"Into the Woods" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

Lakeshore Players Theatre has been the community theater in White Bear Lake for 65 years. Even though I'm kept very busy by professional #TCTheater, I'm a little ashamed to admit I've never attended an LPT show despite living in the Northeast metro. This spring, they're opening a brand new performing arts facility just off of Highway 61 in downtown White Bear Lake, which speaks a lot to their audience and donor support, as well as to their commitment to continuing and furthering their legacy. This new building, combined with the fact that their first show in the new space is one of my favorite Sondheim musicals, convinced me to make the short drive to finally check them out. I was impressed not only with the new facility, but also with the quality of their production of Into the Woods. Sondheim isn't easy for professional theaters, much less community theaters, but there were zero cringe-worthy moments and they really pulled off this tricky show remarkably well.

"Superior Donuts" at Lyric Arts

"Loving #SuperiorDonuts @LyricArtsAnoka! Smart, funny, relevant play by #TracyLetts and great cast! And it's nice to see some diversity on the stage and in the audience. #intermissiontweets."
Twitter @cherryandspoon

Sometimes 280 characters is all you need. But I've got a few more here, so I'll expand on last night's intermission tweet. Lyric Arts' production of Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts, which premiered at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater ten years ago, is one of the best things I've seen there. I almost always enjoy my trip to Anoka to see theater at Lyric, but my biggest complaint has been the lack of diversity on the stage at this theater in the 'burbs that only recently transitioned out of being a community theater. This play is a great step in the right direction, a new-ish play by a current acclaimed American playwright. And this cast is fantastic, really bringing out the heart and humor of the piece. Friends, if you've not been to Lyric lately, now is the time to head up Highway 10 to the old movie theater on Main Street (it's not as far as you think).

"Urinetown" at Lyric Arts

A wealthy businessman controls the money and the laws in a land with an extreme division between the haves and the have-nots, and he trains his beautiful and fashionable daughter to continue in his legacy by learning to manipulate great masses of people. Though it was written over 15 years ago, the hilarious and terrifying satirical musical Urinetown has never been more relevant. It's a huge warning about what happens when the earth can no longer sustain our way of life, when the poor become so poor that they refuse to take it any more. It would be a heavy and depressing piece, if the music weren't so happy and the jokes so liberally sprinkled in. In one of the better shows I've seen at Lyric Arts recently (they keep topping themselves), Urinetown is presented in all it's golden glory with a fantastic cast and really cool and grungy design. It'll leave you humming and tapping your feet, with a subtle thought in the back of your mind that we're in serious trouble if things keep going the way they have been. Just think of the happy music!

Silent Sky at Lyric Arts

Have you ever heard of Henrietta Leavitt? Neither have I. But we should have. This early 20th Century female astronomer's discoveries gave us the ability to measure the universe. The much more famous (and male) astronomer Edwin Hubble built on her work and won the Nobel Prize for his work, which Henrietta could not because she died young before the full effects of her work were seen. None of us can control "who lives, who dies, who tells your story,*" but if the history books don't tell her story, we can be happy that theater is. Lyric Arts' production of Silent Sky (which, by the way, is written by a woman, directed by a woman, and features a mostly female cast) is a beautiful tribute to this brilliant, passionate, and dedicated woman who helped to quantify the idea that there is more out there in the universe than just this world we know.

"Knight of the Burning Pestle" by Theatre Pro Rata at Dreamland Arts

Sunday was a day of comedy for me. First I saw one of the most beloved comedies of American theater - The Odd Couple - in an excellent production at Lyric Arts. Then I traveled from the 1960s back to the 1600s with Theatre Pro Rata's Knight of the Burning Pestle, the first parody in English theater. This play-within-a-play is a spoof of theater itself, and the cast has great fun with it. And while I didn't always understand the specifics of what was going on (I sometimes have a hard time with Shakespearean era language), that didn't seem to matter. The enjoyment comes in watching the delightfully campy performances of the eight-person cast as they poke gentle fun at the thing we all love best -theater.

"The Spitfire Grill" at Lyric Arts

"There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole." So says the old spiritual, and so too is there a balm in the fictional town of Gilead, Wisconsin, the setting for the 2001 Off-Broadway musical The Spitfire Grill, based on the 1996 movie of the same name. Yes, this story of an ex-con finding redemption in a small town feels a little like a Hallmark movie, with an unrealistically idealistic portrayal of small-town life, but it's also poignant and touching and filled with stirring and moving music. In the new production by Anoka's Lyric Arts, the story is beautifully brought to life by a winning cast, and is a decidedly warm-hearted, feel-good musical that will leave you humming the tunes as you wipe away tears.

Upon being released from prison for a crime that is later revealed, Percy (short for Perchance) decides to move to the small town of Gilead based solely on the photo of the fall colors along the creek she finds in a newspaper, and the desire to make a fresh start somewhere new. Local Sheriff Joe acts as her parole officer and sets her up with a room and a job at the Spitfire Grill, run by Hannah, who begrudgingly agrees. Percy also meets Hannah's nephew Caleb and his wife Shelby, and mail carrier/town busybody Effy. She soon learns that small-town life is not as idyllic as that newspaper photo makes it out to be, with residents suffering from grief, abuse, and the longing to get out. But Percy also learns, perhaps for the first time in her life, what it is to be part of a community, to be needed, to experience trust and friendship. As is often the case in these fish-out-of-water stories, Percy is the catalyst for change in this community that has been stuck in a rut for too long.

Christy Jones, Martha Wigmore, and Katharine Strom
(photo by Michael Traynor)

 The story and character development are told largely through music. And my favorite kind of music at that - a sort of folky/Americana, mixed with some Broadway sound. The off-stage five-piece orchestra led by Music Director Mary Cay Stone includes mandolin and fiddle, as any good folky band should. I really enjoyed the score (by James Valcq and Fred Alley) which evokes a definite sense of place - small-town America - and includes some lovely and interesting melodies that are designed to pull at the heartstrings. And everyone in this seven-person cast sounds fantastic and imbues the music with much emotion.

James Ehlenz and Katharine Strom (photo by Michael Traynor)

Katharine Strom has impressed in a few over-the-top comedic roles both musical and non-musical, but this is a star turn for her. She brings such depth, toughness, and raw heart to her earthy and earnest portrayal of Percy. Her voice is crystal clear and lovely, and brimming with emotion. Christy Jones also sounds lovely as Shelby, and the two portray a believable friendship. Martha Wigmore is tough and tender as the Grill's owner with a secret of her own, James Ehlenz is charming as Sheriff Joe who takes a shine to Percy, Patrick Jones is appropriately unlikable as the controlling husband Caleb, Shana Eisenberg provides comic relief as the busybody Effy, and Brad Bone brings humanity and pathos to the role of the mysterious visitor.

Gabriel Gomez's scenic design brings the beautiful Midwest fall outdoors inside the theater. The only indoor set is, appropriately, the charming and rustic Grill, with about half the stage filled with trees and leaves and representations of nature, an important character in the play. Adam Raine's lighting design casts a warm glow on the cast and the town of Gilead, making it a place you'll wish you could visit.

The Spitfire Grill reminds me a little of the musical Violet, and that's a very good thing. Both feature Americana music and a small cast and band, and tell the story of a young woman on a quest to heal her past and make a new start for a better future, positively affecting those she meets along the way. This is a story of friendship, of healing, of second chances, of community, of forgiveness. In this cynical time, it is indeed a balm to escape for a few hours into the simpler world of Gilead, where there are troubles aplenty, but where hard work, friendship, and community offer a chance for hope and healing. (Playing now through November 1.)

"Into the Woods" at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in Anoka

The more I see the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine fairy tale mash-up musical Into the Woods, the more I like it. I'd seen it on stage twice (BCT and Mu) before the big star-studded movie came out a few months ago, which I also enjoyed, but seeing it on stage again is even better. Like most pieces written for the stage, it works better as a stage experience. With repeated viewings, I'm able to appreciate even more Sondheim's clever lyrics and complicated melodies and Lapine's funny and poignant book, which can be best summed up by the statement "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." A new production* opens tonight at Lyric Arts, a community theater in Anoka that has continued to improve over the last few years. This show continues on that trajectory and is perhaps the best thing I've seen at Lyric Arts, except of course for the fantastic production of my favorite musical RENT last summer. The cast is all-around excellent with not a weak link among them, the production design includes inventive puppetry, and Sondheim's gorgeous and intricate score sounds so beautiful it sent me out of the theater singing and inspired me to finally download the cast recording (OBC, of course). If you have not yet made the drive out to Anoka to visit Lyric Arts, this might be a good time to start.

Into the Woods is a mash-up of familiar fairy tales, but with a twist. We have Cinderella with her handsome prince and missing shoe, Jack and his beanstalk that leads to a kingdom of giants, Rapunzel with her unusually long and strong hair, and a little girl in a red cape going to visit her Granny. Tying these stories together is a Baker and his Wife, who long to have children but were cursed by their neighbor, who happens to be a witch. The witch promises to reverse the spell if the couple completes a series of tasks, which will allow her to become the beautiful young witch she once was. Everyone heads into the woods to accomplish their task, where their stories intersect. At the end of the first act, everyone seems to have accomplished their "happily ever after." But the second act shows us what happens next. Happiness is complicated, actions have consequences, and things are not always what they seem. It's a little like growing up; as children we're told these fairy tales, but when we grow up we learn that life is not like fairy tales, it's complicated and messy, and "sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood." But the good news is, "no one is alone," not even witches and giants.

It's hard to pick out standouts in this large ensemble cast that is excellent across the board, under the direction of Matt McNabb, who also directed the aforementioned RENT, as well as the outrageous Young Frankenstein. Alyssa Seifert is a lovely Cinderella, Nykeigh Larson is at her most adorable as Little Red Ridinghood, Molly Jo Hall is the angelic voice in the tower as Rapunzel, Kyler Chase and Daniel Vinitsky are hilariously pompous and shallow as the dueting princes in "Agony," Joseph Pyfferoen and Kelly Matthews bring much humanity to their roles of the Baker and his Wife, Sam Sanderson is a sweet and open-faced Jack, Lara Trujillo's witch is creepy and deliciously over-the-top, and last but not least, 13-year-old Carter Skull is a great narrator, leading us through this story, always onstage, observing or taking part in the action.

In addition to the great cast, the production elements are all well done. The stage is dominated by a large tree, with wooden stairs and platforms leading from the floor of the stage to the top of the tree, all well-utilized by the cast (set design by Ben Olsen). The animals (and some of the humans) are represented by charming puppets reminiscent of Avenue Q. Most of the puppets don't have legs, and the puppeteers are visible and as much a part of the performance as the puppets. The wolf is particularly fun, with two puppeteers manipulating the puppet and performing an intricate waltz (Kyler Chase and Gabriel Gomez, who also designed the puppets and plays Milky White). Finally, Jeff Geisler's sound design creates some ominously loud giant steps, as well as cool and mysterious echoing effects.

Lyric Arts is a community theater, but their productions are often at professional levels. Now that Bloomington Civic Theatre has transitioned from a community to a professional theater (which seems to be a bit of a blurry line in most cases), Lyric Arts is stepping up to be the top community theater in the region, one that serves as a stepping stone for new young talent. I really can't ask more of a production of one of Sondheim's best musicals than a talented, enthusiastic, and dedicated cast, music that sounds beautiful (music director Louis Berg-Arnold leads a nine-person off-stage orchestra), and creative sets, puppets, sound, costumes, and choreography.

Into the Woods is a musical that tickles your funny bone, tugs at your heartstrings, and challenges your brain, all set to beautiful music. If you've only seen the movie, you owe it to yourself (and the show) to see it on stage, where it was meant to be seen. Into the Woods opens tonight and continues Thursdays through Sundays through March 8 at Lyric Arts on Main Street in Anoka (if you've never been to this theater before, check out my venues page, with info and tips on thirty venues around town).


*Lyric Arts' Into the Woods is the first of two local productions this year. Theater Latte Da will be presenting their version of the show, set in a German beer garden, at the Ritz Theater, opening in March.

"The Underpants" at Theatre in the Round

A German farce adapted by legendary funny man Steve Martin and directed by our own funny woman Shanan Custer? Count me in! This combination promises much hilarity, and Theatre in the Round's production of The Underpants delivers solidly on that promise. This brisk 90 minutes of crazy hijinks that ensue after a woman's underpants fall to her ankles in public is actually quite a brilliant satire of societal gender norms and sexual mores of the time; Carl Sternheim's script was banned shortly after it premiered in 1910. The six-person cast is excellent in line delivery and physical flourishes. Shanan's zany and flustered yet real and grounded comedy style is all over this piece, and makes for a highly entertaining afternoon (or evening) at the theater.

Louise Maske is innocently watching the King's parade when, by some fluke, her underpants (or what we might today call bloomers) fall to her ankles. It causes quite a stir in the town, and her husband Theo much embarrassment. He's a respected clerk of the King, he can't have people looking at him and thinking about what's under his wife's skirt! Two men who saw the underpants incident are completely taken by it, and decide to rent a room in the Maske home. A gentleman poet by the name of Versati falls instantly in love, and Louise, with the help of upstairs neighbor Gertrude, decides to have an affair with him. Unfortunately he's more in love with love and poetry than he is with Louise. The sickly barber Cohen loves Louise too, and blissfully unaware Theo takes him under his wing, vowing to fatten him up and return him to health. When a stern and stooped older gentleman named Klinglehoff also wants to rent a room, Louise assumes he's after the same thing. Finally even the King stops by to pay a visit. The underpants have caused quite a stir in the Maskes' life.

Louise (Amy Pirkl) with her suitors
(photo by Richard Fleishman)

The show is perfectly cast, with each member bringing life to their character and the fast and funny dialogue: John T. Zeiler reveling in the selfish and sexist husband, Amy Pirkl charming and likeable as the bored wife looking for more, Jean Wolff stealing scenes as the nosy neighbor, Nic Delcambre polished and smooth as the flowerly and elegant Versati, David Schlosser adorably awkward as the nebbishy Cohen, and Eric Marinus Nelson with brief hilarious entrances as Klinglehoff. As usual, great use is made of the round stage space with seats on all sides, not a bad view among them. The floor is checkered with dingy red and white tiles (reminding me of the kitchen at my Grandpa's old farmhouse) spiraling to the center, with vintage kitchen equipment along one side and a few benches and chairs around the circle (set design by Gabriel Gomez).

The Underpants is the first show in Theatre in the Round's 63rd season (BTW they're the oldest theater company in town), and continues weekends through the end of the month. Check it out for a sharp, fun, witty, wacky romp.