Broadway tour of "SIX" at the Ordway Center

Last week the Ordway hosted the Broadway tour of the recent revival of the 2005 Tony-winner Spamalot, and a good time was had by all. This week they welcomed back the queens of SIX, the smash hit musical that began at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then went to the West End, then toured the US (including at the Ordway in 2019) before making its pandemic-delayed Broadway debut in 2021. The next spring it won Tonys for best score and costume design, and is still playing on Broadway and touring around the country. This two-week run is the 4th time that the queens have visited the Ordway, for a total of 60-some performances in St. Paul. At this point, SIX is a well-oiled machine, a finely honed music-theater gem that is exactly what it wants and needs to be, nothing less and nothing more. Not veering far from its Fringe origins, it has a runtime of 75-ish minutes, and is practically perfect in its construction, telling the story of Henry VIII's six wives from their perspective as modern-day pop stars. This musical couldn't have come at a better time, when we're (still) hungry for women's stories, for women to tell their own stories instead of being defined by men, as history has defined these six women by their marriage to a king. This was my sixth time seeing SIX (all four touring productions at the Ordway, plus Broadway and Toronto), and I love it more each time. If you've never seen it before, you owe it to yourself to experience this truly unique and original piece of music-theater HERstory. And if you have seen it before, rest assured that it's as fantastically fun as ever, with a touring cast that is brilliantly talented. They're in town for two weeks; get your tickets only at the Ordway's official site here.

Broadway tour of "Spamalot" at the Ordway Center

I was fortunate enough to see the 2005 Tony-winning Best Musical Spamalot on Broadway, starring the likes of Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, Christian Borle, and Sara Ramirez, who won the Tony for her role and to this day is my gold standard for comedic singing. It was (unsurprisingly) my first introduction to the world of Monty Python, the British comedy troupe on whose work the musical is based. Eric Idle, one of the members, wrote the book and lyrics, working with frequent collaborator John Du Prez on the music. Despite having no prior knowledge of the material, I loved the show, and am still perplexed that (to my knowledge) there have been no local professional productions of it. The show has toured several times, and was revived on Broadway in 2023. That production is currently touring the US, and has stopped in St. Paul at the Ordway Center for one week only, before it's replaced by the return of the Queens of SIX, which actually played the Ordway before its Broadway debut, where it won two Tonys and is still playing. But first, you have only a short time to experience the joyful silliness of Spamalot, a fourth-wall breaking show that doesn't try to be anything other than it is - brilliantly stupid comedy. 

Broadway tour of "Kimberly Akimbo" at the Ordway Center

No one gets a second time around in life, but if you're lucky, you get a second time around with the 2023 Tony-winning best musical Kimberly Akimbo, thanks to the Ordway bringing it back to the Twin Cities after the tours' first stop here last summer at the Orpheum. I didn't know much about the show before seeing it last year, but fell instantly in love with it and was thrilled to revisit this charming, heart-warming, hilarious, and bittersweet musical about a 16-year-old girl living in a body that's aged 4-5 times the normal rate. There aren't that many musicals with a 60+ year old woman in the lead role, and a story that doesn't center around a romance, so that alone is reason to celebrate! This is not a big splashy huge-cast over-the-top kind of musical. It's a small intimate story that's told well, with complex, distinct, relatable characters, and music that perfectly expresses the emotions of the story. I look forward to regional productions of it when it becomes available, and I'd also love to see the original play produced locally, but in the meantime go see this funny, sweet, and touching musical filled with fun, catchy, singable songs, playing at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul through March 1 only!

"Jesus Christ Superstar" on tour at the Ordway Center

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and #TCTheater is overflowing with Christmas shows, many of which are selling out. But in a bit of alternative programming, the Ordway Center is hosting a touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which is about the ending of Jesus' life rather than the beginning of it. It's a much more somber and less hopeful story, but it has a similar message of Jesus' true teachings - feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, uplifting the downtrodden, welcoming the stranger - that unfortunately some self-proclaimed "Christians" seem to have forgotten. I'm not a huge fan of the show, I've only seen it a couple times (most recently the Ordway's 2017 original production that garnered multiple TCTB Awards) and never really listened to the score, but I found this production to be electric. A fantastic touring cast, a tight and intense and fast-moving 90 minutes, and a cool modern design. It feels more like a rock concert than a musical, in a good way. It's the same tour that played at the Orpheum in January of 2020 but with a different cast, but I didn't see that one so this is my first experience with this Jesus Christ Superstar. It can be seen on the Ordway stage in lovely festive downtown St. Paul through December 28, after which this production, or a version of it, will tour the world and play the West End.

Broadway tour of "The Notebook" at Ordway Center for Performing Arts

It took twenty years for the popular 2004 tear-jerker The Notebook, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, to become a Broadway musical, and now the national tour is playing at the Ordway Center in St. Paul for two weeks. And on opening night, Mr. Sparks himself was there to watch his story told musically, along with producer Kevin McCollum, who used to work at the Ordway. I don't think I've ever read the book, and haven't seen the movie in at least a decade, so I went into the musical without any real attachment to the source material. I found it to be well-adapted, with a clever and effective overlapping of the three timelines in the story, exploring relevant themes of memory, time, relationships, dementia, and family, with an easy to listen to and emotionally true score by singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson. It's also the rare Broadway musical that's less than two a half hours long, and feels just the right length, not overstaying its welcome. See it in lovely downtown St. Paul, already decked out for the holidays in twinkling lights, through November 30.

Broadway tour of "Dear Evan Hansen" at the Ordway Center

The second Broadway tour to come to the Ordway in as many weeks (and the second tear-jerker), Dear Evan Hansen is back in town for one week only! The 2017 Tony Award-winning musical was last seen at the Orpheum in 2019, and seeing the show again last night I was reminded just how good it is. When it premiered in 2017 it was so modern and relevant and almost revolutionary in the way it depicted the effects of social media on young people. Now, eight years later, some of the specifics of the technology have changed (Tik Tok and Snapchat and who knows what else have replaced Facebook and Twitter), but what hasn't changed is the power of social media to both join us together, and to further bullying and abuse. This musical also deals with mental health issues and suicide among our youth, which is still a very concerning problem. The power of musical theater is that it can bring awareness of these issues to the general public, as well as reach struggling individuals in a visceral way, and maybe help them to feel less alone, to reach out for help, to live for the promise of a better day. You, too, can be found at the Ordway Center in downtown St. Paul through March 16.

Broadway tour of "Come From Away" at the Ordway Center

Every time I see the 2017 Tony-nominated* musical Come From Away, I love it even more. I saw it for the 5th time last night, and its themes affected me even more deeply now in this time we're living in. A time when the ideals that many of us hold dear - compassion, empathy, kindness, equality, justice - are being attacked, ideals that are so beautifully expressed in this one-of-a-kind musical. As I wrote when the tour came through the Ordway last summer, Come From Away is "the perfect marriage of music, text, and performance, brilliantly constructed into 100 solid minutes of constant storytelling, flowing from music to dialogue and back again, with only two applause breaks to break the spell. And the story it tells is remarkable: the heart-warming true story of how the people of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 7000 strangers when their planes were diverted there on 9/11. Canadian married couple Irene Sankoff and David Hein (and producer Michael Rubinoff) have woven the true stories from dozens of people who were there, gathered at the 10th anniversary in Gander. Now, past the 20th anniversary of the unfathomably horrific events of that day, and the extraordinary actions of ordinary humans in its wake, this musical continues to be necessary. It reminds us that despite what we see on the news every day, the human capacity for good knows no bounds, if only we could remember that we all have the same wants and needs, and helping each other is the only way through." These words that I wrote nine eventful months ago strike an even deeper chord now. If you need to be reminded of the good in humanity, do not miss Come From Away, which is only here through Saturday! Keep reading for my review of last year's tour, with a few updates.

"The Little Mermaid" on tour at the Ordway Center

This holiday season the Ordway is presenting a touring production of The Little Mermaid, the stage adaptation of the 1989 Disney movie that was the first of its modern era animated films. I don't think this is the most successful Disney adaptation. That would be The Lion King (currently the 3rd longest running Broadway musical), followed by Alladin or Beauty and the Beast (the Ordway did a gorgeous original local production of the latter in 2022, a tradition I hope they get back to next season). But even if it's not the best, and it's not local, The Little Mermaid is still a lot of fun for the littles and those of us of a certain age who grew up with the movie. It features a winning cast, and a cool design that is so effective in making us feel like we're "Under the Sea" that I almost got seasick! The Little Mermaid continues at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in beautiful festive downtown St. Paul through December 29.

"Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations" Broadway tour at the Ordway Center

The trend of biomusicals about musicians and their lives and careers has reached The Temptations, one of the most successful groups to come out of Motown. Ain't Too Proud is based on a book written by Otis Williams, one of the founding members, and the musical's book was written by acclaimed playwright Dominique Morisseau, whose plays have been produced by several local theaters. The musical is similar in structure to Jersey Boys, one of the first (and in my opinion best) biomusicals, which follows the life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. In both musicals the story of the group is narrated by its members, but there's just one narrator here - Otis Williams. He tells the story of The Temptations directly to the audience, from their formation, to their early hits, to the rotating door of members. And it's chock full of great Motown hits of the '60s and '70s, by other artists as well as The Temptations. The tour first came to town two years ago (at the Orpheum*), and is now bringing its high energy, sharp choreography, and classic hits to the Ordway for one week only.

Broadway Tour of "SIX" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

The smash hit musical SIX returns to the Ordway Center for the third time. It actually played here in 2019 before it even went to Broadway, where it was nominated for eight Tony Awards and won two. It's still playing on Broadway and has since become a worldwide phenomenon (I saw it in Toronto earlier this year). I've seen it five times now, and will never pass up a chance to see it. Why? It truly is a practically perfect 70ish minutes of music-theater, telling the story of the six wives of King Henry VIII as a pop concert, with an all female cast and band. It's a delightful mash-up of history and pop culture and music and theater. You can read my full review of the 2019 production here (which is largely unchanged, except for the cast), and read on for six reasons to see SIX (again) before these queens leave town on July 28.

"Come from Away" Broadway Tour at the Ordway Center

I truly believe that Come From Away may be one of the best musicals ever written. It's the perfect marriage of music, text, and performance, brilliantly constructed into 100 solid minutes of constant storytelling, flowing from music to dialogue and back again, with only two applause breaks to break the spell. And the story it tells is remarkable: the heart-warming true story of how the people of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 7000 strangers when their planes were diverted there on 9/11. Canadian married couple Irene Sankoff and David Hein (and producer Michael Rubinoff) have woven the true stories from dozens of people who were there, gathered at the 10th anniversary in Gander. Now, past the 20th anniversary of the unfathomably horrific events of that day, and the extraordinary actions of ordinary humans in its wake, this musical continues to be necessary. It reminds us that despite what we see on the news every day, the human capacity for good knows no bounds, if only we could remember that we all have the same wants and needs, and helping each other is the only way through. The first time I saw this musical on Broadway in 2017 I had tears streaming down my face for the entire 100 minutes, not because of the tragedies of that day, but because of the inspirational and beautiful stories of, as Mr. Rogers says, the helpers. My fourth time seeing Come From Away* and I only needed one tissue, but I can never see this musical enough times. The world needs it, so I hope it continues to tour, and maybe one day be available for regional productions across the world, celebrating the best of humanity. This time it's in town for two weeks, so head to the Ordway soon!

Being Alive: Mandy Patinkin in Concert at the Ordway Center's Concert Hall

I've been wanting to see Mandy Patinkin, legend of stage and screen, perform live for years. But experiencing his "Being Alive" concert last night in the Ordway's Concert Hall was beyond anything I could have imagined. This wasn't just Mandy singing his greatest hits, which would have been amazing, this was Mandy telling stories, inhabiting characters, and sharing his soul, in the way that only he can. There truly is no one else like Mandy Patinkin - that wholly unique voice (the gruff gravely speaking voice that turns into something else when singing), that charmingly impish humor, that passion for everything he does. He's pure magic. He's a national treasure. If you have the opportunity to see him live in anything anywhere - take it. There are a very few remaining tickets for his second show on Sunday - snag them while you can.

"Hairspray" on tour at the Ordway Center

20 years after premiering on Broadway and winning eight Tonys, Hairspray is back on tour, and it's as fun, infectious, and inspirational as ever! The tour stopped at the Orpheum in Minneapolis last year, but I missed it, so I hadn't seen a production since 2015 at Artistry. It's one of my faves (I saw the tour twice in the mid-aughts, as well as the Chanhassen's production in 2011), so it was more than time for another visit to this big-haired and big-hearted version of 1960s Baltimore. Thankfully the Ordway is hosting this super fun and high energy tour for one short week and there are limited tickets still available through Sunday, so head to downtown St. Paul to watch the nicest kids in town dance and sing about anti-bullying, inclusion, and integration.

"Peter Pan" at the Ordway Center

A brand new production of the classic musical Peter Pan is touring across the country, and it flies into St. Paul first! This charming musical about childhood, telling stories, family, and the necessary pain of growing up has gotten new life with an updated book by Indigenous playwright Larissa FastHorse, who also co-wrote the world premiere new comedy For the People at the Guthrie earlier this fall. Gone are the uncomfortable stereotypes and gender biases, but what's still there are the beloved songs, fantastic acrobatic dancing, and a prevailing sense of magic. The Ordway Center is decked out for the holidays to be the first host for this new touring production, for a night of all-around magic, wonder, and joy. Peter Pan plays once (or twice) every day (except Mondays) through New Year's Eve - click here for info and tickets.

Patti LuPone in Concert at the Ordway Center

Last Sunday night, I had the great pleasure of seeing Broadway legend Patti LuPone in concert at the Ordway. I've seen her a few times in the past (at Orchestra Hall pre-blog and at the Dakota in 2013), and I'm always amazed not only by her vocal abilities but her talent in storytelling and entertaining a crowd. Titled Don't Monkey with Broadway, this show that she's been touring for a few years (including a 2017 album) is the story of her life and career through songs. It was a fantastic night of music at the Ordway, and while Patti won't be returning, the Ordway has many more great nights of music and theater on the schedule this season. Next up on the musical theater side is a new touring production of the classic Peter Pan December 6-31. This season also brings us a lot of holiday music, and 2024 concerts including local legend Jamecia Bennett on February 24 (like Patti, a master vocalist and performer) and another Broadway/TV/film legend Mandy Patinkin for two shows in April (a recent announcement I was very excited about because Mandy is the one living performer whom I've never seen live that I most want to see). Check out the full schedule of events here, and make your plans to visit the Ordway this season!

Broadway tour of "My Fair Lady" at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

The 2018 Broadway revival of the beloved Lerner and Loewe classic My Fair Lady ran for a little over a year and was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning Best Costume Design. The tour is back in the Twin Cities for the second time, but I missed it the first time around, so I was more than happy to spend a loverly evening at the Ordway with this luscious production. While a little dated, the musical "deals with issues of class, gender, societal expectations, and the intersection of wealth and power" (to quote myself). And this production, directed by the legendary Bartlett Sher, is fully aware of all of that, with some thorny conversations about those topics between its two main characters. I wish it were shorter (three hours is tough to sit through no matter the show), but I can't think of what I would cut because even the songs that have little to do with the plot (e.g., Eliza's dad's songs) are so much fun it's hard to imagine parting with any of them. If you haven't yet seen this new production and have a fondness for My Fair Lady, you'll definitely want to check out one of the four remaining performances (limited tickets remain).

Broadway at the Ordway: Tour of "A Soldier's Play" at the Fitzgerald Theater

The intense drama A Soldier's Play comes to St. Paul's Fitzgerald Theater as part of The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts' "Broadway @ the Ordway" series. The 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for drama debuted on Broadway in January 2020 for a pandemic-shortened two-month run, but the good news is that this Roundabout Theatre Company production, helmed by acclaimed director Kenny Leon, is on tour across America. Thanks to the Ordway for bringing us this powerful and important piece, and for staging it at the Fitz, a more intimate space for a story like this, that might have gotten lost in a larger space like the Ordway's main theater. An excellent cast lead by Tony nominee Norm Lewis brings out all of the nuance in this layered script, and even though the opening night performance started 45 minutes late due to load-in delays (all other performances should start on time), it was worth the wait. Only six performances remain, click here for tickets.

"Beauty and the Beast" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Here's one thing I'm grateful for this season: after more than three years, the Ordway Original is back! As Executive Producer of the "Broadway @ the Ordway" series Rod Kaats noted in his pre-show speech, the Ordway is one of the few theaters in the country that both hosts Broadway tours, and does original Broadway-scale productions using local talent. There have been some great tours coming through the Ordway (a pre-Broadway SIX, and a little show called RENT in 1997 and many years thereafter), but my favorites have always been their original productions, because #TCTheater absolutely has the talent in cast, creatives, and crew to build a big beautiful show. In 2019 they were on a roll with a fan-freakin-tastic 42nd Street and a terrific Smokey Joe's Café. The extended pandemic intermission interrupted that momentum, but now they're back with a Disney favorite - Beauty and the Beast (which they last produced back in 2019, shortly pre-blog). It is everything I expected it to be and more: an incredibly talented and mostly local cast, a fabulous 12-person pit orchestra, and an all-around impressive design, combining into one enchanting theatrical experience for all ages. The show continues through New Year's Eve but it's a popular one, so book your tickets now and head to downtown St. Paul, which is particularly beautiful this time of a year, for a magical night. Click here for the official ticket site, with prices ranging from $50-$150.

Broadway Tour of "SIX" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

It's only been three years since the six Queens of the smash hit musical SIX have been seen on the Ordway stage, but what a three years it's been! Shortly after the show's month-long run at the Ordway in December of 2019, as part of a US tour, it went to Broadway. Previews began in February of 2020, but before opening night, a global pandemic shuttered Broadway's doors for a very long and unprecedented 18 months. But these Queens are resilient; the show finally opened in October of 2021, just four years after it debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, an unlikely trajectory for a Broadway musical. Nominated for eight Tony Awards and winning two (score and costume design), SIX is still playing on Broadway (and hopefully will for a long time). This year they launched a new tour, which opened at the Ordway this week and continues through November 6. Structured as a pop concert, SIX allows the six wives of Henry VIII to tell their own stories. This musical couldn't have come at a better time, when we're hungry for women's stories, for women to tell their own stories instead of being defined by men, as history has defined these six women by their marriage to a king.  This is the third time I've seen the show, and I only love it more each time. It's so smart, so clever, so modern, so feminist, and so much fun! If you love new, original, innovative music-theater, do not miss this opportunity to see SIX (visit the Ordway website for info and tickets).

Broadway Tour of "Waitress" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

The 2016 Best Musical Tony nominee Waitress is back in the Twin Cities! Last seen in 2017, the tour is coming back around again, and it's better than ever. The quirky little 2007 movie of the same name upon which it was based (written by and co-starring Adrienne Shelly, who was tragically murdered before its release) is one of my favorites, and the musical adaptation retains the sad and joyful sweetness of this story of a woman gaining control over her own life. Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles wrote the Tony-nominated score, and it's a great one, with a more folky stripped-down sound than is normally heard on Broadway. This show gives me all the feels - it's sad, and funny, and hopeful, and inspiring. But it's playing at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts until Sunday only, so don't wait! (Click here for info and tickets.)