"Frozen" at Children's Theatre Company

When the National Tour of the stage adaptation of the hit 2013 Disney movie Frozen came to Minneapolis in the fall of 2021, it was a true celebration of the return to theater after a global pandemic closed all theaters for nearly a year and a half. Now three and a half years later it feels like the pandemic truly is in the past, although today's world is not without its own unique and scary challenges. But now we have Children's Theatre Company's glorious regional premiere of this sisterhood love story to remind us that we can get through hard times if we work together and have an open heart (and door). The movie is beloved by many (expect to see lots of little Elsas, Annas, and Olafs in the crowd), and the thing CTC does best is make the experience the best it possibly can be for the little ones. They present this story with such care, thoughtfulness, passion, and love that it's also a joy for the grown-ups, and will melt even the most frozen of hearts. As the outdoor world continues its slow melt into spring, the world of Arendelle will continue to freeze and thaw and freeze again on the CTC stage through June 15.

Musical Mondays at LUSH, January 2024

No better way to start the year than with Musical Mondays at LUSH! This monthly cabaret show hosted by #TCTheater artist Max Wojtanowicz (see him in his TCTB Award-nominated performance in 'Art' at the Guthrie through January 28) held it's 92nd show this Monday. It's always a fun night (especially when the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers go as a group) and an incredible showcase of the talent in this town. You might discover a new favorite performer, or you might see a new side to a performer you've seen before. They get to choose what they want to sing, which allows them to really express their personalities and unique talents in a way that sometimes a role in a musical might not. Keep reading for a recap of this month's show, then mark your calendar for the next Musical Mondays at LUSH on February 5 (follow them on Facebook for details).

"Some Enchanted Evening" at Artistry

From Oklahoma! to The Sound of Music, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II collaborated on nine musicals written for the stage, plus one for TV and one for film. A few of them were forgettable flops, but among them are some of the most enduring musicals of the 20th Century. In their less than 20 years of writing musicals together, they reinvented the form. This holiday* season, Artistry is paying tribute to their work with the lovely musical revue show Some Enchanted Evening. With no spoken dialogue, five talented performers tell the story of a group of people stranded at a cozy bar during a snowstorm, entertaining each other (and us) by singing songs. It is, indeed, an enchanting 70 minutes or so, and a great way to close out 2023, with five final performances this Thursday through Sunday.

"Singin' in the Rain" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

To open their impressive 70th season in White Bear Lake, Lakeshore Players Theatre is presenting Singin' in the Rain. The classic 1952 movie musical was written by legendary musical theater team Comden and Green, and adapted into a stage musical in 1983. It's a big old-fashioned musical with comedy, romance, dancing, and tons of familiar songs, and the team at Lakeshore does a great job in this fun, feel-good musical. See it in the beautiful Hanifl Performing Arts Center weekends through October 6.

"Christmas of Swing" at History Theatre

#TCTheater loves its holiday* shows, and my very first this year (not counting Annie, which is holiday-adjacent) is History Theatre's remount of their original musical Christmas of Swing, which I first saw in 2013. They've updated it this year to reflect the greater diversity of soldiers who served in WWII, making it more poignant and powerful than ever. But it's still highly entertaining, featuring Minnesota's own original girl group The Andrews Sisters, singing WWII era songs both Christmassy and not. The large and talented cast does a wonderful job of bringing this music and these heart-warming and heart-breaking stories of WWII soldiers to life.

"Side Show" by Chameleon Theatre Circle at Ames Center

The 1997 Broadway musical Side Show is a bit of a cult hit among musical theater nerds, although it closed after just 91 performances in its original run. I saw it at Park Square Theatre, but it was 15 years ago so I remember next to nothing about it, other than it's based on the true story of conjoined twins and vaudeville stars Daisy and Violet Hilton. I was eager to see it again, so it was the perfect opportunity for my first visit to Chameleon Theatre Circle way down south in Burnsville. It's a fascinating and tragic story of fame and abuse, but the musical's creators Bill Russell (book and lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music) have turned it into one of true sisterhood, perseverance, and acceptance of oneself. I very much enjoyed Chameleon's production, which brings out all the weirdness as well as the heart of the story.