"My Ántonia" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Back in 2010 (the birth year of Cherry and Spoon), Illusion Theater won two Ivey Awards (remember the Ivey Awards, Minnesota's own Tony Awards?) for their adaptation of Willa Cather's novel My Ántonia, one for playwright Allison Moore and one for Kate Guentzel, who played the title character. I didn't see it that year, but lucky for me Illusion continued to produce the show every few years, and even toured it around the Midwest and into Cather's Nebraska. I've seen it three times, most recently in 2019, and loved it more each time I saw it, calling the sparse 90-minute six-person play with music "a perfect adaptation, in that it captures the wistful and nostalgic tone of the novel as Willa describes the people and place she loved so much." I was excited and a little trepidatious when two years ago Theater Latte Da announced that a new musical adaptation of My Ántonia would be part of their NEXT new play development series. I saw the reading of the musical in development that summer and was reassured that the tone of the novel was maintained (unlike the recent musical adaptation of The Great Gatsby, which turned it into a romcom). And now after seeing the full production, even though I'll always have a special place in my heart for Illusion's play that made me fall in love with this story, I love seeing another version of it that fills out the story with more life and music. With a talented cast twice the size of the play, a lovely indie folk score that I wish I could download and listen to on repeat, and sparse design that evokes the achingly beautiful prairies that surround us, Theater Latte Da has brought us another beautiful adaptation of this classic American story (continuing through July 12).

"The Last Yiddish Speaker" at Six Points Theater

The new play The Last Yiddish Speaker by Deborah Zoe Lauer had a rolling world premiere just last year, and now Six Points Theater is bringing us the regional premiere. And I'm so glad they are because it's an urgent, necessary play. It feels like a warning call, like a very possible look into our future if this country, this world, keeps going in the direction it's going. The direction of fear, hate, otherism, nationalism, and division. The play is brilliantly written and expertly executed by the cast and creative team at Six Points, for a gripping 90+ minutes that's unsettling and disturbing and eerily familiar. Go see The Last Yiddish Speaker, a prime example of art holding up a mirror to the world, playing at Highland Park Community Center through November 9.

"It's Only a Play" at Park Square Theatre

If you love theater (and if you don't, why are you reading this), you must get to downtown St. Paul ASAP to see Park Square Theatre's production of It's Only a Play, the first show in their 50th season. Written by great American playwright Terrance McNally, this is a play about theater and theater artists. It hilariously makes fun of theater and everyone and everything surrounding it (including too many celebrity references to count), but in the end it's a real love letter to theater that would have brought tears to my eyes in the way it speaks to what theater means to us, if I weren't laughing so much. It premiered Off-Broadway in the '80s but was updated to bring it into the 21st century for its 2014 Broadway debut, and feels as if it may have been updated even since then, so current are the references. Park Square is putting on a superb production in every way, including an impeccable local cast. This feels like a play that was made just for me, and every theater-lover (continuing through October 19).

"An Act of God" at Six Points Theater

The 2015 (and 2016) Broadway play An Act of God, written by former The Daily Show head writer David Javerbaum, is delightfully irreverent but still respectful of faith. Think The Book of Mormon (which is referenced), or that scene in Spelling Bee in which a contestant asks Jesus to help them win the spelling bee and Jesus shows up to say, "It's not the kind of thing I care that much about." On Broadway the character of God, who speaks directly to the audience, was played by a man, but Six Points Theater wisely chose beloved #TCTheater veteran Sally Wingert to star in their new production, and I truly cannot think of anyone better to embody God. The play is so smart, so funny, so relevant, and this production, with a talented cast and sharp design in the intimate space in Highland Park Community Center, is really just the best. If you're looking for a hilarious comedy with substance, that'll make you laugh and nod your head in agreement and maybe gasp a time or two, don't miss An Act of God!

"Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

This year, Theater Latte Da is forgoing their usual holiday fare (the long-running and always moving All is Calm, now streaming on PBS.org, and the more recent balm to the soul Christmas at the Local) for a show that is a series of firsts. The regional premiere of the 2013 update of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, which was the first (and only) musical they wrote exclusively for television, Theater Latte Da's first ever production of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, and new Artistic Director Justin Lucero's directing debut with the company. The result is a fun, magical, and heart-warming show that feels both classic and modern, with a fantastic local cast and simply gorgeous design. See it at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis now through January 5.

"Say All the Truth" at the Jungle Theater, a co-production with The Moving Company

In the last couple of years, the Jungle has brought us several successful co-productions, combining their resources, audiences, and artistry with other theaters around town (including Theater Mu, Trademark Theater, and WeAreMarried). Their latest successful co-pro is Say All the Truth, an adaptation of Moliere's The Misanthrope created by The Moving Company. MoCo was birthed out of Theatre de la Jeune Lune, the Tony Award-winning company that ended in 2008. Between the two companies, they've done all of Moliere's plays, except this one. The story of a man who doesn't like people and wants to live away from society resonates particularly well right now, when that's sort of what we were all forced to do during the pandemic, and maybe some of us discovered we liked it, because people can be exhausting and infuriating. But still, the play quietly illustrates the power of and need for human connection. And like all of MoCo's work, it's mesmerizing, thoughtful, elemental, creative, and quite lovely. Say All the Truth continues through November 26, but tickets are selling well with the combined popularity of these two companies, so don't wait too long to grab yours.

"The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Guthrie Theater

My 20th season as a Guthrie Theater subscriber begins with a play that was part of my 7th season - the Oscar Wilde classic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. This is the fourth production in Guthrie history, the most recent being in 2009 (the year before I started this blog, so no record of my experience exists). Earnest is an absolute confection of a play, full of delicious language, ridiculous characters, and silly situations. This new production is absolutely delightful, from the three gorgeous sets, to the scrumptious costumes, to the fantastic performances by familiar faces and new. See it on the Wurtele Thrust Stage now through October 15.

"Murder on the Orient Express" at the Guthrie Theater

One of Agatha Christie's most well-known mysteries, Murder on the Orient Express, was first adapted to the stage just six years ago. Playwright Ken Ludwig brings his usual fun, fast, high-energy style to the adaptation. Previously unfamiliar* with the material, I found the Guthrie's new production to be constantly surprising and delightful. The production design that depicts an elegant art deco European train is stunning, and the ten-person mostly local cast is truly an embarrassment of riches. This Orient Express is pure entertainment from start to finish - a smart adaptation of a classic mystery perfectly executed by the cast and creative team, and even with a bit of depth as the famous detective Hercule Poirot contemplates the nature of justice and his role in it. Hop on board the Orient Express now through July 2. 

"Hello Dolly!" at the Ritz Theater by Theater Latte Da

Put on your Sunday clothes and head to the Ritz Theater for Theater Latte Da's absolutely joyous production of Hello Dolly! They've set the classic musical in a racially diverse world, which is not untrue to the world of late 19th Century New York, it's just one we don't often see. They've also stripped the typically huge cast and orchestra down to about a third of the size. Though the costumes are scrumptious and the design is charming, there are no trains or trolleys driving across the stage, as seen in the recent Broadway revival and tour. But what this show lacks in size it makes up for in heart and gumption. It's a wonderful new take on a classic that lets the original story and beloved score shine. Hello Dolly! plays Wednesdays through Sundays until March 19, but don't wait too long to get tickets - this one will sell out.

"Iphigenia at Aulis" by Ten Thousand Things at Luminary Arts Center

This fall, Ten Thousand Things, my favorite interpreter of Shakespeare and other classic works, brings us the Greek tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis. Because they are not yet able to tour the show to their usual locations of community centers, homeless shelters, and prisons, they are presenting this show in a sort of hybrid style between the usual stripped-down bare-bones production in a small space surrounded by a few rows of chairs, and a more traditional proscenium style production. They also performed the show outdoors, which may have had a more TTT feel, but in the former Lab Theater, now known as Luminary Arts Center*, it still maintains the TTT hallmark of making classics feel fresh, relatable, and relevant, if in a more formal theater style (but still with "all the lights on"). They're set to return to touring this winter, which will likely bring back their usual style, but in the meantime, Iphigenia at Aulis is a gorgeous production with a large and hugely talented cast, that uses an original score to tell this ancient story.

"Two Jews Walk Into a War..." by Six Points Theater at Highland Park Community Center

Two Jews walk into a war. No, that's not the set-up to a joke, it's the title of a play. But it is funny, as much as a play about the beleaguered nation of Afghanistan and the millennia-long story of the persecution of the Jews can be funny. Seth Rozin's play is a fictionalized account of the last two Jews in Kabul, who hated each other but were forced to work together. He uses the humor of this cantankerous relationship to delve into some pretty deep issues of faith, community, tradition, identity, and the meaning of home. See this sweet, funny, heart-breaking little play at Six Points Theater through May 22.

"Celebrating Sondheim, Act II" by Theatre Latte Da at Crooners Supper Club

My favorite Sondheim interpreters, Theater Latte Da, return with Act II of their Celebrating Sondheim cabaret series at Crooners Supper Club. And the good news is - there are still some tickets remaining for today's two shows! Click on this link right now to snag one before they're gone, so that you too can experience this beautifully curated selection of songs from arguably our greatest music-theater creator.

"The Comedy of Errors" by Ten Thousand Things at Plymouth Congregational Church

Last night I saw Ten Thousand Things perform Shakespeare (live and in-person, which 20 months ago would have seemed like an absurd qualifier), and for about 90 minutes, it felt like everything was right with the world. No one does Shakespeare like Ten Thousand Things; no one makes it as understandable, relatable, relevant, and fun. And when you're talking about Shakespeare's silliest and most slapsticky comedy, The Comedy of Errors, it's all about the fun. With just six actors playing all 15 (or 47, who's counting) roles, it's a rollicking good time. Of course not all is right with the world, we're still very much in the thick of this pandemic, which means TTT can't do their most important work - bringing theater out into the community to people who aren't usually able to experience theater. But they can still do what they do for the people who show up at Plymouth Congregational Church, with a pay-what-you-can option to make it more accessible. And what they do is tell stories, in the most delightful and in-the-moment way imaginable, with all the lights on.

"Animate" by Mixed Blood Theatre at the Como Zoo

photo by Rich Ryan

Earlier this year, Jack Reuler announced his retirement as Artistic Director of Mixed Blood Theatre, a company he founded in 1976. Mixed Blood has truly become a model of inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility in theater, amplifying often unheard voices on stage and off, and making sure everyone is able to be in the audience with its Radical Hospitality program. But before he retires, Jack is directing another incredible site-specific piece. The new play Animate, written by Ken LaZebnik, is an immersive ambulatory play at the Como Zoo that is, of course, about a zoo. Specifically about the ethics of zoos, accepting donations from wealthy people of questionable character, and "does the good of the many supersede the good of the individual," human or animal. It's an impressive logistical feat, features a ton of #TCTheater talent, and asks some big questions without providing easy answers. In fact, the audience is asked to provide their own answers to the big questions of the show. Unfortunately, the entire (free) run is sold out, but stay tuned in case more dates are added (click here for details).

"A Pickle" by Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company at Harriet Island

Nine months ago, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company began their "Theater Six Feet Apart" season with an outdoor production of 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, which was the only live in-person play I saw between February 2020 and May 2021. After several great virtual shows, they're back outside* to close out this unique season with A Pickle. This solo show premiered at the Minnesota Fringe Festival a few years ago and tells the true story of Doris Rubenstein, who petitioned the Minnesota State Fair to add a category for Kosher salt brine pickles. It's a funny and engaging play and a perfect choice for safe outdoor theater. In fact it's so popular that their entire run is already sold out! But you can express your interest at their website, so maybe we'll see it again sometime.

"Twelfth Night" at the Guthrie Theater

For their annual Shakespeare production, the Guthrie is bringing us a truly delightful, innovative, and playful rendition of the comedy Twelfth Night. And in a surprising and wonderful choice, the cast is 100% local. I'm someone who often calculates that percentage at the Guthrie, and while I appreciate the chance to see national talent on the local stage, I'm also the biggest fan of our #TCTheater community, so I always want that percentage to be higher. It's wonderful to see that rich, deep, broad, diverse, incredibly talented community 100% represented on stage in this production. The show is as Shakespeare's comedies are meant to be - fun, playful, accessible, almost interactive, heartfelt, and hilarious.

"Steel Magnolias" at the Guthrie Theater

Steel Magnolias is not a new or particularly revolutionary play, but the reason it still resonates 30+ years after its premiere (and the popular 1989 movie adaptation) is that this story of female friendship, and the ways that women come together to support, challenge, and love each other, will never go out of style. Unlike the poofy bangs and high-waisted stone-washed jeans of the '80s. The Guthrie's new production of this late 20th Century classic features a terrific and mostly local all-female cast, plus an all-female creative team, that together bring out all of the "laughter through tears is my favorite emotion" feeling of the play. Steel Magnolias is warm and comforting, familiar and funny, moving and life-affirming.

"Stinkers" at Jungle Theater

Friends, I had a little rough day yesterday. No specific reason for it, I was just feeling a little crabby. And then I had to drive to Uptown which makes me really crabby, and then I realized I forgot my wallet at home so I had to drive around and find street parking. But nothing turns around a "little rough day" faster than a show at the Jungle. Specifically a comedy at the Jungle. More specifically a world premiere new comedy at the Jungle, about a family of people having their own kind of little rough days. Whether the rough day is due to not getting the cookie they wanted, or trying to find a way to launder the money they embezzled, they get through it together. And live to face the next little rough day. Stinkers is a hilarious and heartfelt comedy about family, relationships, and a pickup with the hiccups.

"A Little Night Music" by Theater Latte Da at the Ritz Theater

Theater Latte Da's production of A Little Night Music is pure loveliness from the moment the cast steps onstage behind a sheer curtain, warming their voices and waltzing in old fashioned undergarments, to when that same curtain falls at the completion of the story and the youngest cast member steps out gazing in wonder. As everything created by Peter Rothestein and company, it's thoughtful, detailed, well cast, beautifully staged, and musically gorgeous. Sondheim's 1973 Tony-winning musical is a charming, smart, and funny story about the perils of love and the phases of life, bringing to mind the Shakespeare quote "Lord, what fools these mortals be." And you'd be a fool to miss it.

"Noises Off" at the Guthrie Theater

A Christmas Carol is not the only thing playing in that big beautiful blue building on the river. Across the lobby from the 44th annual production of A Christmas Carol, the Guthrie is presenting a hilarious comedy that will make your face hurt from laughing so much. Noises Off is the perfect madcap comedy, perfectly executed by the cast, crew, and creative team at the Guthrie. The play within a play format allows the audience to peak inside the world of the theater and see what it might be like in rehearsal, backstage during a performance, and at the end of a long and troubled tour. It's a complete mess as things continue to go wrong for the fictional company, but the real-life company pulls it all off beautifully; this is impeccably organized chaos thanks to first-time Guthrie director Meredith McDonough and her team. If your thoughts about theater are, as one of the characters in the play says: "I don't go to the theater to listen to other people's problems, I go to be taken out of myself and hopefully not put back in again," this is the perfect play for that.