Fringe Festival: "A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant"

Day: 4

Show: 11

Title: A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pagean

Category: Musical theater

By: The Catalysts

Written by: Alex Timbers and Kyle Jarrow

Location: New Century Theatre

Summary: Seven precocious children tell the story of L. Ron Hubbard and how he founded the Church of Scientology, in pageant form.

Highlights: These kids are so stinkin' cute, with their expressive faces and adorably awkward dance moves, playing adults and reciting long technical speeches while still remaining childlike. And I learned much about the origins and beliefs of Scientology, which is fascinating and terrifying. An angel narrator (an appealing Jillian Jacobson, a rising star) tells us of L. Ron's (a confident and charismatic Ethan Davenport) rise from humble birth, to science fiction novelist and Hollywood screenwriter, to WWII soldier, to founder of a new "science" he called Dianetics and a Church to promote its methods, to a defendant on trial with celebrities as witnesses (watch for the littlest cast member as John Travolta). The show is adorable and funny, and more than a little scary. Like Book of Mormon it exposes the truth about a religion in a satirical musical way, but unlike Book of Mormon it did not leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling about faith. Go see the cutest and most talented kids in the Fringe (and kudos to director Whitney Rhodes for corralling this raw young talent into a cohesive show) .

"Elephant's Graveyard" by Theatre Pro Rata at Nimbus Theatre

The play Elephant's Graveyard is one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" stories. In 1916, a five-ton circus elephant was hung in the town of Erwin, Tennessee after killing a man. You read that right - they hung an elephant. Theatre Pro Rata's production of the play tells the story so vividly that it's absolutely horrific. By that I don't mean that it's a bad play, on the contrary it's so good at telling this tragic story that as an animal lover, it's almost unbearable. I'm not sure I could use the word enjoyable for the experience, but it's a completely captivating and fascinating look at a bizarre historical incident with larger implications about the way that we have historically treated and continue to treat animals (and other second-class citizens) in this country.

The play is written as a series of monologues, in which circus people and townspeople take turns telling the story directly to the audience. They take us through the excitement of a circus coming to a small town, the unique lives of circus performers of that era (see also the bizarre and wonderful HBO show Carnivàle), and the horror of the hanging. It's like one long story being told by multiple people. I don't think think I've ever seen a play with so many characters in which they never talk to each other. It's an effective storytelling device and lets us get inside the heads of all of the characters to learn how they view the event, whether it's as the triumph of the American spirit, or a business failure, or the death of a true friend, or a similarity to the other lynchings happening in the South.

Emily Dussault, Ben Tallen,
and Wade A. Vaughn

This is a true ensemble piece. There's no main character (other than Mary the elephant, who looms large even though we never physically see her or any representation of her), rather each of the 13 actors and two musicians share the spotlight equally, including Wade A. Vaughn with an electric performance as the ringmaster, Neal Skoy as Mary's heartbroken trainer, and young Jillian Jacobson representing the children of Erwin.

Adding greatly to the mood of the piece is the period appropriate music by Theo Langason on guitar and Shannon Foy on percussion. The cast also occasionally adds its lovely voices to the music. Particularly noteworthy are a haunting duet between Joy Dolo's townsperson and Emily Dussault's Ballet Girl, and Ethan Bjelland's preacher song.

The story takes place on a completely bare stage, with only a bench as an occasional prop/set piece, and lights evoking a big top. This really allows the audience to focus on the descriptive language and the images it evokes in our minds. The colorful costumes also stand out in this bare environment, from the red coat of the ringmaster and the green of the ballet girl, to the more drab colors of the hardworking townspeople (costumes by Mandi Johnson).

Elephant's Graveyard is my first experience with Theatre Pro Rata, and I like what I saw. It's storytelling at its best - completely captivating and so vivid that you feel like you're actually seeing the events play out, which in this case can be painful. Playing now through March 2 at nimbus theatre.

"The Match Girl's Gift" by Cerulean River Productions at the Minnesota Centennial Showboat

The Minnesota Centennial Showboat is kind of a magical place to see theater. Stepping onto this historic docked boat on the Mississippi River across from downtown St. Paul, you're transported into another world. Last time I was there, it was the world of pre-WWII Berlin, not typically associated with a river showboat, but still a transformative experience. (And I'm just waiting for someone to do Show Boat on the Showboat; it's an opportunity too good to pass up, don't you think?) The Showboat is currently decked out as a Victorian Christmas, from the actors dressed in period costume who greet you, to the Christmas decorations, to the music in the show. It even smells like someone is baking Christmas cookies! Two shows by Cerulean River Productions are currently playing in repertoire - The Match Girl's Gift and A Threepenny Christmas. I attended a Sunday matinee of the former, and I found it to be a cute and charming holiday show, sort of like A Christmas Carol lite.

The Match Girl's Gift is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story "The Little Match Girl," in which a little girl freezes to death on the streets while selling matches, with only visions of her dead grandmother to comfort her. This version is a little less grim, with the match girl dreaming her way into the home of a wealthy family she has long envied. The plot is perhaps a bit simplistic and trite, focusing on the rich boy's dysfunctional relationship with his parents, desperate for their approval. But the performances of the cast make up for what is lacking in the story. In the title role, Jillian Jacobson, a 7th grader whose bio already includes the Guthrie Theater and Girl Friday Productions, is a star in the making. She's a completely natural actor who easily brings you along on her character's journey. Also charming is Clare Foy as her chimney sweep friend. Megan Volkman-Wilson again shines in a motherly period role (see also Sunday in the Park with George).

But story aside, the highlight of this show is the music which begins and ends the show. The ensemble beautifully sings a selection of Victorian Christmas carols, accompanying themselves with a few instruments, and ringing out in gorgeous a capella harmony. I found myself somewhat impatient for the story to end so we could get back to the music!

The Match Girl's Gift closes this weekend, but A Threepenny Christmas continues through December 30 (see schedule for details). There were quite a few families in the audience, who seemed to be having a great time. If you're looking for a charming Victorian Christmas experience, the Showboat's a good place to find it.