"The Sound of Music" by Frosted Glass Creative

Seeing my sentimental favorite The Sound of Music (having grown up loving the movie, later playing clarinet in the pit orchestra for my high school production, and spending four months living in Salzburg in college) outdoors by the river in Stillwater was an absolute dream. Frosted Glass Creative had to cancel the first of only three performances due to a storm, but the delayed opening night was a success. Even though it was hot and buggy, and there were some sound issues in the challenging outdoor environment, with difficult sightlines at times, I loved every second of it. It's such a joyful story about following your dreams, connecting through music, and making difficult sacrifices to stand up for what's right. The large and talented cast and gorgeous full orchestra put so much heart into the show that even people floating by on the river could feel it. Stillwater's Zephyr Theatre premiered "Broadway on the Bridge" on this spot in the pandemic days, which sadly only lasted two years (Mamma Mia! and School of Rock) before they experienced financial difficulties and had to pause activities for a year or two. Former Zephyr Artistic Director Calyssa Hall is now with Frosted Glass (and directed this show) and began their "Broadway on the St. Croix" series last year, and it's such a great idea and a perfect spot for outdoor musicals - truly the prettiest stage in Minnesota. The second and final performance of The Sound of Music is tonight, but follow Frosted Glass for more theater opportunities along the beautiful St. Croix River.

UPDATE: Monday night performance added to make up for Friday's rainout - get tickets here!

"Mauritius" by Stage North at 480 Arts

Who knew a play about a stamp could be so riveting?! Of course, the 2007 Broadway play Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck (who also wrote Bernhardt/Hamlet, produced by Theatre Pro Rata last year) is about much more than stamps and the cut-throat world of philately. It's about grief, and family dynamics, and the way death can bring out the worst in people, and grifters trying to make a buck off of someone else's grief. It's kind of a mystery dramedy thriller of a play, brought to life in an excellent production by Stage North. They've unfortunately moved out of their original home the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis and into a new space known as 480 Arts in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood. I can't imagine this work on the Capri's stage in their proscenium theater, it's so much more suited to this intimate in-the-round staging (although the Capri also has a black box space where Ten Thousand Things regularly performs). The talented five-person cast, clear and smart direction, and almost immersive staging make for a very entertaining evening of theater. Mauritius plays Thursdays through Sundays until November 17.

"Another Miracle on Christmas Lake" at Yellow Tree Theatre

It almost took a miracle for me to see Yellow Tree Theatre's annual original holiday* comedy based in the fictional and very Minnesotan town of Christmas Lake. I arrived at the theater with a group of friends on a warm and rainy December night to find that the performance had been cancelled due to a tornado warning (in Minnesota in December?! and climate change isn't a thing). The next week everyone was busy with Christmas plans, so a subset of the group rescheduled to see one of the last performances this week. Amidst a slew of show closings on Broadway and locally, this show did indeed happen! A perfect final show of 2021, closing out a less than perfect year of theater, but one that saw growth, ingenuity, and a return to some form of normal (more on that in the coming days). There are only two performances left of Another Miracle on Christmas Lake, but you can still get yourself to Osseo to see it if you act quickly. Or make plans for their two upcoming shows in 2021 which are both brilliant and rare choices - the funny, feminist, historical, and modern play In the Next Room; Or, the Vibrator Play and the musical Passing Strange.