"the bull-jean stories" at Pillsbury House Theatre

This year, Pillsbury House Theatre is presenting the work of playwright and author Sharon Bridgforth, whose work Dat Black Mermaid Man Lady / The Show they produced in 2018, about which I wrote "It's a piece that defies explanation, that maybe shouldn't be explained, but rather experienced." Their current production the bull-jean stories, to be followed by bull-jean/we wake this summer, is a little like that. The amazing Aimee K. Bryant plays a dozen or more characters, all telling stories about a woman known as bull-jean, or bulldog-jean, in a lyrical and non-linear way. It's really beautiful, moving, and almost dreamlike storytelling (continuing through February 5).

"Caught" by Full Circle Theater at the Guthrie Theater

When I took the elevator up to the Guthrie Theater's 9th floor Dowling Studio, accompanied by high school students dressed for prom*, I didn't know what I was in for. I knew I was attending my third Full Circle Theater show, and I knew enough about them to expect it to be something thoughtful, well done, and relevant to the world we live in. And I knew this play had something to do with Chinese political art. All of those things are true, but Caught is so much more. It's a Russian doll of a play with layers upon layers of truth, reality, and artifice. By the time it was over I didn't know what was real, where the play ended and reality began. And that's the point of Caught, to make us question truth, reality, art, politics, even theater. It's a brilliantly written play (by California based playwright Christopher Chen), perfectly executed by director Rick Shiomi and the team. I'm not going to be able to tell you too much about it because I don't want to spoil the surprising and delightful trip, but just trust me - you need to see this play. And with all tickets just $9 as part of the Guthrie's Level Nine initiative, you have no excuse not to.

"The Great Leap" at the Guthrie Theater

This may come as a shock to you, dear readers, but I am not a fan of the sportsing events. The one exception being my lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins, but other than that, I have no interest in watching any game anywhere anytime. Except on the stage, where for some reason sports provides a good background for drama (see also Colossal and The Wolves, which is being remounted at the Southern beginning next week). In the case of Playwrights' Center affiliated writer Lauren Yee, basketball combined with US-China relations in the 1970s and '80s provides a whole lot of drama. Inspired by her father, a Chinese-American who went to China to play basketball against Chinese teams, she has written a smart, funny, entertaining, educational, and thought-provoking play about basketball that isn't really about basketball at all.

"River Road Boogie" at History Theatre

Does the name Augie Garcia ring a bell? Unless you were a young person who frequented the local Rock and Roll clubs in 1950s St. Paul, probably not. Augie is considered the Godfather of Minnesota Rock and Roll, but unlike his contemporary Buddy Holly, he was a one-hit wonder who never achieved national fame, whether by choice or happenstance is unclear. A new play at the History Theatre, written by local actor and playwright Joe Minjares, sheds light on the fascinating story of this man who was not just a pioneering Minnesota musician, but also a Korean War vet and a devoted family man. Like The Buddy Holly Story (a History Theatre hit remounted last fall), River Road Boogie tells the story of Augie's life through his music as performed by this fabulous cast, but unlike The Buddy Holly Story the music takes a back seat in the second act as Augie's life starts to turn away from a music-focused one into a family-focused one. As always at the History Theatre,* this play is a wonderful opportunity to learn about a great Minnesotan you might never have heard of, but whom you will certainly admire and appreciate after seeing him brought to life on stage.

Augie Garcia grew up in a tight-knit Mexican-American family in St. Paul's West Side neighborhood, specifically an area know as The Flats across the river from downtown St. Paul. He and his friends were such loyal St. Paulites that they refused to drink Grain Belt beer (brewed "across the river"), only Schmidt or Hamm's would do! Our story picks up when Augie returns from a few harrowing years serving in the Korean War. He's happy to be home with his family, friends, and music, and channels his conflicting feelings about the war into his music. He starts a band called the Augie Garcia quintet (inexplicably with six members) and they become quite successful in the local music scene, with a standing gig at the River Road Club in Mendota. In what was perhaps the highlight of their career, Augie and the boys opened for Elvis and were famously kicked off the stage by Colonel Parker because they were coming dangerously close to upstaging the King. Soon after, fame came a-callin' with the promise of bigger gigs and national attention, forcing Augie (in this interpretation of his life) to do some serious soul-searching and decide what he truly wanted in life. Jersey Boys showed us what happens when you succumb to the dangers of fame and success, but Augie chose a different path. As a result most people today don't know his name, but those who saw him perform remember, and thanks to the History Theatre, so will I.

a '50s dance party on the History Theatre stage

Augie released a handful of singles in the mid-50s, the most successful of which is "Hi Yo Silver," inspired by the popular Lone Ranger TV series. The show incorporates five Augie Garcia originals, including this hit and the title song, as well as a few other hits of the time and traditional Mexican songs. All are performed in the context of a concert, rehearsal, or just singing around the house or bunker with friends, making this more of a play with music than a traditional musical. This along with the fact that the cast doubles as the band (a mix of actors and musicians) means that the music feels organic to the story, rather than an add-on. The big Rock and Roll numbers all come in the first act and are fabulously performed by cast, band, and dancers. The second act only features a few quieter songs, the musical spectacles of the first act fading into memory as did Augie's musical career. The tone of the piece shifts as Augie grows up and deals with his demons.

Ricardo Vázquez channels Augie Garcia
(photo by Scott Pakudaitis)

The Ivey Awards 2013 Emerging Artist Ricardo Vázquez is the perfect choice to play Augie Garcia. He embodies the man physically, emotionally, and musically. Augie's music inhabits his body in a specific way, particularly in the song "Ivy League Baby," when he's all over the stage energetically performing crazy dance moves in Augie's trademark shorts (in the post-show talk back Ricardo said he was able to watch a video of a performance Augie gave in the '90s, and extrapolated that back a few decades with his own unique spirit). In addition to the music, Ricardo also brings depth to the character, particularly in Augie's emotional breakdown after a local tragedy reminds him of the hell of war. The excellent supporting cast includes Matt Rein with a couple of diverse performances as Augie's tormented war buddy and band mate (playing the upright bass), and a sleazy radio DJ; Lara Trujillo and Pedro R. Bayón as Augie's supportive parents; Kelly Matthews as Augie's girlfriend Nancy in a sweet love story; and Shawn Hamilton as the sax player who serves as a sort of narrator of the story. Like they did for Buddy Holly, History Theatre has brought in some students from St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts to serves as dancers and concert attendees, bringing a youthful energy to the stage.

Tom Mays' cool scenic design provides a perfect backdrop for the story. A replica of the Robert Street Bridge, so important in Augie's life and memories, dominates the back of the stage, with the outline of a huge guitar behind it (something I didn't actually notice until I attended the "hiatus concert" by my favorite local band Storyhill on the same stage later that day). The stage on which Augie and the boys perform rolls out for the concert/rehearsal scenes, and then rolls back again to allow room for scenes in Augie's house, a bar, or other locations.

I truly appreciate the History Theatre for bringing to life people who are important in the history of my beloved home state of Minnesota, but who may not be written about in the history books. Augie Garcia is one such Minnesotan, and it's a treat to watch him shine on stage in the person of the uber-talented Ricardo Vázquez, supported by all these great actors, musicians, and dancers. River Road Boogie continues through May 31 (discount tickets available on Goldstar).


*The History Theatre recently announced their new season, and I'm super excited that the season opens with my favorite Raw Stages reading Glensheen, a musical about the famous Duluth mansion and the strange murder mystery that occurred there. My favorite Minnesota playwright Jeffrey Hatcher sets just the right tone, with some really great songs by Chan Polling. Another very promising reading from this year, Complicated Fun, closes out the season next spring. And if you missed Buddy Holly last time around - don't worry, he's back this fall.

"An Iliad" at the Guthrie Theater

Stepping off the elevator onto the 9th floor of the Guthrie Theater, I was treated to a site I've never seen before, despite having seen dozens of productions in the Dowling Studio. The wall that separates the lobby from the theater was gone - leaving a full view of the stage from the elevator, with the audience seats behind it and to one side. The Studio is what they call a "black box theater," meaning the room is just a big black box, in which the stage and seating can be arranged in infinitely different ways. But in reality, there are three or four common arrangements that are usually used. The set-up for An Iliad, a one-man show version of Homer's epic poem The Iliad, is the most creative use of the flexibility that this stage has to offer that I've seen. At one point our storyteller goes out into the lobby part of the theater and explores the glorious echo heard in that space, utilizing every square inch of the 9th floor. But this is not the most remarkable part of An Iliad. That would be Stephen Yoakam's performance as the storyteller poet. He tells the story directly to the audience (the house lights were fully or partly up for some of the show, creating that feeling of interaction), as well as acting out many roles from a baby to a crippled god, imbuing each moment with such depth of emotion. It's another one of those epic one-man show performances that must be seen.

I was vaguely familiar with The Iliad from my high school and college studies, as most people probably are. It tells the story of The Trojan War, you know - the one with the Trojan Horse, "the face that launched a thousand ships," Achilles, Agamemnon, and all of that. But the brilliant thing about this telling of the ancient story (co-written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare), is that it's really about any and every war that's ever been fought. At one point our storyteller lists what seems like every war in human history, and there are disturbingly many. The list is endless, and he gets more and more dejected with each one, until he quickly speeds through the end of the list and is silent. An Iliad makes the story of the Trojan War real and relevant, a story of the horrors of any and all wars.

Stephen Yoakam

Stephen Yoakam is the poet Homer himself, reluctantly singing his song again, reluctant because of the death and destruction that is at the center of it. He calls to the muses for help, forgets names, skips over parts and lingers over others, stripping off his long coat, sweater, and eventually shoes and socks as he gets deeper and deeper into the tale. It's as if it physically pains and tires him to tell this story. This is a performance that's real, raw, intense, moving, and entirely captivating.

But of course, a "one-man show" is never really that. Stephen is aided by the direction of Benjamin McGovern, the set design of Michael Hoover (the focus of which is what looks like an abandoned fountain in a town square, adorned with sand, water, scaffolding, and Greek wall sculptures, for an interesting mix of modern and ancient), and the lighting of Tom Mays (it's like another character, showing us where to look, flashing with the muses, house lights increasing and decreasing at appropriate times).

Playing now through May 26 at the Guthrie Theater, An Iliad is a sobering look at war through the eyes of one man and one ancient war that doesn't feel so ancient.