"Peter and the Starcatcher" by Duluth Playhouse at the NorShore Theatre

Duluth is my (and many Minnesotans') favorite spot for a Minne-cation. Not only is there that endlessly fascinating lake (which on this visit the winds churned up into wild waves), the best of Minnesota's 70+ State Parks, and tons of outdoor activities, food, and shopping, but it's also an artsy city, including a great theater scene. As soon as I bought my ticket to see the living legend that is Willie Nelson at Bayfront Festival Park, I checked out the theater schedule, and was thrilled to discover that I would be in Duluth for the opening of the charming play with music Peter and the Starcatcher by Duluth Playhouse (and also disappointed that I would be missing Zeitgeist Theater's POTUS, opening May 30 and running through June 8). This Peter features a talented 12-percon cast (including some familiar faces), playful and inventive storytelling, and a sweet story about home, family, and adventure; check it out if you're going to be in Duluth through June 2. And whenever you plan your North Shore adventure, see what's going on at the Playhouse or Zeitgeist, or better yet, plan a trip around it - like I may be during Duluth Playhouse's 110th season to see the gorgeous musical The Light in the Piazza, or Waitress - yet another musical that #DuluthTheater does before #TCTheater (see also Renegade Theater's lovely 2019 production of Fun Home, which is premiering in the Twin Cities at Theater Latte Da next season, and last summer's Kinky Boots at the Playhouse, with Mitchell Douglas reprising his role as Lola at Lyric Arts this summer).

"Fun Home" at Renegade Theater Company

The 2015 Tony winner* for best musical, Fun Home, has been available for regional productions for a few years, and I've been anxiously waiting to see which of our many amazing regional theaters in Minnesota would be the first to produce it. I never guessed it would be Renegade Theater Company in Duluth. But I should have, this intrepid company in Minnesota's favorite vacation spot is the perfect fit with their intimate performance space, interesting and risky choices, and the surprisingly deep music-theater talent pool in Duluth. Whether or not #TCTheater companies are prevented from getting the rights to Fun Home because Renegade is doing it, I don't know. I only know that, according to Artistic Director Mary Fox in the post-show talk back, Renegade has been interested in doing this piece since they heard about it, so they asked, and were granted the rights. And I'm so glad they did, and I'm so grateful I was able to drive up to Duluth to see it on their sold-out closing weekend, because Renegade has beautifully brought to life this new, modern, funny, moving, gorgeous musical in a powerful and intimate way.