"Mrs. Porter and Mr. Parker" by Stage North at Open Book

Stage North returns, nearly a year and a half since their excellent production of the play Mauritius, with a new original musical revue all about two important artists of early 20th Century America - songwriter Cole Porter and poet/writer/critic Dorothy Parker, featuring the songs of the former and the poems and witticisms of the latter. In many ways they lived parallel lives, although they didn't seem to intersect much. Stage North's Artistic Director Peter Moore has imagined a conversation between them in some sort of afterlife where great artists go when they leave this world (sounds like a great place to spend eternity). It's funny and charming and a bit bittersweet; despite their upbeat work neither one lived a life without sorrow. And it's chock full of great songs from the American songbook, performed by six singers accompanied by a three-piece band in the intimate unamplified space at Open Book. Like in the opening song "Well, Did You Evah," it was utterly delightful to forget the awful headlines of the day for a couple hours and enjoy this swanky and entertaining party (continuing through March 29).

"Waking Miss Daisy" by Combustible Company at The O'Shaughnessy's Frey Theater

#TCTheater veteran actor James Craven starred in Jungle Theater's production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Driving Miss Daisy in 2013, a play that I (a White woman from Minnesota) saw and loved, seeing it for what it is on the surface - the story of an enduring lifelong friendship. But James, with his experience as a Black man, looked deeper, and asked questions about what was going on just outside the action of this play, in the American South in the mid-20th Century. He did not get satisfactory answers, but it did inspire him to write his own version of the play, which 13+ years later he has done, along with Combustible Company's Kym Longhi who also directs the piece. The result is an unflinching look at the ugliest parts of American history. The parts that we don't like to remember, that we like to pretend are over and done with, the parts that the current administration is trying to erase. But now more than ever it's important to remember all of our history, even or especially the ugly parts, to ensure they don't happen again. It's time for Miss Daisy, and all of the Miss Daisies out there, to wake up to the reality of what her dear Hoke's life was like, what his family's life was like, when he wasn't driving her around. As with all of Combustible's work, this piece uses movement to help tell the story, with the addition of historical images to really bring this history to vivid life. Unfortunately this is a super short run, and only three performances remain, but if you're able, please go see this powerful, sobering, and important new work (through March 14 at the O'Shaughnessy's Frey Theater on the campus of St. Catherine University).

"The Welkin" by Frank Theatre at Gremlin Theatre

My previous experience with British playwright Lucy Kirkwood is the three-person drama The Children, an intimate, personal, and political story about the fallout of a nuclear disaster, which Jungle Theater produced in 2019 shortly after it premiered on Broadway. Her 2020 play The Welkin is quite the opposite in scale, featuring a cast of 16 and set in the 18th Century. But it's similar in the way it deals with thorny issues that are both personal and political, and I can't think of a better theater company to bring us the regional premiere than Frank Theatre. It's epic in scale and length (nearly three hours) and in the way that it depicts the arduous life of women in 18th Century England, with parallels to the here and now. The cast is a veritable Who's Who of #TCTheater female actors, and watching them tell this story on Gremlin's intimate stage under Wendy Knox's expert direction is a thrill, if a bit of a dark and depressing one. So take a nap, have an afternoon coffee, and go see this astounding regional premiere production of The Welkin (continuing through March 29).

"You Know, David Beukema *Can* Sing" at the Hive Collaborative

I know that David Beukema can sing, having seen him in several musicals. But more often in the last 10+ years I've seen him in plays; he's the rare #TCTheater actor that moves back and forth between plays and musicals, seemingly with ease. Turns out he has a case of Musical Imposter Syndrome (MIS), which he works through in his charming cabaret show entitled You Know, David Beukema *Can* Sing. It's the sort of solo show you might see at a Fringe Festival, combining stories from his life with songs that are meaningful to him. He's funny and vulnerable and endearing as he tells his story in song in the cozy cabaret setup at The Hive Collaborative, with only three more performances this weekend!

"Strange Heart: The Dream Songs of John Berryman" at Open Eye Theatre

I have to admit, I'd never heard of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet John Berryman, who taught at the University of Minnesota for much of his career. I'll also admit that I'm not a big fan of poetry, I never really read it on my own because I have a hard time making sense of it (but maybe poetry isn't supposed to make sense). That's why I love seeing poems or poetry depicted on stage, in the more familiar language of theater, or better yet, music-theater. I went to see the world premiere of Strange Heart: The Dream Songs of John Berryman at Open Eye Theatre for two reasons - Bradley Greenwald and Anna Hashizume - and I was rewarded with a very dreamlike show. Like poetry, it doesn't always make sense, it doesn't follow a straight line, it jumps around from one time or place to another. But also like poetry, it makes you feel things, even if you're not sure why. Strange Heart is odd, and funny, and silly, and heartbreakingly sad as it explores the life and work of a tortured artist, through his words put to music. You can experience this strange and lovely dream now through March 22.

Broadway tour of "Water for Elephants" at the Orpheum Theatre

The 7-time Tony-nominated 2024 Broadway musical Water for Elephants brings the circus to town for one week only at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, and it's pretty thrilling! The circus elements, puppetry, and great score by the indie folk band PigPen Theater Co. combine for a show that has both spectacle and substance. I've not read the book upon which it is based nor seen the 2011 movie adaptation, but I really enjoyed the touching, if not particularly unique, memory play about a man looking back on his life in the circus in the 1930s. Click here for info and tickets, including student, educator, and performing arts industry rush tickets.

"And Then There Were None" at Lyric Arts

Well-dressed people staying in a fancy and isolated house keep getting murdered. No, I'm not talking about The Traitors, I'm talking about Agatha Christie's novel-turned-play And Then There Were None, which I'm now convinced was the inspiration for The Traitors. Watching this gripping and deliciously suspenseful play is a little like breakfast in the castle, wondering who won't enter the room (and the audience reacts almost as big as the cast of The Traitors does!). As there are fewer and fewer of them left, they all begin to suspect each other of being the murderer, the traitor. Who is it? I won't say (and I haven't watched The Traitors finale yet so don't tell me), but even though I had seen this play eight years (and 1000+ shows) ago, I didn't guess who the murderer was. This play is a classic and a lot of fun, even though the original title is extremely offensive. But if you can put the origins aside, Lyric Arts' production of this classic is well cast and expertly designed and executed. See it at on their Main Street theater in Anoka through March 22, and don't forget the popcorn!

"Beowulf" and "Feast" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Black Forest Inn

Iowa-based Playwrights' Center affiliated writer Megan Gogerty wrote (and performed in) her play Feast, an alternative version of the Beowulf story as told from the point of view of the monster Grendel's mother, in 2019. Walking Shadow Theatre Company premiered their production in 2023, and have brought it back a few times since. But seeing it last night (for the first time in three years), it felt like it was written for this moment, for this place. They're performing at the Black Forest Inn at the corner of 26th and Nicollet in Minneapolis, mere feet from where Alex Pretti was murdered by federal agents five weeks ago. The play is about a lot of things, not the least of which is the abuse of power perpetrated upon people by "strong men," and some of the lines and themes resonate so strongly with today that it's unsettling. But also reassuring, to know that humans have been dealing with these issues for thousands of years, and still, somehow, we survive. The closing line of the play is "justice, now," which has never felt more urgent. A lot of us have "little baby rage" these days, and it's comforting to see it reflected in this new version of an ancient story. The eerie resonance of this play is one reason to see it, the other is Isabel Nelson's masterful and mesmerizing performance. And if you see it on a Saturday, I recommend going early to see John Heimbuch's solo performance of Beowulf, a one-hour one-person version of the original story. It's a great companion piece, and unless you're a Beowulf scholar or have recently read the ancient epic poem, it provides some nice background to the main event. The Feast continues weekends through the end of March, with one pay-what-you-can Monday performance on the 2nd. It's a must-see theatrical event, whether you've seen it before or not.

"Men on Boats" by Ten Thousand Things at Hennepin United Methodist Church

Over 15 years ago, I hiked into the Grand Canyon with nine other women (one old friend and eight new friends), many of us in celebration of our upcoming 40th birthday. It was no three-month journey through an uncharted wilderness, but it was a challenging full day hike down to the bottom of the canyon, a couple of nights at the charming Phantom Ranch, and a challenging full day hike up and out. Last night, seven of the ten of us reunited to experience Ten Thousand Things' wonderful production of Men on Boats, a reimagining of the first government sanctioned expedition down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. It's a story of adventure, of the camaraderie that comes with doing hard things together, of the complicated ideas of Manifest Destiny and unchecked masculinity upon which our country is founded. Ten Thousand Things has put their usual clear-eyed bare-bones all-the-lights-on spin on this story, with a fantastic cast of ten female/non-binary/trans actors, told in a playful way with heart, humor, and physicality to represent all the various locations and situations on the journey. i.e., there are no cisgender men and no boats in Men on Boats. Nothing against either, but this is an inventive way to tell the story. You, too, can experience this challenging and satisfying journey at Hennepin United Methodist Church, Capri Theater, or 825 Arts through March 15.

Broadway tour of "Kimberly Akimbo" at the Ordway Center

No one gets a second time around in life, but if you're lucky, you get a second time around with the 2023 Tony-winning best musical Kimberly Akimbo, thanks to the Ordway bringing it back to the Twin Cities after the tours' first stop here last summer at the Orpheum. I didn't know much about the show before seeing it last year, but fell instantly in love with it and was thrilled to revisit this charming, heart-warming, hilarious, and bittersweet musical about a 16-year-old girl living in a body that's aged 4-5 times the normal rate. There aren't that many musicals with a 60+ year old woman in the lead role, and a story that doesn't center around a romance, so that alone is reason to celebrate! This is not a big splashy huge-cast over-the-top kind of musical. It's a small intimate story that's told well, with complex, distinct, relatable characters, and music that perfectly expresses the emotions of the story. I look forward to regional productions of it when it becomes available, and I'd also love to see the original play produced locally, but in the meantime go see this funny, sweet, and touching musical filled with fun, catchy, singable songs, playing at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul through March 1 only!

"Salomé" at PAIKKA

Who knew there was an Oscar Wilde play that has never been professionally produced in the Twin Cities? Grant Sorenson, that's who. The actor-turned-director (he directed a couple of really great plays in the pre-pan years) moved home last year after receiving his MFA in directing from Boston University. Last fall he created a monthly play reading series called Table/Read, in which the audience doesn't know what play is being read until moments before it begins. And now he is producing and directing Salomé, hopefully the first of many unique and creative theatrical endeavors to come. Because Salomé is not just a play, at least not in the traditional sense of a stage and an audience separated by space and darkness. It's an immersive (but not interactive) experience that literally puts you right at Herod's banquet table. Which is not always a comfortable place to be, but always thoroughly captivating. With a talented eight-person cast performing literally a few feet in front of you and gorgeous 360-degree design, Salomé is not to be missed, especially if you're interested in theater that pushes the boundaries of what we think theater can be. But hurry - there are only three remaining performances and seating is limited.

"The Giver" at Open Window Theatre

I somehow have never read the popular "young adult dystopian novel" The Giver, maybe because I was no longer a young adult when it was published in 1993. It has since been adapted into a play by playwright Eric Coble (The Velocity of Autumn), now playing at Open Window Theatre in a lovely and moving production. It may be a book and a play for "young adults," but we all need to be reminded of the power of emotions, and the need to be open to feeling the pain of life in order to feel its joys. A talented cast, clear direction, and sparse design bring the novel and the emotions it evokes to life. Head to Open Window Theatre, a cozy space in a strip mall in Inver Grove Heights, through March 22 to experience this well-known story on stage.

"The Cake" at Theatre in the Round

Once again, Theatre in the Round is bringing us a regional premiere of a new and very relevant play. Just a few weeks after closing How to Catch Creation, about Black artists now and in the past, they opened The Cake, about a conservative Southern baker forced to confront her beliefs when they contradict her heart. Written in 2017 by playwright and screenwriter (including for a little show called This is Us) Bekah Brunstetter, the play speaks directly to the divided and divisive world that we live in, that has only gotten more extreme in this second iteration of the current administration. The play is not preachy, the characters feel like real and complex characters instead of mere caricatures, and the conversations had are awkward and necessary. It's sweet and funny and spicy, and in the end provides hope that maybe we can overcome our differences if we're willing to have tough conversations, and look past our differences to find our shared humanity. The Cake plays weekends through March 15 at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, and if all the talk about cake gives you a craving for it, you may be rewarded.

"Guys and Dolls" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

When the Guthrie did Guys and Dolls as their summer musical in 2019, I wrote that the Guthrie should not be doing a dated musical like this. The Guthrie should be doing the Sondheim masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George (as they did in 2017), a stunningly relevant Cabaret (last summer), and regional premiere musicals like Come From Away (coming this summer). But Guys and Dolls, which is a beloved, well-known, and comforting classic, is exactly the kind of show that Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, the comfort food of #TCTheater, should be doing. I still think the show is dated and misogynist and chock full of gender stereotypes from the title to the characters to the lyrics, but as summer escapist entertainment, it's fantastically fun. It wasn't that long ago that the Chan did three regional premiere musicals in a row (The Prom, Jersey Boys, and Beautiful), so I hope that they continue to mix in some newer shows, but a return to this classic that they first did in 1969, just the second year of the theater, and last did in 1989, is not a bad choice. And Tamara Kangas Erickson, in her main stage directing debut, has assembled an incredibly talented cast of Chan favorites and also newcomers to the Chan. The highlight of the show is the outstanding choreography and this infectious score full of endlessly singable songs that are just delightful, as long as you don't pay too close attention to the lyrics. Guys and Dolls plays all spring and summer and into September, so you have plenty of time to head West and see a really great production of a classic; the Chan really can't be beat for group dinner-and-a-show outings.

"In the Green" at Theatre Elision

Theatre Elision is remounting what was their most ambitious musical, until their epic regional premiere of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 last fall. But In the Green is still pretty ambitious, despite the fact that it fits their typical one-act small-cast female-focused model. After all, a musical about 12th Century nun/ composer/ scholar Hildegard von Bingen that incorporates her own compositions, along with original rock and pop music including the use of a looping device, isn't your average musical. With book, music, and lyrics by NYC-based Grace McLean (who hilariously played Woodrow Wilson in the original Broadway cast of Suffs, the touring production of which is coming soon to Minneapolis), In the Green is a really incredible creation that's beautifully realized by the returning cast and creative team of Theatre Elision's 2024 regional premiere production. As I wrote at the time, this show "taps into something deeply human, specifically what it means to be a female human in the world, and the performances by the five-woman cast, accompanied by a three-piece band, are simply stunning." It once again moved me to tears, and today, in 2026, I couldn't help but be reminded of the Epstein victims, the survivors, these brave and resilient women who finally are being heard decades after crimes were committed against them. They don't yet have justice, but at least they're being listened to across the globe. Like Hildegard, they are sharing their darkness with the world, in search of the light. I hope that everyone who bought a ticket to Great Comet (and there are a lot of you, the entire run was virtually sold out) also buys a ticket to see this show (continuing through March 7), to see what Theatre Elision does best - rare musical gems that illuminate and elevate the female voice, from 900 years ago to today.

"The Mountaintop" at Artistry

Lately it feels like we're a long way from the mountaintop, like we've slid quite a way downhill in the last year, or ten years. But Katori Hall's play The Mountaintop, about the great Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., reminds us that we can never stop climbing, that progress never ends. As Artistry's Artistic Director Kelli Foster Warder noted in her pre-show speech, they could not have known when they programmed this play a year ago how relevant it (and their next two shows - What the Constitution Means to Me and In the Heights) would be. Stories about Civil Rights, the constitution that is supposed to protect us all, and an immigrant community, all of which are in danger under the current administration. The Mountaintop imagines King on the night before his assassination, having a conversation with someone who isn't what she seems, and shows us that he was more than the iconic figure, speech maker, and quote generator we often think of when we hear the name. He was human, with flaws and fears like the rest of us, which means that we too can overcome our flaws and fears and pick up the baton in the race towards justice. Head to Bloomington before this short run closes on March 1 to experience this inspiring, creatively written, and well told story.

Update: extended through March 8!

"Red" at Gremlin Theatre

'Tis the season for red. No, not because February is American Heart Month and Valentine's Day, but because this season there have been several productions of the 2010 Tony-winning play Red, the first since the regional premiere at Park Square Theatre some 13 years ago. I love a two-hander, i.e., two people sitting in a room talking, and Red is a most excellent example of the form. So even though I saw Lakeshore Players Theatre's wonderfully intimate and intense production just a few months ago, I was more than happy to spend a little more time with Russian-American abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko and his (fictional) assistant via the talented cast and design team at Gremlin Theatre. Since first seeing Red in 2012, I have been lucky enough to see several Rothko paintings in person in museums in New York and/or Chicago; in fact I seek them out whenever I'm at a museum that houses modern art. At first glance, they're simple blocks of color, usually dark rich reds. But when you look deeper, they're so layered and endlessly mesmerizing. So is this play - just a simple two-hander, but so layered in the way it explores the life of an artist and the meaning of art, and in a broader sense ideas of legacy, grief, friendship, purpose.* This production features two fantastic performances, emotionally true direction, and gorgeously messy design. See Red now through March 1 at Gremlin Theatre in Vandalia Tower, where you can also enjoy a fun, delicious, and convenient dinner-and-a-show pairing at Lake Monster Brewing / OG ZaZa Pizza / King Coil Spirits, or SK Coffee before a Sunday matinee.

"Macbeth" at the Guthrie Theater

Someone is getting murdered in a castle in Scotland, and I'm not talking about the new season of The Traitors. In the Guthrie Theater's new production of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, it's the king who gets murdered, and we all know who the traitor is - the title character, who then becomes the king. The Guthrie's previous Artistic Director Joe Dowling returns to direct this play, which he also directed in 2010 (just before I started this blog, and the play made it onto my first annual favorites list), and he has once again crafted a compelling and action-packed continuous two hours of storytelling with no break to catch our collective breath. But the world is much different in 2026 than it was in 2010, and this story of a country and its citizens who are hurt, desperate, and disillusioned by their corrupt leadership hits a lot closer to home. Shakespeare's evergreen tale of unchecked power and greed has resonance in any era, but perhaps never more so in my lifetime than right now. Macbeth is a dark tale, but eventually the true citizens of the beleaguered country band together to create a better future. See this powerful, visually stunning, and excellently cast production of a classic on the Guthrie's thrust stage through March 22.

"Little Women" by Collide Theatrical Dance Company at Luminary Arts Center

Louisa May Alcott's beloved 19th Century novel Little Women has been adapted countless times on stage and screen. There are TV miniseries, multiple movies, and several stage adaptations (including by two of America's most produced playwrights, Kate Hamill, commissioned by Jungle Theater, and Lauren Gunderson, coming to the Guthrie this spring). There's even a (not very successful) musical! It seems we just can't get enough of this story of four very different but ultimately loving sisters as they forge their own paths in life. And now we have a new adaptation to add to the list - Collide Theatrical Dance Company's dance piece. Collide has been creating original dance musicals for 13 years, sometimes adaptations, sometimes original stories, always gorgeously choreographed and performed, telling a story theatrically with few words. For their Little Women adaptation, director/ creator/ choreographer Regina Peluso has chosen to give Jo all of the narration and dialogue duties, with the bulk of the story told through dance, which works remarkably well since Jo is the writer telling her family's story. This Little Women is beautiful storytelling that conveys all of the emotions of Alcott's novel. And as it turns out, even (or maybe especially) when this story is told primarily through movement and dance, it still makes me cry. Only six performances remain through this Sunday, so head to Luminary Arts Center in Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood to spend a little time with the March sisters in a whole new way.

"The Glass Menagerie" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Every now and then, Theater Latte Da ("we don't do musical theater we do theater musically") tries their hand to a play (e.g., their 2024 production of Stones in His Pockets). This season, Artistic Director Justin Lucero has chosen Tennessee Williams' tragically beautiful and beautifully tragic play The Glass Menagerie (which happens to be one of my favorite plays). Thankfully, Latte Da has not turned The Glass Menagerie into a musical, but they have subtly infused it with music via live underscoring, as well as live video projections from onstage cameras. The result is perhaps the best realization of Williams' quintessential (and semi-autobiographical) memory play that I've seen. It's dreamy, and cinematic, and intimate, and nostalgic, and heartachingly beautiful. The innovative and risk-taking concept is gorgeously executed by the entire team, with a cast that is simply perfection. Pay a call to the Wingfields now through March 1; you won't be disappointed, but you may feel pleasantly melancholic after the visit.
UPDATE: extended through March 8!

"Violent Delights" by Night Fire Theatre at the Crane Theater

#TCTheater artist Penelope Parsons-Lord developed Violent Delights, a compilation of scenes from Shakespeare that explicitly or implicitly connote violence, nearly 20 years ago in her native Australia. Last seen locally in 2019, it's only gotten more relevant, as our culture seemingly gets more violent every year. Violence is everywhere around us - on the news, in the games we play, in our language, and even in Shakespeare. Violence is so pervasive in our world that we sometimes don't even notice it (e.g., using the phrase "you killed it" to mean you did a great job), which is the premise of this piece. Penelope has reexamined these familiar works, pulling out "small moments of violence," and maybe now we can begin to recognize them in the real world. A talented nine-person cast plays too many characters to count, the scenes well chosen and woven together, combined with pop songs and movement to create a gripping tale that isn't one cohesive narrative, but still tells a story. You can witness these Violent Delights at the Crane Theater in Minneapolis through February 14.

"Whoosh!" at History Theatre

For the third iteration of #TCTheater artist Andrew Erskine Wheeler's solo piece Whoosh! The Civil War Mythology of Michael Hickey and His Perilous Precipitation Over St. Anthony Falls, he has partnered with History Theatre. What began as a 2022 Minnesota Fringe Festival show was expanded into an outdoor show performed very near the falls themselves, and now has been fully realized in this perfect partnership. Andrew has created several compelling solo historical Fringe shows, which are all great and succinct as they were, but it's lovely to see this one fully realized. Some Fringe shows are destined to be more - Illusion Theater often works with Transatlantic Love Affair to produce expanded versions of their Fringe shows, and Theatre in the Round supported the creators of the fantastic new original musical Endometriosis: The Musical as they expanded it into a full-length musical, producing it as part of their season last year. Whoosh! is somewhat of an anomaly for History Theatre; typically they commission, develop, and produce new works, participating in every step of development. Andrew developed Whoosh! independently, but its very Minnesotan and historical themes make it a natural fit for History Theatre, and they provided the resources and additional creative talent to help make it all that it can be. As much as I love the intimate solo storytelling nature of the original, this expanded version is just as moving and compelling, and even richer and more thrilling. Take a trip over the falls and through the history of this great state now through February 22.

"The Happiest Man on Earth" at Six Points Theater

"Family first, family second, family last. And we are all family." When Six Points Theater programmed the solo play The Happiest Man on Earth, based on a Holocaust survivor's memoir, for their 31st season, they couldn't have known that it would play at a time when Minnesota has shown the entire world the true meaning of these words. We are all family, we are all Minnesotans, and when you come for any of us, you come for all of us, and we will stand up for and protect our neighbors, our family. This 80-year-old story of surviving Nazi Germany has an eerie resonance to what's happening right here, right now. People afraid to leave their houses to go to work or school, citizens and lawful immigrants carrying their papers around as protection, armed government agents abducting people off the streets and imprisoning them in detention centers where they're treated inhumanely. I'm not calling anyone Nazis, they were a special breed of evil, but the parallels are unmistakable to anyone who's looking. We need to remember our past in order not to repeat it, and since there are fewer and fewer people alive who lived through the Holocaust, plays like this are an excellent way to do that. Six Points' regional premiere of The Happiest Man on Earth is a gorgeous and moving production that is at times difficult to watch, but also provides hope that humans can survive unthinkably horrible times, and come out on the other side better and stronger, and choose happiness. Experience this beautiful true story through February 8 only at Six Points Theater in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood.

"How to Catch Creation" at Theatre in the Round

The oldest theater in Minneapolis (Theatre in the Round, now in their 74th season) is known for classics like their annual Agatha Christie play, but they're not afraid to champion new work (like last year's world premiere musical Endometriosis: The Musical) and challenge their audience with lesser known titles, like How to Catch Creation, currently playing on their unique stage through February 8. Written by playwright Christina Anderson (Tony nominee for co-writing the book of the ambitious new original historical musical Paradise Square), How to Catch Creation premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theater in 2019 and has not previously been seen in #TCTheater. After cancelling a couple of shows last weekend in response to protest and continued violence on our streets perpetrated by federal agents, they only have five performance left. Last night, after another day of protest, the audience was much smaller than this excellent play deserves. It's a funny and relatable play, well written in a naturalistic style while combining multiple timelines, with a terrific all Black cast that brings these complex and messy characters to life. This story of Black artists, specifically Black female queer artists, is an important one to tell in this current era that attempts to silence voices such as these. Telling these stories, and consuming them, is part of the continued resistance against an administration that's trying to take away our humanity. Thanks to Theatre in the Round and this talented cast and creative team for telling this story now.

Broadway tour of "Chicago" at the Orpheum Theatre

I hadn't seen the Broadway tour of Chicago since 2018 (and Theater Latte Da's brilliant production in 2019), and I have to admit, I forgot just how good it is. There's a reason this revival is the longest currently running Broadway musical, marking its 30th anniversary this year. The clever and jazzy score by the genius team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse's iconic and positively thrilling choreography (reinterpreted by Ann Reinking for the 1996 revival, in which she also played Roxie), the ever more timely book (by Ebb and Fosse) that shines a harsh light on our culture's obsession with violence and celebrity, the incorporation of the onstage band into the story, and the seemingly endless supply of gorgeous and talented actor/dancer/singers who don't just inhabit these now familiar characters, they make them their own. If it's been a while since you, too, have seen Chicago, or you have (gasp!) never seen it, now (meaning this week only) is the time. Chicago never gets old.*

"Kiss Me, Kate" at Artistry

After yet another difficult weekend in the Twin Cities (ICE OUT NOW!), it was a welcome stress release to see a good old-fashioned musical comedy, full of classic Cole Porter songs performed by a gorgeous 14-piece onstage orchestra and fabulous dancing by a talented 12-person ensemble. With their production of the rarely done 1949 best musical Kiss Me, Kate, Artistry continues their tradition of the last few years opening their season with a classic musical, staged in a way that puts the focus on the music and dancing, with minimal sets or costume changes. This was actually my first time seeing Kiss Me, Kate, and while it may be a bit dated (and its source material problematic), this show is delightfully escapist entertainment. Even, or especially, with all the darkness in our world right now, it's good to be in community with audience and artists, to laugh and be entertained together. See Kiss Me, Kate at the Bloomington Center for the Arts through February 15.

"The 39 Steps" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

Things are pretty bleak right now, but at the end of an inspiring day in which tens of thousands of Minnesotans came together to stand up for truth and freedom, I spent the evening laughing at the madcap classic comedy The 39 Steps. It was a great time to, as director Sarah Nargang wrote in her director's note, "unclench what you can, and have a giggle for your health." A mystery spy thriller played in a comedic style with theatrical storytelling, The 39 Steps has been seen on a few local stages since its 2008 Broadway premiere and subsequent transfer to Off-Broadway, and now it's Lakeshore Players Theatre's turn to bring their own spin to the show. See it at Hanifl Performing Arts Center in White Bear Lake through February 7.

Reading of "John Proctor is the Villain" by Table/Read at Aster House

I attended the inaugural Table/Read event last August, #TCTheater artist Grant Sorenson's new series in which a group of talented local actors read a play. The fun part is - the play is not announced until literally seconds before the reading begins. Grant has chosen plays that we have not seen here in the Twin Cities before, so it's a great way to be exposed to new plays that may not be produced here, at least anytime soon. And it's so rare that I go to the theater not knowing anything about what I'm about to see, even the title, that it's a fun surprise. Table/Read happens monthly, but I'm so busy during the theater season that I typically need my Monday nights off, so I haven't been able to go back until this month, when things are still a little quiet as we come back from holiday break. I picked a good night to attend Table/Read; the play was the buzzy recent Tony-nominated play John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower, soon to be adapted into a film. Visit Table/Read's website or follow them on social media for news of February's event. And don't miss Grant directing the first #TCTheater professional production of Oscar Wilde's Salomé in February.

"Something Rotten!" by Unlabeled Theatre Company at Gremlin Theatre

Nothing's as amazing as a musical! This line from the 2015 Tony nominated musical Something Rotten! says it all. Except that it's even more amazing when combined with Unlabeled Theatre Company's uniquely special model of pairing an actor with a disability or who is neurodivergent with a neurotypical actor (called a shadow partner), creating dual performances of each character. Something Rotten! is about the love of creation, and the partnership of creating together, something that Unlabeled exemplifies more than any other theater company I've seen. They allow people to be the best that they can be, without being defined by labels, and express the pure joy of performing. Specifically, muuuuusicals! I'd tell you to go see this joyful production before it closes next week, but it's entirely sold out. But follow them on social media for a chance to see their upcoming shows: Once Upon a Mattress this spring, and even more exciting - the US premiere of the British play Jellyfish this fall, featuring a character and actor with Down Syndrome.

"'Til Death Do Us Die" by The Mystery Cafe at the Sheraton Bloomington

It was just two years ago that I had my first experience with The Mystery Cafe, a really fun and unique immersive comedy/ improv/ murder mystery/ dinner show. And now I've had my last experience; they announced a few months ago that this would be their final season. But as playwright Philip Dawkins wrote, "just because something ends doesn't mean it wasn't successful." And for 38 seasons, The Mystery Cafe was successful in creating a fun and accessible fusion of theater, comedy, improv, music, mystery, audience participation, and dinner experience. I saw their last original show in November, Showdown at the Kara-OK-e Corral at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, and last night I returned one last time to the show that started it all (for me) - the wedding-themed 'Til Death Do Us Die. There are three more performances of 'Til Death, and four more of Showdown, and then The Mystery Cafe is but a memory. To experience the unique mystery magic one last time, click here for tickets to one or both shows.

"Ride the Cyclone" at Lyric Arts

Everything is so awful right now, with ICE terrorizing our neighborhoods, schools, and business, that I don't know if I should keep doing this, or why it matters. But then I see something like Lyric Arts' production of the rarely done cult hit musical Ride the Cyclone, and am reminded that joy still matters, community still matters, gratitude for life still matters. This bizarro story of a group of teenagers killed in a freak roller coaster accident, and given one chance to return to life, ends on a note that brought tears to my eyes, as it reminds us to look around and appreciate what we have. Even if, especially if, everything is awful. I mostly feel helpless* and hopeless these days, and honestly it's hard to shut out the constant feeling of anxiety and worry even when sitting in the theater, but through all the noise, Ride the Cyclone reminded me that there's something bigger than this awful moment we're currently in. And it's also just super funny and wild and entertaining, and wholly unique and original, with a fantastically talented young cast (many of whom you may never have heard of). See it at Lyric Arts in Anoka through February 8.

"Plano" by Third Space Theater at Mixed Blood Theatre

Third Space Theater made an impressive debut at least year's Minnesota Fringe Festival with the original play Breach, a gripping tale at sea that was part psychological thriller and part family drama. It makes sense, then, that for their post-Fringe debut they chose playwright and screenwriter Will Arbery's surreal family drama Plano. This regional premiere plays at Mixed Blood Theatre through January 18, and it's an engrossing, fast-paced, fantastical, funny, devastating play. Co-directors Alex Church and Em Adam Rosenberg have assembled a fantastic cast, including several of the Breach crew, and did a great job with this tricky script. The play deals with themes of domestic violence, so Third Space has partnered with the local organization Tubman, that offers support to people experiencing this and other traumas. They're donating 10% of ticket sales to the organization, and have information in the lobby. The night I attended, after a horrifying week of ICE terrorizing our community, they also had helpful packets of info about dealing with ICE (with whistles). This new theater company is already proving to be one that not only does great, interesting, entertaining work, but also engages with the community and world around them. Their name, which derives from the theory of a third space, in addition to home and work, for people to gather in community, seems entirely appropriate.

"Wake the Improv" at The Others Workshop Collective

After another tragic week in Minnesota (2026 is not off to such a great start), it felt good to gather with a bunch of strangers and laugh together. The new monthly improv show Wake the Improv features different local improv troupes every month, and puts a new twist on each company's specific performance style. The audience suggestions take the form of dreams, and a Wizard (played this month by Ellie Walton) stops the scenes and assigns one of our dreams to the troupe, changing the trajectory of the scene. Since the closure of HUGE Theater a few years ago, improv performers are getting creative and performing all over town. It's great to see another such opportunity. Wake the Improv has two more scheduled performances - on lucky Friday the 13th, of February and March - details here.

Broadway tour of "Shucked" at the Orpheum Theatre

If you're looking for a straight-up comedy with corny jokes, bad puns, a great country-tinged score, and a ton of heart, head to the Orpheum Theatre on Hennepin Avenue for the National Tour of the 2023 multiple Tony-nominated musical Shucked. I missed seeing this on Broadway (starring #TCTheater actor Caroline Innerbichler in her Broadway debut), so I was excited to finally see the show on tour. I knew it would be fun, but I loved it even more than I thought I would. It's so goofy and tongue-in-cheek, with a fantastic touring cast, and is endlessly endearing. The story of a small isolated community that tears down their walls (of corn) to let in new ideas and new people, and see each other in a new light, is a much-needed and heart-warming one. Shucked continues through January 11 only; click here for the official ticket-buying site, as well as info about rush tickets for industry, students, and educators. 

2025 #TCTheater Favorites - It Was a Great Year (in theater anyway)

2025 was in many ways a terrible year, with increasing violence, wars, division, bullying, and the dismantling of our democracy. But in difficult times, I always look to the artists - to hold up a mirror to our society, to show us a way out of the dark times, to create empathy and conversation, or to distract us from the harsh reality of the world with some joyful entertainment. Our #TCTheater artists really stepped up to the task this year on all fronts. From The Mystery Cafe's* high school reunion themed comedy/ improv/ mystery immersive dinner show Alma Mater in early January, to my longtime favorite a capella group Tonic Solfa's annual (and final?) New Year's concert at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud, I saw 256 live performances this year. That's slightly more than last year, and right up there with my pre-pan highs. In fact, I think this year, and this fall in particular, was the busiest season in #TCTheater since a global pandemic shuttered all live performance venues for some 16 months. It's good to be back, and a theater season that's so busy even I can't see everything is a great problem to have. Of the 256 shows, 242 were here in Minnesota, including 39 Minnesota Fringe Festival shows and 6 Twin Cities Horror Festival shows, as well as a half dozen or so non-theater concerts that I did not write about (because I decided I needed more live music in my life). I also saw shows in our neighbor state of Wisconsin, and of course in the greatest city of the world NYC, and even one concert of Mozart and Strauss in Vienna, where the famous composers (and original rock stars) lived and worked. Yes, it was a fantastic year of theater, music, dance, comedy, and more. The good work continues in 2026, and it can't help but make the real world better.