"Cyrano de Bergerac" at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie's Artistic Director Joseph Haj brings his adaptation of the classic play Cyrano de Bergerac to the proscenium stage. First produced in 2006 and revised for this production, he based it on the original French and two early English translations, with a goal "to create a well-built, forward-moving story with a steady rhythm that remained in pursuit of what I believed to be Rostand's key theme: the idea that true beauty resides within." Mission accomplished. A dynamic staging, a lovely cast, and inventive design bring this beloved classic to life.

"The Legend of Georgia McBride" at the Guthrie Theater

Reminiscent of La Cage aux Folles and Kinky Boots, but with a spirit and humor all its own, The Legend of Georgia McBride is a drag show with a beautiful message of finding one's identity and embracing those you love as they discover their identity. What it doesn't resemble so much is playwright Matthew Lopez's other work seen recently on #TCTheater stages, the intense Civil War drama The Whipping Man, a beautiful and heart-breaking play done by Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company last year. Which just goes to show the range of the playwright, although I think it's safe to say that Georgia McBride is the more personal work. Similar to the protagonist Casey, he found himself in a drag club in Florida, although the details of the story are different. Georgia McBride is a really fun show, and you also may learn a bit about drag performance, and rethink some stereotypes about the real people behind all the glitz and glamour of the show.