"Broadway Songbook: Broadway in Love" at Park Square Theatre

As part of their soft reopening after some financial troubles over the last year, Park Square Theatre is bringing James Rocco's Broadway Songbook series back to St. Paul. When he was Artistic Director at the Ordway, James did a dozen or more shows in the series, most of which I attended. I fondly remember them as the best musical theater edutainment, with James' stories and history combined with live performances by some of #TCTheater's top talent. The series has continued at various locations since James left the Ordway in 2017, but hopefully this is the first of many at Park Square. It's February, so the topic for this Songbook is "Broadway in Love," a very broad topic since just about every musical has a love story. So there was less of a cohesive historical or thematic throughline in this show, but more just a collection of some of James and friends' favorite love songs from musicals. Only two performances remain, so head to downtown St. Paul if you've been missing this unique brand of musical edutainment. And follow Park Square for the upcoming announcement of their four-show season, beginning with a summer mystery.

"The Holiday Songbook" by Songbook Live! at Lakeshore Players Theatre

After cancelling the first of three planned shows this season at Lakeshore Players Theatre, Songbook Live! is back, and just in time for the holidays! A continuation of the "Broadway Songbook" series that James Rocco started when he was at the Ordway, this series provides background and stories about songs and composers in a specific genre, while talented singers and musicians perform the songs in question. The two-night only Holiday Songbook (sorry, the LPT run is done, but there is a performance in Menomonie WI on the 15th) is a really fun and festive celebration of the holiday music that is so much a part of our culture, especially at this time of the year. One of the announced cast members had to drop out due to illness, but James Rocco, Erin Schwab, and pianist Lori Dokken are about the best trio you could ask for. The three have a great rapport in this loose and fun show, that includes more than one opportunity for a singalong. The next Songbook Live!, at LPT in April, features women songwriters. Click here for more on that, and follow Songbook Live! on Facebook for information about upcoming shows.

"The California Songbook: Unplugged" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

During his 13-year tenure as Artistic Director of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, James Rocco created the "Broadway Songbook" series, with over a dozen edutainment cabarets combining fantastic performances by local talent with musical theater history, focused on different composers, eras, or topics. After James left the Ordway in 2017, they started the "Ordway Cabaret" series under Kelli Foster Warder, that was a more personal look at how various facets of Broadway inspired local performers. Now that Kelli has left the Ordway for other roles (see her brilliant Jelly's Last Jam at Theater Latte Da), it remains to be seen what the Ordway will do next. But the good news is that James Rocco's "Broadway Songbook" is back, retitled "The Songbook Experience." After omicron forced the cancellation of a January Songbook focused on the late great Stephen Sondheim (a show which will hopefully return later this year), they're finally on the Lakeshore Players Theatre stage with The California Songbook: Unplugged, not exactly Broadway, but still great music history edutainment. There's one final show this afternoon with a few seats remaining.

"In the Heights" at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

Before writing the brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning musical theater masterpiece that is Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote something a little closer to home. The 2008 multiple Tony winner In the Heights is basically a love letter to his family, his neighborhood, his community, his people. Specifically, a community of Latin American immigrants and the children and grandchildren of such immigrants. After seeing the Ordway's glorious production last night, I was reminded of what Oskar Eustis (artistic director of the Public Theater where Hamilton debuted) said about Miranda on the PBS documentary Hamilton's America, that he elevates the language of the common people in a way no one has done since Shakespeare. I was also reminded of playwright August Wilson. I recently saw the movie version of his play Fences, followed by a discussion led by his friend and colleague Marion McClinton, who said that Wilson's plays show that just living a life is noble. In the Heights tells a simple story about average people, in some ways the opposite of Hamilton, which tells an epic story about the founding of a new nation. But In the Heights is epic in its own way, and like August Wilson, Lin-Manuel Miranda reminds us that the common people who never get rich or famous or written about in history books still live noble lives with stories worth telling and worth listening to. And also, by the way, super fun and entertaining and moving and engrossing.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

The Ordway's recent string of excellent locally produced Broadway sized musicals continues with the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, and it's fan-freakin-tastic. Unlike the Ordway's last original, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar is not one of my favorites; I've only seen it once before and never really listened to it (although I vaguely recalled singing a song from the show at a Catholic grade school concert wearing a t-shirt with an awesome '80s iron-on decal). So I went into the show last night with mostly fresh eyes. I still think the piece is a bit weird (the heavy story of the life and death of Jesus, with a comic number and a disco thrown in), but there's something kinda fabulous about it. And the number one reason to see the show at the Ordway is this mostly local cast that is absolutely spectacular. The show is completely sung through, most of it at full volume, and everyone in the lead and featured roles just knocks it out of the park. And every member of the 30+ person ensemble (including several sweet-singing children) completely gives it their all. Notably, this cast is racially diverse (including an African American Jesus*), a beautiful example of color-conscious casting by the Ordway. At this moment in time when our country, our world, is more divided than ever, it's heart-warming to celebrate an inclusive, loving community of diverse peoples. And isn't that what Jesus taught, before his message was distorted, used, abused by institutional religions? Not exclusion but inclusion, not us vs. them but the idea that we are all one, we are all special, we are all worthy of all the bounties that life has to offer.

"Broadway Songbook: Hollywood and Broadway" at the Ordway Center

Thursday night I attended my 13th show in the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series, an edutainment series about musical theater (I think I've only missed one, maybe two). Starting way back in 2011 (aka the good old days) with "The Words and Music of Irving Berlin" in the dearly departed McKnight Theatre, the series has traveled to the stage of the main theater and now to the swanky new concert hall, and gone on to cover such composers as Stephen Sondheim, Comden and Green, and Rodgers and Hammerstein and Hart, and such topic or eras as musicals of the '50s and rock and roll on Broadway. Each has been a fun, entertaining, and informative history lesson about musical theater (which happens to be my favorite thing in the world). Which brings us to the current installment: "Hollywood and Broadway." A topic so vast (there was a time when every successful Broadway musical was made into a Hollywood movie, and now it seems every successful Hollywood movie is made into a Broadway musical), that it's impossible to cover in two quick hours. But co-writers Jeffrey P. Scott and the Ordway's Artistic Director James A. Rocco, who also hosts, managed to put together an interesting story that was perhaps a bit too much Hollywood and not enough Broadway for my taste, but was still a wonderful evening of musical theater history and performance.

"Irving Berlin's White Christmas" at the Ordway Center

There's no denying that 2016 has been a less than stellar year, but inside the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, it's nothin' but blue skies! You may be concerned about the state of our nation, or our world, you may be worried about what the next year will bring on a national or personal level, you may be feeling grief, or loss, or confusion, but the Ordway's scrumptious production of everyone's favorite Christmas-movie-turned-stage-musical will make you forget all of that, at least for a few hours. There are two things art can do in times of crisis - it can provide a welcome escape from the stresses of the world, or it provide commentary, conversation, questioning about the world. Both are needed, and as long as we have plenty of the latter (and we do - see this, or this, or this), there is room for pure escapism that thrills and enthralls with its familiar beloved music, gorgeous set and costumes, and fantastic performances by a large and mostly local cast. This is exactly what the Ordway's White Christmas does. So if you're worried and you can't sleep, go see this show, and when you go home you will fall asleep counting your blessings. And then get up and get back to work.

"Broadway Songbook: Rebels! On Broadway" at the Ordway Concert Hall

Now in its 6th season, the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series is a unique opportunity to learn about the history of American musical theater (my favorite topic) while being entertained by fabulous performances by some of the Twin Cities' top music-theater talent. I've attended nearly every installment of the series (except when they've inconveniently scheduled them for when I'm out of town), with topics ranging from composers like Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, to themes like the first 100 years and Rock and Roll. This is another theme-based Songbook: "Rebels! On Broadway." A more apt title would be "21st Century Rebels," as all but one of the musicals featured debuted in the 21st Century. But it's wise to limit the scope, because as host and co-writer James Rocco says, American musical theater began with rebels, and all major strides forward were made by rebels. Even Rodgers and Hammerstein were rebels when they began (a musical with a serious plot?!), and I can't think of a more rebellious act than burning a draft card onstage in 1967, which Hair did every night. But the best part about focusing on recent Broadway rebels is that it provides an excuse for performances of not one, not two, but three songs from the biggest Broadway hit in decades - Hamilton. That alone is worth the price of admission, but you also get lots of other great songs and stories in another fantastic installment of the Broadway Songbook series.

"A Chorus Line" at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

The 1975 smash hit Broadway musical A Chorus Line truly is a singular sensation. After winning nine Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize (one of only eight musicals to do so), it ran for 15 years, making it the longest running musical on Broadway at the time (it still ranks as number six). But why would this musical about dancers auditioning to be in the chorus line of a musical be such a popular success? Theater people can surely relate to it, but what about the rest of us mere mortals who've never stepped foot on a stage? The reason for its long-lasting success is that it's not just an inside look at the world of musical theater; its themes of adolescence, acceptance, figuring out who you are and what you want to be, and dedicating your life to something that you love are universal, told with raw honesty and unabashed sincerity. And the dancing is pretty terrific too. I've been waiting almost seven years for a local production of A Chorus Line, since seeing the Broadway revival tour in 2009. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts has finally fulfilled my wish, and it's well worth the wait. Featuring a fabulously talented cast of over two dozen legit triple threats, about half of whom are local, co-directed and co-choreographed by A Chorus Line expert Kerry Casserly and Artistic Director James Rocco, this show hews very close to the original. There's no re-imagining here, this is a beautifully faithful production of the singular sensation that is A Chorus Line. If you call yourself a musical theater fan, it's a must-see.

"Broadway Songbook: The '70s Songbook" at the Ordway Center

In the 12th installment of the Ordway's fun and educational "Broadway Songbook" series (and the 11th I've seen), host and co-writer (along with Jeffrey P. Scott) James Rocco and Music Director Raymond Berg present the songbook of the '70s. Unlike other shows in the series, the songs in this show don't all come from musicals. Rather, the theme is singer/songwriters of the '70s that had an effect on Broadway. Or something like that. The rules for inclusion seem a little loosey goosey - no Xanadu because the movie on which it was based came out in 1980 (despite the fact that two of the stars of the Chanhassen's 2012 production are in the cast), yet "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from the 1994 movie The Lion King, brilliantly adapted for the stage in 1997,* is fair game because Elton John was a songwriter in the '70s? And no mention of one of the most popular and long-lasting musicals that came out of the '70s - Chicago, or songs from Mamma Mia, another popular jukebox musical based on Abba songs from the '70s. And if we're just singing great songs from the '70s, where's John Denver and The Carpenters (my favorite '70s musicians)? As a musical theater nerd, I would prefer more musical theater songs and fewer pop songs. But that being said, Broadway Songbook: The '70s Songbook is still a fabulously performed, fun, entertaining, and educational evening of music.

I count every one of the five members of this super talented cast (Dieter Bierbrauer, Caroline Innerbichler, Kersten Rodau, Randy Schmeling, and Erin Schwab) among my favorite music-theater performers in the Twin Cities, so it's a treat to hear them sing any song, no matter where it comes from or when it was written. They each get their moment in the spotlight, and back each other up for those dreamy '70s harmonies. Accompanied by an awesome four-piece band led by Raymond Berg on piano, there's no doubt that this show contains many amazing musical moments. Here are a few of my favorites:

• The women combine for a gorgeous and stirring rendition of "At the Ballet" from the ultimate musical about musicals, A Chorus Line.**
• The Donna Summer/Barbra Streisand song "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" has a pretty loose connection to Broadway, but Erin and Kersten rock out on this super fun disco song.
• You talk about Stephen Sondheim's Company with Dieter Bierbrauer onstage, and don't have him sing "Being Alive" - my favorite version of one of the best musical theater songs ever written? I guess I'll have to settle for a beautifully sad and poignant "Sorry-Grateful."
• Speaking of Dieter, I was getting concerned that he didn't have any solo moments after "Sorry-Grateful," but he must have been saving it up for an awesome performance of "Eli's Coming" (a song known only to me from that one episode of Sports Night) and leading the cast in a lovely version of the aforementioned "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
• Proving that there really is nothing she can't do, the hilarious and uber-talented Erin Schwab pounds the keys as Carole King, accompanying herself on piano on "Beautiful."***
• Randy also accompanies himself, on an adorable tiny piano, on "Fill in the Words" from They're Playing Our Song (which we learn is written about two of the songwriters whose music this show features). He also makes a great Pippin in "A Corner of the Sky."
• Despite being the only member of the cast not yet born in the '70s, Caroline Innerbichler best embodies the '70s vibe with her long, flowy, beachy hair and easy breezy delivery on such songs as Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" and Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues."
• Kersten Rodau lends her powerful voice to Sondheim's "Could I Leave You" from Follies (I was lucky enough to see the recent stunning Broadway revival) and Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better."
• The show includes several songs from the original JT, James Taylor, including Randy on "Traffic Jam" (which is actually from a musical from the '70s - Working) and James on "Fire and Rain."
• The gorgeous harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel are heard on "Homeward Bound" (by Randy and James) and "Cecilia" (by Dieter, Kersten, and Erin).

Despite being a little light on the Broadway, I really enjoyed this show, as I do all "Broadway Songbook" shows. It features some really incredible performances of those great '70s songs, and it did teach me something new about Broadway musicals. Rest assured that the next "Broadway Songbook" will return to its roots, featuring the music of Kander and Ebb next summer.

*The Lion King returns to Minneapolis, where it made its pre-Broadway debut, next summer.
**The Ordway is producing A Chorus Line next February, with a (hopefully) mostly local cast.
***The national tour of the Carole King musical Beautiful stops at the Orpheum in November.

"The Pirates of Penzance" at the Ordway

I interrupt this all-Fringe-all-the-time coverage to bring you some theater news that exists outside of the Fringe Festival. Yes it's true, there is non-fringey theater going on in early August, who knew? Last night the Ordway opened their boisterous and gorgeously sung and played production of my favorite Gilbert and Sullivan comedy operetta - The Pirates of Penzance. It's an absolutely delightful evening of music-theater, and don't worry, while Fringe ends this weekend these Pirates continue swashbuckling and singing through August 16. If you're a fan of comedy, fast singing, beautiful music performed by a huge and talented (and mostly local) cast and orchestra, swashbuckling pirates, and math, you don't want to miss this one! And since I've got  a 15-show weekend starting in a few hours, I'm going to get right down to it and tell you all the wonderful things about the show.

1. Pirates is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular shows, last seen locally (to my knowledge) at the Guthrie in 2004, which lives in my memory as my favorite Guthrie show ever. The story of a young man accidentally apprenticed to a band of pirates who now wants to leave and fight them is really just an excuse for a bunch of shenanigans, clever rhyming lyrics, and gorgeous music.
2. The 19-piece orchestra conducted by Steve Tyler may be the best I've heard at the Ordway, or else I'm just still basking in the glow of their gorgeous sound. They're in a traditional pit at the front of the stage, but two walkways span the pit and connect to a walkway in the front of the stage, which cleverly allows for the traditional pit sound but without the distance between the cast and the audience. Which brings me to...
3. James Rocco directs the show with much energy and continued movement, and makes great use of the aforementioned stage set-up, with the cast so frequently and fluidly passing around the pit that I feared someone would fall in! James also choreographed the show, and it's so clever and spirited and fun, including much swashbuckling that involves everyone from the conductor to the ladies (fight choreography by Aaron Preusse).
4. It's hard to say who the hero of Pirates is, but I've always been partial to the Pirate King (see also the brilliant Kevin Kline). Broadway actor Brandon O'Neill perfectly embodies the dastardly charm of the leader of this merry band of pirates, with great comedic and vocal chops.

   

   the Pirate King (Brandon O'Neill) getting a lift from the boys
   (photo by Molly Shields)

5. As the young lovers at the center of the story, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka and Anne Eisendrath both sing beautifully and share a sweet chemistry. Hunter's glorious rendition of "Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast?" made me swoon (as always), and Anne impeccably accomplishes Mabel's vocal tricks.
6. There are plenty of local faves in the cast too, including Gary Briggle, a delight as the fast-singing pompous Major-General; Kersten Rodau, a perfect choice for dear Ruth; Dieter Bierbrauer, very funny as the cowardly Sergeant; and a bevy of lovely ladies, highlighted by the sprightly Caroline Innerbichler. The entire ensemble is magnificent.

   

   a lesson from the Major-General (Gary Briggle)
   (photo by Molly Shields)

7. As much as I rave about the orchestra, there are a couple of a capella moments in which the voices of the cast just soar and give you chills.
8. Tom Struge's scenic design is playful, colorful, and almost cartoonish. The audience cheered as the pirate ship emerged teeming with pirates. Lynda L. Salsbury's costume design is just as colorful and playful, from the ladies' pastel flowy dresses and nightgowns, to the crisp police uniforms, to the pirates, who look just as you imagine pirates do.
9. Did I mention math? Any show that sings about the hypotenuse is a winner in my math-loving heart! (I was a math nerd before I was a theater nerd.)

This is the Ordway's second original production this summer, after Damn Yankees, and I couldn't be happier about this trend. Next season includes local productions of The Sound of Music and A Chorus Line. It's fantastic to see our fabulous local talent up on the big stage, and The Pirates of Penzance is a great example of the gorgeousness that can be accomplished with this model of combining local talent with national talent and the highest production values. Long story short - go see it! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Fringe!

"Damn Yankees" at the Ordway Center

In the fall of 1987, I was in my second year of junior high, a time that's not kind to a quiet, smart girl with glasses, braces, and frizzy hair. But something happened that made all of the bad stuff go away. The Minnesota Twins won the World Series. My parents had been taking me to Twins games since I was a wee one. I even have vague memories of the old Met Stadium, and clear memories of my first time in the then-un-air-conditioned Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ("If they don't put air conditioning in here I'm never coming back," said the stubborn young redheaded girl). I loved my Twins, but I didn't realize just how wondrous and exhilarating baseball could be until that late October night in 1987 when Gary Gaetti threw across the diamond to Kent Hrbek to record the final out of Game 7. There's nothing quite like that feeling when the team that you've loved, supported, and cheered for your whole life comes out on top, and the world knows what you've always known, that the Twins are the best team in the world. Little did I know that that magic event would occur again just four years later when the 1991 Twins brought home another championship in a breathtaking, nail-biting, riveting, ten-inning Game 7. The only two times in my lifetime that the Twins had made it to the playoffs, they won the World Series. So imagine my surprise when the baseball gods turned their faces away from my beloved Twins. Even though we've seen a few playoff stints in the early 2000s, it's been more than 23 long years since we've had a World Championship baseball team in Minnesota. So would I sell my soul to the devil to relive that '87/'91 magic in 2015? I don't know - make me an offer.

Given my love of baseball and musical theater, one would think that the 1956 Tony-winning musical Damn Yankees would be on my favorites list. This story about a fan of the Washington Senators (who became the Twins when the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961) who sells his soul to the devil to become a home run hitter who leads his team to the championship is right up my alley. But despite having uttered the phrase "Damn Yankees!" many a time in my lifetime of cheering on the Twins, I had never seen the show before last night. I'm happy to report that the Ordway's production of Damn Yankees is exceedingly fun and completely satisfying for anyone who loves baseball and/or musicals, capturing the pure love of baseball in the fantastical story, catchy score, and fabulous performances by both national and local talent. It's truly a summertime treat.

"You Gotta Have Heart!" (Allen Fitzpatrick,
Randy Schmeling, Dieter Bierbrauer, and Reid Harmsen)

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here's what you need to know. Joe Boyd is an avid fan of the Washington Senators, and disappears for "Six Months Out of Every Year" as he lives and dies by his team. His wife Meg puts up with it because she loves him. The Devil shows up in the form of a Mr. Applegate (in this case, the devil wears black with red pinstripes) and offers to turn Joe into a home run hitter for the Senators. Joe agrees, leaving his wife behind, but only temporarily until he can beat the Yankees! Despite his success on the field, Joe misses his wife and his old life, so Mr. Applegate brings in Lola to seduce him. Choices are made, scandals are uncovered, lives are changed, and games are won and lost. But will the devil win out? (What do you think, it's a musical!)

Written in the '60s, the show is a bit dated, with husbands sitting in armchairs watching baseball while their wives bemoan the fact that they're not paying attention to them and the meals that they cook. But at least there are a few women baseball fans. And in this production, the hero Joe is African American, something that's barely even noteworthy in a time when the baseball field is one of the most diverse places in the country, but surely was not what the creators envisioned just a few years after Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier. The interracial relationships also (hopefully) don't raise any eyebrows today, but the diversity serves to make the show feel a bit more modern and relevant.

Tari Kelly as Lola

The Ordway has brought in national talent to play most of the leads, and as much as I love my local favorites, it's hard to argue with success - the show is really well cast. Lawrence Clayton and Ann Morrison have a sweet chemistry as the long-married couple. Thay Floyd is a charmer as young Joe, with a voice that will give you chills! With just a few Broadway credits, he seems like a star in the making. A star fully made is Tari Kelly* as Lola. Sexy and funny and strong and sweet, I pretty much want to be her. After all, "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets!" Monte Riegel Wheeler is appropriately creepy and devilish as Mr. Applegate, and performs some crowd-pleasing light magic. Filling out the supporting characters and ensemble are too many talented local singer/actor/dancers to name, including Kersten Rodau as a plucky reporter, Dieter Bierbrauer, Reid Harmsen, and Randy Schmeling as ballplayers, and Regina Marie Williams as Meg's baseball-loving friend. Honorable mention goes to the adorable young Mario Esteb, the only kid on stage who holds his own among these professionals and represents every little girl and boy who grew up loving baseball.

The Ordway is all decked out in the baseball theme, from the ushers in baseball caps who look more like Target Field ushers than theater ushers, to the familiar voices from Target Field making announcements, to a display of memorabilia from the Washington Senators in the lobby. The relatively simple set (by J Branson) is dominated by the fabulous onstage orchestra directed by Jeff Rizzo, with various set pieces brought out in front of them, including lockers and showers for the clubhouse scenes. The setting is further delineated by pop art-like illustrations projected on a screen behind the band, which also displays vintage baseball footage before the show and during intermission. The '50s period costumes (by Lynda L. Salsbury) are luscious, from the authentic-looking baseball uniforms, to the women's full '50s skirts, to Lola's sultry black and red dresses (always with red shoes!). A couple of fun dance numbers are nicely choreographed (by co-director/choreographers James Rocco and Sharon Halley) in a jazzy, swingy, Fosse kind of style, smartly performed by the cast.

James Rocco worked with his team to make the show "faster and funnier" (the words of book writer and original director George Abbott), and they succeeded. This is not one of those musicals that, even though you love it, plods on just a little too long. It's one of those musicals that ends and you think "is it over already?" It is fast (just over 2 hours including intermission) and it is funny. The run is fast too - the show closes on June 28 so make plans fast to catch this delicious summer treat. With a post-curtain call audience singalong to "You Gotta Have Heart," it'll send you out to the streets happy and ready to cheer on the home team! (Discount tickets available on Goldstar.)


*Read my Broadway World colleague Kristen's interview with Tari Kelly here.

"Broadway Songbook: Rock & Roll on Broadway" at the Ordway Center

In case the Ordway was not sufficiently rocked in the recent month-long "Rock the Ordway" celebration, the rockification continued with the most recent installment of the Broadway Songbook series, in which Artistic Director James Rocco hosts an evening of musical theater education and entertainment. The theme of this Songbook, which ran for only three performances last weekend (why so short?) is "Rock & Roll on Broadway," not "Rock Musicals," an important distinction. The songlist was comprised of songs not just from rock musicals written for the stage, but also jukebox musicals or concept albums that made it to the stage. A continuation of last fall's "First 100 Years on Broadway," the show focused on rock and pop songs being heard on the Broadway stage in various formats. And as per usual with this series, the result was a marvelously entertaining, informative, fun, informal evening featuring great songs performed by a fantastic cast.

This was my first time in the Ordway's new Concert Hall (a brief detour on the way to see Bernadette Peters notwithstanding), and I found it to be a lovely space. Despite seating 1100 people, it doesn't feel huge, in fact it has a similar intimacy to the old McKnight Theatre, which was demolished to make room for the Concert Hall. In the interim, Broadway Songbooks were presented on the huge stage of the Ordway's main theater, with the audience sitting right on the stage along with the performers on a small stage at the very back of the space. It was fun to be on that stage, but it was a bit of an awkward experience to watch a show there, so I'm happy it's now moved into the Concert Hall. The new space has its own new bathrooms, which is handy, but it would be nice if it also had its own bar and especially box office, to ease the flow of people entering the theater.

But enough about that - on to the show! Host James (who happily can't resist singing a bit) and musical director Raymond Berg (taking the weekend off from his current gig music directing And the World Goes 'Round at the Jungle) are joined by a rockin' band consisting of percussion and two guitars. They have also assembled a dream cast of local favorites. Any day that I can sit in a dark room and listen to Dieter Bierbrauer sing is a good day in my book. So this was a good day, and then some! Dieter was only one of seven amazingly talented performers, including frequent stage partner Randy Schmeling (whom I've seen perform together numerous times over the years including Hair and Power Balladz, more on those a bit later). And then we have Eric Schwab, who is pretty much the best thing ever to happen to musical theater cabarets. She is genius at a very specific and difficult skill - singing comedically. She's absolutely hilarious, singing almost in a campy way sometimes, but yet her voice is never less than perfect, and she does it all in an easy, effortless, fun way that makes it impossible for the audience not to have fun with her. This cast also features Caroline Innerbichler with her lovely voice, infectious spirit, and toned torso (see also The Little Mermaid); the Ursula to Caroline's Ariel - Kersten Rodau of the huge and powerful voice in the tiny body; the adorable and talented Reid Harmsen (who will always be Mark to me); and Yolande Bruce, who is new to me but fits in well with the group and brings her own unique talents.

For this very special Songbook, the cast traded in their usual evening gowns and tuxes for leather, denim, and bare midriffs. They were all in for the rock and roll theme! But the best part is they really performed each song with conviction and emotion, as if it was excerpted from a full production. Many of the songs were so fantastic that I wanted them to continue and do the entire musical! But instead, we got lots of little gems, including:

• A glorious medley from the Hair, the American tribal love-rock musical, started the show. Which pleased me not just because I'm obsessed with a big fan of the show, but because it featured Randy and Dieter from the first production of Hair I ever saw (at the Pantages Theatre 11 years ago), and Caroline, from the most recent production I've seen (by 7th House two years ago).
• Another glorious medley, from my favorite musical RENT, which James rightly called "the heir to Hair," ended the first act. It included "La Vie Boheme" (with Reid reprising his role as Mark from a local production five years ago), the poignant "No Day But Today," and of course, "Seasons of Love."
• As usual, Professor Rocco enlightened me about a few musicals I had never heard of - Chess (music by Abba) and Purlie. And "Muddy Water" from Roger Miller's Big River makes me want to see that show!
• Kersten makes an excellent Eva Peron, singing "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita.
• The second act opened with the boys singing "The Bitch of Living" from Spring Awakening, and although I wondered how some of the typical Songbook audience (which skews a bit older) reacted, I was thrilled!
• And I was even more thrilled to hear a few songs from another one of my favorites, the brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal. With Kersten and Dieter as the parents and Caroline and Randy as the kids in this beautifully dysfunctional family, I wanted this one to continue. But lucky for me, and any of you with a N2N craving, Yellow Tree Theatre is currently producing the show in their intimate space.
• Power Balladz is not a Broadway musical, but rather a locally grown '80s rock jukebox musical that made it all the way to Off-Broadway. But since this show reunites the original cast-members, they had to do a number from the show. And they picked a good one - Dieter, Randy, and Erin singing Dream On was a highlight of the night.
• In general, I'm not a fan of jukebox musicals. I don't think their presence on Broadway is something to be celebrated, I think it's the death of Broadway! But I guess it's important to acknowledge the ugly parts of our history so we can learn from our mistakes and not repeat them. ;) As James said about Mamma Mia, "If you didn't know the songs already existed you'd think they were written for the story ... not!" But still, it was fun to hear the girls sing "Dancing Queen."
• Jersey Boys* is the exception that proves the jukebox musical rule (a cleverly written book that illuminates the real life story of The Four Seasons), and Randy nicely channeled Frankie Valli's sweet falsetto backed up by Dieter and Reid, with some snappy choreography.
• "I'm A Woman" is another song not written for the stage, but included in Smokey Joe's Cafe. But who cares when these four fantastic W-O-M-E-N brought the house down with their version!
• You can't cover everything in two hours, but one obvious omission was American Idiot, based on Green Day's concept album, another heir to Hair and RENT. And as long as we're including music not written for the stage, how about Once**, featuring music that one could call folk-rock by my favorite musician Glen Hansard?

The Broadway Songbook series is a must for musical theater nerds fans like me, and "Rock & Roll on Broadway" was another great installment! While I would have preferred fewer jukebox musicals and more original rock musicals, I loved every song as performed by this cast and band. The entertaining musical theater education continues this fall with "The 70s Songbook." But before then you can catch not one but two Ordway original productions featuring local talent, hopefully including this cast! Damn Yankees plays in June, and Pirates of Penzance in August. Hooray for "Broadway-style/quality" (whatever that's supposed to mean) musicals produced right here in the Twin Cities!

*You can see Jersey Boys next week, on tour at the Orpheum Theatre.

**Once is returning to Minneapolis' Orpheum Theater this summer.

"A Christmas Story" at the Ordway Center

St. Paul's Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is returning to its tradition of an original and (mostly) locally cast production during holidays, rather than the touring productions that often come through.  In fact, the last Ordway Original holiday production was 2011's Cinderella. This year's production of the new musical based on the cult holiday movie A Christmas Story is worth the wait. I am usually skeptical of movies turned into musicals, because often it doesn't work or it just simply isn't necessary. But I saw a preview of A Christmas Story (which officially opens on Friday and runs through December 28) last night and was pleasantly surprised; I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. In fact I loved pretty much every minute of it. The creators (book by Joseph Robinette, music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) did a wonderful job of retaining the movie's unique tone of humor, silliness, and nostalgia while creating something new that stands on its own merits, whether you're a fan of the movie or not. And best of all, director James Rocco and his team have created a wonderful production that showcases some of the Twin Cities' finest talent, as well as giving a chance for talented local youngsters to play and shine on stage. The Ordway's A Christmas Story is a wonderful, fun, extravagant, poignant, top-notch production of a new musical based on a beloved classic.

In the musical, the familiar story of the 1983 movie is narrated by the author on whose writing the movie was based, Jean Shepherd (played with much warmth and humor by Gary Briggle). He takes us back to that time in his (or anyone's) youth when the most important thing is getting that gift you desperately want. In this case, young Ralphie wants a BB gun. Specifically, a Red Ryder carbine-action BB gun. His every moment revolves around convincing his parents, his teacher, Santa Claus, anyone, to give him this gun. His quest seems hopeless as he is constantly told, "You'll shoot your eye out!" But he perseveres, as we see several little vignettes of 1940s childhood play out - dealing with bullies, changing a flat tire with your dad, getting your mouth washed out with soap, Christmas shopping and visiting Santa at the mall, writing an essay for school, getting in a fight, daring a kid to lick a flag pole, a family dinner. All told with the seriousness of a child living through these seeming calamities, but with plenty of humor and nostalgia as the narrator (and we adults) know that those really were the good days. In the end, it's really a touching look at family, youth, and fading memories of days long gone.

Ralphie (Jake Goodman) and pals

This mostly local cast of over 40 adults, children, and dogs is a joy to watch. In fact there are so many familiar faces among the ensemble that I barely caught a glimpse of some of them. There is a huge amount of talent on that stage, much more than we're able to see in a mere two hours or so. The Ordway held an open casting call, from which many of the kids were cast, and they're all so stinkin' cute. Is there anything cuter than a bunch of kids in PJ's singing and dancing? Not that I've seen in a while. Our hero, Ralphie, is played by Jake Goodman, who is not a local kid but one who has tremendous talent - stage presence and a fantastic voice - and a bright future. His mother is played by Seattle's Billie Wildrick (last seen at the Ordway as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls), an embodiment of idealized 1940s motherhood, singing the show's most poignant song, "Just Like That." As Ralphie's "old man," local fave Dieter Bierbrauer is quite funny as this hapless dad and sings as gorgeously as always, even when singing about winning a "major award" that everyone else sees as a tacky leg lamp (yes, the leg makes an appearance and even gets its own song and dance number!). And I must mention the always hilarious Erin Schwab, stealing scenes as Ralphie's teacher Miss Shields who sings and dances in his fantasies.

The sets are really fun and fantastical, with an idyllic suburban house that splits in half to move in and out, complete with a bunk bed bedroom above and Santa on the roof. Other set highlights include the family's vintage car, and a huge slide for the mall Santa. It's all very Christmassy and very retro, right down to the gift tags surrounding the stage that look exactly like the ones we had as a kid. The period costumes are great and fun, especially when the kids get to dress up in zoot suits and flapper dresses (sets by J Branson, costumes by Lynda L. Salsbury).

The Ordway's A Christmas Story has everything you want in a Christmas musical - humor, nostalgia, warmth, singing and dancing children, dogs, catchy songs (that are still running through my head), big dance numbers, and plenty of the holiday spirit without being too schmaltzy. Bring your kids or your parents, your favorite aunt or your best friend, or go by yourself and revel in the awkwardness and wonder of youth, and those memories we hold especially dear at this time of the year. (More info here, or check out the discount deals on Goldstar here.)

the lovely and talented cast of A Christmas Story

This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"33 Variations" at Park Square Theatre

33 Variations is part fascinating music history, part poignant family drama, and part classical music concert, which adds up to an entertaining evening of theater. Park Square's production of the Moisés Kaufman play satisfies on several levels - intellectual, emotional, musical - and features a great seven-person cast (plus one talented pianist) who bring the past and present together in an intriguing way. This is just one of two shows currently playing at Park Square (I'm looking forward to seeing the first production on their new stage, The House on Mango Street, next week). St. Paul is the place to be.

From 1819 through 1823, Ludwig van Beethoven composed 33 variations on a 50 second waltz by music publisher Anton Diabelli. It is one of the last works he wrote before his death in 1827, written at a time when he was almost completely deaf. In one of the world's greatest ironies, this brilliant composer who created some of the most beautiful music in existence eventually could not hear his or anyone else's music, except in his head. Playwright Moisés Kaufman uses this particular moment in music history as a jumping off point for his play, in which a modern-day music scholar, Dr. Katherine Brandt, becomes obsessed with this work and researches it as one of the final works of her own career. The lives of these two geniuses, Beethoven and Katherine, play out in parallel as both feel the time running out and become increasingly desperate to finish their work, to leave something behind that matters.

In the play we see scenes from the 19th century with Beethoven, his trusty assistant and biographer Anton Shindler, and Diabelli, interspersed with scenes from today with Katherine, her daughter Clara, Clara's boyfriend and Katherine's nurse Mike, and Katherine's German colleague Gertrude. Recently diagnosed with ALS, Katherine decides to spend her remaining healthy days in Bonn, Beethoven's birthplace and location of many of his papers, conversation books (used to talk to friends after his hearing deteriorated), and musical sketches. Katherine and Clara have a tenuous relationship; Katherine is one of the most respected and successful people in her field, while Clara flits from job to job, causing her mother to worry that she's living a "mediocre" life. Despite the prickliness of their relationship, Clara loves her mother and is concerned that she is doing too much and not taking care of her health. She and Mike eventually join Katherine in Bonn as her health declines. In her final days, Katherine is forced to let go of some of her assumptions about about Beethoven, music, her daughter, and the idea of success. Katherine's fate is tragic, yet it's a beautiful journey that this family experiences together.

Kaufman beautifully weaves together the two narratives, highlighted at the end of Act I when the three realities - 19th century Vienna, Katherine and Gertrude in Bonn, and Clara and Mike in NYC - collide and all keep repeating, "time is scarce," "this is my last opportunity, "I must be allowed to finish the work," each meaning something slightly different, yet the same. At the end of the play, Katherine finally meets the object of her obsession as she dreams of Beethoven and the two have a conversation. Katherine realizes that what Beethoven has done with his variations is slow down time - turn a 50 second waltz into a 50 minute composition so that the listener can hear every beat, phrase, and moment in the music. A fine example for life, but so difficult to do in today's busy modern age.

Edwin Strout as Beethoven and Karen Landry as Katherine

The Ordway's Artistic Director James Rocco has ventured across Rice Park to direct this play with music, and juggles all of the many pieces well. It all plays out on a mostly bare stage with various levels and boxy tables and chairs, with three video screens displaying the backdrop of the scene or the musical sketch being discussed. Every time a specific variation is commented upon, we hear it played by pianist Irina Elkina, on a piano that almost disappears into the background when not being played. The music adds so much to our understanding of the discussion and really brings it alive. I know next to nothing about classical music, but I found it beautiful and fascinating, and now I want to hear all 33 variations.

On the non-musical front, Karen Landry gives a brave and fully committed performance as Katherine, taking her from a stubborn, determined, independent woman to that same spirit trapped in a failing body, forced to accept help. Her physicality and speech slow down as Katherine's ALS takes hold of her. Karen has great chemistry with Jennifer Maren as Katherine's daughter Clara, with Jennifer portraying Clara's frustration with her mother and reluctance to accept that she's failing (and we also get to hear her beautiful voice). Also great are Michelle Myers as Gertrude, with a lovely German accent, and Nate Cheesman as the charming and steady Mike. Back in the 19th century, Edwin Strout plays Beethoven as a larger-than-life character, just how we imagine those creative geniuses to be - temperamental, loud, selfish, demanding, but somehow tolerated because of the greatness he achieves. Robert-Bruce Blake plays the enigmatic Anton Schindler in a such way that we don't really know if he's telling the truth, or what his motives may be. Rounding out the cast is Peter Simmons as the vain Diabelli, providing some comic relief.

33 Variations continues on Park Square's proscenium stage (i.e., the "old" one) through November 9. If you like smart, funny, historical, relevant, poignant, moving, well-written and -acted theater, with beautiful music as an integral part of the story, you'll want to add this one to your list. Stay tuned to Cherry and Spoon for a report on the new stage.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Broadway Songbook: The First 100 Years of Broadway" at the Ordway Center

The Ordway is opening its fourth season of the Broadway Songbook series with a retrospective of the first 100 years of Broadway. If you're like me, your first question is - when did Broadway begin? It's debatable, but Professor James Rocco - who presides over what feels like a college seminar on musical theater history with live show-and-tell by the Twin Cities' best musical theater performers - tells us that the beginning of Broadway can be marked by The Black Crook in 1866. This is just one of the things you'll learn in this Broadway Songbook, but don't worry, it is anything but dry and pedantic. The stories are fascinating and entertaining (at least to a musical theater nerd like myself), James has chosen just the right collection of songs to illustrate his points, and music director Raymond Berg has beautifully arranged the songs, which are performed with much passion, emotion, and humor by the talented cast of actor/singer/dancers (yes they dance!). If you're a musical theater fan, the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series is a must see, and this is a perfect one to start with. And if you live out-state, you're in luck - this Songbook is going on tour¹!

James takes us through the evolution of the Broadway musical, from the aforementioned The Black Crook, through George M. Cohan's invention of the "musical comedy," to the epic Show Boat which was the first musical drama, to the day when Rodgers met Hammerstein and "changed the world" with their sweeping lyrics and melodies and insistence that everything serve the story, to the invention of the LP record that allowed musical theater songs to invade pop culture, to a hint at the beginning of the Rock Musical with Hair (more on that in the next Songbook in April) in 1967², closing out the first century of Broadway. And the best part of this history lesson is we get to hear the music in this march through time.

The Ordway's Broadway Songbook series features a rotating cast of the Twin Cities' best musical theater performers, which this time includes Songbook vets Dieter Bierbrauer, Gary Briggle, Jennifer Eckes, and Erin Schwab, and newcomers to the series Kendra McMillan, Aja Parham, and Randy Schmeling. The cast performs solos, duets, and trios, but the best moments are when the entire company joins in to bring full life to these musical theater songs and give you just a taste of what the whole show might be like. Fortunately, several of the musicals featured can be seen on stages around the Cities in the upcoming season (see footnotes, which seem appropriate for this which feels a bit like a term paper for my musical theater history seminar).

Musical highlights include:

• The "wide-eyed and devilish singing comedian" Gary Briggle entertains with the '20s song "If You Knew Susie" and "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof from the '60s.
• Aja Parham sings the standard "Lady is a Tramp" as well as a gorgeous rendition of "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver³.
• Erin Schwab again showcases her unique talents - she has a fantastic voice and is also a brilliant comedian, and when those two things are combined it's a thing of beauty. She brings the house down with "Let's Do It," and also plays it a little more serious with "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl.
• Kendra McMillan channels Ethel Merman in a clever arrangement of "I Got Rhythm" and Sally Bowles in "Cabaret."
• Randy Schmeling gleefully sings "Almost Like Being in Love," and leads the company in the rousing "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" from arguably the most successful musical Guys and Dolls⁴.
• Jennifer Eckes⁵ sounds absolutely lovely singing "Till There Was You" from The Music Man. She also makes a fine Eliza Doolittle opposite Gary as Henry Higgins and Randy as Colonel Pickering⁶.
• Any day that I can sit in a darkened theater and listen to Dieter Bierbrauer sing "Something's Coming" (West Side Story) and "The Impossible Dream" (Man of La Mancha) is a good day in my book. This was a very good day, as evidenced by the longest ovation of the night after the latter song.
• The medleys are the highlights of these shows, and this time included a medley from Show Boat, a Gerswhin medley, and a Rodgers and Hammerstein medley. They're very cleverly and playfully arranged, quickly switching from one song to the next, or lingering for a few lines, going from humorous to poignant in a flash. The Show Boat medley is particularly lovely, and again makes me wish for a local musical theater company to do a production of Show Boat on the Showboat. It's just too good of an opportunity to be missed!
• The show ended with Hair, which felt like a complete 180 from what we had been hearing all night. But that's the brilliant thing about Hair - it changed Broadway forever, just like so many shows before it had. And I was particularly tickled to hear this company sing "Let the Sun Shine In;" the first production of Hair that I saw was a Michael Brindisi-directed production at the Pantages ten years ago, starring Dieter as Claude and Randy as Woof. So much fun to revisit the production that began my Hair obsession.

I now come to the end of my term paper. I hope that I did the show justice and piqued your interest to experience it yourself. As always, this Broadway Songbook is an informative, entertaining, and fun evening of musical theater history brought to vibrant life by talented performers. Playing this weekend only on the Ordway stage in St. Paul, and possibly coming to a city near you this fall.

1. Tour locations include Austin on Oct. 9, Red Wing on Oct. 11, Dawson on Oct. 23, Detroit Lakes on Oct. 25, and St. Cloud on Nov. 2.
2. "Professor Rocco, Professor Rocco, isn't it true that while Hair first appeared Off-Broadway in 1967, it didn't open on Broadway until 1968?" said the annoying know-it-all student in the back row, eagerly waving her hand in the air.
3. Be sure to catch Theater Latte Da's production of Oliver in February, this season's installment of their "Broadway Re-Imagined" series with Hennepin Theatre Trust. Having never seen it, I didn't think I knew any songs from Oliver, but it turns out I do, yet another example of how much musical theater is ingrained in our popular culture.
4. Don't miss Bloomington Civic Theatre's production of Guys and Dolls, opening next week and already scheduled to perform at this year's Ivey Awards!
5. If you like Broadway Songbook, you might also like Jennifer's show with three of her friends, Pop-Up Musical, a more irreverent version of musical theater trivia mixed with great performances.
6. In case you've been living under a rock the past few months, I should tell you that My Fair Lady is currently playing at the Guthrie. And it's scrumptious.

Does anyone need to borrow my notes?

This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Broadway Songbook: Comden and Green" at the Ordway Center

"Make someone happy, make just one someone happy." What makes this someone happy is an entertaining and informative lesson on musical theater history from James Rocco, Artistic Director of the Ordway and genial host of the Broadway Songbook series. The final show in this third season of the series focuses on lyricist team Betty Comden and Adolph Green, famous for such classic musicals as On the Town, Wonderful Town, Bells are Ringing, and Will Rogers Follies, not to mention such films as Singin' in the Rain. Along with talented local singer/actors Elena Glass, Amasia Gordon, Reid Harmsen, Peggy O'Connell, Carl Shoenborn, Erin Schwab, and Kirby Trymucha-Duresky, and a three-piece band led by pianist and Musical Director Raymond Berg, James presents yet another fun show celebrating musical theater history. There's really no better way to spend a rainy afternoon.

James describes the typical Comden and Green song as "short, sassy, happy, and a little impudent." Lyrics are often fast and clever, and occasionally sad and poignant. Highlights of the show include:

• The company presents a selection of songs from Comden and Green's first musical, the 1944 classic about three sailors on leave for one short day in NYC, On the Town. Songs include the most famous song from the show, "New York, New York," with Reid, Carl, and James playing the sailors, "I Can Cook Too," with Kirby stepping in at the last minute for an ill Regina Marie Williams, "Carried Away," a very funny duet by Reid and Elena, and the poignant final song, "Some Other Time."
• The quite fabulous Peggy O’Connell* sings a funny and sad rendition of "The Story of My Life" from Wonderful Town, as well as a hilarious Carol Channing-esque version of "I’m Going Back" from Bells are Ringing.
• High school student Amasia, whom James "discovered" in an audition for this year's holiday show A Christmas Story, impresses with a couple of solos – "Hallelujah Baby" and "Being Good."
• Kirby and Erin duet on "Ohio," in which Erin filled in for Regina and cracked her cast-members up, as well as the audience. She's also quite funny in the super-fast "If."
• Carl gives the villian's perspective in "Captain Hook's Walz," with the cast and audience cheering him on.
• The choreography is quite impressive; they don't just stand there and sing. Of particular note is the terriffic tap-dancing by Reid and Elena in "Comes Once In A Lifetime" and the fast and fancy red and blue-gloved hand motion for "Our Favorite Song."

If you're a musical theater fan, the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series should be required viewing. I love musical theater more than anything but there's so much I don't know about it, and this series helps fill in the gaps in my knowledge. The show takes place entirely on the stage of the Ordway's main theater, meaning the audience sits on stage too, which is a unique perspective. Broadway Songbook: Comden and Green runs this weekend only so act fast. Or plan ahead for the next installment, The First 100 Years, which unfortunately falls right in the middle of the Minnesota Fringe Festival (although on second thought I may be the only person in the intersection of Broadway Songbook and Fringe Fest).

*I don't believe I've ever seen Peggy on stage but she seemed familiar to me, and I realized why when I read that she had a recurring role on my favorite TV show of all time, Northern Exposure.

"Broadway Songbook: Musicals of the 1950s" at the Ordway

In the continuing musical theater history seminar that is the Ordway's Broadway Songbook series, today's lesson is on the musicals of the 1950s. Often referred to as the "golden age" of musicals, the 1950s saw the musical expand and grow as an art form, as well as influence pop culture and music. Songs from musicals were recorded by the top musical artists of the day and were heard on the radio. Many musicals from the 1950s are still frequently produced today* and are among the most beloved. With legendary creators such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, and Loesser and Loewe, Ordway Producing Artistic Director and writer/host of the Songbook series James Rocco had hundreds of fantastic songs to choose from. He's made some great choices and assembled them into a narrative about this musical decade, along with Ivey-winning Music Director Raymond Berg on piano. Many of the musicals featured in the show are very familiar to me, some I've only heard of, and some "hidden gems" were previously completely unknown to me. That's what I love about the Broadway Songbook series - I learn so much about musical theater history, relive some of my favorite shows, and get a taste of shows I've never seen or heard of before.

Assisting Professor Rocco in this musical history lesson are six fantastic singer/actors - three Songbook vets (Joel Leistman, Jennifer Baldwin Peden, and Kersten Rodau) and three newcomers to the series (Dan Beckmann, Wes Mouri, and Sara Ochs). They bring to full life the lessons James gives through their performance of these classic songs.

Highlights include:

• The long and expansive opening medley that includes snippets from Damn Yankees, The Music Man, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Sound of Music, and a singalong to "Getting to Know You" from The King and I.
• Joel singing that great sociology lesson "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific.
• A couple of classics in Sara's beautiful voice - "Shall We Dance" from The King and I and "Never Never Land" from Peter Pan.
• An entertaining and fully acted poker game to the song "Politics and Poker" from Fiorello.
• A medley from Candide, which I didn't previously know much about but am now intrigued by after hearing the clever and lovely songs. Words James used to describe it include "brilliant," "enigmatic," "exhausting," and "influential." I've gotta see it.
• A medley from Guys and Dolls, "one of the greatest musicals," with Jennifer as a very entertaining Adelaide (she's got great comedic timing to go with her incredible voice).
• The men performing "Lida Rose" from The Music Man in classic barbershop quartet harmony.
• Several selections from one of my personal favorites, West Side Story, with Kersten and Jennifer dueting as Anita and Maria, and Dan as an excellent Tony.
• An adorably enthusiastic Wes singing "I Met a Girl" from Bells are Ringing.
• Back to back lovely songs by Jennifer - "I Wish It So" from the little-known Juno and "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady.
• Kersten belting out "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from Gypsy.
• The closing number - "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from another favorite, The Sound of Music, a song that never fails to give me chills.

Things I learned at this musical theater history lesson:

• Peter Pan was originally written for television.
• Oklahoma is considered to be the first musical as we know it, with songs fully integrated into story, and became the template for musicals through the 1970s.
• Fiorello is one of the rare musicals that won the Pulitzer Prize for drama (although I should have remembered that from The Newsroom).
• Our own Sir Tyrone Guthrie directed the original production of Candide on Broadway.
• Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls) mentored Meredith Wilson (The Music Man).
• The Music Man beat West Side Story for the Best Musical Tony in 1958, and Fiorello and Sound of Music tied for the Best Musical Tony in 1960, beating Gypsy (can you imagine a year in which two or three of these classics debuted?).

For the last two seasons, Broadway Songbook has been performed in the Ordway's McKnight Theater. But since the McKnight has been replaced by a hole in the ground, the show has been moved to the Ordway's main stage in a creative way. In order to maintain the intimate feel of the smaller McKnight Theater that works so well with the Songbook series, the show is set up at the back of the huge stage, with audience seated in chairs right on the stage. It's a really cool experience to be on that stage and look out at the empty house. However, the sight lines are not great, with twelve rows of seats on the same level and the stage area only raised a few feet. If they performed at the front of that big stage, with a curtain dropped to make the stage shallow, and only seated people in the front section of the house, it would maintain the intimate feel and eliminate the need to bob one's head around the guy sitting in front of you. But they're making the best of a less-than-ideal situation.

James said "none of my responsibilities give me as much joy as producing the Broadway Songbook series," and it shows. His joy and passion for musical theater is infectious, making this a highly successful series that I hope they continue for years to come! Only four performances remain (two today and two on Sunday) and are tickets are limited, but if you're interested click here or call the box office. And get your tickets now for the next lesson on George Gerswhin in early January. (And click here to read about past lessons in the Broadway Songbook series.)



*Two musicals featured in this Broadway Songbook will be produced by local theater companies next year. Ten Thousand Things will bring their signature stripped-down-bare-bones-straight-to-the-heart style of theater to The Music Man early next year, and Bloomington Civic Theatre is doing Gypsy next spring. James also said that he's hoping to reimagine Damn Yankees on the Ordway stage sometime soon. This is another musical I'm not familiar with, but as a Twins fan I'm very familiar with the phrase "damn Yankees!"