"Glensheen" at the History Theatre

Last night I saw History Theatre's smash hit original musical Glensheen for the 5th time, and loved it as much as I did when I saw the Raw Stages reading over ten years ago. It's unheard of for a local theater's wholly original musical to be this successful, coming back year after year (after year) and continuing to sell tickets. While History Theatre has created many fantastic original musicals that I hope to see again (including I Am Betty, which returns this fall), for some reason (or many reasons) they struck gold with Glensheen. Specifically, dark musical-comedy gold. When you take Minnesota's most famous and strange murder mystery* (the brainchild of retired Artistic Director Ron Peluso), add a script by one of Minnesota's most prolific and talented playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher, and a score by beloved local musical Chan Poling, how can you go wrong?! At this point it's pretty easy for History Theatre to mount this show - pull the gorgeous set and costumes out of storage, plop the original cast on stage, and press go. But the great thing is, the show still feels fresh and exciting, with this dreamy cast still (and probably even more) fully embodying these characters that they know so well. You can read my full review of the original production here (which has remained largely unchanged), or scroll down for ten reasons to see Glensheen (again), continuing through July 14.

"Happy Holi-Dane" at the History Theatre

In addition to fully staged (and usually original) plays and musicals, and readings of new works (that eventually become the former), the History Theatre is presenting a series of concerts this season. I attended the first of four last night, an old-fashioned holiday* variety show called Happy Holi-Dane. Amiable host Dane Stauffer (star of History Theatre's smash hit original musical Glensheen) has been doing this show for several years. I hadn't seen it since 2019, and this year's show was similar but different, with a slightly different cast of special guests. A great time was had by all, but if you missed it, don't worry. You still have an opportunity to see concerts headlined by Thomasina Petrus, Lori Dokken, and the History Theatre's own Buddy Holly - Nicholas Freeman (click here for details, dates, and tickets). And get ready for readings of five new works in Raw Stages 2024 in January.

"The Boy Wonder" at History Theatre

I had never heard of Minnesota's youngest governor, Harold Stassen, before seeing a virtual reading of the musical The Boy Wonder as part of History Theatre's Raw Stages new works festival a few years ago, when I declared it to be "Minnesota's Hamilton." A progressive Republican elected at the age of 31 in 1938 who resigned during his third term to enlist in the Navy and serve in WWII, and later ran for president a record nine times, Stassen is a perfect candidate for a History Theatre original. Recently retired Artistic Director Ron Peluso wisely asked Keith Hovis, whom one might call the "boy wonder" of #TCTheater musical theater creators, to write his story as a musical. It's finally receiving its world premiere at the downtown St. Paul theater, and it's a wonder indeed. A historical piece that feels timely and relevant, at a time when there's such divisiveness, corruption, and turmoil in our government and political process, it makes one long for a government and elected officials that work for the people instead of for themselves. But this is no staid period piece or preachy sermon, it's a dynamic, modern, exciting musical for today. Well-written, well-acted by a dream cast, with smart and sleek design, it's another in a long line of hit original musicals from History Theatre. You only have one weekend left to catch this fantastic new locally created musical - don't miss it!

"Bakersfield Mist" at Gremlin Theatre

Head to the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul for Bakersfield Mist, a tight 70-minute two-hander that elicits both uproarious laughter and pin-drop silence with the revelation of real emotion. Most of the humor comes from the odd couple pairing of a trailer park dwelling bartender and an art expert from the big city, and much of the pathos comes from the fact that these are two damaged human beings who open up to each other in surprising ways. You couldn't ask for a better duo than #TCTheater vets Jen Maren and John Middleton, or a better director than Angela Timberman. The result is a really funny and entertaining dramedy that also explores themes of art, legitimacy, grief, and humanity. See it at the Gremlin now through April 2, and since it's only 70 minutes, you can make a night of it with a visit to Lake Monster Brewing (and food trucks) right next door.

"Glensheen" at the History Theatre

Seven years after its premiere, History Theatre's original musical Glensheen (based on the tragic and bizarre murder of one of Minnesota's most famous heiresses) is still going strong! What has become an annual event took a pause during the pandemic, and returned this year with a tour through Minnesota and a three-week stint in St. Paul. I saw it last night for the third time, and was once again impressed by this wholly local creation. Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's script is so clever and witty (you can also catch his Sherlock Holmes mystery play at Park Square just a few blocks away), local musician Chan Poling's score is so catchy and fun (original cast recording available at concessions), and this seven-person ensemble is so talented in bringing it to life; I don't know how many times they've done this show (five of the original cast members have returned), but they still make it exciting and heart-felt and playful every time. You have one more week to visit Glensheen, site of Minnesota's most famous true crime case (which bears more than a few similarities to 2004 documentary and recent HBO series The Staircase). Click here for tickets, and keep reading for my review from the 2015 production (with a few updates):

"Live From New York, He's A Prom Date!" streaming from Theatre Unmasqued

For your safe-at-home theater viewing, #TCTheater artist Jen Maren (perhaps most well know for playing the infamous Minnesota murderer and arsonist Marjorie Congden in History Theatre's smash hit original musical Glensheen) has adapted her solo show Live From New York, He's A Prom Date! to the streaming environment. Written and directed by her husband Pete Simmons, the show tells the story of when Jen's mom called the Sally Jessy Raphael Show and got them on the show for an episode about moms upset that their daughters weren't asked to prom. Yes, that actually happened, and yes, it's just as awful and cringe-worthy as you think. Jen plays all of the characters as she tells this story, which is as hilarious as it is poignant in her description of her relationship with her mom.

"Happy Holi-Dane" at History Theatre

A few nights ago, I attended a super fun old fashion holiday variety show, live! The one night only event Happy Holi-Dane was presented as part of the History Theatre's new History Theatre presents series. Hosted by Dane Stauffer, star of History Theatre's smash hit original musical Glensheen (which is returning next summer to St. Paul and Alexandria), the show also featured Dane's talented friends, including some of the Glensheen cast. Dane is an amiable and personable host, and the evening was full of songs, skits, laughs, singalongs, and touching moments, just like those holiday variety specials of old.

"Lord Gordon Gordon" at History Theatre

The creators of History Theatre's smash hit new original musical Glensheen return for their second collaboration with the theater dedicated to creating new work mining the area's rich history - the fun and farcical (yet somewhat factual) Lord Gordon Gordon. I didn't love it as much as I did Glensheen (maybe because I'm not obsessed with this story like I am the story of the wealthy heiress serial killer arsonist), but it has that same sense of fun and wit combined with great original music that one comes to expect from a Hatcher/Poling show. With an excellent cast, plenty of Minnesota and Canada jokes, and clever theatrical tricks, it makes for a fun evening at the theater, laughing about the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction antics of a con man and his marks right here in Minnesota almost 150 years ago.

"Wedding Band" at Penumbra Theatre

I love a good tragic love story, and it doesn't get much more tragic than an interracial couple in 1918 South Carolina. But Penumbra's gorgeous production of the 1966 play Wedding Band by Alice Childress (whose Trouble in Mind was seen at the Guthrie last year) is not just a beautiful, complicated, and ultimately tragic love story. It's also (not unlike Trouble in Mind) a still timely work that speaks to the issues of race, racism, and privilege in ways that feel entirely relevant. With a super talented cast directed by Penumbra's founder Lou Bellamy (who recently passed the Artistic Director baton to his daughter Sarah) and gorgeous design, Wedding Band is a show not to be missed, and my favorite of my five-show weekend.

Fringe Festival 2017: "Live From New York, He's A Prom Date!"

Day: 11

Show: 49

Title: Live From New York, He's A Prom Date!

Category: Comedy

By: Side by Side

Created by: Peter Simmons and Jen Maren

Location: U of M Rarig Xperimental

Summary: #TCTheater artist Jen Maren reveals a true story from her past, when her mom put her on the Sally Jessy Raphael show to get a prom date.

Highlights: This was a perfect end to my 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival. I laughed and winced for an hour, and ended it with tears in my eyes. In what is really a love letter to her mom who "loves her recklessly," Jen tells her story with great drama and flair. Her mom just wanted her to be happy, so in 1992 she responded to a plea from Sally for girls who didn't have a date to prom. Jen (a budding performer who thought this might be her big break) and her mom flew to NYC, signed a contract, and were told what to say, how to act, and what to wear. Photos and clips from the show are displayed on a video screen, as Jen writhes in horror in a robe eating M&Ms and drinking wine from the bottle. She doesn't talk about the inherent misogyny, strict gender roles, and heteronormativity of the prom itself (no I'm not bitter that I never went to prom, it's true, prom is horrible!), that could be an entire show unto itself. Rather this show is a memoir in story and song of what it's like to be a young person growing up in this world, and how, if you're lucky, your parents do what they think will make your life better and happier, even if it does the exact opposite.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.

"Ragtime Women" by Theatre Elision at Dreamland Arts

I'm usually not a fan of the jukebox musicals, but when the songs used are little known ragtime gems from female composers, I approve! In just a brief 75 minutes, Ragtime Women manages to tell a compelling story about four real life women who composed music in the early 1900s, while sharing over two dozen songs of the era, many of them written by these women. It's smartly constructed (by Theatre Elision founder Cindy Polich), well performed, and a promising debut for this new company. But it's a short run so act quick to see this short, sweet, and musically delicious little show before it closes on Sunday.

"Musical Mondays" at Hell's Kitchen, November 2016

I don't know about y'all, but it's been a pretty busy and stressful week for me. So it's taken me a few days to get around to writing this, but I don't want to let the 4th birthday of Musical Mondays at Hell's Kitchen go by unmentioned! This fabulous monthly cabaret series hosted by super talented local actor/singers and real life BFFs Sheena Janson and Max Wojtanowicz began in November of 2012. Four years, 43 shows, over 200 performers, and over 300 musicals (what?! who knew there even were that many musicals!) later and they're still going strong. On the first Monday of every month, from 7 to 9 pm (morning people everywhere rejoice) at Hell's Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis, some of our top local talent can be seen singing songs from musicals beloved and obscure. The goal is to provide performing and networking opportunities, to celebrate musical theater, and to have fun! Their next event is on December 5 when the theme will be a grown-up Christmas wish list. Watch their Facebook page for more details.

"Glensheen" at the History Theatre

History Theatre's new original musical Glensheen was such a hit last fall, they brought it back this summer. If you missed it last time around, now's your chance to see this clever and wickedly funny musical. And even if you did see it last year, it's definitely worth a second viewing; I enjoyed it even more the second time around. They've brought back the original cast, a talented, charismatic, and hard-working ensemble of just seven actors who seem like more, who are if anything even more comfortable and playful in their many roles than they were last year. Sitting up in the balcony this time, I had a bird's eye view of the action and was even more impressed with this cast, the set, the lighting, the band, the sound, the costumes, and the way every element of production comes together to tell this truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story of Minnesota's most notorious murder mystery. You have until the end of July to see this fantastic new creation and tickets are going fast - don't miss out a second time! And keep reading for my full thoughts on the show from last fall.

"Glensheen" at the History Theatre

Americans love a good true crime story. And truth doesn't come any stranger than the story of the elderly heiress and her nurse who were murdered in Duluth's most famous mansion. The murder weapons: a silk pillow and a candlestick. The murder location: the old woman's bed and the grand staircase, where a violent struggle occurred. The prime suspect: the heiress' son-in-law, allegedly acting out the wishes of her daughter who was desperate for money to feed her insane spending habits. The key evidence: an envelope mailed to the son-in-law from Duluth containing a valuable stolen coin. The result of two of the most sensational criminal trials in Minnesota history: both suspects go free, one to later commit suicide, the other to leave a string of suspicious deaths and fires in her wake. I mean really, you cannot make this stuff up. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction. What better subject for a new musical at the History Theatre, known for developing new work that explores important events in Minnesota history? This bizarrely fascinating story practically writes itself, so when talented and prolific Minnesota playwright Jeffrey Hatcher applies his biting and clever wit to the story, along with songs from the famed Minnesota musician Chan Poling of The Suburbs¹ and The New Standards, what you get is dark comedy-musical gold. The potential was there at the reading of the new musical last year as part of History Theatre's annual "Raw Stages" festival,² and it's a pleasure to see how that potential has blossomed into a fully formed piece of music-theater. It's dark and delicious, hilarious and musically entertaining, poignant and tragic.

If you're not familiar with the story of Chester Congdon, the East Coast lawyer who very wisely invested in iron ore in late 19th Century Duluth, you should visit the grand estate on Lake Superior that he built for his family (wife Clara and seven children) and left to the University of Minnesota - Duluth upon the death of his last child. Which happened to be his youngest daughter Elisabeth, who never married and lived at Glensheen her entire life, adopting two daughters with whom to share her life, love, and fortune. It's her daughter Marjorie (named for Elisabeth's beloved older sister) upon whom this little tale hinges. Diagnosed a sociopath as a teenager, Marjorie had an insatiable spending habit that put her in constant debt and eventually, allegedly, led her to convince her second husband Roger Caldwell to kill her mother in order to receive her inheritance. The details of the story are too strange to be believed, except, of course, that it's true.

Marjorie Congdon sings her story
(Jennifer Maren and cast, photo by Scott Pakudaitis)

The musical begins on a modern-day tour of the historic Glensheen mansion. The people on the tour become a little too curious about the famous staircase and the tour guide tries to steer them towards the architecture of the house, but to no avail. This fabulous cast of seven then leads us on a tour of bizarre and tragic life of Marjorie and those around her. The musical stays fairly close to the facts of the case, although of course some is conjecture or rearranging to make a compelling story. But don't worry, at the end of the show they tell us exactly what was made up and what wasn't.³ It's all very tongue-in-cheek and darkly comedic, done in the heightened reality style of musicals, but with some grounded and poignant moments that remind us these were real people who suffered great tragedy. The tone walks the fine line of being campy, funny, and outrageous, while not disrespectful to the lives that were lost. The show engenders sympathy not just for the two women who died that night, but also Marjorie's husband Roger, who certainly didn't know what he was getting into when he married her, and perhaps even Marjorie herself. Perhaps.

Highlights of the show are many, including:

• Rick Polenek's rich set looks like a mini-Glensheen, a reproduction of the famous staircase leading up to the stained glass window on the second floor, with stately furnishing and lush carpeting that extends into the audience.
• Director Ron Peluso and his cast make great use of the multi-level stage and the aisles in the audience, drawing us into the story, even at one point using us as potential jurors.
• Musical Director Andrew Fleser (whose piano is dressed out as a bar) leads the just barely visible band through a really great score with big ensemble numbers, soaring ballads, quiet plaintive songs, and some fun and rousing songs, accompanied by Tinia Moulder's choreography.
• Most of the fantastic seven-person cast play multiple roles - maids, cops, detectives, lawyers, reporters, etc. - except for Jennifer Maren, who brings Marjorie to life in all her murderous, arsonous, seductive, sad little girl glory. She's an endlessly fascinating villain, the kind that you love to hate.
• Dane Stauffer is great as the drunken patsy Roger, without making him a caricature. We also see Roger's human side in his confession and death - just another one of Marj's victims.
• Stealing scenes in a multitude of roles, including Elisabeth, her nurse (with a sad and lovely song), and, briefly, Agatha Christie, Wendy Lehr is a delight to watch, most especially in her gleeful turn as a rock and roll defense attorney who may or may not be known "Beshmesher," shimmying her way through a rollicking defense of Marjorie.
• Ruthie Baker, Gary Briggle, Adam Qualls, and Sandra Struthers Clerc gamely jump into whatever role is asked of them, and the seven-person cast seems much larger with all the characters in the story.
• The costumes (designed by E. Amy Hill) help define the various characters and place it in that '70s/'80s timeframe. Marj's wardrobe is particularly fabulous (I'm not sure the real Marj is this fashionable), always in red, reminding us of the blood and fire she leaves in her wake. Barry Browning's lighting design bathes the stage in a red glow when appropriate, as well as creating some startling lighting strikes.

Glensheen is a fantastic new original musical, based on one of the most fascinating true crime stories in Minnesota history. It's a sordid and epic tale just ripe for some kind of theatrical treatment, and Jeffrey Hatcher and Chan Poling have given it just the right kind. A dark and campy musical about a stranger than fiction true crime story? Yes, please! (Playing through October 25.)

1. For more about The Suburbs and other bands of early '80s Minneapolis, go see Complicated Fun next spring, another new piece developed through the "Raw Stages" festival.
2. The History Theatre's "Raw Stages" Festival takes place in mid-January. So when the weather is cold, go see what's hot in new historical theater (including a reading of my favorite new musical Sweet Land).
3. If this story fascinates you as much as it does me, I highly recommend the book Will to Murder, written by former Duluth crime reporter Gail Feichtinger with input from the lead investigator and prosecutor, so it's chock full of details and evidence.

"Blood Brothers" - A Reading by Second Fiddle Productions

As far as I know, Second Fiddle Productions is a one-of-a-kind theater company in this town of 70+ theater companies. They are exclusively dedicated to producing one-show-only readings of rare and unusual musicals. Founded by the talented Ruthie Baker (currently a resident of River City at the Guthrie), the company is now in their second year and I finally was able to go to one of their Monday night readings - the 1983 West End hit Blood Brothers. After just eight hours of rehearsal, this ten-person cast full of the Twin Cities top music-theater talent breathed such incredible life into this script and score that I wonder why it isn't produced more often.

Blood Brothers was is set in and was first produced in Liverpool. The titular brothers are twins separated at birth when their poor single mother is convinced into giving one of them to her wealthy and childless employer. Despite their very different lifestyle, the boys meet on the streets of Liverpool and become fast friends, each admiring and envious of what the other possesses. But as they grow up, the extreme difference in their situations becomes more evident as one brother has a successful career and the other turns to crime to feed his young family. But in the end what could come between these best friends and unknowing twins? A woman, of course, and the fight over her results in the death of both brothers.

The story ends tragically but there is fun and humor along the way. I'd never heard any of the songs before but I think the score is great, with an '80s English musical sort of sound. I love how the comparisons to Marilyn Monroe turn from joyful to sad, as does the dancing song. The recurring theme of the devil at your door and the superstition about bad luck with new shoes on the table casts a dark cloud on the show, reminding us of the upcoming tragedy even through the happy times and good humor.

Since this is a reading, I'm not supposed to write a review (although I'm not sure that what I usually write are really reviews), so I'm not going to tell you how amazing this cast is and how incredible and fully formed their performances were even though they only rehearsed for eight hours and were often reading from the book. I'm especially not going to tell you how fabulous Jen Burleigh-Bentz was as the mother, or how adorable Eric Morris and Reid Harmsen were as the brothers, or what a great job Josh Campbell and Nic Delcambre did as Director and Music Director/accompanist, respectively. Nope, I'm not going to tell you that, but I am going to tell you that if you're interested in expanding your musical theater knowledge by watching top-notch local talent "read" a musical you may never have heard of before, keep your eye on Second Fiddle. Their final reading of this year is The Most Happy Fella in October, with their third season announcement coming soon. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for details.

"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.

"Schiller's Mary Stuart" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

There's nothing crazier than the history of the British monarchy. The complicated line of succession in the Renaissance era is an example of "truth is stranger than fiction." The many instances of murders, coups, beheadings, declarations of illegitimacy, and incest constitute more drama and intrigue than any soap opera ever could. Therefore it's great fodder for historical fiction today (e.g., the recent miniseries The White Queen) and in times past. In 1800 German playwright Friedrich Schiller wrote a play called Mary Stuart about the Scottish queen, who was imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I because she was a threat to the throne. Walking Shadow Theatre Company is presenting a new adaption of the play by Peter Oswald, and the result is a delicious and hearty meal.

Queen Mary comes from a troubled past - ascending to the Scottish throne at 6 days old, growing up in France, married to the king until his death, and returning to Scotland, where she might have had her new husband killed and then married the man who killed him. After this latest scandal, she sought sanctuary in England with her cousin Queen Elizabeth, but because the Catholics of England saw Mary as the rightful ruler, Elizabeth had her imprisoned for nearly 20 years. This play takes place near the end of those years, as Mary pleads for her release and Elizabeth debates Mary's fate with her advisers. Over the course of nearly three hours, we watch the schemes and politics of these two queens unfold and crumble, until only one is left standing. It's really quite gripping, and it doesn't feel like a 200 year old play about events that happened 400+ years ago, but rather feels fresh and dramatic and almost modern.

Queen Mary (Jennifer Maren)
pleads for her life from
Queen Elizabeth (Sherry Jo Ward)

The best part of this production is the excellent acting by the entire 13-person company. It's such a treat to just sit there and watch the skill of these artists as they play out this complicated tale. At the top are Jennifer Maren and Sherry Jo Ward as the Queens Mary and Elizabeth, both strong and regal and sympathetic, so that I found it difficult to choose sides between the two. Jean Wolff is wonderfully Mrs. Hughes-like as Mary's staunch supporter, friend, and ladies maid. Other standouts include Adam Whisner as Mary's firm but ultimately kind captor, and Dustin Bronson and Peter Ooley as Mary's (or Elizabeth's?) suitors.

The second best part of this production are the gorgeous costumes, which are not 16th century period costumes, but have more of a mid-20th century classic look. The men are dapper in suits and hats, but the women truly shine in stunning dresses. I love it when a dress comes out and takes my breath away with its beauty, and that happened several times in this play (costumes by Lori Opsal). Michael Hoover's classic and simple set design of multiple arches and opaque windows is a perfect backdrop for the complicated story and large cast.

Schiller's Mary Stuart is not a short play, coming in at nearly three hours with intermission, so be prepared for that. But it's a gripping, fascinating, and intriguing true(ish) story about two powerful women, with excellent performances by the entire cast. If you're an Anglophile, or if you just like great drama, this one's for you (playing now through March 1 at the Red Eye Theater, with discount tickets available on Goldstar).

"The Sunshine Boys" at the Guthrie Theater

I've been looking forward to seeing The Sunshine Boys at the Guthrie since I heard it would star Peter Michael Goetz and Raye Birk, two of my (and I think everyone's) favorite Guthrie actors. Both of them have been in countless Guthrie productions since the 1960s, as well as many movies and TV shows. These two experienced actors are excellent at both comedy and drama (Peter recently starred in Long Day's Journey Into Night in DC and will reprise his role at the Guthrie early next year, Raye will tackle King Lear at Park Square Theatre this fall). This play gives them a chance to show off their comedy chops, and they do. Written by Neil Simon, The Sunshine Boys is about a pair of old Vaudeville performers who have had a falling out, but come back together in 1972 to perform on a TV show about the history of comedy. As you can imagine, it does not go smoothly, much to the delight of everyone watching.

Peter Michael Goetz as Willie Clark
and Robert Berdahl as his nephew Ben

Peter Michael Goetz is Willie Clark, who lives in a once glamorous but now run-down hotel in New York City. He's still working as an actor, doing the occasional commercial, but jobs are becoming fewer and farther between. He refuses to retire, and chides his agent nephew Ben (played by the wonderful Robert Berdahl, who serves as the straight man grounding these two crazies, dressed in a series of fabulous 70s era suits) about finding him a gig. It turns out Ben has found a gig for Willie, but it involves reuniting with his old partner Al Lewis (Lewis and Clark, get it?). Lewis unexpectedly retired 11 years ago, and the pair hasn't seen or talked to each other since. Willie reluctantly agrees to a rehearsal with Al to see how things go, chaperoned initially by Ben. It falls apart, but somehow they advance to an in-studio dress rehearsal. Act Two begins with the busy TV studio and we get to see the infamous "doctor sketch," in which Dudley Riggs (himself a real-life veteran of the Vaudeville stage and founder of the Brave New Workshop improv comedy troupe) appears. Until that, too, falls apart. The play ends with these two lifelong friends reminiscing about old times and facing the rest of their lives together. It's a true love-hate relationship, beautifully portrayed by Peter and Raye. The banter, the awkward silences, the way they play off of each other, the distinct way they walk around the stage, the broad New York accents, Willie's schlubby style in contrast to Al's fastidiousness, all of it is so precise and so much fun to watch.

Peter Michael Goetz's Willie Clark and Raye Birk's Al Lewis

As you can see from the sticker on the playbill above, I happened to attend on a night when they were holding a post-show discussion, an opportunity I never pass up (and you shouldn't either, if you're at all interested in listening to artists talk about their work). It was really fascinating to hear about all the work that goes into this seemingly effortless performance, and it made me want to watch it again. Peter said that rehearsing a comedy is torture, because there's no audience there to laugh so they don't know if they're funny or not. It's not until the previews that they figure out what works and what doesn't, and they have to adjust a little to allow for laughter. The opening was just last Friday, so he said they're still settling into it. Jennifer Maren (who plays the requisite blond bombshell in the sketch) talked about how a comedy like this is similar to a musical in that it has a certain rhythm and cadence. It's intricately choreographed, such as the scene in which Lewis and Clark spend several minutes moving furniture around to set up for their rehearsal and don't say a word. 

I'm pretty sure I could listen to Peter Michael Goetz tell stories about his life in the theater for hours and hours. His experience in the early days of the Guthrie, on Broadway, and in Hollywood I'm sure provide many amusing anecdotes, like the time he walked onstage during a performance of a classical Shakespeare play dressed as Lennie in Of Mice and Men, back in the days when the Guthrie was a repertory theater (which he says he misses). This is why I love the Guthrie, for bringing actors of this caliber to my town and keeping them here, even after they venture to the East and West coasts.

The Guthrie may no longer be a repertory theater, but you can still see three excellent and very different shows at the Guthrie right now, each wonderful in its own way. Starting at the top, the lovely dance piece Swimming with My Mother is playing in the Guthrie Studio through this weekend. If you're looking for a good old-fashioned musical, go see Roman Holiday. And for a hilarious and intricate comedy, there's The Sunshine Boys. Or go see all three - sounds like a perfect weekend to me!

"My Antonia" by Illusion Theater at the Cowles Center

This is one of those rare opportunities to see an Ivey Award winning production that I missed.  Illusion Theater adapted the classic pioneer novel My Antonia for the stage a few years ago.  They've recently remounted the production with a mostly new cast and taken it on tour around the Midwest, with a short stop at the shiny new Cowles Center in downtown Minneapolis this weekend.  Since I missed it the first time around I was eager to see it this time.  I read the book in high school or college, which is to say so long ago that I remember next to nothing about it, other than that I liked it.  This is a beautiful production, one of my favorite plays of this new year so far.  Willa Cather's story and language are beautifully adapted by playwright Allison Moore, the characters are brought to life by a talented company of actors, many of whom play several different roles, and beautiful music (just a piano, cello, and violin) accompanies the action and helps to define the setting and emotions of the piece.

My Antonia tells the story of a young immigrant girl in late 19th century Nebraska, through the eyes of her childhood friend Jim.  The adult Jim narrates the story as he's returning home to visit, and his memories of his time on the frontier and the girl that he loves come to life on stage.  Joel Liestman is a wonderful narrator who seamlessly steps into the action to play various characters, from Antonia's father, to Jim's teacher, to Jim himself at the end of the play.  Dustin Bronson portrays the young Jim from the age of ten through his college years, hopelessly in love with the older girl but meant for a life that's bigger than the small town they live in.  There's a continuity between Joel and Dustin's performances; it's easy to believe they're the same person at different stages in their life.  Emily Gunyou Halaas (who starred in another story of pioneer life, The Master Butchers Singing Club) beautifully portrays Antonia in her journey from young immigrant girl, enthusiastic about everything, to a hard-working pioneer woman who still retains that love of life, but in a quieter way.  Jim and Antonia are two people who love each other deeply and have a great effect on each other's lives, even though they end up on vastly different paths.  The Nebraska prairie will always join them together.  (To quote one of my favorite musicals Wicked, "So much of me is made from what I learned from you, you'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart.")  The rest of the cast fills in the story playing various roles, changing from one to another just by donning a different hat or accent.  The accents, by the way, are excellent - Czech, German, Norwegian, a cacophony of voices from the past.

I found myself (unsuccessfully) fighting back tears through much of the play, and I'm not even sure why.  Mostly I blame the music (composed by Roberta Carlson with musical direction by Eli Bender), which so specifically brings you to that time and place, tinged with memory.  The language of the play (which I assume was largely taken from the book) paints such a picture I that almost wanted to close my eyes to better see it, but then I would have missed the simple but effective images of waving grass or a plow against the sunset projected onto the backdrop.  All of the pieces added together create an experience that is so nostalgic and wistful.  It makes me feel nostalgic for a past I never knew, but that is in me somehow.  My ancestors immigrated to Minnesota from Germany and Poland in the 19th century, so I felt like I was watching my own history.  I have that same feeling of connection to Little House on the Prairie.  Laura Ingalls Wilder's experience was probably no different, no more important or exciting, than anyone else's who was living on the frontier in those times.  But she wrote it down, which my ancestors did not, so it's all many of us have to remember that time in our collective history.  Willa Cather also wrote about those times, and I think it's wonderful to bring this work to the places where it happened, to people who have a connection to it.  One of his friends tells Jimmy that he has a romantic view of country life, because he only lived on the farm for a short time and didn't have to work, and lived most of his life in town.  Maybe that's why the story has such a nostalgic, romantic feeling, but it also portrays the hardships and struggle that frontier people went through.

I've been told I need to check out Illusion Theater, but this is my first time seeing one of their productions.  Judging by this beautiful piece I will be seeing them again.  There are only two more performances on this stop of the tour - tonight (Saturday) and Sunday.  There were plenty of empty seats in the Goodale Theater at the Cowles Center last night, so if you're looking for something to do this weekend, I would highly recommend this.  Click here to find more information on this weekend's performances, as well as future stops on their tour around the Minnesota.  It's a show that will make your heart ache, in the best possibly way.