"Xanadu" by Duluth Playhouse at the NorShor Theatre

I've been to the North Shore four times in the last 14 months. During a time when my two favorite things posed a serious health risk - theater and travel - I travelled locally, Minnesota State Parks permit in hand, or rather, on my car. Now that things are starting to look brighter (but only if we continue to vaccinate and follow masking guidelines), I was able to combine my two favorite things. Duluth Playhouse is back and I just happened to be in town for closing weekend of their production of Xanadu. It's such a fun show that's so silly and ridiculous, but its themes about "the human experience rendered comprehensible through art" and a magical place defined by love and creation are really quite poignant right now. This talented young cast fully embraces the joy and camp of Xanadu, making this a celebratory return to theater. This production has closed, but they've got a full schedule of shows planned both at the beautifully restored NorShor Theatre and at the smaller edgier Underground Theatre. If you're planning a trip to the North Shore, visit their website to see what's playing.

"Fun Home" at Renegade Theater Company

The 2015 Tony winner* for best musical, Fun Home, has been available for regional productions for a few years, and I've been anxiously waiting to see which of our many amazing regional theaters in Minnesota would be the first to produce it. I never guessed it would be Renegade Theater Company in Duluth. But I should have, this intrepid company in Minnesota's favorite vacation spot is the perfect fit with their intimate performance space, interesting and risky choices, and the surprisingly deep music-theater talent pool in Duluth. Whether or not #TCTheater companies are prevented from getting the rights to Fun Home because Renegade is doing it, I don't know. I only know that, according to Artistic Director Mary Fox in the post-show talk back, Renegade has been interested in doing this piece since they heard about it, so they asked, and were granted the rights. And I'm so glad they did, and I'm so grateful I was able to drive up to Duluth to see it on their sold-out closing weekend, because Renegade has beautifully brought to life this new, modern, funny, moving, gorgeous musical in a powerful and intimate way.