"The Servant of Two Masters" at Lyric Arts

"On some evening 278 years ago, an Italian audience sat together and had an experience similar to the one you are about to have." So says Lyric Arts' Resident Director Scott Ford about their new production of The Servant of Two Masters, an 18th Century Italian comedy written in the style of commedia dell'arte. It's reassuring to think that as much as our world is vastly different than the world of this play's original audiences, we still laugh at the same things. At double entendres, at pratfalls and physical humor, at overly melodramatic emotions, at mistaken identities and near misses. Ford and his absurdly talented 15-person cast (plus one musician) are having a great time playing around with this classic piece and milking every comic moment, which translates to the audience having a great time too. I do wish the runtime were closer to the two-and-a-half hour mark than the three-hour mark, but take a nap or have a coffee and settle in to enjoy a few hours of classic timeless comedy at Lyric Arts in Anoka through June 23.

"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!

"Anatomy of Gray" at Lyric Arts

"This play is perfectly theatrical... it would be like if you took Little House on the Prairie and it has a little whiskey... and got together with The Wizard of Oz and Gunsmoke and A Prairie Home Companion and a Jane Austen novel and a medical textbook and spawned a theatrical love child! That would be Anatomy of Gray." I love all of those things (OK, except maybe for a medical textbook), so how could I resist Lyric Arts' current production Anatomy of Gray?! Director Scott Ford's description turns out to be quite apt, and I might also add a little The Normal Heart and even the similarly titled Grey's Anatomy to the mix. Anatomy of Gray is a sweet, funny, moving little play about the joys and sorrows of frontier life in the late 19th Century that poignantly reminds us that "we all come from love and loss."

"Richard III" at Theatre in the Round

There's no tale more twisted than that of the English monarchy. Betrayal, murder, illness, disappearances, fierce battles, and marriage between close relatives are common occurrences. King Richard III's brief two-year reign in the late 15th Century was marked by all of the above, and therefore makes for good fodder for historical fiction. I recently read Philippa Gregory's Cousins War series, which was made into the Starz drama The White Queen, and tells Richard's story along with others of that era. One of the things that makes these books so fascinating is that they're told from the very different perspectives of the women in the story, including Richard's sister-in-law Queen Elizabeth, his wife Anne Neville, and the mother of the man who dethroned him, Margaret Beaufort. The first two are also characters in Shakespeare's version of Richard III historical fiction, currently playing at the longest-running Minneapolis theater, Theatre in the Round. I went into the play with all of this background, and therefore unlike a lot of Shakespeare, I was able to follow the many characters and plot twists and quite enjoyed this take on a bizarre and fascinating period of history.

"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.

"Into the Woods" at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in Anoka

The more I see the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine fairy tale mash-up musical Into the Woods, the more I like it. I'd seen it on stage twice (BCT and Mu) before the big star-studded movie came out a few months ago, which I also enjoyed, but seeing it on stage again is even better. Like most pieces written for the stage, it works better as a stage experience. With repeated viewings, I'm able to appreciate even more Sondheim's clever lyrics and complicated melodies and Lapine's funny and poignant book, which can be best summed up by the statement "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." A new production* opens tonight at Lyric Arts, a community theater in Anoka that has continued to improve over the last few years. This show continues on that trajectory and is perhaps the best thing I've seen at Lyric Arts, except of course for the fantastic production of my favorite musical RENT last summer. The cast is all-around excellent with not a weak link among them, the production design includes inventive puppetry, and Sondheim's gorgeous and intricate score sounds so beautiful it sent me out of the theater singing and inspired me to finally download the cast recording (OBC, of course). If you have not yet made the drive out to Anoka to visit Lyric Arts, this might be a good time to start.

Into the Woods is a mash-up of familiar fairy tales, but with a twist. We have Cinderella with her handsome prince and missing shoe, Jack and his beanstalk that leads to a kingdom of giants, Rapunzel with her unusually long and strong hair, and a little girl in a red cape going to visit her Granny. Tying these stories together is a Baker and his Wife, who long to have children but were cursed by their neighbor, who happens to be a witch. The witch promises to reverse the spell if the couple completes a series of tasks, which will allow her to become the beautiful young witch she once was. Everyone heads into the woods to accomplish their task, where their stories intersect. At the end of the first act, everyone seems to have accomplished their "happily ever after." But the second act shows us what happens next. Happiness is complicated, actions have consequences, and things are not always what they seem. It's a little like growing up; as children we're told these fairy tales, but when we grow up we learn that life is not like fairy tales, it's complicated and messy, and "sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood." But the good news is, "no one is alone," not even witches and giants.

It's hard to pick out standouts in this large ensemble cast that is excellent across the board, under the direction of Matt McNabb, who also directed the aforementioned RENT, as well as the outrageous Young Frankenstein. Alyssa Seifert is a lovely Cinderella, Nykeigh Larson is at her most adorable as Little Red Ridinghood, Molly Jo Hall is the angelic voice in the tower as Rapunzel, Kyler Chase and Daniel Vinitsky are hilariously pompous and shallow as the dueting princes in "Agony," Joseph Pyfferoen and Kelly Matthews bring much humanity to their roles of the Baker and his Wife, Sam Sanderson is a sweet and open-faced Jack, Lara Trujillo's witch is creepy and deliciously over-the-top, and last but not least, 13-year-old Carter Skull is a great narrator, leading us through this story, always onstage, observing or taking part in the action.

In addition to the great cast, the production elements are all well done. The stage is dominated by a large tree, with wooden stairs and platforms leading from the floor of the stage to the top of the tree, all well-utilized by the cast (set design by Ben Olsen). The animals (and some of the humans) are represented by charming puppets reminiscent of Avenue Q. Most of the puppets don't have legs, and the puppeteers are visible and as much a part of the performance as the puppets. The wolf is particularly fun, with two puppeteers manipulating the puppet and performing an intricate waltz (Kyler Chase and Gabriel Gomez, who also designed the puppets and plays Milky White). Finally, Jeff Geisler's sound design creates some ominously loud giant steps, as well as cool and mysterious echoing effects.

Lyric Arts is a community theater, but their productions are often at professional levels. Now that Bloomington Civic Theatre has transitioned from a community to a professional theater (which seems to be a bit of a blurry line in most cases), Lyric Arts is stepping up to be the top community theater in the region, one that serves as a stepping stone for new young talent. I really can't ask more of a production of one of Sondheim's best musicals than a talented, enthusiastic, and dedicated cast, music that sounds beautiful (music director Louis Berg-Arnold leads a nine-person off-stage orchestra), and creative sets, puppets, sound, costumes, and choreography.

Into the Woods is a musical that tickles your funny bone, tugs at your heartstrings, and challenges your brain, all set to beautiful music. If you've only seen the movie, you owe it to yourself (and the show) to see it on stage, where it was meant to be seen. Into the Woods opens tonight and continues Thursdays through Sundays through March 8 at Lyric Arts on Main Street in Anoka (if you've never been to this theater before, check out my venues page, with info and tips on thirty venues around town).


*Lyric Arts' Into the Woods is the first of two local productions this year. Theater Latte Da will be presenting their version of the show, set in a German beer garden, at the Ritz Theater, opening in March.

"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).

"Picnic" at Lyric Arts

The 1953 play Picnic* by William Inge is an American classic, straight out of the pages of Americana. Crisply drawn familiar characters, a small-town rural setting in which everyone knows everyone's business, strictly defined life paths to follow that the characters struggle against as they long for something more in life. Inge is a bit like a Midwestern Tennessee Williams (which is a good thing in my book). And as I've come to expect from Lyric Arts, the "big city theater with hometown charm," they do a really nice job presenting this classic. The ensemble piece is very well-cast, with each actor bringing their best to these deceptively complex characters. And the lovely green and floral set makes you forget for a moment the crisp white coldness outside.

Picnic takes place over about 24 hours or so in the hot late summer of rural Kansas, where the most exciting that happens is a picnic with returning teachers and students. As it turns out, this simple picnic and the events surrounding it set off a series of decisions in several characters' lives, changing them forever. The action takes place in the shared yard of Mrs. Potts and Mrs. Owens. The latter is the mother of two teenage daughters - older sister Madge, "the pretty one," and younger sister Millie, "the smart one." Madge has a wealthy college-educated boyfriend Alan, whom her mother hopes will marry her. But both girls have bigger dreams for their future. Dreamy Madge is dissatisfied with only being "pretty," and wonders what else there is for her, and tomboy Millie wants to read and learn and move to New York. Their father's absence is never explained, but it's hinted that he left them in some way. Mrs. Owens has taken in boarders, including "old maid schoolteacher" Rosemary. The appearance of a young man, who turns out to be a fraternity pal of Alan's, begins to stir things up. They all plan to go to the picnic together, but whisky, dancing, and frank conversations change those plans. Morning dawns, with a heartbreaking and beautiful conclusion full of raw emotion, as Madge cries out in anguish, "What do you do with this love that you feel? Where is there that you can take it?"

Madge (Sarah Frazier) and Hal (Jarome Smith)

Standouts in the cast include Kate Beahen, whose beautifully layered performance shows us that Rosemary is not as happy being an "old maid schoolteacher" as she pretends; Anthony R. Johnson as her reluctant boyfriend Howard (overheard in the audience, "he's perfect for this role"); Randy Niles, who plays Alan as clean cut and charming in a Pete Campbell surface kind of way; Nykeigh Larson, a spitfire as Millie; and Sarah Frazier and Jarome Smith as the charismatic young lovers. The charming set (by Brian J. Proball) features a sloping green turf lawn, many plants and flowers, a white picket fence, and the facades of two farmhouses. The lighting (by Matt McNabb) reflects the changing daylight, from the hot sun of daytime, to the warm glow of sunset reflecting off the actors' faces, to the dim and cool moonlight. And I loved the period costumes (by Samantha Fromm Haddow) with matching hats, purses, shoes, and gloves!

Picnic continues at Lyric Arts in Anoka through January 26. Check it out for a well-done community theater** production of an American classic.



*Fun fact: the original Broadway production of Picnic featured the debut of a young actor named Paul Newman as Alan.
**I do view theater differently at a community theater vs. a professional theater, because they simply are not working with the same resources. But I often admire artists who work in community theater more because most of them do not get paid; they do it "for the love." And it's often just as enjoyable and engaging, which is what it's all about.