"Ragtime" by Morris Park Players at Edison High School

It's rare that I get a chance to see community theater, with the plethora of theater in this town (e.g., 20+ shows are opening in the next three weeks). But I happened to have a free night, so I was thrilled to check out Ragtime by Morris Park Players, a Northeast Minneapolis community theater that's been around for 70 years. I became aware of this company last year when they did Falsettos, of which I'm still waiting for a professional #TCTheater production since the recent successful revival. I was super impressed by this risky choice, and their execution of the tricky work. Their current show is perhaps even more ambitious in scope and theme. Although Ragtime is a more familiar show than Falsettos (two local productions in the last 11 years), its huge cast, intricate score, and themes of racism, immigration, class, gender, and labor rights make it a challenging show. While performances are a bit uneven and there may be a few technical issues, as to be expected with community theater, I'm once again impressed by Morris Park Player's execution of this work, the level of talent in this community, and the heart and passion they put into the show. Ragtime continues through next weekend only.

"Hair" by Theatre 55 at Mixed Blood Theatre

I was a little obsessed with the 40th anniversary revival of Hair, which opened on Broadway in 2009. I first fell in love with the show via a #TCTheater production directed by Michael Brindisi in 2004, and this fantastic Broadway revival only increased that love to the point of, yes, obsession. You can read more of my Hair thoughts here, but suffice it to say that when I adopted two adult male cats several years ago, I named them Claude and Berger. Now another 10 years have passed, so we're 50 years removed from the groundbreaking Gerome Ragni and James Rado creation (with music by Galt MacDermot) that changed the face of musical theater forever. Theatre 55, a new #TCTheater company dedicated to "enriching the lives of elders," has chosen Hair as their first production, populated with people who were alive and perhaps even saw that first production 50+ years ago, and lived the lifestyle of the '60s represented in the show. While the vocal performances are uneven in this cast made up mostly of non-professional actors, they capture the spirit of the piece in the way that perhaps younger people cannot. They bring an authenticity to the characters and situations of the show, and also a sort of fun free-wheeling vibe because they survived those tumultuous times (although one could say that the times we're living in now are pretty tumultuous too). The firehouse was packed with an audience full of people ready for this show and loving every minute of it. I'm quite sure that Ragni and Rado (the original Berger and Claude, the latter of whom is still alive and just turned 87) would be tickled with this production.

"Yeston & Kopit's Phantom" at Artistry (formerly known as Bloomington Civic Theatre)

There's a new Phantom in town. OK it's not exactly a new Phantom, but rather one that's lived under the shadow of the musical theater juggernaut that is Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, the longest running show on Broadway and "the most financially successful entertainment event to date." What hope, then, does any other musical adaptation of the early 20th Century French novel have? Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit (who also wrote the 1982 Tony-winning Best Musical Nine) had already begun their musical adaptation when Webber's premiered in 1986 and took over the world. Consequently, Yeston and Kopit's version never made it to Broadway, but it has had many productions around the world, and now, in Bloomington MN at the newly renamed Artistry. Not being a huge fan of Webber's version (read more about that here), I was curious to see what another version might look like. While it's still not my favorite story, I found Artistry's production of this different sort of Phantom to be lovely, touching, and well performed by the cast and orchestra.

This Phantom follows the same general outline as the book and other adaptations, although they all differ on the details. The general outline: a disfigured man haunts the Paris Opera House, he falls in love with and kidnaps the beautiful young opera singer Christine, and tragic things happen. The details: in this version, the Phantom, aka Erik, has lived below the Opera House all of his life, having grown up there after his mother dies. He tutors Christine in opera technique, and only kidnaps her to save her from the diva who's trying to sabotage her. She seems to genuinely love him, but alas, they can't be happy together, because this is still Phantom.

I've only seen ALW's Phantom once, and I found it to be a bit difficult to follow, slow and draggy in parts, and way too melodramatic. This Phantom doesn't have those problems. It's still a preposterous story (why does someone who basically grew up in a sewer and rarely appears in public go about dressed in pristine tails and a fancy cape?), but Erik's origin story explains more of why is he the way he is, the show moves along with a fairly good momentum, and while it's still dramatic, it's a bit sweeter and with some lighter moments.

Yeston's score is lovely and melodic, with the duet "You Are Music" a highlight. As per usual, Anita Ruth's 20-piece pit orchestra plays it wonderfully, and the cast is full of strong singers. Courtney Groves is radiant as the young Christine, and has a sweet and lovely voice. William Guilness brings great dark and conflicted emotion in his portrayal and his strong deep voice. She's all lightness, and he's all darkness (which I guess is the point of the piece), and they sound beautiful together. Other highlights in the large and talented ensemble are Riley McNutt as Christine's patron, Alan Sorenson as Erik's friend with a secret of his own, and Carl Schoenborn and Angela Walberg as the new owners of the Opera House, the latter adding humor with her diva-like scheming.

One of the main focuses of that other Phantom is the huge chandelier that almost drops on the audience. While there is a dropping chandelier here, it's less of a spectacle, but still impressive, as is the set. The massive two-story structure with movable steps, multiple doors and entrances, and surprising nooks and crannies may be the most elaborate I've seen on the Artistry stage. It doesn't overpower the story but provides the appropriate grandeur for the Opera House (set design by Benjamin Olsen). Ed Gleeman's luscious costumes complete the look of Paris high society.

If you're a big fan of ALW's Phantom, you might want to give this one a try just to see a different take on the story. If you're not a big fan of ALW's Phantom, you might find this one more to your liking. It's less of a spectacle and more of a story, with a beautiful score beautifully realized. Yeston & Kopit's Phantom continues through November 14 (discount tickets available on Goldstar).

Christine and the Phantom (Courtney Groves and William Guilness)

"Dogwood" by Candid Theater Company at The People's Center Theater

One of the most fun parts about being an independent theater blogger is getting to see theater by many different companies in many different venues. I've seen work by over 60 local theater companies (click here for the full list), but there are still some that I've never seen. Last weekend I saw one of these theater companies I'd never seen before (although it was founded 15 years ago) in a location I'd never been to. Candid Theater Company's new play Dogwood, written and directed by Founders Seraphina Nova and Justin M. Kirkeberg, respectively, is a dysfunctional family drama, complete with secrets, illness, affairs, arguments, dark humor, and love.

The Dogwoods are a family living in suburban Milwaukee. Dad is retired and spends most of the day in a fog watching his "programs," while Mom flutters around pretending everything is OK. Daughter Evelyn lives just down the street and has put her own life on hold to take care of her parents (or is she using them as an excuse not to live a fuller life?). Rachel and Nathaniel have moved away, and their trips home are becoming fewer and farther between. They all congregate at the family home for Dad's favorite holiday, Independence Day. Rachel brings her assistant instead of her husband, and Nat arrives without his much talked about but never seen fiance. Secrets come out and old grievances come back around as this not-so-happy family finds themselves under the same roof again. After the holiday is over, not much has changed, except perhaps a better awareness of the situation.

James Napoleon Stone, Katherine Preble, and Angela Walberg
as the Dogwood siblings

The cast does a fine job with the material and feels like a comfortable family. Angela Walberg is painfully sympathetic as the responsible daughter Evelyn, and along with James Napoleon Stone and Katherin Preble form a believable sibling trio. As the parents, David Roberts and Meri Golden are excellent, David poignantly playing the extremes of a dead-eyed stare and an anger and frustration at the situation he finds himself in, and Meri is all motherly love and concern hiding a deeper pain. And kudos to the talented Michael Terrell Brown who just joined the cast a few days before opening and seems like he's been with the group all along. This play does not have a happy ending, as there is an impression that things will only get worse, especially for Evelyn as she's left to care for her parents after her siblings leave. In the end I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to take away from the play, other than frustration that this poor girl is destined to live a lonely life caring for her aging parents while her siblings enjoy their independent lives hundreds of miles away.

The new-to-me venue is The People's Center Theater. It's a nice intimate space on the third floor of the People's Center Health Services' Cedar Riverside Clinic. The set looks like a typical lived-in Midwestern home, with blankets on the couch and tchotchkes on the shelf. At one point during a heated scene the table broke, and the cast dealt with it so well I thought it was part of the script.

Dogwood is a compelling and entertaining dark family drama. If, like me, you're unfamiliar with Candid Theater, check it out to take a chance on something new (discount tickets available on Goldstar).