"An Unexpected Guest" at Theatre in the Round

Winter is here, and so is Theatre in the Round's annual Agatha Christie play. The Unexpected Guest is a 1958 play written by the prolific and beloved mystery author and playwright. It begins with a dead body, shot through the head, and the supposed murderer standing by and admitting to shooting him. But of course, it's not as simple as that. We cycle through just about every character as a viable candidate for murderer, until we get to the shocking truth. In the hands of this talented cast and creative team, it's an entertaining ride. The Unexpected Guest plays Fridays through Sundays until December 22, but TRP fans love their Christie so shows are already starting to sell out. Act fast to get your winter mystery fix!

"Little Women" at Lyric Arts

NYC-based playwright and actor Kate Hamill is known for her modern, feminist adaptations of classics, several of which have been seen on #TCTheater stages in recent years. The Guthrie will premiere her adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma later this month, but first: Lyric Arts' production of her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel Little Women, commissioned by the Jungle Theater a few years ago. This quote from Kate's website very much applies to this play: "She is deeply passionate about creating new feminist, female-centered classics, both in new plays and in adaptation: stories that center around complicated women. Her work as a playwright celebrates theatricality, often features absurdity, and closely examines social and gender issues - as well as the timeless struggle to reconcile conscience / identity with social pressures." This, as they say, is not your grandmother's Little Women. While staying fairly true to the events of the novel, the play sees the characters and situations through a modern lens, and veers more towards comedy, at times broad and absurd, than the quiet drama of the original. But at its heart, it's still about the love between four very different sisters, each finding her own identity and path through life (click here for info and tickets).

"Red Hot and Cole" at Theatre in the Round

Cole Porter wrote many a song in the great American songbook, and dozens of Broadway musicals, his most famous being Anything Goes and Kiss Me Kate (currently being revived on Broadway). I previously learned about his career in musical theater and film at an installment of the Ordway's Broadway Songbook six years ago, but I didn't know much about his personal life. The musical revue Red Hot and Cole, now playing at the longest running theater in Minneapolis, Theatre in the Round, fills in those gaps. Song after hit song, interspersed with scenes from Cole's life and his fabulous and famous friend, all taking place at the swankiest cocktail party. It's an evening filled with great music and a deeper understanding of the man behind so many witty, clever, tuneful songs.

"Coney Island Christmas" at Lyric Arts

Next up on the #TCTheater Holiday Tour* is Lyric Arts' lovely little gem of a play, Coney Island Christmas. Clocking in at just 80 minutes, Coney Island Christmas manages to create that warm and wistful feeling of nostalgia, while making a plea for all of us to respect each other's traditions, even (or especially) if they're different from ours. A highly entertaining cast of children and grown-ups, a heart-warming message of community, and some of the best worst carol singing you've ever heard make this a lovely addition to the holiday theater season.

"Rapture" by Savage Umbrella at nimbus theatre

What is art? Who is an artist? Why do some works of art sell for millions of dollars while others end up at a garage sale? Such are the questions explored in the new play Rapture by Savage Umbrella, currently playing at nimbus theatre's NE Minneapolis space (which has been hosting several theater companies over the last few months). The premise of the show is that there has been an "artist rapture," in which ten percent of the world's population - the artists (actors, painters, crocheters) - has disappeared. But what about the people left behind, those that consider themselves artists but are now questioning that, and are seen by the world as frauds? It's a fascinating idea, one that's nicely explored by playwright and director Tanner Curl with a solid cast playing quirky characters. It reminds me a little of one of my favorite plays of 2012 - Red, about painter Mark Rothko (who's mentioned in the play) - in that it discusses the very nature of art, although in a more fantastical way.

Famous painter Evelyn (Mary Cutler) is one of those left behind, but her stoic and business-like nature doesn't allow any insecurities or doubts to show. Her granddaughter Lucy (winningly portrayed by Adelin Phelps) is her exact opposite, wearing her heart and her doubts on her sleeve for the world to see. An art student, Lucy's whole world has collapsed with the rapture, including the disappearance of her "best performance friend forever" Sloane (Mason Mahoney). She bonds with Evelyn's assistant Eddie (Russ Dugger), and together with the eccentric neighbor Ann (Karen Bix, a hoot), they try to break through Evelyn's icy veneer. They convince her to go on the cable TV show hosted by Terry (Laura Leffler-McCabe) to defend herself and her art. Meanwhile, Evelyn is being visited by the ghost of her old friend, a characterization of real-life artist Thomas Kinkade (Carl Schoenborn), who's also helping her to work through her issues. In the end, I'm not sure that any of the questions are answered, but it's the asking and the working through them that counts.

Adelin Phelps and Mary Cutler

You can see from the cover of the program above the great contrast between the two main characters Evelyn and her granddaughter Lucy, a contrast which is nicely portrayed by Mary and Adelin. Adelin's training in physical theater (she's a founding member of Transatlantic Love Affair) shows in the way that the character of performance artist Lucy invades her entire body, nervously tapping the desk, making over-the-top movements, even in the way she moves her bare feet. The show opens with one of Lucy and Sloane's "performances," quite clever and well-done and at the same time poking gentle fun at "performance art," and ends with an expressive freedom dance as Lucy embraces her art despite what the rapture says.

The costume design (by Christina Forga) helps to create the characters, from Lucy's colorful and crazy wardrobe, to Evelyn's muted gray work clothes, to eccentric Ann's hippy skirts and sweaters, to TV host Terry's smart suits. The clean and precise set (designed by Shannon Morgan) fits Evelyn's manner - organized shelves with paints and brushes neatly aligned, her "gray" series of paintings (an homage to Rotho's reds?) hung evenly across the top. For the beach scene there's even real sand for Lucy to dig her toes into.

This was my first time attending a Savage Umbrella production, and I liked what I saw. A thought-provoking new play, solid cast, and all around well-done production. They also display art by local artists in the lobby, which adds to the evening of contemplating art. In the end, I couldn't help but think of my favorite musician Glen Hansard's Oscar acceptance speech - "Make art, make art!" (Rapture plays now through March 22.)

"Steel Magnolias" at Yellow Tree Theatre

This is my second season attending theater at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo (it's their fourth season), and I have to say again how much I love the idea of great theater in a strip mall in the suburbs at an affordable price.  As a suburbanite, I sometimes grow weary of driving into the city and dealing with traffic and parking issues to see a show.  So it's refreshing to go to a nearby town to an unassuming strip mall and enter a warm inviting space "where good stories live."  I love Yellow Tree's mission - to bring theater into the community and make it a part of the community.  If you're on the North and/or West side of the cities, you should definitely check them out.  And when you go, don't go to a chain restaurant in Maple Grove.  Check out Nectar Wine Bar on the quaint main street of downtown Osseo, a town that looks like it could be anywhere in outstate Minnesota.  You don't have to go to the city to get great food, wine, and entertainment.

Most people have seen the 1989 move Steel Magnolias, but it began its life as a 1987 Off-Broadway play written by Robert Harling (starring recent Emmy winner Margo Martindale, and Rosemary Prinz who portrayed half of soap's first supercouple, As the World Turns' Penny and Jeff).  Unlike the movie, the play takes place solely in Truvy's beauty salon and the only characters seen are the six women - Truvy and her customers.  Everyone else in their lives (men, children, dogs) are talked about but never seen.  In fact there really isn't any action in the play; it's six women talking about their lives, which really puts the focus on the friendship between these women.  Through laughter and tears and insults, they're there to support each other through life.

The show takes place on four Saturday mornings over a couple of years, marked by events in young Shelby's life - the morning of her wedding; the following Christmas when she announces that she is pregnant, which poses a danger to her health; shortly before her mother donates a kidney to her; and (spoiler alert!) after her death.  Truvy (Jennifer Allton) presides over these events while washing and setting hair and doing nails.  Her new assistant Annelle (the appealing Amy Bouthilette) transforms from an insecure abandoned wife, to a party girl, to a born-again Christian, to a wife and mother.  Jennifer Kirkeby is the delightfully grumpy and matter-of-fact Ousier, and Mary Cutler is her adversary, the wealthy and recently widowed Clairee.  But the heart of the story is Shelby (Stephanie Cousins) and her mother M'Lynn (Doree Du Toit).  The two actors have a believably loving and antagonistic relationship as mother and daughter.  M'Lynn wants to protect her daughter from her own bad choices, and is frustrated that she can't.  The last scene is a killer as M'Lynn rails against the world for what happened to her daughter.  You might need tissues, but it won't last long.  As Truvy says, "laughter through tears is my favorite emotion."  Which is only one of many great quotes in this play.

Yellow Tree's small stage is transformed into a colorful, busy, and homey salon, chock full of beauty products and chotchkes.  The bad 80s fashions and hairdos complete the picture.  Southern accents are employed to varying degrees of success.  All in all, Steel Magnolias an entertaining evening of theater at the lovely Yellow Tree Theatre.  The rest of their season consists of a sequel to their wacky Christmas comedy, Miracle on Christmas Lake II, an "adventure fantasy drama" Still Life with Iris, and the classic Tennessee Williams play (and one of my favorites) The Glass Menagerie.  Another great season of theater in the 'burbs.