"Bright Star" at Lyric Arts

For the second year in a row, Lyric Arts is opening their season with the regional premiere of a new Broadway musical. Last year they brought us a fantastic production of the 2014 Idina Menzel vehicle If/Then, this year it's the 2016 bluegrass musical Bright Star by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin). It only ran for a few months on Broadway and didn't win any awards (although it was nominated for several Tonys, including best musical). But it's a sweet story with a gorgeous bluegrass score that perhaps plays better on smaller stages. Like Lyric's Main Street Stage in charming downtown Anoka. The huge and talented cast, along with the fantastic onstage bluegrass band, do a wonderful job of bringing this heart-breaking and heart-warming story to life with all the feels. You can see this regional premiere through September 29.

"Dead Man's Cell Phone" at Lyric Arts

In 2007, playwright Sarah Ruhl wrote a quirky, fantastical, and painfully real play about our relationships with our cell phones and with each other. A play that seems even more relevant now, 12 years later, as smart phone technology and usage has increased. Lyric Arts' production of Dead Man's Cell Phone captures this struggle between technology and connection, and entertains with a charming six-person cast and ambitious design. This odd and amusing comedy that speaks to the world we live in officially opens tonight and runs through January 27 in downtown Anoka.

"Flavio Betrayed" at Lyric Arts

A funny thing happened on the way to Anoka, or rather, in Anoka - the world premiere* of the new play Flavio Betrayed by resident director Scott Ford, based on the commedia dell'arte style popular in 16th-18th Century Italy. He has assembled a fantastic cast that plays the exaggerated and highly stylized physicality to the hilt, extending even into some pre-show bantering with the crowd. It all makes for a perfectly silly evening of theater. In the real world, there may be tragedy tomorrow (and yesterday and next week), but there is only comedy tonight at Lyric Arts!

"Musical Mondays" at Hell's Kitchen, February 2017

Kira: It is a peculiar thing about these mortals. They all know they will die, yet they are determined to create something. The "human spirit" is termed. It makes me feel... feel... oh Erato what is the word for which I search? You know, where something is so grand and so earnest yet ultimately so preposterous that one has to laugh. What does one call that?

Erato: Andrew Lloyd Webber?

Kira: There we are! The human spirit gives me great feelings of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

"Shrek: The Musical" at Lyric Arts

"Fairy tales should really be updated." So sings Shrek in the 2008 musical adaptation of the smash hit 2001 movie. And that's exactly what the creators of the movie and the musical (playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who also wrote Rabbit Hole, Good People, and Fuddy Meers, and composer Jeanine Tesori, who is also responsible for one of my favorite musicals Violet, opening soon at Yellow Tree Theatre) have done. Lyric Arts' joyful and colorful new production is my third go-round with Shrek: The Musical, for which I have much affection despite it being a blockbuster movie adaptation. The musical retains and builds on the funny, clever, irreverent tone of the movie, adding a diverse collection of songs. This updated fairy tale for the modern age is well done by Lyric Arts with a fantastic cast, bright and colorful set and costume design, and a joyfully irreverent spirit.

"Right, Wrong, or Bomb! A Dating Musical" by Backyard to Broadway Productions at Illusion Theater

"The protagonist, Jill, professionally successful but socially awkward, finds herself in a state of perpetual singleness." Upon reading this description of the new original musical Right, Wrong, or Bomb! A Dating Musical, I was afraid someone had written a musical about me. But after seeing it last night, I was reassured that it's not really about me, because this Jill, unlike the musical Jill, is focused on more than just finding a man. Still, the musical has moments that ring true about the pressure that society, friends, and family put on us to find a mate, and the strange way that many people go about it in the internet age. There's nothing too deep or revelatory here, but Right, Wrong, or Bomb! is a fun, funny, and entertaining musical with a pleasing score and wonderful heartfelt performances.

"The Spitfire Grill" at Lyric Arts

"There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole." So says the old spiritual, and so too is there a balm in the fictional town of Gilead, Wisconsin, the setting for the 2001 Off-Broadway musical The Spitfire Grill, based on the 1996 movie of the same name. Yes, this story of an ex-con finding redemption in a small town feels a little like a Hallmark movie, with an unrealistically idealistic portrayal of small-town life, but it's also poignant and touching and filled with stirring and moving music. In the new production by Anoka's Lyric Arts, the story is beautifully brought to life by a winning cast, and is a decidedly warm-hearted, feel-good musical that will leave you humming the tunes as you wipe away tears.

Upon being released from prison for a crime that is later revealed, Percy (short for Perchance) decides to move to the small town of Gilead based solely on the photo of the fall colors along the creek she finds in a newspaper, and the desire to make a fresh start somewhere new. Local Sheriff Joe acts as her parole officer and sets her up with a room and a job at the Spitfire Grill, run by Hannah, who begrudgingly agrees. Percy also meets Hannah's nephew Caleb and his wife Shelby, and mail carrier/town busybody Effy. She soon learns that small-town life is not as idyllic as that newspaper photo makes it out to be, with residents suffering from grief, abuse, and the longing to get out. But Percy also learns, perhaps for the first time in her life, what it is to be part of a community, to be needed, to experience trust and friendship. As is often the case in these fish-out-of-water stories, Percy is the catalyst for change in this community that has been stuck in a rut for too long.

Christy Jones, Martha Wigmore, and Katharine Strom
(photo by Michael Traynor)

 The story and character development are told largely through music. And my favorite kind of music at that - a sort of folky/Americana, mixed with some Broadway sound. The off-stage five-piece orchestra led by Music Director Mary Cay Stone includes mandolin and fiddle, as any good folky band should. I really enjoyed the score (by James Valcq and Fred Alley) which evokes a definite sense of place - small-town America - and includes some lovely and interesting melodies that are designed to pull at the heartstrings. And everyone in this seven-person cast sounds fantastic and imbues the music with much emotion.

James Ehlenz and Katharine Strom (photo by Michael Traynor)

Katharine Strom has impressed in a few over-the-top comedic roles both musical and non-musical, but this is a star turn for her. She brings such depth, toughness, and raw heart to her earthy and earnest portrayal of Percy. Her voice is crystal clear and lovely, and brimming with emotion. Christy Jones also sounds lovely as Shelby, and the two portray a believable friendship. Martha Wigmore is tough and tender as the Grill's owner with a secret of her own, James Ehlenz is charming as Sheriff Joe who takes a shine to Percy, Patrick Jones is appropriately unlikable as the controlling husband Caleb, Shana Eisenberg provides comic relief as the busybody Effy, and Brad Bone brings humanity and pathos to the role of the mysterious visitor.

Gabriel Gomez's scenic design brings the beautiful Midwest fall outdoors inside the theater. The only indoor set is, appropriately, the charming and rustic Grill, with about half the stage filled with trees and leaves and representations of nature, an important character in the play. Adam Raine's lighting design casts a warm glow on the cast and the town of Gilead, making it a place you'll wish you could visit.

The Spitfire Grill reminds me a little of the musical Violet, and that's a very good thing. Both feature Americana music and a small cast and band, and tell the story of a young woman on a quest to heal her past and make a new start for a better future, positively affecting those she meets along the way. This is a story of friendship, of healing, of second chances, of community, of forgiveness. In this cynical time, it is indeed a balm to escape for a few hours into the simpler world of Gilead, where there are troubles aplenty, but where hard work, friendship, and community offer a chance for hope and healing. (Playing now through November 1.)

"Boeing Boeing" at Lyric Arts

I recently discovered the 1960s French farce Boeing Boeing (along with the rest of the world - it flopped originally on Broadway in the '60s but the recent revival was a hit, sparking many productions across the country). In fact I so much enjoyed Torch Theater's production a few months ago that I was eager to see the play again at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in Anoka and see their take on it. Even though I knew how things would end up this time, it was still a delight to watch this perfect screwball comedy as brought to life by Lyric's fantastic '60s set and costume design and deliciously campy performances by the six-person comedy. It's light and funny and ridiculous, the perfect summer treat.

Bernard lives in a swanky apartment in Paris with his three international fiances, none of whom know about the other two. He tells his friend Robert, visiting from Wisconsin, that he's able to pull this off due to careful planning and paying attention to the time tables of the women's three airline employers, and of course with the begrudging help of his organized maid Berthe. Everything runs swimmingly and all parties are happy with the arrangement until a perfect storm of weather over the Atlantic and faster planes causes all three women to be in the apartment at the same time. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Bernard, Robert, and Berthe go to great lengths to keep the women apart for as long as they can, which results in lots of physical comedy and door slamming. It's like a shell game trying to keep track of who's in which room. But of course it can't go on forever, and the truth, or some version of it, eventually comes out.*

your TWA, Alitalia, and Lufhansa hostesses
(Nykeigh Larson, Katharine Strom, and Jessica Scott)

Director Scott Ford takes his cast right to the edge of campy comedy and they gamely leap off. Ryan Nielson's Bernard is the suave and confident playboy (not unlike his character in Blithe Spirit), until his perfect plan starts to fall apart and he becomes ever more frantic. Kyler Chase plays Robert as a bumbling, nervous schlub who's constantly tripping over the furniture and himself, and Jennifer Inderlee is a hoot as the constantly frustrated and disapproving French maid Berthe. Each of the three air hostesses (Nykeigh Larson as the confident American, Katharine Strom as the passionate Italian, and Jessica Scott as the stern and excitable German) are more over-the-top than the last and are all clearly having fun with the roles. The range of extreme accents are great fun to listen to, although I occasionally had trouble understanding what was being said. This is an intricate comedy, with much coming and going through various doors, physical comedy, and importance in the placement of props to make the jokes work. It's all very well choreographed and the cast pulls it off marvelously.

Jessica Scott, Katharine Strom, and Ryan Nielson

The fabulous set looks like something from a '60s sitcom - candy colored walls and doors (lots of them); worn wood paneling on the floors, walls, and furniture; modern black leather couches; brightly colored carpet squares; mod lighting; and a super cool inset stereo. The recessed living room (a la Don Draper) allows for much physical comedy as the actors scamper up and down, and they make hilarious use of the bean bag chair. The air hostess uniforms are primary colored perfection, with matching hats and bags. Robert's schlumpy look (even his shoes are scuffed) contrasts nicely with Bernard's polished attire (set by Mark Koski, costumes by Samantha Kuhn Staneart).

With Boeing Boeing, a good time is had by all - characters, cast, and audience alike. Catch this fun summer comedy now through June 21 (discount tickets available on Goldstar), and then make plans for the quintessential summer musical  Grease coming in July and sure to sell out. Because who doesn't love Grease?


*This paragraph borrowed from my post on Torch Theater's production.

"Young Frankenstein" at Lyric Arts

I've never seen Mel Brooks' classic comedy horror spoof Young Frankenstein, which he adapted into a Broadway musical in 2007. But I am a fan of his other movie-to-musical (-to-movie), the much more successful The Producers, which won a record twelve Tonys. So I went to Lyric Arts' invited preview of Young Frankenstein with no knowledge or expectations, which doesn't happen often and is sometimes a fun way to see a show. What I discovered was a super-fun, crazy, campy, over-the-top comedy with fun and clever songs, well performed by an enthusiastic and totally committed cast, with elaborate set and costume design. This is an ambitious show and Lyric Arts' largest production to date, in terms of cast, sets, and costumes, and they manage to not only pull it off but create something hugely entertaining.

The title refers to the grandson of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein, who brought a dead man back to life and created a monster. A well-respected doctor in New York who denies any connection to his grandfather, Young Frankenstein travels to Transylvania upon the death of his grandfather. There he finds it a little harder to ignore his heritage, and with the assistance of his buxom assistant Inga, helpful hunchback Igor, and grandpa's stern girlfriend Frau Blücher, he continues his grandfather's work. All of this is mostly an excuse for whole lot of silliness, but it works.

The show is really well cast; everyone from the leads to the ensemble are fully committed to the camp of the piece, as directed by Matt McNabb. And that's absolutely necessary for successful camp, you can't do it halfway, wide eyes and exaggerated gestures are required, and the cast delivers. As the young Dr. Frankenstein, Kyler Chase is the straight man surrounded by crazy characters, and his reactions are priceless. Katharine Strom appears to be new to the Twin Cities theater scene and I look forward to seeing more of her because she absolutely nails the role of Frankenstein's fiance Elizabeth, playing up the camp to the hilt and flirting with the audience. She's got that rare talent of singing well comedically, the gold standard of which is Sara Ramirez in Spamalot. No one has every come close to matching her genius, but Katharine is well on her way. Nykeigh Larson is a hoot as Inga, and performs quite a feat singing the yodeling song "Roll in the Hay" while bouncing around on a hay wagon and never missing a note. Brendan Veerman is hilarious as the helpful, limping, English-accented Igor with a mysteriously moving hump, as is Kate Beahen, another master of the reaction shot as the stern and stoic Frau Blücher, hiding a great deal of passion for her departed boyfriend and loyalty to his work. Last but not least, Tom Goerger makes a menacing monster, who transforms into a fine friend and tap-dancer.

The look of this creepy Transylvanian castle is created by set designer Brian J Proball and costume designer Samantha Fromm Haddow, with over 100 costumes for the 18 actors, from lab coats to evening gowns to village attire to monsters. There are huge moving set pieces, including the aforementioned hay wagon with some kind of gyrating mechanism, and a contraption that lowers from the ceiling to connect to a table with strange moving gears and lift it in the air (it's a bit noisy and moves slowly, something they make fun of). There are a lot of moving parts and pieces and it all happens fairly smoothly, and I expect it will only get better with practice. The ensemble dance numbers, including "Transylvania Mania" and the tapping number "Puttin' on the Ritz," are highlights of the show (choreography by Ann Marie Omeish).

Young Frankenstein is a silly and ridiculous musical comedy from Mel Brooks, with a similar tone to The Producers and Monty Python's Spamalot. Lyric Arts does a great job with this big show, so check it out if that's your thing (playing now through November 2).