"Bright Star" at DalekoArts

"Just because something ends doesn't mean it wasn't successful." This quote from Philip Dawkins' play Failure: A Love Story perfectly encapsulates my feelings about the announcement a few months ago that DalekoArts would be closing their doors for good after the production of their spring musical Bright Star. For 11 seasons they were successful. Not necessarily in a financial sense (I can't speak to that), but artistically, and in creating a community of theater-makers and theater-lovers in the far-flung town of New Prague. Daleko is a Czech word meaning "far away," but when you're at Daleko, you don't feel far away from anything, you feel connected - to the artists, to your fellow audience members, and most of all to the story playing out just a few feet in front of you. To list my favorite memories at Daleko would take too long, but I've loved everything I've seen there, from silly original comedies to scary thrillers to rarely done musicals to that time I followed a couple of crazy artists around historic downtown New Prague. I'm happy for co-founders Ben Thietje and Amanda White that they're going out on their own terms, and moving on to new adventures, and I'm grateful for every silly, profound, beautiful show I saw at the Prague Theater over the last seven years. The bluegrass musical Bright Star (in only the second professional theater production in #TCTheater) is a perfect choice for the last show, and represents the heart, humor, inventiveness, thoughtfulness, and joy that's been present for 11 seasons. I'd tell you to go see it, but the entire run has been sold out for weeks. But if you've been to DalekoArts, you know how special it was.

"Native Gardens" at Daleko Arts

It's a good time for Karen Zacarías' smart, funny, socially relevant comedies. On the heels of Theatre in the Round's hilarious production of The Book Club Play, DalekoArts is presenting Native Gardens (last seen in #TCTheater at the Guthrie in 2017). Both are really fun and entertaining shows, but with a depth that might make you think a little about some important themes, while perhaps making you a little uncomfortable (in a good way). Native Gardens deals with subtle racism (and agism, sexism, and classism), inherent biases, immigration, the environment, and what it means to be a good neighbor. With a wonderful cast and excellent design on their small stage, Daleko brings out all of the humor and the nuances in this great script. Take advantage of the mild weather this February and make the drive down to New Prague to see Native Gardens (continuing through February 26).

"Ada and the Engine" at DalekoArts

Lauren Gunderson currently holds the title of the most produced playwright in America (see: her Pride and Prejudice fan fiction produced annually at the Jungle). Her plays often center on female heroes, fictional or historical. It's no wonder her plays are frequently produced; this is exactly the kind of play we're hungry for right now. DalekoArts is producing the regional premiere of Ada and the Engine, a play about 19th century mathematician and arguably the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace. This smart, funny, poignant (spoiler alert: Ada died young), insightful play is beautifully realized by DalekoArts and 100% worth the drive to charming New Prague.

"Man of La Mancha" by Mounds View Community Theatre at Chippewa Middle School

This is my annual PSA to support your local community theater! Especially if one of your favorite #TCTheater director/choreographers is involved. I'm lucky enough that Joe Chvala (founder of the dance company Flying Foot Forum) is directing and choreographing a production for Mounds View Community Theatre for the second time (after helming a delightful H.M.S. Pinnafore two years ago). This Man of La Mancha, playing at a middle school a mile from my house, is as good as what I see on professional stages around town. Of course there's fantastic dancing in Joe's trademark rhythmic percussive style, but he's also assembled a really talented cast, most of them unknown to me, with impressive set design, all of which combines for an all around funny, engaging, and inspiring show. This story of the idealistic noble knight fighting injustice in the world is one that we always need to hear.

"Heaven" by Flying Foot Forum at Park Square Theatre

A dance musical about the Bosnian War? Why not! It may sound like a crazy idea, but in the hands of creators Joe Chvala (Artistic Director of theatrical dance company Flying Foot Forum) and Chan Poling (renowned local musician and composer of musicals such as History Theatre's smash hit Glensheen), it's a thing of beauty. The Bosnian War in the mid 1990s was a devastating event that resulted in the deaths of 100,000 people, many the result of ethnic cleansing. The devastation and horror, along with the beauty and culture of the people, is expressed through story, music, and movement in an incredibly moving way. I saw Heaven at the Guthrie's studio theater eight years ago and loved it, and I'm thrilled that Park Square Theatre has brought it back so that this story can live on and be shared with a wider audience. Combined with the excellent and sobering exhibit Genocide and Justice: From Nuremberg to the International Criminal Court by World Without Genocide, it makes for a really powerful evening that goes beyond theater. Even though the show is over two and a half hours long, I didn't want it to end.

"French Twist" by Flying Foot Forum at Park Square Theatre

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, Joe Chvala's percussive dance troupe Flying Foot Forum* has brought back their original dance musical French Twist. Now playing on Park Square Theatre's Andy Boss stage in the basement of the Historic Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul, it feels like a weird and magical dream of a barely remembered night in Paris. A series of thrilling and entertaining dances loosely tell the story (with very little dialogue) of a group of friends in a cafe called "Chez Jojo" (the proprietor played by Joe Chvala, natch). With vibrant costumes, a detailed and eclectic set design, a mix of live and recorded music (and film!), the wonderful ensemble of dancers/singers/musicians brings this dream of Paris to vivid life in what would be a perfect 90-minutes-no-intermission (if not for the early and unnecessary intermission). Escape the hot and steamy streets of St. Paul to the cool and fun world of French Twist (through July 15).

"H.M.S. Pinafore" by Mounds View Community Theatre at Irondale High School

Friends, support your local community theater! In the beautifully rich theater community that is #TCTheater, there is a ton of great work being done in high schools, community centers, churches, and other locations around the Twin Cities metro area. Most of which I don't get to see because I'm too busy seeing work by the 70+ professional theater companies. But lucky for me, my local community theater is Mounds View Community Theatre, which does a musical every summer. And lucky for all of us, the director of this year's selection, the delightfully silly Gilbert and Sullivan operetta H.M.S. Pinafore, is one of the Twin Cities' best director/choreographers Joe Chvala. I saw the show on their closing weekend and was absolutely delighted by it from start to finish. Joe Chvala's energetic and dynamic choreography combined with this amazingly talented and hard-working cast of "amateur" performers and designers, not to mention all the behind the scenes volunteers, adds up a whole lotta joy and rapture for this audience member.

"The Drowsy Chaperone" by Mounds View Community Theater at Irondale High School

Despite premiering on Broadway only ten years ago, The Drowsy Chaperone feels like a classic old-fashioned Broadway musical, and is in fact a celebration of the classic old-fashioned musical and the people who love it. My local community theater, Mounds View Community Theater, has chosen it for their summer production this year, and that choice has paid off. It's a charming show with a show-within-a-show format that allows for fun silly numbers and also commentary on the musical form, which is a perfect choice for community theater. Because who loves musicals more than community theaters, a group of people who volunteer their time to put together a show for their community because it's something they love to do and share? That joy and enthusiasm comes through in this well-cast and well-designed show.

"Cinderella" by Mounds View Community Theatre at Irondale High School

There are dozens of community theaters in the Twin Cities metro area performing at high schools and community centers. In this relatively quite summer theater season, I decided to check out my local community theater, which is Mounds View Community Theatre, now in their 31st season. I heard great things about their production of Les Miserables last year (which I missed, in part, because I knew I was going to see a spectacular production at BCT in the fall), so I was curious to check out their production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella this summer. Unfortunately the stormy weather interfered with my plan to bike to nearby Irondale High School, but it was still a fun thing to do on a summer afternoon. The show is quite charming and adorable with several standouts in the cast. Moral of the story: get out and support your local community theater!

The musical Cinderella is unique in that it was written for TV (originally airing live in 1957, starring Julie Andrews), and only arrived on the Broadway stage last year with a rewritten book (and starring Minnesota native Laura Osnes). It tells the familiar story of the poor, hard-working, good-hearted young woman who wins the love of the prince and escapes her unhappy home to live happily ever after. I'm too old and jaded to believe in fairy tales, but even I couldn't help but be caught up in the magic of the show. The set and costumes are bright and colorful, with two-dimensional pieces designed to look like Warner Brothers cartoons, which creates an appropriate fantasy-like world. The Cinderella dress transformation is done simply and effectively and creates a moment of awe and wonder. (Set design by Robin McIntyre and costume design by Cindy Forsgreen.)

Cinderella and her Prince
(Mari Holst and Mason Henderson)

As Cinderella, Mari Holst is truly the star of the show. She just shines onstage, with her beautiful voice and natural, charismatic stage presence (plus, I love a princess with short brown hair - take that Disney!). She's well-matched by Mason Henderson as Prince Christopher (really? Christopher?); they sound beautiful together. Other standouts in the cast include Haley Garland as the Fairy Godmother and Anissa Lubbers and Erika Sawyer as the very funny stepsisters. The ensemble does a fine job, and the littlest members of the cast are the most enthusiastic and fun to watch. And, as always, I was thrilled to see and hear a large live pit orchestra (ah, if only I hadn't given up the clarinet!).

It was fun to see so many kids in the audience. Community theater is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to expose children to theater at a young age, both as audience members and performers. If you're in the Mounds View area, go check out Cinderella, playing through July 27. If not, go see your local community theater. A couple of examples: Minnetonka Theatre is doing Mame and Spelling Bee (and they're also hosting Tony winner Karen Olivo, who now lives in Wisconsin, in an auditioning workshop), and Chaska Valley Family Theatre is doing the comedy Laughing Stock. Theater is everywhere - check your local paper or community bulletin board to find it.

"The Odd Couple" at Bloomington Civic Theatre

Neil Simon's 1965 play The Odd Couple is an American classic. How many Broadway plays are made into not just a movie, but also a TV sitcom? Everyone knows the story of the two bachelor friends Oscar and Felix living together despite the fact that they're complete opposites and drive each other crazy. Famous Oscar/Felix pairs you may remember include Walter Matthau and Art Carney from the original Broadway version, Matthau and Jack Lemmon from the movie, Jack Klugman and Tony Randall from the TV series, or even Pat Harrington and Tim Conway from a late '80s tour (which I saw, if only I could remember it!). Bloomington Civic Theatre presents another great Odd Couple team in Sam Landman and Wade A. Vaughn (truthfully, the only reason I made the 25 mile drive to see it). Along with the great supporting cast, they present a very funny and entertaining interpretation of a classic.

The play opens on a weekly poker game at newly divorced Oscar's messy eight-room NYC apartment. He and his colorful poker buddies (Dave Gangler, Eric Knutson, Joel Raney, and Ben Tallen, all distinctly hilarious) are worried when Felix doesn't show up. A phone call to his wife informs them that he hasn't been heard from since she threw him out the day before, when he vaguely hinted at suicide. When he finally does arrive, they tread gingerly around him and pretend they don't know what has happened, even though it's obvious he wants their attention and support. They finally give it to him, and Oscar invites Felix to stay with him until he gets back on his feet. Fast forward two weeks, and the boys have settled into their routine, which mainly involves Felix cooking and cleaning and badgering Oscar when he strays from the newly defined rules. Oscar decides it would be a good idea to double date with the Pigeon sisters (Dawn Brodey and Katie Willer, delightfully giggly and weepy in their mod dresses and go-go boots). Needless to say things don't go as planned, which leads to a falling out between Oscar and Felix. But the two friends, despite not being able to tolerate living together, are still supportive of each other as they navigate their new lives as divorced men.

Felix and Oscar
(Wade A. Vaughn and Sam Landman)

This really is genius casting by director David Mann, who I believe got the idea after seeing both Sam and Wade in their terrific one-man shows with Loudmouth Collective last year (Thom Pain and Cul-de-Sac, respectively). Sam's cigar-smoking, sarcastic, sloppy, gruff Oscar plays very well off of Wade's sensitive, fastidious, tidy, emotional Felix. It's hugely entertaining to watch the two of them together or with the rest of the cast, in some nicely choreographed poker party scenes. Add Neil Simon's fast and funny dialogue, and you have a great night at the theater.

The Odd Couple is virtually sold out for the rest of it's run through June 8, but you might be able to snag a few seats if you call the box office. While the play feels dated, especially in the depiction of the women, it's great fun, and it is a comfort to return to that familiar world of '60s movies/TV (aided by a very detailed set designed by Tamatha Miller and great period costumes by Cindy Forsgren). I've long been a fan of BCT's musicals, but they're doing great work on the play side as well. They have some great shows on the line-up for their 2014-2015 season, both plays and musicals, which may see me making that drive to Bloomington more often.