Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors at the Center for Performing Arts

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors the comedic play by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen is like most adaptations of the classic horror novel by Bram Stoker, very loosely based on the source material. You have some of the basic plot in tact, and many of the characters names, even if they are tweaked ala Jean Van Helsing or they are given to different characters like the swap of Lucy and Mina as the fiance of Jonathan Harker. This adaptation is played for laughs and isn’t meant to be a serious and straight representation of the Dracula story. Stoker’s novel has a sexual undercurrent to it that was quite bold considering it’s Victorian era publication, that is the element that this production has its most fun with. It doesn’t shy away from the sensual aspects of the vampire myth in fact it puts it front and center and isn’t afraid to be very modern in it’s portrayals of sexual fluidity.

This is a show like The 39 Steps or the [Un]Qualified Theater’s 2023 MN Fringe production H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man where there is a small ensemble with one actor playing the lead, here Dustin Bronson as Dracula, and the rest of the cast playing a multitude of characters. There is no pretense that this is not a stage show, in fact much of the humor comes from jokes that acknowledge this is a play being put on for our amusement. From sexy Dracula spraying is own aerosol can of fog simply to make his appearance more sensual to an actor portraying multiple characters in the same scene simply by turning around and putting a different wig on or changing hats. These are not moves meant to fool us but to elicit laughter, which it does. I love a show like this that winks at the audience and uses theater conventions to not only tell its story but also as the source of amusement. Director Joy Donley clearly understand this style of humor and masterfully stages all manner of silliness.

Bronson’s Dracula is sexy as hell but also really funny. Having most recently seen him in the Guthrie Theater’s History plays, this was a nice reminder of his considerable comedic chops which first impressed me in Jungle Theater’s Georgiana & Kitty. He further showcased his comic skills in a few impromptu moments with the audience, knowing just how to add a little something when the situation worked. The other four actors Bradley Johnson, Katie Consamus, Bethany McCade, and Corey Mills get to wow the audience with their versatility and ability to create countless distinct and highly amusing characters. Mills in particular looks to be having a blast playing two extreme’s the especially goofy Mina and the heroic and intelligent Dr. Jean Van Helsing. There is some great design elements from set pieces, props, costumes, as well as the lighting and sound design. Everything is kept simple but effective in terms of size and mobility, which it needs to be because this show moves at a very quick pace. Stage Manager Melisa Kucevic deserve praise for keeping this freight train on the rails at such high speeds.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs through November 2nd at the Center for Performing Arts in South Minneapolis. It’s a great show for everyone who enjoys the pleasures of Monster Month and great laughs. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.nocturnalgiraffetheatre.org/currentshow

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Heck is Enjoyably Funny But Less Than the Sum of its Parts at St. Croix Festival Theatre

Jesse March and Kathryn Cesarz Photo by Dan Norman

I journeyed up to St. Croix Falls for the world premiere of Heck, billed as a new musical comedy by the stars of the show and co-directors Kathryn Cesarz and Jesse March. We made a day of it, doing some hiking across the river in Taylors Falls, enjoying an old fashioned ice cream soda on main street, dinner at supper club and a little shopping. And if you are traveling from the cities to see the show, that’s what I recommend you do as well as I’m not sure the show itself justifies the two and a half plus hour round trip drive. But it is amusing enough as the capper to a days adventure. It feels less like a musical comedy and more like a comedy with a few songs as it felt like there were about five or six songs, three of which really seemed to add something to the show. To be sure, one of them was really a showstopper performed by Kathryn Cesarz and Alexandria Neyhart playing Madam Satan and Gabby (The Archangel Gabriel). What works best and ultimately swings this show into the positive column is the comedy. The individual bits and characters are very funny, though there are a too many storylines that seem poorly defined and in the end, don’t really seem to add up to anything. It isn’t that there isn’t a plot, it’s just that the show seems relatively unconcerned with it and as such, it isn’t very clearly defined. You get to the end and most of the characters are right where they were at the start, and you feel like every storyline was resolved, but you’re not really sure what they all were about anyway.

The positives are much easier to define and really do make the experience enjoyable. First off, is Jesse March’s turn as Satan’s emotional support demon Belpho. March is a truly gifted clown, interacting with the audience in an easy going manner, and always finding the perfect line reading to achieve the largest laughs possible. Cesarz’s Madam Satan, is less concerned with being funny, but she has the character’s air of cold aloofness, superiority, and a touch of the dominatrix down perfectly. Evan Grande gives voice and brings to life the puppet demon Squee, assisted by Mary Margaret Hughes, and Lindsey Fry. Squee is a very successful creation, the three performers work in collaboration in full view of the audience to bring him to life, but very quickly you stop looking at the puppeteers and only see the puppet as a character. The puppet created by Michael Pettit is really an exceptional creation. Final performance note Theater Blogger Alex Lauer of https://onefanshow.com/ gave an award worthy performance as audience member pulled on stage to have their mind read.

For more information and to purchase tickets to Heck which runs through October 27th in St. Croix Falls WI go to https://www.festivaltheatre.org/

Rent is an Emotional and Transporting Experience Not to be Missed at Artistry in Bloomington

Rent Is one of my favorite musicals. I’ve seen touring productions countless times, I’ve seen it done by colleges and community theater companies, I’ve seen it done in the suburbs with the whitest cast you can imagine. The last time I reviewed the show I said when you’ve seen a show as often as I have Rent, you have to let go of your preconceived notions of what characters should look like, from costumes to hairstyles, what the set should look like and how every lyric in every song should be sung. The joy of going to a favorite show is seeing how a new group of artists will approach it. Obviously, you don’t want them to sing different songs or deviate from the characters essence. But when you know something so well and can let go of some standard set by an original cast recording you’ve memorized, you notice the small changes, and rather than being frustrated by them, they become the moments that make each production unique and engaging. I love Rent and I loved Artistry’s production of Rent. I loved it so much I want to go again, but mad at all the other theater companies in town who have filled my schedule so that I can’t go again. The only date I have available is my wedding anniversary, and I’m pretty sure my wife wants to do something we don’t do every other night of the week for our tenth anniversary. I know I’ll get over it, and I know by the time I hit the Twin Cities Horror Festival I won’t be holding a grudge.

I was going to say that if you are not familiar with Rent that it is patterned off of Puccini’s Opera La Boheme. Then I realized who hasn’t heard of Rent but knows La Boheme? Yes, I’m sure there is someone out there but my guess is they are not reading this review. Essentially it’s the story of a group of friends, artists living in New York’s East Village during the late 80’s early 90’s half of whom have contracted HIV. It contains a message of love and friendship played out among characters that suffer from all the human traits that hold us back, greed, addiction, jealousy, self doubt, isolation. It reminds us there is no day but today. In it’s emotional finale the characters sing the fundamental lesson that the musical is trying to impart to its audience “There’s only us. There’s only this. Forget regret or life is yours to miss.” I can’t think of a truer or more important message and that I suspect is why it won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. If you are not aware of the story of Jonathan Larson who wrote the Music, Lyrics, and Book for Rent I highly recommend purchasing the film version of Rent to watch the Documentary No Day But Today which is included as a special feature, it’s a heartbreaking story.

This production is Directed by Kelli Foster Warder with energy and confidence, making subtle changes like I believe cutting a portion of the song “Contact” which worked for me. Warder also choreographed the show along with Joey Miller and they did an exceptional job. The moves that Michelle de Joya as Mimi performs while singing “Out Tonight” are an example of their creativity and de Joya’s skill. In terms of staging the Actors and the use of set pieces Warder does an excellent of staying true to the simple and scaffold like design of the original Broadway run, while also changing things up and doing her own thing, putting her stamp on the show while keeping the feel and look we expect. The Broadway costumes are iconic and the reality is that regional theaters need to find their own look for the characters to some extent which they do here. The only misstep costume wise for me was the choice for Mark’s shirt, a horizontal striped pullover collared affair that shouts mathlete rather than NYC Bohemian filmmaker. It’s an odd and glaring oversight that you can see in the photo above. There is the usual solid work from Music Director Jason Hansen and his band which are tight and perfectly balanced with the vocals.

I really can’t praise the cast enough, some are stronger vocalists and others stronger in the acting department but everyone plays to their strengths. de Joya’s Mimi is a little flat occasionally when it comes to the singing with things pushed out of her ideal range, but it’s not a huge concern because when it’s in her sweet spot she kills it, and her performance and physicality are among the strongest in the cast. Mitchell Douglas, hot off a nice turn in drag in Kinky Boots at Lyric Arts, plays Angel with some dance moves that elicit gasps and admiration. The best singers in the cast are Caleb Michael who plays Roger, Quinn Lorez who plays Joanne, and Em Rosenberg who is an ensemble member but when they get their few moments to be heard outside the group songs, Rosenberg reminds us what a fantastic singing voice they have. Matthew Hall also impresses as Collins with a rich voice that straddles the deep and mid register nicely. Both Wesley Mouri who plays Mark and Ninchai Nok-Chiclana who plays Benny are better in the acting than in singing departments, though they are both capable singers, their strengths lie in the former. Maureen is played by Sara Masterson and we believe her when she says there will always be women in rubber flirting with her.

Ultimately what the show did, what it always does, is evoke an emotional response from deep within me. Every time I see the show I’m transported in my soul back to the time I first saw it, before I was old. It reminds me of a more passionate age, when I could see myself as one of them, maybe not a Roger, I was never that cool, but maybe Mark. When I see it, when I hear these characters pouring out their hearts in these songs, I feel young. Every production offers something new, but the one thing they always remind me is that, if there is a production of Rent happening, go. Never, ever miss an opportunity to see a production of this show. Rent runs through October 27th at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://artistrymn.org/rent

Scotland, PA Sizzles at Theater Latté Da

Tara Borman, Will Dusek, Katherine Fried, Deidre Cochran Photo by Dan Norman

I saw the 2001 film Scotland, PA on which Theater Latté Da’s production is adapted from on DVD as soon as it was released. I had a small child at the time and getting out to the movies wasn’t in the cards very often. But I’d read about the film in a magazine and being a Shakespeare fan, I knew it was a film I needed to see as soon as Netflix* could get it to me. Plus, I had a bit of a screen crush on Maura Tierney who starred in the film. Now besides the basic idea and the knowledge that I liked it at the time, I’ve retained little else of the movie, which allowed me to view this musical version with relatively fresh eyes. Not that it would have mattered because something this fun cannot be spoiled by any amount of fore knowledge. Besides, in case you didn’t know it’s Shakespeare’s Macbeth update to 1970’s Pennsylvania set in a fast food restaurant. The twist in the stage adaptation is that it’s become a rockin’ musical! Faithful readers know that I love the front row, well the front row is pretty loud at this one, but I loved it anyway. Who knew taking Shakespeare aging it to 1975, adding a heavy portion of rock music, a pinch of cocaine, a puff of pot, and putting it between two sesame seed buns would make such a delicious recipe?

If you’ve seen the news there has been a certain amount of tragedy surrounding this show, leading to rumors that the curse of the Scottish play has reared its head once again. Multiple cast members had to be replaced due to injuries resulting in an entire weekends shows being cancelled. Thankfully, as far as I know no one was mortally wounded, and we hope everyone recovers quickly and fully. Theater Latté Da has announced that they have extended the run of the show through the last weekend in October. As for curses, that’s strictly a backstage thing clearly because this show is fantastically entertaining. I know the cast has jostled around quite a bit but it’s hard to imagine anyone else in any of these roles. But before we get to the cast, a quick word of praise about the Production itself. I loved every aspect of the design and there are some things that shocked me with their brilliance that I’m not sure who to credit, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you who have yet to see it. So simply let me say that the works of all of the following artists contribute to immensely to the success of this show. Scenic Designer Mina Kinukawa, Costume Designer Zamora Simmons-Stiles, Lighting Designer Grant E. Merges, Sound Designer Kevin Springer, Hair; Wigs; and Makeup Designer Emma Gustafson, and Prop Designer Madelaine Foster. All of these technical and creative departments are perfectly in sync under Directors Lonny Price and Matt Cowart who make this production sing along with Musical Director Joshua Zecher-Ross. And putting that music to good use are Choreographers Lorin Latarro & Travis Waldschmidt.

Let’s start with the three Stoners who replace the three Witches in Macbeth, we have Tara Borman whom I’ve admired as an actor in previous shows, but I’m not sure I’d ever heard her sing front and center like she does here and she has a gorgeous voice, which only adds to the hilarity of her comedic performance by contrast. We also get Deidre Cochran and Eric Morris as the other two stoners and if you didn’t know they could sing, I’m not sure what rock you’ve been living under but welcome to the party! The leads are Will Dusek who recently played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys as Mac, and his girlfriend Pat is played by Katherine Fried who absolutely bowled me over last spring as Percy in The Spitfire Grill. They both give their all again here and besides sounding great they bring the desperation and guilt to life quite believably. Stages of MN favorite Tom Reed, who inherited the role of Banko, Mac’s clueless best friend, plays it such that you cannot imagine anyone but Reed in the role, he gets the best song in Act 1 “Kick-Ass Party”. The best song in Act 2 is “Why I Love Football” it’s sung by Joshua Row who plays Malcolm. Row doesn’t have a lot of credits yet, but I think he is one to watch and expect big things from. As the Vegetarian police inspector Peg McDuff is Emily Gunyou Halaas who doesn’t really enter until Act 2 but makes her mark all the same. Other roles are filled by the always dependable Carl Swanson who plays three different smaller roles, all unique and they get some of the best one liners. With Kim Kivens and Timothy Thomas also doing great character work, it really feels like the perfect actor in every role.

Scotland, PA runs through October 27th at Theater Latté Da in North Minneapolis. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.latteda.org/scotland-pa

* Netflix began as a video rental service that sent movies on DVD through the mail. This was before the age of streaming also known as the golden age of physical media.

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

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Charms at Stages Theater Company

Leah Rimstad and Asher Rilen Photo by Amy Rondeau Photography

Based upon the novel The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by celebrated Newbery Award winning Minnesota author Kate Dicamillo this production at Stages Theatre Company is warm, emotional, and utterly Charming. I’ve not read the novel but I am familiar with the story from attending the Minnesota Opera’s Edward Tulane in 2022 during its world premiere. The highlight of that show was the extravagant production design while in this version Scenic Designer Sarah Brandner seems to benefit from going the opposite direction. Not that there is no design, it’s that rather than being lavious and detailed here Brandner is subtle, simple, and all the more entrancing for it. Rather than being wowed by spectacle we are drawn in by a design that pulls us into the characters. With moments as simple as the sky lighting up with stars, which the audience I attended the show with, made up of a few hundred grade schoolers were audibly wowed by. They loved it and old as I am, I confess I did as well.

The story follows the journey of Edward Tulane a rabbit made of China. Edward is given at first by a grandmother to her granddaughter Abilene. The Rabbit is represented on stage by a Rabbit doll but also by a young actor named Asher Rilen who gives voice to Edwards inner thoughts. When we first meet him Edward is very vain and only cares about how he looks and himself. The girl dearly loves him and makes everyone in her family include him, but whatever they say is just noise to him, he’s only interested in himself. One day when the family goes on a vacation on a large ship Edward is lost overboard, he spends months and months at the bottom of the ocean until a storm comes a long and churns up the sea. A fisherman catches Edward in his net and brings him home to his wife, who makes him a dress and names him Suzanna, he is happy there until fate steps in again and he is separated from them. The plot continues on in episodic fashion with Edward being taken in by various people with their own stories to share and their own names to give him. The constant is that everyone he goes to loves him and by the time he has been smashed and then repaired and placed in a doll shop, he has learned to love and is no longer concerned with just his appearance.

There are separations and there are deaths in the story, there is cruelty, but there is also kindness. Director Anna Crace handles the darker aspects with skill, presenting them as the tragedies or injustices that they are, so that the younger members register them. Then she moves on, because a play like life has to move forward. Asher Rilen is very good as Edward, it’s a difficult role for a young actor to be the main character but also not be aloud to act out their role physically, relying almost entirely on a vocal performance, while appearing on stage and not fidgeting. Asher finds the stillness that is needed and accomplishes way more through his performance than had he been able to act out the role of Edward physically. The young cast all do a great job, there is none of the awkwardness or self conscious hand movements that you sometimes encounter with younger performers. The two adult cast members, Grant Hooyer and Charlene Hong White, both of whom play multiple characters throughout Edwards journey are both excellent in every persona they take on. They are great examples to the young cast of how to create multiple distinct characters within a play.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane runs through October 27th at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins. It’s the sort of children’s show that will also enchant the adults in the audience, making it a great show for the whole family. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.stagestheatre.org/the-miraculous-journey-of-edward-tulane/

Measure For Measure is Must See Shakespeare From the Birth Play Project at A-Mill Artists Loft

Measure for Measure is one of Shakespeare’s lesser known plays. I’ve never seen it performed before and have no recollection of skipping it if it has been performed locally in recent years. The play is usually given a pass as one of Shakespeare’s problem plays. Is it a comedy or is it a tragedy, what happens exactly at the end and as the cast performing this production acknowledges, there are some twists and convolutions that nobody understands why they are included. Based on this one exposure to Measure for Measure I think this may be Shakespeare inventing the black comedy. The great thing about Shakespeare is that all the plays are around 400 years old, they’re in the public domain baby! You can do whatever you want with them, that’s how we get a Hamlet adaptation entitled Strange Brew and Henry IV as My Own Private Idaho. You can cut, rearrange, add to, completely modernize, and even set it on a Forbidden Planet. The Birth Play Project’s adaptation by Madeline Wall & William Edson embraces that freedom and comes up with a captivating production that feels like a Ten Thousand Things Shakespeare production. That is some very nice company to be in and The Birth Play Project earns their place at the table.

The play opens with Vienna’s Duke Vincentio placing Angelo in charge when she has to leave the city. She doesn’t actually leave though but disguises herself as a nun in order to observe Angelo and the citizens without their knowledge. Angelo, mad with power, decrees that anyone having sex out of wedlock will be put to death. The first offender is Claudio and his lover Juliet, who he is in the process of marrying and is pregnant. Claudio’s sister Isabella comes to plead with Angelo for Claudio’s life. This scene is where the show really clicked for me. Isabella Dunsieth who plays Isabella and Madeline Wall who plays Angelo debate back and forth like a slightly more serious Benedict and Beatrice. Angelo falls for Isabella, who is in the process of taking her vows to become a nun. All comparisons to that “will they or won’t they” couple end abruptly when Angelo agrees to let Claudio live if Isabella will sleep with her (Did I mention there is a lot of gender swapping in this production?). Isabella relays the information to Claudio who expresses his feelings that dying is worse than losing your virginity. Isabella is assisted by a nun, really the Duke in disguise, and it is arranged that Angelo will have sex with someone else thinking it is Isabella. After having her way with Isabella’s stand in, Angelo changes her mind and orders Claudios head to be cut off immediately. Again the Duke in disguise intervenes and another prisoners head is cut off instead. Can you kind of see why this is a Problem play? The twists and turns and convolutions are right out of his comedies, except instead of pretending to be a servant and wooing a princess, they are swapping people to be beheaded. It’s absurd and also very very dark. I didn’t even mention the live birth, that you almost sort of witness.

I absolutely loved what Wall and Edson who also co-directed the play did with this adaptation. Likewise the cast is excellent and embraces the weirdness of the play and all its twists and odd turns. They do two things that are crucial in a good Shakespeare performance. The first is you need actors who can speak the language so that it makes sense to the audience, everyone does so here. Secondly they need to not only make it understood but breathe fresh air into it, which they also accomplish admirably. The big surprise for me was Isabella Dunsieth, who I feel I know primarily for her work in the Brave New Workshop shows such as No Country For Two Old which she is currently also appearing in. Here she speaks shakespeare’s language as if it were her first, which being english I guess it probably was… but you know what I mean, she’s a natural. Edson and Wall both do triple duty not only adapting and directing but also acting in the show. Wall is Angelo and the sparks that fly as Isabella and Angelo debate are electric. Edson plays Claudio and makes a good argument himself when pleading for his life. There are too many cast members to go through them all, but trust me there is no weak link in this chain of performers.

This is a great opportunity to see a little produced play from Shakespeare. One can see why it’s not often staged, because it takes a very special theater company like The Birth Play Project to make it come alive like this. I suspect I will never see a better production of Measure for Measure and as such I highly recommend you see it while you can. Measure for Measure has three more performances at various location for tickets go to https://linktr.ee/birthplayproject.

Rosette From New Arab American Theater Works Has World Premiere at Mixed Blood

Leor Benjamin and Laila Sahir Photo by Bruce Silcox

Rosette by William Nour and developed through New Arab American Works’ Inaugural Playwright Incubator Program holds its world Premiere at Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis. It is a play designed to remind us that we are all ultimately the same. To remind us that whether we are Christian, Jew or Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian or American we are all the same inside. I am not a very political creature but I do understand that there is a political element to this play. I’m not interested when reviewing this play about the larger current political environment I’m concerned with the characters and the story it is telling. Which is of two Palestinian families living in the city of Haifa in 1966. Rosette a teenage girl living with her parents, Yusef and Ida, who are Christians and their neighbors and best friends, Jameel and Maryam and their son Omar, who are Muslim. The two families were both exiled from the same West Bank village in 1948. The play is more character study than plot driven. There isn’t really a goal that the characters are trying to achieve, there is conflict to be sure, but it is of the everyday variety. It is really about presenting these characters, so different from mine in the details of their life. But, so similar in their emotions, hopes, and desires. Through showing us these characters with all their traits good and bad, playwright Nour shows us ourselves. Rosette reminds us that behind headlines there are people just like you and me who are not creating the headlines but living through them.

The cast is uniformly good particularly in the group scenes where the dialogue during disagreements flies fast and overlaps. Laila Sahir as Rosette and Claudia Veronica Garcia as her mother Ida are particularly effective when they battle in the ways that mothers and daughters have across races, cultures, and history. It is in these interpersonal exchanges between parents and children, between the children, between husbands and wives, and between old friends and neighbors that we see ourselves our families and friends reflected back at us. Nour’s gift is in writing these moments which all ring true. Also in finding the way to illustrate again, without being too on the nose, how each generation has to find it’s own path and how difficult that can be for the older generation who watches their way of life vanishing. In this case that fear of loss in complicated by having lost so much in their lives. Change can be good and is almost always inevitable, but it can also be hard. Even in things as small as woman wearing pants or as large as marrying outside of your own faith.

Rosette is an engaging and effective showcase of the universality of the human condition. It is well written and acted, the only criticism I have is in the scene changes. There are pieces of set design that are reconfigured and plants that are moved about the stage during way too frequent of scene changes. The show runs about 70 minutes at least five of which are scene changes. The addition of a few additional set pieces could have allowed for simply staging different scenes on different portions of the stage. Mixed Blood Theater has an unusually wide stage and this solution could easily have been utilized and allowed for a more fluid narrative. Rosette runs through October 6th at Mixed Blood Theater. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.newarabamericantheaterworks.org/upcoming-events-/rosette–by-william-nour