"The Importance of Being Earnest" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

The subtitle A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is the perfect description of Oscar Wilde's most popular play The Importance of Being Earnest. It is so silly, so full of comedy zingers and ridiculous characters, so biting in its mockery of proper late 19th Century British society. Lakeshore Players Theatre's new production, directed by #TCTheater veteran actor and director Craig Johnson, is running for only two weekends, and it's perfectly delightful. Head to downtown White Bear Lake by March 22 to catch this frothy, yummy, and hilarious classic comedy.

"The Three Musketeers" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

Lakeshore Players Theatre's ambitious 71st season began in August with the one-weekend-only regional premiere production of the smart, funny, poignant play What the Constitution Means to Me (which is being remounted tomorrow, September 17, and for a few dates in January). They're following up that excellent debut with a super fun swash-buckling spectacular - The Three Musketeers. Playwright Ken Ludwig, whose adaptations of the Robin Hood legend and Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express have been seen around town lately, applies his trademark wit and speed to this story for a fun, fresh, and modern take on the 19th Century French novel that is a familiar part of pop culture. The large and talented cast performs some mightily impressive fight scenes in this simple story of good vs. evil, with a true spirit of "all for one, and one for all." See it at the Hanifl Performing Arts Center in charming White Bear Lake now through October 1.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2023: "A Girl Scout’s Guide to Exorcism"

Day: 10

Show: 41

Title: A Girl Scout’s Guide to Exorcism

Category: COMEDY / DRAMA / HORROR / PUPPETRY / STORYTELLING / HISTORICAL CONTENT / LGBTQIA+ CONTENT

By: Melancholics Anonymous

Created by: Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Location: Rarig Arena

Summary: It's the summer of 2008, and five Girl Scouts accidentally conjure up the spirit of a famous, and a little angry, environmentalist.

Highlights: This was one of the most frequently sold out shows of the Fringe, winning the venue award for most tickets sold at the Arena. I did not intentionally save it for the very last time slot of the festival, but it was a great end to a wonderful run of theater. It's so funny, and sweet, and real, and weird, and a little bit scary, and overall just so much fun. Five Jonas brothers obsessed tweens (charmingly portrayed by Claire Chenoweth, Anneliese Garner, Meredith Enersen, Samantha Miller, and Aerin O'Malley, giving each a distinct personality) gather for their annual sleepaway summer camp, with a friendly new counselor (Bee Davis), but things are changing. They're growing up, like it or not, causing new tension in the group. Using a ouija board, they accidentally cause one of them to become possessed with an environmentalist who advocates for the hawk, and she gets mad, wreaking havoc on the girls, until they can figure out a way to band together to save their friend, and each other. One of the girls occasionally steps out of the story and narrates it as the chain-smoking present version of the character, which is surprising and funny. This would all be wonderful enough, but as an added bonus Jeffrey Nolan plays the hawk who does the environmentalist's bidding, swooping a puppet on a stick around the theater, facial expressions so telling of the attitude of this creature. I first discovered Melancholics Anonymous during the virtual 2020 Minnesota Fringe Festival, and in a few short years they've become a reliable source of theater that is inventive and delightful and a little bit dark. They perform outside of the Fringe too, so keep your eye out for them.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.