"Whoa, Nellie!" at the History Theatre

Just over a year after its "Raw Stages" workshop, when I declared it "my favorite of the three readings I saw," the new original historical musical Whoa, Nellie! makes its debut on the History Theatre stage, and it's even better than expected! The musical is about the life, loves, and crimes of the little-known historical figure known by many names including Nellie King, a "cowboy detective" and notorious outlaw who was the subject of many explosive headlines in the newspapers of the Midwest in the late 19th Century. Playwright/composer/lyricist Josef Evans (who created Open Eye Theatre's delightful trilogy of outdoor summer musicals at the Bakken Museum in the early post-pan years) has set Nellie's story as a Vaudeville show and incorporated other, more well-known, historical figures of the era. The result is a wild ride of a show that gallops through history and multiple states as it explores very 21st Century themes of gender identity, sexism, racism, corrupt journalism, drug addiction, and celebrity culture. So put on your cowboy boots and head to the History Theatre in downtown, where you'll need to saddle up and hold on tight to the reigns of this fun and fantastical musical (continuing through June 8).

Musical Mondays at Lush, November 2024

Today is a big day in America, and there's no place I would have rather spent the evening before this momentous election day than at the 100th installment of Musical Mondays. BFFs Max Wojtanowicz and Sheena Janson Kelly started this monthly cabaret series at Hell's Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis 12 years ago, with the dream of having someplace where local music-theater performers could share their talents, and maybe show a new side of themselves, in a fun and casual setting. Since then, this dream has become a reality, and a staple in #TCTheater entertainment, with a move to LUSH Bar in Northeast Minneapolis (and a couple years off due to a global pandemic). They celebrated this milestone with a larger than usual cast of all-stars, plus the return of some old favorites. As usual, it was a wonderful evening of fun, entertainment, and community, made especially poignant by the timing of it. One of the performers, the divine Erin Schwab, talked about how she's performed for decades amidst all kinds of trouble and strife in the word. And that her job is to give us permission to laugh, to have fun, and to have hope, no matter what is happening outside the walls of the theater. I don't know what's going to happen today, or this week, or next year, but I know that we need to continue to support live theater. The arts are a vital part of our economy, a vital part of our democracy, celebrating free speech and protest and all the things we hold dear as Americans, as well as engendering empathy for those we think are different from us, but are really the same at heart. And no matter what happens, we're going to need more of that going forward from this day.

"Helen" by Ten Thousand Things at The Capri Theater

Six years after taking over as Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things from founder Michelle Hensley, Marcela Lorca is directing her final show with the company before moving on. For this, she returns to one of her favorites - Greek tragedy. Specifically, she worked with playwrights John Barton and Kenneth Cavander on their adaptation of Euripides' Helen, a different retelling of the tragedy of the Trojan War than we usually hear. This adaptation, Marcela's direction and choreography, and this uber talented cast make this two thousand year old play feel refreshingly modern and relevant. And don't let the word tragedy fool you; this Helen is full of lightness and humor and music, albeit tinged with tragedy, specifically around the senselessness and destruction of war. My theater blogger friend asked me if this was a must see, and I said - of course it is, it's Ten Thousand Things! Marcela Lorca is concluding her tenure at TTT on a high note, and I look forward to how this uniquely special company created by Michelle Hensley continues into the future. In the meantime, you can see Helen at The Capri Theater, Open Book, United Methodist Church, or various locations around the community through November 10.

"Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

For their third regional premiere in a row, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) is presenting Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. It's interesting that it follows on the heels of their regional premiere of Jersey Boys, because that 2006 Tony-winning bio-musical about Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons set the standard for the bio-musical and spawned a bunch more of the like, of which Beautiful (premiering in 2014), is one of the better ones. You can definitely see some similarity in structure between the two shows, both feature recognizable hits from the mid 20th Century, and both are really more like plays with music than musicals (most of songs are sung in context - in a studio or at a concert). As Artistic Director Michael Brindisi says, they went from the Jersey boys to the Brooklyn girl. And this first #TCTheater production is big, bold, and yes - beautiful. With an outrageously talented ensemble, super smooth transitions between the many mini scenes and songs, and unstoppable momentum that makes each act of this 2.5-hour-long musical feel like 20 minutes, Beautiful is not to be missed. It's playing through the end of September so you have plenty of time to get out to the Western metro for this celebration of one of the most prolific songwriters of 20th Century American popular music.

"Puttin' on the Ritz" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

After 611 long dark days, Theater Latte Da is finally back performing again in their Northeast Minneapolis home, the Ritz Theater. They opened their 24th season last weekend with a special cabaret concert for subscribers (and me!) and it was such a joyous celebration. I've missed Theater Latte Da's brand of music-theater so much, and am thrilled that they're finally back. The first official show of the season is a remount of their gorgeous annual holiday show All is Calm (seen on PBS stations around the country last year), to be followed by La Boheme in January, nearly two years after the production was shut down after just a few preview performances. Next spring we'll see the area premiere of the 1992 multiple Tony-nominated musical Jelly's Last Jam, and the season will conclude with the world premiere of a new musical adaptation of the classic play Twelve Angry Men, which Latte Da has been developing for several years. Click here for info on their season and to purchase season tickets, or individual tickets for the first two shows, and read on for highlights of last weekend's Puttin' on the Ritz.

"An Evening of Show Tunes with Tyler Michaels King and Friends" at The Belvedere at Crooners Supper Club

Back at Crooners Supper Club's new outdoor venue The Belvedere for the 5th time this year, I saw a remarkable collection of showtunes performed by a remarkable group of #TCTheater artists, and it healed my soul a little after this long theater-less time. What really stood out to me, beyond the fact that each one of these performers is a superstar, is that musical theater can truly convey the full range of human emotion. And we went through all of it last night, from laughter to tears and everything in between. It's been quite a year for all of us, and An Evening of Show Tunes with Tyler Michaels King and Friends provided a cathartic release as well as a hope that we will come out of this stronger and better, and soon. Click here for a full list of shows at Crooners (including two indoor spaces as well), and if you missed Tyler and friends this week, you have another chance to see them again on August 26.

Ghostlight Series: "Re-Cast" streaming from Theater Latte Da

The second of Theater Latte Da's five-part virtual cabaret series called "The Ghostlight Series" is now available! Following January's powerful and moving Twelve Blocks From Where I Live, Regina Marie Williams's response to the murder of George Floyd in photos and song, Re-Cast gives some of our favorites the chance to sing a song from a role they would never be cast in. Or at least haven't been yet. Both shows are available to watch now and as many times as you want through August with the purchase of a season pass. These gorgeously filmed and edited 30-minute shows with fantastic performances from some of #TCTheater's best are worth every penny, helping to bridge the gap until we can gather in person again to share stories and music.

"Ordway Cabaret: Gotta Dance!" at the Ordway Concert Hall

The Ordway began their second year of the "Ordway Cabaret" series with "Gotta Dance!" This fantastic series of one-night only cabaret shows not only features our amazing local music-theater community, but also allows the performers to tell their own story about what musicals have meant to them in their life. We all are drawn to the theater for different reasons at different times in our lives, whether as performers or audience, and it's wonderful to connect with the artists in this way. Dancing has always been a part of the series, with some choreographed or semi-choreographed numbers. But in this installment, dance takes center stage - literally! It really reminded me of a #TCTheater version of A Chorus Line, but more casual and intimate and true. Read on to find out what you missed, then stay tuned for details about the next installment!

"Ordway Cabaret, A Brand New Day: Rise Up!" at the Ordway Concert Hall

Last night the Ordway presented their second installment in their new Ordway Cabaret series. At this point it's a one-night only event (if you missed it you're out of luck, sorry), but they did also share it with almost 2000 students as part of the Ordway's education program. The first installment earlier this year was subtitled "Breaking Barriers," this one is "Rise Up!" and the third, coming this fall, will be "all about the ladies," i.e., about how women are portrayed in musical theater and how female audience members and performers respond to that (see also Not Fair, My Lady!). The Ordway Cabaret is similar to the Broadway Songbook series that the Ordway ran for a number of years, except that it's less about musical theater history and more about the performers' personal history as it relates to musical theater. I'm really loving this twist, because it shows in a very real way how much musical theater can affect our lives, both for performers and audience members. And as always with these types of shows at the Ordway, the phenomenal cast brings their hearts and souls to the wonderful performances of beloved musical theater songs.

"Ordway Cabaret, A Brand New Day: Breaking Barriers" at the Ordway Concert Hall

From 2011 to 2017, I attended 13 Broadway Songbook concerts at the Ordway (I think I only missed one or two). I absolutely loved learning about the history of musical theater (IMO the greatest American art form), while enjoying performances by some of #TCTheater's top talent. The series ended with the departure of Artistic Director James Rocco, but now the Ordway's new Artistic Director, Rod Kaats, has started a new series called Ordway Cabaret, A Brand New Day, described on their website thusly: "Ordway Cabaret features local performers in a cabaret format. This all-new series presents the music of Broadway in a thoroughly modern way: critiquing musicals that reinforce stereotypes and celebrating those that succeed in breaking barriers. The finale and signature song, 'A Brand New Day' from The Wiz, reminds us that, at least in some Broadway musicals, love can set you free." That sounds fantastic to me (see also last summer's Fringe hit Not Fair, My Lady, returning soon as part of their "Women's March"), I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment, Breaking Barriers, and look forward to this series continuing for many years.

"Teen Idol: The Bobby Vee Story" at History Theatre

This winter, History Theatre is bringing back their original play with music based on the life of local rock and roll legend Bobby Vee. You would be forgiven for not recognizing the name (especially if you didn't live through the '60s), but you would surely recognize some of his hits (e.g., "Devil or Angel," "Take Good Care of My Baby," "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"). And that's why we have the History Theatre, to bring us edutainment about parts of our local history that we maybe don't know as much about as we should. Teen Idol: The Bobby Vee Story premiered in 2016, and the creators collaborated with Bobby's sons Jeff and Tommy. Bobby Vee died from complications of Alzheimer's during that first run of the show, bringing an extra poignancy to it. On second viewing, Teen Idol really feels like a Jeff and Tommy's love letter to their parents - a clean-cut Midwestern boy who for a short time was one of the biggest music stars in the world, and the woman who loved him but didn't sacrifice herself for his career. The play has been tweaked a little, with three new songs added, and by my count about two-thirds of the 24-person cast are new to the show. But it's mostly the same as last time: a play that transcends the jukebox musical to tell the story of how one star survived his rise to and fall from fame with grace and dignity intact, thanks in part to his family.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at Artistry

When I heard Artistry was opening their 2017-2018 season with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I thought, "Why?" Why are they doing this frequently produced show now, and why do I need to see it again when I've seen it so many times (the Chanhassen alone did it seven times in three years, or was it the other way around?). But I did go, and I'm thrilled that I did because this is a Joseph and a Joseph unlike any I've ever seen before. The familiar score and story are seen through a new and different lens. Direction, choreography, staging, set, costumes, music, casting, and performance all contribute to the most inventive production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat I've ever seen. It's pretty far out, and if you're an Andrew Lloyd Webber traditionalist, you may not be pleased. But I dug it. Read on to find out why I did, and why you might too.

"Girl Shakes Loose" at Penumbra Theatre

Girl Shakes Loose is the musical we need right now. It's playing at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul through May 14 and you should definitely go see it, but I'm hoping it has continued life after this run. I don't know what the creators/producers have planned, but I would love to see it on Broadway. I think we need to see it on Broadway. Written by a black female composer/playwright team (Imani Uzuri music and lyrics, Zakiyyah Alexander book and lyrics) and incorporating the poetry of Sonia Sanchez, a poet in the Black Arts Movement,* Girl Shakes Loose is something we've never seen before. Namely, a musical about a contemporary black woman with an all black cast. Musicals with a black female lead** are few and far between (the only ones I can think of are Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, The Color Purple, Caroline or Change, Aida, Porgy and Bess) and are all set in the past. Most musicals that feature an all black cast are about overcoming hardships - racism, abuse, poverty. Which are important stories to tell but definitely do not represent the entirety of the African American experience. Girl Shakes Loose is a different narrative. It's about a young black woman living her life and figuring out who she is and where she fits in the world. It shouldn't be revolutionary in 2017 to see a musical created by black women about a contemporary black woman in America, but it is. I'm thrilled to have witnessed it and excited to watch it go out into the world from here.

"Musical Mondays" at Hell's Kitchen, June 2015

Last night was another fun night at Hell's Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis. On the first (or in this case second) Monday of every month, that's where you can find super-talented local theater artists and real life BFFs Max Wojtanowitz and Sheena Janson. They've hosted this monthly cabaret series "Musical Mondays" for almost three years. Each month features songs around a different theme performed by a different cast of amazingly talented singer/actors. Since it's June, this month's theme was Pride, i.e., gender-bending and/or inspirational songs.

This month's cast included George Keller (frequently seen at Ten Thousand Things), Grant Sorenson (Yellow Tree's Henry in Next to Normal), John Jamison (whom I have not seen in anything before), Liz Hawkinson (Julie in BCT's Carousel), and Stephanie Cousins (part of Yellow Tree's Ivey-winning production of The 39 Steps), with musical direction by Nic Delcambre. As usual the evening's program (which you can view in full on Musical Monday's Facebook page) included some familiar musical favorites, as well as many great songs I'd never heard before. Highlights of the evening include:

• The opening group  number set the stage for the evening - "Keep it Gay" from The Producers.
• The boys beautifully sang "At the Ballet" from A Chorus Line, which made me even more excited to see the Ordway's production next year!
• The girls hilariously sang "You're A Man" from The Full Monty.
• Liz Hawkinson made West Side Story's "Maria" sound like it was written for a woman to sing. Just lovely!
• John brought the house down with "When You're Good to Mama" from Chicago.
• Host Max took the mic and proved he is "The Hostess with the Mostess" (from Call Me Madam).
• George won the prize for best costume, changing accessories slightly for each character (something she no doubt learned from Ten Thousand Things). I never realized what a creepy song "Standing on the Corner" was, and her "I Am Adolpho" was ridiculous in the best possible way.
• Stephanie sounded gorgeous on "There But For You Go I" from Brigadoon.
• Grant sang a couple of Kerrigan/Lowdermilk songs - the charming "Stupid Boys" and the fun road trip song "Freedom," a duet with his middle school buddy Liz.
• In addition to leading the band (which also included guitar and percussion) on keyboards, Nic sang a couple of songs, including a lovely arrangement of "You Have To Be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific (which I cannot wait to see at the Guthrie next summer).
• The evening concluded with "Raise You Up/Just Be" from Kinky Boots (tour coming to the Orpheum this summer).

Here's were you can see the cast on stages around the Cities in the coming months:

• George Keller - an all-female production of Henry IV by Ten Thousand Things this fall
• Grant Sorenson - Yellow Tree's beautifully heart-breaking production of Next to Normal is heading to Alexandria's Theatre L'Homme Dieu in July
• John Jamison - The Wizard of Oz at Children's Theater Company this fall/winter
• Liz Hawkinson - Girl Friday Production's biennial production, The Matchmaker at Park Square Theatre in July
• Stephanie Cousins - Old Log Theatre's Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, opening this weekend

Be sure to like the Musical Mondays Facebook page for lots of good info about their schedule, performers, and songs. Next month, an all new and no doubt fabulous cast TBA will sing songs of summer on July 6. Show starts at 7pm, and for just a mere $5 you can be entered into a drawing to win theater tickets. Go see it with all of your musical theater-loving friends. I had a great time sharing the experience with my fellow bloggers at One Girl Two Cities and Minnesota Theater Love - check them out for more local theater coverage.