"The Butler Did It" at Park Square Theatre

The Park Square Theatre summer mystery is back, and it's a good one! Summery mystery plays have been a tradition at Park Square for decades, with a few years off for various reasons. This year they're premiering a brand new mystery play by prolific local playwright and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher, an expert at the form. The title of the play - The Butler Did It - tells us that this play is not a whodunnit, but rather a "howcatchem," in which the fun is not in trying to solve the mystery, but rather in watching a smart detective figure out what we already know. In a note in the program, Jeffrey Hatcher explains that he had the idea for this story when writing for the 1990s reboot of the 1970s Peter Falk howcatchem TV series Colombo. He never got to write that episode, so now we get to enjoy it on the Park Square stage. This production is practically perfect in every way - direction, casting, acting, design, execution - and it's very funny, entertaining, engrossing, and still with some surprises in the details even if we do already know whodunnit. See it at Park Square Theatre in lovely downtown St. Paul now through August 16.

"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).

"It's Only a Play" at Park Square Theatre

If you love theater (and if you don't, why are you reading this), you must get to downtown St. Paul ASAP to see Park Square Theatre's production of It's Only a Play, the first show in their 50th season. Written by great American playwright Terrance McNally, this is a play about theater and theater artists. It hilariously makes fun of theater and everyone and everything surrounding it (including too many celebrity references to count), but in the end it's a real love letter to theater that would have brought tears to my eyes in the way it speaks to what theater means to us, if I weren't laughing so much. It premiered Off-Broadway in the '80s but was updated to bring it into the 21st century for its 2014 Broadway debut, and feels as if it may have been updated even since then, so current are the references. Park Square is putting on a superb production in every way, including an impeccable local cast. This feels like a play that was made just for me, and every theater-lover (continuing through October 19).

"Between Riverside and Crazy" at Park Square Theatre

Park Square Theatre was planning to produce the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Between Riverside and Crazy in 2023, shortly after its Broadway premiere, when they ran into financial issues and had to cancel half of that season and all of the next one. But they came back last summer with a new Artistic Director, Stephen DiMenna, who has long been trying to stage this play (read more about that journey here). It has finally arrived as the final show in Park Square's excellent comeback season, and it was worth the wait. The well-written family dramedy that deals with gentrification, racism, drug addiction, and policing has been perfectly cast with #TCTheater favorites and newcomers, on an incredibly detailed and lived-in NYC apartment set. Between Riverside and Crazy plays Thursdays through Sundays until June 8 in the Historic Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul.

"The Effect" at Jungle Theater

In my day job, I work in clinical trials. I'm not a researcher in the clinics working with patients, I sit at home in my living room analyzing the data they collect. But still, the themes and situations in the brilliant play The Effect are familiar and fascinating to me. Written by Lucy Prebble, a writer and executive producer on the brilliant and brutal HBO show Succession, the play asks thorny and relevant questions about the ethics of clinical research, for-profit pharmaceutical companies, and the health care industry in general. It also explores the very stuff that makes us human, our feelings and emotions, and if that resides in our brain, or in our heart, or in situations or the substances we're taking. (If you're getting Severance vibes, you're not alone.) In short, The Effect is my favorite kind of play - smart and thought-provoking, asking difficult questions and not answering them, populated with complex, interesting, and engaging characters. And as expected, Jungle Theater's production really couldn't be better, with a fantastic four-person cast and spot-on design. If you like smart, thoughtful, relevant plays, The Effect is not to be missed (continuing through the end of March).

"Stones in His Pockets" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Every once in a while, Theater Latte Da throws a play on their season schedule and I think - what is this going to be? At one time their tagline was "we don't do musical theater, we do theater musically," and their new production of Stones in His Pockets is a prime example of this. They haven't turned it into a musical (like they did with the classic play Twelve Angry Men, which sounds weird but turned out to be brilliant), but they have turned it into theater musically. Jason Hansen (Twin Cities Theater Bloggers' favorite Music Director for three years running - watch for our interview with him on an episode of Twin Cities Theater Chat coming soon!) has written original music to fill in the spaces and add color and emotion to the story, like a film score played live. I'd never seen this play before, and now that I've seen this production, I can't imagine it without music. Music is so much a part of Irish culture and everyday life, that it seems fitting that there is music in this funny, wistful, tragic, heart-warming, and very Irish little story. See this wholly original Stones in His Pockets (featuring a brilliant comedy duo) at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through February 25. (Recommended dinner-and-a-show pairing: enjoy the food, atmosphere, and Guinness at The Anchor Fish & Chips just down the street.)

"Christmas at the Local" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Now in their 26th season, Theater Latte Da has a knack for creating original holiday shows that become annual traditions. First A Christmas Carole Petersen, #TCTheater artist Tod Petersen's funny and poignant tribute to his mom and growing up in small town Minnesota, which debuted in their third season and has been produced numerous times over the years (including six shows at Crooners this year, December 16-20). Then came All is Calm, a documusical about the WWI Christmas Truce that premiered in 2007 and has gone through a few different iterations over the years, settling into a nearly perfect 70 minutes of theater that has toured all over the country including Off-Broadway, and was filmed in 2019 for a PBS special. And now we have Christmas at the Local, a "double feature" of Dylan Thomas' story A Child's Christmas in Wales and Maya Angelou's poem Amazing Peace, both set to music and tied together with other holiday songs performed by a group of friends hanging out at their local pub. It debuted last year, at which time I wrote, "it creates such a warm, cozy feeling of community, nostalgia, and hope that I want to visit every year (or every night)." If you didn't see it last year, it's a must-see in the tradition of Latte Da's lovely original holiday pieces. And if you did see it last year, then you know that it always feels warm, welcoming, and wonderful to return to The Local (continuing through December 31).

"Christmas at the Local" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Theater Latte Da is celebrating their 25th season this year, and in that time they've created two beloved holiday* shows. A Christmas Carole Petersen (#TCTheater artist Tod Petersen's funny and poignant tribute to his mom and growing up in small town Minnesota) debuted in their third season and has been produced numerous times over the years (including six shows at Crooners this year, December 15-18). All is Calm (a documusical about the WWI Christmas Truce) premiered in 2007 and has gone through a few different iterations over the years, settling into a nearly perfect 70 minutes of theater that has toured all over the country (currently touring the Midwest and West Coast) including Off-Broadway, and was filmed in 2019 for a PBS special that will air in on TPT December 11 and 12. And now the brand new original piece Christmas at the Local feels like the start of another beloved holiday tradition. A "double feature" of Dylan Thomas' story A Child's Christmas in Wales and Maya Angelou's poem Amazing Peace, both set to music and tied together with other holiday songs performed by a group of friends hanging out at their local pub, it creates such a warm, cozy feeling of community, nostalgia, and hope that I want to visit every year (or every night). Get in on this new tradition from the start, with performances continuing at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through New Year's Day.

"The Last Five Years" at Artistry

If you're a musical theater nerd, I don't need to tell you what an ingenious piece Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years is. A simple story of a relationship told from both sides, one chronologically forwards, one chronologically backwards. Premiering in Chicago and Off-Broadway in the early aughts, L5Y received a bit of a resurgence recently due to the recent movie adaptation; Artistry's nearly sold-out show is the fourth local production I've seen in (sorry) the last five years. And I have to say, I enjoy it a little more each time I see it. In fact I very much enjoyed this production, partly because of my familiarity with the complexities of the piece, and partly because it's really well done. The Black Box space is small enough to provide the intimacy the piece needs, with just a sparse two-person band, and a truly fantastic young cast in Aly Westberg O'Keeffe and Ryan London Levin. The run is nearly sold out, so call the box office if you want to get into this one (continuing through February 11, more info here).

"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)

"The Little Mermaid, Jr." at Stages Theatre Company

A bunch of my cousins from Northern Minnesota were in town last weekend for a visit. We did the usual touristy stuff (Mall of America, Water Park of America, Como Zoo, Target Field), but when it came to showing them my favorite part of living in "the Cities" (as Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding communities are known in out-state Minnesota), it meant only one thing: theater! Since the group included lots of little ones, I took the opportunity to make my first visit to Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins for their production of The Little Mermaid, Jr. With a familiar and beloved story and music, enthusiastic performances by the talented young cast, and just over an hour running time, it was a hit with my group, the little ones aged 3 to 10 as well as the adults.

I saw the full Little Mermaid musical at Chanhassen last year (you can read about that here), but this is Little Mermaid, Jr. Which means that it was trimmed to a shorter running time. The good news is that the songs that were cut from the full-length musical are the new ones that did not appear in the movie, so all of the old favorites are still intact - "Part of That World," "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and the like. And while things wrap up fairly quickly at the end, the condensed story works well. The movie is only 83 minutes long, so it's quite possible to tell this story in an hour or so.

Tori Tedeschi Adams at Ariel

Having never been to Stages before, I was surprised to find that almost the entire cast is made up of teenagers. And such talented, enthusiastic teenagers! Everyone in the large ensemble is so engaged and present, and performs with great energy. As Ariel, Tori Tedeschi Adams gives an effervescent performance, with a strong and lovely voice. Ellie Turk is adorable as her sidekick Flounder. Adults Reginald D. Haney (with a deep voice and regal presence as King Titan) and Brittany Parker (quite fabulous as sea witch Ursula) anchor this young cast, and director Sandy Boren-Barrett does a wonderful job keeping everything moving. Including the quick set changes, in which large pieces are rolled on and off stage or turned around to reveal various underwater treasures (prompting the 5-year-old in my group to ask, "are they changing the channel now?"). Both sets and costumes are bright, colorful, engaging to the eye, and create an underwater feel (set design by Benjamin Olsen, costume design by Samantha Fromm Haddow).

Stages Theatre Company's The Little Mermaid, Jr is a charming, entertaining, and brisk production. If you have little ones, or suddenly find yourself with little ones to entertain, this is definitely a great choice, and a great way to expose kids to theater at an early age. Continuing through August 2 (including a trip to Bigfork this weekend).