"Blithe Spirit" at Theatre in the Round

Noël Coward is the perfect frothy summer theatrical entertainment, with his clever dialogue, ridiculous characters, and silly situations ripe for comedy, all in a British accent. The Guthrie is doing Private Lives later this summer (which they last did in 2007), but first up is Blithe Spirit at Theatre in the Round to conclude their 74th season. This is the one that features a love triangle between a husband, his wife, and the spirit of his deceased wife whom he accidentally materializes. It's well done in the in-the-round space with a great cast and some fun special effects. Note that it is a three-act play, as was common in the last century, but Theatre in the Round sells coffee at concessions, with free refills during the two intermissions (but not allowed in the theater, so drink it in the lobby whilst admiring the art installation and save your cup). This Blithe Spirit will continue to haunt the oldest theater in Minneapolis through July 12. And then make plans for Theatre in the Round's 75th Anniversary season, featuring plays and musicals with a Minnesota connection, from The Great Gatsby to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

"Grumpy Old Men: The Musical" by Minneapolis Musical Theatre at the Conn Theater

If Grumpy Old Men had to be turned into a musical (and I would argue it didn't), it definitely needs to be performed in Minnesota (where the 1993 film was set and filmed), and no company is a better choice to do it than Minneapolis Musical Theatre, whose motto is "rare musicals, well done." They specialize in this campy spoofy fun genre of musical, and always make the most out of the material. That's definitely the case here. The show is fun with lots of Minnesota references and doesn't take itself too seriously. But for a musical that premiered in 2018, it's disappointingly sexist in the way women are treated and talked about, with (relatively) young, smart, beautiful women dating and even marrying literal grumpy old men decades older than them. But MMT has assembled a winning cast that makes the most of it, with clever staging and choreography, for what is overall a fun time at the theater. Grumpy Old Men: The Musical continues at the Conn Theater in South Minneapolis through April 19 only.

"A Christmas Carol" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

'Tis the season* for A Christmas Carol. The Guthrie is in their 50th year of producing Charles Dickens' classic story of redemption, forgiveness, generosity, and kindness, and you can find many other iterations on various stages and screens. Lakeshore Players Theatre is throwing their hat in the ring too with a new original adaptation by the director Kivan Kirk. I love this story, so I was eager to experience a new version of it out here in the 'burbs. This lovely show is still the classic story we know, but from a fresh perspective, and full of heart and humor. A Christmas Carol is the first show in Lakeshore's four-show 72nd season and performances are already selling out for this crowd-pleaser, continuing through December 17.

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024: "Gasthaus"

Day: 6

Show: 21

Title: Gasthaus

Category: Drama / Original Music / Historical content

By: TROMPE L'OEIL

Written by: Kevin Bowen & Lynn Bowen

Location: Phoenix Theater

Summary: The story of an inn on the border between West and East Germany not too long after WWII.

Highlights: Inspired by a true story, the playwrights tell the fictional tale of a family trying to run their inn and dealing with border patrol inside their home. It's a compelling story, if a bit cliche, in which the West German daughter falls in love with one of the East German soldiers. The charming German-themed set, authentic period costumes, and live accordion music help set the scene, with the cast speaking Germlish (English with a few German words thrown in like Nein, Guten Morgan, Ost, and Danke - the language I used to speak with my friends when studying abroad in Austria). Directed by Amanda Weis, the cast is talented and engaging in this look at a fascinating time in history in which families and friends were separated by an arbitrary border (which has happened a lot throughout the history of this planet). An overall enjoyable show, even if the ending is a bit too easy and abrupt.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. 

"Little House on the Prairie" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

As a fan of all things Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingalls Wilder, I was excited to see the musical Little House on the Prairie on Lakeshore Players Theatre's ambitious 2023-2024 season. I grew up watching the TV show and reading the books, and as an adult I've read every book I could find about Laura Ingalls Wilder, and visited most of the historic sights. As a descendent of 19th Century immigrants who came to Minnesota to make a better life for their family (i.e., me), Laura's story feels like my story. But as an adult, I recognize that it's only one side of the story, and that the story of the indigenous people of this land, who were displaced by the US government so that my ancestors could make a new life here, is also an important one to tell. Laura's story and legacy are complicated,* but I still love Little House for the nostalgia, and the comforting message of family, home, togetherness, and respect for nature. I hadn't seen the musical in almost 15 years, and it turns out it's not as strong of a piece of musical theater as I remembered or hoped it was. But it's still lots of fun for Little House fans, and Lakeshore Players has put together a charming production, with a large and talented cast and beautiful design. You can see it at Hanifl Performing Arts Center in White Bear Lake through February 10 (and for something different, check out an encore performance of Lakeshore's fantastic regional premiere of the smart, funny, inspiring play What the Constitution Means to Me on January 29 and 30).

"Noises Off" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

The classic farce-within-a-farce Noises Off is a perfect choice for Lakeshore Players Theatre's winter show; two and a half hours of laughter will warm you up on a cold night. It's ridiculously funny and very meta as it gives us a glimpse into what it takes to make a show, and all the things that can go wrong. Fortunately for the real show, things go very right. Everyone in the nine-person cast as an absolute delight (most of them playing actors playing characters), and director Greta Grosch (of Church Basement Ladies fame) keeps everything hurtling towards the finish line in a beautiful display of organized chaos. Add to that the impressive set that you get to watch the hard-working four-person run crew transform not once but twice, and it's just an all-around good time. Sometimes what you need is what one of the characters says in the show: "I don't go to the theater to listen to other people's problems, I go to be taken out of myself, and hopefully not put back in again." This show delivers on that, although you likely will have to be put back in again when you go back out into the cold and not as funny real world. See Noises Off weekends through February 12 at Hanifl Performing Arts Center in lovely White Bear Lake, plus a pay-what-you-can performance on Monday February 6.