"Mae West and the Trial of Sex" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at The Crane Theater

Censorship in theater is a hot topic in 2025, with many theaters losing NEA funding for doing plays that allegedly do not align with mandates from this administration. The government is trying to tell artists what kind of plays they can and cannot do, but artists will be artists, and tell the stories they want to tell, even if that has become more difficult. Nearly a hundred years ago, the New York theater scene was also facing censorship, with artists receiving jail time and fines for doing "immoral" plays, and theaters being closed for a year or more. Walking Shadow Theatre Company's new play Mae West and the Trial of Sex chronicles one such battle against censorship, in a story that feels very timely and relevant. See it at the Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through June 22.

"Witch" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Open Eye Theatre

The new play Witch, by Playwrights' Center affiliated writer Jen Silverman (author of The Roommate and The Moors), is an absurd and funny little play that's difficult to describe. It's a loose retelling of the 17th Century play The Witch of Edmonton, which is based on the real-life case of Elizabeth Sawyer, one of tens of thousands of women accused of and executed for being a witch in the middle ages and early modern era across Europe and the US. But the play also focuses on a wealthy landowner and his heirs, and the idea of selling one's soul to the devil, and things take many unexpected turns. The themes of women's agency, and selling your soul to gain power, make this four hundred year old story scarily relevant. Walking Shadow Theatre Company's production is well-executed in the intimate space of Open Eye Theatre, with a talented six-person cast. Witch continues through April 13 (note: "intimate" means small audience, so don't wait too long - some performances are already sold out).

"Red Speedo" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at the Hamline University Pool

Just a few days after seeing an incredible site-specific performance of The Courtroom by Jungle Theater in a Hamline University courtroom classroom (which will be performed at the Jungle for the next few weeks), I returned to the lovely St. Paul campus for another incredible site-specific performance. Walking Shadow Theatre Company (which recently held a Feast at Black Forest Inn) is performing the Lucas Hnath play Red Speedo at Hamline's competitive swimming pool. The play is about a competitive swimmer who admits to his brother that he's been doping, and all of the action takes place at the pool. So why not stage it at a pool?! I love site-specific theater, because half of the work is done for you. You don't have to imagine you're in a courtroom or a pool, because you actually are. Then it's just sit back and enjoy the show as it plays out in a location where the story actually takes place. With Red Speedo, there's a lot to enjoy - a smart and concise script that deals with thorny issues, a strong four-person cast performing just a few feet in front of you, and a realistic and immersive design (caution: you might get splashed). Put on your flip flops and head to the pool weekends through July 1.

"Feast" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at the Black Forest Inn

Walking Shadow Theatre Company's newest production Feast is aptly titled. Yes, you are served a meal in the event space at the Black Forest Inn, a German restaurant on Nicollet in Minneapolis, but that's not the feast I'm talking about. This is a feast of theatrical storytelling delights. This solo play written (and originally performed) by Megan Gogerty is a retelling of the classic story of Beowulf from the point of view of the mother of Grendel, the monster slain by Beowulf. Naturally, the story is a lot different from the perspective of a grieving mother, and the script brilliantly ties this ancient story into modern issues and themes. As director Allison Vincent notes in the playbill, "Sometimes plays speak to the current state of our world. Megan Gogerty's Feast screams at it." Isabel Nelson fully embodies this character, and even though it's only March, I can confidently say that this will prove to be one of the best performances in #TCTheater this year. I recommend getting your tickets now; seating is limited in the space, and word of mouth is going to spread as more people see this show. It continues through April 1 but with only a few performances each weekend, and trust me, you do not want to miss this unique experience.

"The Ugly One" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Open Eye Figure Theatre

The Ugly One (aka Der Häßliche auf Deutsch) is a funny and absurd little play that skewers our obsession with looks, in particular the concepts of "beautiful" and "ugly." Unfortunately the protagonist is an able bodied white male of average height and weight, which is the least likely person to be discriminated against because of looks. In the workplace, women are expected to wear make-up, people of color sometimes can't have natural hairstyles, older people are expected to color their hair to look younger, and people with different body shapes, sizes, or abilities face looks-based discrimination most often. Which makes the story of a man who's so ugly he's overlooked at work seem a little unlikely, but maybe that's the point. Maybe he represents how silly and unfair all looks-based discrimination is. Regardless, Walking Shadow Theatre Company's 70-minute production is well done - delightfully odd, funny, and does make one think about all of the above issues.

"Open" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Off-Leash Art Box

Apologies for the late notice (October was a really busy #TCTheater month), but you have just three more chances to experience a really unique and special show. Walking Shadow's production of Crystal Skillman's new play Open (this is just the second production!) is all around magical storytelling. And such a beautiful and tragic story it tells. In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams as Tom says the stage magician "gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion." This play is definitely the latter. The playwright uses the framework of magic to tell an all too real story of a horrific hate crime. This "illusion" is beautifully realized by the entire team at Walking Shadow and #TCTheater favorite Allison Witham in her best performance to date. If you have a spare 65 minutes this weekend, I can't think of a better way to spend them than with Open (click here for info and tickets).

"Equivocation" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Gremlin Theatre

The subtitle of Bill Cain's play Equivocation could be, It's Hard to Be the Bard. It's hard to be the bard at a time when one of England's longest reigning monarchs to date, who has kept the country relatively stable and supported your artistic career, is gone, and you're dealing with a tumultuous and changing political and religious landscape, with a choice to either support the new ruler and his lies or tell the truth. Can you imagine such a situation?! This is the fictionalized version of true events proposed in the play, in which playwright William Shakespeare (or Shagspeare) is commissioned by the newly crowned King James I to write a play of the recent failed plot to kill the king and members of Parliament, known as the Gunpowder Plot. The play mixes history, religion, theater, and politics in an immensely clever, if a bit too long and involved, way. Walking Shadow Theatre Company's staging of Equivocation, playing at Gremlin Theatre through June 24, is engaging and entertaining (or at least as engaged and entertained as this morning person can be at 10:30 pm).

"Hatchet Lady" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

On a Wednesday night with a nearly full house at the parking-challenged Red Eye Theater, I saw a bizarre and possibly brilliant creation. Walking Shadow's new bio-musical Hatchet Lady about temperance activist Carrie Nation is in some ways neither a biography nor a musical. There is music and it is somewhat about Carrie Nation, but it doesn't follow the structure of any musical I've seen. And that's a good thing. I'm at a bit of a loss how to talk about this one, but if you're looking for music-theater storytelling that is outside of the norm, you might want to try to snag a ticket to one of the few remaining performances. Going into its 3rd and final weekend, it seems to have built up quite a following based on word-of-mouth that has transcended the usual theater crowd. It's a wild 70-minute ride.

"Red Velvet" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Southern Theater

In just four days, I saw two plays in which an actor of color donned white face. A little strange, a little disturbing, but a very good sign that the #TCTheater community is telling some important and relevant stories right now. Mu's Charles Francis Chan Jr.'s Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery deals head on with the practice of yellow face and Asian American stereotypes in media, while paying homage to real life pioneers of Asian American theater. Walking Shadow's Red Velvet deals with art, politics, and race in theater while telling the story of a real life pioneer of African American theater who had a successful career doing Shakespeare in Europe in the 19th Century. Both plays provide astute social commentary through historical stories that are also engaging and entertaining, and are both well worth seeing.

"Marie Antoinette" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

It's rare that an audience audibly gasps when the actors first walk on stage at the beginning of a play, but when that play is Walking Shadow's luscious and brutal production of the new play historical Marie Antoinette, and the actors are wearing pastel colored three-foot tall wigs like cotton candy and dresses as wide as they are tall, it's an entirely appropriate reaction. But what starts as a satire of a frivolous life of cakes and dresses (like an 18th Century Keeping up with the Kardashians), turns into a desperate story of survival as the French Revolution puts an end to that lifestyle. Playwright David Adjmi uses modern language to tell this historical story, which makes it seem like it could be happening today (despite the fantastic period costumes). Queens are experiencing a bit of a pop culture rise right now (see Netflix's The Crown and PBS' Victoria), and Marie Antoinette fits right in with those two excellent works that show us another side of the monarch we think we know.

"The River" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Open Eye Theatre

If your new boyfriend invites you to his cabin to go fly fishing in a river by the sea, just say no. That's what I learned from Walking Shadow's The River. This seemingly happy new relationship takes an unsettling, unexpected, and vaguely creepy turn over the course of 90 minutes. I don't want to say too much about what happens, because the discovery and the figuring it out is half the fun of this play. Or maybe fun isn't the right word. But this fascinating exploration of love and relationships, with strong performances by the cast, fluid unhurried direction, and a spot-on detailed set is definitely entertaining.

"The Christians" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Mixed Blood Theatre

Why do we believe what we believe? Can our beliefs change? What happens when those we love don't believe the same things we believe? How important is it to find a group of people that believe in the same things you do? These are just a few of the questions raised by Walking Shadow Theatre Company's excellent production of the thought-provoking play The Christians. In just 90 minutes or so, we witness the pastor of a hugely successful church lose everything because he preaches what he believes, which contradicts the teachings of the church, causing everyone in his life to reexamine their beliefs as well. And it just might have this same effect on the audience.

"A Midwinter Night's Revel" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

'Tis the season for holiday shows. The true and ancient reason for the season is the coming darkness of the Winter Solstice, so Walking Shadow Theatre Company's contribution to the holiday theater season seems most appropriate. A Midwinter Night's Revel, a sort of sequel to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (on glorious display at the Guthrie earlier this year), is a celebration of the darkness of the season, and the waiting and hoping that carries us through it to the sunnier days ahead. In fact this Shakespearean sequel, written and directed by Walking Shadow Artistic Directors John Heimbuch and Amy Rummenie, respectively, is so successful in recreating the characters and tone of the original, albeit it a bit darker and more bittersweet as appropriate to the setting of WWI-era England, that I wonder why we haven't seen more such sequels. I suspect it's not as easy as the cast and creative team of A Midwinter Night's Revel make it look. It may be true that it's hard to be the Bard, but you wouldn't know it from this delightful show.

The 2015 Ivey Awards at the State Theatre

On Monday night I attended my 9th Ivey Awards. Yes, even before I started Cherry and Spoon in 2010 and started getting press tickets to the event in 2013, I was still a theater geek (read all the words I've written about the Iveys here). The Ivey Awards are my favorite theater night of the year, not so much for the awards themselves, but because it's a celebration of another year of amazing local theater that gathers all of my favorite theater artists in one room. Even though I've met many of them, I still get starstruck when I walk through the crowd and every other face I see is someone I've enjoyed watching on stage. I love to watch awards shows on TV so it's a thrill to get all glammed up and actually attend one in person. I even painted my toenails with a glittery green called "One Short Day" - appropriate because of its musical theater geekiness and and because this event that I look forward to all year goes by in a whirlwind of people and honorees and loud music and conversations. And now it's over for another year, but more great theater is still to come which we will be celebrating next year!

The super talented Christina Baldwin and Regina Marie Williams hosted this year's awards ceremony. They performed a funny and topical musical opening number, did bits and introductions throughout the show, and closed with Regina dressed as a nun (she's playing the Whoopi Goldberg role in Sister Act at the Chanhassen this fall) and Christina dressed as a WWII Army soldier from Sisters of Swing (get it - they're both sisters!). The awards were presented by past winners and representatives from the night's sponsors. In between awards we were treated to scenes from musicals and plays from the last year.

The Iveys don't have set categories and nominees, rather they award exceptional work wherever they see it. This year 11 awards were given out, representing 12 productions. I saw all but two of them - perhaps my highest percentage to date! And the winners are:

1. Walking Shadow Theatre Company's WWII drama Gabriel, about which I said "so captivating, horrifying, chilling, and completely engaging that it hangs with you well after you leave the theater."
2. Steve Tyler for music direction of the gorgeous Pirates of Penzance at the Ordway
3. Shá Cage for her "tour de force" performance in the one-woman show Grounded by Frank Theatre
4. One of the two honored shows I missed was Green T Productions' Prince Rama's Journey, for which Joko Surtisno was honored for music direction
5. Claudia Wilkins and Barbara Kingsley for their work in Gertrude Stein and a Companion at the Jungle, a show they've performed in several times over the last 20 years, prompting Claudia to say "maybe this time we got it right!"
6. The lovely and charming dancing couple Brian Sostek and Megan McClellan for their delightful, funny, and innovative creation Trick Boxing, seen many times on many stages around the country but most recently at Park Square Theatre
7. Another show I missed, Nothing is Something at Open Eye Figure Theatre
8. The ensemble of Pillsbury House Theatre's Marcus, or the Secret of Sweet, seen at the Guthrie studio last fall
9. Peter Rothstein wins again (deservedly), this time for his direction of Ten Thousand Things' Romeo and Juliet
10. Matthew LeFebre was doubly awarded for his costume design of The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Jungle and A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie (both remounts)
11. Last but not least, Live Action Set was honored for the super creepy and very real production design of the walk-through experience that was Crime and Punishment at the Soap Factory

Every year Ivey honors an artist at the beginning of her or his career and one who is further into their career and has made many contributions to the local theater scene over a number of years. This year's Emerging Artist had already been honored as part of the cast of Marcus (my first thought was Nathan Barlow, but nope, maybe next year) - Mikell Sapp. I've seen him a couple of times on stage and definitely taken notice; I look forward to seeing more of him. In perhaps the only predictable award of the night, recently retired 20-year Artistic Director of the Guthrie Joe Dowling received the Lifetime Achievement Award. He was beautifully celebrated in a grand gala and performance earlier this year, and it was nice to once again celebrate his accomplishments over the last 20 years.

The performances are often the funnest part of the night. This year they included a pre-show warm-up by the beautiful, talented, and athletic young men of Mixed Blood Theatre's Colossal. We also got a brief history of the Iveys from the Church Basement Ladies (celebrating their 10th anniversary this year at Plymouth Playhouse). Next, a couple of past Emerging Artists performed. Ricardo Vázquez led the cast of History Theatre's River Road Boogie in Minnesota rock & roller Augie Garcia's appropriately titled big hit "Ivy League Baby" (Ricardo can currently be seen at Park Square in the moving and powerful portrait of a soldier, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue). And in the most adorable moment of the night, Tyler Michaels and the cutest lost boys ever bounced around the stage singing "I Won't Grow Up," from Children's Theatre Company's delightful Peter Pan (watch Tyler take on another iconic role in Theater Latte Da's Sweeney Todd, opening at the Ritz this weekend). Not all the performances were musicals; we also saw a montage of scenes from four excellent plays - Jeffrey Hatcher's Hamlet (the playwright's latest work, the musical Glensheen, can be seen at History Theatre beginning next weekend), Thurgood (the previous two plays both presented at Illusion Theatre), Penumbra's Detroit '67, and Frank Theatre's Grounded (giving the audience a taste of why Shá Cage received the Ivey). The always sobering and poignant In Memoriam section was accompanied by a lovely song "We Are the Wandering Wondering" from the new original musical Jonah and the Whale by 7th House Theatre (who are presenting another new original musical at the Guthrie studio this winter). In what has come to be one of the most cleverly entertaining segments of the show, Shade's Brigade managed to work all of the sponsors into their radio drama. The disgruntled princess of Casting Spells' Disenchanted sang a (not so) happy tune, and the evening was brought to a delightful close with Ann Michels and the cast of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' Mary Poppins singing and dancing their way through "Supercalifragilisticexpialodocious!" And then it was time for the party!

One of my favorite things in this past year is that I've gotten to know several of my fellow bloggers. We're a strange breed, and it's nice to know that other people understand the stress, obsession, and pure joy of being a theater blogger in this town. Last night I had such fun hanging out with Laura (One Girl Two Cities), Stephanie (phenoMNal twin cities), Julie (Minnesota Theater Love), Todd (l'etoile), and Kendra (Artfully Engaging) - check them out! I also had the great pleasure of chatting with many of my favorite theater artists, including but not limited to: Sally Wingert working the check-in at the pre-show party (see her as Mrs. Lovett in Theater Latte Da's Sweeney Todd opening this weekend); Kim Kivens handing out programs at the State (one of The Realish Housewives of Edina, opening at the New Century Theatre this weekend); Adam Qualls (with whom I geeked out about the new musical Glensheen that he's in, opening at History Theatre next weekend); Rachel Weber (whom I will see Dancing at Lughnasa at Yellow Tree tonight); Ivey winner Shá Cage (go see her powerful one-woman show U/G/L/Y at the Guthrie this weekend!); Sam Landman (who seems to have recovered well from his recent health scare); and the Nature people (who totally deserve an Ivey, be sure to catch one of the last two stops on their 2015 tour). There were more people I wanted to talk to but my feet were not getting along with my beautiful golden shoes, so my night had come to end shortly before midnight, just like Cinderella.

So there you have it. Another year of brilliant, funny, clever, challenging, strange, delightful theater, and another wonderful celebration of these beautiful cities we are lucky enough to call home. Were all of my favorite shows from this past year honored? Of course not, but you'll have to wait until my end of the year wrap-up in December for more on that. Until then - happy theater-going!


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.


P.S. ICYMI, here's the Cherry and Spoon Twitter feed from Awards night:

"The Coward" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

Nick Jones' 2010 play The Coward is a spoof of that gentlemanly period in England when it was appropriate, nay necessary, to challenge a man to a duel if he in any way besmirched your honor. It's a play with a lot of men fighting, and one woman to fawn over them as they fight. Walking Shadow Theatre Company has turned this idea on its head, casting women in all the male roles and a man in the one female role. It's an interesting twist that makes these proud and silly men look even more silly, maybe because we all know women are too smart to get involved in such petty and deadly disputes. It all amounts to a lot of bloody good fun.

The young gentleman Lucidus is pressured by his father to participate in duels to defend the family honor (which, by the way, got his two older brothers killed). But Lucidus would much rather classify butterflies by their beauty or go on a pie-tasting picnic with his friends, dressed in top hats and tails. He eventually agrees to a duel, but is afraid to fight it. He goes to the town pub to hire a man to fight for him, and finds Henry, who is happy to fight as long as he can do it by his rules. I don't want to spoil the outcome of the duel, but when there's a "blood designer" and two "blood assistants" listed in the credits, it's safe to say there will be blood. And lots of it. Henry gets a taste for dueling as Lucidus, and begins challenging people all over town, much to Lucidus' dismay. The situation gets even worse when Lucidus' father discovers the ruse and decides he likes Henry better, and adopts him as his son while disowning Lucidus. Lucidus agrees to one final momentous battle to settle the matter once and for all.

Linda Sue Anderson, Briana Patnode, Suzie Juul, and
Shelby Rose Richardson (photo by Dan Norman)

This wonderful cast of women (and one man) gleefully revels in the concept and the bloodletting, under the direction of Walking Shadow's co-Artistic Director Amy Rummenie. The always excellent Briana Patnode makes Lucidus likeable despite his cowardice. Jean Wolff is strong and pompous as his stern father, and Charlotte Calvert is a delight as the duel-loving Henry. Also having great fun are Suzie Juul and Shelby Rose Richardson as Lucidus' pals, and Chase Burns, the lone man in the cast, as Lucidus' haughty love interest. Last but not least, Linda Sue Anderson is a hoot as an addled old man and Lucidus' loyal butler.

This very pretty and proper set, in shades of red and pink surrounded by a in gilt frame (designed by Eli Schlatter), becomes the backdrop for some beautifully disgusting blood flow. Let's hope they have a dry cleaner on standby for Sara Wilcox's gorgeously rich costumes.

The Coward is a silly, fun, lighthearted romp through proper English duels, highlighting just how ridiculous the concept is, with a terrific cast that appears to be having as much fun as the audience. Playing through February 28 in the Red Eye Theater.

"Gabriel" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage

As I left the theater yesterday afternoon, I clutched my sweater close around me to ward off the chill. Not the chill in the crisp fall air, but the chill from the play I had just seen - Walking Shadow's Gabriel. This story about a little known facet of WWII history is so captivating, horrifying, chilling, and completely engaging that it hangs with you well after you leave the theater. The excellent cast and realistic set make you feel like you're right there, as this family fights for survival on a Nazi-occupied British island. It's only playing for one more weekend, but it's well worth it if you can make it. You won't soon forget this beautifully done, powerful play.

It's 1943 on the island of Guernsey, a British Island just off the coast of France. After the British troops abandoned it and much of the population fled to England, the Germans occupied it without a fight, leaving the remaining population to live under their rule. They've watched their homes and cities be taken over by the Nazis, with rumors of "camps" striking fear into their hearts. One particular family, consisting of the widow Mrs. Becquet, her young daughter Estelle, her secretly Jewish daughter-in-law Lily (son Miles is a pilot in the British army), and their housekeeper Mrs. Lake, has recently moved out of their home, which is now serving as a barracks for the German soldiers, and into a small cottage. They do what they can to survive, including selling food on the black market and Mrs. Becquet making nice with the officers. Two things threaten this delicate balance - the arrival of a new Nazi commander, von Pfunz, who is smarter and more vicious than he seems, and a naked and unconscious young man washed up on the beach, whom Lily brings home. The mystery of just who this young man is, whom they call Gabriel, lingers throughout the play. In fact we never find out for certain who he is, but his presence changes things for everyone involved. Estelle thinks he's an angel who has come to save them from the Nazis, Mrs. Lake calls him "my boy" and tenderly cares for him, Lily sees in him the husband gone so long she can barely remember him, Mrs. Becquet finds him a dangerous nuisance and wants him out of her house, and von Pfunz suspects he's a German due to his fluent speech (there are several conversations in beautiful German). What enfolds as Gabriel tries to remember who he is and Mrs. Becquet tries to save her family from the evil von Pfunz will keep you on the edge of your seat.

a strong little girl in saddle shoes stands up to a Nazi
(Katherine Kupiecki, Lily Wangerin, and Wade A. Vaughn,
photo by Dan Norman)

There is not a weak link in this excellent six-person cast, beautifully directed by Amy Rummenie. Katherine Kupiecki is the proud and haughty Mrs. Becquet, who may not seem like the best mother but will do whatever she has to to protect her family, however distasteful. Janet Paone is a welcome comic relief as Mrs. Lake, who's as much a part of this family as any of them. Miriam Schwartz brings both strength and vulnerability to the role of Lily, who sees something in this strange young man, portrayed by Ross Destiche as a lost soul with innate goodness in him. Wade A. Vaughn gives yet another brilliant and fully committed performance as the Nazi commander von Pfunz, an evil, twisted, disturbed man, outwardly charming, quietly threatening, and a menace to them all. Last but certainly not least is star in the making Lily Wangerin, who can't be more than ten years old but holds her own with these professionals. Adorably precocious and spirited, she's so present and engaged in every moment, and impressively goes toe-to-toe with Wade in an intense interrogation scene. It's a heavy play and a large role for a little girl, and she handles it gracefully. The entire cast works and plays together very well, and has a great chemistry. Their playground is the realistic and detailed cottage set by Steve Kath, including a kitchen with working sink, stocked pantry, and stove, and an attic bedroom.

Head to the Theatre Garage this weekend for one of the four remaining performances of Gabriel to see this chilling, mesmerizing, beautifully acted play. It's a bit long at nearly three hours with intermission, but it doesn't feel long; every moment is captivating and gripping. It's just devastating, and truly one of the best plays I've seen recently.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"The Odyssey" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Open Eye Figure Theatre

Charlie Bethel's one-man version of The Odyssey, which he adapted and performs, is an eye opener (no pun intended). I of course was familiar with the Greek epic poem from high school and college lit classes - you remember, it's the the one about the ten-year long sea voyage involving the one-eye Cyclops, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, the evil Circe (Cersei?) who turned men into pigs, the dangerous call of the Sirens, etc. etc. But this version allowed me to see the story in a whole new light. In two hour-long acts, Charlie spins this tale like a master storyteller, making it fun and accessible and compelling. He makes no pretense of the fact that he's telling a story to us, and in that sense it feels like the most ancient form of theater - storytelling. We could have been sitting around a fire or in a cave, except for the modern language mixed with traditional phrasing.

A quick primer for those of you who don't remember your high school or college lit class, The Odyssey recounts the journey of Odysseus as he endeavors to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War (the subject of another excellent one-man show, An Iliad, starring Stephen Yoakam at the Guthrie last year). Odysseus angers the gods, and they curse him to wander the seas for ten years before he finally makes it home after losing all of his men and ships, only to find his house filled with suitors eating his food and wooing his wife Penelope. It's a story that's filled with much tragedy, as Odysseus watches his men being eaten by a variety of ogres and perishing in the sea, but this version is quite light-hearted. Charlie tells it with a wink at the audience, skipping over parts, giving us hints of what's to come, and pausing the story to explain inside jokes.
His carefully metered speech is a thrill to listen to, every gesture and movement meaningful, as he casts us under his spell. He makes direct eye contact with the audience, thanks us for getting a joke, and encourages us to recite the phrase "rosy-fingered dawn" along with him. He leads us through all of Odysseus' travails, playing all the roles, and casting Odysseus as a bit too curious and bold for his own good. It ends with a poignant reunion as Penelope finally welcomes back her Odysseus, after testing him to make sure he's really who he says he is. The moral of the story is, "You don't give up, because someone needs you bad."

Charlie Bethel spins the tale of Odysseus
(photo by Dan Norma

The small stage at Open Eye is as crowded as I've seen it. Filled with stacks of books, chests and blocks of wood, a classic column, and a ladder that serves to give height to the Cyclops, which tipped on its side functions as a boat. Each prop has its place in the storytelling - a pile of ancient looking paper thrown in the air becomes a hurricane, a worn piece of fabric becomes a scarf or a sail.

I just happened to attend on a night with ASL interpretation, and even though I don't understand the language, it was almost as fascinating to watch the theatrical performance of Claire Alexander as she translated the words into moving poetry as it was to watch Charlie on stage.

Charlie Bethel's unique version of The Odyssey is produced by Walking Shadow Theatre Company and continues through April 6. Check it out for an entertaining journey through a familiar story.

"Schiller's Mary Stuart" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

There's nothing crazier than the history of the British monarchy. The complicated line of succession in the Renaissance era is an example of "truth is stranger than fiction." The many instances of murders, coups, beheadings, declarations of illegitimacy, and incest constitute more drama and intrigue than any soap opera ever could. Therefore it's great fodder for historical fiction today (e.g., the recent miniseries The White Queen) and in times past. In 1800 German playwright Friedrich Schiller wrote a play called Mary Stuart about the Scottish queen, who was imprisoned by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I because she was a threat to the throne. Walking Shadow Theatre Company is presenting a new adaption of the play by Peter Oswald, and the result is a delicious and hearty meal.

Queen Mary comes from a troubled past - ascending to the Scottish throne at 6 days old, growing up in France, married to the king until his death, and returning to Scotland, where she might have had her new husband killed and then married the man who killed him. After this latest scandal, she sought sanctuary in England with her cousin Queen Elizabeth, but because the Catholics of England saw Mary as the rightful ruler, Elizabeth had her imprisoned for nearly 20 years. This play takes place near the end of those years, as Mary pleads for her release and Elizabeth debates Mary's fate with her advisers. Over the course of nearly three hours, we watch the schemes and politics of these two queens unfold and crumble, until only one is left standing. It's really quite gripping, and it doesn't feel like a 200 year old play about events that happened 400+ years ago, but rather feels fresh and dramatic and almost modern.

Queen Mary (Jennifer Maren)
pleads for her life from
Queen Elizabeth (Sherry Jo Ward)

The best part of this production is the excellent acting by the entire 13-person company. It's such a treat to just sit there and watch the skill of these artists as they play out this complicated tale. At the top are Jennifer Maren and Sherry Jo Ward as the Queens Mary and Elizabeth, both strong and regal and sympathetic, so that I found it difficult to choose sides between the two. Jean Wolff is wonderfully Mrs. Hughes-like as Mary's staunch supporter, friend, and ladies maid. Other standouts include Adam Whisner as Mary's firm but ultimately kind captor, and Dustin Bronson and Peter Ooley as Mary's (or Elizabeth's?) suitors.

The second best part of this production are the gorgeous costumes, which are not 16th century period costumes, but have more of a mid-20th century classic look. The men are dapper in suits and hats, but the women truly shine in stunning dresses. I love it when a dress comes out and takes my breath away with its beauty, and that happened several times in this play (costumes by Lori Opsal). Michael Hoover's classic and simple set design of multiple arches and opaque windows is a perfect backdrop for the complicated story and large cast.

Schiller's Mary Stuart is not a short play, coming in at nearly three hours with intermission, so be prepared for that. But it's a gripping, fascinating, and intriguing true(ish) story about two powerful women, with excellent performances by the entire cast. If you're an Anglophile, or if you just like great drama, this one's for you (playing now through March 1 at the Red Eye Theater, with discount tickets available on Goldstar).

"Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage

Irish playwright and poet Oscar Wilde is famous for his professional life - such plays as The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband - and his personal life - he was tried for and convicted of "gross indecency," i.e., homosexuality, which was illegal in England at the time (late 19th century). The latter is the subject of the play Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. It's a very well-constructed play; playwright Moisés Kaufman combines the actual transcripts from the trial with quotes from related newspaper articles, biographies, and auto-biographies to tell the story in a very real and vibrant way. Walking Shadow Theater Company has assembled an excellent nine-man cast (directed by a woman, co-Artistic Director Amy Rummenie) to play a few dozen characters in Oscar Wilde's universe. This is not an easy play, it requires the audience's attention and participation. It took me a little while to get used to the structure of the play, in which the source of each new quote is cited by someone in the ensemble, but once I did I found it to be a fascinating exploration of ideas.

In the first of the three trials, Oscar sues the father of his lover, Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas, for libel after he left a card at his club calling him a "posing sodomite" (what a civilized way of insulting someone). Oscar's attorney puts up a good case, but when they learn that the defense is going to call several young men as witnesses to testify against Oscar that could result in him being prosecuted for gross indecency, he withdraws the case. Too late - he's immediately arrested and tried. The second trial, against Oscar this time, results in a hung jury. The third and final trial results in Oscar being convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. He suffers injury and illness while in prison, from which he never recovers; he dies just a few years later, in exile in Paris. Oscar has several opportunities to leave the country during this process to escape trial and imprisonment. But he chooses to stay and fight an unjust law, and to stand up for his ideals of art and aestheticism. He argues that he is a poet and an artist, and that his love for Bosie is pure and misunderstood. Unfortunately Oscar's story has a tragic ending, but it provides for a very thought-provoking and engrossing night at the theater, exploring ideas still relevant today.

Oscar (Craig Johnson) and Bosie
(Casey Hoekstra, photo by Dan Norman)

Leading that excellent nine-man cast I mentioned is Craig Johnson, who gives a rich, layered performance as Oscar. At times funny and flippant, at times hurt and delicate, at other times strong and confident. He is sympathetic and entertaining, from the way he smooths his hair to the expression on his face as he silently listens to his accusers. Casey Hoekstra is as charming as Bosie as he was in last year's Summer and Smoke. You can feel Bosie's love for Oscar, despite the fact that he conveniently leaves the country to avoid prosecution himself. Even thought Bosie is not present for Oscar's second and third trials, he's there in spirit and memory and letters, as he haunts the edge of the stage, watching the proceedings with growing agitation. I hesitate to call out anyone in the ensemble, most of whom are on stage for the entire play and ably play all of the roles and accents given to them. But I will mention a few personal favorites - Bryan Porter is very entertaining as he relishes every diverse role and accent he plays; Alex Brightwell gives a moving closing speech as well as portraying Oscar's friend and fellow writer George Bernard Shaw; and David Beukema displays great range as everyone from Queen Victoria to a bewigged judge to a modern Oscar Wilde scholar.

The Minneapolis Theatre Garage is one of my favorite smaller theater spaces in the cities. It's a great blank slate in which worlds can be created, with the audience close and intimate as actors often wander through the aisles. Set designer Steve Kath has turned it into a courtroom, with a railinged judge's bench, a movable witness box, tables and benches, and books piled in corners. Costume designer E. Amy Hill has done a great job replicating Oscar's outfit in the photo on the cover of the playbill, down to the fur collar and walking stick. All of the characters are in equally meticulous period garb.

This is the kind of play I like. It's challenging, thought-provoking, historical yet relevant, and engrossing, the kind of play that'll leave you with lots to think about and ponder as you leave the theater. And it's well-written, well-acted, and with great attention to detail in the set and costumes and direction. If this is the kind of play you like too, you have four more chances to see it, this Wednesday through Saturday at the Theatre Garage in Minneapolis.

Alex Brightwell and the cast of Gross Indecency
(photo by Dan Norman)

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Walking Shadow Theatre Company at Red Eye Theater

Last night I walked into Red Eye Theater (a new venue for me) to find the large open stage area strewn with dried leaves, backed by a fence with bare trees painted on it. It set the scene for a delightfully spooktacular and silly story to play out in an innovative way - Walking Shadow Theatre Company's new version of the short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. While parts of it I didn't quite get as much as the rest of the audience seemed to (similar to how I feel when I try to watch Saturday Night Live - I just don't get it), there are also parts that I found to be funny and whimsical and clever. Written by co-Artistic Director John Heimbuch and directed by Jon Ferguson, it's inventive and creative storytelling, which I always applaud.

You all know this story - 18th century schoolteacher Ichabod Crane arrives in the small New England community called Sleepy Hollow. The town is full of ghost stories and legends, including the one about the headless horseman who haunts the woods. Ichabod vies with a local man Brom Bones for the affection of the lovely young Katrina Van Tassel, and soon becomes a ghost story himself when he supposedly encounters the horseman and disappears without a trace. Walking Shadow tells this story with exaggerated dramatic effect - audible gasps, extreme facial expressions, and wild gestures - which makes it more campy and funny than scary.

Things I enjoyed about the show:

• The set and costume design are fantastic and really couldn't be better. Erica Zaffarano's set and props (the aforementioned leaf-strewn floor and bare tree fence) are simple and natural and creative - a stack of books for a chair in the schoolhouse, sticks and branches to form a horse. Lori Opsal's costumes are gorgeously distressed and dusty, looking authentic but aged. The hair and make-up is the icing on the cake, the pale faces and dark eyes and lips of the actors accentuating their already over-the-top reactions.
• At the Sunday church service, the ensemble sings a wonderfully dark hymn, "Death! 'Tis a melancholy day, To those who have no God."
• Ryan Lear is fantastic as Ichabod, he really embodies this character and is a delight to watch. He's backed by a great ensemble (many of whom helped create the piece in its first incarnation at the Jon Hassler Theater in 2010), including Brant Miller as the bully Brom, Joanna Harmon as the ghoulish coquette Katrina, and Casey Hoekstra as the enthusiastic preacher.
• All of the physical storytelling bits are really clever and effective - the various ways of representing the horse and horseman, the strange little puppet show, the wind blowing Ichabod's coat, and my favorite, Ichabod and Katrina's walk through the woods while remaining stationary in space, with one or the other falling behind when the conversation gets tricky.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow continues through this weekend only. Check it out for something different.

Ryan Lear as Ichabod Crane, with the wind blowing his coat