IRONBOUND a Engrossing new Production From Frank Theatre at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul

Carl Schoenborn, Benjamin Dutcher, Jack Bonko, and Brittany D. Parker Photo by Tony Nelson

I believe this was my second experience with Frank Theatre, the first was in the nascent day of The Stages of MN with a powerful drama called Convert about British colonialism in South Africa. Here IRONBOUND is another excellent example of thought provoking theater that asks us to witness and gain understanding of the “other”. In this case, a Polish immigrant named Darja whose story we witness over the course of about 20 years. Told as a non-chronological narrative we open and end with her in 2014 in between we make stops at in the mid 1990’s and 2000’s. Through these time jumps we witness what life has dealt Darja and it informs her actions and decisions in the 2014 segments. Darja’s life has taught her to be practical about things because at first we get the impression that life is a transaction to her. As the story plays out, we see the dreams she has slip away and the reality of living in a country with all of the advantages when you are not the one who can take advantage of them. Survival depends on being practical, is something she learned at 20 when a reality came and she made the decision to stop dreaming for what she wanted but instead for what she needed. Now in her early 40’s a relationship has devolved into a transaction rather than love. Something I think that happens to some extent to all of us, the idealism of our youth does give way to an understanding as we get older that we adjust our thinking and our planning to not only include our feelings but also our needs. Needs for comfort, security, companionship, hopefully most of us have the means at that point in our lives so that Darja’s approach seems a little heartbreaking. If it sounds like a downer it isn’t, it’s certainly a little bittersweet, but the script by Martyna Majok is also darkly funny.

Brittany D. Parker plays Darja, I hadn’t expected to see someone “new” to me so early in 2024 that blew my socks off through my shoes and up over the audience so that I had to spend 10 minutes after the performance looking around the auditorium for them. If I’ve seen her before and have just forgotten, I apologize. If she just hasn’t been performing much I’d like to know why the hell not? Accent, perfect. Timing, perfect. Emotional openness, I’ll say. There isn’t a moment in the play that Parker doesn’t make what feels like the only possible performance choice and it’s mesmerizing. Never have I seen a performer bring to life a character so strong and in control that you know she can take care of herself, and it makes you want to take care of her. Before I move onto the rest of the cast I just want to welcome Brittany D. Parker onto the list of performers that I will try and see everything they do going forward. I know we just announced the winners of the TCTB Awards last week, but the competition just kicked into high gear for 2024’s best performance and Parker’s is going to be a tough one to top. I don’t mean to short change the rest of the cast who is also very good. Carl Schoenborn, who according to the program spends most of his time backstage instead of in front of the audience, is Darja’s current boyfriend Tommy, who has a problem with fidelity. Schoenborn is wonderfully weak and weasley and brings a rough sloppy charm to a character that could be one note, is anything but. He comes off as utterly flawed, unsure, and completely real. In a black and white world he sucks, but Schoenborn brings all the crayon colors so he’s not the worst thing that could happen to Darja in the real world where we are all doing the best we can. I hope to see Schoenborn getting out from behind the curtains more often, he’s very welcome. Benjamin Dutcher, whom is what my wife refers to as one of her All is Calm boys, takes on his first play. We’ve known him from operas and musicals for years, and I was surprised to learn this is his first straight play, which I assume is a comment on it being non music based not a comment on it’s sexual orientation. He’s wonderful as Darja’s first husband Maks, the give and take between Dutcher and Parker sells the loving relationship and adds to the bittersweet nature of the its fate. Finally, Jack Bonko plays a highschool kid that Darja encounters on a dark night in 2006. The encounter hints at the fact that whomever we are, we have problems, but also highlights the disparity between the 34 year old immigrant who was preparing to sleep on the street and a high school junior who has the means to offer her food and money for a hotel room. Bonko plays the teen with a streetsmart style, he’s funny and tragic, but also offers a glimpse of human kindness that Darja is sorely in need of being reminded exists.

The play is directed by Frank Theatre Founder and Artistic Director Wendy Knox who has made IRONBOUND the first must see production of 2024. I often find myself at a loss after a production to recall much of the lighting and sound design of a production, that is not the case here. Tony Stoeri’s lighting is creative and adds both realism and a dreamlike quality depending on the scene. There are several scenes where headlights come into play and Stoeri’s solution sells the effect completely. Likewise while most of the time jumps happen as a blackout and fade up after some costume changes, there is a moment towards the end when we get a flashback that is actually more like a memory which the lighting is our signal that this one is different, and it’s perfectly clear to us in that moment what is happening thanks to Stoeri’s work. The soundscape created by Dan Dukich envelopes us into the city streets of New Jersey throughout, but there is also fine detail audio work such as car locks and bus sounds. Along with Set Designer Joes Stanley the technical crew has created a world we recognize as our own and which feels authentic and the perfect atmosphere for the story being told.

IRONBOUND runs through February 11th at the Gremlin theatre in St. Paul. For more information and to purchase tickets go to https://franktheatre.org/events/ironbound/

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‘Art’ is the Title and the Result in Exhibition at the Guthrie Theater. Three Actors, One Word, Brilliant!

Robert O. Berdahl, Max Wojtanowicz, and Patrick Sabongui Photo by Dan Norman

In a brilliant crack at counter programing the Guthrie Theater opened its production of Yasmina Reza’s ‘Art’ the Friday before Christmas opposite the ongoing run of their annual heart warmer A Christmas Carol. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and even those who do sometimes take a year off as the Ceasefire Carolers outside the theater reminded us tonight. So if you are not in the holiday spirit or want to relive some of the holiday trauma, come January but in a safe non-personal way, the darkly comical ‘Art’ is going to be the ticket for you. For a story about three friends who are incredibly hostile to each other, you wouldn’t think you’d leave the theater feeling so alive and invigorated. But that’s what great art does. When you see three roles so perfectly played, a script so layered, rich in humor and insight into the human condition, you can’t help but feel uplifted. Or maybe your just grateful that your friends don’t talk to you this way.

Reza’s play has been translated from the original french to english by Christopher Hampton, you may be familiar with Reza’s play God of Carnage which was adapted into the film Carnage starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly. ‘Art’ has a similarly critical view of people and their more childish and selfish sides. The play follows three Parisian friends and the fallout that results when one of them, Serge, buys a all white painting for 200,000 francs. It begins when Serge shows the painting to Marc, who calls it a piece of shit. He then ropes their mutual friend Yvan into the painting critique. Yvan, always the peacemaker tries to essential play the midfield, telling Yvan he likes the painting, while telling Marc that agrees that’s too much money for a painting that is basically white. This middle ground noncommittal response angers both Marc and Serge who see Yvan as a coward. And this is where we get to the heart of what is really going on in the play. It’s not about their own opinions as much as it is about how each others opinions reflect on them. Marc sees Serge’s stance on the painting as a reflection on himself because how can he be best friends with someone who would buy a white painting for 200,000 francs? When Yvan tries to make peace between the two friends, they both unite against him, because his wishy washiness in their minds reflects upon them for being his friend. It’s easier for them to attack and hurt him than each other, as he doesn’t put up much of a fight. They are really all three reflections of the different and conflicting aspects of all of our psyches. We all have it within us to behave one way with one friend and another with the other, just going along to get along, we also can get defensive when something we are proud of is proclaimed to be ridiculous, or can come of as judgemental or pretentious from time to time. Reza’s script is so articulate and sharp witted, we laugh and agree with what the characters are saying while also laughing at the fact that they are saying these things to each other, things we would never say to a friend. The fact that a disagreement over a painting one of them bought almost ends three longtime friendships is a comment on how egotistical and immature people can be, how little distance there is sometimes between the playground and adulthood.

The three person cast is perfection, each one of the actors is exactly right for their role. Max Wojtanowicz as Yvan edged out the other two by the smallest of margins on the car ride home. Wojtanowicz not only delivers every line in what feels like the only possible way they could be done, but his reactions to the other actors are as good as his own line readings. He so good at listening and reacting to the other actors that I frequently found myself watching him rather than the actor that was speaking. He also has a monologue about his wedding invitations to explain why he arrives late for an evening out with Marc and Serge that is the best 5 minutes in the entire play. Robert O. Berdahl plays Serge, he has the look and speech patterns of the Modern Art lover, I can’t really explain that, but you’ll see what I mean. Berdahl is adept at feigning aloofness one moment and then launching a counter attack with laser precision. He does a great job as well of making us believe that he doesn’t care what Marc thinks of the painting while also showing us that what he thinks really does hurt him. Patrick Sabongui plays Marc I’ve never seen him on stage before but am familiar with some of his TV and film work. This is one of the few times the Guthrie brings someone in from out of town that you wont hear me whining that they should always use local actors. Sabongui is just so good in the role I wouldn’t want to change anything about the production. He, maybe more than the other two, really succeeds in getting the audience to completely agree with him in one scene and then be very critical of his attitudes the next and then swing us back to his side. We are right there with him when he laughs at Serge for buying the painting, and then before long even though we agreed with him, we find ourselves wondering why he can’t just let it go. One of the biggest thrills of the evening is seeing the three actors play off each other, great acting can be entrancing as evidenced by those on display in ‘Art’.

Kimberly Senior directs the play and keeps it moving along at a brisk pace keeping the show at under 90 minutes, it flies by but feels like the perfect length. There are some nice beats where the characters step out of the scene and share their thoughts directly with the audience. Senior and Lighting Designer Xavier Pierce use the lighting to direct our focus in these moments and create a nice visual addition to what are usually humorous comments. The Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bembridge has gone for a very sparse design. The action takes place in each of the three mens apartments the only change being that when we are in Marc or Yvan’s apartments a painting comes down from the ceiling. Otherwise the entire set is either white or in the case of the two chairs transparent. The design echoing the white painting underlining the absurdity of what has threatened the friendships of the three men.

‘Art‘ runs through January 28th at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis for more information and to purchase tickets go to https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2023-2024-season/art/

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.

Holiday Office Party at Strike Theater the Best Office Party You’ll Ever Attend… Granted, Not a High Bar. But Seriously, it’s Hilarious!!!

Holiday Office Party is a long form improvisational comedy which means everything you see at your show is being made up on the spot and that all of it fits together as one cohesive story. So that means two things, First and most importantly, if you love it, you can go again and see a completely new show! Secondly, anything I tell you specifically wouldn’t matter because those jokes wouldn’t appear at another performance. So what can I tell you besides that the performance I saw was really funny? Well, there is the set up which you should be able to inuit from the title. Essentially we are watching a group of coworkers at their company holiday party. Each of the performers becomes a character which they develop over the course of the show. Much of the humor comes from clever call backs to things that happened earlier. For instance, at our performance one of the characters, played by Anna Tobin, states she has a shellfish allergy. That allergy will be a running gag throughout the show referenced not only by that character but others not even in scenes with her. That’s what the best Improv performers bring to a show, not just a quick wit but the ability to create an arc for the character within the improvisational framework of a piece.

So I’ve seen some great improv at theaters like Strike, where Holiday Office Party is running, and Huge Improv Theater in Uptown. I’ve also seen some not so great improv, so how do you know what improv to spend your hard earned money and precious time on? Well the best way to hedge your bets is become familiar with the performers and producers of improv and watch for their shows. Holiday Office Party is produced and directed by Mike Fotis who is one of the co-founders of Strike Theater. I’ve seen Mike perform and the shows he’s created before so I know from those that he’s a good bet. Fotis doesn’t appear in this show but he’s up in the tech booth directing the show by the use of lights. So basically the performers know during specific video text prompts what the next scene will be, for example it might say small talk and mingling. The performers know to form small groups in designated areas of the stage and when Mike turns the light on their area that is their cue to speak. Fotis then determines when a scene has run its course and will turn the lights off and redirect us to another group. So that’s a name for the improv novices to remember Mike Fotis and when you see he’s either performing or behind the scenes you’ll know you are in good hands.

Aside from Mike there was another name that made me jump at this as one to see, Sam Landman. Since the first time I saw him at the Twin Cities Horror Fest in 2019 I knew he was someone to follow. I’ve seen him do improv at both Strike and Huge and he’s one of the best in town. He’s a performer who understands that whether you are acting in a play, a scripted comedy sketch, or doing improv, the best humor comes from characters, not jokes. One liners can be really funny on their own to be sure, but they are better when they build off of a characters personality. But here’s the thing, Fotis is a guy who works with and casts the best, there isn’t anyone in the cast who didn’t have a great show. There was one recurring scene clearly based on the Pam and Jim trope of the office co-workers who should be together but never quite get up the courage to move beyond flirting. The performers Gubby Kubik Nielsen and Lacey Mamak never quite found that perfect little thing to hook their scene on but were such engaging performers that it still worked. Nielsen in particular has a quality that made them the perfect performer for that role. Something in the eyes, so alive and sparkling with fun and mischief. Part of being an effective performer, especially in a show like this where you are one of nearly a dozen actors and the show is only an hour long, is knowing what your strengths are and playing to those. Nielsen knows how to use her eyes the looks she sends Mamak shout “you’re not imagining this, I’m feeling it too”. Ryan Robert Nelson went another route. His character slowly got a little drunk over the course of the show, but that wasn’t really his characters arc, he didn’t seem to really have one. Then, he sat to record a video message for Jerry who is retiring and he launched into a hot air balloon story that ends up being a confession that brought down the house. So all the little comments and bits he did earlier laid the groundwork that he’d had enough to drink to lose his inhibitions and decision making skills enough to unburden himself of his deep dark secret on his coworkers retirement video.

I can’t describe everyone’s shining moments but there were all fantastic and hilarious so I do want to mention everyone in the cast. Along with those already mentioned the cast included Erik Hoversten, Kerri Ann OHalloran, Christian Unser, Jerry Heather Meyer, Nels Lennes and Bailey Murphy. The cast changes from night to night, you will see some or all of the above when you go as well as Matt Prindle and Amee Nefzger Banks. The show runs for three more performances Thursday December 21st thru Saturday December 23rd at 7:30 PM. For more information about this and other shows at Strike Theater and to purchase tickets go to https://www.strike.theater/shows.html

Every Brilliant Thing at the Jungle Theater is Dead Brilliant!

Joy Dolo. Photo by Lauren B. Photography

The Jungle Theater in Minneapolis has reopened with a one hour somewhat interactive play written by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe. Now don’t misunderstand me, you will not be influencing the course of the play and this isn’t improv, but there is a bit of flexing that muscle on display. You will be required to read a sentence or a word from a piece of paper when called upon. In a few cases you will be asked to do a little more. For instance, I had to give a speech at a wedding off the top of my head, but nothing more than that in most cases. Every Brilliant Thing is a one actor, one audience play. The actor in the performance I saw was Joy Dolo. She is telling the story of a woman whose mother attempted suicide when she was seven years old. The seven year old’s response to her mother’s wish to die was to make a list of every brilliant thing she could think of that made life worth living to show her Mom. Number one, Ice Cream! We follow this young lady through her life and as she grows, so does her list. It’s a lesson in taking note of all the good things even when we are not feeling well or happy. It’s a simple idea, but it’s a very powerful one. Think if you sat and made a list of Every Brilliant Thing. Not the OK things, but just the brilliant things. What would you do with such a list? What would its power be? I’d take it out when I was feeling overwhelmed, sad, hopeless, and remind myself that there is more to life than this moment, this pain, this struggle.

I like the idea so much that I’m going to start my own list right now. The first thing on my list of brilliant things is Joy Dolo’s performance in Every Brilliant Thing. There simply is no actor more engaging and welcoming with the ability to make you laugh and cry in the space of seconds. She single handedly shepherds a cast of dozens of unrehearsed people to create a unified, coherent story. The audience participation seems like a gimmick at first, there to provide some humor and get people into the swing of things, maybe just to keep them paying attention. But that isn’t it, you don’t need a gimmick to keep people’s attention when Dolo is on stage. And the participation adds more than humor, it build connection at least it did for this blogger. When I toasted my daughter on her wedding night, I thought back to the car rides we’d shared in silence and the times I shut myself away in my den to listen to music rather than help her understand what was happening. I wished her all the happiness and prayed for her forgiveness. Some performers are loud, or wild, or powerful and they scream “look at me!!”. Dolo, doesn’t do that, she invites you in, you look at her, you pay attention to her, not because she is demanding it, but because you really really want to. She is open to the audience in a way that lets you in immediately. While she is coaching the audience through their parts, she never loses her character. As for the rest of the cast it will depend on your audience, I thought the fellow playing the Father was quite good the night I went, considering he didn’t know he’d even been cast.

I have to say that I had sort of read a brief description of the play, saw it’s run time was only an hour, and thought with so many shows finally opening up I’d give this one a miss with the packed schedule. I was urged by another blogger not to miss this show and I’m glad I took her advice. Every Brilliant Thing is not to be missed. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen since the theaters reopened, for me this has been the most rewarding of my post pandemic excursions. The show is directed by Meredith McDonough with the unique tasks of directing two different performers in the same role. Jucoby Johnson actually plays the lead in most performances with Joy Dolo appearing every Thursday of the run. I have not seen Jucoby Johnson’s performance but there is an excellent review here by Cherry and Spoon . The Theater has been transformed from it’s usual configuration into a theatre in the round venue by Scenic and Costume Designer Mina Kinukawa and it really enables Dolo and Johnson to get that engagement with the audience going. It was the right decision for this show, and plays a key part in establishing an all in this together vibe. The other technical aspect that really deserves a shout out is the Sound Design by Montana Johnson. Music is minimal but key, it’s use always important to the story and very effective. I particularly liked being reminded of Daniel Johnston and always good to hear a little Ray Charles.

Every Brilliant Thing runs through November 14th at the Jungle Theater in the Lynlake area near Uptown Minneapolis. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets go to https://www.jungletheater .org.