their lives they would still be sitting on a couch next to each other having been witness to each other’s lives. We feel as though we are privileged to be a part of the beginning of something beautiful. Agbayani and Song create such vivid characters that they go on in our minds long after we have left the theater. We want to spend more time with them, to feel along with them the building of the community that these two women are destined to birth.

May Adrales directs The Heart Sellers with such a light touch that everything seems completely unscripted, from every line of dialogue to every move in the blocking. The costumes by Junghyun Georgia Lee are perfect extensions of the characters, Luna, who is more outgoing is dressed like a 1970’s woman, in clothes that have a little more character to them. Jane is more reserved and her dress could have been worn by a woman in any decade, it’s conservative and reflects a simple but graceful taste. The Set Design by Wilson Chin is intricately detailed and grounds the entire productions in a way that enhances our sense that these characters are real people. I also want to mention in conjunction with the Set Design the Sound Designer/Composer Fabian Obispo and Lighting Designer Kat C. Zhou. As the play opens Obispo’s music comes up in synch with the lights in the windows of the apartment buildings that make up the backdrop of the stage, it’s a moment that echoes the birth of a new day, a very zen moment for me. Zhou also had a nice lighting queue when Luna turns on the TV and we see the old Blueish white glow that used to shine on the faces of black and white TV viewers.

The Heart Sellers runs about 90 minutes with no intermission and this is one of the few times that I wish a play was longer. I didn’t want to leave these characters, I felt as though I had been a part of a new friendship coming into existence and I didn’t want that feeling to end. The Heart Sellers runs through January 25th at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2024-2025-season/the-heart-sellers/

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.

Black Nativity Creates a Joyful Noise for the Holidays at Penumbra Theatre

Penumbra Theatre has been staging Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity since 1987, it’s another annual holiday tradition that brings audiences back year after year while also drawing new audiences. This was my second time seeing the show and as I like to do when seeing a repeat I brought someone who had never seen it with me. Her reaction was that it was just like church. As one can surmise from the title it’s the story of the birth of Jesus told from a cultural perspective that reflects the Author’s experiences on the world and of this story. While heavily steeped in Christianity, take it from a lapsed atheist, around the holidays I tend to forget not to believe, that there is much joy, hope, and understanding to be found in Black Nativity. The show is Directed by Lou Bellamy who has been involved with the show in every iteration at Penumbra since they began presenting it in 1987. Bellamy states in his Directors notes that Hughes left room for a wide variety of interpretations and that Penumbra’s productions have evolved over time, much like the Guthrie’s annual A Christmas Carol offerings. This years format is the same as last years, more or less in the style of a concert with a few brief scenes of interpretive dance Choreographed by Marciano Silva dos Santos. I love the idea that if I go again in two or three years time I may see it mounted in a different way, but also knowing that the joyful noise of it will remain intact.

The cast features Jennifer Whitlock as the Narrator whose text is based in the scripture verses I have grown up with, but there are moments where it departs or where the emphasis that Whitlock brings to them casts a new light on the words, one that we can recognize as a question to the audience. Asking does this sound familiar? Does this still hold true today? Do you see the parallels? Of course the answers are sadly yes, but the show doesn’t lead us to these reflections in order to leave us mired in our reality but to then lift us up with hope and the message of love and salvation and peace. It’s a message we all need to be reminded of this time of year and above all, this year, whatever our denomination, race, or financial situation. It’s a reminder that hope can come from the lowest of places and greatness can come from one born in a manger.

The main soloists are Greta Oglesby and Dennis spears, and watch out when they come on stage, because it’s from them that much of that joyful noise comes and it will have your hands clapping and your feet stomping along with them. Oglesby is amazing in a room filled with wonderful singers she shines bright like a star above a manger in a long ago time. Spears is rich of voice but can also become playful with breathy vocals that take on a jazzy scat quality to match is occasional fits of fancy footwork. He’s clearly having a great time and feeling the joyfulness of the music. Angela Stewart as the Choir Director and a Soloist pulls the rug out from under the audience with her rendition of “O Holy Night” she starts out breathy and while it’s well done you suspect that maybe her voice isn’t as strong as the other soloists, than the other shoe drops and she kicks it into another, lower gear and you realize, that’s where the power is and she stuns you with it. The dancers I mentioned are Hassan Ingraham and MerSadies McCoy and they stand in during a couple of songs as Joseph and Mary. This was one of my favorite parts of the show, coming at just the right place to add something new visually and unlike some dance this felt like it was driven by the story of the songs and gave an illustration of the emotions within. Ingraham and McCoy move wonderfully and gracefully together and watching them was a delight. The Musical Director was Sanford Moore and his musicians really raise the roof. The main performers are accompanied by the Kingdom Life Church Choir who lend an angelic and soulful quality to the proceedings.

If you’ve never been to Black Nativity, I encourage all to add it to your calendars, it is such a joyful and celebratory show. You don’t have to believe the same things to appreciate the beauty and joy of it’s message. There something beautiful about going and watching others celebrate their beliefs. This Holiday season why not start a new tradition of taking in a live theater production with family and friends? It’s a great way to create lasting memories and will give you something to look forward to every year as you experience the magic of live theater. Whether your budget is large or small, there is a show for you. Looking for gift ideas? Don’t we all have enough “stuff”? Give the gift of live theater, go to your favorite theaters website, see what shows they have coming up in the new year and give the gift of an experience over material.

Black Nativity runs through December 22nd at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://penumbratheatre.org/event/black-nativity-6

Steel Magnolias Moved Me to Laughter and Tears at Yellow Tree Theatre

Maggie Cramer, Jane Froiland, Tara Borman, and Tolu Ekisola Photos by Alex Clark

Steel Magnolias is the kind of play women will want to go to with their girlfriends, daughter, mothers and in a pinch drag their husbands and boyfriends to. And they are going to love every second of it, with the possible exception of the husbands and boyfriends. Am I saying men will not like it, no I am not, I loved it. If your husband or boyfriend has ever cried at a movie, or as in my case every movie and the odd very special episode of iCarly, those are the ones to bring with you and they will likely thank you for it. Know your man, and then plan accordingly, if he’s emotionally available to the arts, bring him. If he isn’t, then only bring him if he’s been bad. For those without available girlfriends/sisters/daughters etc. call my wife she’ll go again, in fact so would I but I think I’m scheduled to see other shows every single night of my life. This is my second production of Steel Magnolias, still haven’t seen the film, but that will be rectified sooner or later. My take away this time is much the same as when I saw it at the Guthrie in 2019 just after starting The Stages of MN, damn this is a well written play! Also, as with that production I am blown away by the cast. Six actors that know how to pull out every ounce of humor and tug every heartstring without pandering to the audience. The emotions we feel whether laughter or tears come freely and honestly based on the connection we have formed with these characters. That only happens when you have actors of quality investing their roles with truth.

The story centers around the hair salon run out of her home by Truvy, who keeps Saturday just for the neighborhood woman. As the play opens, she’s just hired a nervous young woman named Annelle to help out in the Salon. It’s a big day as one of the regulars, M’lynn’s daughter Shelby is getting married. The Saturday regulars also include Clairee, who was recently widowed when her husband of almost 50 years died, and Ouiser who comes off as the old grump of the group. These women are not just the regular Saturday morning customers, they are a group of true and caring friends. Shelby’s wedding is a celebration for all of them, as are all the moments that happen throughout the four scenes that comprise the play. Each scene jumps ahead in time and follows important times in Shelby’s life starting with her wedding day and continuing to her pregnancy and on. Though it’s not just Shelby’s story, it’s the story of all of these woman and the community and support they provide one another. It’s beautiful, it’s very funny, it’s very truthful, and at times very very emotional.

We usually play a game on the ride home after a play called who was your favorite? It gets the ball rolling, when there is a consensus it tells me my instinct is right and so and so did something special, when we have a disagreement it sparks me to think about what an actor did that worked for me. Tonight, the consensus, all of them were our favorites. I went in knowing most of the cast from previous work so I knew there was talent on stage. Some like Tara Borman, who plays Shelby, has been making a strong impression over the last couple of years, having become one of those performers whose name alone puts a show on my calendar. Tolu Ekisola, who plays Truvy, just earned her place on that list as well with this performance combined with her recent roles in Once Upon a Time…Josephine Baker! and The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington. Laura Esping’s performance as Ouiser is a perfectly modulated balance between loveable crumudgen and dry wit. Maggie Cramer’s turn as Annelle captures the characters growth from timid and lost newcomer to one of the group of close knit woman, with each scene change we see her come bit by bit into her own. Jane Froiland as M’lynn, Shelby’s mother is always calm, always even keeled, making her final moments of the play all the more powerful. Nora Targonski-O’Brien who plays Clairee embodies the Southern Woman who has lived and learned and grown wise and compassionate, there is such a spark in her that one wishes she were their Aunt.

I want to say a word here about Yellow Tree Theatre and it’s Artistic Director and Director of this play Austene Van. Yellow Tree provides a vital role in today’s theater scene. In a world of shrinking audiences Yellow Tree brings Professional Theater to an area outside of the Cities. For folk who don’t want to travel into Minneapolis or St. Paul, come on, we all know those people who just hate to drive in the city, it provides exposure to the magic and power of theater. This is a key link in the chain that leads to what needs to be the prime objective of all theaters today, creating new audiences. That is done by producing work that moves people, whether it be to laugh, cry, or think and to do so in a way that makes them want to repeat that experience. Yellow Tree does that time and time again. Austene Van’s name can be found in programs all over the Twin cities and nationally. She directs and acts at the Guthrie as well as other theaters besides Yellow Tree, she choreographs, she writes, she sells concessions, she probably sews costumes and vacuums up the lobby at the end of the night as well. She makes a living doing theater, but she also dedicates herself to running Yellow Tree to keeping it going through sound system failures and those aforementioned shrinking audiences. She is tirelessly working towards that prime objective of creating new audiences while creating great theater. You don’t get six favorites performances in one show without a hell of a Director at the helm guiding all that talent to create a singular vision.

So there are two things I’d like to ask you to do aside from attending Steel Magnolias, which I already know you’ll do because it’s such a rewarding show. Please bring a friend who doesn’t often or hasn’t gone to the theater before with you. Expose someone new or remind someone of how thrilling and moving life theater can be. Secondly, give to the Max day is almost here please consider donating to Yellow Tree Theatre to help keep quality theater in the outer ring cities. There are a lot of theaters that can use your support and I encourage you to donate to all of your favorites, but maybe an extra $5 to Yellow Tree for fighting the fight out in the sticks away from the draw of the bright lights of the big city. Let’s keep the porch lights on for these smaller theaters who are catering to less frequent theatergoers and hopefully moving them to come back again and again. Here is the link to donate to Yellow Tree https://ci.ovationtix.com/35626/store/donations/39012

Steel Magnolias runs through December 22nd at Yellow Tree Theatre for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://yellowtreetheatre.com/steel-magnolias .

The Turn of the Screw Prolongs That Halloween Atmosphere at Gremlin Theatre

Peter Christian Hansen and Julia Valen Photo by Alyssa Kristine

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James is one of the great classic ghost stories, it was most famously adapted into the film The Innocents (1961) starring Deborah Kerr and most recently as the second season of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix horror anthology as The Haunting of Bly Manor. Jeffrey Hatcher who seems to have a play being produced at every theater in town this year, has fairly faithfully adapted the story into a play for two actors. Julia Valen plays The Woman while Gremlin Theatre Artistic Director Peter Christian Hansen plays The Man. Following the plot of James’ story, Valen primarily plays the role of narrator and Governess of two children Flora and Miles at Bly Manor. She has been hired by the children’s Uncle and guardian to take charge of them and under the strictest instructions never ever to bother him for anything. Hansen plays the Uncle and then every other character that comes into the play, mainly the housekeeper Mrs. Grose and Miles. Flora in this play is very timid and completely silent. Not long after assuming her post at Bly Manor, she begins to see what she comes to believe are the Ghosts of the former Governess and the Caretaker. She believes these ghosts are attempting to influence the children and that she must do everything in her power to severe any connection between the ghosts and her charges.

Carl Schoenborn is listed as both the Set and Lighting Designer which makes perfect sense as the lighting seems to act as part of the set. What does exist in a physical sense is a staircase towards the back of the stage, there are no other elements aside from the performers and the lighting and sound designs. This minimalist approach works well when you have two actors playing all of the characters but are not going the comedic route. We are already suspending our disbelief to the extent of accepting Hansen as multiple characters of different genders and ages the idea of a detailed set that tries to emulate some semblance of reality feels out of place. This lies somewhere between physical theater and theater of the mind and the design perfectly reflects that. I responded strongly to this shadowy production, which builds mystery and tension throughout and ends with an unexpected revelation, that works really well within the framework of James’ story. Both Valen and Hansen are well cast, with Hansen successfully navigating the difficult task of performing as a 10 year old boy without being childish or annoying.

I love a good ghost story and Gremlin Theatre’s production is a great way to extend Monster Month. The Turn of the Screw runs through December 1st at Gremlin Theatre for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://gremlintheatre.org/

Twin Cities Horror Festival XIII Day 8 Review: Schaulust

With this final show I have attended all of the TCHF XIII productions and yet somehow I still didn’t get a Bingo. Oh well, sometimes it just isn’t in the cards. Besides I think the prize was a toothbrush and who the hell wants that, am I right? We want candy!!! I have to say that for the first time in my TCHF attendance which began in 2019, there wasn’t a single show that I had to write a bad review about. Hey they weren’t all great, but there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. The more amazing thing, and what shows that this years producers were real risk takers, is that Allison Vincent wasn’t in any of them. Last year that was the one ingredient that guaranteed a hit show, so for no one to have cast her in a show was a very ballsy move. You can read my reviews of everyone of the productions in this years festival which continues through 11/4/24 at The Stages of MN. For more information and to purchase tickets to the remaining shows go to https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/

Schaulust written and performed by Keith Hovis is part musical, part horror show, and all character study of an unstable mind. Hovis plays Wyatt a man who likes to watch, not in a creepy sexual way, but in a creepy everyday kind of way. He describes how it led to his break up with his boyfriend, though it wasn’t the watching part, the boyfriend was fine with that, it was something else, his need to not be needed. After the break up he finds a couple of people online who need money and agree to install a camera in their homes so he can watch them in exchange for money. Again not in a creepy sexcam way, just watch them playing video games, cutting their nails, sleeping on the couch. I’m not sure who to credit with the scenic design but it’s extremely well done. Wyatt’s home is a window into his fraying and disintegrating mental health. You can see the benefit of Schaulust playing in the Studio space, it has allowed for a fairly elaborate design, which really does inform our understanding of the narrator. It’s also one of the handful of shows that has some real horror elements, which I always think is a nice touch at the horror fest. It’s well written and acted, Hovis’ performance is all in and his songs were perfectly suited to the material. It’s one of the most polished and effective shows of the entire festival and I can say that because I saw them all!

Terrified of missing reviews from The Stages of MN? Do you find yourself afraid and all alone in the dark 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.

Twin Cities Horror Festival XIII Day 4 Reviews: Gh0stChaser04, The Regular, Campfire Stories

This will be my last batch of reviews until I see the final show Keith Hovis’ Schaulust on 10/30. As I prep this I’m told there is a single ticket left for the final performance of Let’s Summon a Demon at Debbie’s, it’s not to be missed so snatch it up if it’s still available. To read more about all the shows and to purchase tickets goo to https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/tchf-xiii-schedule.html Now without further ado here are my reviews for the three shows I saw on Day 4 of the festival.

Gh0stChaser04 plays like an old episode of the Twilight Zone crossed with Scooby-Doo, yet taken almost entirely seriously. It’s another in the increasingly rare shows that attempts some actual scares and creepiness and for that it is very welcome. This one has a great cast including a couple a favorite comedic performers Rita Boersma and Heather Meyer. The script by Rachel Teagle is clear and witty, particularly in the opening dialogue between the three ghost chasers. Jenny Moeller pulls off a tricky directing job, keeping it mostly grounded but also giving in to the more absurd aspects of the script, the Scooby-Doo aspects if you will. It’s hard to change tone from the realistic to the absurd and then come back to a reality established in the opening, but Moeller makes it work. The plot follows three ghost chasers in the late 1990s and simultaneously a journalist and a spiritualist from the early 1900s. How the two intersect and the surprises in store I’ll leave you to discover in wherever it is that signpost up ahead reads as the next stop.

The Regular is best explained as an episode of Cheers, which it openly acknowledges as an inspiration, gone horribly horribly wrong. Wait, let me amend that, it’s like the funniest fucking episode of Cheers getting hijacked by Kevin Spacey’s character in Seven. Josh Carson writes and directs the show and I’m not sure why he isn’t writing his own number one sitcom, or maybe that’s in the works. I thought the script was brilliant as was the staging including some great fight choreography by Annie Enneking. Filled with clever music cues that add repeated laughs throughout the show. Set in a bar an hour before closing the brilliant Sam Landman plays Charlie who sees himself as the loveable Norm character of the local bar. He banters with the bar staff, the bartender Teddy played by Claire Chenoweth, and the server Wes played by Lukas Ramsey, who humor him. Things take an odd turn though when a stranger arrives played by Jay Melchior who once left alone with Charlie informs him that he’s going to kill him when they leave the bar. Charlie doesn’t know why or what to do with this information or whether the stranger is being serious or not. The four person cast is top notch they make Carson’s jokes feel fresh and spontaneous like the best comedy. Special spotlight though on Landman and Chenoweth, they have the meatiest roles to be sure, but both have that something extra that makes it impossible not to believe their performances. This is a genre mashup of sitcom, thriller, horror, not the most naturalistic performance styles generally, and yet, for an hour they were Charlie and Teddy. This is so far, the best show the Festival.

Campfire Stories like Rev. Matt’s performances will be different every night. The line up changes but the structure is the same. Each night a group of four to five storytellers will take their turn at the microphone and tell true ghost stories. If the opening night is any indication they will run the gamut from funny, to moving, and even genuinely spooky. The show is accompanied musically by its curator and storyteller at each performance Nissa Nordland along with the multi talented Sam Landman. Here is the lineups for the remaining performances:

Monday, October 28th at 6:00 PM

Lauren Anderson

Jex Arzayus

Nissa Nordland

Shannon Twohy

Wednesday, October 30th at 9:00 PM

Lauren Anderson

Shanan Custer

Matthew Kessen

Heather Meyer

Nissa Nordland

Friday, November 1st at 7:30 PM**

Jex Arzayus

Nissa Nordland

Shannon Twohy

Derek “Duck” Washington

ASL Night

Saturday, November 2nd at 10:30 PM

Shanan Custer

Matthew Kessen

Heather Meyer

Nissa Nordland

All the Devils Are Here is a Masterclass in Shakespeare’s Villains at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theater opens it’s McGuire Proscenium Stage as the first stop for Octopus Theatricals national tour of Patrick Page’s All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain. Created and performed by the award winning actor of stage and screen Patrick Page who walks us through Shakespeare’s plays taking a look at nine of his villains, and how the role of the villain changed over the course of his career. Page is a mesmerizing performer who commands the stage from the moment the lights go up. Open and engaging warmly with the audience as he discusses his experiences with these roles, he slips easily into masterful performances from the plays and shows himself to be an excellent Shakespearean actor. Setting up each performance with a discussion of how each role added to the complexities of the archetype and showed Shakespeare’s maturation. For any fan of Shakespeare this is an essential production on the journey of understanding the artist and his works.

For a one person show that contains very few props or set pieces I must say this is a very well designed production. Everything is elegantly presented and the lighting design by Stacey Derosier is especially effective. Sound Designer Darron L West also adds some excellent little touches like the manipulation of Page’s voice as the three witches in Macbeth. My favorite story Page tells of his own experiences with Shakespeare’s plays revolves around Macbeth, which touches on the curse of the Scottish play. As many of you know our local production of Scotland, PA has been dealing with some injuries which may or may not have to do with the curse. In his performance of shakespeare characters, my favorites were Iago from Othello and Shylock from the Merchant of Venice. I appreciated Page’s explanation of the prejudices and other societal views from Shakespeare’s day. Explaining how things were so we can look at the characters through the lense of the time, but also pointing out that thankfully we know better now.

All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain runs through November 17th at the Guthrie Theater in Downtown Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2024-2025-season/all-the-devils-are-here/