"Words By... Ira Gershwin and the Great American Songbook" at Park Square Theatre

Park Square Theatre's Words By... Ira Gershwin and the Great American Songbook is a little like an installment of the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series come to life. In it, we learn about the less famous Gerswhin brother Ira, the one who wrote the words that accompanied many of his brother George's timeless melodies. But unlike Broadway Songbook in which a narrator regales the audience with stories and facts about the chosen subject, in Words By... the stories and facts are relayed by Ira himself. Or at least, an actor (Ari Hoptman) playing him. He also sings a few of the songs, along with the fantastic singers T. Mychael Rambo and Jennifer Grimm. The result is an educational, fascinating, entertaining, and inspiring two hours of music and theater.

Before seeing the show, I didn't know much about the Gershwin brothers, and in fact was only vaguely aware that they were brothers. The children of Russian Jewish immigrants growing up in Brooklyn in the early 20th century, younger brother George was a prodigy on the piano from an early age. Not wanting to capitalize on his brother's success, Ira began writing lyrics with other composers under a pseudonym, only later working with his brother after he had established some success of his own. As told by Ira in the play, the brothers had a wonderfully collaborative working relationship writing for musical theater (including the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama, Of Thee I Sing) and movies. Sadly, this collaboration was cut short when George died of a brain tumor at the age of 38. Ira continued working with other composers, but many of his great works (and the majority of the songs in the play) were written with his brother.

As Ira, Ari Hoptman is incredibly personable and believable, to the point where I almost forgot it wasn't Ira himself telling the stories. His stories and recollections are accompanied by photos show on a screen, and of course, the songs themselves. Songs with fast, clever, lovely lyrics like "Fascinating Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," "How Long Has This Been Going On?," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "They Can't Take That Away From Me." The songs are performed by a wonderfully jazzy four-piece band led by Joseph Vass on the piano (who also wrote the show) and two incredible singers. T. Mychael Rambo is always such a dynamic performer with a beautifully smooth voice, so it's no surprise that he is that here. But I was kind of blown away by Jennifer Grimm. I've seen her a few times before, but nothing like this where she takes center stage and just owns in (in a series of fabulous dresses). Her gorgeous voice is no better on display than in the Act I closing number "The Man That Got Away," a song that Ira and Harold Arlen wrote for Judy Garland (to whose voice Jennifer's is not dissimilar). Another highlight is Mychael and Jennifer singing songs from the Gershwin brothers opera Porgy and Bess (the new revival is coming to the Ordway in March).

Words By... continues through December 29. It's truly a treat to hear these classic songs performed by such talented artists, accompanied but the wonderful stories about how they came to be, and to learn a little about the art of writing lyrics. Ira describes it with this quote by his friend Yip: "Words make you think a thought, music makes you feel a feeling, a song makes you feel a thought." If you love the standards, or are interested in the history of American music, this show is a must-see (discount tickets available on Goldstar).

"The Wizard of Oz" at the Ordway Center

The Wizard of Oz is an iconic movie, beloved by old and young alike. Every moment is so well-known that it is ingrained in our culture, from "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too" to "There's no place like home." It's almost impossible to imagine it any other way, so when I heard that there was a new Andrew Lloyd Webber stage adaptation (being not the biggest ALW fan), I was a little skeptical. But I was also curious, so I eagerly, although somewhat trepidatiously, attended Blogger Night at the Ordway last night. And I'm happy to report that a few minutes into the first scene I was completely won over. I found the show to be a clever adaptation with innovative use of video technology and some great new songs that add to the story, along with the familiar tunes we all know and love so well. It's such a thrill to hear those familiar songs played by a live orchestra, with the beloved characters coming to life before our eyes. The Wizard of Oz is definitely a family affair (I saw more than one little girl dressed like Dorothy), but it sure to be enjoyable for anyone who loves the movie (and really, who doesn't?).

Since this is my third blog post of the day, let's jump right into it. Highlights of the show include:

• Danielle Wade couldn't be more perfect as Dorothy. Her voice is a powerful instrument and she exhibits incredible control over it; her "Over the Rainbow" is a thing of beauty. She also possesses the charm and likeability necessary in the beloved heroine.
• Dorothy's three Oz friends are perfectly delightful, from Jamie McKnight as the adorably scattered Scarecrow, to Mike Jackson as the tender tin man with the beautiful baritone, to Lee MacDougall as the tough but cowardly lion (who's a proud friend of Dorothy!). And they also exhibit their specific characteristics while in Kansas mode, which is fun to observe.
• The witches are wonderful and manage to differentiate themselves from both the movie and that other Oz musical adaptation (e.g., instead of pointy hats, they have pointy hair). Robin Evan Willis makes a lovely Glinda and Jacquelyn Piro Donovan is deliciously evil as the Wicked Witch (with one green leg sticking out from her dress ala Angelina Jolie).
• The opening number, a new song called "Nobody Understands Me," is a great song, a little more earthy and rustic than the Oz fantasy songs (this is Kansas, after all) and sets the stage well. Professor Marvel gets a new song, as does the Wizard and the Wicked Witch. I found the closing number "Almost Home" to be a little cheesy, but all-in-all I thought there was just the right amount of new songs and they all served a purpose.
• The effective but not too elaborate sets use perspective and colors painted on two-dimensional pieces to create the various worlds of the play. The special effects, including the tornado and flying monkeys, are created with the use of video projections on both the backdrop and scrim, with lights shone both on stage and into the audience for dramatic effect. It's extremely clever and well-done. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to start seeing videos every time I go to the theater, but in this production, it works (sets designed by Jeremy Sams, video by Jon Driscoll, and lighting by Hugh Vanstone).
• The munchkins are completely adorable. Actors of normal height (or maybe a little on the short side) stand in such a way (slightly bent at knee and waist) that they appear to be smaller without looking awkward. Kudos to the ensemble that plays everything from munchkins to soldiers to ozians. And they're pretty fantastic dancers too in some great big dance numbers. The choreography (by Arlene Phillips) is fresh and new, but also familiar.
• The costumes are beautiful, from the blue-toned and playful munchkin costumes, to the sleek green dresses and suits of the ozians, to the familiar looks of Dorothy and friends.
• Last but not least, little Toto is played by a real dog, a consummate professional who hits every mark and does everything he (or she?) is supposed to.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz is playing now through December 29. This production is the movie come to life, with new bits that add to the story and make it even more wonderful.

"The Sound of Music" Live on NBC

On Thursday December 5 NBC broadcast a musical live on TV, which hasn't been done (so they say) in 50 years. It was much more common in the '50s; e.g., Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote Cinderella for TV and it was originally broadcast live. I think it's an intriguing idea, even if something gets lost in the transmission. So intriguing that I watched it live (I almost never watch TV live anymore) and live-commented on the Cherry and Spoon Facebook page. You can read my commentary in the bulleted list below, but first, my overall thoughts on the show.

Let me preface this by saying that The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies and musicals. When I was a kid back in the dark ages before cable TV or even VCRs, the 1965 Julie Andrews classic was one of the movies that was constantly on TV, so I saw it a million times as a kid and loved it. In high school, I was in the pit orchestra for my high school production of the musical, and it was such a thrill to play that familiar music on my clarinet and develop a whole new appreciation for it, as well as sit in the pit for every rehearsal and performance. Finally, I spent four months living in Salzburg studying abroad, which makes the movie even more beloved to me because of the nostalgia for that beautiful city, which I was lucky enough to call home for a short period of time. Because of all of these things, I'm extemely biased towards loving any production of The Sound of Music, and this is no exception (which doesn't mean I can't see the faults in this production, well at least some of them).

The good:

• Let's start with the best part of the show - the divinely talented 5-time Tony-winner Audra McDonald as the Mother Abbess. Obviously she sounded beyond amazing in the always-thrilling "Climb Every Mountain," but it was her acting chops that made every one of her scenes a cut above the rest. 

• Carrie Underwood has a gorgeous voice, and sounded beautiful singing these songs.
• Broadway vet Laura Benanti (previously known to me only from her recurring role in Royal Pains, a light and fun show that has the benefit of filming in the NYC area and hiring lots of theater actors as guests) as the Baroness Schrader was so effortlessly good that I was hoping for her to end up with the Captain. Which is also a bad thing because that's not the way the story is supposed to go.
• Recent Tony winner Christian Borle was an absolute delight as Max, one of my favorite characters and the acerbic comic relief in the show. He elevated every scene he was in (although he might have benefited from an in-studio audience, see below).
• Every one of the seven children playing the Von Trapp kids did a fantastic job. Great job by the casting department to find this collection of unknowns that became a family.

• The best scenes were the ones that featured the children, or these three:

• Yes the mountains and the trees looked fake, but that didn't bother me, it almost made it feel more like a classic '50s televised musical. I thought the Von Trapp family home was beautiful, with clever transitions between stages.

The bad:

• There's no way around it, Carrie Underwood is not an actor. I don't blame her, she tried her best to do the job she was hired to do, and I thought the singing part of the job was practically flawless. But when you hire a non-actor to act, you can't really be surprised when you get a stiff and emotionless performance. The most important thing in musical theater is not the music but the story. If you can't feel for the characters and become invested in the story, it doesn't matter how beautiful the music is.
• A big part of live theater is the audience, witnessing something special in the presence of others and hearing their reactions mingle with yours. The jokes and dramatic moments fall a little flat in a completely silent studio, with nothing but thin air to greet the performances.

The ugly:

• Come on, you know me, I'm not going to say anything was ugly!

All in all I think this was a successful experiment (with huge ratings), but like all experiments, lessons must be learned to improve the next iteration. I would love to see NBC do this again next year (they already have the sets and costumes and have figured out the logistics, so it's sure to be much cheaper). My suggestion for casting the leads - look no further than the other actors in the cast. Laura Benanti has played Maria on stage and proven herself in this unique genre, so I'd love to see her take on the role next year. As the captain I would cast Michael Park, who played the party guest who delivered the classic line "I'm not a German, I'm Austrian!" A veteran of TV and the stage, Michael can be funny and charming, as well as stern and forceful, and has a beautiful voice. Audra should continue to play the Mother Abbess as long as she's willing, and Christian should play Max in every production of The Sound of Music ever. And have a big casting call for the kids every year to give fresh new talent an opportunity to shine. Yes, I'd love to see this become an annual event.

So here it is, my live commentary:

• It's time! Turn on your TV, friends, The Sound Of Music is about to start, live from a studio on Long Island! It's been almost 15 years since I've seen it on stage, but before that I was in the pit orchestra for my high school production (clarinet), so we'll see how much I remember about the stage version. If I recall correctly, the show opens with some beautiful chanting in the convent.
• It's Audra McDonald! Here's an awkward stage door photo with her after The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess on Broadway last year, when I said a bunch of rambling gushing things about how much I love her. She's won 5 Tonys.

• One of my favorite lines. "Religious life is no place for the pious." "You mean the pretentiously pious."
• Carrie's a better actor when she's singing.
• It's Vampire Bill! I mean, Captain Von Trapp. I wonder how long before I'll stop waiting for his fangs to pop out?
• Did you catch that, kids? "I wasn't in the Imperial Navy." "Too bad, you could have made a fortune." 
• How cute are those kids? Fun fact: Kurt is played by a young man named Joe West, whose parents Maura West and Scott Defrietas met on the set of the dear departed soap As the World Turns, where she played Carly (and won several Emmys) and he played Andy. Maura is currently appearing on General Hospital as Ava.
• Rolf's kind of dreamy, isn't he? Until he turns into a Nazi. Don't you hate it when the guy you're crushing on turns into a Nazi?
• Here's a difference between stage and movie versions - "Lonely Goatherd" instead of "My Favorite Things." Poor Carrie, each one of those kids is a better actor than she is!
• The hilarious and talented Tony-winner Christian Borle! Perfect casting for Max.
• I have a feeling I'm going to be rooting for Elsa (Tony-winning actor Laura Benanti) instead of Maria to win Georg's heart.
• "I'm not a German, I'm Austrian!" That's the wonderfully talented and super sweet actor Michael Park, three-time Emmy winner and Broadway actor. Here's a photo of Michael and I on the set of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying a few years ago. (For more of that story, see: http://www.cherryandspoon.com/2011/09/how-to-succeed-in-business-without.html)

• Best moment of The Sound Of Music so far - Audra McDonald singing "Climb Every Moment." Chills!!
• I call a foul! In the original stage musical Georg and Maria sang a song called "An Ordinary Couple." "I Must Have Done Something Good" was written for the movie. "An ordinary couple, is all I long to be, for all I want of living is to keep you close to me. To laugh and sing together, as time goes on its flight, to kiss you every morning and to kiss you every night. An ordinary couple." (wow, that came right back to me after 20+ years)
• Response from Jennifer Eckes (who knows a thing or two about musical theater trivia, as seen in Pop-Up Musical): "I think the general consensus is that "Something Good" is the better song, much like "You're the one that I Want" always gets used in productions of GREASE since the movie. Plus it is easier for the singers to sing."
• I lived in Salzburg for four months when studying abroad, so one of my favorite parts of watching the movie is pointing out the geographical inconsistencies (e.g., if you climb the mountains outside Salzburg, you end up in Germany, not Switzerland). I went back to Salzburg a few years ago and took the Sound of Music tour and saw lots of filming locations. The church where the wedding was filmed is not in Salzburg, but a little town outside of Salzburg. Mondsee I think?
• The sets and costumes are quite lovely. The outdoor scenery looks pretty fake, but it's impossible to recreate the beauty of Salzburg in a studio!
• The city of Salzburg. Wunderschön!

• In musical theater, I think it's better to cast a good actor who's not a great singer (Stephen Moyer) than a good singer who's not a great actor (Carrie Underwood). I can forgive vocal imperfections if the emotions of the character are there, but if the character's not there, it doesn't matter how beautiful the singing may be.
• Why is Rolf still wearing shorts when they're all bundled up in coats, hats, and scarves?
• Well that's it folks, the three-hour event that was The Sound Of Music LIVE is over, and we made it through! Thanks for playing everyone, this was fun! I'll have more thoughts tomorrow, but in general I think it was a success, with the exception of the horrible miscasting of poor Carrie Underwood. And it made me realize that a big part of live theater is the audience. Without someone to laugh, applaud, or otherwise react, it falls a little flat. The highlights were Audra McDonald who sounded incredible, and Christian Borle who was just delightful as Max. The kids were all great too, and logistically everything seemed to go off without a hitch. A fascinating experiment in live televised theater. I hope they learn from it (lessen one: cast theater actors) and do it again!

"Born Yesterday" at the Guthrie Theater

The 1946 Broadway play Born Yesterday was adapted into a 1950 movie that has become a classic. True to form, I've never seen it, so I had the great pleasure of experiencing it for the first time on stage, with no expectations or comparisons. I absolutely loved it and now understand why it's such a classic. Smartly written by Garson Kanin, funny, taking serious digs at the corruption of politics that is more true today than it ever has been, and featuring some classic characters, it's a beautiful piece of theater expertly brought to life by the Guthrie and this perfectly cast ensemble of actors.

If, like me, you've never seen the movie, here's a brief plot summary. Harry Brock, a very wealthy and corrupt "business man" (he's a "junk dealer," which I think means he buys and sells scrap metal and such), moves into a hotel in Washington DC in order to buy a senator or two to make things go his way. His entourage includes his mistress, former chorus girl Billie, his lawyer Ed, and his personal assistant/cousin/bartender/body guard Eddie. Harry is worried that Billie's unsophisticated ways will be a hindrance while he's trying to schmooze the senator, so he hires journalist Paul to educate her. The plan backfires on him when Billie proves to be much smarter than he thinks and falls in love with learning. She is no longer willing to go along with his schemes (he's signed much of his property over to her on the advice of his lawyer) and along with Paul, devises a way to get out from under his thumb.

Judy Holliday originated the role of Billie on Broadway and won an Oscar for reprising the role in the movie. I hear that her performance is iconic, but since I've never seen it, I was able to enjoy Guthrie newcomer Alexis Brokovic's brilliant performance without comparison. She's an absolute joy to watch in every moment - her voice, the way she moves around the stage, the perfect looks and line delivery, the way she sorts her cards during an intense game of gin rummy. She makes Billie an incredibly sympathetic and real character as we witness her growth from a woman who's told daily that she's dumb to a woman who sees her own worth and realizes that she deserves, and desires, a better life that this empty one she's been living. At one point Harry laments, "All this trouble just because some dame read a book." Exactly. Born Yesterday is about a woman realizing her own power, and claiming it, through knowledge.

Harry (Jeff Still), Paul (John Patrick Hayden),
and Billie (Alexis Bronkovic)

The rest of the cast (directed by John Miller-Stephany) does a wonderful job as well, each one as perfect for their role as Alexis is for Billie. Two more Guthrie newcomers fill the roles of Harry and Paul - Jeff Still is so good as the tough-talking and at times menacing Harry that I wanted to boo him at the curtain call (but since I'm a Minnesotan I didn't), and John Patrick Hayden is charming as Billie's teacher and friend who opens her world. Familiar faces fill out the rest of the cast - Mark Benninghofen shows us lawyer Ed's increasing disgust with himself and the things he does for Harry, and Zach Curtis hits the right note as Harry's man Eddie, who knows his place. I also like that they cast students in the U of M/Guthrie BFA program in non-speaking roles; the Guthrie has a great farm system and uses it well.

Walking into the Proscenium theater before the show, I had to pause several times on the stairs to take in the incredible set (designed by Todd Rosenthal). Looking every bit the opulent hotel suite (that costs $235 a night!), with a high ceiling and grand staircase leading to the bedrooms on the second floor, everything is round - the chandelier, the table, the stools, the centered doorknobs, the walls of the room, even the shape of the stage itself - mirroring the US Capitol seen through the windows.

As I've mentioned before, my season seat in the Guthie's Proscenium theater is in the front row (aka the cheap seats). I like to call it shoe level, because the stage is directly in front of my eyes. This is a great show to be sitting at shoe level. The period costumes (by Matthew J. LeFebvre) are stunning, especially Billie's wardrobe of about a half dozen outfits, each more gorgeous than the last. The men's clothes aren't too shabby either, from Harry's flashy and colorful suits to the more classic look of his lawyer.

Kanin was asked in the 80s why his play was so popular. He answered, "The reason was Watergate. When the play was written it was a fable, but after Watergate it became a documentary." It really is a brilliant play in a top-notch production by the Guthrie (playing now through January 5). I'll leave you with my favorite quote (of many):

To all the dumb chumps and all the crazy broads, past, present, and future, who thirst for knowledge and search for truth, who fight for justice and civilize each other, and make it so tough for sons of bitches like you.

"Miracle on Christmas Lake" at Yellow Tree Theatre

Miracle on Christmas Lake is not your typical holiday classic. Instead of figgy pudding, sleigh rides, and angels, you get lost lizards, moon boots, and tater tot hot dish. And yet it deservedly has become a classic. This Yellow Tree Theatre play written quickly out of desperation is returning for its fourth year, and it's one of their most popular shows of the season and has even inspired a sequel. It's not really a surprise - the show is quirky and funny and a little outrageous, but at its heart it's about friends and family working together to create something they believe in and that enriches their community (not unlike Yellow Tree Theatre itself). What better way to celebrate the holiday season? Yellow Tree co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson wrote the play for their first season five years ago and directs for the first time this year. There are more than a few auto-biographical elements in the play, along with a bunch of ridiculous (but true) Minnesota stereotypes. Even though this is my fourth time visiting Christmas Lake (my second time seeing the original, and I also saw the sequel twice), it never fails to delight and entertain.

Quick plot summary (it's delightfully preposterous, so hang in there): Colin's father has died and left him a theater in the small Minnesota town of Christmas Lake (think snowcats and lutefisk and church basements). He has returned to his hometown with his wife Tess after leaving New York City and his successful career as a soap opera actor.* At the last minute, the rights to their annual Christmas show, It's a Wonderful Life, are pulled, forcing them to come up with a new production in a short amount of time (this really happened to Yellow Tree, which was the genesis of this show). The only actors they can get are the moon boot-wearing lizard-loving massage therapist Martha and the Little House on the Prairie-obsessed piano tuner Neil. They decide to stage a Christmas episode of Colin's soap As Time Ticks By (fun fact: Yellow Tree co-founder Jason Peterson had a small role in my favorite soap-that-is-no-longer, As the World Turns) to appeal to their greatest benefactor Mrs. Burlington. She's a big fan of the soap and Colin, and agrees to play a role in the show. Opening night arrives and everything falls apart, but in a so-bad-it's-good Producers sort of way. The show is a hit, the theater is saved, and Colin and Tess decide to stay in Christmas Lake and build the theater and their lives in this quirky little town they've come to love.

Some of my favorite things about Christmas Lake:

• Martha and Neil are the most adorable and funny nerds you've seen in a long time. Martha (played by the delightful Debra Berger, who BTW starred in one of my favorite Fringe shows this summer) wears moon boots, has a pet lizard, loves The Sound of Music, and makes a mean tater tot hot dish. Neil (once again played by Ryan Nelson, who never fails to crack me up) begins every conversation with "that reminds me of a very special episode of Little House on the Prairie."
• But to balance out that craziness, you need someone down-to-earth and relatable, and we have that in Tess (Brittany Parker) and Colin (Josef Buchel, reprising his role from last year's sequel). Both actors are charming and natural, with a believable chemistry. And they get to play a little crazy in the soap opera play.
• Janet Hanson plays two very different characters - the relatively normal Minnesota mom Gloria and the over-the-top eccentric rich lady of Christmas Lake.
• Being a lifelong soap fan, I love the very recognizable soap opera references, from sperm stealing and evil twins to a powerful businessman named Victor (Icon, not Newman).
• Neil's puppet, which I believe is new to this year's production, is as weird and wonderful as the original. He even has his own bio in the playbill.
  
• Tess (Brittany)'s sweet and sad rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" does sound, as Gloria points out, a little like that folky singer with the crooked teeth.
• The eclectic holiday songs played during scene changes are so appropriate and unique that I want them all on a soundtrack!
• The set (designed by Katie Phillips) is a rustic and homey barn/theater and makes great use of Yellow Tree's small intimate space.

One thing I don't like about Christmas Lake:

• The hairy mole. It completely grosses me out in a way that's not even funny. Seriously, ew.

If you've never paid a visit to Christmas Lake, I highly recommend it as a silly and sweet new holiday classic. And even if you've been there several times, there's always something new to experience (playing now through December 29).


*I know it was said in jest, but soap opera actors can act, especially NYC soap opera actors - see Stephen Schnetzer in the recent play Tribes at the Guthrie as one example.

"2 Sugars, Room for Cream" at the Jerome Hill Theater

Coffee - it's the elixir of life, the glue that holds our society together. OK maybe that's overstating it a bit, but there's no question that coffee plays an important part in our work and social lives. Many important life events include the drinking of coffee - funerals, weddings, reunions, first meetings. How would we get through the work day without a coffee break? Such is the premise of the delightful sketch comedy show 2 Sugars, Room for Cream. In a series of short scenes, some of which are related, writers and performers Shanan Custer and Carolyn Pool explore the nature of life and relationships through encounters over coffee. The result is a funny, poignant, real, engaging, and completely delightful show. In fact, it's so delightful that it keeps returning after starting as a Fringe show several years ago. And Ivey voters agree - the show recently won an Ivey Award for last year's incarnation at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre. Even though I saw that production, I couldn't resist the chance to see it again (and yes, I am going to plagiarize myself).

Shanan and Carolyn are quite charismatic and funny together, with great chemistry whether they're playing sisters, friends who haven't seen each other in twenty years, or people who have just met. They create different characters just by putting on a different sweater or jacket (what Stacy and Clinton would call a "completer piece"). The show opens and closes with one of the two scenarios that are visited multiple times - two sisters at their Uncle Jimmy's funeral drinking bad church basement coffee. They discuss their family and their lives, as the celebration moves to one of the sisters' homes and the coffee makes way for 2 Gingers whiskey, and the next morning, more coffee is needed. The other scenario with multiple scenes is a high school reunion, where two women meet, with one of them clearly remembering their relationship while the other does not. Again, coffee turns into drinking in the car and flirting with former classmates, which turns into hanging out at an all-night Denny's. Other skits include a diner waitress and her needy customer, two new friends discussing how Twilight is damaging to young women (thank you!), a frazzled new mom crying about her baby's tiny head, a period piece set in the '40s, a college professor introducing her class, bosses and their assistants (separately) on a coffee break at work, and a woman recording a touching video for her unborn daughter about how she's going to raise her to be confident and proud of herself. Coffee-themed songs play during scene changes (many of which I know from this CD), and Carolyn and Shanan also sing a few original songs (written by Peter Moore and Drew Jansen).

Shanan and Carolyn are so natural on stage, and are obviously having such a great time, that the audience can't help but enjoy themselves as well. If you're looking for something to do this weekend post-turkey, check out the great deal on tickets at Goldstar and go see some original, creative, wonderfully entertaining and fulfilling theater at the Jerome Hill Theater in the gorgeous 180 East 5th Street building in downtown St. Paul.

Shanan Custer and Carolyn Pool

"Christmas of Swing" at the History Theatre

The holiday season has begun, at least on theater stages across the Twin Cities. Since I was out of the country for the opening of the Guthrie's A Christmas Carol this year, my first taste of Christmas (other than the bitterly cold weather) is History Theatre's WWII-era musical review Christmas of Swing, featuring the Minnesota trio The Andrews Sisters. The return of this popular show is a fun and peppy showcase of 40s-era popular music (also featuring appearances by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye), that incorporates real letters from WWII soldiers, paying homage to our veterans of this and other wars.

For the most part Christmas of Swing is a light-hearted show, with a few somber moments acknowledging the hardship of the soldiers. But The Andrews Sisters’ job was to entertain and uplift, not wallow in the sorrows of war, and that they do in abundance. The play, written by Bob Beverage and Artistic Director Ron Peluso, is set at a dress rehearsal for a 1944 Christmas Eve show at a VA Hospital for wounded soldiers. This allows us to see all of the great numbers, as well as witness the banter between the sisters and their band and manager between songs. It also has the light and easy feel of a dress rehearsal; the efforts of the cast do not seem labored, but loose and effortless.

Some highlights of the show are:

The Andrews Sisters (Ruthie Baker,
Stacey Lindell, and Jen Burleigh-Bentz)
read a soldier's (Bryan Porter) letter home
(photo by Scott Pakudaitis)

• Ruthie Baker, Stacey Lindell, and Jen Burleigh-Bentz as the sisters Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne are just perfection in voice, movement, and personality, all of which blend together beautifully to create some tight harmonies and precise dance numbers. Ruthie gets most of the solos as lead singer Patty, but we also get a chance to hear the other ladies’ voices on their own, and all are lovely solo or in harmony.
• Bill Scharpen channels Bing Crosby in songs such as "Christmas in Kilarney" and "Here Comes Santa Claus," and Eric Heimsoth does a wonderful impression of the lanky and goofy Danny Kaye.
• Bill Scharpen also generates some laughs with Mark Rosenwinkel as the comedy duo Abbot and Costello.
• Bryan Porter and Eric Heimsoth (again) portray many different soldiers as the sisters read their letters, bringing the desperation, longing, and joys of these long ago men to life.
• The fairly simple set by Michael Hoover features some elaborate pieces that are wheeled out, including a sleigh and a huge two-sided cutout for an amusing number with the sisters and Danny Kaye.
• The choreography by Jan Puffer is a highlight – fast, sharp, concise, with that 40s swing action, effortlessly performed by the cast.
• The ever-busy Raymond Berg plays the piano while sitting in for the sisters' actual band leader Vic Schoen, leading the four-person band in a swingin' big band sound.
• I'm a sucker for period costumes, and these costumes (by Kelsey Glasener) do not disappoint! I love the sisters' black dresses with varying-sized polka dots and red trim and shoes, accented with long black coats with fur trim, red jackets, or authentic military green jackets. The men (who, for a change, have to change costumes much more frequently than the women) are dressed in authentic period uniforms and suits, as well as costumes for their various roles in the show.
• The sisters sing many Christmas songs, familiar and lesser known, and close the show with their most well-known song, the crowd-pleasing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." 

The History Theatre’s Christmas of Swing, playing now through December 22, is a great choice for a holiday show this year. Filled with the Christmas spirit (which I for one am not quite ready for, until Thanksgiving is over and/or we get our first big snowfall), humor, great songs and dancing, an energetic and entertaining cast, and respect for and celebration of vets, it’s a fun and feel-good show.