"Autonomy" by Mixed Blood Theatre at the St. Paul RiverCentre

Mixed Blood Theatre's latest project is wildly ambitious, and they accomplish it quite brilliantly. Reminiscent of Safe at Home, a walking play staged in nine locations at CHS Field with precise timing, Autonomy is a driving play staged at nine locations within the exhibit hall at St. Paul RiverCentre. It's a play about climate change, immigration, and autonomous vehicles (aka self-driving cars). A great guideline for making theater is "content dictates form," so when the content is about cars, why not surround the audience with classic cars and have them drive around in golf carts? A little on-the-nose, but it's quite effective. It's really too bad they're only running it for one weekend. There are four more groups of performances but only extremely limited tickets remain. Autonomy is a forward-thinking experiment in theater like you've never seen before.

"Rancho Mirage" at Old Log Theater

Mirage: noun. 1) an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density. 2) something illusory and unattainable like a mirage.

The title of the new play Rancho Mirage by Steven Dietz refers to a gated community outside an unnamed city in a desert area. But the mirage in the title also refers to the lives of three couples. All three have a secret, whether it's financial troubles or marital troubles, that is slowly revealed throughout the course of the play, until they and we realize that their lives are not what they seem, but simply a mirage. Currently receiving its regional premiere at the Old Log Theater, which is under new management and quite obviously stepping up their game, Rancho Mirage is a darkly funny look at American life, embodied by a fantastic cast of local favorites (and one former TV star). It seems that there are now two theaters in the Southwest suburbs worth the drive from my home on the opposite side of town.

The entire play takes place at a dinner party (although no actual dinner is consumed) at the seemingly beautiful and perfect home of Diane (Stacia Rice, now acting opposite her second desperate househusband) and Nick (James Denton). Their guests are Louise (Ann Michels) and Trevor (David Mann), also residents of Rancho Mirage, and Pam (Mo Perry) and Charlie (Joshua James Campbell). The pleasant and friendly conversation among this group of friends soon gets real as it's revealed that Diane and Nick are about to lose their home, Louise and Trevor are separated, and Pam and Charlie are struggling with the decision about whether or not to have children (and in fact vacillate so much between the desire to enjoy their lives without children and a sense of obligation to follow their friends into the expected role of parents, that I had a hard time figuring out who these characters really were). Secrets, mishaps, stories, and arguments all unfold as these six people are forced to face the mirage of their lives. Diane poignantly sums it up when she says, "I used to think that our life was this beautiful thing that hasn't happened yet. But there is no other thing, our life is this." The good news is that now that they see through the mirage, they can work to make their lives more real. (Another way to say this is "no day but today.") 

Joshua James Campbell, Mo Perry, James Denton,
Stacia Rice, Ann Michels, and David Mann

I know and love all of these actors (although I'm more familiar with David as a director than an actor), so I'd drive across town to see this cast in anything. Stacia just shines in everything she does (including her role in the locally filmed web series Theater People), and brings depth to the conflicted Diane. Ann is very funny as this over-the-top character, constantly waving her arms and unintentionally insulting her friends. Mo is a master of the look (keep an eye on her as her character patiently waits to be poured a glass of wine). James has grown beyond his TV role into a legitimate member of the Twin Cities theater community (if only the audience would let him, they erupted in laughter so long when he uttered the word "housewives" that it threatened to derail the story, despite the cast's best efforts to keep it on track). Josh is charming as ever as the relatively naive Charlie, and David exhibits dry wit as everyman Trevor (who just happens to have taken up sewing). The cast works and plays well together in this ensemble piece, as directed by Artistic Director R. Kent Knutson.

Rancho Mirage continues through December 7. If you live in the Southwest suburbs, there's no reason not to check out the new Old Log Theater. I found it worth the drive to the charming lake town of Excelsior to see this fantastic cast in this very funny play. Old Log's season continues with A Year with Frog and Toad; Almost, Maine; and Steel Magnolias. I will definitely be keeping my eye on them.

"Good People" at Park Square Theatre

The first production of Park Square Theatre's 2013-2014 season is the new play Good People, which had a short run on Broadway in 2011 (but long enough to win Frances McDormand a Tony). Written by David Lindsay-Abaire, it's sharp, funny, intense, and heart-breaking at times, full of complex characters, most of whom are not particularly likeable, but are certainly entertaining. The tone is reminiscent of Lindsay-Abaire's most well-known play Rabbit Hole; both deal with some pretty heavy issues with realism and humor. Joel Sass directs a solid cast of six (and designed the beautiful set), who bring to life this complicated story with its issues of class and gender, echoing the real-life stories heard on the nightly news.

Good People is centered around the tough and vulnerable Margaret (a strong performance by Virginia S. Burke) as she's fired for her job as cashier at a dollar store by Stevie (Sam Pearson, making the most of the small role). Margaret is a single mother of a developmentally disabled adult daughter and has never been able to climb out of the lower-class life into which she was born. With the help of her friends (scene stealers Jane Hammill and Angela Timberman) she decides to approach childhood friend Mike (James Denton, best known as another very different Mike on Desperate Housewives, making his welcome debut on the Minnesota stage). Unlike Margaret, Mike has gotten out of South Boston and is now a wealthy doctor with a young wife and daughter and a seemingly perfect life. He's unable to offer Margaret a job, but he does reluctantly invite her to his birthday party at his home in the nice part of town. Margaret shows up at his house and meets his wife Kate (an appropriately polished Hope Cervantes), where the pleasant reminiscing about the good old days turns ugly when they discuss why one of them was able to "get out of Southie" while the other wasn't. It's not just "hard work" as Mike says, but also good luck, family support, and gender privilege (sometimes it's easier for a man to leave his past behind than it is for a woman to leave hers behind). This second-act discussion is almost too intense; it feels like you're eavesdropping on a very personal argument.

Jane Hammill, Angela Timbermann, Virginia Burke,
and Sam Pearson play bingo (photo by Petronella Ytsma)

The cast works together very well, and despite only having three weeks of rehearsal they realistically act as old friends, and have conquered the South Boston accent. James Denton fits in well with our local theater actors and I was happy to discover that his natural charm on-screen translates to the stage. But Virginia Burke is the star of this show; her layered performance as Margaret makes you sympathize with her despite some questionable choices. The rapport between the three Southie women is priceless as they bicker, cajole, and support each other, particularly in the highly entertaining bingo scenes. Angela Timbermann never fails to crack me up, as Miss Hannigan or Scrooge's boozy housekeeper, and this play is no exception (in fact I think she was cracking up some of her castmates as well). There are plenty of laughs to balance out the uncomfortably intense confrontations.

things get heated (Hope Cervantes, Virginia Burke,
and James Denton, photo by Petronella Ytsma)

Director Joel Sass (who often works at the Jungle Theater, which has the best sets in town) designed this very cool set, which is actually comprised of five very different sets that float on and off stage, four of which only appear once. All are detailed and realistic, from a garbage-strewn alley to a downtown doctor's office, from a very lived-in kitchen to a pristine upper class living room. As each scene ends, the set moves away and reveals another behind it, as we peel back the layers of the story.

A well-written and relevant new play, a great cast that plays well together, and excellent set design - another winner for Park Square Theater (playing now through October 6).

I couldn't resist a photo op with Jamie!
You can also catch him as host of the Ivey's pre-show party.