"Nobody, No Time" by Illusion Theater at Center for the Performing Arts

In History Theatre's new original musical Whoa, Nellie! this spring, I was introduced to the Black Vaudevillian Bert Williams, one of the most popular and successful performers of his time. And now he deservedly gets a show of his own, the new play with music Nobody, No Time (named after his most well-known song) written and directed by Illusion Theater's playwright-in-residence Carlyle Brown. It's a multi-layered story of a Black man from the Bahamas achieving huge success in early 20th Century America, while dealing with racism off-stage and leaning into racial stereotypes on-stage performing to White audiences. Set at the end of his life with flashback performances, the play gives us a full picture of the man and the artist. The talented cast brings Bert and his contemporaries to life, and perform over a dozen songs of the era. Head to Center for Performing Arts now through October 25 to experience this important part of entertainment history, of American history.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

A #TCTheater holiday* season really isn't complete without Penumbra Theatre's annual production of Black Nativity, the truest expression of a "joyful noise" I've ever seen. They've been doing this show in various incarnations for over 30 years, but this is only my fourth time seeing it. And it's been a few years, so I was overdue for this healing balm, especially necessary this year, with the world seemingly getting bleaker every day (and literally getting darker every day as we progress towards the Winter Solstice). The show is similar to what they've been doing the last several years, with a few changes in personnel. But it's always a source of joy and inspiration, lifting the spirits to face whatever darkness is to come as we leave the theater, just like Black churches have been doing for their congregations for centuries. Black Nativity continues through December 22.

"The Color Purple" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Alice Walker's beloved 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple is such an inspiring story, and one I've loved for a long time. It's had many successful adaptations - the 1985 Steven Spielberg movie, the 2005 stage musical adaptation, the 2015 Broadway revival, the recent movie musical (which is how I spent my Christmas Day last year). And now we have Theater Latte Da's version of the Broadway musical, a co-production with Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY. The visually stunning production features many fantastic performances, and all of the emotional highs and lows of this epic American story. See it at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis now through May 5, and #bringtissues.

"Handprints" at History Theatre

Greta Oglesby has been a mainstay in #TCTheater for some 20 years, appearing on stages all over town. But now, for the first time, she's telling her own story. In a project that was first developed with Ten Thousand Things (who produced a film version of it), Greta shares all of the people who shaped her and made her into the person and artist she is today. It's a funny, touching, relatable a story, that reminds us of the people in our lives who teach us things that we carry with us all of our lives, like handprints on our hearts. I loved getting some insight into this artist I've long admired from afar, and learn about what brought her to this place. With music, puppets, and imagery, Greta brings us all on the journey with her. Handprints continues at the History Theatre in downtown St. Paul through February 18.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

Another holiday* tradition is back this year - Penumbra Theatre's joyful production of Langston Hughes' Black Nativity. They've been doing this show for over 30 years now, and this version is very similar to what I saw three years ago. It's a wonderful tradition that fills the soul; recommended if you've never seen it before, or if you've seen it a dozen times. Continuing through Christmas Eve at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

There truly is no better place to experience the "joyful noise" of the holiday* season than at Penumbra Theatre's annual production of Black Nativity. Despite it being a 30+ year #TCTheater holiday institution, this is only my second time seeing the show. If you've never seen it before, you need to add it to your holiday theater rotation to experience the pure joy radiating from the stage. And if you have seen it before, you know just how heart-warming and life-affirming it is. This 80-minute theater/ music/ dance/ poetry experience continues through December 23, so there's plenty of time to get to St. Paul.

"The Wiz" at the Children's Theatre, a co-production with Penumbra Theatre

"Combining CTC's critical literacy work and Penumbra's racial justice work allows us to forge something together that neither could do alone." These words in the playbill of The Wiz, the first collaboration between these two acclaimed #TCTheater companies, brought tears to my eyes before the show even started. Especially after wading through a sea of children of all shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds. In an increasingly divided world, Penumbra (one of the longest-running and most acclaimed African American theater companies in the nation) and Children's Theatre (ditto for children's theater) give me hope, as individual companies and especially in this collaboration in which an all-black cast tells a story of a young black woman who discovers her own power through the help of friends. They give me hope that maybe we can overcome our seemingly insurmountable differences and join together in song and awesome dance to solve our problems. It's possible, right? Can't you feel a brand new day? Indeed I can.

"Fiddler on the Roof" by Ten Thousand Things at Augsburg College

It never fails. Whenever I go to see a Ten Thousand Things show, the storytelling is so clear it's as if I'm truly seeing it for the first time, even if it's a piece I've seen one or many times before. In their signature bare bones theater style, they've cut out all the fluff from the beloved musical Fiddler on the Roof (and let's face it, there's a lot of fluff in this show that often feels too long) to get right to the heart of the story. Even though I've seen the show twice in recent years (at the Chanhassen and Artistry), I've never been so caught up in and felt so deeply the story of one man's struggle with holding to his traditions, while still loving his family as they begin to change and grow out of those traditions. The brilliant Steve Epp makes Tevye so real and human, and along with the other eight members of this terrific ensemble playing multiple characters, makes the world of Anatevka palpably real and somehow modern, despite still being anchored in time and space. Because 50 years after it was written, this story about a family of refugees fleeing persecution and violence in their beloved homeland to find safety in America is as timely as ever. Fiddler on the Roof continues through March 19 at various locations and it is a must see.

Fringe Festival 2016: "Twice"

Day: 11

Show: 54 (encore)

Title: Twice

Category: Drama

By: Its Time Productions

Written by: Chris Andersen and Lee Lawing

Location: The Playwrights' Center

Summary: Three pairs of plays by two playwrights explore the same situations and themes in different but complementary ways.

Highlights: My 54th and final show of the Minnesota Fringe Festival was the encore performance of Twice, which sold out its entire run at The Playwrights' Center. I can see why. These six short plays, each of which could stand on its own as a fully defined situation and characters, together form a more complete picture around the themes of family, relationships, endings, beginnings, death, and hope. "A customer walks into a record store" becomes two young men (Reid Emmons and Jacob Mierva) flirting, or two older men (Peter Vitale and Dennis Spears) flirting. "People gather in a church during a downpour" becomes three church ladies (Janet Hanson, Annette Cummings, and Jane Zilch) planning a party and gossiping,* or a stranger comforting a grieving mother. "A son sits with his dying father" becomes an imagined last conversation, or an urgent flight home. It's a fascinating idea for a playwriting experiment that turned into one really well-written, -directed (Audrey Stottler), and -acted piece of theater. And an excellent conclusion to an excellent 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

Friends, it's been a rough week. With devastating news here at home (the Children's Theatre lawsuit) and around the country (yet another senseless and horrific mass shooting, this time in San Bernadino, CA), on top of all the other painful things we've been dealing with lately, it's almost more than anyone can take. It was under this cloud that I saw Penumbra Theatre's annual production of Black Nativity for the first time. Yes, even though this is their 28th year, I've never seen Black Nativity before. I'm not sure how that happened, but this was the perfect time to first experience this truly joyful celebration. The story, the music, the dancing, the feeling of joy and faith and togetherness in that room, was a balm to my soul and did much to restore my faith in humanity. Maybe in times like this, the first and best response is to "be the light," and let that light lead us into appropriate action to heal the wounds of society and prevent things like what happened this week from happening again (and again and again) in the future.

"Romeo and Juliet" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

No one does Shakespeare like Ten Thousand Things. They manage to boil the text down to its bare essentials, and convey the heart of the story in a way that feels fresh and modern. This season they bring their unique Shakespeare style to perhaps his most well-know play, the story of star-crossed lovers that inspired all others, Romeo and Juliet. In the typically minimalist production (since TTT performs on location at prisons, homeless shelters, and community centers, the paid public performances are also in a small, fully lit room with little in the way of sets and costumes), director Peter Rothstein and his fantastic cast of eight playing multiple characters bring this familiar story to life in a unique way.

You all know the story so I won't recount it here. Several scenes stand out in this production. The party scene where Romeo and Juliet first meet is nicely done in the small space, with the cast dancing around the audience. The balcony scene is sweet and charming (how do you create a small and easily portable balcony? with a chair on top of a table). The fight scenes are dynamic (choreographed by Annie Enneking), made all the more real because of the close proximity and the perceived danger of an injured party falling into the front row of the audience. The final death scene is beautiful and heartbreaking.

the famous balcony scene
(Anna Sundberg and Namir Smallwood)

As the titular lovers, Namir Smallwood and Anna Sundberg are a compelling pair. Namir gives Romeo a passion and single-mindedness in being with his love, and Anna portrays Juliet as a modern young woman, speaking the Shakespearean language naturally. Six other actors portray all of the characters necessary in this stripped down version. Regina Marie Williams is Juliet's somewhat flighty mother, in contrast to her portrayal of the stern-faced Prince. Bob Davis expresses Juliet's father's love for her, and frustration when she doesn't do his bidding. Karen Wiese-Thompson is entertaining as always as the comic relief nurse, the apothecary, and a mustachioed servant. Dennis Spears is always interesting to watch, and here plays the helpful Friar and Juliet's slain kinsman. David Darrow makes his TTT debut, nicely differentiating the young rebel Mercutio from the nerdy Paris (both with great death scenes). Kurt Kwan is Romeo's sturdy friend Benvolio and a blustering servant.

As always, Peter Vitale has created a soundtrack that sets the mood for the story, whether a party scene or a fight, with help from Jason Hansen on multiple instruments. Boxy black and metal stools and tables are the only set pieces, cleverly arranged as mentioned above to create the balcony, as well as Juliet's bed and tomb (designed by Erica Zaffarano). Trevor Bowen's costumes are modern yet classic, with touches of red for the Capulets and purple for the Montagues, with lovely youthful dresses over leggings for Juliet.

Every time I see Romeo and Juliet I think, why doesn't Juliet just run away with Romeo when he's banished? Why doesn't the stupid Friar get the message to Romeo? Why doesn't Romeo wait a moment longer before taking the poison? But to great frustration, it never changes. Another thing that never changes is Ten Thousand Things' high quality budget productions. The absence of the usual bells and whistles of theater allows the acting and the story to shine.

Romeo and Juliet plays through November 2 at Open Book and the MN Opera Center. With a loyal audience and small performance spaces, shows have a tendency to sell out, so you'll want to order tickets in advance.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"The Music Man" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

"There were bells on the hill, but I never heard them ringing, no I never heard them at all, 'till there was you." So sings Marian the librarian in the classic musical The Music Man when Professor Harold Hill comes into her life and her town, bringing music and community and hope along with him. And this is how I feel about The Music Man after seeing Ten Thousand Things' production. Even though I saw it on stage once before and am very familiar with the movie, I never realized what it was really about until Ten Thousand Things stripped away all of the unnecessary fluff to reveal the true heart of the piece. I was lucky enough to attend a dress rehearsal a few weeks ago, and saw the full production last night (although there was very little difference except that the audience was larger). TTT applies their usual bare bones, straight-to-the-heart-of-the-matter style of theater to the classic musical about a con man salesman and the small Iowa town forever changed by his visit, and it is, in a word, spellbinding. This ensemble of wonderful actors led by Luverne Seifert cast their spell over me just as Professor Harold Hill cast his spell over the people of River City. I've seen a dozen Ten Thousand Things shows over the last several years and love everything they do, but this show is my favorite. So utterly charming, delightful, sweet, funny, and moving, it's a perfectly executed concept.

Marian the librarian and Professor Hill
(Aimee Bryant and Luverne Seifert)

Luverne Seifert is an absolute charmer as Professor Hill, as he easily wins over the town with his smooth-talking ways, and stern Marian the librarian a little less easily. I knew Luverne was a comic genius and the best kind of clown, but I have to say, I fell in love with him a little in this performance. He's a true romantic leading man, a role I've never seen him in before. He shares great chemistry with Aimee Bryant, who conveys Marian's strength of character and longing for something more, and lends her lovely voice to such songs as "Goodnight My Someone." Dennis Spears is a delight as her mother (in a great example of TTT's color- and gender-blind casting, an African American man plays an Irish woman). Recently crowned Ivey Emerging Artist Ricardo Vasquez plays Marian's little brother Winthrop (whose lisp was made famous by little Ronnie Howard). Ricardo completely transforms into a ten-year-old boy, and not just any ten-year-old boy, but a sad, lost, troubled ten-year-old boy. When he begins to open up thanks to music and the band and friendship, it's a thing of beauty. Rounding out the cast as salesmen, townspeople, school board members, and dancing ladies are Bradley Greenwald, literally waving his tail feathers as the mayor's wife; Jim Lichtsheidl, especially funny as the blustering idiot of a mayor (Bradley and Jim work so well together they should always play a married couple!); Sarah Agnew as the Professor's Shipoopi buddy and a fawning teenage girl (ee gads!); and Kimberly Richardson, charming in the piano lesson scene as the breathy little girl with a crush on Winthrop.

Luverne Seifert and the cast of The Music Man

The wonderful thing about musicals as performed by Ten Thousand Things is that because it's quite stripped down (just a two-person band in this case - Jake Endres on keyboard and Peter Vitale on a myriad of instruments), the music feels very organic to the characters and story. Unlike typical musicals in which there's a clear differentiation between full-blown musical numbers and straight dialogue, the actors flow naturally back and forth between speaking and singing, with the band subtly coming in to support them. The Music Man is a good choice for this sort of style, with it's rhythmic talky songs. The fast and lyric-heavy opening number on the train* ("you gotta know the territory!") is extremely well-done by the cast, as is "Ya Got Trouble," and everything with the barbershop quartet and gossiping ladies - the same four actors switching back and forth, often within the same scene! But my favorite moment is the most famous song in the show. How do you create the sound of 76 trombones with just two musicians? You don't even try, you do it as a soft, gentle, reverent plea. In the dress rehearsal I was sitting a few feet from Luverne and could see the awe and wonder in his eyes as he softly spoke of this marvelous band, and I fell completely under his spell as much as the townspeople did. The speaking eventually becomes singing, with the musicians chiming in as it grows into the familiar big band song.

The sparse set (by Joel Sass) and costumes (by Mary Anna Culligan) are so charming and effective. Each of the four corners of the square that is the Ten Thousand Things stage holds a weathered white post on which various signs are hung to represent the billiard hall, the Peroo home, the Wells Fargo Wagon, or the city gymnasium. Costumes are of a pale muted hue one night wear in the hot Iowa summer, and provide a great base for accessories to differentiate characters. In the blink of an eye, the actors change hats or add a shawl and transform into someone else entirely.

There's a reason The Music Man is such a classic. It's a beautiful story about the power of music, storytelling, family, friendship, community, and having a common goal. Professor Hill gives River City hope and something to strive for, and Marian's love and faith in him help him become the man that she thinks he is. With direction by Lear deBessonet and choreography by Jim Lichtsheidl, this is a wonderfully unique and delightful interpretation of this familiar story. Ten Thousand Things productions are always extremely professional, yet retain a playfulness and laid back feeling that draw the audience in, whether that audience is comprised of prisoners or seasoned theater-goers. Only five public performances remain and they're entirely sold out, but they do sell a limited number of 4th row seats at the door (yes, 4th row are the "bad seats" in this intimate staging). If you don't already have tickets, I highly recommend you show up and take a chance on these seats. This is a show not to be missed!




*I once saw Bradley Greenwald perform the opening number by himself, and it was quite impressive!

A Dress Rehearsal of Ten Thousand Things "The Music Man"

Friends, I experienced a rare treat last week. I attended the final dress rehearsal for Ten Thousand Things' new show, The Music Man, and it was scrumptious! They posted an open invitation on their Facebook page so I was sure the seats would be filled. That was not the case; only about ten people took advantage of the opportunity to see some free, live, excellent theater. In a cold church basement in Minneapolis, where the cast and crew outnumbered the audience, I witnessed TTT's usual bare bones, straight-to-the-heart-of-the-matter style of theater as applied to the classic musical about a con man salesman and the small Iowa town forever changed by his visit. In one word, it was spellbinding. This ensemble of wonderful actors led by Luverne Seifert cast their spell over me just as Professor Harold Hill cast his spell over the people of River City. And this was just a dress rehearsal! It was already nearly flawless (and the rare miscue only added more entertainment value in the hands of these professionals), so I can only imagine that the full production (running Feb. 14 through Mar. 9 at Open Book) will be a thing to behold.

Luverne Seifert is an absolute charmer as Professor Hill, as he easily wins over the town with his smooth-talking, and stern Marian the librarian a little less easily. Aimee Bryant conveys Marian's strength of character and longing for something more, and lends her lovely voice to such songs as "Goodnight My Someone." Dennis Spears is a delight as her mother (in a great example of TTT's color- and gender-blind casting, an African American man plays an Irish woman). Recently crowned Ivey Emerging Artist Ricardo Vasquez plays Marian's little brother Winthrop (whose lisp was made famous by little Ronnie Howard). Ricardo completely transforms into a ten-year-old boy, and not just any ten-year-old boy, but a sad, lost, troubled ten-year-old boy. When he begins to open up thanks to music and the band and friendship, it's a thing of beauty. Rounding out the cast as salesmen, townspeople, school board members, and dancing ladies are the very entertaining Bradley Greenwald, Jim Lichtsheidl, Sarah Agnew, and Kimberly Richardson.

The wonderful thing about musicals as performed by Ten Thousand Things is that because it's quite stripped down (just a two-person band in this case - Jake Endres on keyboard and Peter Vitale on a myriad of instruments), the music feels very organic to the characters and story. Unlike typical musicals in which there's a clear differentiation between full-blown musical numbers and straight dialogue, the actors flow naturally back and forth between speaking and singing, with the band subtly coming in to support them. The Music Man is a good choice for this sort of style, with it's rhythmic talky songs. The fast and lyric-heavy opening number on the train* ("you gotta know the territory!") is extremely well-done by the cast, as is "Ya Got Trouble," and everything with the barbershop quartet and gossiping ladies - the same four actors switching back and forth, often within the same scene! But my favorite moment is the most famous song in the show. How do you create the sound of 76 trombones with just two musicians? You don't even try, you do it as a soft, gentle, reverent plea. I was sitting a few feet from Luverne and could see the awe and wonder in his eyes as he softly spoke of this marvelous band, and I fell completely under his spell as much as the townspeople did. The speaking eventually becomes singing, with the musicians chiming in as it grows into the familiar big band song.

There's a reason The Music Man is such a classic. It's a beautiful story about the power of music, storytelling, family, friendship, community, and having a common goal. Professor Hill gives River City hope and something to strive for, and Marian's love and faith in him helps him become the man that she thinks he is. With direction by Lear deBessonet and choreography by Jim Lichtsheidl, this is a wonderfully unique and delightful interpretation of this familiar story. Ten Thousand Things productions are always extremely professional, yet retain a playfulness and laid back feeling that draw the audience in, whether that audience is prisoners or seasoned theater-goers. Mere words cannot express how much I love this show, and look forward to seeing it again at Open Book. It's playful and funny, sweet and touching. I'll be back to update after seeing the final version in a few weeks. In the meantime, reserve your seats for one of the three performances that are not sold out. Trust me, you are not going to want to miss this one!


*I once saw Bradley Greenwald perform the opening number by himself, and it was quite impressive!

"Love & Marriage: What A Difference A Year Makes!" at Illusion Theater

What a difference a year makes! Last year at about this time, Minnesota was preparing to vote on an amendment that would constitutionalize marriage as between one man and one woman, excluding many of our population from the rights and benefits legal marriage carries with it. Illusion Theater participated in this debate by presenting a charming musical review show, created by Roberta Carlson and Michael Robins, that featured interviews with real-life couples. One year later, the amendment in question has been voted down by the people of Minnesota, and earlier this year our governor Mark Dayton signed marriage equality into law. Illusion is responding to this new development by presenting a sequel: Love & Marriage: What A Difference A Year Makes! It's similar to last year's show, but with some cast changes, many new songs, and a few follow-up interviews with the couples. As charming and entertaining as last year, but with a decidedly more celebratory air because, as they sing, "love is the law!"

While the music and the singers are fantastic, at the heart of this show are the interviews with many different couples - old and young, gay and straight, new love and established love, famous (to a MN theater geek like me) and not. They talk about all phases of a relationship, interspersed with songs from the cast that reflect the sentiment. From exciting new love ("Every Little Thing He Does," "How Will I Know") to to break-ups ("Rolling in the Deep," "Somebody I Used to Know") and everything in between. Performing these songs are six professional singer/actors and five talented young people who fill out the chorus and have a few star moments of their own. The professional cast includes an exuberant Neal Beckman, Teri Parker-Brown (singing a beautiful version of one of my favorite songs "I Can't Make You Love Me"), the powerful-voiced Rachel Hurst (with, I assume, her daughter Kennadi, proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree), the adorable Aeysha Kinnunen (a scene stealer as Lydia in Pride and Prejudice at the Guthrie this summer), Randy Schmeling (a voice I always love to hear), and the super-smooth Dennis Spears. Gary Q. Lewis has choreographed some simple dance moves that enhance the performance.

Love & Marriage: What A Difference A Year Makes continues at the Illusion Theater through October 20. It deserves a bigger audience than the one that was there the Thursday night I attended, because it's a fun, charming, touching, beautiful look at the many different kinds of couples and relationships, who are really the same when you get right down to the important things. Not at all preachy, just sweet and funny and real.

the cast of Love & Marriage

"Spunk" at Penumbra Theatre

Great news, my theater-loving friends - Penumbra is back!! One of the nation's top African-American theater companies (they've produced more August Wilson plays than anyone else), which also happens to be one of the Twin Cities best theaters, closed their doors last fall due to a financial crisis. After some serious fundraising and support from over 1400 individuals, corporations, and foundations, they've been able to resume their business of telling good stories well. First up: Spunk, an adaptation of three short stories by Zora Neale Hurston (most famous for writing the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God). The three stories are woven together by music, in the key of the blues. The incomparable Jevetta Steele is the singing storyteller, accompanied by the smooth Dennis Spears as the guitar man. They narrate the stories as the four "folk" act them out. It's a mostly happy, uplifting, celebratory show, but with a little bit of the heartbreak of the hard-working African-American communities Hurston brought to life in her work. One of the pieces takes place in Harlem, the other two in the hot Florida summer, and the heat coming off the stage almost makes one forget that winter still has its hold on us here in the frozen Midwest.

the happy (?) couple (Austene Van and Keith Jamal Downing)

The first story is the darkest - a washerwoman (the busy and talented Austene Van) with a snake of a husband (an imposing Keith Jamal Downing), until his bad karma comes back to bite him (literally). The second story is the lightest - two pimps (i.e., gigolos, hilariously played by T. Mychael Rambo and Mikell Sapp in bright-colored pin-striped suits) vie for the attention of a fancy lady who wants nothing to do with them. The last story is both hard and hopeful - a seemingly happy couple hits a road block and then tries to make their way back to each other. Austene and Keith again play the couple, and their journey from sweetness and love, to distance, to tentative connection is a pleasure to watch.

Jevetta Steel espeaks the blues

The original music (by Chic Street Man, from the original 1989 production) is as integral to Spunk as its characters. The narrators sing between and during the stories (I particularly enjoyed a playful duet between scenes), and the characters also sing for themselves. I wouldn't call it a musical, but the music comes out of the emotions of the scene in an organic way. There isn't really structured dancing, but there's a definite sense of movement with the music and emotions (Patdro Harris directs and choreographs). The costumes (by Amanda McGee) are fun and colorful (Jevetta steals the show in purple layers and fur). The multi-leveled rustic set (by C. Lance Brockman) makes clever use of the space.

Spunk is a great comeback for Penumbra. Fun, playful, real, with great music and a lot of heart. If you've never visited their lovely space in St. Paul, I highly recommend you check it out, starting with this show. Spunk plays now through April 7 - exchange your winter blues for a much more satisfying kind of blues.

"Love & Marriage" at Illusion Theater

Love and marriage
Love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage!

Love and marriage are so much a part of our culture; "you can't have one without the other," says the song. But the reality is that marriage is an exclusive club in our country, one that not everyone can join, despite how valued it is in our society. The issue of marriage equality is in the forefront right now, and Illusion Theater's new musical review, appropriately titled Love & Marriage, brings the issue to light with warmth, humor, music, and stories of over a dozen diverse real life couples. It's a fun and heartwarming celebration of love.

Eight fabulous local actor/singers bring this music to life, accompanied by Roberta Carlson on piano, who created the show with Illusion's Artistic Director Michael Robins. The song list includes classic American love songs, musical theater standards, and current pop songs (or as I call them, Glee songs). Also included are a few original songs by Roberta that fit right into the lexicon of American love songs. Interspersed with the musical numbers are clips of interviews with real-life couples of all sorts - straight, gay, and lesbian. They tell their "meet cute" stories, and continue on as the show progresses to their stories of committing to each other, going through hard times, and making their relationship last. Featured couples include local celebrities such as Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak and his wife Megan, talented actor and singer Bradley Greenwald and his partner John, and recent Ivey Award winner Isabel Nelson and her husband (and Transatlantic Love Affair co-founder) Diogo (and now I finally understand where they got the name of their theater company). Their stories are touching, funny, and inspiring.

Highlights from the talented cast include:

• Rising local talent Cat Brindisi sings a lovely rendition of the wistful "When I Fall in Love" and the bubbly ode to fairy tales "Happily Ever After" (Cat was last seen as Wendla in Spring Awakening, and will next be seen as Princess Amneris in Aida).
• Adara Bryan was in the ensemble of one of my favorite shows of the year, Park Square's Ragtime, and it's nice to see her gorgeous voice featured here, including on the Beatles' classic "In My Life" and a duet of "Truly, Madly, Deeply" with Cat.
• Reid Harmsen duets with Cat on one of the most charming numbers of the show, (I think I wanna) "Marry You," and with Dennis on "Wouldn't it Be Nice," as well as taking part in several other numbers (see below).
• Unlike most of the other performers, I've ever seen Rachel Hurst before, but she impressed on a powerful duet of "Don't Know Much," among others.
• Broadway vet Melissa Hart, who has made Minnesota her home, appropriately covers most of the musical theater selections, including Rodgers and Hammerstein's hopeful "It Might as Well be Spring," and the decidedly darker "Could I Leave You?" from Sondheim's Follies (which I was fortunate to see on Broadway last year).
• The other cast member I'd never seen before is Charles Johnson, and I was instantly mesmerized by his effortlessly smooth voice on such songs as "All in Love is Fair" and the aforementioned duet of "Don't Know Much."
• It's always fun to see one of my longtime faves, Randy Schmeling, here singing a couple of duets and taking the lead on "I Won't Give Up" (one of those Glee songs I mentioned).
• The dynamic Dennis Spears played Nat King Cole last year in Penumbra Theater's I Wish You Love. But I don't think Nat had moves like Dennis' in "We'll Be Together," or played the tambourine so energetically and seriously as Dennis did in the final number!

My favorite group numbers include a Sondheim song I'd never heard, "Loving You," a typically amazing Sondheim song brought to life in the beautiful harmonies of Adara, Randy, Cat, and Reid, and another Sondheim song that is quite literally about marriage, "The Little Things You Do Together" (from Company, which I will see tonight!). The cast sings and performs beautifully as a group, in pairs, and individually.

Love & Marriage is a fun and entertaining evening of music that personalizes the topic of marriage equality by sharing the true stories of real people in our community. On November 6, my beloved home state of Minnesota will vote on a constitutional amendment that limits the definition of marriage to one man and one woman. I don't know how anyone can see this show and witness the love of all of these couples, and still vote yes on this amedment. Through music and real stories, we see the equality and validity of all kinds of love. I plan to VOTE NO on the marriage amendment (and the voter ID amendment, see my thoughts on Appomattox for more about that). Will you join me?

the live cast of Love & Marriage in front of the screen
showing taped interview pieces

"I Wish You Love" at Penumbra Theatre

It's not often that you get a second chance to see a production you missed.  Every year at the Ivey Awards I'm presented with several wonderful productions and performances that I didn't see.  I always wish they'd bring back the productions so I could have another chance to see them, and this year my wish came true!  Dennis Spears won an Ivey for his performance as Nat King Cole in I Wish You Love by Penumbra Theatre earlier this year, and after touring with the show in Washington DC and Connecticut, they brought it home to their St. Paul theater for another run (now through Dec. 18).  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see it.  Not just for Dennis' award-worthy performance, but also because it's another quality, thought-provoking, moving production by Penumbra.  I was lucky enough to attend on a day when there was a post-show discussion led by Education Director Sarah Bellamy, which was, as always, enlightening and illuminating about the topics surrounding the show (if you ever get a chance to go to a talk-back at Penumbra, take it).  The more I see of Penumbra, the more I love them.  Like me, they believe that theater is more than just entertainment.  Theater has the power to start conversations and change the way we view the world.

I Wish You Love is a Penumbra original; written by Dominic Taylor, head of Penumbra's new play development program, and directed by Artistic Director Lou Bellamy, it premiered at Penumbra earlier this year.  The play is a fictionalized account of Nat King Cole's 1957-1958 TV variety show, the first hosted by an African American.  The sponsors were skittish, and Cole ended up putting his own money into the show to keep it on the air.  The play branches off from that and shows us the racism behind the scenes of the show; the network and sponsors didn't want any of the black band members to appear on camera, and Nat received death threats.  The network insisted he go on a national tour to prove his national popularity, ending in his birthplace of Alabama (he grew up in Chicago).  This was during the height of the Civil Rights movement and the violence surrounding it.  Nat and his band were caught up in the violence, which brought a whole new reality to what they were seeing on the news every night.

The scenes in the play cover rehearsals, breaks, and the TV show itself.  Video images are beautifully and effectively woven into the live action on the stage.  When the show goes live, a camera in the back of the theater videotapes what's going on onstage, which is simultaneously broadcast on several black and white TVs hanging over the stage.  It feels like we're at a live taping of "The Nat King Cole Show," complete with "Applause" signs and vintage commercials that come on during the breaks.  We also get news reports of the growing violence in the South and see real news footage projected onto the screens.  It's quite a contrast between the smooth, pretty music in the TV studio and people being beaten on the streets in the news footage.

I'm not that familiar with Nat's music (other than his Christmas album and his posthumous duet with his daughter Natalie), but I've been watching some videos of him on youtube, and Dennis Spears seems to have captured his mannerisms, his voice, and his spirit.  You see two Nat King Coles in I Wish You Love - the smiling public face, and the behind the scenes real man who is frustrated with the sponsors and the network.  As soon as the countdown to live TV begins (five, four, three, two....), Nat puts on his million dollar smile and speaks to the camera, and to his audience watching at home.  And then he sings in that familiar velvet voice (musical direction by Sanford Moore).  As soon as the cameras are turned off, reality sets in and he lights up a cigarette (Nat died of lung cancer at the age of 45) as he interacts with his band or the producer.  Nat's band members (inspired by his real life trio) are played by the always great Kevin D. West as the bass player and long-time friend of Nat's, and newcomer to the Twin Cities theater scene Eric Berryman as the young guitar player Nat takes under his wing.  We learn more about Nat and his life and goals through the stories, jokes, and pain he shares with his friends.  The show's producer, who does the best he can for Nat within the restrictions placed upon him, is played by Michael Tezla (my co-star from A Serious Man).

In what turned out to be a fascinating and completely unplanned but somehow serendipitous pairing of theater, I saw the Chanhassen's production of Hairspray the same weekend that I saw I Wish You Love.  Both shows are set in a similar time period and deal with segregation.  Both explore the use of TV and music to help break down the barriers between the races, but in very different ways.  Hairspray is a fairly simplified version of events, in which everyone ends up happily and peacefully dancing together, and it's a white girl who leads the way.  I Wish You Love is a much more realistic view (we see several violent images that are hard to look at) of the struggles of African Americans that continue to this day.  There is no happy ending for Nat King Cole, just continued struggle, and progress mixed with setbacks.  Both shows deal with an important and unpleasant part of our history that really wasn't all that long ago.  I found that they complemented each other nicely, one a "fairy tale," and one a very real tale of one man trying to make a difference just by his very presence in American living rooms across the country through the power of television.

"Two Trains Running" at Penumbra Theatre

I saw my first August Wilson play earlier this year, Penumbra Theatre's production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Guthrie.  I was so affected by it that I now have a goal to see all of the plays in Wilson's ten-play cycle, each one covering the African American experience in a different decade in the 20th century.  Lucky for me I live here, where the Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul has produced more August Wilson plays than any other theater in the country.  So it's pretty likely that I'll meet my goal in the next ten years or so.

Ma Rainey is set in the 1920s, and Two Trains Running is set in the 1960s.  It has a little more of a happy ending that what I remember from Ma Rainey, which has a pretty bleak outlook.  This play takes place in a fading restaurant in Pittsburgh in 1969.  The city wants to buy it from the owner, Memphis, and he's determined to set his own price.  The play's characters are the locals who frequent the restaurant (played by many of the same actors I saw in Ma Rainey).  They play the numbers in hopes of a way out, drink coffee, argue with each other, and visit "Aunt Edna," a woman who claims she's over 300 years old and can predict the future.

James Craven (who still sounds like Tommy Lee Jones) is Memphis and has a couple of great moments, including a drunken celebratory scene.  Memphis' land was taken away from him in the South, so he moved north to make a better life for himself.  He has, but still thinks about going home.  Crystal Fox, the only woman in the cast, plays the unappreciated waitress Risa.  She drags her heels slowly around the stage, pouring coffee, wiping down tables, and refilling the sugar.  Her weariness with life is evident in every word, expression, and movement, until she finds something to hope for.  Namely, the newcomer Sterling (James T. Alfred), who's just been released from prison and is restlessly looking for a job or something to occupy his time and energy.  Wolf (Kevin D. West) uses the restaurant as an office for his business running numbers and tries to get Risa's attention, but she's not interested.  West (Dennis W. Spears) is the rich man in town who owns the funeral home as well as many businesses, and has been trying to buy Memphis out for years.  Abdul Salaam El Razzac is the regular Holloway, who seems like he's been coming in, sitting at the same table, and eating the same food for years.  And then there's the man called Hambone because every day for ten years he demands the ham that was promised him in payment, and never gets it.  Ahanti Young, who was so great as Ma Rainey's stuttering nephew, again plays someone who doesn't quite fit in with such tenderness and dignity.  All of these characters are so beautifully created and lived in by these actors.  The set looked real and lived in too; I wanted to pull up a chair and order some macaroni and cheese.  By the end of the play, Memphis gets his price, Sterling and Risa attend a rally for Malcolm X, and Hambone gets his ham.  Things are changing, the neighborhood is dying, but there's hope for the future.

Although I've seen a few Penumbra productions at the Guthrie, this was my first time at their theater near Selby and Dale in St. Paul.  It's a great space (it feels fresh and modern with great artwork on the walls) in a great location (close to the freeway with lots of nearby restaurants).  Here's an easy equation to remember: August Wilson + Penumbra Theatre = great theater not to be missed.  I look forward to the next one.

"Life's A Dream" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

I attended my first Ten Thousand Things production, My Fair Lady, earlier this year. I've been hearing about them for years, but just hadn't gotten to a show. After that first show, I was hooked, and bought a season pass for this year. If you've never seen a TTT production, it may be a bit jarring at first. They perform in an open room with almost no set, simple costumes, and full lights. The actors look you in the eye as they deliver their lines a few feet in front of you. The reason they perform like this is because their main focus is to bring theater to people who don't usually have the opportunity to go to the theater - people in prisons, homeless shelters, and treatment centers, for example. "Because theater is richer when EVERYONE is in the audience." For those of us fortunate enough to be in the position to go to the theater, they also hold public paid performances, but they perform in the same style as they do for their less fortunate audiences. It's theater unlike I've ever experienced it before. With no distractions, it's all about the acting and the piece. And they use some of the best actors in the community (and apparently also draw some of the best actors to the audience: I spotted Sarah Agnew from 39 Steps at the Guthrie across the aisle from me!).

But on to the show at hand: Life's a Dream. With mistaken identities, women dressing as men, kings and princes, prophesies from the stars, and swordfights, it felt a little like a Shakespeare play. It was written around the same time, although not by Shakespeare, but by Spanish playwright Pedro Calderon de la Barca. King Basilio of Poland receives a prophesy before his son is born that he will cause destruction to the land. When Sigismund is born, Basilio has him imprisoned in a tower, where he grows up and lives his life, never knowing who he is. When it comes time for Basilio to name an heir, he decides to give his son a chance to defy fate. He is brought to the palace unconscious and given one day to prove himself a worthy king. If not, Basilio will take him back to the tower, where he will wake up and be told it was all a dream. From which comes the central theme of the show: Is life a dream? And if so, what should we do with that dream, when we know it could be over at any moment?

The cast is wonderful. Dennis Spears plays King Basilio as an elegant and powerful man anyone would gladly follow. Namir Smallwood is his son Sigismund and makes you feel every bit of his torment, rage, and hope. Elise Langer is the comic relief as Clarion the clown, and Maggie Chestovich is Rosaura, the scorned woman who goes on a quest to win (or kill) her love and find her father. She's a spitfire who wields a sword and wears a pretty party dress (check out Maggie's blog to find out more about the places they've performed the show).

The next TTT show is Doubt starring Kris Nelson and Sally Wingert - the Meryl Streep of the Minneapolis/St. Paul theater scene, fresh off of her Broadway debut in La Bete. A must see in my book, as is the last show of the season, Man of LaMancha. If you want to see theater in its purest form, unencumbered by elaborate sets, fancy costumes, or dramatic lighting, go see a Ten Thousand Things show. If you believe in the power of theater to change the world, or at least to make one person's life a little better, support Ten Thousand Things in the work that they do.

Life’s brief
So let us dream.
Let’s all remember
that we must wake up when we least expect it.



Celebrity Sighting
I saw Sarah Agnew sitting in the audience across the aisle from me, watching the play.  She's currently appearing in the uproarious 39 Steps at the Guthrie, where she was doing two shows that day.  In between shows she ran across Washington to take in a little theater.  I ran into her at the bathroom and couldn't resist telling her how much I loved the show, and that I didn't know how the cast didn't crack themselves up every night.  She said they did!