Penumbra Theatre is celebrating its 40th anniversary with an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center entitled "Penumbra Theatre at 40: Art, Race and a Nation on Stage." I toured the last weekend yesterday with my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers from Artfully Engaging, Compendium, Life in Revue, and One Girl Two Cities, and we had a great time. This comprehensive exhibit tells about the history of Penumbra, its beginnings 40 years ago, its close relationship to one of the most important African American playwrights August Wilson, and its growth to become one of the top African American theaters in the country. On display are posters, playbills, costumes, set pieces, and props, as well as photos of past, present, and departed company members. It's an incredible collection of artifacts important to history, theater, Minnesota, and the African American experience.
The final installment of what has been an excellent new works series sponsored by the History Theatre is Radio Man, by Minnesota’s own radio man Garrison Keillor. In case you've been living under a rock for the past 40 years, Garrison is the creator/writer/host of a radio variety show called A Prairie Home Companion. This 40-year Minnesota institution has spun off countless books, CDs, DVDs, a movie (for which I was a never-seen extra), and now - a play. I admit I'm biased because I love Prairie Home in all of its form, so I can't objectively view it as simply a play, as someone who's unfamiliar with the show would. Having said that, I found it to be another great way to experience the truly delightful world of A Prairie Home Companion. Radio Man is like watching an episode of APHC play out on stage, with the addition of glimpses into the back-stage
goings-on, as well as musings about the host's childhood. Led by a very familiar
seeming host, we meet other familiar characters such as cowboys Dusty and Lefty and
private eye Guy Noir. The host's child self also appears onstage, telling stories about the origin of his love of radio and his desire to live and work in that world. The "Lake Wobegon" story about the death of Byron Tolefson blends into the real life of the play as the ghost of Byron appears and ponders the meaning of life and death. In addition, the host is confronted by the station manager, his sister, and a woman from his past. Over the course of one evening and one episode of this ongoing radio show, the host experiences something much more - an existential rumination on life itself.
Once again, an extremely professional and talented cast of
actors breathes life into the written words. Pearce Bunting plays the host,
with a spot-on Garrison Keillor impression. From the red socks and the glasses,
to the way he holds his hand to his face while talking, to the shuffling dance
as he's taken by the music. The adorable Noah Deets plays the host's 10-year-old
self, with remarkable maturity and ability in this unusual format for someone
so young. Various characters real and imagined are portrayed by Jon Andrew
Hegge, Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, Jake Endres, Summer Hagen, and the dryly hilarious
Angela Timberman. Of course APHC would not be complete without music, and there's much of that here, successfully woven into the story in the form of jingles and performances by guests (with musical direction by Andrew Cooke).
In the post-show discussion (a lovely feature of Raw Stages that allows the audience to share feedback with the creators), Pearce was asked what it felt like to play a real person who was sitting in the room. Pearce responded that Garrison's words resonate with so many of us because he's telling our story, so in a way he's in all of us, or all of us are in him. He said if he continues in the role (which I sincerely hope he does), the trick will be to find a little bit more of himself in the character and less of Garrison. A few other people pointed out that the ending went on a little too long. I agree with that, but after a little tightening and restructuring
(Garrison was busily taking notes throughout the reading), this has the
potential to be a charming play about a familiar and beloved Minnesota institution. I consider Garrison to be the Mark Twain of our generation,
a folksy humorist telling stories of Americana that ring true. It's lovely to
hear that voice coming from a theater stage through the mouths of actors, and to experience the wonderfully quirky world of A Prairie Home Companion in a theatrical format.
This was my first time attending History Theatre's annual Raw Stages festival, and I enjoyed it so much and was very impressed by the creators and actors putting together such professional and entertaining readings in such a short time. Each one of the four works presented is so different, showcasing great variety in the history of Minnesota and in its theater. I hope to see each one of them further developed and given a full production. (Read about all four plays here.)
I love historic old mansions that have been turned into museums, and my favorite is the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. A gorgeous house and beautifully manicured grounds right on the shores of Lake Superior, the story of a New York lawyer who got rich in the local mining industry and built this house for his wife and many children, plus a murder mystery! I have to admit, I am more than little fascinated by the story of how elderly millionaire Elisabeth Congden and her nurse were found dead in 1977, one smothered by a satin pillow and the other beaten to death with a candlestick (an actual candlestick!). Yes it's gruesome and tragic, but it's also one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" stories that is so captivating. Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher and composer Chan Poling have taken this fascination with this weird and wonderful story and turned it into a musical, presented as the third show in the History Theatre's Raw Stages Festival. Or at least it's the beginnings of a musical. After working together for only a few days, the creators and the fabulous cast they have assembled presented just over an hour of material. They had meant to have more, "but it snowed" (Jeffrey is extremely dry and funny, see also his Lifetime Achievement Ivey Award acceptance speech). It's definitely still in the "raw" stage of the development process, but almost every song and scene is terrific, the tone of "ironic comedic cynicism" is spot on, and it has much potential to be a fantastic new original musical (my favorite thing in the world!).
In a short intro, Jeffrey explained that the musical is supposed to be a "non-realistic break the fourth wall" sort of thing, with "a spirit of theatricality." Our way into the story is through a modern day tour guide at the mansion (a bubbly Aly Westberg). She calls the head docent (Norah Long) in a panic when one of the guests takes a forbidden photograph in the stairwell where one of the bodies was found. Through a series of flashbacks we meet Elisabeth Congden and her two adopted daughters - Jennifer, the sweet and pretty one (Norah again) and Marjorie (the always fabulous Jody Briskey), who epitomizes the phrase "black sheep of the family." Marjorie meets her second husband Roger (an adorably awkward and "sad sack" Robert O. Berdahl) and introduces him to the family. He (with or without Marjorie's assistance and knowledge) plots to kill Elisabeth, is convicted, confesses to secure his release from jail, and commits suicide. Marjorie is never convicted and goes on to rack up charges of fraud, arson, bigamy, and even murder. The action flashes back and forth between moments in the past and the present day, where we also meet a "cub reporter" (Randy Schmeling) and a wacky detective (Jim Ramlet). The only part of the piece that didn't quite work for me was the ending, with a long exchange about the camera or phone used to take the picture. I was confused about who this woman was (Marjorie? the ghost of Elisabeth?), and the reveal that she was some sort of Marjorie fanatic didn't quite seem to fit. I only nitpick because the rest of the show is gold, just waiting to be polished and fleshed out and put together in the most shiny way possible.
The wonderful songs with clever and funny lyrics include the Sweeney Todd-esque "Ballad of Haunted Glensheen," a song between the two sisters, one good and one bad, a Marjorie/Roger duet - a "mismatch made in hell," a very funny and drunken Roger singing about the "murder plot," Marjorie's swan song "Burn it Down," and what seemed to be the favorite of the audience - nurse Velma's* sad and sweet song in which her husband begs "stay with me" when the recently retired nurse is called back to work that fateful night.
I loved this piece so much. It's my favorite of the Raw Stages festival so far even though it's also the most raw. It's exactly the kind of musical I like - funny, satirical, witty, a little wacky, about a topic I'm already fascinated by. I cannot wait to see it further fleshed out and produced with lavish sets and costumes and a full orchestra. I hope they keep every one of these seven cast-members who were just perfect in their roles, maybe adding a few more actors to fill out some of the roles. Judging by the sold-out crowd, there is definitely an audience anxious to see Glensheen: The Musical, myself included!
The History Theatre's Raw Stages Festival concludes with a new play by Garrison Keillor this Sunday. But if you don't already have tickets, you're out of luck - it's sold out. But don't worry, I'll be there and will tell you all about it!
the Glensheen Mansion, definitely worth a visit
next time you find yourself in Duluth
*Velma's grand-niece was in the audience and gave her approval of the show in general and Velma's song in particular.
The second new work presented as part of the History Theatre's Raw Stages Festival is Debutante Ball, about a group of Filipino-American youth preparing for the traditional Debutante Ball, and the strict but supportive woman who guides them through the process. Written by Eric "Pogi" Somangil and directed by Randy Reyes (newly crowned Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts), it's a charming look at young people and the usual struggle to find yourself at that age, along with the added struggle of trying to figure out what it means to be Filipino-American.
We meet six teenagers, three girls preparing for the Debutante Ball (played with youthful charm by Jöelle Fernandez, Suzie Juul, and Noelle Trovela) and the three boys who will serve as their escorts (the equally youthful and charming Patrick Faunillan, Alex Galick, and Kenneth Gonzales). Anna is participating despite her parents' objections, who have chosen to forget their Filipino heritage and raise their daughter as an assimilated American. But she longs to know more about her culture, so she moves in with a friend, gets a job, and decides to do this on her own. She spends time with her new friends (typical teenagers like the spoiled rich girl, the smart and independent girl, the cocky jock, and the nerdy awkward boy) and Tita Belinda, the community auntie who is hard on the kids as she teaches them to dance, but has a soft spot underneath for her charges (the character is based on a real person). The highlight of the show is a fully realized and completely entertaining performance by Arnold Felizardo as Tita.
The play features very natural language, with the teenagers talking like real teenagers talk. They also mix in some words from the Filipino language in an organic way. The history of the Debutante Ball, and the Philippines in general, is told in a very clever and well-done rap by the entire cast. Because it came early in the show, I was expecting there to be more music in the play than there was. A few lines were later sung as the boys serenade one of the girls, but it was quickly replaced by a recording of DaHil Sa 'Yo. I would love to see more live music incorporated into the next incarnation of the show, in this section and also the dancing scenes. One thing there is much of in this play is humor; I particularly enjoyed the argument about why hobbits are Filipino.
Another night at the Raw Stages Festival, another well-written and promising new play brought to life by a talented cast. Hooray for the History Theatre for fostering new work that is specific to this place, giving all Minnesotans a chance to tell their story. I appreciated the opportunity to learn a bit more about the Filipino-American culture that is so active right here in Minnesota (see the Fil-Minnesotan website to learn more).
there's something so exciting about a bare stage,
where anything can happen!
Last night I attended the first of four new works being presented by the History Theatre as part of their Raw Stages festival. On a bare stage with just a few chairs and music stands, actors read the play from the script. But with fine accomplished actors such as these, it becomes something more than just a reading, although not a fully staged production. In a reading with no visual stimulation, it's all about the words, and in this case they are beautiful descriptive words that paint a picture of a landscape and the people who inhabit it.
Boundary Waters, written by Carlyle Brown and directed by Marion McClinton, uses a real-life event in Minnesota history as a metaphor for exploring several ideas. George Bonga was a fur trader of African-American and Native American descent living in Northern Minnesota in the 19th century who became a legendary figure. One of his more famous exploits was tracking down and capturing a suspected murderer, an Ojibwe man named Che-ga-wa-skung, who was then sent to trial at Fort Snelling. This event is at the center of the play as we learn how these events changed the two men and bonded them.
The play opens in the late 1860s (post Civil War and US-Dakota War, both of which are referred to), when George Bonga (beautifully voiced by James A. Williams) is being haunted by dreams about the man he once tracked across the frozen Minnesota winter. He tells his wife (George Keller) the story, and the action flashes back to the chase in 1837. After capturing Che-ga-wa-skung (who, thanks to the writing and Jake Waid's talent in bringing him to life, becomes a sympathetic character despite being a murderer), the two have many deep discussions as they try to survive the cold. Che-ga-wa-skung asks Bonga a simple question, "who are you?" Bonga doesn't really have an answer, he's always living on the boundaries, the son of an Ojibwe mother and a black father, and living the "white ways" as a fur trader. Bonga struggles with the question until the two men meet again later in life and continue the discussion. Rounding out the cast are Jon Andrew Hegge as two colleagues of Bonga's, and Michael Terrell Brown in a too small role as Che-ga-wa-skung's brother.
I very much enjoyed the reading of this new play; it's a fascinating exploration of a chapter of Minnesota history I was previously unfamiliar with, as seen through two well-drawn characters. That's not to say my mind didn't wander on occasion during the dense political sections, but for the most part the captivating and descriptive language held my attention and painted the world so well that I could almost see it. The lakes area north of Brainerd is one of my favorite places on the planet, where I've spent many peaceful and contemplative weeks. It's a thrill to hear that place come alive and to learn a bit more about the region's rich and complicated history. Most of all, I love getting a glimpse into the creative process of what it is to have an idea, write a play, and bring it to life. I look forward to the next incarnation of Boundary Waters.
The History Theatre's Raw Stages festival continues at the Minnesota History Center tonight with Debutante Ball (about a Filipino-American Valentine's Day ball), followed by Glensheen (a musical retelling of the murder in the mansion) and Radio Man (a new play by one of my favorite Minnesotans, Garrison Keillor).
I've never thought of the Civil War is as a particularly important part of Minnesota history, its battles being fought hundreds of miles away. But a new exhibit at the Minnesota History Center proves otherwise. In fact, Minnesotans were among the first to volunteer for the Union Army. One such volunteer was Madison Bowler from Nininger, a small town near Hastings. He enlisted in 1861 and served for five years before returning home to Minnesota. During that time he married his fiance Lizzie and had a child, despite only being home for a total of twelve weeks during a four-year period. Madison and Lizzie left behind hundreds of letters that they wrote to each other, which have been compiled into a book called Go If You Think It Your Duty by Andrea R. Foroughi. The book was adapted into a one-hour play by Victoria Stewart and presented at the History Center for two performances. On the day I attended the play, I also visited the exhibit (as well as the sobering exhibit on the US-Dakota War that happened right here on Minnesota soil during the same time as the Civil War). I found it to be a really nice complement to the exhibit and a great way to bring a little piece of Minnesota history to life.
This little play features some pretty big names in the local theater scene - director Craig Johnson and actors Anna Sundberg and Peter Christian Hansen as the Bowlers (see also Venus in Fur). You know that cliche "I would watch [insert name of favorite actor] read the phone book?" Peter and Anna are two such actors for me, and even better when what they're reading are a series of impassioned and touching letters between a husband and wife separated by war. The play mostly consists of Madison and Lizzie standing in front of music stands on opposite sides of the stage, reading their letters to each other. This may sound boring, but in the hands of Peter and Anna, the words come to life. They convey the joy, frustration, anger, sadness, and hope in the life of this couple lived apart. The letters cover everything from the mundane (oh those awful Minnesota winters) to the profound (the death of Lizzie's sister), from joyful (the birth of baby Victoria) to unpleasant (Madison and Lizzie's disagreement about where Madison's duty lies). There are just enough conversation scenes interspersed among the letter readings to weave together a story (Abby Desanto and Dietrich Poppen play additional characters). Period costumes and music of the time (James Lekatz on piano provides a soundtrack, with the cast joining in on several songs) add to the sense of time and place.
Go If You Think It Your Duty is a short, sweet, simple play that brings a little piece of history to life. Unfortunately there are no more performances of this play planned, but the exhibit runs through the fall, so maybe it'll pop up again. I have attended a few special events at the History Theater, but I wasn't really aware that they produce original theater. I am now. The moral of the story is - keep your eye out for theater in unusual places, it's everywhere.
I love history (especially Minnesota history), and I love music. So the recent event at the Minnesota History Center*, Trail of Two Cities with Dan Chouinard and Friends, was just my kind of thing. I became familiar with talented pianist/accordionist/storyteller Dan Chouinard years ago through the dear, departed, MPR Morning Show, and have seen him in many concerts since, including his Cafe Europa show (about his adventures bicycling around Europe with an accordion) and Steerage Song (last summer's collaboration with Theater Latte Da). In Trail of Two Cities, Dan brings his music/storytelling format to these two beautiful cities we call home, and more specifically, to how we travel between them. Dan travels by bicycle as much as possible, which I hugely admire and envy. He encouraged the audience to bring the mindfulness necessary when traveling through the city by bike to however we travel. There's a reason the roads we travel on are where they are. The show reminded me a little of The History Channel's seriesHow the States Got their Shapes, only with local landmarks like the crosstown (a way for livestock trucks to bypass the city) and University Avenue (an old Native American trail from the falls of St. Anthony to the bend in the river).
In addition to learning lots of fascinating tidbits about local history, complete with period photos and paintings, Dan and Friends also provided music to accompany the stories. Dan's talented Friends include several members of the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, "old-time musicians" husband and wife duo Kim and Quillan Roe, and talented vocalist Prudence Johnson. Train songs, truck songs, river songs, the music covered every mode of transportation used in the history of these Twin Cities. Modes of transportation and related songs include:
Horse and buggy - a sing-along to "Surry with the Fringe On Top"
Trains (a 30-45 minute trip in the late 19th century) - "The Wabash Cannonball"
Steamboat - a song about the Lake Pepin Steamboat by the adorable Chouinard Family Barbershop Quartet (Quintet?), consisting of Dan, his dad, and three brothers
Streetcars (which took over the train business in the early 20th century until their demise in 1956) - "Clang Clang Clang went the Trolley"
Highways (first built in the '50s and '60s, 94 was built straight through the African American neighborhood of Rhondo) - "Drive the USA in Your Chevrolet"
It was a fascinating trip through local history that made me want to learn more. It also made me want to move from the suburbs into the city so I could make use of the growing public transportation (the streetcars return!). The show reminded me of my desire to take the train to Chicago for a theater weekend, and float down the Mississippi to New Orleans on a riverboat. I'm not sure if the latter even exists, but the former definitely does, and especially now that the Amtrak is moving back to the newly renovated historic Union Depot in St. Paul, I'll be sure to do that soon. Thanks to Dan and Friends for exploring the ideas of local travel in such an entertaining and musical way!
The Falls of St. Anthony by Albert Bierstadt
*The Minnesota History Center's auditorium is a nice venue (I'd previously seen a History Theatre production 1968there), and it's a great museum. I've been wanting to see their current exhibit on the US-Dakota War of 1862 and was hoping to go that afternoon and make a day of it, but unfortunately they closed the center between museum time and event time. I'll have to go back another time, perhaps in conjunction with another event.
I have to admit, I'm enamored of the late 1960s. The music, the fashion, Woodstock, HAIR, people standing up for what they believe in. It all seems so thrilling and, well, cool. But the late 60s were not all love beads and peace signs. It was a tumultuous time in our history, particularly 1968, the year that is the focus of an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center and a corresponding play by the History Theatre. Two of our country's leaders were assassinated, the Vietnam War was at its height with hundreds of people dying every week, protests on our own soil turned deadly, and there was a dramatic and pivotal presidential election. All of these events and more are covered in the exhibit and the play, and I learned so much more about this era that I find so appealing.
The play is comprised of seven scenes that showcase returning soldiers, the Civil Rights movement in various forms, people's reactions to the assassinations, the election, and Apollo 8. The scenes are strung together with songs and dialogue as the cast guides us more or less chronologically through the year. History Theatre's Artistic Director Ron Peluso structured the scenes (written by seven different playwrights) and directed the play. Standouts in the cast include Lindsay Marcy, who plays three different characters equally well (the new wife of a soldier, a modern-day TV reporter in a clever tie-in with WCCO news, and the New Jersey mother of a future astronaut). Randy Schmeling (who was in the first production I saw of one of my now favorite musicals, HAIR, at the Pantages in 2004) is a convincing Bobby Kennedy and a charismatic modern day astronaut visiting his family at the time of his birth in 1968, congenially interacting with the audience. Perhaps the funniest scene (although at times scary funny) is a creative re-imagining of newly elected president Richard Nixon's experiences that year along with his friend and campaign manager John Mitchell. Paul de Cordova and E.J. Subkoviak have an easy chemistry, and Paul does a great Nixon as well as a pretty good Johnny Carson (not surprising since he so convincingly played three different characters in last year's The Pride). Last but not least is Karen Weber's (the witch in last year's Into the Woods) moving portrayal of Rosemary Clooney struggling with depression after the death of her friend Bobby Kennedy.
The music is great, although I would have liked more of it. We only hear snippets of songs between scenes, when I wanted to hear the whole song. This isn't a musical, it's a play with music. The band is made up of students from McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul (which shares a space with the History Theatre's usual location), and they sound pretty groovy. They start playing 10 or 15 minutes prior to showtime, so get there early if you want to hear some full song selections from this great year of music. The play itself begins and ends with songs from HAIR, the ground-breaking musical that dealt so well with the issues of its day, which seemed quite perfect to me.
In the last week I've seen two pieces that deal with tumultuous times in American history: the fantastic musical Ragtime at Park Square Theatre, and this play. I see a lot of similarities between the two. In 1906 and in 1968 our country was dealing with issues of war, violence, race and gender discrimination and the fight to end it, poor people demanding to be heard. All of things these things we're still dealing with today. It's good to look back on our history and remember how far we've come, and how far we have yet to go. The struggle, the journey, is not yet ended.
If you go, I would recommend getting to the History Center a few hours early to peruse the exhibit (your theater ticket gets you $2 off admission), but check the website for hours to make sure they're open. The cafe there has good, local food (again, check the website for hours, Tuesdays seem to be a good day to go). And if you, like me, love the 1960s aesthetic and are tempted to buy everything with a peace sign, stay away from the museum gift shop. They have some dangerously cute stuff.
