"Pickup Truck Opera Volume 5: The Return of King Idomeneo" by Mixed Precipitation at Silverwood Park

It's time for one of my favorite #TCTheater summer traditions - Mixed Precipitation's Pickup Truck Opera! It's exactly what it sounds like - opera that operates out of a pickup truck. Well, sort of. Since the pandemic they've moved away from their "picnic operetta" with passed trays of food into this more portable show, driving all around the state in a 2011 Blue Ford pickup truck loaded with sets and props and instruments, bringing their unique brand of accessible and fun opera / pop music mashups to communities around Minnesota. In this year's Volume 5, they're mashing up Mozart's Idomeneo, about the aftermath of the Trojan War, with pop music from '50s and '60s. And they also modernize the story and make it more modern and relevant. The result is pure joy, and just an absolute delight to experience! As one audience member described it, "it's part opera, part silly play." If that sounds appealing to you, click here to find an outdoor location near you (continuing through September 14).

"Pickup Truck Opera Volume 3: Romeo and Juliet" by Mixed Precipitation at Loppet Trailhead

One of #TCTheater's favorite summer traditions is here! After years of presenting a "picnic operetta," Mixed Precipitation has switched to the "pickup truck opera" format, which is basically the same except for no passed snacks, and there's a pickup truck. A 2011 blue Ford pickup truck to be exact. Previously they've performed in and around the pickup, in addition to using it to haul the show around the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota, but this year it sits on the sidelines (although it does enter the show at one point). What's consistent through the years of outdoor performances is a fun and accessible production of a classic opera mashed up with pop songs, retold in a playful and modern way. So pack a picnic, grab a lawn chair, and find a performance of Romeo and Juliet (a mashup of Bellini and Fleetwood Mac) close to you! Even if you live in northern MN, the Pickup Truck Opera is coming for you! (Click here for schedule and to make reservations.)

"First Lady Suite" at Theatre Elision

Finally, three years after the planned opening, Theatre Elision's production of First Lady Suite is taking flight! The pandemic-postponed show is a fine example of what Elision does best - small cast, one act, rarely done musicals featuring mostly female artists. Four short stories about four of our First Ladies are told by a cast of six in about 90 minutes, each one a gorgeous, funny, stirring mini-musical. The show is almost entirely sung through, with a unique, lovely, and evocative score by John Michael LaChiusa (see also Bernarda Alba, done by Theater Latte Da just prior to this show's planned original opening), and shows a different side to these historical figures we think we know. Only 7 performances remain, so make your plans soon to see another rare gem by Theatre Elision (click here for info and tickets, including half-price and pay-what-you-can performances).

"All Is Calm" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

I saw the movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood yesterday, about how one person's life was changed by meeting Mister Rogers, the legendary children's show host who touched, and continues to touch, so many lives. It reminded me of the good in humanity, and that we all need to, and are perfectly capable of, doing better. What does this have to do with Theater Latte Da's Drama-Desk-Award-winning soon-to-be-PBS-broadcast original holiday piece All is Calm? Like Mister Rogers, this artfully constructed story of the real life WWI Christmas Truce reminds us what can happen when we choose kindness over violence, connection over hate. The soldiers were only able to accomplish this remarkable feat for 24 hours, and then the war continued for several years and millions of deaths. But if a war can cease even for 24 hours, if a man can heal his relationship with his father thanks to one person's kindness and encouragement, what else can we accomplish, individually and collectively, if we choose kindness, connection, and peace? This is the seventh time I've seen All is Calm, my favorite of what the #TCTheater holiday* season has to offer, and it only gets more beautiful, poignant, and necessary every year. We need this message now more than ever.

"Footloose" at Artistry

Artistry is opening their 2019-2020 season with the musical adaptation of the hit 1984 movie Footloose. I've seen it once before, at the Chanhassen pre-blog, which means I remember nothing about it. As a musical it's pretty weak, but there is still plenty to enjoy about it, including the talented young cast. The other musicals in Artistry's season (in addition to the classic play Our Town) are ones I'm more excited about - the rarely done A New Brain and Mame, and the regional premiere of The Bridges of Madison County (which, despite being a movie/book adaptation, features a flawlessly stunning score by Jason Robert Brown). In the meantime, you can enjoy some fun '80s tunes in Bloomington this summer.

"Remembering Pins and Needles" by Theatre Elision at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center

One of my favorite new theater companies, Theatre Elision, is beginning their second full season with another original piece showcasing a little known part of music-theater history. Remembering Pins and Needles does just that - it remembers the 1937 musical created by the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union that went on to become the longest running Broadway show at the time (it's now #100). With a book by producer Cindy Polich, the show includes about a dozen songs from the original and one of the few remaining comedy sketches, interspersed with explanatory dialogue about the phenomenon that was Pins and Needles. The fantastic four-person ensemble and swingin' four-person band do a great job with these fun '30s era tunes, and the songs and story of Pins and Needles have a surprising resonance today - the working class fighting for their fair share against the rich and powerful that are trying to use them and keep them down. Remembering Pins and Needles is 75 minutes of edutainment that you can't get anywhere else.

"Follies" at Artistry

Artistry's production of Stephen Sondheim's 1971 musical Follies, the final show of their 2017-2018 season, opened two weeks ago, but the Great April Blizzard of '18 caused them to cancel several shows on their opening weekend. I finally had the opportunity to see it this weekend, and it was worth the wait! Having seen the 2011 Broadway revival, I knew what a gorgeous, but complicated, musical Follies is (does Sondheim write any other kind?). During my two-week delay in seeing the show I've been listening to the 2011 recording, so I was primed and ready for this show, and I loved every minute of it. Music Director Anita Ruth's 21-piece pit orchestra, Director Benjamin McGovern's large and talented cast (which includes three Equity actors, perhaps the most I've seen in a single show at Artistry), plus the dazzling design do justice to Sondheim and book writer James Goldman's complicated and beautiful musical. Congratulations to Artistry for tackling tricky Sondheim and pulling it off beautifully!

"All is Calm" by Theater Latte Da at the Pantages Theatre

If you're looking for 70 minutes of calm, peace, and wonder in this crazy busy season at the end of this crazy busy year, look no further than Theater Latte Da's annual favorite, All is Calm. But look quickly because only a few shows remain this weekend at the Pantages Theatre. This is my fifth time seeing the show, and since I've written about it four times I don't really have any more words left to write. Except that this is a truly beautiful piece of music-theater. Created by Latte Da's Artistic Director Peter Rothstein based on extensive research, with gorgeous musical arrangement of traditional Christmas carols and military songs by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, All is Calm is a succinct and exquisite look at a moment of peace in the midst of war. An ensemble of a dozen men sing in breath-taking harmony and read (in a delicious smorgasbord of accents) the words of soldiers who experienced the Christmas Truce of 1914. With simple staging and costumes and no applause breaks to interrupt the storytelling, it's 70 minutes of beauty, sadness, and hope.

Read my thoughts on last year's show, which is virtually the same as this year's, here.
Read my thoughts on the previous version of All is Calm featuring Cantus here.

"110 in the Shade" by Second Fiddle Productions at Camp Bar

Second Fiddle Productions, the company that brings us one-night-only staged readings of rarely produced musicals, closed their third season with the 1963 musical 110 in the Shade. I became aware of them in the middle of their second season, and now I don't miss a show. It's great for my musical theater education - for a musical theater geek, there are a lot of old shows I don't know, especially if they're not often done. It's also a great opportunity to watch some of the Twin Cities finest music-theater talent tackle something they might not otherwise have the opportunity to. Assuming they get the grant money and donations to keep this relatively simple operation going, they'll be back in 2017 with three more musicals I've never heard of! Watch their Facebook page for details.

"The Marriage of Figaro" by Angels and Demons Entertainment at the James J. Hill House

One of Mozart's most beloved operas, performed by nationally renowned opera singers and local favorites, set in the perfect and intimate location of the grand and beautiful James J. Hill House? I'm in! In by the skin of my teeth, that is. I consider myself very lucky to be one of the 140* people (4 shows x 35 audience members per show) to have had the wonderful experience that was Angels and Demons Entertainment's production of The Marriage of Figaro (with support from the Twin Cities Opera Guild). I'm not much of an opera-goer, unless it's made more accessible by companies like Skylark Opera (who always perform in English, and whose Summer Festival will hopefully return next year). But this was perhaps the most accessible and engaging opera I've ever attended. Sung in English in four different locations within the house that perfectly suited the story, it truly felt like I was in the midst of this crazy upstairs/downstairs story. I only regret that the audience was so limited, and I hope that they bring the production back sometime and expand it so that more people can know this truly lovely and special experience.

"A New Brain" by Second Fiddle Productions at Camp Bar

I'm a musical theater nerd. But I'm not the kind of musical theater nerd that listens to cast albums of shows I've never seen. I guess for me, musicals are more about seeing the story as it plays out before me, and then I often buy the cast recording to relive that experience. So when it comes to musicals that are beloved in the musical theater community but rarely performed, for whatever reason, I typically have not heard them. That's where Second Fiddle Productions (and Artistic Director Ruthie Baker) come in. Now in their third season, Second Fiddle produces readings of rare musicals using some of the Twin Cities finest music-theater talent.

"All Is Calm" by Theater Latte Da at the Pantages Theatre

This is my fourth time seeing and writing* about Theater Latte Da's annual holiday show All Is Calm, presented with Hennepin Theatre Trust at the Pantages Theatre. This true story about peace in the midst of war is so beautifully told by creator/director Peter Rothstein, using period music and authentic writing from the time, that I could easily see it every year. It is the 11th holiday show I've seen this year** and my favorite because it best represents the true spirit of the season - connection, community, forgiveness, peace. The show underwent a significant change in this, its eighth year. The marvelous vocal ensemble Cantus is no longer in the show. Instead, Peter has cast a dozen talented singer-actors. I wasn't sure how this show would work without Cantus because they were such an integral part of the experience. But I needn't have worried, because if anything, it's even better than it was before. The music (brilliantly arranged by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach) sounds just as gorgeous, and the addition of a cast full of actors, now sharing the stirring words of soldiers amongst all of them rather than just a few, humanizes the stories even more. The result is a piece of music-theater that's just about as perfect as one could be - a story told simply, effectively, and beautifully in a way that perhaps comes close to the beauty of the real experience of the Christmas Truce of 1914.

"Putting It Together" and "La Rondine" by Skylark Opera at E.M. Pearson Theatre

One of the theatrical highlights of the summer, Skylark Opera's Annual Summer Festival, is upon us! As usual, the two shows playing in repertoire include one that's more of a traditional opera (but always in English) and one that skews a bit more towards musical theater: Puccini's La Rondine and the Sondheim musical revue Putting It Together (put together by Sondheim himself). As someone who loves musical theater but doesn't venture into the world of opera very often, Skylark's Summer Festival offers a fun, easy, accessible way to enjoy to dip my toes into the opera scene and indulge my love of musical theater. Both shows are highly entertaining with excellent casts and orchestras. But the runs are short with just four performances of each show. So read on, take your pick, and get your tickets before this all-too-brief Summer Festival is gone like the all-too-brief Minnesota summer!

Putting It Together
A terrific five-person cast, a fantastic eight-piece orchestra, and over 30 of Sondheim's greatest songs. What could be better?! Written in the early '90s, Sondheim pulled together songs from over a dozen of his musicals (including some that were cut from the original shows) and tied them together loosely with the story of two couples, one that's been together a long time and one that's just starting out. This allowed him to use many great relationship songs from the likes of Merrily We Roll Along, A Little Night Music, Company (my personal favorite, and perhaps Sondheim's as well because he included five songs in this revue), Follies, and the movie Dick Tracy. (Does anyone remember that Sondheim wrote five original songs for the 1990 movie? Me neither, but he included four of those five songs in this revue, maybe because it was so recent.) There's not much of a story here, so much as a study of relationships, and all of these diverse songs work surprisingly well to explore different facets of these relationships and give us a picture of who these people are (although some work better than others - the wolf's song from Into the Woods doesn't really fit in any context outside of the woods, although it is a commentary on a certain kind of relationship).

On a set that looks like a posh and sparse NYC apartment with a terrace, the long-married couple, the new couple, and their butler/commentator have a dinner party, dressed of course in tuxes and gowns. Each song is like a little story in itself, exploring a different facet of the relationships. There's little to no dialogue tying them together, although the commentator does declare the theme of certain segments, like "seduction," "desperation," and "competition." The long-married couple is full of regret ("The Road You Didn't Take" from Follies) and desperation ("The Ladies Who Lunch" from Company), the new couple full of hope ("Marry Me a Little" from Company) and sweetness ("Unworthy of Your Love" from Assassins). The men talk about women ("Have I Got a Girl for You" from Company, "Pretty Women" from Sweeney Todd) and the women talk about men ("Every Day a Little Death" from A Little Night Music). And then there are some silly songs that don't have much to do with anything but are fun nonetheless ("More" from Dick Tracy, "Buddy's Blues" from Follies).

Jeffrey Madison, Emily Gunyou Halaas, Paul Coate,
Vicki Fingalson, and Gabriel Preisser (photo by Matt Bellin)

The original 1993 Off-Broadway production starred Julie Andrews. Despite having Julie Andrews' cute pixie cut, Emily Gunyou Halaas is not known in this town as a singer, but rather as a talented actor in straight plays. I suspect that will change after this performance, in which she proves that singing is another tool in her acting toolbox that is readily available to her. I've always thought she has a melodious speaking voice, and she sings like she talks. Not only is her voice lovely, rich, and pleasant to listen to, but she brings all of her acting talent to the song, making us feel every emotion in Sondheim's intricate lyrics, which is perhaps the most important part of musical theater. She tackles some of the most difficult songs in this show ("Could I Leave You" from Follies, "Getting Married Today" and "The Ladies Who Lunch" from Company) and comes out on top every time.

The rest of the cast more than holds their own, and they all sound beautiful individually and in various combinations of duets, trios, and group numbers. Commentator Paul Coate nicely delivers "Invocations and Instructions to the Audience" from Frogs (which sounds a lot like my recent audience DOs and DON'Ts post) and the super fast and funny "Buddy's Blues" from Follies. As the husband, Jeffrey Madison hits some poignant and creepy notes, respectively, in "The Road You Didn't Take" from Follies and "Hello, Little Girl" from Sweeney Todd. The new couple Vicki Fingalson and Gabriel Preisser share a lovely duet in "Unworthy of Your Love" from Assassins, as well as some nice solo moments including Vicki's seductive "Sooner or Later" from Dick Tracy and Gabriel's triumphant "Marry Me a Little" from Company. And of course, no Sondheim revue about relationships is complete without one of his best songs on the subject, "Being Alive" from Company, a song I've heard many times but never quite like this, as the entire company joins in on a beautiful five-part version of the song.

With direction by Robert Neu and music direction by Andrew Fleser leading this terrific cast and orchestra through some of Sondheim's best work, put together by the man himself, Putting It Together is a must-see for fans of Sondheim, and music-theater in general.

La Rondine
Perhaps most famous for La Boheme (this inspiration for my favorite musical RENT), Puccini called La Rondine "perhaps, my best music" (per a note from director Ben Krywosz of Nautilus Music-Theater). Written in the early Twentieth Century, Skylark sets the story in 1920s Paris. The three acts depict different phases in the life of our heroine, Magda. The first act takes place in her posh Paris apartment (reusing some of the set pieces from Putting It Together). At a dinner party with friends, she reminisces about an exciting and romantic encounter with a man long ago. But now she has settled for a comfortable but loveless life with her patron (or sugar daddy, to put it in modern terms) Rambaldo. The second act takes place in a crowded dance hall, where Magda has decided to go in disguise for a bit of excitement. There admidst the dancing and revelry she meets the charming young Ruggero and they fall instantly in love (because such things happen in opera). She decides to leave Rombaldo and run away with Ruggero to the country, where we see them living blissfully in act three. But alas, their love cannot last because... something about Magda's shameful past? She doesn't think his mother would approve? They ran out of money? It doesn't quite ring true that in 1920s Paris these two crazy kids would conform to social standards and not be able to make it work. But tragedy is as sure to happen in opera as sudden all-consuming love, and the story ends on a tragically beautiful note.

the cast of La Rondine (photo by Matt Bellin)

Cecilia Violetta Lopez is a star as Magda. Not only does she have a stunning voice, but she makes you feel Magda's every emotion, from dissatisfaction to hope to resignation. As Ruggero, Won Whi Choi is her match. They both have huge voices, and when they sing in harmony it's really quite something. The large supporting cast is great and creates some stirring sounds when their voices join together on this gorgeous score. Lindsay Russell provides some comic relief as Magda's spunky and ambitious maid Lisette, and Norman Shankle is lovely and charming as Madga's poet friend and Lisette's secret lover. Paul Hindemith does a good job with Rambaldo, despite the distracting and borderline offensive old man make-up (is "oldface"a thing?).

Skylark's Artistic Director Steven Stucki conducts the 20+ piece orchestra through this lovely and luscious score. Lynn Farrington's costumes recreate that '20s flapper look for both the high society crowd and the dance hall revelers with dropped waist dresses, smart hats, headbands, and jewels. Kit Meyer has designed a flexible set of faux-marble columns and pieces that can be rearranged for the necessary sets in both shows.

Both shows in Skylark Opera's Summer Festival are perfectly lovely and a wonderful summer treat. Head down to St. Paul's Concordia University campus in the next week to see one or both of these very different but equally satisfying shows.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Carousel" with the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall

One of the greatest musical theater composing teams, Rodgers and Hammerstein, had a smash hit with their very first show - Oklahoma!, based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs. For their sophomore outing they chose another play, the Hungarian Liliom, and adapted it into Carousel, which was a bit of a gamble due to the darker nature of the story and not-so-happy ending. But the risk payed off; Carousel was another rousing success and ranks among R&H's big five musicals. Shockingly, this musical theater geek has never seen the show in any form or listened to the score, an omission that is and will be corrected by two productions this spring. Bloomington Civic Theatre is doing the show next month, but first up is Minnesota Orchestra's semi-staged production of it with the full orchestra and a large ensemble cast, directed by Robert Neu. I can think of no better way to first experience this classic piece of music-theater than in this musically rich production, where the focus is on the score, which the orchestra and cast beautifully bring to life on the newly remodeled Orchestra Hall stage.

Being unfamiliar with the story, I found in it familiar bits from other works of theater. At first it reminded me of Porgy and Bess, until it turned a bit Our Town-ish in the second act, although it's also not dissimilar to Oklahoma! in some of the characters and themes (imagine if Laurey had ended up with Jud Fry instead of Curly). This is the classic good girl falls for bad boy story, in which the good girl sees the best in the bad boy, and the bad boy tries to be a better person for the good girl, but ultimately fails despite his love for her. In this case the good girl is mill worker Julie Jordan and the bad boy is carnival barker Billy Bigelow. They both sacrifice their jobs to be together, which unfortunately does not lead to happiness for the pair. Because of its themes of poverty and domestic violence, it's a difficult story, one that I have some issues with (including one particularly disturbing line in which Julie tells her daughter it's possible to be hit hard and not feel it - unacceptable), so I'm glad I have a chance to see it again next month and let it sink in a bit.

But now, on to the best part - the music! As a former bank geek (once a band geek always a band geek?), I'm always thrilled to be in the presence of an orchestra, and don't get the chance nearly enough. Our Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Sarah Hicks, sounds marvelous playing this sweeping melodic score. And the cast, comprised of mostly local talent, is a dream. As Billy, Gabriel Preisser has a gorgeous and resonant voice, and brings out every emotion in the famous "Soliloquy" song. Sarah Lawrence sings beautifully sweet as Julie, and makes us feel her deep love and pain. It's great to see so many familiar faces and voices among the supporting players and ensemble, including the always great Kersten Rodau, Paul R. Coate (overheard in the audience: "Mr. Snow has the best voice"), Kathleen Humphrey, Riley McNutt (providing a bit of comic relief as charming rapscallion Jigger), and Gary Briggle. The finale song "You'll Never Walk Alone" (which I didn't know was from Carousel, or if I did know I'd forgotten it) sends chills down the spine and brings tears to the eyes.

I'm not sure what's "semi" about this staging, other than the absence of large set pieces, which are not missed. The small set pieces (benches, crates, and darling hand-held but almost full size carousel horses) are really all that's needed to hint at the scene, with the dialogue and music and our imaginations doing the rest. There's nothing "semi" about Samantha Fromm Haddow's lovely costumes, which include the working folks' garb, a wide range of carnival costumes, and ballerina Louise's light and flowy dress with matching jacket. Nothing "semi" about the choreography by Penelope Freeh either (who also gracefully dances as Louise), with the ensemble ably performing charming group dance numbers. And the staging makes good use of the area behind and in front of the orchestra.

I now understand what all the fuss is about over Carousel, and I'm glad that this gorgeous production was my first introduction to it. I look forward to getting to know it a bit better at Bloomington Civic Theatre next month. In the meantime, if you can make it to Orchestra Hall this weekend, do so.

"Baby Case" at the History Theatre

We live in the media age, with the proliferation of the internet, Facebook, Twitter, and 24-hour cable news channels. Or at least that's what we believe. But the musical Baby Case, receiving its regional premiere at the History Theatre, shows us that 80 years ago the media, and its customers the American public, were just as celebrity-crazed, crime-obsessed, and scandal-hungry as we are today. The only thing that differentiates the current "media age" from past ones is the format, frequency, speed, and availability of the media. In 1932, the celebrity was famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, and the crime was the kidnapping of his 20-month-old son. This "crime of the century" and subsequent trial of the man accused of committing it stirred a media sensation very similar to what we see today. The media and the American public's reaction to the crime and its effects on the people involved are the subject of the musical, rather than the crime itself. Baby Case is a fascinating and fantastic original musical that explores the ideas of fame, crime, and the relentless obsession of the media, told through music in a classic musical theater way.

The musical begins with establishing Lindbergh as a celebrity and a reluctant hero, and quickly progresses to the disappearance of Charles Jr. from his nursery one night. The first act deals with the search for the baby and the kidnappers, and the sad conclusion to the former search. In the second act, Bruno Hauptmann is accused and tried two years after the crime, with the primary evidence being possession of bills from the ransom money. The media interferes with all of this, as do Lindbergh's famous and powerful friends (including president Hoover). It's a tragic story with no happy ending for anyone, except perhaps for the newspapers. All of this is told beautifully and powerfully through song, with little spoken dialogue. It's a traditionally structured musical, with big ensemble numbers ("Hauptmann Murdered the Lindbergh Baby!") and quieter moments of internal reflection ("Lullaby," "Over the Sea"). Baby Case proves that you can make any story into a musical, if done right, as this one is. It's funny, moving, entertaining, informative, relevant, thought-provoking, and with tunes you will leave the theater humming.

The 11-person cast is wonderful across the board, all of them playing multiple characters. Peter Middlecamp and Kendall Anne Thompson play both couples at the center of the story - the Lindberghs and the Hauptmanns (the man convicted of the crime and his wife, who devoted her life to clearing his name).  They have great chemistry as both couples, and both Peter and Kendall have beautiful voices and really bring out the complicated emotions of their characters. In the second song of the show (the moment I knew this was going to be a good one) they form a powerful trio with Kym Chambers Otto as the Nurse who discovers that the baby is missing. Other standouts in the cast include Jon Andrew Hegge, transitioning between famous radio gossip Walter Winchell and a judge with a deft turn and removal of a hat; Gary Briggle as the man who facilitated the ransom delivery, the questionable defense attorney, and Phil Donahue; Emily A. Grodzik as an accused servant and Ginger Rogers; and Paul R. Coate, providing a bit of comic relief as a lady socialite duped into paying ransom money to con artists.

The production elements are also all top-notch. The Hooverian set is simple, efficient, effective, and evocative, with newspapers in the background reflected in mirror image on the floor, as well as a ladder and fireman's pole for easy movement to the second story area. The wardrobe by E. Amy Hill reflects this color palate of yellowed newspapers - black, white, tan, neutrals, with pops of red or maroon and nary a green or blue to be seen. Lovely period clothing and a fabulous aviator jacket that makes me want to find one for myself (in faux leather of course). Jake Endres leads the sparse four-piece orchestra, just off stage, through this great music.

Baby Case is a promising new musical (it was a hit at last year's New York Musical Festival) with shades of Ragtime (the first "Crime of the Century!"), Floyd Collins (another early 19th century media circus), even Next to Normal (mourning the loss of a child). In the second act I had flashbacks to another musical on that very stage - the Theater Latte Da/MN Jewish Theater co-production of Parade, about another man falsely (?) accused of the murder of a child. This is not to say Baby Case is derivative; it's an original creation that fits well in the musical theater anthology. If you're a fan of musical theater, you should not miss this fantastic production of a great new musical (playing through Nov. 3 at the History Theatre in downtown St. Paul, discount tickets available on Goldstar).

"The Fantasticks" and "The Mikado" by Skylark Opera (in collaboration with Mu Performing Arts)

It's (sort of) summer, which means it must be time for Skylark Opera's Summer Festival! Every year they present two shows in repertory, typically classics from musical theater or operetta. The last two years I've attended one of the two shows, but this year I was able to see both. Unlike in past years, there is no overlap in cast or orchestra between the shows. Another new feature this year is that The Mikado is being presented in collaboration with Mu Performing Arts, which continues their tradition of the past few summers of putting a new and Asian-American spin on a classic (they've previously done Into the Woods and Little Shop of Horrors). This year they reinvent Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado, famous for not only its music but also its stereotypical representation of Japan. But first up - the world's longest running musical.


The Fantasticks
This small-scale musical opened Off-Broadway in 1960, where it has played almost continuously ever since. I saw it there four years ago in the Jerry Orbach theater (named after its most-famous and well-loved original cast-member), and was absolutely charmed by it. I'm happy to report that Skylark Opera's production is just as charming, funny, silly, smart, wacky, and entertaining.

The Fantasticks is a fantastical story that also rings true. It's a love story, but with a sharp edge so that it's not too sappy. A boy (the charming and charismatic Matt Berdahl) and girl (the equally charming Quinn Shadko, with a lovely voice) fall in love, living next door to each other on opposite sides of a wall. The wall was put up by their fathers (Jeffrey Madison and Paul R. Coate, who are hilarious and sound fantastic together), seemingly to keep them apart. But it's a bit of reverse psychology, as the two are pals who really want their offspring to marry. They arrange a kidnapping with the smooth and seductive bandit El Gallo (Gabriel Preisser, possessing the necessary height, deep voice, and devilish smirk). Everything goes as planned and the couple are happy together. Until the second act, when they get bored with and annoyed by each other. They go their separate ways to experience the world on their own, and find out things aren't so great out there after all.

This is a small cast for a musical, with a small onstage two-person orchestra (Min Kim on harp and Andrew Fleser on piano). There is a bit of stage magic in the use of props and confetti, all supplied by the graceful Penelope Freeh, who never utters a word as she guides the story along (she also nicely choreographed The Mikado). In addition to a lovely and lively score which includes the wistful "Try to Remember" and the love song "They Were You," the play also features some poetic monologues by narrator El Gallo. It's a strange and delightful mix of a play, with music, sword fights, slapstick comedy, a sense of melancholy, a bit of cynicism, and also the hope of young love. No wonder it's the longest running musical in the world!

There is a curious paradox that no one can explain.
Who understands the secrets of the reaping of the grain?
Who understands why spring is born out of winter's laboring pain?
Or why we all must die a bit before we grow again?
I do not know the answer
I merely know it's true
I hurt them for that reason
And myself a little bit, too.


The Mikado
The English writing duo Gilbert and Sullivan are famous for their fast and clever lyrics and witty satirical send-up of the British establishment (see also HMS Pinafore). They set one of their most popular works, The Mikado, in Japan, which "allowed Gilbert to satirise British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese" (Wikipedia). In doing so, they also play on stereotypes of Japan, and many productions throughout its history have employed yellowface (casting Caucasian actors as Asian characters). Mu has attempted to remedy the situation by rewriting some of the libretto and casting Asian actors in the main roles, thereby eliminating the offensive stereotypes while keeping the charm and wit of the original piece. I've never seen another production of The Mikado so I can't speak to what has changed, but I like what I saw, and I trust that Mu did it right (because they usually do).

In the fictional town of Titipu, the son of the emperor (or Mikado) is disguised as a traveling musician (a second trombone). Franki-Poo (Phong Nguyen) is looking for his love, Tum-Tum (the adorable Isabella Dawis). Sadly for the lovers, she is the ward and betrothed of the Grand High Executioner Co-Co (Randy Reyes, hamming it up in the best possible way). Because of the complicated laws of the land (which include a mandatory punishment of beheading for the crime of flirting) and Franki-Poo's desire to die if he can't be with Tum-Tum, Co-Co grants them permission to marry for a month, after which time Franki-Poo will be executed and Tum-Tum can marry Co-Co as planned (do you follow?). This crazy plan is approved by Co-Co's right hand man Pooh-Bah (from which we get the term pooh-bah), played by the very entertaining Alex Ritchie. The Mikado himself (an impressive James Ramlet) appears in the second act and plans must be changed. Co-Co woos Franki-Poo's previous betrothed Katy Shaw (Ashley Cutright, with a voice that fills the theater) so that Franki-Poo can confess his true identity, marry the woman he loves, and not be executed (still following?). Yes, it's a silly and convoluted story, but it's great fun. 

The songs are fast and funny, especially those that have been rewritten with modern references. This huge cast of over two dozen sounds amazing when they all join their voices together. Along with the gorgeous 20-piece pit orchestra (directed by Steve Stucky), the sound coming from these singers and musicians is full and lush and layered. I appreciate that Skylark presents their productions "without artificial amplification." In the proper room, with people who know what they're doing, no mics are needed, and it's a refreshing change to hear the pure and natural sound of music.


I would say that if you only have time to see one show in Skylark Opera's Summer Festival, it's a tough choice which one to pick. The more intimate musical with a lovely score and whimsical nature, or the full and lush operetta with the huge cast. But since The Mikado is completely sold out, the choice is easy - see The Fantasticks (which, if pressed, I might choose as my favorite of the two). Only two of the total three performances remain, so act fast! Perhaps Skylark needs to consider a longer run for next year's festival. After creating these beautiful shows, it a shame that more people don't get to see them!

"Wonderful Town" by Skylark Opera at the E.M. Pearson Theatre

This is my second year attending Skylark Opera's summer festival, and I quite enjoy it. It introduces me to classical musicals that I've never seen (or in this case, heard of), which is a great thing for my continued musical theater education. Skylark follows last year's On the Town with another classic Bernstein/ Comden&Green collaboration - Wonderful Town. In addition to the similar names, both are traditional musicals set in New York City, with slightly dated stories but great music (you really can't go wrong with a Leonard Bernstein musical). This year's show features many of the same actors as last year, which in this case is a good thing. It's another well done production of an American classic.

Wonderful Town follows two sisters from Ohio as they move to NYC to pursue their dreams, one as an actor, the other as a writer. They rent a run-down studio apartment on Christopher Street in the West Village, where they meet many interesting characters. They encounter several obstacles to fulfilling their dreams, but this being a 1950s musical (the action takes place in 1935, but the musical was first produced in 1953), they eventually overcome and are successful in life and love. (As Neil Patrick Harris sang at the Tonys, wouldn't it be nice if life were more like theater!)

A few of my favorite things:

• I'm afraid Sarah Gibson is being typecast as the 1940s tough broad after playing a similar role last year and this. But she's so great at it! Her Ruth is my kind of heroine - a tall, strong, independent, capable woman (who therefore knows "One Hundred Easy Ways" to lose a man).
• Sarah Lawrence also returns from last year's festival, playing the pretty, perky, popular blond Eileen, who, unlike her sister, easily attracts men wherever she goes...
• ... including the amusingly diverse trio of the newspaper man Bob (Gabriel Preisser, who sounds beautiful on "A Quiet Girl" and "It's Love"), the nerdy Frank (Paul R. Coate), and the slimy Chick (Riley McNutt).
• The huge ensemble portrays lots of different characters in this colorful city, with several great ensemble dance numbers. I particularly loved the sharp, rhythmic, almost Fosse-like "Swing." (choreography by Penelope Freeh)
• Fantastic period costumes! (designed by Lynn Farrington)
• Last but not least, the fabulous score: clever, catchy, beautiful, silly. I only knew one song, the gorgeous duet performed by the sisters - "Why oh why oh why oh, why did I ever leave Ohio?" (Thanks to Sue Sylvester and her mother, Carol Burnett.) Oh how I love a great big pit orchestra sound!

Ruth (Sarah Gibson) and Bob (Gabriel Preisser)

If you're interested in classic musical theater and opera, be sure to check out Skylark Opera's summer festival, playing for one more week at the E.M. Pearson Theatre on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul. The festival also includes the opera Mlle. Modiste, which I don't plan to see because opera's not as much my thing, and I have a hard enough time seeing all of the musicals and plays I want to! (But you know what Stephen Sondheim says about the difference between opera and musical theater...)

"Sweet Charity" at the Bloomington Civic Theatre

I had never seen Sweet Charity and didn't know much about it, other than it was written and set in the 1960s, and the Christina Applegate 2005 Broadway revival got its start in Minneapolis (which sadly I didn't see).  So I decided to make the trip down to Bloomington (which really isn't as long as I think it is) to see the show.  I was not disappointed.  I discovered I love the show, from the music and choreography to the great 60s look of the set and costumes, and BCT presents a great production of it.

If you're unfamiliar with the show, here's a brief plot summary.  The titular character is a dance hall girl in NYC in the late 1960s.  She believes in love, even though she doesn't have much reason to.  In the beginning of the show her boyfriend steals her purse and pushes her into the lake.  But Charity gets right up again, and makes friends with an international movie star who's in love with someone else.  Determined to improve her life, she meets the sweet awkward Oscar when she decides to take a class at the local community center.  It seems as if she's found what she's been dreaming of - someone to love her.  But it turns out he's not worthy of our sweet Charity, so she keeps looking.

Highlights of the show include:

• A star performance by Emily Herringshaw as Charity.  Her voice is beautiful and effortless, as is her dancing.  She really shines in "If My Friends Could See Me Now," a tentative expression of joy and disbelief at the situation she finds herself in (hanging out with an international movie star!) that grows into a full dance number with top hat and cane.  Emily makes Charity extremely likeable and showcases her endless hopefulness in the face of continual setbacks, that should make her seem like an idiot but somehow doesn't.  Charity doesn't get her happy ending, but she keeps hoping and looking for it.
• A great supporting cast.  Angela Fox as Nickie and Larissa Gritti as Helene are Charity's two best friends, spunky and funny but with a vulnerability as shown in the beautiful and sad song "Baby Dream Your Dream."  Paul R. Coate (whom I saw in another classic NYC musical On the Town this summer) is suave and funny as the movie star Vittorio Vidal, and later as the leader of the hippie Rhythm of Life Church.  Jeff Turner's bio in the program is short, but his performance as Charity's possible one true love is not.  Oscar is charming, nervous, slightly awkward, and totally loveable.
• Fabulous dance numbers, as expected in a show conceived by Bob Fosse.  Choreographer Tracy Doheny Erickson keeps much of Fosse's style intact in the many and diverse numbers.  In the signature song "Hey Big Spender," the bored dance hall girls in short colorful dresses and big hair make small, precise, meaningful movements.  My favorite number is "Rich Man's Frug," which seems to goes on and on and on (in a good way).  The dancers strike a fabulous pose, the music stops, the audience applauds, and then it begins again!  The dancers look fabulous in their mod 60s black dresses and tuxes (designed by Ed Gleeman), like they stepped right out of some TV show from the 1960s.  Sweet Charity suddenly turns into Hair for one number when Charity and Oscar attend a hippie church.  And towards the end of the show the ensemble becomes a marching band in "I'm A Brass Band."

Sweet Charity is a great show with big fabulous dance numbers as well as more intimate heartfelt moments.  It's only playing for another week, but it's a fun evening of theater if you can make it.

"On the Town" by Skylark Opera at the E.M. Pearson Theatre

As much as I love new, edgy, innovative musical theater, I also love a good classic musical.  On the Town, about three sailors on leave in New York City for 24 hours in 1944, is a classic.  I'd never seen it before on stage (the playbill notes that this is probably the first time it's been professionally produced in the Twin Cities) or screen (for a musical theater fan, I haven't seen many classic old movie musicals).  With my love for musical theater and NYC, it's about time I saw this one!

Skylark Opera is presenting On the Town in repertoire with The Vagabond King in their summer festival at the E.M. Pearson Theatre.  The two shows have overlapping, but not identical, casts and musicians, and different directors and choreographers.  Leonard Bernstein wrote the music for On the Town based on an idea of Jerome Robbins, who also choreographed the original Broadway production (the two most famously collaborated on West Side Story, coming to the Orpheum this summer).  Comden and Green wrote the book and lyrics (and now I understand one more reference in the musical about musicals, [title of show]).

The plot follows three sailors in NYC for one short day: the organized and determined sightseer Chip (Paul R. Coate, who appeared in one of my favorite shows of 2009, Theater Latte Da's The Full Monty), the playboy Ozzie (Jon Andrew Hegge, a constant in the Guthrie's annual production of A Christmas Carol), and the naive farm boy Gabey (Dieter Bierbrauer, a favorite from the Chan, Latte Da, and several other theaters).  While riding the subway, Gabey falls in love with a girl on a poster and is determined to find her.  The boys split up in their search for "Miss Turnstiles," and each meet a girl of their own.  Chip runs into taxi driver Hildy and the two sing a charming duet in which he asks her to drive him to see various sights in NYC, and she slams on the brakes of the cab and tells him it's no longer there, so "Come Up To My Place."  Sarah Gibson as Hildy really looks the part of a tough, tall, 1940s broad, and can really belt out a tune (including the fabulous "I Can Cook Too").  Ozzie meets Claire (Jennifer Eckes), an anthropologist who's studying men in an effort to get them out of her system and settle down with her fiance.  I like that Hildy and Claire aren't your typical movie/musical girlfriends; they're both career women who go after what they want.  Maybe this is a reflection of the times, when women filled the employment vacancies left by men off fighting in WWII.

Back to the main love story.  Despairing of ever finding his "Miss Turnstiles," Gabey laments how lonely the city can be, and the audience is treated to Dieter's beautiful voice in the sad and lovely "Lonely Town."  But since this is a musical, he does find Ivy (Sarah Lawrence), at her singing lessons with the hilarious and boozy Madam Dilly (Kinsey Diment).  They make a date for that evening, but what Gabey doesn't know is that Ivy has a job "dancing" at Coney Island, and she stands him up because she can't afford to miss work.  Gabey is reunited with his friends and their dates, and they take him out on the town and try to cheer him up with the fun friendship song "You Got Me."  It doesn't work, and when he finds out where Ivy is, he takes the train to Coney Island to see her.  The other two couples follow, and on the long train ride they realize how short-lived their romances must be in the poignant "Some Other Time."  Gabey and Ivy reunite and the three couples enjoy the rest of their short time together, in and out of jail.  The sailors say their goodbyes to the girls and the city, as a fresh batch of sailors arrives on shore.  And the story begins anew.

This production features a large and capable ensemble, including Laurel Armstrong and Jake Endres (who opens the show with the low and lovely "I Fell Like I'm Not Out Of Bed Yet"), both of whom recently appeared in Flying Foot Forum's beautiful and moving original musical Heaven.  The ensemble scenes celebrate NYC nightlife and the activities and people of Coney Island.  (They remind me a bit of Annie, which also features ensemble scenes celebrating NYC life.)  There are also a few beautifully choreographed and performed "dream ballet" sequences, one during "Lonely Town" and one when Gabey's riding the subway to Coney Island to confront Ivy.  The traditional orchestra in the traditional pit was great; I love entering a theater and hearing the cacophonous sounds of the orchestra warming up and tuning.  I also loved the 40s era costumes and hats!

This is a perfectly delightful show.  Leonard Bernstein's gorgeous score, Comden and Green's witty lyrics, great performances by all of the leads and a strong ensemble backing them up, and fun choreography.  You can't ask for more from a classic piece of musical theater.