"Hair" by Theatre 55 at Mixed Blood Theatre

I was a little obsessed with the 40th anniversary revival of Hair, which opened on Broadway in 2009. I first fell in love with the show via a #TCTheater production directed by Michael Brindisi in 2004, and this fantastic Broadway revival only increased that love to the point of, yes, obsession. You can read more of my Hair thoughts here, but suffice it to say that when I adopted two adult male cats several years ago, I named them Claude and Berger. Now another 10 years have passed, so we're 50 years removed from the groundbreaking Gerome Ragni and James Rado creation (with music by Galt MacDermot) that changed the face of musical theater forever. Theatre 55, a new #TCTheater company dedicated to "enriching the lives of elders," has chosen Hair as their first production, populated with people who were alive and perhaps even saw that first production 50+ years ago, and lived the lifestyle of the '60s represented in the show. While the vocal performances are uneven in this cast made up mostly of non-professional actors, they capture the spirit of the piece in the way that perhaps younger people cannot. They bring an authenticity to the characters and situations of the show, and also a sort of fun free-wheeling vibe because they survived those tumultuous times (although one could say that the times we're living in now are pretty tumultuous too). The firehouse was packed with an audience full of people ready for this show and loving every minute of it. I'm quite sure that Ragni and Rado (the original Berger and Claude, the latter of whom is still alive and just turned 87) would be tickled with this production.

"Bull" by Hypnic Jerk Theatre at Element Boxing Gym

"Site-specific theater in a boxing ring, now that’s cool! Brand new #tctheater company Hypnic Jerk debuts with BULL. Note: the play is not about boxing it’s about office politics.
#itsametaphor"
-Cherry and Spoon Instagram

And a great metaphor it is. Director and Hypnic Jerk Theatre founder Kari Steinbach notes in the program that playwright Mike Bartlett was inspired to write Bull after watching a bullfight, but a boxing match works well too. They're staging the show in two locations on two weekends only, the first in Element Boxing Gym in St. Paul, the second at A Mill Artist Lofts in Minneapolis. I like the idea of a traveling show, making it more accessible to different communities (and people who are loathe to cross the river), but I'm glad I saw it in the first location, because it was really cool to watch a play in an actual boxing ring in an actual gym, something I've not done before. Just two more performances remain this Memorial Day Weekend, before the show moves across the river next weekend. Check it out for a short, intense, engaging, well directed and acted performance.

"Peter and Alice" by Candid Theatre Company at Fallout Arts Initiative

Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland are two of the most iconic characters in children's literature. Both were inspired by real people, Peter Llewelyn Davis and Alice Liddell, who were children befriended by the authors J.M. Barrie and Lewis Carroll. One would think they'd have a lot in common, and a lot to talk about, both living their lives under the shadow of this iconic image of childhood. History tells us they actually did meet, and playwright John Logan imagines what their conversation was like in the play Peter and Alice. Reality, memories, and imagination all mix together to tell a moving story of the joy and pain of growing up. Candid Theatre Company's wonderful and intimate production of Peter and Alice is playing at Fallout Arts Initiative in South Minneapolis through March 4.

"Fahrenheit 451" at Theatre in the Round

Books are important. Books are where we express ourselves, share ideas, record history, and dream about the future. In the age of the internet, hundreds of cable channels, and short attention spans, one has to wonder if books are in danger. Over 60 years ago, perhaps inspired by the censorship and paranoia of the McCarthy era, novelist Ray Bradbury imagined a world in which people were not allowed to read or even possess books, in fact all books were burned. He later adapted his novel Fahrenheit 451 into a play, currently being produced by Theatre in the Round. The themes of censorship, control of information, and the dangers of reality TV ring eerily true as brought to life by this large and talented cast and interesting staging. It makes for a fascinating, disturbing, and thought-provoking evening of theater.

"Anne of Green Gables" at Theatre in the Round

Anne Shirley, the spunky heroine of the Anne of Green Gables, the first of six books in the series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, is one of the most beloved characters in literature. What's not to love about the orphan girl in rural early 20th Century Canada with a flair for the melodramatic and a fierce determination to enjoy life and make the most of it? Theatre in the Round is currently presenting a stage version of the book, adapted by Sylvia Ashby, which brings our beloved Anne to life in a warm, funny, and poignant way.

The play covers four years in Anne's life, which at times feels a bit rushed, like it's trying to cram too much into two hours. Not having read the book(s) in many years and not being that attached to it (the Little House on the Prairie series was my childhood obsession, and OK maybe still is) I wondered how many of the books were adapted into the play. Turns out all of this happens in just the first book, presenting the full arc of Anne's original story (subsequent books take Anne through adulthood and into her 40s). We follow Anne's journey from when she is (reluctantly) taken in by a brother and sister on Prince Edward Island. Marilla and Matthew were hoping for a boy to help out on the farm, but got Anne instead. They soon fall in love with her indomitable spirit, although Marilla tries to impart her no-nonsense practical ways on the girl. Despite her red hair (the bane of her existence), Anne quickly makes friends at school and is an excellent student under the tutelage of her favorite teacher Miss Stacey, she of the fashionable puffed sleeves. Several years pass, filled with adventures, and Anne and her friends go away to school, after which Anne decides to return to her beloved Green Gables. She's all grown up now and ready to take on some new responsibilities, but her bright spirit remains.

Mabel Thomas as Anne

The large cast does a fine job bringing the world of Avonlea to life on the small arena stage. Most fun to watch are the enthusiastic young actors playing Anne and her friends, several of whom are in high school. Most notably, sophomore Mabel Thomas is everything you could want in Anne - melodramatic and earnest and fiery and sweet. She pretty much carries the show on her young shoulders and does so admirably. She also has a nice chemistry with Jane Hammill's stern Marilla and especially Rod Kleiss' Matthew, who's wrapped around her little finger. Also amusing is Holly Windle as busybody neighbor Rachel Lynde, who occasionally pops up on the side of the stage as characters recite "Mrs. Lynde always says..."

With such a large cast, set designer Shannon Morgan has wisely chosen a fairly sparse stage. The in-the-round space has no walls or partitions, just a kitchen table on one side and a bed on the other, with divisions merely hinted at. A few benches and school desks brought in when needed subtly and successfully set the scene. The floor and sides of the round are covered with flowers, bringing a bit of the Anne's cherished outdoors in. (When told to say her prayers, Anne asks, "can't you just walk in the field, look at the sky, and feel a prayer?")

If you're a fan of the book you will most likely enjoy seeing Anne brought to life before your eyes (there were quite a few youngsters in the audience). And even if you aren't familiar with the books, Anne of Green Gables is a heartwarming, funny, endearing story of the joys and traumas, both small and large, of growing up. Playing weekends at Theatre in the Round through April 12.