Musical Mondays at Hell's Kitchen, September 2014

If you haven't been down to Hell's Kitchen on the first Monday of the month, you're missing some great musical theater fun. BFFs (and authors of the charming auto-biographical musical Fruit Fly) Max Wojtanowicz and Sheena Janson invite a few of their friends, who just happen to also be super talented singer/actors, to sing a few songs cabaret style centered around a different theme each month. It's kind of an insider event, with the majority of the audience being actors themselves, which means it's a great chance for theater-goers like you and me to see a good show and also perhaps spot some of your favorite actors sitting at the table next to you. If you've never been, I highly encourage you to like their Facebook page (where each month's themes and scheduled performers are posted, as well as the song list the following day) and check it out sometime.

This month's theme was rock musicals, and so of course the music director/ accompanist was Jason Hansen, the go-to guy for rock musicals. When I think rock musical, I think Hair (the original rock musical), RENT, Next to Normal*, Spring Awakening, etc. But Musical Mondays doesn't usually serve up the expected; they dig a little deeper and often choose newer hipper selections rather than classics. So sadly there was no Hair or RENT, but instead we heard Heathers, Bonnie and Clyde, and 35MM. The full set list is available on Musical Mondays' Facebook page; I'll just share a few highlights here.

• Two songs from Footloose?  Come on guys, you know that's not a real musical, right? But I'll allow it, because Suzie Juul singing "Let's Hear It For the Boy" was about the cutest thing I've ever seen. She never stops being adorable, and not only that, she has a killer voice with impeccable control, that she seemingly effortlessly transforms to fit whatever she's singing.
• Once is a rock musical? Folk-rock, I guess. Either way, any chance I get to hear the brilliant music of my favorite musician Glen Hansard, I'll take it. Despite never having seen the musical or the lovely little movie upon which it was based, Randy Schmeling sang a beautiful rendition of the song "Leave." It's such a great song, gritty and raw and emotional, with the rough edges smoothed out by Randy's pretty voice.
• It should be noted that Philip Matthews was the only performer who got up on stage with no sheet music. He had all these songs, and one suspects, many more, in his head. Rather than doing a song from the rock musical he starred in this summer, he sang a selection of quirky songs, with great power, emotion, and charm.
• There was a time when Zoe Pappas was in everything, but after playing the title role in Theater Latte Da's Evita four years ago, she disappeared. I wondered where she went, and now I know the answer: Hawaii. She was briefly back in town, and it was great to see and her hear again. She did a couple duets with the boys, and beautifully and emotionally performed a Jason Robert Brown song "I'm Not Afraid."
• The talented young Ryan London Levin sang a couple of songs from musicals I'm not familiar with: "Raise a Little Hell" from Bonnie and Clyde, and "The Streets of Dublin" from A Man of No Importance. He's got a great voice and I'm looking forward to watching him grow as a performer.
• I've saved the best for last: Erin Schwab. This woman is so crazy talented - hilarious, with a powerhouse voice that can make you cry as well as laugh, and just all around entertaining. On Monday night she cracked me up just with the way she took the stage, and then brought me to tears with a lovely rendition of "Wicked Little Town" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She also brought the house down with "Love Will Stand when All Else Fails" from Memphis. I need to see her cabaret show sometime, because I'm certain it would be fantastic.

Finally, as a special treat, Ann Michels and Matt Riehle performed a couple of songs from my favorite new musical from this year - Sweet Land, based on the beautiful Minnesota-made film. I attended a reading of the show this spring and was so impressed by how the creators (book by Perrin Post, lyrics by Laurie Flanigan Hegge, and music by Dina Maccabee) retained what was so special about the film while adding music that feels organic and only enriches the storytelling. They're continuing to work on the piece and hope to have another reading sometime next year. Visit the Sweet Land musical website or become a fan of their Facebook page for more information about the piece, future productions, and how you can help with the next phase of development.

In the meantime, mark your calendar for Monday October 6, when Musical Mondays will return to Hell's Kitchen with another bunch of talented performers singing about things that scare them. (Dare I hope for some Sweeney Todd?)

the cast of Musical Mondays: Randy, Erin, Suzie, Ryan, Zoe, and Philip

*If you have never seen the Pulitzer Prize winning rock musical Next to Normal, you're in luck! There will be two productions of it this season - at Bloomington Civic Theatre in October and at Yellow Tree Theatre next spring. Pick whichever is geographically more convenient, or see them both as I plan to!

"The Underpants" at Theatre in the Round

A German farce adapted by legendary funny man Steve Martin and directed by our own funny woman Shanan Custer? Count me in! This combination promises much hilarity, and Theatre in the Round's production of The Underpants delivers solidly on that promise. This brisk 90 minutes of crazy hijinks that ensue after a woman's underpants fall to her ankles in public is actually quite a brilliant satire of societal gender norms and sexual mores of the time; Carl Sternheim's script was banned shortly after it premiered in 1910. The six-person cast is excellent in line delivery and physical flourishes. Shanan's zany and flustered yet real and grounded comedy style is all over this piece, and makes for a highly entertaining afternoon (or evening) at the theater.

Louise Maske is innocently watching the King's parade when, by some fluke, her underpants (or what we might today call bloomers) fall to her ankles. It causes quite a stir in the town, and her husband Theo much embarrassment. He's a respected clerk of the King, he can't have people looking at him and thinking about what's under his wife's skirt! Two men who saw the underpants incident are completely taken by it, and decide to rent a room in the Maske home. A gentleman poet by the name of Versati falls instantly in love, and Louise, with the help of upstairs neighbor Gertrude, decides to have an affair with him. Unfortunately he's more in love with love and poetry than he is with Louise. The sickly barber Cohen loves Louise too, and blissfully unaware Theo takes him under his wing, vowing to fatten him up and return him to health. When a stern and stooped older gentleman named Klinglehoff also wants to rent a room, Louise assumes he's after the same thing. Finally even the King stops by to pay a visit. The underpants have caused quite a stir in the Maskes' life.

Louise (Amy Pirkl) with her suitors
(photo by Richard Fleishman)

The show is perfectly cast, with each member bringing life to their character and the fast and funny dialogue: John T. Zeiler reveling in the selfish and sexist husband, Amy Pirkl charming and likeable as the bored wife looking for more, Jean Wolff stealing scenes as the nosy neighbor, Nic Delcambre polished and smooth as the flowerly and elegant Versati, David Schlosser adorably awkward as the nebbishy Cohen, and Eric Marinus Nelson with brief hilarious entrances as Klinglehoff. As usual, great use is made of the round stage space with seats on all sides, not a bad view among them. The floor is checkered with dingy red and white tiles (reminding me of the kitchen at my Grandpa's old farmhouse) spiraling to the center, with vintage kitchen equipment along one side and a few benches and chairs around the circle (set design by Gabriel Gomez).

The Underpants is the first show in Theatre in the Round's 63rd season (BTW they're the oldest theater company in town), and continues weekends through the end of the month. Check it out for a sharp, fun, witty, wacky romp.

"The Glass Menagerie" at Lyric Arts

Tennessee Williams is one of America's greatest playwrights, and his most auto-biographical play, The Glass Menagerie, is an American classic and one of my favorite plays. All of William's plays are beautifully tragic, and this story of a fading Southern belle and her two misfit children is no exception. Lyric Arts in Anoka is opening their 2014-2015 season with this classic, and it's a fine production, although it didn't quite touch me as deeply as others have in the past. They played up the comedy a little too much for my taste; while there are some great one-liners, I like my Tennessee Williams dark and gloomy. Still, the cast does a fine job, and there are some wonderful musical effects and an interesting use of video projections. And The Glass Menagerie is always a play worth seeing, with it's stark and tragic beauty.

The Glass Menagerie is a "memory play," in which Tom (a stand-in for Williams himself) is a character in the play and also narrates from some time in the future. The play is therefore cast in nostalgia, wistfulness, and regret. The aforementioned fading Southern belle is Amanda Wingfield, one of Williams' best characters. She lives with her two adult children in a small apartment in St. Louis in the late 1930s. Tom dutifully supports the family by working at a shoe factory, where he feels stifled and bored with life. Laura has a slight physical impairment that has caused her to become reclusive, wanting nothing more than to stay in the apartment, listen to records on the Victrola, and arrange her glass figurines, her menagerie. Amanda is constantly nagging her children - telling Tom how to chew his food and how to sit at the table, cajoling Laura into leaving the house to attend business school or entertain a "gentleman caller." Because she's unhappy with the way her life turned out (her charming grinning husband left her with two children to raise), she talks constantly of her glorious past and happy youth. She wants Laura to be as popular as she was, but Laura is nothing like her, and the time and place in which they live is nothing like the one in which she came of age. When a gentleman caller finally arrives, "the long-delayed but always expected something that we live for," there is hope for a moment. But the experiment fails miserably, Tom leaves the family to find his fortune in the world, and Laura is left with her glass menagerie. Part of the tragedy is that Amanda really does want her children to be happy and successful, as she wishes on the moon, but she has no idea how to help them achieve that in this modern, Northern, and utterly foreign world.

Tom (Ty Hudson) and Laura (Samantha Haeli)

The Wingfield home is sparsely furnished, with just a hint of the outer walls and terrace where the family goes to smoke and gaze at the moon. Melancholy music plays at just the right moments, as Tom's narration makes you feel like you're peeking into a faded photo album of days long past. The video projections play on four broken pieces hanging above the stage, like the Wingfiends' broken lives. I'm not sure it's entirely necessary to see a candle flame or blue roses when such things are mentioned, but the effect is relatively subtle. The most successful is the photo of the long gone Mr. Wingfield, whose handsome grinning face hangs eerily over the family. As Amanda, Patti J. Hynes-McCarthy is fluttery and flustered and never stops moving, which is just how Amanda should be. Ty Hudson's Tom is boisterous and angry, outwardly expressing his frustrations with the situation. Samantha Haeli has the physical limp, hesitant voice, and lack of selficonfidence that is Laura, and also shows her beginning to open up in her own awkward way. Finally, as that all important gentleman caller, Randy Niles portrays All-American charm and confidence (not unlike his character in Picnic), a stark contrast to the rest of the family.

The Glass Menagerie continues through September 21, with discount tickets available on Goldstar.

"The Mystery of Irma Vep" at the Jungle Theater

Vampires, werewolves, Egyptian mummies, English moors, haunted portraits, a sophisticated Lord and Lady, an Irish maid, a Scottish stable hand, and a euphonium. Mix it all up and you have the ridiculous and hugely entertaining farce that is The Mystery of Irma Vep. This 2010 Jungle hit is back again this year with the same director/scenic designer, Joel Sass, and one of its stars, Bradley Greenwald (proving once again there truly is nothing he can't do). The role(s) previously played by Stephen Epp (who is currently in Louisville with The Moving Company's Love's Labour's Lost, which they are bringing to the Lab in November) is played by another Stephen, Cartmell, and he brings his own kind of brilliance to the show. Watching these two actors fully commit to the distinct outrageousness of multiple characters is a joy.

This spoof of melodrama is set in the moors of England in some century past. At the spooky estate called Mandacrest, we meet Lord and Lady Hillcrest and their two kooky servants, the stern Irish maid Jane (Stephen Cartmell) and hunchback stable hand Nicodemus (Bradley Greenwald). Lord Edgar (Stephen) is still mourning his first wife, Irma Vep, and his second wife, Lady Enid (Bradley), is adjusting to live at Mandacrest. Enid urges Edgar to move on, but he just can't shake the hold that Irma has on him. Since he's an Egyptian scholar, he decides to look for the answer in a tomb in Egypt (I know it doesn't really make sense, just go with it). He returns home with a mummy case in tow, but strange and mysterious things are still happening. Intruders, hidden passages, violent deaths, it's all too ridiculous to relate or make sense of here, but it's a wild and fun ride.

loyal servants Jane and Nicodemus
(Stephen Cartmell and Bradley Greenwald, photo by Michal Daniel)

Every line and moment is milked for the maximum possible entertainment value; no pun or gag is too big or too small to go for, and they pull it off beautifully with well-choreographed precision. The quick changes between characters happens so fast that it's easy to forget it's the same actor. As deliciously wacky as Jane and Nicodemus are, I think I love Lord Edgar and Lady Enid the best. Stephen's Lord Edgar is almost dashing in an over-the-top way, while Bradley's Lady Enid is a sweet, delicate thing that you almost pity (with a dainty walk reminiscent of Eulalie Shinn). And although we don't get to hear Bradley's gorgeous voice in this production, we do get to hear him play the euphonium to hilarious character-specific effect.

Joel Sass' set is a dark and cluttered and creepy room, filled with stuffed animals from Lord Edgar's hunting expeditions. The Egyptian tomb scene is efficiently created in a small space at the front of the stage. As per usual at the Jungle, the sound and lighting design (by Sean Healey and Barry Browning) help create all the crazy effects, including some clever flashlight work. And Bradley and Stephen could not do what they do without Matthew J. LeFebvre's costumes that are not only detailed and character-specific, but, one assumes, easy to get in and out of without looking like tearaway clothing. This is the only play I've ever been to where the behind the scenes crew/stagehands take a bow at curtain call (in which, by the way, all four main characters take their bow in character), and deservedly so. This is one of those shows that would be just as much fun, perhaps moreso, to watch from backstage.

The Mystery of Irma Vep continues at the Jungle through October 19, so there really is no excuse to miss this one. Get yourself to Uptown in the next six weeks for some deliciously campy fun, and then plan to make another trip back to the Jungle later this year for On Golden Pond, starring the incomparable Wendy Lehr and the Jungle's retiring Artistic Director Bain Boehlke.

Storyhill Fest 2014

"Your fans are like a cult." So said Grace Pettis, one of the artists at this year's Storyhill Fest in Deerwood, MN. It's not entirely untrue; fans of the folk duo Storyhill are crazy loyal and supportive. Many of their fans have been following Chris and Johnny for over 20 years since their days at St. Olaf College. Even though I'm a relatively new fan, only jumping on the bandwagon upon hearing their eponymous Red House record seven years ago on the dear departed MPR Morning Show* (specifically, it was the song "Give Up the Ghost" that turned me into an instant fan), I completely get it. There's something about the songs that they write and the harmonies that they create together that's positively addicting. If there is a Storyhill cult, it's the only one I ever want to belong to. We can all live together in a beautiful location in the wooded lakes area of Minnesota, communing with nature and each other, eating good food and drinking good beer, making and listening to music. We'll worship the lake, the stars, and the music. But until the cult is officially formed, there is Storyhill Fest, where you can experience all of the above and so much more. Now in the sixth year of its Minnesota incarnation, five of which I've attended,** Storyhill Fest is two full days of music from over a dozen incredible artists from the local and national folk music scene. My iTunes library is filled with music I first encountered at Storyhill Fest, and my life is richer for it.

Held at Clearwater Forest Camp just outside of Brainerd on one of the hundreds of beautiful lakes in the area, there is more to do than just the music, including camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, and yoga. Accommodations range from campsites to cabins to rooms at nearby Ruttger's Lodge. Interactive songwriting and guitar playing workshops allow budding musicians to learn from the artists. The festival attracts families who come year after year, and the kids all seem to find each other, forming roving gangs of teenage boys and little girls. It's the perfect late summer Minnesota backdrop against which the music plays out. My favorite activity is the nightly campfire. Artists and fans gather around a roaring fire to share stories and music, just like people have been doing for thousands of years. Sitting next to the lake under a starry sky, listening to all this incredible music by these talented artists, interspersed with the call of the loons and the pop of the fire, is truly one of the most magical things I've ever experienced.

Read about this year's artists below, and click on their names to be taken to their websites where you can find more info about how to purchase their music and see them perform live.

The May North's George and Stephanie

The May North
Storyhill Fest began with a short evening of music on Friday (which I did not attend for various lame reasons). Past Fest faves, the utterly joyful ellis (who sadly I did not see at all) and Connor Garvey (who happily stuck around for the entire festival and sang at the campfires) gave a concert, followed by a dance with music provided by the country-style band The May North. Lucky for me, a last-minute scheduling change put them up on the festival stage as the first artists of the first full day of music. Husband and wife duo George and Stephanie (on guitar and fiddle) performed without the rest of the band, and it was quite enjoyable and a great beginning to the fest. George sang lead on most of the songs in his deep, gritty voice, with shades of Eddie Vedder (how does a folky like me know about Eddie Vedder, you ask? his heartbreakingly beautiful soundtrack to one of my favorite movies, Into the Wild, of course, but I guess he was in some band too). Stephanie occasionally added some lovely harmonies to their originals like "Whiskey in the Rain" and traditional songs like "Sitting on Top of the World."

Sarah Sample and Edie Carey lull the crowd

Edie Carey & Sarah Sample
These two songstresses got together to make a lullaby album, but as they say, it's not just for kids, it's for "anyone who needs to be lulled." And in this crazy, busy, over-stimulated world, who doesn't? Performing songs from this album, they were like folk sirens in pretty black dresses. Each one of them possesses a gorgeous voice - Sarah (who performed at Storyhill Fest 2012) with a breathy voice reminiscent of Jewel, Edie with a warm luscious tone - and together they create harmonies that are just enchanting.

Moors and McCumber with just
a few of the instruments they play

Moors and McCumber
These guys are super cool and one of my favorites of the festival. Playing no less than seven instruments between them (guitar, fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, harmonica, ukulele, and Irish bouzouki, a mere subset of all that they have in their repertoire), their music is an intriguing mix of styles, "a little blues, some bluegrass, a little smokey hills, and a skosh of Celtic." Which just happens to be a few of my favorite things. With their friendly and comfortable banter, beautiful harmonies, and incredible musicianship, James and Kort provided one of the highlights of the fest. After the fest they left immediately for Ireland to lead one of Johnsmith's Inishfree Music Tours - nine days hiking the Irish countryside and listening to music. I would love to join them some day; it's been ten years since my own musical tour of Ireland and I've been itching to go back.

The Barn Birds, aka
Chris Kokesh and Jonathan Byrd

The Barn Birds
It's an all-duo day at Storyhill Fest, and here's another one with two individually fantastic artists who come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Comprised of Jonathan Byrd and Chris Kokesh, The Barn Birds play guitar and fiddle, respectively, and sing in old-timey harmony. Chris is a lovely singer and fiddler, and there's no one like J Byrd. He's a true modern day cowboy poet, with lyrics that are profound in their simplicity, wearing his signature orange pants, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat, that only he can pull off. His campfire song/speech/science lesson about how the world is made up of molecules vibrating at different frequencies, a subset of which create music, and that when you sing you harness the greatest power in the universe, was truly profound and the most meaningful sermon I've heard in quite some time. Follow him on Facebook for more of his entertaining and well-written stories.

John and Molly of Communist Daughter

Communist Daughter
Day two of Storyhill Fest began with another duo. John and Molly left "the four hairy sweaty guys" that make up the rest of this Minneapolis band at home. These two are yin and yang, tall and short, he loves to talk while she refuses to talk on mic, he has a gritty grounded sound and she's more ethereal. Somehow it works and they create something beautiful together. John studied songwriting with Storyhill's John Hermanson, and has a few TV credits to show for it.

Aaron Howard

Aaron Howard
These next two solo artists are new young singer/songwriters produced by Storyhill's Chris Cunningham, and seem to have a sweet bromance between them. They're very different in personality, style, and sound, but both have something to say that's worth listening to. Aaron's songs are raw, honest, real, delivered with passion and charm. He sang several songs from his forthcoming coming of age album as well as previous albums, and closed his set with "Hallelujah." It's a song that everybody sings, but somehow Aaron managed to make it his own, and brought the house down as they clamored for more.

Wes Kirkpatrick

Wes Kirkpatrick
I first heard both Aaron and Wes at the campfire the night before, which is a fun way to experience a new artist. When asked to play a song at the campfire, Wes joked that he could do "sad or sadder." His songs are personal, heartfelt, and earnest, with a tinge of melancholy and wistfulness. But I love a sad song, and his are beautifully sad, sung in a smooth and soulful voice. And his self-described "rambling and awkward" stage banter is actually quite charming. Wes' buddy Aaron backed him up for a song or two, so they weren't completely left out of the duo theme of the fest.

Grace and Pierce Pettis
keeping it in the family

Pierce & Grace Pettis
Like the final season of Mad Men, the Pettis family hour was split into two, perhaps not intentionally to spread out the goodness, but that was the effect. Not only has Pierce had a long career as a folk singer/songwriter, but he's also raised a passel of folky children, including daughter Grace (who also appeared at Storyhill Fest 2011). Their father/daughter harmonies, cultivated over a lifetime, are perfection, and they have a fun and easy chemistry. They traded off singing their own songs, each other's, or covers. After a sudden rainstorm moved the show indoors (kudos to the sound crew and volunteers for making the transition as smooth as possible), they continued the set, culminating in an absolutely fantastic rockin' rendition of Bob Dylan's "Crash on the Levee."

Lucy Kaplanski entertains the crowd
that is "soggy and packed in like sardines"

Lucy Kaplanski
Even though the sun broke through the clouds to set spectacularly across the lake, we stayed indoors as the weather watchers kept their eyes on another possible storm cell. One of Storyhill's labelmates, Lucy released her first album with local label Redhouse Records 20 years ago. She writes personal, touching, relatable songs, informed by her hometown (New York City, aka the greatest city in the world), her family, and a doctorate in Psychology. She has a natural and comfortable onstage presence, and sings with a rich, warm, earthy voice. Several of her songs brought a lump to my throat, including the title song of her most recent album Reunion, about the importance of families and generations past.

Storyhill
The name of this festival is Storyhill Fest, so obviously we all came to hear the one-of-a-kind music created by Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson, which we did at the end of each night. They each do great things independently - Chris produces many great artists, including some of the above, at his recording studio in Montana, Johnny is a member of I don't know how many other bands - but when they come together, they create magic. It's really difficult to describe just how much their music means to me; perhaps only my fellow cult members*** can truly comprehend it. Their lyrics are laden with nature images so clear that listening to their songs, I can close my eyes and see the mountains and smell the clean fresh air. And the harmonies they create are out of this world. But don't take my word for it, take Garrison Keillor's, who referred to them as "setting a new high standard for male duet harmony." Watching them perform together is such a joy. They have the kind of camaraderie and comfortable rapport that only comes with knowing each other and making music together for almost thirty years. It sometimes feels like witnessing a therapy session as they reminisce (and disagree) about memories long past. It's truly remarkable that they are still performing songs they wrote when they were teenagers or college students, alongside new songs written for their upcoming album, and they're all still such great songs, no matter how many times you've heard them.

one of the benefits of staying in the VIP lodge is a private intimate
informal concert with Chris and Johnny, in which they sing pretty
much any song they're asked to, if they can remember it

The second night's concert began outdoors but was moved back indoors when the rain came back (after Chris and Johnny took the opportunity to sing "Good Rain" unplugged). The set-up from the previous concert was already taken down, so volunteers and fans quickly set up rows of chairs, and Chris and Johnny sang with no sound system. I always say that my favorite musical sound is the unamplified human voice, whether at concerts or in musical theater, so the sudden rain turned into a blessing, as we got to hear about a dozen songs with nothing between the music and our ears but vibrations. The night turned into a singalong; turns out the camp cafeteria is a great space in which to sing "Love Will Find You" with a few hundred of your closest friends.

All of the artists that perform at Storyhill Fest are so talented, and follow the example set by Storyhill - hardworking, dedicated, friendly, approachable, and willing to share themselves through their music. They really seem to love being there and playing music together. Even if I can't quite put it into words, Storyhill's music touches me and gives me comfort or inspiration or whatever I need. And that's my ultimate judge of any art, whether music or theater.

With rising costs and a desire to keep the festival affordable and intimate for fans, while still compensating the artists for their time and talents, the future of Storyhill Fest is uncertain this year, as it often is. Everyone involved wants to continue the tradition, and I trust that they will find a way to do so, even if that tradition morphs and changes over time. I don't know if I'll ever again experience an informal concert in the light and airy lounge of the Leaning Tree Lodge, or sit by that lake under the stars with my favorite musicians singing into the crisp fall air just a few feet away from me. But here's what I do know (which I learned from my favorite Fringe Festival show this year, Failure: A Love Story): "just because something ends doesn't mean it wasn't successful." And I can say without a doubt that whatever happens in the future, Storyhill Fest is successful, in every way that counts.

Steady on.


*The spirit of the MPR Morning Show still lives on in Radio Heartland, available for 24-hour online or HD2 radio listening. They play many of the above artists.
**You can read about my experiences at past Storyhill Fests by clicking on the following dates: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
***If any of you other Storyhill cult members would like to see their set list for both evening concerts and the private VIP concert, click here. Since I've only been a cult member for seven years, there were a few songs I wasn't sure about or couldn't identify, so please feel free to correct me.


A few more photos from the festival:

a welcome sight after a two-hour drive

sirens Sarah and Edie against the backdrop of Eagle Lodge

evening descends upon The Barn Birds

Communist Daughter under the blue sky

the sun breaks through and shines on Aaron

buddies Aaron and Wes

don't you wish your family was as talented as the Pettis family?

the Storyhill Band is back together

what we've been waiting all day for - Storyhill's evening show

the rain created a wonderful opportunity for a
singalong with Chris and Johnny

oh the magic that can be created with guitars and campfires

"Golden Boys" at The Lab Theater

The new original musical Golden Boys, written by New York composer/playwright Horace Turnbull, tells the story of an integrated WWII army unit created to raise morale of troops and civilians by performing musical theater. I know, it sounds like something that was made up as a good story for a musical, but it's based on fact. The US Army created the Special Services in 1942 and set up a school at Fort Meade in Maryland to train officers and enlisted men in the art of entertainment. Golden Boys is a fictional story set in this world, focusing on one unit that rehearses and performs a musical in a US tour as well as overseas for the troupes. It's an ambitious project, covering issues of racism, the treatment of homosexuals in the military, and the camaraderie of people joining together for a common cause in the midst of war. The result is a bit unfocused and too long, but as this is the premiere, hopefully these issues can be worked out and the piece polished into a potentially great musical.

The story is told by Johnny, a man nearing 90 in the present day who tells his story to some unknown listener. The events unfold in flashback, with Johnny occasionally interjecting commentary (either in his period persona stepping right out of the scene, or as the old man, which is a bit confusing). Under the direction of Sergeant Buchanan, about a dozen enlisted men rehearse a musical called "Johnny Come Home," in which they play all parts, both men and women. Most of the men get a moment to tell their story in monologue, shining a light on the many different people who join the military and their diverse reasons for doing so. They go on tour, experiencing segregation in the south and racism in the army. Throughout the experience they form that familiar military bond, with the central relationship being that between Johnny, who plays the male lead in the musical, and Joshua, who plays the female lead Annette and falls in love with Johnny in real life as well as in the show. Familiar character types include the bad guy Baldwin who comes around only after a tragedy, the comic relief Carlos, and the wealthy playboy Rich. We come back to old man Johnny in the end, a nice bit of symmetry that ties up the story for all the guys we've come to know throughout the story.

The show-within-a-show concept, a musical theater staple, allows for many great musical numbers that have nothing to do with the plot, such as tap dancing in wet suits and flippers, and a mambo number complete with Chiquita Banana headdress. Most of the songs are fun and catchy, a few border on trite and cliche. The choreography by Jimmy Peters is fantastic, and these boys (most of whom are local talent) can dance! Highlights in the cast include Michael Fischetti as the stern but softhearted Sargeant, who is also a hoot as waitress Geena in the show; Scott Gilbert as our narrator Johnny, a likeable fellow whose story we want to follow; Bryan Gerber, who manages to create two compelling and sympathetic characters in gay soldier Joshua and lovestruck Annette; Aleutian Calabay as the tapping playboy; and Mark Anthony Hall with lovely vocals on a couple of solos as Ellis (conductor of the imaginary band, see below).

In my eyes there is only one unforgivable sin in musical theater, and that is the use of pre-recorded music instead of a live band. Unfortunately this production commits that sin. Canned music cheapens any musical and brings it down a level. Hopefully future productions will include live music; there's even mention of the band for the show-within-a-show, which would be a great opportunity to work a live orchestra into the show.

This production only has two more performances, so get to the Lab Theater fast to see these dancing and singing Golden Boys (discount tickets for Sunday's show available on Goldstar).

"Take It With You" at The Underground

There's something cool going on in Duluth. I mean, there are lots of cool things going on in Duluth; it's one of Minnesota's top tourist destinations, with the lake and the big ships and all. But specifically on the music-theater front, which is what brings joy to my heart, there is something new and cool going on. It's called Take It With You and it's live radio theater, recorded monthly at The Underground in Duluth's historic Depot, and available for free online listening. This scripted serial radio program hearkens back to the days when people used to gather around their radios to listen to music and stories about their favorite characters. Now we can gather around our computers to listen, or plug into a podcast, as we follow this quirky cast of characters on their monthly adventures. It's described as "Cheers meets A Prairie Home Companion meets Austin City Limits," but I encourage you to give it a listen and see for yourself just how charming and funny and silly and musically delicious it is.

In the first 60-minute episode of Take It With You, we meet Blake (voiced by one of my favorite musicians Blake Thomas, check out his gorgeous and heartbreaking albums on iTunes), the owner of a bar and music club in Duluth, eager new employee and aspiring musician Andy (Frye, of Yellow Tree Theatre fame), disgruntled actress-turned-waitress Mary (Fox, another fave from Yellow Tree and other local stages), and oddball regulars Rick (the hilarious mutli-voiced Ryan Nelson), Bill (Robert Lee), and Zach (Stofer), with other wacky characters played by Katy Helbacka and Andy Bennett. Whether it's a bachelorette party or a stint in the local jail, these loveably kooky characters work their way through some situation each episode, while hanging out, chatting, promoting local businesses, getting advice from too cool for school "Steve and Jamie" and theoretical physicist "Ask Brooks," and of course, playing music.

Each episode features a half dozen or so of Blake's original songs, covers, or standards. Friends, I would drive 300 miles to listen to Blake sing one of his original songs. OK maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but I'm telling you, he's the real deal. He writes clever, whimsical, poetic, simple yet profound lyrics, accompanied by haunting or driving melodies, and sings in an authentic country voice. Add to that Mary's lovely harmonies and the whole group joining in on such standards as "Sitting on Top of the World," and you have some of the best music I would ever want to listen to.

But don't take my word for it; you can listen to episodes 1 and 2 online right now, just an hour each so it's not even a huge time commitment. I had the great privilege of watching the live recording of episode 5 this week, and as much fun as it is to listen to this show, it's even more fun to watch it in person with a sold-out crowd, and see the love and energy and joy that the cast brings to this unique creation that's both modern and charmingly traditional. Listen to the podcasts, like their Facebook page, and if you happen to be in Duluth the third Tuesday of the month, go see it in person!

the Take It With You gang at The Underground

"King Arthur: A Picnic Operetta" by Mixed Precipitation at Falcon Heights Community Garden

There's a lot of outdoor theater going on around the Twin Cities, if you know where to look for it. I partook of one such opportunity on what turned out to be a rainy day, so it was moved indoors to a warming house. But the spirit was still there. Mixed Precipitation takes classic operettas, condenses them, puts a modern spin on them, performs them in community gardens around the Twin Cities metro area, and also serves great food. What could be better? This year's selection is Henry Purcell's 1684 English Baroque opera King Arthur, with plenty of modern references and some punk rock music thrown in for good measure. It's a fun and delicious way to experience music-theater in an informal setting.

Condensing a full opera down to under 90 minutes creates a bit of a hard to follow jumbled mess, but from what I gathered, King Arthur of Cameloteapolis is building a new jousting stadium that will host the Super Joust, a costly endeavor that faces opposition from the Saxons, who are concerned about things like corporate personhood and minimum wage. Or something like that. There is fighting, jousting, magic, a wedding or two, and much beautiful music. I didn't care for the rock songs as much as the opera songs, which are so beautifully sung and played by this wonderful cast and small orchestra that it doesn't seem necessary to add modern songs (although I do kind of love the idea of a rock cello).

Grant Schumann, Peter Middlecamp, and Cassandra McNally

This wonderful cast of adults and children appears to be having a great time playing together, which always makes it more fun for the audience. And they look crazy cool in punk hair, make-up, and costumes. Young Grant Schumann leads the wildly energetic band of Saxons; Wric Larson is dark and mysterious with a commanding deep voice as the demon Grimbald; Elizabeth Windnagel is a delightfully airy imp; Jim Ahrens is our beautiful-haired and slightly out of touch King Arthur; magic is created by JP Fitzgibbons' Merlin and Naomi Karstad's Morgan Le Fay; Maggie Lofbloom's jousting champion Guinevere is a heroine to root for; and Peter Middlecamp is charming as her jousting rival/suitor. And the whole casts sounds fantastic; turns out the warming house has surprisingly good acoustics.

The most unique aspect of this experience is the food. Delicious, interesting, creative, fresh, local food is served in perfect little bites throughout the show, very cleverly worked into the plot and introduced by the characters. I think people should serve me food at the theater all the time! I do wish I had been able to experience this in the great outdoors as intended, but it was still great fun, and they somehow made the last minute change of venue work.

King Arthur continues weekends through September 21. Check the schedule for a garden near you, and then go see some fun and creative music-theater while enjoying delicious food.

"Guys and Dolls" at Bloomington Civic Theatre

I love a big old-fashioned classic musical* at Bloomington Civic Theatre, and Guys and Dolls is definitely that. This 1955 musical with a well-known score by Frank Loesser is one of the most beloved musicals of the last century. As per usual, it gets fine treatment by BCT, with fantastic choreography and direction by Matthew Michael Ferrell, Anita Ruth's always wonderful pit orchestra, a huge and energetic ensemble, bright and beautiful period costumes, and fine performances by the leads. If you're a lover of classic musicals of the '50s - this is it.

Guys and Dolls centers around the underground gambling business in NYC and a mission trying to save the sinners. Nathan Detroit runs the big craps game in town and is always looking for a place to hold it, while trying to hide it from Adelaide, Hot Box dancer and his fiance of 14 years. To get the money to secure a location for the game, Nathan bets big-time gambler Sky Masterson that he cannot convince pious mission worker Sarah to go to Havana with him. Sky wins the bet, but it's not quite that simple. To win Sarah's heart, he bets against the guys' souls to get them to come to a meeting and save the mission. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Highlights of the show include:

• The music. The score includes such favorites as "Bushel and a Peck," "Adelaide's Lament," "If I Were a Bell," "Luck Be a Lady," and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," all played and sung beautifully be the orchestra and cast.
• Michael Matthew Ferrell's choreography. The group numbers are so much fun to watch, from the opening number, creating perfect tableaux of city life, to the Hot Box Girls performances, to the smooth swinging Havana scene, to the crapshooters sharp dance. And these guys and dolls can dance.
• Ed Gleeman's costumes. Men in rainbow-colored suits, two-toned shoes, and hats used as props in dances - what's not to love about that? The women look pretty smashing too.
• Bill Rolon and Rachel Weber. Perfectly cast as Nathan and Adelaide, they absolutely sparkle and crackle on stage, individually (Nathan working the guys, Adelaide's charming lament and leading the Hot Box Girls) but especially together ("Sue Me" is a highlight, funny and tender). They even look the part; somehow the height difference (in Adelaide's favor) only makes them more perfect for each other. This is a relationship you can understand and root for, despite the overly long engagement.
• The voices of Holli Richgels and Joshua Paul Smith. I always find the Sky/Sarah romance less appealing than Nathan/Adelaide, but these two sound lovely together.
• The charming trio of Lamar Jefferson, A.J. Longabaugh, and Andrew Newman. They're almost like narrators of the show, singing the opening number and the title song in enthusiastic harmony. And Lamar is pitch perfect as Nicely-Nicely, singing the crowd-pleasing "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."

This faithful and fun production of a beloved musical theater classic continues through September 14. You might want to get your tickets sooner rather than later, as this one is sure to be popular (Goldstar tickets are currently sold out but check back in case more dates are added).

*As much as Guys and Dolls is a quintessential example of a classic piece of musical theater that BCT does well, their next show is a great example of a new and modern rock musical, Next to Normal. I'm excited to see BCT step out of their comfort zone a bit with this devastatingly brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning musical that features a small six-person cast and typically onstage rock band rather than a traditional pit orchestra.

"The Big Lowdown" by Bedlam Theatre on the streets of Lowertown

When was the last time you played Red Light Green Light? Or told ghost stories at a slumber party? Or searched for eggs in a park? It's been more than 30 years for me, but playing Red Light Green Light in a parking lot in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood with a bunch of strangers, mostly adults, I was immediately taken back to when I used to play it with my cousins on the sidewalk outside my great aunt's house. And that's the idea behind Bedlam Theatre's walking theatrical experience The Big Lowdown - giving adults the space to play like we did when we were children, but which most of us stopped doing as the concerns of the real world began to weigh us down. The Big Lowdown attempts to awaken that childlike spirit again, and while it was a bit too interactive and participatory for my comfort level (perhaps I would have felt more comfortable if I were wearing a mask and told to be silent), I do appreciate the spirit of the evening, and enjoyed some really cool and unique performances.

BodyCartography Project

The adventure begins at Bedlam's new bar/ restaurant/performance club, Bedlam Lowertown. Participants are divided into groups led by "rovers" in character - from wizards to aliens. I followed the Peanuts character Lucy, along with about ten other adventurers, to seven stops in Lowertown, mostly outdoors in odd and interesting spaces. In addition to Red Light Green Light and the slumber party (where I was hoping to play "light as a feather, stiff as a board" like we did at slumber parties in the '80s), activities include a Unity parade, er, strut; a really cool robotic and fluid dance performance; a couple of bellhops whose actions are narrated by a bearded man, that hits just the right mix of audience participation and performance, and is oddly delightful; and my favorite stop - a fascinating performance by The BodyCartography Project. Six people dressed in orange meld their bodies onto the concrete and metal surfaces of an alleyway, and get absolutely filthy because they are literally rolling around on the ground with their faces and bodies pressed into the concrete, hanging on anything and everything. I could have watched these amorphous beings creating strange and beautiful shapes for hours.

The adventure culminates in lovely Mears Park with a few more games and the announcement of the winners (did I mention it's a competition?). In the end it was a fun evening, despite the awkward moments, and is a great way to see some of the interesting spaces of Lowertown. I appreciate Bedlam's mission to get the audience involved in their art, but after this and the recent Fringe fest, I'm ready to go back to sitting comfortably behind the fourth wall in a darkened theater. At least for a little while.

The adventure continues this weekend only, so get there fast to take part in the playing. It's especially fun for kids, who are a little more connected to their playful spirits than us adults.

"Proof" by Candid Theater Company at People's Center Theater

I like to refer to the 2001 Tony winner for best play Proof as my second* favorite math play (yes, I am a math geek in addition to being a theater geek). But of course it's not about math. Math is the language with which this very relatable story about family, identity, and mental illness is told. And even though I saw this play less than a year ago at Bloomington Civic Theatre, I welcomed the chance to spend more time with this complicated, dysfunctional, yet loving family. Candid Theater Company's production is nicely done in the intimate and sparsely decorated People's Center Theater on the U of M West Bank campus.

Proof tells the story of a young woman named Catherine whose father, a renowned mathematician, has just died. She took care of him in the final years of his life as his mental health deteriorated. In that time he filled 100 notebooks with gibberish, or is it mathematical genius? Similar to the movie A Beautiful Mind (based on the biography of mathematician Jon Nash), he sees patterns and codes everywhere, and it's difficult to decipher the difference between madness and genius. One of his former students, Hal, comes over to the house to go through the journals to see if there's anything of value. At the same time, Catherine's sister arrives from New York and tells her she's sold the house, and wants Catherine to move to New York with her. When Hal discovers one beautiful, complicated, ground-breaking proof, Catherine says that she wrote it. No one believes her since she's had little schooling; she dropped out of college to take care of her father. It's obvious she has inherited her father's mathematical skill, but has she also inherited his mental illness? That's the question that Catherine struggles with as she tries to figure out who she is without her crazy genius father to take care of and define her life.

Kendall Anne Thompson shines in the central role of Catherine. She beautifully, deeply, and physically conveys the complex emotions of Catherine, from the joy of discovery to deep loss and despair. The more I see of Kendall the more convinced I am that she's on her way to becoming a star of the Twin Cities theater scene (see also RENT). Steven Flamm is appropriately befuddled as Catherine's mentally ill father, seen in flashbacks and hallucinations. His final descent into his illness is devastating. Rounding out the cast are Katherine Prebel as Catherine's pragmatic, over-protective, and controlling sister, and Michael Terrell Brown as young mathematician Catherine falls for.

Proof is a great play, and you don't have to be a math nerd like me to enjoy it. But if you are, you'll learn some interesting facts about prime numbers and mathematician Sophie Germain, and enjoy a few inside jokes, like the one about a song called i. Proof continues through August 24 (discount tickets available on Goldstar).


*My favorite math play is Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, which I first saw almost 20 years ago in London, and haven't seen in over 10 years. Some local theater needs to produce this play soon!

"Rose" by Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company

Who can resist a one-woman show by Sally Wingert, one of the Twin Cities best actors? Add to that an intimate in-home setting and an epic story that encompasses the entire scope of Jewish history in the 20th Century, and you have an unforgettable evening of theater. Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company's production of Martin Sherman's play Rose, which is being performed in homes around the Cities, is inspirational, horrifying, funny, charming, disturbing, brutally honest, and entirely compelling. With just seven performances remaining and limited seating, you'll want to get your tickets now.

We meet Rose at the age of 80 in 1999 as she's sitting Shiva for a murdered girl (who that girl is comes out later). She's lived through many pivotal events in her life - growing up in a shtetl in Ukraine, moving to Warsaw and falling in love, being forced into the ghetto, hiding in the sewers after the uprising, boarding the fateful ship Exodus to the promised land only to be turned away, starting a new life in America, seeing her dream of a Jewish homeland realized for her family, only to watch helplessly as it's marred by violence that continues today. All of this is told with a personal perspective by this fictional woman in a way that makes these unthinkable events feel painfully real.

Sally Wingert as Rose (photo by Sarah Whiting)

Sally Wingert's performance as this remarkable woman is nothing less than transportive. She takes you right along with her as Rose tells stories from her past, from amusing to horrifying. The intimate setting adds to the feeling that you're sitting there with Rose, in her home, listening to her tell her stories. Sally is so real and natural in this role, making side comments to the audience who return knowing nods or laughs, getting short of breath and slowly sipping water, crunching on her daily pills with ice cream. It's another beautifully real performance by Sally Wingert.

Above all, this woman is a survivor. What is it about the human will to survive that makes a person live on when everything she's ever known - home, family, community, identity - is gone? But she did, as did many others. Rose carries her past with her into the future, even when her children and their children tell her to let it go, that it doesn't matter anymore, that this is the future. But Rose knows that the past informs who we are and must never be forgotten. Stories about the countless individual and collective atrocities committed during the Holocaust never stop being horrifying. And this play cuts right to the heart.

Rose continues in homes around the Twin Cities through August 24. Call the box office to reserve your space on this incredible journey.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.