"Million Dollar Quartet" at Old Log Theater

This summer, Old Log Theatre is bringing back their 2016 hit Million Dollar Quartet.* Based on the historic night when Carl Perkins, "the king of rockabilly;" Jerry Lee Lewis, "rock and roll's first great wild man;" Johnny Cash, "one of the best-selling musicians of all time;" and Elvis Presley, simply "the king," had a jam session at Sun Records in Memphis, the show is a surefire crowd pleaser. The music that came out of Sun Records in that era, and these four artists in particular, defined a generation. A generation that's sure to head out to Excelsior to see this show, but these iconic musicians and songs appeal to younger generations too, and this fantastic cast brings this magical night to life with great energy. The show plays through next February, but summer is a great time to visit the lovely lake town of Excelsior with its many shops, restaurants, and beautiful views (click here for info and tickets).

"The Secret Garden" at Artistry

The Secret Garden was my favorite book as a child (beside the Little House series, with which I was and maybe still am obsessed). I remember finding it magical, and wishing for a secret garden of my own, perhaps because I connected with a serious and solitary little girl who liked the outdoors. A few weeks ago I started re-reading this beloved childhood classic that I haven't touched in 30 years in preparation for seeing Artistry's production of the 1991 musical adaptation. I haven't finished it yet (I spend too much time at the theater and not enough time reading), but that brooding and magical feeling is familiar. The book is an introspective story with few characters that doesn't scream "Broadway musical!" But the creators (book and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon) have done a wonderful job of adapting it and making it something new, while still staying true to the heart of the original. It's a heart-warming tale with a hauntingly beautiful score, brought to life by Anita Ruth's always thrilling pit orchestra and this dreamy cast that is vocally one of the best I've ever seen at Artistry.

"Million Dollar Quartet" at Old Log Theatre

Carl Perkins, "the king of rockabilly." Jerry Lee Lewis, "rock and roll's first great wild man." Johnny Cash, "one of the best-selling musicians of all time." Elvis Presley, simply "the king." In 1956, these four men were in their 20s and at the early stages of their influential and prolific careers. They came together for one night at Sun Records in Memphis for a jam session, which was recorded and released as the Million Dollar Quartet. So of course, this story had to be made into a musical. Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux did just that; the musical Million Dollar Quartet opened on Broadway in 2010. It only ran for a year, but found success on tour and regionally, as such crowd-pleasing jukebox musicals do. Despite a fairly thin book, it's a great show, precisely because we all know and love these songs and these singers. Even if we weren't alive in 1956, these four artists and their music are an integral part of our musical heritage. The Old Log Theatre recently opened a long run of the show with a fantastic cast that's definitely worth the drive out to charming lake town of Excelsior in the Western Metro.

"Fiddler on the Roof" at Artistry

Tradition! The opening song of Fiddler on the Roof speaks of the traditions in the little Russian town of Anatevka in the early 20th Century, setting the stage for a story steeped in tradition, when to hold on to it and when to let go and embrace a new way of doing things. The new production at Artistry (formerly known as Bloomington Civic Theatre) is also steeped in tradition. There's nothing really new or innovative about this production; it's a faithful interpretation of this classic musical that, though a bit too long, is full of beautiful and familiar music and much heart in this universal story of a specific family. Artistry has assembled a huge and talented cast, and as always the score sounds gorgeous coming from the nearly 20-piece pit orchestra. If well done traditional classic musical theater is your thing, you might want to check this one out before it closes on May 8.

"Iolanthe" by Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company at Howard Conn Fine Arts Center

Did you know there's a company in town entirely dedicated to the works of music-comedy geniuses Gilbert and Sullivan? Neither did I, until last year about this time, when I "discovered" the 30-year-old Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company through their marvelous production of H.M.S. Pinafore. They followed that up last year with the one-act Trial by Jury at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, where it was one of the top-selling shows. While they may be new to me, they obviously have a very loyal audience, and deservedly so. If you're among that audience, you don't need me to tell you what a wonderful job they do. If you're not, and you're a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan's particular brand of witty, clever, rhythmic comic opera, you might want to check out their latest production. This year they're presenting the lesser known (to me anyway) Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri. And it is, once again, a delightful production of a very funny farce/fantasy/ political satire, beautifully performed by a cast of over 40 and a backstage orchestra nearly as large. GSVLOC fills a unique and specific niche in our rich Twin Cities theater community, one that I'm delighted to have "discovered."