"The Cottage" at Gremlin Theatre

It's the summer of Noël Coward in #TCTheater, and after the long hard winter we had, we deserve some summer escapist comedies. Last month, Theatre in the Round brought us the ghostly and hilarious Blithe Spirit, about a man who is haunted by his ex-wife, much to his current wife's dismay. The Guthrie is about to open Private Lives, about exes honeymooning with their new spouses. And Gremlin Theatre is throwing their hat into the ring with a new play that, according to Wikipedia, is "described as a modern take on a Noël Coward comedy." The Cottage is a straight up farce that is definitely reminiscent of Coward's plays, but since it was written by a modern female playwright (Sandy Rustin,* one of the most produced playwrights in America last season, in part because of her adaptation of the movie Clue) it gives a bit more agency to the female characters, with an atypical ending for a romantic comedy. Gremlin's regional premiere production of The Cottage, that premiered on Broadway just a few years ago, is perfectly cast, impeccably designed, and utterly delightful from start to finish. Playing now through August 2.

"Terce: A Practical Breviary" at Theatre Elision

Once again, Theatre Elision is bringing us the regional premiere of a new piece of music-theater, just two years after it's NYC premiere, that most people have probably never heard of. And friends, this one is truly special. In Terce (pronounced ter-chay), NYC theater artist Heather Christian (who was raised Catholic, as I was) has reimagined a 9am mass as a celebration of the divine feminine and connection to nature. Something that has mostly been ignored for the last few millennia since the invention of male monotheism, but has always been with us. And this 60-minute piece of constant music invokes that beautifully. It's the most moving spiritual experience I've ever had at a mass (and I've sat through a lot of them!). A cast of performers too large to count (but around 20-ish) singing, dancing, moving, playing instruments, filling the intimate space at Elision Playhouse with music and wonder. If you're one of the many people who attended Elision's sold out run of Great Comet last fall, or one of the many people who couldn't get tickets, go see this show. You will see some of Great Comet in it, in the size of the cast and the intimate in-the-round setup of the black box space. If you're a fan of their annual Ghost Quartet, this piece is similar in its non-narrative song cycle structure. And if you loved In the Green, a musical about 12th Century nun Hildegard von Bingen, you're my people, and you will love Terce. Do yourself a favor and go see Terce weekends through May 17, with special Mother's Day pricing on May 10, and a 9am closing show on May 17.

"Anything Goes" at Lakeshore Players Theatre

Get ready to set sail with the classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes at Lakeshore Players Theatre. In only the second local production I've seen in the 15 years of Cherry and Spoon, director/choreographer Kyle Weiler (whose work was last seen at Lakeshore in the charming She Loves Me last season) leads the team in this fun escapist show full of clever and witty songs, madcap humor, and fabulous dancing. It'll leave you with a smile on your face and a melody stuck in your head. Anything Goes plays Fridays through Sundays until May 18 at the Hanifl Performing Arts Center in White Bear Lake (click here for info and tickets).

"Rope" at Gremlin Theatre

The 1929 play Rope, which was adapted into a 1948 film by Alfred Hitchcock, is now receiving fine treatment on the Gremlin Theatre stage. Written by English playwright Patrick Hamilton (who also wrote Gas Light, which was also adapted into a film, and later become a term for psychological manipulation), it was inspired by the real life case of two college students who murdered a child in 1920s Chicago as an intellectual pursuit. In this version of the story, two university students murder a fellow student, put his body in a chest, and then hold a dinner party with food served on top of the chest, just to prove they could get away with murder. It's sickening really, but also makes for a riveting and suspenseful tale, because - spoiler alert - they don't get away with it. Watching their carefully plotted plan unravel like so much frayed rope is a thrill. A fantastic cast and spot on design chillingly bring this story to life. See it at Gremlin Theatre in Vandalia Tower in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood now through August 4.