"What the Constitution Means to Me" at Artistry

Continuing their programming of plays in the black box theater at Bloomington Center for the Arts this season, Artistry is bringing us the never more relevant play What the Constitution Means to Me. Until it becomes more relevant tomorrow, or next week, or whenever another one of our rights is stripped away by the current administration. Although it premiered nine years ago, this play feels like it was written specifically for this moment in our country, with the recent Supreme Court decision gutting the Voting Rights Act, discussions of overturning birthright citizenship (guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, which features heavily in this play), and the gross violations of due process (also the 14th Amendment) in Minnesota earlier this year, just to name a few. It also feels a great time to really examine our founding document as America is about to celebrate its 250th birthday. This is such a brilliantly written play, in the way that it discusses the very foundation upon which our nation is built, but not in a dry textbook kind of way (although there are lots of facts and dates), but in the most personal way that makes me see just how much the constitution shapes our daily lives, and the unfair way it treats many American citizens.* It's also funny and relatable, chock full of pop culture references (especially for us Gen Xers), and thoroughly engaging for the 95-minute or so runtime. I highly recommend that you check out this smart and relevant new(ish) play that's not been done much since the original Broadway production and tour (continuing through June 7).

"Worm Teeth" by Melancholics Anonymous at the Phoenix Theater

Worm Teeth is a sweet and silly little play written by Scotland-based playwright Kelsey Sullivan, but it feels very much like a Melancholics Anonymous show. Meaning a little weird, a little dark, but with a lot of heart and a deeper message about finding oneself and loving who you find. The play itself is only about an hour long (and very Fringey), but it's preceded by a half hour or so of music by "The Buggy Band," joined by a guest musician at every performance. It's a great evening of music and laughter, continuing at Phoenix Theater through May 24.

"A Chorus Line" at Park Square Theatre

As part of Park Square Theatre's 50th Anniversary season, they're bringing us the quintessential musical about musicals, A Chorus Line, which is also celebrating its 50th Anniversary. I had the privilege and the pleasure of attending a rehearsal with my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers less than one week before opening night, where Park Square's Artistic Director (and director of this piece) Stephen DiMenna told us that he chose this show not just for the serendipity of 50 years, but also to fit in the "behind the scenes" theme of the season, and because he has a personal connection to the show. As he notes in the program, the original production was the first Broadway show he saw, and Robert LuPone (original cast member, and Patti's brother, who passed away a few years ago), was a friend and mentor; he dedicates this show to him. To help recreate this iconic piece of music-theater-dance history on the Park Square stage, he enlisted Eddie Gutiérrez from the Michael Bennett Estate to serve as associate director and choreographer. What you will see in downtown St. Paul in 2026 is very similar to what audiences saw on Broadway in 1976, in terms of choreography, music, direction, and even lighting and costume design. That is not to say this is a cookie cutter reproduction; a lot of very talented (and mostly local) artists are bringing their own talents to the piece and making it sing in a way that makes this a unique production, or as one might say, a singular sensation. It's an outstanding show that is funny, moving, relatable (even to non-dancers), and danced with precision and heart (playing Wednesdays through Sundays until June 14).

"The Most Happy Fella" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

Frank Loesser's most popular and frequently produced musical Guys and Dolls is currently playing at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres in a big, splashy, "fantastically fun" production, full of jaw-dropping dance numbers and catchy familiar songs. But for the next few weeks you also have a rare chance to see his lesser-known musical The Most Happy Fella receive the opposite treatment - meaning quiet and intimate and exquisitely lovely. As much as I love a big splashy musical, I have a special place in my heart for a Ten Thousand Things production of a musical, which like all of their worked is stripped down to reveal the truth and heart of the piece, but for musicals also features stripped down music that's unamplified in an intimate space, and gorgeously pure. This is my third experience with The Most Happy Fella, and my favorite to date. This version really touched me; it's such a sweet and hopeful story about love, friendship, community, and finding happiness in life, even if it looks different from what you expected. It's also incredibly timely and relevant in its centering of stories about "women, elders, immigrants, and the working class" (as noted by TTT Artistic Director Caitlin Lowans). But the word is already out - many performances have already sold out and others are close to it, so get your tickets now to experience this lovely classic musical the way that only TTT can do it! (Continuing at Open Book this weekend, Hennepin United Methodist Church next weekend, with best availability at the Capri Theater and 825 Arts the following weekends, through June 7).

"Swords & Sorcery" by the Bearded Company at Theatre in the Round

One of the most popular longtime Minnesota Fringe shows is playing at Theatre in the Round this season (and just announced - next season too). The Bearded Company's improv show Swords & Sorcery is always a fun time, even if you're not into D&D. In fact, everything I know about the game known as Dungeons and Dragons (which I still don't understand) I've learned from Bearded Co over the last nine years. This "campaign" (as they call it) runs in rep with The Hobbit this weekend only, with four shows of a continuing story that began last night. You definitely don't need to see all of the shows, or have any familiarity with this group or even D&D, to enjoy an episode of Swords & Sorcery, but you can also go back multiple times to continue the fun, and see a completely new story created before your eyes. And there are two opportunities to see both The Hobbit and Swords & Sorcery on the same day - Friday night back-to-back, and Sunday with a dinner break at one of the many nearby restaurants in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. So if you're visiting Middle Earth this weekend, stick around for more fantasy fun. And if you don't have tickets for the virtually sold-out The Hobbit, it's definitely worth going to TRP to enjoy a little improv (click here for info and tickets).

"Fefu and Her Friends" by Theatre Pro Rata at the Searle Mansion

It was just a year ago that Theatre Pro Rata introduced us to something called simultaneous theater, meaning they did two different plays, at the same time, in the same building, with the same cast! While Chekov's Three Sisters was playing out on the main stage at the Crane, the minor characters not on stage in that play were doing their own play out in the lobby. It was a brilliant creative and logistical feat, and something I've never seen before. This year they're returning to that concept, except that it's just one play, but with scenes happening simultaneously in different locations. The site-specific production of Fefu and Her Friends takes place in the gorgeous historic Searle Mansion near Lake of the Isles. We begin and end the play in the sitting room, and in between the audience is split into four groups and led to four different rooms in the house, where scenes play out simultaneously with different characters. It's a fascinating character study of a group of women in 1935, brought to such vivid life by this fantastic cast and setting that it feels like we're eavesdropping on these very realistic and unique women. I highly recommend spending a little time with Fefu and Her Friends, who will be in residence at the Searle Mansion through May 28. Since it's also an event space, performances are weeknights only. They also rent out a couple of bedrooms via Airbnb, so maybe you could even stay overnight at Fefu's house after the show - what fun!

"The Hobbit" at Theatre in the Round

In 2019, Children's Theatre Company commissioned Greg Banks to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, and he did so using just five actors to play all of the many characters, and added original music. Unlike the bloated movie trilogy, it's a charming, playful, and succinct version of this classic hero story. Now Theatre in the Round is bringing us their version of this same script, but with ten actor/musicians, and a framing story. It's a clever and inventive take on this beloved tale of adventure, courage, and friendship. I've read The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy countless times over the last 40 years, and have even visited New Zealand twice (not because of LOTR, but also not not because of it). This is a story and a world I love very much, and will take any opportunity to spend a little time in. I found TRP's version of The Hobbit to be fun, playful, inventive, and very satisfying. Check it out through the end of the month - if you can get tickets.

"Julius Caesar" by Minnesota Shakespeare Theater at the Crane Theater

There's a new theater company in town, and they have the boldness to call themselves Minnesota Shakespeare Theater. But it's true that we don't really have a theater company dedicated exclusively to Shakespeare. Classical Actors Ensemble mostly does Shakespeare (including their annual outdoor Shakespeare in local parks), but as their name implies they occasionally do other classics. Great River Shakespeare Festival has been doing great work by the river in Winona for over 20 years, but they're a summer festival and also do non-Shakespeare plays. So maybe it is time that #TCTheater had its own Shakespeare company, and judging by their first production, the historical tragedy Julius Caesar, Minnesota Shakespeare Theater (from the people behind Shakespearean Youth Theatre) is the one to fill that niche. The play is very well done, with impressive design, a talented cast of #TCTheater veterans and newer actors, and most importantly, a clear presentation of the dialogue and the story. This Julius Caesar is compelling and urgent, and like so many things these days, feels like an eerily prescient warning call about the dangers of unchecked power. But MST's inaugural production runs for two weekends only, with pretty full houses on opening weekend, so don't snooze if you want to check out the new Shakespeare game in town. I for one am impressed and intrigued, and can't wait to see what they'll do next.

"Big World" by TigerLion Arts at Theodore Wirth Regional Park

I love outdoor ambulatory theater. I'm not sure if there's anyone who does it besides TigerLion Arts. There's definitely no one who does it better. I first fell in love with their outdoor walking play Nature, about the life, work, and friendship of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in 2014, and have seen it every chance I get (5 times total, in different locations). Then in 2023 I saw the remount of the piece that predated Nature - The Buddha Prince, celebrating the life of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan culture. Now they're adding a new outdoor theatrical experience to their repertoire - Big World, with a workshop performance this weekend only at Theodore Wirth Regional Park on the West side of Minneapolis. This one has less of a throughline narrative story than the other two pieces, and is perhaps geared more towards children, although all of their work can truly be enjoyed by people of all ages. The theme of a group of scientists trying to save the world with love (what a concept!) is the loose structure that provides a framework and an excuse for being in Nature, being in community, and laughing at the things humans have laughed at since the beginning of time. If you're free tonight or tomorrow night, I highly recommend you head out to Theodore Wirth on this perfect spring weekend to experience the joy. And follow TigerLion Arts for updates on the future of this piece, as well as (hopefully) a return of Nature.

Musical Mondays at LUSH, May 2026

I hadn't been to Musical Mondays at LUSH in almost a year, but when they used a photo of the Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture as the May show image, Cherry and Spoon had to go! And I'm so glad I did. I love this monthly cabaret series started by BFFs Max Wojtanowicz and Sheena Janson some 12 years ago, and would attend every month if I weren't so busy seeing 4-5 shows a week in this busy #TCTheater season. But take it from me, if you're ever free on the first Monday of the month, head to LUSH in Northeast Minneapolis for what is always an amazing display of talent and a fun community event. Max is always an amiable host (before and after cocktails), the bartenders always have a strong pour (food also available before and during the show), the band is always solid on a variety of music styles, and the cast of performers always blows me away, whether or not I've ever seen them before. It's so fun to see performers in this environment where they can sing whatever they want to, whatever means something to them, maybe from some show they'd never be cast in; we get to know the person behind the characters they play. Most of the songs are recognizable (to musical theater nerds), but also include some deep cuts, and the song list is always posted on Musical Monday's Facebook page after the show in case there were a few you didn't recognize. So make plans for the next Musical Mondays on June 1, bring a script or two you want to get rid of in the Script Swap, and get there before the doors open at 6:30 to get a seat in the always crowded room.

"Joan of Arc" at Open Window Theatre

Open Window Theatre's latest original play takes on the legendary figure of Joan of Arc, warrior saint of France. It's an epic and complicated story, and while there's a lot to like about this new play, at three and a half hours (including intermission), it's just too long. Written by Artistic Director Jeremy Stanbary in modern language that's easy to follow and understand, with even some lightness and humor, the characters are interesting and compelling. But there's just too much of it, and in particular the almost two-hour long second act feels like it, with a dragged out ending. The website lists the runtime as three hours, so maybe it'll tighten up throughout the run, but the script could also use some editing to condense characters, streamline (or cut out) some scenes, and focus the story more on Joan, who doesn't even show up until halfway through the first act. The cast is great, the design impressive, and I'd love to see a more condensed version of it someday. If you have three and a half hours to spare, check it out and see what you think. Grab a coffee or a nap, bring snacks, and head out to Inver Grove Heights for Joan of Arc through May 31. 

"Promise of America: A New Celebration of Jewish American Song" at Six Points Theater

Back in 2021, the Artistic Director of Six Points Theater (then called Minnesota Jewish Theatre) Barbara Brooks created a virtual musical revue called Promise of America: A Celebration of Jewish American Song as part of their "Theater Six Feet Apart" season (which also included outdoor programming). I watched it, but have no recollection of it; the COVID years are a blur at this point, five years removed. Barbara noted in the program that she's gotten many requests to bring this show back, live and in person. She decided to do it now, to conclude Six Points' 31st season, in honor of America's 250th birthday, as a celebration of the many contributions of Jewish Americans to this country, specifically in the area of songwriting. In this new, expanded, and LIVE version of Promise of America, four excellent singers perform songs from the early 20th Century through today by artists from Irving Berlin  and the Gershwin brothers, to Nissim Black and Regina Spektor. Jewish people and Jewish culture are an inextricable part of America, and this show beautifully highlights their contributions in the area of popular music. Join the musical celebration at Six Points Theater now through May 17.