"Doubt: A Parable" at Theatre in the Round

To open their historic 71st season, Theatre in the Round is presenting the 2005 Tony-winning best play Doubt: A Parable. In roughly 90 minutes, the intense and tautly written play explores ideas of faith, doubt, gender, race, class, sexual abuse, and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that allowed such abuses to continue. Presented in a series of mostly two-person scenes, expertly written and well performed by this cast, the play is not so much about whether the accused is innocent or guilty, but about how we as humans deal with the doubt and uncertainty that exists in many areas of life. Doubt is truly a parable that can be applied to so many situations (especially today with so many sources of "truth" flying at us), with no clear answers, leaving the audience feeling a bit unsettled. 

"Doubt" by New Epic Theater at the Lab Theater

Friends, I know that there are a lot of theater companies in the Twin Cities, so many that it's hard to keep track of them all and impossible to see them all. But you would be wise to take note of New Epic Theater. With just their second production outside of the Fringe Festival and their first full season of programming, they've already established themselves as one to watch with smart, intense, risk-taking, aesthetically beautiful productions. Their new production of John Patrick Stanley's 2005 Tony-winner Doubt re-imagines the new classic with inventive staging that brings the themes of doubt vs. certainty, racial and gender inequality, and the power hierarchy of the Catholic Church into almost painfully sharp focus.

"Doubt" by Minnesota Opera at the Ordway Center

I often say that opera is not my thing, but I've only attended one opera in my life before last night (La Boheme of course, because of its connection to my favorite musical RENT), so that's not a very informed opinion. But when I heard that Minnesota Opera was doing a world premiere of Doubt (the brilliant 2005 play that was made into a movie in 2008) at the Ordway, I was intrigued. Lucky for me, my fellow blogger Bartley invited me to go along with her when she attended as a writer for Minnesota Playlist. I'm not sure I have the time or the inclination to become a regular opera goer, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of witnessing this beautiful new interpretation of a complicated and fascinating piece of theater.

I saw Ten Thousand Things' version of Doubt, A Parable (its fascinating and revealing full title) two years ago, and it was one of my favorite shows of the year (Ivey's, too). This four-person 75-minute play is short, intense, and though-provoking. Set in 1964, a nun and principal of a Catholic school accuses a priest of impropriety towards a student. But that's not really what the play is about; this story is used as a parable to explore the ideas of doubt vs. certainty. It's not about whether or not the priest is guilty, it's about what the presumption of guilt or innocence does to those around him. How do we ever know the truth about someone? Can we be certain about anything, or do we just have to resign ourselves to make the best choices we can on the information we're given, and live with the consequences? The piece asks, "What are you certain about?" (As does the sticky note on the front of the opera program.) John Patrick Stanley wrote the play, the screenplay for the movie adaptation, and the libretto for this new opera. The one-act four-person play has been expanded into a full, luscious orchestra with a huge cast on a big stage with stunning sets, and a large beautiful orchestra backing it up. I don't know much about opera so I can't speak to where this lies in the context of the opera world, but as a new interpretation of a piece of theater, it's a success.

The star of the show (and really the pivotal character) is Christine Brewer as the accuser Sister Aloysius. She has a commanding stage presence and an amazingly expressive voice; you can really hear Sister Aloysius' doubt beneath her claims of certainty. Also good is Matthew Worth* as the accused Father Flynn, charming and seductive, but giving one a slight feeling that something might be off. As in the play and movie, the role of Mrs. Miller, mother of the alleged victim, is a showstopper. She doesn't care what Father Flynn's interest in her son is, as long as he's seemingly kind and helpful to him, which he sorely needs in his life right now. Her only scene is a memorable one, as the orchestra pauses for her to plead for her son with a solitary voice. But my favorite scenes were those between Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius. Theirs is an intense power struggle, and tension in the music builds as the tension in the scene builds. They are surrounded by a huge cast, including a bunch of kids running around and being kids (in those familiar Catholic school uniforms). The sets are beautiful and elegant. The church scenes are so realistic (and familiar to a former Catholic), that I had to stop myself from making the sign of the cross. Huge columns adorn the stage, with pieces moving smoothly in and out as if by magic. In one scene, Father Flynn compares gossip to opening a feather pillow on a rooftop, and the illustration of the story in silhouette at the back of the stage is a thing of beauty.

Stephen Sondheim says that the difference between opera and musical theater lies in the expectation of the audience. An opera audience goes to the theater to hear the beauty and perfection of the human voice, while a musical theater audience goes for the story and the songs. Here are a few differences I observed after my one night at the opera:

• People get much more dressed up for the opera than they do for the theater, especially on a weeknight! I love getting dressed up for the theater, it's part of the fun of the experience for me, so this was delightful to see.
• People actually yell out "bravo" (or "brava?") after the performance.
• The pit orchestra is huge!
• The difference in the music is not just that there's no spoken dialogue (see RENT and other musicals with little to no spoken dialogue), but there are no traditional songs (with chorus, verse, bridge), no clear endings and beginnings of songs, no breaks for applause. Just continuous music and sung dialogue.
• The actors are not miked, just a few floor mikes, which I also love. My favorite musical sound is the unamplified human voice, and I'm often disappointed that even in small venues actors are usually miked. These trained voices ring out across the Ordway with little assistance from technology.
• Captions are displayed above the stage. I was surprised they still do that when the opera is in English. I tried not to look at them and just concentrate on the music, but I found that difficult. Actually it was a bit helpful, especially when two are singing at the same time.

So that's my experience at the opera, a truly fascinating and entertaining one at that. I think it helped that it was based on a piece of theater I'm familiar with. I won't be rushing to see an Italian opera, but I will keep my eye out for other pieces that may interest me. If you're a theater fan looking to dip your toe into the world of opera, Minnesota Opera's world premiere production of Doubt is an excellent choice!

*Just before I saw the show I watched the season finale of American Horror Story, in which Joseph Feinnes played a priest who might also have been guilty of some wrongdoing. From my seat in the first row of the mezzanine, Michael Worth looked enough like him that the whole night I felt like Joseph Feinnes was singing to me, not a bad thing!

The 2011 Ivey Awards at the State Theater

For the love.  That was the theme of this year's Ivey Awards, and nothing could sum up this evening better than that simple statement.  I look forward to the awards every year because it's such a beautiful celebration of the theater community in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Plus, it's also the best people-watching of the year (not counting the State Fair, which is beautiful in its own way).  This year was another fantastic night showcasing several of my favorite shows of this past year, and possibly of the upcoming year as well.

The hosts of the show were a father and son team of local actors.  Seth Numrich is currently starring on Broadway in the hit play War Horse, and his father, Charles Numrich, is an actor in the local theater scene.  They were charming hosts.  The running gag was that they were working on the "opening banter" scene, trying to "find themselves in the piece," and Seth kept giving his father notes about how to better play himself.  In addition to the hosts a number of local celebrities and representatives from the awards' sponsors presented the awards, including the Twin Cities' most beautiful news anchors, Frank Vascellero and Amelia Santaniello, as well as puppet supercouple Princeton and Kate Monster.

The opening number was a mash-up of four of my favorite musicals of this year, as well as one that just opened that I'm dying to see: the Children's Theatre's delightful Annie, the wickedly funny and sweet Avenue Q at Mixed Blood, the hilariously goofy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Jungle, the Guthrie's luscious production of HMS Pinafore, and Hairspray currently playing at the Chan.  It was a salute to costumes and the people who make them happen.  Characters from each show wandered onto the stage, which was populated with backstage theater people.  They each sang a song from their show, only with alternate lyrics appropriate to the Iveys.  It was really surreal and fun to see all these characters from diverse shows interacting.  As usual Miss Hannigan (Angela Timberman) stole the show, and the sailor from the Pinafore (Aleks Knezevich) ended up with no pants.

The Ivey Awards aren't like most awards shows you see on TV; there are no set categories or nominees, they just honor wonderful accomplishments wherever and however they appear.  This year they awarded eight people or productions, in addition to the emerging artist and lifetime achievement awards.  The honorees are:

1. Peter Hansen for his performance in Burn This at the Gremlin Theatre.
2. Live Action Set for their production of the new and inventive "physical theater" piece The 7-Shot Symphony (the cast of which was backstage at the time preparing for their performance later in the show).
3. Gary Rue for musical direction of Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the History Theatre.
4. Ben Bakken for his performance in the title role of the Chanhassen's Jesus Christ Superstar.
5. David Bolger for the amazing choreography in the Guthrie's H.M.S. Pinafore (I saw this show twice but could have watched the dance numbers a hundred times without tiring of them).
6. Craig Johnson for his direction of Girl Friday Production's Street Scene (which never felt crowded or uncomfortable despite the huge cast in the small space).
7. Dennis Spears for his performance as Nat King Cole in Penumbra Theatre's I Wish You Love.
8. Ten Thousand Things for their incredible production of Doubt, A Parable (although I'm not sure how voters chose between this and their other two incredible productions last season, Life's a Dream and Man of La Mancha).

Of these eight productions, I saw five (numbers 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8), which is a pretty good percentage.  (Although technically I did not see Ben Bakken's award-winning performance; he had the night off when I saw Jesus Christ Superstar (slacker).  But that's not my fault so I'm still giving myself credit for it!)  Considering I only saw one of the awarded productions last year, I'd say that's quite an improvement.  It was my goal this year to see more "obscure" productions (meaning not at one of the big theaters in town), and see more theater companies that I'd never seen before.  I definitely met my goal, although I still missed a lot.

In addition to these awards, the Iveys also gave the "Emerging Artist" award to Anna Sundberg, whom I recently saw in Street Scene and look forward to seeing again soon.  This year's "Lifetime Achievement" award went to Bain Boehlke, Artistic Director of the Jungle Theater.  He was presented the award by last year's winner Wendy Lehr, his friend and frequent collaborator.  I've really been enjoying my season pass at the Jungle this year, and couldn't be happier for Bain!

A usual, the musical performances were the highlight of the show.  We saw excerpts from one upcoming show, three past shows, and one show that's currently running.  The upcoming show is one I'm very much looking forward to - Park Square Theatre's Ragtime, which opens in January (tickets are already on sale and I've got mine!).  Coalhouse Walker and Sarah sang the beautiful and hopeful song "Wheels of a Dream."  One past show that I unfortunately missed is Ivey honoree Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story at the History Theatre - great songs and a fun performance.  Mu Performing Arts reprised "Suddenly Seymour" from their wonderful production of Little Shop of Horrors this spring.  Sadly, Audrey II did not make an appearance.  Another Ivey honoree, Live Action Set, presented an excerpt from their opera of sound and movement, The 7-Shot Symphony.  The final performance of the night was a great choice for the closing number - Cardinal Theatrical's production of The Rocky Horror Show, currently playing at the Lab Theater (I'm seeing it this week).  The number began with an introduction from the show's narrator, former WCCO-TV news anchor Don Shelby like you've never seen him before - in heels (he quipped that's what was under the desk).  The cast sang "Whatever Happened to Saturday Night," led by Jamecia Bennett as Eddie.  Judging by this performance, it's going to be a fun, energetic, crazy show!

There was one other performance at the awards last night, featuring young local talent.  Ryan McCartan is a recent high school graduate who has won several national awards in musical theater.  He sang "Someone to Fall Back On," and he's truly amazing.  He has a gorgeous voice and also put a lot of emotion into the song.  I hope to see him on local stages before he becomes a big star.

They finally found a way to make announcing the list of sponsors entertaining.  Local comedic actor Shanan Custer announced each sponsor, and two actors acted out each one.  It was fast and funny, and made a segment that usually drags feel like a legitimate a part of the show.

And with that, another year of theater has come and gone.  I've seen some really amazing shows, and discovered some great new (to me) theater companies.  And it only seems to be getting better.  If you're reading this blog I probably don't have to tell you this, but I will: go see some local theater!  If you need suggestions, check out my "Upcoming Shows" to the right.  If you have suggestions for me, please let me know.  There's more brilliant theater out there than one person can possibly see (believe me, I've tried).

Happy theater-going!

"Doubt, A Parable" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

Ten Thousand Thing's Doubt was number two on my list of shows to see this year.  After seeing my first show last year (My Fair Lady, one of my 2010 top 10), I was hooked on TTT's bare-bones style of theater that cuts right to the core of the matter, without interference from the elaborate sets or luscious costumes or dramatic lighting you so often see in the theater these days.  The short but intense four-person play Doubt, A Parable was the perfect choice for this kind of theater.  I had never seen the play on stage before but I did see the 2008 movie starring Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman so I was familiar with the plot and themes.  The plot is fairly straight-forward: a nun and principal of a Catholic School in 1964 accuses a priest of molesting a student.  But everything that happens around that is anything but straight-forward.  I was left at the end of the play not knowing who to believe.  And that's really what the play is about.  In a note from playwright John Patrick Shanley, he says, "You may come out of my play uncertain.  You may want to be sure.  Look down on that feeling.  We've got to learn to live with a full measure of uncertainty.  There is no last word."

Ten Thousand Things always attracts top-notch talent, and Doubt is no exception.  The play is directed by Peter Rothstein of Theater Latte Da and stars Sally Wingert (the Meryl Streep of the Minneapolis/St. Paul theater scene) as the stern and traditional Sister Aloysius, Kris Nelson as the charismatic and progressive Father Flynn, Jane Froiland as the young naive Sister James, and Regina Marie Williams in the short but pivotal role of Mrs. Muller, the boy's mother.  They were all brilliant in their roles, and it's a truly remarkable thing to be that close to them in a bright room and watch these masters of their craft.

So much happens in the short 75 minute run time that it leaves your head spinning.  What I found most fascinating was the strict hierarchy of the Catholic Church and the power struggles between the men and women in the institution. Sister Aloysius is limited in what she can do about the situation she believes is occurring and has to follow a strict order of reporting her suspicions, which often leads to a dead end.  I think she truly does believe Father Flynn is guilty, but she's also using the accusation as a power play.  Sister James wants to believe the best about people, and because Father Flynn is kind to her, she believes he's telling the truth.  This is likely not the first time Father Flynn has been accused, and although he's devastated to leave his parishoners, he knows how to work the male-dominated system so that he moves on to another parish in what amounts to a promotion.

Another issue that the play deals with is racism.  The boy who is the (alleged?) victim is the only African American in an all-white school in the early 1960s.  We find out from his mother that he needs to make it through June and complete the 8th grade so that he can get into a good high school and make something of his life.  In the absence of any concrete evidence, Mrs. Muller is willing to let things continue as is for just a few more months, believing in the end it's the best opportunity she can give her son.

The full title of the play is Doubt, A Parable, which I found to be an interesting choice.  At one point Sister James asks Father Flynn about a story he told in his homily.  He told her that it was something he made up to illustrate a point - a parable.  She asked him if it wouldn't be better to talk about a true story.  He said no, the truth is too complicated and messy.  And it certainly is in this story.

If you're interested in learning more about Ten Thousand Things and their mission to "bring lively, intelligent theater to people with little access to the wealth of the arts," watch this short piece from Minnesota Originals.  You'll get to go with TTT into a prison, hear from some of their non-traditional audience members, and learn about the origins of the theater from Artistic Director and Founder Michelle Hensley.  Or you can attend their next show - the musical Man of La Mancha.  I guarantee you've never seen theater like this.

Shows I’m Looking Forward to in 2011

Happy 2011 friends! A new year brings new plays and musicals to go see. Here are a few I’m excited to see in the first part of this year.  (Click on the title for more info and to purchase tickets, although not all of them are available yet.)

Into the Woods, Bloomington Civic Theater, January 14 – February 13
I’ve been hearing good things about the Bloomington Civic Theater and seen it listed in the bios of some of my favorite new actors, so I’ve been itching to check it out. This show fits nicely into my goal to see more Sondheim, so it’s worth the drive across town.
Update: read my review of the show.

Doubt, Ten Thousand Things, February 11 – March 6
There are five reasons to see this show: 1) Ten Thousand Things’ stripped-to-the-core style of theater; 2) A Tony-award winning play about “A fiery battle between a nun and a priest over suspicions of the sexual abuse of a child. Can you get at the truth, when the truth is so colored by our lenses of experience?” 3) Peter Rothstein, my favorite director and Artistic Director of Theater Latte Da; 4) Sally Wingert, who, like Meryl Streep who played the role in the movie, can play anything from comedy to drama and everything in between, and elevates everything she’s in; and 5) Kris Nelson, another of my favorite actors who never disappoints. Any one of those five reasons would be enough to get me to this show, but with all five of them? I’m counting the days!
Update: read my review of the show.

Song of Extinction, Theater Latte Da, February 25 – March 20
Peter Rothstein is a busy man! He’s also directing this Theater Latte Da “play about the science of life and loss, the relationships between fathers and sons, Cambodian fields, Bolivian rainforests and redemption.” I don’t know anything about this play and don’t recognize any of the names on the cast list, but I’ve never met a Latte Da show I didn’t love. And they do a great job casting their shows, so I might discover a few new favorite actors too.
Update: read my review of the show.

HAIR, Orpheum Theater, March 1–6
You can read more about my obsession with the 1968 musical HAIR near the bottom of my 2010 Top Ten list, but suffice it to say I saw it twice on Broadway last year, including making a special trip to NYC just to see the original cast before they moved to London. So yeah, I’m a fan. There’s not much of a plot, but with great music, incredible heartfelt performances, a message of love and peace and togetherness, and a chance to be harassed by hippies, who needs a plot? Since both the Broadway and London shows have closed, I look forward to seeing some familiar hippies, including original tribe members Paris Remillard and Steel Burkhardt as Claude and Berger.  It's only here for a week so get your tickets now!
Update: read my review of the show.

Little Shop of Horrors, Mu Performing Arts, March 19 – April 3
This musical about the plant that eats people is one of my favorites, and “Suddenly Seymour” is one of the best musical love songs ever. Mu usually does Asian-American themed pieces, but this is their chance to cast Asian-Americans in roles they wouldn’t normally be cast in. Randy Reyes is playing Seymour, and I’m sure he’ll be completely charming and funny and touching, as is required in Seymour.
Update: read my review of the show.

Avenue Q, Mixed Blood Theatre, March 25 – May 29
Avenue Q is a refreshingly original and funny musical featuring puppets, like an R-rated Sesame Street. I’ve seen it once on Broadway and once on tour, and I’m very curious to see how Mixed Blood stages this show in their intimate space.
Update: read my review of the show.

[title of show], Yellow Tree Theatre, April 22 – May 15
My favorite little theater in Osseo is doing a musical, and I can’t wait to see how they do it! Wikipedia says “The musical documents its own creation by two Broadway fans, who want to enter the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It follows the team's struggle to complete the show in three and a half weeks with the help of their two actress friends.” It sounds like it’s right up Yellow Tree’s alley, and I think I’m going to love this "musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical."
Update: read my review of the show (hint: I did love it).

Next to Normal, Ordway Center, May 10–22
I saw Next to Normal on Broadway shortly after it premiered in 2009, and saw it again last year. I walked into the theater the first time knowing almost nothing about the show, other than it had gotten good buzz and it was about a family struggling with mental illness. Sometimes that’s the best way to see a show; I was blown away. It won a Tony for the brilliant rock score, but lost the best musical Tony to Billy Elliot. The six-person cast was amazing, and Alice Ripley won the Tony for her role. Lucky for us she’s reprising her role in this tour. If you want to see a Tony-winning actress in a bold, brilliant, truly original musical, go see Next to Normal. Expect to be emotionally drained by the end of the evening (in a good way ;).
Update: read my review of the show.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Jungle Theater, June 10 – July 31
Again, more Sondheim. I’ve only seen one musical at the Jungle, the completely fabulous Hedwig and the Angry Inch. So I have high expectations for this show. I don’t think I’ll be disappointed.
Update: read my review of the show.

HMS Pinafore, Guthrie Theater, June 18 – August 28
My favorite show that I’ve ever seen at the Guthrie is the Gilbert and Sullivan musical The Pirates of Penzance. It was the final production of my first season as a subscriber in 2004, and I loved it so much I saw it twice. With pirates climbing down from the balconies and flying in on ropes, costumes that were to die for, a fantastic cast, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s clever use of language and rhythm, not to mention a song about the Pythagorean Theorem, this is one of those shows I wish I could travel back in time to revisit. If this production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore is even half as good as The Pirates of Penzance was, I know I’ll love it. I’m also hoping that some of my local musical theater faves will be in it.
Update: read my review of the show.

2011 is shaping up to be another great year for theater in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  I hope you get to one or two of these shows, and let me know if there are others you're looking forward to.  FYI you can always see what shows I've got coming up in my schedule in the "Upcoming Shows" section on the right-hand side of this page.  Click on the show name for more information and to order tickets.

I hope your 2011 is filled with health, happiness, and great theater.