"A Christmas Carol" at the Guthrie Theater

Despite the freakishly warm late fall weather we're having in mid-November, the #TCTheater holiday* season is in full swing! The Twin Cities Theater Bloggers recently previewed all of the shows in our podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat, in which I said that for me, it just isn't Christmas without the Guthrie's A Christmas Carol. This is my 20th season as a Guthrie season subscriber and my 17th time seeing A Christmas Carol (it's not part of the subscription, so I skipped a few years, but not many). For me, it's as warm, comforting, and familiar as your favorite holiday food that you only have once a year, that immediately puts you in that mood of community, festivity, and fellowship. In their 49th annual production, the Guthrie is using the adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani and new design that debuted in 2021, with a few slight tweaks. Compared to previous adaptations they've used, it's more streamlined, hitting all of the highlights as it moves briskly through this familiar story in under two hours (including intermission). Every element of design and production is stunning and efficient in telling the story, for a gorgeous spectacle that's also brimming with heart and good humor. As I've written about A Christmas Carol in the past, "I never tire of seeing it, because Charles Dickens' story of redemption, community, family, and human kindness never gets old. It's a beautiful and necessary thing to be reminded that 'what brings us together is greater than what drives us apart.' That it's never too late to change, to grow, to become a kinder and more generous person." Continue the tradition, or start a new one, at Guthrie Theater now through December 30.

"A Christmas Carol" at the Guthrie Theater

It's the Guthrie Theater's 60th season, and for about 80% of those years they've been producing Charles Dickens' classic story of redemption, A Christmas Carol. This year marks their 48th production, and my 16th time seeing it. It's obviously a beloved holiday* tradition in the #TCTheater community, one that I also love and have rarely missed in my 19 seasons as a subscriber. But why? Why do they keep doing it? Why do people keep seeing it? Why do I go back year after year? Read on for ten reasons** to see the Guthrie's A Christmas Carol this year before it closes on December 31.

"Still Dance the Stars" at Yellow Tree Theatre

Last night in the cozy intimate space of Yellow Tree Theatre, in a strip mall in Osseo, I saw a world premiere new play that's unlike anything I've seen before. As someone who sees a lot of theater (and I mean a lot), that's a rare occurrence. While playwright Jayme McGhan's Still Dance the Stars reminds me a little of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next to Normal, in that it deals with parents grieving the loss of a child in different (and sometimes hallucinatory) ways, the storytelling is completely unique, combining very real and natural dialogue, fantastical dream sequences in which stuffed animals come to life, dance, and music to tell a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story of grief, love, and family. It's a great choice of play for Yellow Tree, my favorite theater in the 'burbs, and the cast and creative team do a beautiful job of bringing the play to life with all of its humor, grace, silliness, and beauty.

"String" at Yellow Tree Theatre

Seven years ago, just a few months after I started this #TCTheater blogging adventure, a friend told me about this little theater in a strip mall in Osseo. Since at the time I worked just a few miles away, I organized a group of coworkers to go see a play after work one day. That play was String, and the theater was Yellow Tree Theatre. I may not remember details of the show (I've seen a lot of theater in the intervening years), but I remember being so charmed by the experience at Yellow Tree's warm, inviting, intimate space that I've returned to see just about everything they've done, from goofy holiday comedies, to new original musicals, to classics of the American theater, to silly farce, and everything in between. As I've seen this blog grow beyond my wildest dreams to a place where I cannot possibly see all of the theater I'm invited to, people inexplicably know who I am, and I am given press comps to any theater in town, Yellow Tree has seen their theater grow to a place where now, in their 10th season, they consistently sell out shows, attract some of the top talent in #TCTheater, and have increased diversity of programming and artists. To celebrate, they're bringing back String, written by Yellow Tree co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson and co-starring her and her husband and co-founder Jason Peterson, their first time on stage together in years. If you're a Yellow Tree fan, it's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this full circle moment with them, and if you've never been to Yellow Tree, it's time to make the (not that long) drive to the Northwest suburbs to see this charming, funny, quirky, sweet little play that started it all, a play that is "as Yellow Tree as plays get."

Fringe Festival 2017: "Subpar Heroes"

Day: 7

Show: 28

Title: Subpar Heroes

Category: Comedy

By: Renegade Theater Company

Created by: Renegade Theater Company

Location: Southern Theater

Summary: A small town donut factory and its employees are forever changed when an evil woman buys it and fires them, and then a comet passes overhead, giving everyone sort of special powers.

Highlights: It's super fun to see my favorite Duluth theater peeps in Minneapolis in this super fun show! It's pretty standard fringe fare, but performed with flair by the terrific cast. Shortly after our gang (Andy Frye, Angie Martin, Carolyn Trapskin, Katy Helbacka, Zachary Stofer) is laid off from the donut factory, a comet passes over giving them all superpowers that are less than super, like levitating small objects, or seeing two seconds into the future, or making people sing and dance (which is actually a pretty awesome superpower). At the same time, the new owner of the factory (a gleefully maniacal Mary Fox) also gains a superpower, and for some reason decides to sprinkle ecstasy into the donut batter, making the town go crazy. The subpar heroes plot and plan to pool their limited resources to overthrow her, but can't quite make it happen. Still, they can sing about it (with delightfully fun original music by Andy Frye). Next time you're in Duluth visit Renegade Theater (they're doing the rarely produced Pasek and Paul musical Dogfight right now!), and listen to the Take It With You (live radio theater from Duluth!) to hear more silliness and music like this.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"A Chorus Line" at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

The 1975 smash hit Broadway musical A Chorus Line truly is a singular sensation. After winning nine Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize (one of only eight musicals to do so), it ran for 15 years, making it the longest running musical on Broadway at the time (it still ranks as number six). But why would this musical about dancers auditioning to be in the chorus line of a musical be such a popular success? Theater people can surely relate to it, but what about the rest of us mere mortals who've never stepped foot on a stage? The reason for its long-lasting success is that it's not just an inside look at the world of musical theater; its themes of adolescence, acceptance, figuring out who you are and what you want to be, and dedicating your life to something that you love are universal, told with raw honesty and unabashed sincerity. And the dancing is pretty terrific too. I've been waiting almost seven years for a local production of A Chorus Line, since seeing the Broadway revival tour in 2009. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has finally fulfilled my wish, and it's well worth the wait. Featuring a fabulously talented cast of over two dozen legit triple threats, about half of whom are local, co-directed and co-choreographed by A Chorus Line expert Kerry Casserly and Artistic Director James Rocco, this show hews very close to the original. There's no re-imagining here, this is a beautifully faithful production of the singular sensation that is A Chorus Line. If you call yourself a musical theater fan, it's a must-see.

"The Great Work" by 7th House Theater at the Guthrie Theater

It could be considered an act of hubris to name a new piece of music-theater The Great Work. But in the case of 7th House Theater's new original musical, their second in two years and just the fifth production in the short life of the company, it's a fitting title. This small and lovely story of an Austrian composer returning home, with his estranged late-in-life daughter in tow, is beautifully and poignantly told in just over an hour through stirring original music and innovative use of movement, props, and set design. A fruitful collaboration between 7th House company members (music and lyrics by the uber-talented David Darrow, book by Grant Sorenson, choreography by Cat Brindisi, directed by all three), the wonderful eight-person ensemble, the gorgeous six-person orchestra (directed by Jason Hansen, who also did the orchestrations), and creative set designer Kate Sutton-Johnson, this truly is a Great Work. I know these next two weeks are busy for many of us, but if you can spare an hour in your schedule to see this show, you will be rewarded (be sure to get your tickets soon before they're gone).

"Next to Normal" at Yellow Tree Theatre

"I don't need a life that's normal, that's way too far away. But something next to normal would be OK. Yes something next to normal, that's the thing I'd like to try. Close enough to normal to get by." This sentiment is at the heart of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next to Normal, which tells the story of a family dealing with mental illness and grief. Despite their issues, which are many, they're bound together by love as they struggle to get through each day. It's a deeply emotional and poignant story, and a universal human one. Even if your life hasn't been affected by mental illness, at its heart the show is really about the struggle to live your life, keep your family together, and be happy even in the midst of tragedy. Perhaps that's why I love it; it's a brilliant example of how the art form of musical theater can do something profound as well as entertaining. Even though this was my 6th time seeing the show (including twice on Broadway, once on tour at the Ordway, and local productions at Mixed Blood and BCT), I've never seen it quite like this. Yellow Tree Theatre chose it as the final show of their 7th season in their cozy space in an Osseo strip mall. The intimacy of the space brings you right into the Goodman family's life in a way that's not possible in a larger theater. The fantastic and well-matched cast brings out every emotion in the Tony winning score, under the direction of Ben McGovern in his Yellow Tree debut. This is the kind of show that's an experience; you don't just watch the show, you're immersed in it and taken on a journey. It's a difficult ride at times, and may leave you feeling emotionally exhausted, but it's a beautiful and rewarding experience.

Next to Normal tells the story of what at first appears to be a "normal" American family, until the cracks begin to show. Diana and her husband Dan married young and started a family. They suffered a great tragedy that triggered Diana's bipolar disorder, which she's been dealing with for years. Everyone in the family suffers in their own way. Dan has to be the strong one as Diana falls apart, and therefore never gets the chance to deal with his own feelings about what happened. Their children, Gabe and Natalie, live in the shadow of the tragedy and are trying to deal with it on top of the normal problems that come with adolescence. Natalie's afraid that she'll follow in her mother's footsteps, and Diana's unable to be the mother that she wants to be. Diana hits rock bottom and undergoes ECT, aka shock therapy. It erases her memories, both the good and the bad, and she struggles to get her life and family back. Eventually they learn that there is no such thing as a "normal" family; all families look different and are dealing with their own unique issues, both big and small. The Goodmans struggle to find a way to get through theirs, and show us just what is possible with love.

Diana and Dan
(Jessica Lind Peterson and Jeremiah Gamble,
photo by Michal Daniel)

Yellow Tree co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson returns to the stage after a couple years absence in the role of Diana. Perhaps she was saving up all her vocal and emotional strength to pour into this intense role, and it worked. Her voice sounds as lovely as always, almost too lovely for this anguished woman, as she portrays Diana's highs and lows, her confusion, despair, loss, and hope. She's well-matched by Jeremiah Gamble as Dan, who gives a strong and heartbreaking performance as the caregiver who finally lets himself fall apart. As Natalie, Libby Anderson is a young powerhouse whom I look forward to seeing more of on stage, with a voice that's strong and clear and a charismatic stage presence. Lucas Wells plays the family's enigmatic son with energy and passion as he climbs around the two-level set. Grant Sorenson brings a sweetness to the role of Natalie's boyfriend Henry that makes this a couple to root for. Andy Frye makes the most of the supporting roles of Diana's doctors, and has a bit of fun with her rock star fantasies. With a small cast musical like this you need a group of actors that work and play well together, and feel like a family. Yellow Tree has accomplished that with this cast.

the cast of Next to Normal (photo by Michal Daniel)

The original Broadway set had three levels, and every production I've seen makes uses of multiple levels in some way. Yellow Tree has adapted this idea well to their small space, with an upper level that spans the back wall of the theater above the small thrust stage. The set is sparse and modern with minimal props or set pieces, just a judiciously used table and chairs (set by Eli Schlatter). There's not a lot of warmth in this home, which suits what the family is going through. The band (directed by Kyle Picha) is barely visible in the back of the stage behind a screen (they had to knock out a wall to make room for it!). And they sound great performing this fantastic score. Have I mentioned this is a rock musical? The driving score powers us through the story and never lets up, although it also has some lovely quiet moments. As several of my companions mentioned, music can take you places emotionally that mere words cannot, and this music beautifully brings out every varied and complicated emotion of the story.

If you haven't yet ventured out to Osseo to visit Yellow Tree Theatre, well, you're just not paying attention. They've always done great work but are really stepping up their game lately as they continue to challenge their audience and bring in top talent from around the Twin Cities. Next season is sure to be a continuation of this trend as they tackle some more intense pieces, including the Tony winning play Clybourne Park, and another one of my favorite musicals, the lovely and inspiring journey of Violet. But first, don't miss this beautifully heartbreaking production of one of the best musicals of this century. Tickets are selling fast but they have added a few performances, so get to the website or call the box office and snatch them up before they're gone!

"Take It With You" at The Underground

There's something cool going on in Duluth. I mean, there are lots of cool things going on in Duluth; it's one of Minnesota's top tourist destinations, with the lake and the big ships and all. But specifically on the music-theater front, which is what brings joy to my heart, there is something new and cool going on. It's called Take It With You and it's live radio theater, recorded monthly at The Underground in Duluth's historic Depot, and available for free online listening. This scripted serial radio program hearkens back to the days when people used to gather around their radios to listen to music and stories about their favorite characters. Now we can gather around our computers to listen, or plug into a podcast, as we follow this quirky cast of characters on their monthly adventures. It's described as "Cheers meets A Prairie Home Companion meets Austin City Limits," but I encourage you to give it a listen and see for yourself just how charming and funny and silly and musically delicious it is.

In the first 60-minute episode of Take It With You, we meet Blake (voiced by one of my favorite musicians Blake Thomas, check out his gorgeous and heartbreaking albums on iTunes), the owner of a bar and music club in Duluth, eager new employee and aspiring musician Andy (Frye, of Yellow Tree Theatre fame), disgruntled actress-turned-waitress Mary (Fox, another fave from Yellow Tree and other local stages), and oddball regulars Rick (the hilarious mutli-voiced Ryan Nelson), Bill (Robert Lee), and Zach (Stofer), with other wacky characters played by Katy Helbacka and Andy Bennett. Whether it's a bachelorette party or a stint in the local jail, these loveably kooky characters work their way through some situation each episode, while hanging out, chatting, promoting local businesses, getting advice from too cool for school "Steve and Jamie" and theoretical physicist "Ask Brooks," and of course, playing music.

Each episode features a half dozen or so of Blake's original songs, covers, or standards. Friends, I would drive 300 miles to listen to Blake sing one of his original songs. OK maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but I'm telling you, he's the real deal. He writes clever, whimsical, poetic, simple yet profound lyrics, accompanied by haunting or driving melodies, and sings in an authentic country voice. Add to that Mary's lovely harmonies and the whole group joining in on such standards as "Sitting on Top of the World," and you have some of the best music I would ever want to listen to.

But don't take my word for it; you can listen to episodes 1 and 2 online right now, just an hour each so it's not even a huge time commitment. I had the great privilege of watching the live recording of episode 5 this week, and as much fun as it is to listen to this show, it's even more fun to watch it in person with a sold-out crowd, and see the love and energy and joy that the cast brings to this unique creation that's both modern and charmingly traditional. Listen to the podcasts, like their Facebook page, and if you happen to be in Duluth the third Tuesday of the month, go see it in person!

the Take It With You gang at The Underground

"Take It with You," a Radio Show Broadcast from The Underground Theatre in Duluth

"Welcome to Take It with You, live radio theater from Duluth, MN. I'm Blake Thomas, your host, bartender, chief troubadour, and general roustabout. Enjoy the show."

So begins the first episode of a new radio show created by local music-theater artists Blake Thomas, Mary Fox, and Andy Frye, who have recently left the Twin Cities to take up residence in beautiful Duluth. You may know this trio from the new original musical Stay Tuned that they created, which premiered at Yellow Tree Theatre last spring and received an encore performance at last year's Ivey Awards. Stay Tuned is about a fictional radio show, and they've taken that idea and applied it to this real life radio show, broadcast from their new hometown and featuring local artists and celebrities. I just listened to the first hour-long episode (available free on their website, with episode two coming shortly) and found it be full of great music, humor, and hometown charm.

Here's the description from their website:

Blake Thomas brings his original music to the airwaves in this new radio variety show described as “CHEERS meets A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION meets AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.” Recorded monthly, the one hour radio play follows Blake, the owner of a tavern & music venue in Duluth, MN, and a colorful group of his multi-talented friends, patrons, and employees. Each episode features original music, comedy, science, and a dash of politics.

The exploits of these friends and coworkers are told in short scenes interspersed with songs from Blake's collection of fantastic albums (available on iTunes), the Stay Tuned score, and a few new songs that I haven't heard before. Blake is one of my favorite musicians because of his clever and original lyrics that combine whimsy and melancholy, haunting or driving melodies, and authentic country voice. In addition to the music, the scripted show includes a storyline about Blake and friends, as well as a couple of regular features, including "Steve and Jamie," the too cool for school hipsters, and "Ask Brooks," in which Blake calls his theoretical physicist brother to ask him science questions sent in by the audience. I'm excited to check in with these characters every month and see what new adventures they get into.

Take it With You is a wonderfully new and fresh take on the old radio variety shows of the past. If you're a fan of A Prairie Home Companion, folk-country-Americana music, or hometown humor, give it a listen and see what you think. And if you live in Duluth, know someone in Duluth, or are planning a trip to Duluth, you might even want to go see a live show (click here for the schedule).

the Take It With You gang at the Underground

"Stay Tuned" at Yellow Tree Theatre

My expectations were high for Stay Tuned, the new original musical by Yellow Tree Theatre, for several reasons. In these days of movie adaptations and jukebox musicals, the new original musical is an endangered species, so just those words give me hope. I am a big fan of Yellow Tree Theatre and truly believe in and admire their mission (bring good quality theater to the suburban community that is Osseo, mixing new original work with established classics). Blake Thomas, who wrote the music and lyrics, is one of my favorite musicians* (thanks to Yellow Tree) and an incredibly talented songwriter, and book writers Mary Fox and Andy Frye are a couple of my Yellow Tree favorites. As opening night approached, I began to fear that my expectations were too high and I would be disappointed with reality, as often happens. I am happy to report that did not happen this time. Stay Tuned is a charming story about American music and its changing forms (from radio and record albums to podcasts and downloads) with really lovely and diverse original music performed by talented singer/actor/musicians.

The story of Stay Tuned is that of a fictional radio music variety show called The Emerald Coffee Radio Hour, reminiscent of that real-life beloved Minnesota institution A Prairie Home Companion. When the show's host Bob dies and leaves the show to his son Gordon (the always hilarious Blake Nelson), things begin to change. Gordon hires pop music producer Ashabell (Yellow Tree co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson) who attempts to modernize the show, to the dismay of the show's remaining writers and musicians. Emma and Scotty (book writers Mary Fox and Andy Frye) do their best to work with Ashabell, cutting skits and adding stupid human tricks. But Rusty (Blake Thomas, in a role well-suited to this musician-turned-actor) is having a hard time letting go of Bob and spends his evenings listening to recordings of old shows from the '50s and '60s. The recordings come to life as an old-fashioned mic descends from above and various members of the ensemble appear in period clothing to sing the songs of the past. Gordon is only concerned with making the show a success at whatever cost, with no regard for his father's legacy, but Ashabell soon reveals that under her slick pop exterior is someone who loves music and tradition as much as Rusty and the gang. Eventually, they're able to work together to bring that music tradition to a new audience.

Jessica Lind Peterson, Blake Thomas, Mary Fox,
and Andy Frye make beautiful music together

I'm not sure that I would classify Stay Tuned as a musical; it feels more like a play with music, in that characters don't break out into song in the middle of a conversation. Songs are not used to express a character's emotions and further the plot, as in traditional musicals. All of the music happens within the context of the radio show, either live performance during rehearsal or broadcast, or while listening to old shows, when the cast sings along to recorded music. The latter moments are fun and showcase a variety of musical styles (from Patsy Cline and Buddy Holly to Frank Sinatra), but the music truly shines when the Emerald musicians sing and play live (guitar, piano, dulcimer, mandolin, and makeshift percussion). I've been listening to the soundtrack (available for purchase at the Yellow Tree box office) all day; favorites include the wistful "Back Home," the hopeful "Love Will Lift You Up," and the sweetly silly "And On and On It Goes:"

If you cry underwater does anybody know that you're crying
If you blink in a tunnel does anybody know that you're blinking
And when you see a rainbow do you ever think that it's frowning?
And if you do does it make you stop and smile?
It's a strange old world
An underwater tunnel frowning rainbow kind of world
But the strangest thing is the love that you bring to this strange old fool.

All of the music has that familiar Blake Thomas sound,* and the cast sounds great singing these songs (even though I would have liked Blake to sing more than he did). The score is filled with clever and interesting lyrics (see above), catchy or haunting melodies, in a wide range of styles of American music (including a truly awful pop song). Stay Tuned doesn't look or sound like your typical musical (which isn't a bad thing), but it's a creative and inventive use of music in theater (in that way it reminds me a little of that other not-your-typical-musical that won a Tony last year).

The fantastic set (designed by Katie Phillips) is jam-packed with musical instruments and memorabilia, from an autographed poster of Pasty Cline to a Beatles bumper sticker. A piano and record player sit near the front of the stage, with a glassed-in radio control booth at the back. Functional and cozy, it looks like a pleasant place to spend a few hours listening to music.

Stay Tuned is charming, funny, and poignant, with wonderful original music paying homage to the history of American music. Really, what's not to love? (Playing now through May 5, with discount tickets available on Goldstar.com for select dates.)

the cast of Stay Tuned

*If you're a fan of country/folk/Americana music like I am, I highly recommend that you check out the music of Blake Thomas (available on iTunes and elsewhere). He has a really great country voice and writes songs with clever and original lyrics and haunting melodies. Flatlands is, start to finish, a nearly perfect album, and the newer The Window and the Light is also fantastic (and features a duet with his wife and co-star Mary Fox).

"Circle Mirror Transformation" at Yellow Tree Theatre

Circle Mirror Transformation is an odd little play, full of awkward pauses, interrupted conversations, and silly games. But it's also surprisingly deep and poignant. It'll make you laugh, think, and feel, which is my favorite kind of play. I saw it at the Guthrie a few years ago and it was one of my favorites of the year, and I knew it was a perfect choice for Yellow Tree Theatre. Circle Mirror Transformation and Yellow Tree are a great match - both are slightly quirky and offbeat, but with a lot of heart and great storytelling.

The entire 90-minute play takes place in a six-week community acting class in a small town in Vermont. We mark the passage of time with a changing sign on the bulletin board announcing the week. The play is constructed as a series of short scenes depicting class exercises, as well as interactions between the characters during breaks or before class. As the play progresses we piece together more and more of each person's story. Teacher Marty (Doree Du Toit, read an interesting story about her acting journey here) wants to share her love of the art with her students, one of which is her husband James, an original hippie (Kurt Schweickhardt). Theresa (Yellow Tree co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson) was a struggling actor in NYC until breaking up with her boyfriend and moving to Vermont a few months ago. Lauren (Tara Borman) is a typically sullen teenager who signed up for the class to help her win the role of Maria in her school's upcoming production of West Side Story, and wants to know if they're going to do any "real acting." The final student, Schultz (Dan Hopman), is going through a bit of a mid-life crisis, recently divorced and dealing with living on his own and trying to make a new start.

James and Marty act out a scene as Lauren looks on

Each of these characters comes to the class for a different reason and gets something different out of it, but as the title suggest, each is transformed, in big or small ways. We witness the entire course of a relationship between Theresa and Schultz (beautifully, painfully, and realistically played by Jessica and Dan), from nervous attraction, to giddy infatuation, to a really awkward breakup, to some sort of closure. Marty is not quite as together as she seems and has some issues of her own to work through, with or without the help of her husband. Lauren is trying to escape some family issues, which she's finally able to admit in a really fascinating class exercise - each class member tells another person's life story, which reveals as much about the speaker as it does about the subject. This play is really a character study, and playwright Annie Baker has quite brilliantly allowed us to gain vital tidbits of information about each of them in an unconventional way, without telling the full story. One gets the sense that this is just a short snippet in each character's life, a full and complex life that started long before the action of the play began and continues long after it ends. As director Andy Frye (who does a beautiful job bringing out the depth of each of these characters as well as making great use of the space) says in the program notes, "the exercises performed serve only as a catalyst for what's really going on with these complex characters." As the play progresses, the exercises take on more and more meaning as we learn about the people performing them.

an intense moment between Schultz and Theresa

Costume, set, and props designer Sarah Bahr has perfectly created the world in which this story plays out. The slight wardrobe changes effectively signal a new day while allowing for quick changes between scenes. The Yellow Tree stage is about as bare as I've ever seen it - the back wall is painted a dull yellow, adorned simply with a barre, mirror, and bulletin board. The only set pieces are a hula hoop, stool, and and ball. It looks like any well-used community center classroom where any number of activities have taken place over the years.

I almost wish I could participate in a class like this, that's less about acting than it is about connecting more deeply with oneself and one's fellow human beings. On second thought, maybe that's exactly what (good) acting is, as perfectly illustrated in this production. This five-person cast, with no weak link among them, fully rises to the requirements of the material - being fully present and in the moment, speaking the way real people speak, with all the awkwardness of real life. If you've never made the trip up to Osseo, now is a great time to do it. Circle Mirror Transformation is one of the best shows I've seen at Yellow Tree Theatre. If you love funny, quirky, real, and poignant theater, you won't be disappointed. Playing now through February 24.

"Miracle on Christmas Lake II" at Yellow Tree Theatre

"A Little Bit of Lovin' and a Christmas Tree." That's the theme song of this year's rendition of Yellow Tree Theatre's annual holiday show, Miracle on Christmas Lake II* (presented for the second year in a row after a successful three-year run of the original Miracle on Christmas Lake). The song is a pretty good description of the plot as well - the "Loving" being represented by nerdy soulmates Martha and Neil and small town theater owners Colin and Tess, and the "Christmas Tree" taking the form of a silly costume that Colin wears in the pageant thrown together at the last minute. But more than that, it's about a small community pulling together to save their beloved small town way of life. Not your average sugar-coated Christmas treat, Miracle on Christmas Lake II is silly and preposterous and hilarious and heart-warming.

In the ridiculous (in a good way) plot, the entire town of Christmas Lake comes down with the goat flu (which causes its victims to make strange bleating noises and eat garbage), and is also in danger of annexation by neighboring town Potterton. Colin and Tess must put on a successful Christmas show to impress the Hollywood producer wanting to film a movie in Christmas Lake, which will save the town. It's the pretty much the same show as last year (written by Jessica Lind Peterson and directed by Jason Peterson, founders of the theater), with a few little tweaks and mostly new cast. The one constant in the five years of Christmas Lake is Yellow Tree regular Ryan Nelson as the Little House on the Prairie-obsessed piano tuner Neil, who thinks acting means doing an impression. He grows funnier and nerdier every year, and never fails to crack me up. Debra Berger ably takes on the role of Neil's girlfriend, the Sound of Music-loving Martha with a pet lizard and a mean tater tot hotdish recipe. Neil and Martha's big romantic moment is crowned with a rendition of (what else) "Something Good" from Sound of Music (the movie, but not the original stage musical, which had a song called "An Ordinary Couple" in its place, which has just outed me as a fellow nerd - maybe that's why I love Neil and Martha so much). Josef Buchel (the charming gentleman caller) and Rachel Petrie (of Four Humors Theater) play the only normal people in town, Christmas Lake native Colin and his wife Tess, who run the local community theater and try to corral these crazies into some semblance of a theatrical production. The charismatic Andy Frye returns as the Hollywood location scout with a secret, only this time he's given a new name (Stefan Stefanjovak) and a vaguely Eastern European accent. Rounding out the cast is Charles Fraser playing several characters, each one more quirky and outrageous than the last. The entire cast plays well together. One of the best examples of this is a fabulous slow-mo fight between Neil and Stefan over Martha. Hilarious and deftly executed.

Over the last three years I've grown to love the residents of the fictional town of Christmas Lake, which will seem familiar to any Minnesotan (you can read more about last year's version of the show here, and about the original play here). I hope to return for many years to come. Jason says in this article in the StarTrib that there are plans for a third play. Until then, check out this trailer featuring scenes from the show accompanied by one of my favorite local musicians (thanks to Yellow Tree) Blake Thomas** singing "A Little Bit of Lovin' and a Christmas Tree" (I'm still waiting for it to be released as a single). In the show, the cast sings the song and it sounds quite lovely - several of these actors are hiding great voices behind their comedy.



Miracle on Christmas Lake II from Yellow Tree Theatre on Vimeo.


*I received two complementary tickets to Miracle on Christmas Lake II, and brought along nine more friends who happily purchased tickets, even though many of them had seen the show last year. It's a really fun group outing, especially when paired with dinner at Nectar Wine Bar in adorable downtown Osseo.

**Blake Thomas is writing a new original musical Stay Tuned to be presented at Yellow Tree Theatre next spring, with help from his lovely and talented wife Mary Fox and Stefan Stefanjovak himself, Andy Frye (who is also directing Yellow Tree's next show, Circle Mirror Transformation, which I called "a quiet, real, completely satisfying exploration of five intersecting lives" when I saw it at the Guthrie in 2010). More information on both shows here.

"Still Life with Iris" at Yellow Tree Theatre

For the past year and a half I've seen every Yellow Tree Theatre production with a group of co-workers from our nearby office.  The group changes in size and composition depending on the show and people's schedules, but we always have a good time at the theater (and the lovely and delicious Nectar Wine Bar in downtown Osseo).  After seeing Still Life with Iris this week, my friends said to me, "I can't wait to read what you write about this because I don't quite know what to make of it!"  I'm not sure I do either, but I'll do my best.

Still Life with Iris is a fantastical tale set in the fictional world of Nocturno, where the inhabitants create everything that exists in the world.  They paint spots on lady bugs, teach the wind to howl, and lift the fog.  They're the worker bees behind the universe.  And they seem quite happy to toil away every night, fulfilling that last minute storm order.  Most importantly, they must take care of their coat, for their coat is what holds in their memory.  If it rips, they start to forget things; if they take it off, they forget their entire life, everyone and everything they've ever know.  (What happens when they take a shower?  Sorry, there's no place for logic in Nocturno!) 

Our heroine Iris is chosen to go to Great Island, which is not as great as it seems.  First her mother's coat is removed so she'll forget she ever had a daughter, and then Iris' coat is removed so she won't mourn for her own life.  She's taken to Great Island to be the daughter of the Goods, who have one perfect specimen of everything.  Hence they only wear one shoe, one sleeve, one eyebrow, in a delightfully asymmetric world.  But Iris is a special girl, she knows something is off, something existed before she got to this island that she can't quite remember.  So she escapes, and is aided in her attempt by none other than 18th century composer Mozart (whom she affectionately calls Moz) and the fictional Annabel Lee, from the Edgar Allen Poe poem.  They manage to escape and find the lost memory coats, and Iris returns home to the life she loved and remembered.  If I were to try to make sense of this wild ride, I'd say that we need to actively hold on to our memories, our past.  Not just our own past but our family's past.  Like in the genealogical show Who Do You Think You Are (Fridays on NBC), in which celebrities search for their ancestors' stories, we need to remember our collective past in order to live our best present.  My great-aunt recently passed away, the last remaining member of her generation, leaving behind a treasure trove of stuff in my great-grandparents' house.  I feel like I've found a few lost buttons and threads of my coat, looking around in that beautiful, run-down, stuffy old house.

As always, the cast features wonderful members of the Yellow Tree family (for that's what it feels like).  The director, Andy Frye, has himself appeared on stage in Miracle on Christmas Lake II and [title of show].  The always captivating Mary Fox plays Iris, giving her childlike strength and wisdom and curiosity.  She's a hero we can root for.  I'm not quite sure why Mozart is there, but I'm glad he is, with his Austrian accent and oversized keyboard.  Yellow Tree newcomer Nathan Surprenant is a natural charismatic presence on stage and I look forward to seeing more of him.  Molly McLain gives a delightfully wacky performance with a Cockney accent as Annabel Lee.  Doree Du Toit plays Iris' mother; she has the role of the mourning mother down pat, having played a mother who loses her daughter in Steel Magnolias and Our Town.  Our favorite nerdy stereotypical Minnesotan couple from Christmas Lake, Carolyn Trapskin and Ryan Nelson, are reunited here as Mr. and Mrs. Good.  Their characters are just as quirky but much more evil.  I was particularly impressed with Carolyn's ability to gracefully maneuver in her dress with a long side train while wearing only one high-heeled shoe, and with her maniacal laugh.

The show has a wonderful look.  Yellow Tree regulars might do a double-take when they walk into the theater, as I did.  The stage is on the opposite side of the room, and the curtain dividing the stage from the lobby is gone, making room for the two story set with lots of stairs and doors and windows to play with (set design by Katie Phillips).  The costumes by Sarah Bahr are adorable (striped socks and colorful patchwork sweaters in Nocturno), sleek (the Goods in their stark, asymmetrical black), and whimsical (Annabel Lee's fairy-like layers).

I'm not sure how well I did in making sense of this play, but I'm not sure sense is what it's about.  It's more about the feeling that's created.  And as always at Yellow Tree, it's a good feeling.  Their next production is one of my favorite plays, The Glass Menagerie.  Unlike musicals, I don't have a lot of favorite plays (it's pretty much The Glass Menagerie and Tom Stoppard's Arcadia), so it goes without saying that I'm looking forward to it!

"Miracle on Christmas Lake II" at Yellow Tree Theatre

Three years ago Yellow Tree Theatre faced a dilemma: the rights to the Christmas show they were planning to do were pulled, and they only had a few weeks to come up with something. They performed a “miracle.” They wrote and produced an original play in a few weeks that turned into a hit that ran every December for three years. Miracle on Christmas Lake is about a small town Minnesota theater that has to develop a play in a few weeks in order to keep the theater from closing down, and they do it to hilarious effect. This year Yellow Tree is presenting the brand new sequel, Miracle on Christmas Lake II (both shows written by Jessica Lind). Our favorite characters return (except for the soap fan with the hairy mole) – Colin, who runs the theater, and his wife Tess are now parents of a six month old baby, and Martha, loveable despite (or because of) the fact that she embodies every bad stereotype of Minnesotans, is now (sort of) engaged to her nerdy Little House on the Prairie loving costar from last year’s production. The town of Christmas Lake is in danger of being annexed, and the town savior appears in the form of Hollywood scout Joey Deschantel, who is going to recommend the town to his producers as location for the upcoming remake of It’s a Wonderful Life, starring famous Minnesota actors Josh Hartnet and Jessica Biel. He takes charge of the town Christmas pageant, making it into a spectacle so Hollywood will take notice.

That’s a whole lot of complicated exposition, but the details of the story don’t really matter. What matters is that this is a hilarious show with tons of heart and local flavor. It’s not the usual holiday sugary sweet schmaltz, but you’ll still leave the theater with a warm glow to carry out into the cold Minnesota night. You’ll remember fondly this crazy quirky little Minnesota town full of loveable characters that may actually resemble people you know.

Of the four returning characters from the original Miracle on Christmas Lake, only one is played by the same actor: Ryan Nelson as the nerdy Neil.  My favorite thing about Neil is his love for Little House on the Prairie, which I share. It was my favorite show as a kid and I still have to stop and watch whenever I come across it on TV. (Beth and Manly!!) The other fun thing about Neil is that he thinks it’s not acting if you use your normal speaking voice, so he always imitates a famous actor, despite the director’s protests. Said director is played by Andy Frye who played Hunter in [title of show] this spring. His super high energy brings new life into the little town. The moon boot and high-waisted jeans wearing Martha Knutson is played this year by Carolyn Trapskin, and she ably contorts her face and voice into the weirdness needed for this character. And it works for her, she has three men chasing after her! Our sane couple (loosely based on Yellow Tree founders, director Jason Peterson and playwright Jessica Lind) are played this year by J.C. Lippold and Mary Fox (both of whom also appeared in [title of show]).  Mary's given some great and diverse performances around the cities this year, as she does again here. While she effortlessly created an outrageously quirky character in Theater Latte Da’s Spelling Bee this fall, she does a great job here of playing the straight role among these other crazies (although she does get to appear in a tutu and speak in rhyme). J.C.’s Colin is a calming, grounding presence as the man who desperately wants to save his hometown, because he doesn’t know who he is without it. Gary DuBreuil fills out the cast playing several diverse roles, from a minister to a volunteer police officer to a Hollywood producer.  All together it's a very capable and entertaining cast that plays well together on the little stage (which is an actual raised stage for this production).

A lot of crazy things happen and the show falls apart for various reasons, but still manages to be a success because the townspeople pull together to make it happen. The play within a play (a very modernized version of the Christmas story) is in rhyme, with Mary delivering much of it in a halting cadence as if Tess is making it up on the spot. Colin accompanies the show on the piano, and it closes with everyone joining in to sing a wonderful new holiday ditty, “A little bit of lovin' and a Christmas tree” (written by one of my favorite local musicians Blake Thomas, if you like country/folk music, you must check him out). It’s a really sweet and fun end to a really good time. In fact, if a single were available for download, I’d download it today (hint, hint, to whoever may be reading this!).  Or you can just watch this video on a continuous loop, like I do.  ;)

I think it's safe to say that their Christmas show is Yellow Tree’s most popular show of the year; it's playing six days a week (which their other shows typically do not) and has been extended into January. If you're looking for a fun and non-traditional holiday show that still has that traditional holiday spirit, check it out, especially if you’re in the Northwest suburbs. And make sure to get there in plenty of time to get seats. I went with a group on a Tuesday night and it was packed, maybe even sold out. We were enjoying our half price bottles of wine at nearby Nectar Wine Bar (which I highly recommend for a pre-show dinner) so much we didn’t get to the theater as early as we hoped, so we had to take whatever seats we could get! But even from way in the corner it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

[title of show] at Yellow Tree Theatre

I'd rather be nine people's favorite thing than a hundred people's ninth favorite thing.  That's a line from the brilliantly funny musical about musicals [title of show], and it's also my new goal for this blog.  Since I started Cherry and Spoon about nine months ago, I've been trying to figure out what I want it to be, what my goals are, and why I'm doing it.  How do I measure success - monthly page views (1000+), number of followers (9), number of Facebook likes (28)?  [title of show] says just do something for the love of it and don't worry about pleasing everyone.  Don't settle for mediocrity, and even if most people think you're weird or crazy, maybe nine people will love it.  And that's a pretty cool thing.

[title of show] is "a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical."  It was written by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, aka "two nobodys in New York," as an entry into the New York Musical Theater Festival in 2004, where it was accepted for production and later went on to play off and on Broadway.  Hunter and Jeff are the main characters, and the show chronicles its own creation in a trippy "show within a show" kind of way.  It's sort of like standing between two mirrors; you're not sure if what you're seeing is the real thing or its reflection.  Hunter and Jeffy recruit their wacky and talented friends Heidi and Susan to help them create and star in the show.  It's really about the love of musical theater and creation in general - creating something you love and watching it take off.  There are so many musical theater references, from John Cameron Mitchell to Kander and Ebb to Shubert Alley to the magical number 525,600, that I didn't even catch them all, and I'm a musical theater geek!  One of my favorite songs (I had to download the soundtrack after seeing the show) is "Original Musical," in which Hunter sings to Jeff about how hard it is to get an original musical on Broadway; it would be much easier "if it was a jukebox musical, a revival, or a recognizable commodity."  I was nodding my head as the list of musicals based on movies went on and on and on.  "So movies make good musicals?  Well, they make musicals."  (For a discussion of the jukebox musical vs. the original musical, see the footnote at the end of my recent Jersey Boys post.)  Some other fun songs are "Monkeys and Playbills," which is almost entirely composed of the titles of obscure musicals, and "Die, Vampire, Die," which talks about those little voices inside (or outside) our heads that tell us we can't, and how to banish those voices.  In a poignant moment, Heidi sings about living the life she dreamed of as a little girl in "A Way Back to Then."  This show goes from the ridiculous to the sublime, and back again.

[title of show] is a perfect match for Yellow Tree Theatre - small and intimate ("just four chairs and a keyboard"), funny, quirky, and featuring great songs.  Although I never thought I'd hear such a string of expletives coming from the stage of Yellow Tree Theatre.  But I liked it.  :)  I've found that musicals that use the f-word are usually f***ing brilliant - RENT, Spring Awakening, Avenue Q, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Next to Normal (go see it at the Ordway, featuring the fierce Alice Ripley, hey that's the first time I've ever used the word fierce, and that's the second!).  The four-person cast is comprised of four talented individuals who also have great chemistry and comfort with each other; they're really believable as friends.  I knew Mary Fox (Susan) could sing from her recent appearance in Our Town, for which she also recorded a soundtrack with Blake Thomas.  But I didn't know Jessica Lind (Heidi), co-founder of Yellow Tree, has such a gorgeous voice.  Andy Frye and J.C. Lippold (who from his bio appears to be the Mr. Schue of Maple Grove) play Hunter and Jeff.  They're both funny and natural and have great voices in addition to their wonderful chemistry together, and they rarely left the stage during the 90-minute show.  The audience was clearly having a good time going on the journey to Broadway with this group of four friends.

There's lots of youtube fun associated with this show, which I've only begun to enjoy.  In the show Hunter and Jeff talk about creating a youtube show called The [title of show] Show about getting [title of show] on Broadway.  That really exists and it's hilarious (you can watch it on the [title of show] youtube channel).  Also, check out this video of "Nine People's Favorite Things" featuring fans of the show, some famous and some just regular people.  I've watched it several times and see someone new each time.  (And if you watch closely you may see the CSB/SJU bus, which I spent four years riding!)



Thanks to Yellow Tree Theatre and the real Hunter, Jeff, Heidi, and Susan for sharing the love of musical theater, my favorite thing in the world.  This blog is my [title of show].  If you love musical theater, or any art form, go see this show while you still can!  I'll leave you with another one of my favorite quotes from the show, that speaks to what musical theater can do:

We could ask significant questions
We could get important points across
Like are we writing for art
And is art a springboard for fame
And will fame get folks to trust us
But will they trust us
If it’s just us
Me and you