"Teen Idol: The Bobby Vee Story" at the History Theatre

Friends, I think the History Theatre has another hit on their hands. After the huge success of last fall's new original musical Glensheen, which received a second run and an Ivey award this year, they follow in the footsteps of the proven success of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story with Teen Idol: The Bobby Vee Story. In a way, this story picks up where that story left off. Bobby Vee's career was born on the day the music died. But this new musical (or rather play with music if you want to get technical about it, and I do*) doesn't just rest on the nostalgia of baby boomers, who, let's face it, would come see the show no matter how good it was just to hear these great old hits of the '60s. Teen Idol is more than just a string of familiar hits, it's a well written and extremely satisfying play with music that tells the story of Bobby Vee's life, music, family, and rise to and fall from fame. Kind of like a cleaner version of Jersey Boys (Fargo ND is far from New Jersey and not just in geography). Featuring a star performance by Tyler Michaels, who continues to impress with his range of talents and characters, and an incredibly strong ensemble chock full of local talent, who all get their moment to shine, Teen Idol is a fantastic show no matter your generation.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Guthrie Theatre

Yesterday I sat on the famous thrust stage of the Guthrie Theater and watched a bunch of soldiers, lovers, and fairies dance, sing, fly, converse, love, hate, and generally cavort around in a bare circular space. Or was it all a dream? Such is the Guthrie's latest production of perhaps Shakespeare's best loved romantic comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, that after three hours of spellbinding theater, you're not quite sure if what you saw just happened, or perhaps, as Puck suggests in his epilogue, it was all just a dream. Artistic Director Joe Dowling has returned to an old favorite in his final season at the Guthrie, assembling a gorgeous and talented cast of local favorites with a few national talents thrown in. It's no wonder that he returned to this show (a version of which was last seen in 2008); this Midsummer is a dream of a production, with plenty of spectacle in the form of dancing, flying, singing fairies, humor in the form of typical Shakesperean hijinks, and heart in this sweet romance that ends with a neat happily ever after. Everything about it is truly a delight.

The plot of Midsummer is familiar to most theater-goers, being a frequently produced play. Lysander loves Hermia and she him, but her father Theseus, duke of Athens, has betrothed her to Demetrius, who also loves her although she does not return his love. Lysander and Hermia vow to run away together, and Helena, whose love for Demetrius has recently been rejected, tells him so that he will follow, and she in turn follows him. As we know, strange things can happen when you go into the woods, especially in this case as the young lovers encounter a group of mischievous fairies, who delight in nothing more than creating havoc among humans (if you've ever found an object in a different location than you left it, that might be fairies at work). Through a series of mix-ups, both Demetrius and Lysander are bewitched into believing they love Helena, who, like a nerdy teenager tired of being the butt of jokes, does not believe them. Hermia is confused, devastated, and then furious at this turn of events, and the mayhem continues until the fairies decide to set things right again. Another subplot follows a troupe of actors rehearsing for a play, suffering from the most horrible and hilarious actorly cliches, which allows for some delightful poking fun at oneself. Oh, and one of them is turned into an ass and is wooed by the queen of the fairies. It's a whole lot of silliness that allows for some wonderful encounters, fights, conversations, and dances among the large cast of characters.

Puck and the flying fairies (photo by Dan Norman)

And what a cast it is. It's so lovely to see so many familiar and beloved faces on one stage, while discovering a few new favorites who are thrown into the mix to keep things fresh. First among the many delights is the fairy King's attendant who is responsible for causing much of the mayhem. Tyler Michaels brings his unique physical consciousness to the role of Puck, creating a character that's not quite human, almost reptilian, with a bit of Gollum thrown in. Tyler seems unbound by the laws of gravity that inhibit us mere mortals, as he bounds around the stage with deep knee bends, head cocked to one side as he gleefully watches the mischief he has created, thoroughly enjoying "what fools these mortals be." He's like a mischievous loyal pet of Oberon's, who is given a long leash but sometimes needs to be pulled back when he goes too far, not for malicious reasons, but just to see what will happen. (And there's even an inside joke for those of us who saw and loved Tyler in My Fair Lady last summer.)

the Actors (Jay Albright, Peter Thomson, Andrew Weems,
Kris L. Nelson, Angela Timberman, and Michael Fell,
photo by Dan Norman)

As the first fairy, Nike Kadri is making her Guthrie debut after making an impression on stages around town. She looks and sounds fantastic, singing a few songs and leading the fairies in their dance (although not a musical, there are a handful of original songs by Keith Thomas, with some brilliant choreography by co-director David Bolger). Christina Acosta Robinson (who returns to the Guthrie after participating in the Guthrie Experience a few years ago) is absolutely regal as both Titania and Hippolyta, fairy and human royalty, and Nicholas Carrière (a Guthrie newcomer) effortlessly transitions from the stern and slightly square Duke Theseus to the powerful and cool Oberon.

the Lovers (Emily Kitchens, Casey Hoekstra, Zach Keenan,
and Eleonore Dendy, photo by Dan Norman)

The troupe of actors is comprised of a bunch of local comic geniuses (including the always hilarious Jay Albright and Angela Timberman), with East Coast actor Andrew Weems (also seen at the Guthrie as Uncle Vanya) as the buffoonish and blustering Bottom, delivering the most ridiculously drawn-out comic death scene I've ever seen. In fact, the entire play-within-a-play is hysterical as performed by the "Community Theater of Athens." The four lovers could not be more charming (or look better in underwear) than local actors Eleonore Dendy, Casey Hoekstra, and Zach Keenan, along with Twin Cities newcomer Emily Kitchens as the eager and slightly awkward Helena.

For this production, the Guthrie has added a half dozen rows of bleacher seating around the back of the thrust stage, creating an in-the-round effect, almost like you're at the circus. If you're lucky enough to snag one of these seats (available online or call the box office for details), you're led down a stairway and into a secret hallway through the bowels* of the Guthrie, and suddenly you arrive on the stage. There are plenty of ushers and signs along the way so that you don't "accidentally" wander off into a restricted area. It's a great place from which to watch the show, although some of the effects of the video projections at the back of the stage are lost because you have to tear your eyes away from the stage (a difficult task) to look behind you at the screen. One of the reasons it's so difficult to turn away from the stage is Fabio Toblini's gorgeously rich costumes, from Hippolyta's elegant gowns, to the lovers' modern clothing, to the actors' silly get-ups, to the fairies' barely there tribal pieces.

It may be dreary bitter midwinter here in Minnesota, but it feels like warm and colorful midsummer on the Guthrie's thrust stage. The magical, mystical, mischievous dream continues through the end of March. It's not a short play (clocking in at about three hours including intermission), but it's chock full of delights for the eyes, ears, mind, and heart.


*If you want to see more of the bowels of the Guthrie, take a backstage tour, offered most weekends.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"The Heidi Chronicles" at the Guthrie Theater

Playwright Wendy Wasserstein (whose work was last seen on the Guthrie stage in 2008 with the excellent Third) won a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize for her most well-known work, The Heidi Chronicles. It's an epic play, covering nothing less than the changing role of women in American society in the '60s, '70s, and '80s through the life of one woman. We see about a dozen scenes of Heidi at 2-3 year intervals throughout her life as she struggles to figure out who she is and what she wants in life during a time in America that saw great social change. These snapshots of a life create a complete picture of who this woman is, although I couldn't help but wish we had more time to spend with each different Heidi throughout the years (someone should adapt the play into a TV series, with each scene expanded into a 10-episode season). This fantastic cast of Guthrie faves and newbies bring Heidi's story to life, along with some pretty fabulous period costumes and ingenious set design.

The play opens with Heidi in the present day, aka 1989, giving a lecture on women artists. We then flash back to a high school dance in 1965, and follow Heidi throughout her life as she goes to college, campaigns for McCarthy, becomes an art historian, and watches her friends get married and have children, until we end up back in the present day again. All of these events inform who Heidi has become, from a baby shower to lunch with an old friend to a TV show about baby boomers. We also follow three of Heidi's friends throughout the years: her friend Susan, who goes from a boy-crazy teen to living in a women's collective to a powerful TV executive; her on-again-off-again boyfriend Scoop, magazine editor for the baby boom generation; and her gay friend Peter, successful pediatrician. Their hair and clothing changes drastically over the years, but their friendship, although strained at times, never wavers.

As Heidi, Guthrie newcomer Kate Wetherhead is a likeable heroine, transforming from awkward teenager to confident professor. Fellow newcomers play the men in Heidi's life - Zach Shaffer as the charming and dependable Peter, and Ben Graney as the jerk Heidi can't seem to rid herself of. Local actors make up the rest of the cast, including Tracey Maloney as Heidi's constant friend who continually redefines herself, Stacia Rice as a range of characters from a conservative mother of four finding her liberation to a vapid TV anchor, Mo Perry (making her welcome Guthrie debut) as an early '70s radical and a soft Southern wife, Eleonore Dendy as a naive young woman in the '70s and a "have it all" woman of the '80s, and Sam Bardwell who is, as usual, fun to watch as multiple minor characters, even when he doesn't say anything.

Clint Ramos does a remarkable job with both costume and set design. From mod '60s dresses to '70s bell-bottoms to '80s shoulder pads, this show is like a fashion parade through the decades. Many quick-changes are involved, especially for Heidi who rarely leaves the stage, and marks the passage of years by adding a jacket or removing a headband. The set consists of a huge wall made up of drawers, file cabinets, empty frames, and shelves, with secret compartments that open to reveal signage that helps establish time and place in the rapidly moving years. Huge set pieces are efficiently moved in during scene changes, from massive museum stairs to a TV studio to a living room. Kudos to the stagehands and everyone behind the scenes for making everything run smoothly. The play also uses music well to set the time and tone, with scenes frequently ending with characters singing along to classics.

The Heidi Chronicles continues on the Guthrie Thrust stage through October 26.

Susan and Heidi in the '60s
(Tracey Maloney and Kate Wetherhead, photo by Joan Marcus)

Heidi and Peter in the '70s
(Kate Wetherhead and Zach Shaffer, photo by Joan Marcus)

can you tell it's the '80s?
(Stacia Rice, Mo Perry, Kate Wetherhead, and Tracey Maloney, photo by Joan Marcus)

"The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" at Gremlin Theatre

Over the last few years I've seen several gems at Gremlin Theatre (Sea Marks, After Miss Julie, A Behanding in Spokane). As of July they're moving out of their current space on University in St. Paul, and will join the other nomadic theater companies in town until they find a permanent home. Their final production in this location is the awkwardly titled 1964 play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds*, and this one is a heart-breaker. Like many of the plays I've seen at the Gremlin, I knew nothing about this play going into it, and that's often when I have the best experiences at the theater. With no expectations or preconceptions you can just let the story unfold purely, and as this one did I was overcome by the emotions of this beautiful and tragic story. This is another gem, friends, and if you've never experienced the Gremlin, now is a great time to start.

The play opens on the shabby and cluttered family home of Beatrice and her two teenage daughters. It doesn't take long to realize that this is a damaged family. Beatrice is a woman who has been beaten down by life, and her daughters have troubles of their own. But this is a play that doesn't spell out every detail of these characters lives and histories. The characters themselves are very well defined and complex, but their lives are loose sketches, with the audience left to fill in the gaps. Beatrice may be an alcoholic, and a hoarder, and is most certainly suffering from depression or some other mental illness. Beatrice's job, it seems, is something like an in-home hospice service, but the care she shows the elderly Nanny who lives with them is questionable. Elder daughter Ruth seems like a typical rebellious teenager, but we soon learn that suffers from an undefined mental or physical illness, which is spoken of in terms of "going crazy" or "going into it." She experiences seizures which are brutal to watch. Finally, there's Tillie, the one ray of light in this dark situation. She's a good student and loves science, despite the fact that her mom often keeps her home from school, with few friends other than her pet rabbit, Peter (played by an adorable live rabbit who's on stage for much of the evening).

Tillie's science project, "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds," is her sole joy, and she is chosen to compete in the science fair. Instead of being met with congratulations and enthusiasm, Tillie's mom is upset that she has to appear on stage, with everyone looking at her. Beatrice is quite a fascinating character. Most of the time she's infuriating as she belittles her daughters, but there are moments when she expresses vulnerability and sadness, and it's clear that she desperately loves her daughters. They love her too, in spite of everything, and crave her approval. They are each other's whole world, and it's a sad world. But the beautiful thing about this story is that in the midst of this hopeless situation, Tillie remains hopeful. Her mother says, "I hate the world," but remarkably Tillie loves the world, specifically the atom from which the world is built. When she talks about science, her face lights up with the beauty and wonder of it. This story had me fighting back tears for much of the evening, but in the end it's a beautiful and uplifting story.

Tillie and her mother
(Caledonia Wilson Jodi Kellogg)

I can't say enough about this cast. Directed by Ellen Fenster, they create a believable family of unique and complex individuals. Jodi Kellogg plays every layer of this difficult, infuriating, damaged, crazy mother and makes you feel many different emotions for her. Eleonore Dendy (of the U of M/Guthrie BFA program) is charming and spirited as Ruth. I don't know how old Donna Porfiri is, but as Nanny in the wig and make-up, hunched over a walker, she looks about 90 years old, and manages to convey Nanny's pain, frustration, and moments of relief without ever saying a word. Elise Sommers makes a brief but amusing appearance as a rival student (and looks a little too much like a young me for comfort!). Last but not least is the radiant young actor Caledonia Wilson as Tillie. She lights up when she talks to the audience about her science project, and is quiet and reflective with her family, her silence hiding a depth of emotion. If there were a Spotlight Showcase for high school non-musical theater students, she would most certainly be the star of the show.

The set is incredibly detailed, with clutter in every corner, dirty and shabby walls, newspapers over the windows, and old furniture and appliances. This looks like a house that has been lived in for years. The lighting nicely highlights Tillie's happy moments talking about science, as the room darkens and the spotlight illuminates her already shining face. (Set and lighting by Carl Schoenborn, currently appearing onstage in the Jungle's Urinetown.)

If you're looking for a light and fun night at the theater, or a bit of escapism, go see Urinetown. But if you're up for something emotionally challenging, heartfelt, and painfully real, this might be the play for you. Gamma Rays is playing for only two more weekends, and there are discount tickets on Goldstar. A mere $10 to see this talented cast in this heartbreaking and beautiful story - best theater deal in town.



*The play was made into a 1972 movie directed by Paul Newman and starring his wife, Joanne Woodward, and their daughter.