A Preview (and Review) of Park Square Theatre's LAB Series

UPDATE: I have now seen all four of the shows and all are fantastic, each very creative and unique. Scroll down for more thoughts, and head to Park Square today or tomorrow to see the last two shows (the first two are no longer playing).

Park Square has a new program to foster the work of local artists, and I'm here for it: "The Park Square LAB Series provides Minnesota-based theater artists, companies, and early- to mid-career creators the opportunity to stage their work at Park Square Theatre - without the barrier of rental fees. The LAB Series program offers theatre makers of all backgrounds the chance to take artistic risks. Whether artists choose to develop ambitious new work, restage and/or reimagine a previous production, or a bit of both, Park Square aims to provide the space and encouragement for artists to flourish." I love the idea of an artist lab, where they get to experiment, try new things, and see what works and what doesn't. And I have experienced the depth and breadth of our local artist community, so I love that Park Square is supporting them in this way. They will be presenting the work of four artists over two weekends, two this weekend and two next weekend (three performances each), and the artists they have lined up for their inaugural lab are an impressive list! Read a little more about the shows and artists below and check back for my thoughts after I see the shows this weekend and next. You can find more information and purchase tickets to one or both shows on Park Square's website.

"Ghost Quartet" by Theatre Elision at Elision Playhouse

Theatre Elision is back with their first full production since the lovely Islander in July of 2021 (my first post-pandemic-hiatus show). They're bringing back their annual spooky fall hit Ghost Quartet, with a few updates to the production. I've seen it a couple times before, and it’s definitely the type of show that gets better with repeat viewings. The song cycle by Dave Malloy (Tony nominated for Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812) weaves related tales in and out through the 90-minute show, in a way that doesn't quite make sense, but somehow fits together to form a cohesive and compelling story. In a little over five years, Theatre Elision has created and filled a niche with excellent productions of small-cast, one-act, original or rarely done musicals. Ghost Quartet is one of their most successful productions, and one that has only gotten better over time. It's musically gorgeous and truly haunting, a perfect choice to kick off the #TCTheater October scary season (continuing through October 8).