"Once on This Island" at Artistry

It feels like last week's very late summer heat wave was just to usher in the warm breezes of Artistry's production of Once on this Island, the first regional production since it won the Tony in 2018 for Best Revival. That too-warm-for-fall weather has thankfully left us, but you can still feel the joy and warmth of the island inside Bloomington Center for the Arts for the next few weeks. Based on a book that's based on The Little Mermaid, it tells the familiar story of a young woman who falls in love with a man she rescues on the beach, giving up her life for him, only to be rejected. But here the twist is that this young woman's love changed the world for the better. The beautiful thing about Once on this Island is the storytelling employed; it starts with a community gathered around a common space and telling a story to a frightened little girl. The musical (by the creators of Ragtime) has a score with fabulous Caribbean and African sounds, and features an uber talented local African American cast. Get your tickets now to see this excellent 90-minute show, continuing through October 26.

"Violet" by Ten Thousand Things at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

I fell in love with the 1997 Off-Broadway musical Violet when I saw Theater Latte Da's gorgeous production in the Guthrie's Dowling Studio in 2010, just before I started this blog. Something about this story of a young woman who goes on a journey in search of healing and a new life, only to find it in herself, really resonated with me, and still does. And Jeanine Tesori's score that combines influences from Appalachia, Memphis, country, and gospel has become one of my favorites. Coincidentally, 2010 is also the year I saw my first Ten Thousand Things show, after which I declared "I'm hooked;" I don't think I've missed one of their shows since. Not only is their mission the best one I can think of (to bring theater to people who don't otherwise have access to it), but their shows are always clear and unencumbered, allowing the true heart of the piece to shine through. Now, finally, these two favorites that I discovered 15 years ago have come together in a sparsely beautiful and rawly emotional production of Violet that is sure to create new fans of this musical (which I believe has only had one other local professional production since Latte Da in 2010, although it did eventually make it to Broadway in 2014, starring Sutton Foster and Joshau Henry). A talented cast of eight (plus one musician) takes us on this epic emotional journey in just about 100 minutes, in a fully lit room with minimal sets and props, using just the power of their voices and talents plus our collective imagination. This bus will continue to travel on through June 1 at various locations, primarily at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church (near the Walker, with a large free parking lot).