"Bull in a China Shop" by Fortune's Fool Theatre at the Hive Collaborative

Bull in a China Shop, now receiving its #TCTheater premiere with Fortune's Fool Theatre, tells the story of an early 20th Century president of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, the first women's college in the country. As an alum of College of St. Benedict, the first women's college west of the Mississippi, it's an interesting look at the history of higher education for women. But it's not just about that, it's the true story of two women in a long term committed relationship at a time when that wasn't accepted or talked about. 38 years fly by in less than 90 minutes of short scenes between these two women and other women at the college, depicting a complicated, intense, loving relationship. In what seems to be a new trend with Fortune's Fool, the show is free to attend (donations gladly accepted), and as always there are snacks at the Hive, so there's really no reason not to go see it! Continuing through September 27.

"Great Falls" by Open Circuit Theatre at the Hive Collaborative

New #TCTheater company Open Circuit Theatre, whose mission is "artistic resistance, telling stories that disrupt systems of oppression," has chosen for their debut the 2008 play Great Falls by prolific Minnesota-born playwright and Playwrights' Center core writer Lee Blessing. The systems of oppression depicted in this play are, to put it bluntly, men. Or rather, the many patriarchal systems we live under that allow men to abuse and take advantage of women, often with little recourse. Hopefully things are better in the post #MeToo era, but the unnamed young woman in this story has to find her own way through, with the help of her estranged ex-stepfather. Like all Lee Blessing plays, the two-hander Great Falls is brutal but real, with characters that are not always likeable but always human. And this production is a well-done impressive debut for this new theater company. You can see it at the cozy and intimate Hive Collaborative in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood through this weekend only.

"The Cake" at Theatre in the Round

Once again, Theatre in the Round is bringing us a regional premiere of a new and very relevant play. Just a few weeks after closing How to Catch Creation, about Black artists now and in the past, they opened The Cake, about a conservative Southern baker forced to confront her beliefs when they contradict her heart. Written in 2017 by playwright and screenwriter (including for a little show called This is Us) Bekah Brunstetter, the play speaks directly to the divided and divisive world that we live in, that has only gotten more extreme in this second iteration of the current administration. The play is not preachy, the characters feel like real and complex characters instead of mere caricatures, and the conversations had are awkward and necessary. It's sweet and funny and spicy, and in the end provides hope that maybe we can overcome our differences if we're willing to have tough conversations, and look past our differences to find our shared humanity. The Cake plays weekends through March 15 at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, and if all the talk about cake gives you a craving for it, you may be rewarded.

"Glory" at Theatre in the Round

Similar to The Wolves or Flex, Glory is a play about a women's hockey team that's about so much more than hockey. These athletes are referred to as hockey dolls, sportscasters talk about how they look in their uniforms, when they're strong and tough and powerful people say they must be men, they get paid less and have less access to the things they need than male athletes, and people in power claim women are soft and weak and therefore aren't qualified to do hard things like play hockey (or serve in combat). Was this the 1930s or last week? The answer is both, which is perhaps why the cast and creative team of Theatre in the Round's production of this beautiful play made me cry about hockey, I sport I've never watched and care nothing about. This play (based on a true story and premiering in 2018) deals with sexism, anti-Semitism, war, poverty, and discrimination in a way that's unfortunately still incredibly relevant today. Go see Glory at the oldest theater in Minneapolis, continuing weekends through February 9.

"Lincoln's Children" by Fortune's Fool Theatre at the Crane Theater Studio

'Tis the season for political plays. First, the inspiring story of Texas governor Ann Richards, reminding us that the government works for us and we need to hold them accountable. Next, Fortune's Fool Theatre's world premiere production of Lincoln's Children, historical fiction about arguably our greatest president (but not without flaws), reminding us that we need to be constantly vigilant in the ongoing fight for justice and equality that Lincoln (and countless others) gave his life for. It's a well-written play (that would be a great 90-minute-no-intermission show, if not for the intermission) that ties history to the present, well executed by Fortune's Fool in the intimate space of the Crane studio theater. They've only got a handful of performances left, so get your tickets soon (because "intimate space" means sellouts!).

"A Wrinkle in Time" at Theatre in the Round

Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel A Wrinkle in Time won many awards, as well as many hearts. It's been adapted several times, including a 2018 film. I remember loving the book as a kid, but no details about it, so I went in almost blind to Theatre in the Round's production of the 2010 stage adaptation. I found it to be a sweet story about the triumph of good over evil, of love over fear. A timely message indeed. TRP's production features an ensemble cast playing many roles, led by a trio of talented young actors, and a charming design utilizing low-tech theater tricks. It's a magical story and production that can be enjoyed by the grown-ups as much as the many youngsters in the audience (continuing through July 14).