"Iphigenia at Aulis" by Ten Thousand Things at Luminary Arts Center

This fall, Ten Thousand Things, my favorite interpreter of Shakespeare and other classic works, brings us the Greek tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis. Because they are not yet able to tour the show to their usual locations of community centers, homeless shelters, and prisons, they are presenting this show in a sort of hybrid style between the usual stripped-down bare-bones production in a small space surrounded by a few rows of chairs, and a more traditional proscenium style production. They also performed the show outdoors, which may have had a more TTT feel, but in the former Lab Theater, now known as Luminary Arts Center*, it still maintains the TTT hallmark of making classics feel fresh, relatable, and relevant, if in a more formal theater style (but still with "all the lights on"). They're set to return to touring this winter, which will likely bring back their usual style, but in the meantime, Iphigenia at Aulis is a gorgeous production with a large and hugely talented cast, that uses an original score to tell this ancient story.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2021: "For a Limited Time Only"

Day: 3

Show: 7

Performance Type: Virtual

Location: Streaming Anytime

Length: 35 minutes

Title: For a Limited Time Only

By: The Feral Theatre Company

Summary: A $5.99 unlimited breadstick deal at the Italian Garden Factory turns into a nightmare for a couple when they're told they cannot leave until they finish the bread.

Highlights: Because nothing lasts forever, except for bread of course. Written by Daniel Prillaman and directed by Isabella Dunsieth, this absurdist dark comedy imagines a world in which the promise of unlimited breadsticks is a threat. Arlo (Christopher Jenkins) and Val (Sky Turiello) are stuffed after their dinner and cannot possibly eat another bite, and therein lies the danger. Their server (Daniel Collette) tells them he can't bring the bill until they finish the bread, and then he brings them more bread. They decide to just leave, only to discover there are no doors. All of their plans for an escape fail, including calling 911 (no signal) and violence (can't do much damage with a butter knife). Eventually they resign themselves to the fact that they're never getting out, and begin living their life together in the restaurant. A sweet, believable couple and an amusing rumination on making the most of the life you're given.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"The Winter's Tale" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

Last night I posted on Instagram: "I know nothing about this play, but there's no one with whom I'd rather experience Shakespeare for the first time than @ttttheater." As it turns out, I have seen The Winter's Tale before, but it was eight and a half years ago and I had no recollection of it. Certain plot points did seem a little familiar, but I thought that was because Shakespeare tends to mix and match a finite selection of elements in his plays. No matter, the sentiment still holds: Ten Thousand Things does Shakespeare like no one else, making it accessible and understandable and relatable, whether you're familiar with the play or it's your first time (or you just have a really bad memory). Their production of The Winter's Tale opens their 2019-2020 season and goes from devastating to delightful in the space of two hours. Artistic Director Marcela Lorca (who took over the reigns from founder Michelle Hensley last year) directs this wonderful nine-person ensemble that combines TTT faves and TTT newbies to form an expert storytelling troupe. This is a story of hope, forgiveness, repentance, and the healing nature of time.