"The Nacirema Society" at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie is returning to playwright Pearl Cleage's repertoire* after producing the beautifully tragic Blues for An Alabama Sky two years ago. Unlike that play, which was set in 1930s Harlem, The Nacirema Society is actually set in Alabama, and there's no tragedy, only comedy, romance, and a whole lot of fun. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement in 1964 Montgomery (there's a nice article in the program about the events of that "memorable year"), The Nacirema Society is a multigenerational story of a wealthy and powerful Black family preparing for a debutante ball. The playwright summarizes it best (quoted in a program note from Artistic Director Joseph Haj): "Even in the midst of massive social upheaval and revolutionary change, people still found time to fall in and out of love, to keep the family secrets or spill the beans, and to embrace the great human chaos of their very specific lives." That feels very familiar and very human; with all the madness happening in the world right now, we still have to live our day to day lives and find joy wherever we can. And The Nacirema Society, with a fantastic cast of Black women (plus one token guy) and stunning design, is one such source of joy. See it on the Guthrie's thrust stage now through May 24.

"The Gin Game" at Park Square Theatre

After a couple of big shows (the world premiere mystery Holmes/Poirot and the joyously chaotic The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!), Park Square Theatre's return season continues with something a little smaller and more intimate, but no less affecting. The two-hander The Gin Game won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978 and has starred some legendary pairs (including original Guthrie company members Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, and Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones). It's being brought to life on Park Square's Andy Boss Stage by some local legends. It's a sweet and salty little play (that would make a great 90-minute-no-intermission show if not for the intermission) with masterful performances by Greta Oglesby and Terry Hempleman that are a joy to watch. The Gin Game plays Thursdays through Sundays until February 23 at Park Square Theatre, with James Rocco's Songbook Series: Broadway in Love happening upstairs in the main theater on Valentine's weekend.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

A #TCTheater holiday* season really isn't complete without Penumbra Theatre's annual production of Black Nativity, the truest expression of a "joyful noise" I've ever seen. They've been doing this show in various incarnations for over 30 years, but this is only my fourth time seeing it. And it's been a few years, so I was overdue for this healing balm, especially necessary this year, with the world seemingly getting bleaker every day (and literally getting darker every day as we progress towards the Winter Solstice). The show is similar to what they've been doing the last several years, with a few changes in personnel. But it's always a source of joy and inspiration, lifting the spirits to face whatever darkness is to come as we leave the theater, just like Black churches have been doing for their congregations for centuries. Black Nativity continues through December 22.

American Players Theatre 2024

This year I made my second visit to American Players Theatre, the magical theater in the middle of the woods of Wisconsin. My friends at Minnesota Theater Love have been going for years, and finally convinced me to join them two years ago. I was enamored of the setting and the quality (and quantity) of work produced, and declared that "if Middle Earth had a theater, it would look like American Players Theatre," so I was happy to make the trip again after missing last year. And now I am thoroughly and irrevocably ensorcelled by the experience that is APT; I don't think I'll miss another year if I can help it. We saw five shows in three days, four of them outdoors, each better than the last. If you're a theater fan in the Midwest, put APT on your must-do list. A lovely four-hour drive from the Twin Cities through the corn fields and rolling hills of Wisconsin brings you to a two-stage, eight-show repertory theater than runs from June through September (with an additional indoor show in October). It's a gem that even the New York Times has visited - so why haven't you? This year we stayed at House on the Rock Resort which is the closest (and perfectly satisfactory) lodging to the theater at just about a mile away, but there are other hotels, B&Bs, and AirBnBs in the vicinity. Plus there are plenty of shops and restaurants in and around Spring Green to entertain you (although I do recommend making a reservation for Saturday night dinner, we visited four restaurants before we found one that could seat us). So make a long weekend of it, visit the truly bizarre funhouse that is House on the Rock (admission included if you stay at the Resort), take in the majesty of Taliesin (which I have yet to do), and enjoy some amazing theater, scenery, and cheese!

"Handprints" at History Theatre

Greta Oglesby has been a mainstay in #TCTheater for some 20 years, appearing on stages all over town. But now, for the first time, she's telling her own story. In a project that was first developed with Ten Thousand Things (who produced a film version of it), Greta shares all of the people who shaped her and made her into the person and artist she is today. It's a funny, touching, relatable a story, that reminds us of the people in our lives who teach us things that we carry with us all of our lives, like handprints on our hearts. I loved getting some insight into this artist I've long admired from afar, and learn about what brought her to this place. With music, puppets, and imagery, Greta brings us all on the journey with her. Handprints continues at the History Theatre in downtown St. Paul through February 18.

"A Christmas Carol" at the Guthrie Theater

Despite the freakishly warm late fall weather we're having in mid-November, the #TCTheater holiday* season is in full swing! The Twin Cities Theater Bloggers recently previewed all of the shows in our podcast Twin Cities Theater Chat, in which I said that for me, it just isn't Christmas without the Guthrie's A Christmas Carol. This is my 20th season as a Guthrie season subscriber and my 17th time seeing A Christmas Carol (it's not part of the subscription, so I skipped a few years, but not many). For me, it's as warm, comforting, and familiar as your favorite holiday food that you only have once a year, that immediately puts you in that mood of community, festivity, and fellowship. In their 49th annual production, the Guthrie is using the adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani and new design that debuted in 2021, with a few slight tweaks. Compared to previous adaptations they've used, it's more streamlined, hitting all of the highlights as it moves briskly through this familiar story in under two hours (including intermission). Every element of design and production is stunning and efficient in telling the story, for a gorgeous spectacle that's also brimming with heart and good humor. As I've written about A Christmas Carol in the past, "I never tire of seeing it, because Charles Dickens' story of redemption, community, family, and human kindness never gets old. It's a beautiful and necessary thing to be reminded that 'what brings us together is greater than what drives us apart.' That it's never too late to change, to grow, to become a kinder and more generous person." Continue the tradition, or start a new one, at Guthrie Theater now through December 30.

"Emilia" by Ten Thousand Things at Open Book

A few months ago, the Guthrie Theater brought us the brilliant new play Born with Teeth, imagining meetings between playwrights Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, and the theory that the two co-wrote some of the history plays attributed to Shakespeare. Now, Ten Thousand Things is taking another look at this subject, from the feminist side. Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's play Emilia premiered at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2018 and explores the life of Emilia Bassano, one of England's first published female poets. The play theorizes that she and Shakespeare were lovers, and that he took some of their conversations and put them into his plays, making her a contributor to the work of Shakespeare. There's lots of discussion about who really wrote the plays we know as Shakespeare (e.g., this article "Was Shakespeare a Woman?" by Elizabeth Winkler, which has been expanded into a book to be released this month). The truth is we'll likely never really know. And that's not what this play is about, anyway. It's about women's voices, women's stories, and why they have been systematically silenced throughout history. Told by an all-female cast, Emilia is the story of a historical woman who would not be silenced, even if it did take a few hundred years for history to recognize her contributions. It's a story that's all too relatable for modern women, and one we can take inspiration from.

"Weathering" at Penumbra Theatre

Prolific #TCTheater playwright Harrison David Rivers has written another beautiful and relevant story about humans. Weathering was commissioned by Penumbra as a response to the growing awareness of racial disparities in maternal health. A quick google search reveals staggering statistics around the racial disparity in infant and maternal mortality in this country - two and three times higher for Black mothers compared to White mothers. Weathering puts a human face on those statistics and lets us experience the tragedy of one family, as well as the healing that can happen within a community.

"The Roommate" by Prime Productions at Mixed Blood Theatre

"PRIME Productions seeks to explore, illuminate and support women over fifty and their stories through the creative voice of performance." I say huzzah to that! And to the return of PRIME and their celebration of women in their prime, who are often overlooked in entertainment and in life. Their first post-pandemic-intermission production is the two-hander The Roommate written by Playwrights' Center affiliated writer Jen Silverman, and it's a gem. In this dark comedy that the website describes as "Breaking Bad meets Grace and Frankie," to which I would add a little bit of Good Girls, two very different women find themselves living together, and learn things from each other, whether it's how to commit crimes or how to open up to a friend (click here for info and tickets). 

"Celebrating Sondheim, Act II" by Theatre Latte Da at Crooners Supper Club

My favorite Sondheim interpreters, Theater Latte Da, return with Act II of their Celebrating Sondheim cabaret series at Crooners Supper Club. And the good news is - there are still some tickets remaining for today's two shows! Click on this link right now to snag one before they're gone, so that you too can experience this beautifully curated selection of songs from arguably our greatest music-theater creator.

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

Another holiday* tradition is back this year - Penumbra Theatre's joyful production of Langston Hughes' Black Nativity. They've been doing this show for over 30 years now, and this version is very similar to what I saw three years ago. It's a wonderful tradition that fills the soul; recommended if you've never seen it before, or if you've seen it a dozen times. Continuing through Christmas Eve at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul.

Ghostlight Series: "Heroic Acts of Music" streaming from Theater Latte Da

The third installment of Theater Latte Da's fantastic virtual cabaret series called "The Ghostlight Series" is now available! The five-part series began with the powerful and moving Twelve Blocks From Where I Live, Regina Marie Williams's response to the murder of George Floyd in photos and song. Next was Re-Cast, which gave some of our favorites the chance to sing a song from a role they would never be cast in. And now we have Heroic Acts of Music, honoring 20th Century musicians (and others) who used music for protest or support in difficult and dangerous times. All three shows are available to watch now and as many times as you want through August with the purchase of a season pass. These gorgeously filmed and edited 30-minute shows with fantastic performances from some of #TCTheater's best are worth every penny, helping to bridge the gap until we can gather in person again to share stories and music (hopefully very soon!).

"Last Stop on Market Street" streaming from Children's Theatre Company

Like many theaters, Children's Theatre Company is offering recordings of past shows to be viewed during this extended intermission from theater. The current show is Last Stop on Market Street from 2018, a show I didn't see because there was so much #TCTheater happening I couldn't fit everything into my schedule (what a great problem to have). I watched it today and found it to be a sweet and entertaining show with a great message. It's available for a 24-hour rental through November 22 (ticket price beginning at $25).

"Black Nativity" at Penumbra Theatre

There truly is no better place to experience the "joyful noise" of the holiday* season than at Penumbra Theatre's annual production of Black Nativity. Despite it being a 30+ year #TCTheater holiday institution, this is only my second time seeing the show. If you've never seen it before, you need to add it to your holiday theater rotation to experience the pure joy radiating from the stage. And if you have seen it before, you know just how heart-warming and life-affirming it is. This 80-minute theater/ music/ dance/ poetry experience continues through December 23, so there's plenty of time to get to St. Paul.

"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" at the Guthrie Theater

The 1967 movie Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a classic, but I don't think I've ever seen it. Or if I have, I don't remember it. But because this movie has become such an integral part of our culture, even people who haven't seen the movie know the premise: a young woman introduces her black fiance to her white family, who, despite being liberals who believe in racial equality, have trouble accepting the relationship. A stage adaptation of the movie was written just a few years ago (by Todd Kriedler) and is currently showing on the Guthrie mainstage. Why tell this story 50 years later? In a world in which black men are arrested for sitting at Starbucks, it's still an important and unfortunately relevant story. But it does feel a little too easy for the mostly older white audience to laugh at these people's reaction in a past we may think we've overcome, but which we obviously haven't.

"The Wiz" at the Children's Theatre, a co-production with Penumbra Theatre

"Combining CTC's critical literacy work and Penumbra's racial justice work allows us to forge something together that neither could do alone." These words in the playbill of The Wiz, the first collaboration between these two acclaimed #TCTheater companies, brought tears to my eyes before the show even started. Especially after wading through a sea of children of all shapes, sizes, colors, and creeds. In an increasingly divided world, Penumbra (one of the longest-running and most acclaimed African American theater companies in the nation) and Children's Theatre (ditto for children's theater) give me hope, as individual companies and especially in this collaboration in which an all-black cast tells a story of a young black woman who discovers her own power through the help of friends. They give me hope that maybe we can overcome our seemingly insurmountable differences and join together in song and awesome dance to solve our problems. It's possible, right? Can't you feel a brand new day? Indeed I can.

"A Raisin in the Sun" at Park Square Theatre

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

"Harvey" at the Guthrie Theater

"I've wrestled with reality for over 40 years, and I'm happy to report that I finally won out over it." So says Elwood Dowd, he who sees the imaginary six-foot tall white rabbit, in the 1944 play Harvey by Mary Cole. That's an attitude I can fully get behind, because sometimes reality sucks. And I think that's part of the reason for my love of going to the theater - because I can forget the sometimes depressing reality of the world for a few hours and immerse myself in the world of the play. Harvey is just such a play. So maybe it's 70 years old, and is nothing ground-breaking or particularly illuminating about the society we live in today, but the Guthrie's new production of this classic is wonderful escapist entertainment that also provides some still relevant commentary on people, society, and relationships. The world might be a happier place if we all had our own Harvey to focus on rather than dwell on the harshness of the world around us.

"Akeelah and the Bee" at Children's Theatre Company

Children's Theatre Company opens their 50th season with an adaptation of the 2006 movie Akeelah and the Bee, about an 11-year-old girl from a poor neighborhood who discovers her power and self-worth through competing in Spelling Bees. Written by Cheryl L. West, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, and featuring a fantastic local cast, the production will travel to Washington DC after its debut at CTC, with the possibility of continuing on after that. But first, we get to enjoy it here in Minnesota. This heart-warming and inspirational story has been brought to life on the CTC stage with energy, warmth, humor, and heart.

We meet Akeelah, who lives with her mother and older brother, soon after the death of her father in a neighborhood shooting. Akeelah's mother is busy trying to make ends meet and doesn't have time for Akeelah's interest in spelling. Reggie is unemployed and tempted by a life of crime to provide for his family, which includes a new baby. A good student, Akeelah is reluctant to participate in the Bee because of the teasing she receives from her classmates, but her love for spelling, a special connection she shared with her dad, wins out. She trains with the curmudgeonly Dr. Larabee and, like all good teacher/student relationships, she teaches him as much as he teaches her. But to win at the national level Akeelah needs the help of her friends and everyone in her community. They all rally behind her, encourage her, and help her train for the Bee. Her success means success for all of them.

my favorite moment of the Bee (photo by Jeff Wheeler)

Newcomer Johanna Easley portrays Akeelah, and she's a natural actor, easily conveying Akeelah's spunk, sadness, and determination to succeed (and she very likely could win a few Spelling Bees with all of the words she's learned for this part!). She and the other talented youngsters, including the delightful Zaria Graham as Akeelah's fashion- and fun-loving friend, are surrounded by a veritable Who's Who of Twin Cities talent, including the magnificent James A. Williams as Dr. Larabee, Aimee K. Bryant as Akeelah's mother, homegrown talent Nathan Barlow (he trained at CTC as a kid and the U of M/Guthrie BFA program as a young adult) as Reggie, Darius Dotch pulling double duty as the neighborhood gangster and the host of the Bee, and Greta Oglesby and Shawn Hamilton, bringing much heart and soul to the proceedings. The cool set design by Alexander V. Nichols features four rotating two-story metal cells. They represent houses, shops, and, when turned to reveal shelves full of books, Dr. Larabee's library.

Akeelah and the Bee may not be an original story (there are countless variations of the underdog training for and winning at a big competition, and we've seen the odd and delightful quirkiness that is the Spelling Bee onstage before in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), but it's charmingly told and speaks to the power of family, community, education, and a common goal. It's a story worth sharing and is sure to encourage young people to follow their dreams, and maybe not-so-young people as well. Akeelah and the Bee continues through October 11.

"All the World's A Stage" - a Gala Tribute Honoring Joe Dowling at the Guthrie Theatre

The Guthrie Theater knows how to throw a gala. The 50th Anniversary Gala two years ago is one of my favorite theater memories, with amazing performances by many local and national favorites in celebration of 50 years of this national treasure of a theater we Minnesotans are lucky enough to call ours. Last Saturday night the Guthrie held another gala, and instead of just a general feeling of appreciation for the community, all of the respect, honor, and love was directed towards one person, Joe Dowling. Joe is resigning from his position of Artistic Director after 20 years (12 of which I have been a season subscriber), during which he oversaw the move from the original theater to the big blue beautiful building on the river and co-founded the Guthrie/U of M BFA program along with many other accomplishments. He is the longest tenured Artistic Director in Guthrie history (surpassing the previous holder of that record, his predecessor Garland Wright, by 11 years) and the most consistent leadership in the Guthrie's 52 year history. In that time he has worked with hundreds of theater artists, many of whom were on hand to partake in the celebration. The 90-minute performance included over 70 actors and showcased a dozen of the over 50 plays and musicals that Joe has directed in his tenure at the Guthrie, plus original musical and dance performances. But even more than the many wonderful mini-performances we were treated to was the overwhelming feeling of love, gratitude, and respect for this theater, this community, and the man who has helmed this theater for so many years. It was a truly magical night.

If you weren't there, here's a summary of the wonderful things you missed:

• The show opened (about 30 minutes past the scheduled 8:30 start time) with a rousing musical number in which a cast of too many favorites to mention sang what I'm assuming is an original song "There You Are," complete with some audience interaction. 
• We were welcomed by the hilarious lisping weeble-wobble brothers Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, played by real-life brothers Kris L. and Lee Mark Nelson, reprising their roles from the 2008 production of The Government Inspector.
• Colman Domingo from the original cast of The Scottsboro Boys returned to serenade us with a beautiful and heart-breaking song from the show, "Go Back Home." The Scottsboro Boys is the brilliant last musical from Kander and Ebb, and played at the Guthrie in the summer of 2010 between stints off and on Broadway. I'm so grateful to Joe and the Guthrie for bringing it to Minnesota.
• Bill McCallum opened a series of scenes with the opening lines from my favorite play The Glass Menagerie, reprising his role of Tom from the 2007 production. The poetic musings by Tennessee Williams on time, memory, and illusion were the perfect way to start the show.
• Michelle O'Neill and Stephen Pelinksi performed the scene about choosing caskets from The Merchant of Venice, in which both actors appeared in 2007.
• This was followed by a selection from Chekhov's Three Sisters, directed by Joe in 2003, with Chloe Armao, Emily Gunyou Halaas, and Michelle O'Neill as the sisters.
• Joe directed The Importance of Being Earnest twice at the Guthrie, in 1998 and 2009. Hugh Kennedy and Valeri Mudek treated us to a scene from the play.
• A "dance interlude" by Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek (who also choreographed the show) did not last nearly long enough. When he leapt into her arms and she caught him and spun around, the audience gasped in delight. They are such effortless, charismatic, playful dancers.
• Master storyteller Kevin Kling delivered a hilarious, touching, and very Minnesotan tale about his work with Joe and the Guthrie.
• Sally Wingert belting out "Gotta Get a Gimmick" from Gypsy - is there anything better than that? Yes there is, because she sang original lyrics by Mark Benninghofen specific to the occasion and was joined by J.C. Cutler, Robert Dorfman, Jim Lichtsheidl, Tracey Maloney, and Isabell Monk O'Connor, each at their most gimmicky to make us love them. It worked.
• Another scene montage began with Bob Davis dryly delivering Minnesota fishing regulations from 2013's Nice Fish, a play I called "absurd, hilarious, strangely profound, and yes, somewhat inexplicable."
• A dramatic and star-studded scene from 2007's The Home Place made me wish I had a better memory, or could see it again.
• Michael Booth recited a monologue from Stoppard's The Invention of Love, directed by Joe in 2003.
• I will never tire of listening to Tyler Michaels sing "On the Street Where You Live," so I was thrilled that he briefly reprised his role from last summer's hit My Fair Lady.
• Four fantastically talented women (Helen Anker, Cat Brindisi, Melisa Hart, Greta Oglesby, and Regina Marie Williams) sang a montage of songs titled "Love's What We'll Remember" that included such Broadway classics as "Send in the Clowns," "Broadway Baby," and of course, the entirely appropriate "What I Did For Love."
• Once again, Jennifer Baldwin Peden made opera seem funny, accessible, natural, and completely effortless. She's sure to win any part she wants with "Adele's Audition Song" from Die Fledermaus.
• The last scene montage began with a scene from the ghostly comedy Blithe Spirit, last seen at the Guthrie in 1997, with Bradley Greenwald, Laura Esping, and Rosaleen Linehan playing man, ghost, and medium.
• Helen Carey and Peter Michael Goetz recreated an intense scene from 2002's All My Sons, another one I wish I could see.
• The scene montages concluded, fittingly, with the heartbreaking closing monologue from The Glass Menagerie, providing a nice bookend to the scene portion of the evening.
• This was immediately followed by a stirring a capella version of "The Hills of Tomorrow" from Merrily We Roll Along, performed by the ensemble. By the way, I should mention that Music Director Andrew Cooke led a fantastic six-person orchestra throughout the show and provided the arrangements. And Peter Flynn did a beautiful job directing the show and the many disparate scenes as they flowed together to form a whole.
• More than two dozen alumni from the U of M/Guthrie BFA program and A Guthrie Experience (or as I like to call it, the Guthrie's strong farm system) performed the As You Like It monologue that begins "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." They told of the seven ages of man, speaking alone or in small or large groups, from "the infant, mewling and puking in the nurse's arms" through "second childhood and oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything." Such great young talent that the Guthrie has sent out into the world.
• Another U of M/Guthrie BFA graduate, Santino Fontana, who played Hamlet in the final production at the old Guthrie, impassionately sang "I Was Here" from The Glorious Ones.
• The closing number was the highly appropriate "You're the Top" from Anything Goes, beginning with Bradley Greenwald and Greta Oglesby, and continuing through all of the wonderful and beloved performers on that stage.

Have you ever watched the Kennedy Center Honors, in which great artists are honored by the president and performances from admiring proteges? That's what this felt like. From where I was sitting, I could see Joe sitting on the center aisle about halfway up, just beaming. He came onstage after the final number to give a few brief words, in which he credited Tyrone Guthrie and the other previous Artistic Directors, as well as all the actors who've worked at the Guthrie beginning with Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy in the inaugural season, through Barbara Bryne (who, at 86, was there but in the audience rather than onstage), through the 70+ actors surrounding him onstage. It was such a love fest, and such a thrill to see so many artists whom I love, respect, and admire in one place, Joe Dowling chief among them.

But wait, that's not all! The evening continued with champagne (in real glasses!), dessert, music (the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra set up just in front of the endless bridge), and mingling. I had the chance to talk to so many of my favorite artists, some of whom I'd met before, some of whom I met for the first time. But there were many I didn't dare approach because they're just too intimidatingly amazing. I could have stood there gawking at the crowd all night and basking in the glow of this amazing theater community.

Here are a few photos from the after-party; I'll add more photos as they become available. Also check out my live twitter feed from the event @cherryandspoon.

champagne toast and tuxes

the dessert table - macarons and truffles

dancing to the smooth sounds of the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra

a memento from a magical night - this chocolate is too pretty to eat!