"Merrily We Roll Along" at Lyric Arts

Stephen Sondheim's musical Merrily We Roll Along, with book by George Furth, was a flop when it premiered on Broadway in 1981, and only played 60 total performances (most of them previews). It went through many rounds and decades of revisions, until it landed back on Broadway more than 40 years later and won four Tony Awards, including best revival of a musical in 2024. A few years before that, our own Theater Latte Da had done a gorgeous production, which was my introduction to the piece. I love it (and understand it) more each time I see it, with its unique backwards storytelling style. Now, to open their new season, Lyric Arts is bringing us the first #TCTheater production post-Broadway revival, and I'm happy to declare, "It's a Hit!" You wouldn't know it from the small audience on a rainy Wednesday night, but that's sure to change once word gets out about this fantastic local cast and this great Sondheim score played by a live band, telling a story of friendship and regret, and the way our story is made up of small choices that ultimately add up to life. Find out how this story ends, or begins, at Lyric Arts in Anoka through October 4.

"The Full Monty" by Theatre 55 at the O'Shaughnessy's Frey Theater

The 2001 9-time Tony nominated musical The Full Monty, with book by acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally (five Tonys, including one for Lifetime Achievement) and music and lyrics by David Yazbek (Tony-winner for The Band's Visit) has only been done once in #TCTheater, to my knowledge. Theater Latte Da's 2009 production in the old Ordway McKnight Theatre was fantastic (pre-blog so no record of my experience exists), but we haven't seen it since. Until now. Theatre 55, the company that does musicals with actors age 55+, has chosen it for their spring show. It's a great choice for this time and for this company, and it's one of my favorite shows that they've done. The story of working-class men struggling with unemployment, loneliness, mental health issues, and redefining masculinity is incredibly relevant. As the title implies, these average guys decide they're going to earn some money by stripping. One of the benefits of aging (I'm only a few years away from joining the 55+ club) is that you feel more and more comfortable in your own skin, and care less and less about what other people think. So why not go "the Full Monty?" To be clear, I won't be doing it, but it's inspiring and a lot of fun to watch this fantastic cast of men and women own the stage in this way. The bad news is there are only four shows left, so act fast if you want to have a great time and learn a few things from our elders.

"The Pavilion" at Lyric Arts

After opening their 2023-2024 season with the smash hit sell-out quintessential musical about musicals A Chorus Line, Lyric Arts is bringing us something quieter and more intimate, but no less meaningful, and no less deserving of sell-out crowds. Written by Minnesota screenwriter and playwright Craig Wright, The Pavilion is a lovely, funny, and bittersweet play that's filled with beautiful, poetic, profound, airy language, interspersed with very real and grounded scenes of average humans at their 20-year high school reunion. The story itself is not very original (in life or literature) - high school girl gets pregnant, boy leaves her to deal with it alone, forever changing both of their lives. The original thing about this Pulitzer Prize nominated play is that this very common idea is used as the seed to explore themes of time, regret, happiness, letting go of the past, and second chances. It's funny and earthy at the same time that it's deep and philosophical.* The talented three-person (plus one musician) cast and creative team do a beautiful job of bringing this story to life on Lyric's stage. They're already halfway through their short three-week run, so don't miss out on seeing this lovely show before it fades into the past.

"Lumberjacks in Love" at Lyric Arts

Lyric Arts is easing into their ambitious season with the charmingly corny musical comedy Lumberjacks in Love. In the vein of Deer Camp the Musical or the Don't Hug Me series, Lumberjacks is full of local humor (northern Wisconsin, but that's pretty close to Minnesota*), dumb but amusing humor, and goofy songs. But thanks to the amiable cast you can't help but fall a little in love with these oddball characters in their search for (or running scared from) love. 

"Bright Star" at Lyric Arts

For the second year in a row, Lyric Arts is opening their season with the regional premiere of a new Broadway musical. Last year they brought us a fantastic production of the 2014 Idina Menzel vehicle If/Then, this year it's the 2016 bluegrass musical Bright Star by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin). It only ran for a few months on Broadway and didn't win any awards (although it was nominated for several Tonys, including best musical). But it's a sweet story with a gorgeous bluegrass score that perhaps plays better on smaller stages. Like Lyric's Main Street Stage in charming downtown Anoka. The huge and talented cast, along with the fantastic onstage bluegrass band, do a wonderful job of bringing this heart-breaking and heart-warming story to life with all the feels. You can see this regional premiere through September 29.