A Year with Frog and Toad at Children's Theatre Company

"A Year with Frog and Toad" makes its triumphed return to the Twin Cities this Spring and it's absolutely wonderful. It has been a very very long time since I've seen a production at Children's Theatre Company (CTC) and this show will certainly have me coming back for more productions. It was a wonderful afternoon of theatre.

This musical was commissioned and created by Children's Theatre Company and originally debuted at CTC in 2002. Transferring to the New Victory Theatre (Off-Broadway), and then the Cort Theatre (Broadway), it was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. That same year, Children's Theatre Company won the Regional Theatre Tony Award, marking the first time a theatre for young audiences won the honor.

It's the story of, you guessed it, Frog and Toad and based off of the children's books written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Waking from hibernation in the spring, the perky Frog and the worrywart Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons through four, fun-filled seasons. The amphibian odd couple celebrates and rejoices in their differences that make them the best-est of friends while joined by a colorful cast of birds, mice, turtles, and that slo-o-ow snail with the mail (summary from CTC website).

No matter how great a show is, sometimes I may have one little nit-picky thing that I disagree with but not this show. It was all too perfect. The actors truly are at the top of their craft with this production. Each actor embodies these larger than life animals. What's so enjoyable about their performances are how they perform for the kids but each and every adult was completely engulfed in the production as well. Bradley Greenwald as tidy Frog, Reed Sigmund as the impatient Toad, and an ensemble of Traci Allen Shannon, Matt Rubbelke and Autumn Ness who play a multitude of animals including squirrels, a mouse, lizard, turtle and a trio of fashionista birds. Matt Rubbelke also has a standout performance as the snail (who delivers mail...get it...snail mail), who's performance was quite possibly my favorite.

The set is quite possibly one of the most magical things I've seen on a stage in quite some time. At times it is simple and only has two beds on it, but other times the set has large cattails fly in that really make you feel like you're apart of the performance and are the same size as these animals. The set was even designed by Arnold Lobel's daughter, Adrianna.

On a more personal note, what I loved even more about the show was seeing and hearing all the giggles from the countless amounts of children in the audience. I only wish I would have found theatre at that age. That was more than enough for me, to see how happy these kids were. And speaking as a former actor, that's why we do it. To get that lovely audience feedback.

"A Year with Frog and Toad" is charming, entertaining and just downright delightful. It is a show for families and theatre lovers of all ages. You'll be humming the tunes all night. It runs through June 18, so there is absolutely no excuse not to be able to catch it before it hops off stage! Ticket information can be found here.

Side Show at The Chameleon Theatre Circle

Let's start by saying, if a theater company around you is ever producing Side Show you should certainly see it. I say this because it doesn't seem to get produced often. No this is not a Fringe musical rendition of American Horror Story: Freak Show. It is a beautiful story about courage, love, sisterhood and what it feels like to be an outcast. The musical is based on a true story about conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and their journey from freak show performers to vaudeville stars in the 1930s.

Side Show originally opened on Broadway in October 1997 starring Emily Skinner (Daisy) and Alice Ripley (Violet). Sadly only after 91 performances, it closed. A fun fact about their performance is that it is the first and only time that two actresses were co-nominated for Best Actress in a Musical as a team, however, they lost to Natasha Richardson that year in Cabaret. A revised version of the musical ran in 2014 which "incorporates new songs as well as additional biographical details of the Hilton twins' life and historical figures of the era." This is the version that Chameleon produced.

Walking into the space, I was intrigued yet excited almost immediately because it was a musical in a black box theater. Now what I love about a black box theater is how intimate the space can be. During the first song "Come Look at the Freaks," the show really felt like being in a carnival because the actors broke the fourth wall and looked right at you as they performed. That being said, it's a shame that some of the more intimate scenes and songs were staged in a way that pretty much had them performing only to the center audience members which left the ones on the sides completely in the dark and unable to see what was happening.

A lot of the performers all stood out in their own ways throughout the show but the ones who I really would like to highlight are the four main actors. Starting with the two supporting male lead characters, Terry (played by Jeremy Johnson) and Buddy (played by Logan Bitz Daum). Both had wonderful singing voices, despite some issues from Terry's microphone, he continued to perform without being phased. Logan certainly stands out from the entire cast as the best dancer with energy and that specific kind of pizzazz that felt like a throwback to vaudeville performances. He has a particularly fun little song titled "One Plus One Equals Three" with some of the other ensemble members and the Hilton twins. It was campy, cute and certainly was one of my favorites that night.

When it came to the Hilton twins...can you say perfect casting? Daisy (played by Julia Ennen) and Violet (played by Anna Larranaga) I feel is what keeps companies from producing this musical. If you don't have these roles perfect, the show will fail but these two actresses compliment each other so well I would go back and see it again just to see them perform "Ready to Play," "Who Will Love Me as I Am," and one of the best female duets ever, "I Will Never Leave You." As you have to be with these roles, Julia and Anna were in perfect sync through the entire show almost as if they really were connected at the hip.

They do a phenomenal job of letting each other have their individual moments without stealing the spotlight from each other. When the scene is clearly about Violet, Julia remains in character but still gives all attention to Anna and vice versa. Their voices individually are delicate and tender when needed and together they are powerful and full of emotion especially in the productions Act II finale "I Will Never Leave You." Not only singing, but they are both outstanding actresses.

This is a wonderfully told story. I thoroughly enjoyed the performances and this was my first time seeing a Chameleon Theatre Circle production as well, and I'm excited to go back.

Side Show leaves Burnsville Sunday, April 23rd so there are plenty of chances to still see this production. More information on ticket information and performance dates can be found here.

As You Like It by Classical Actors Ensemble at the Crane Theater

After previously working on As You Like It by William Shakespeare at my alma mater, it was a pleasure to return to this wonderful script almost a year later with the Classical Actors Ensemble. This is certainly one of my favorites Shakespeare's and it's always enjoyable to see how a theater takes a script that is more than a few centuries old and still makes it interesting. This was the first time I'd seen a production with the Classical Actors Ensemble and the first time I attended anything at the Crane Theater space.

As You Like It is a romantic comedy that includes many typical Shakespeare themes including the play ending with a few couples getting married. The play is one of Shakespeare's most beloved and features the romantic and resourceful Rosalind who is banished from her uncle's court and must flee to a nearby forest. Accompanying her is her cousin Celia and their friend Touchstone in this light-hearted comedy of betrayal, disguise, utopia, and romance. A more in-depth summary of the show can be found online, pretty much anywhere if you want more specifics.

This production was set in the 80's with vibrant colors, padded shoulders and even ratted hair (sometimes in a side pony). This accompanied by the vibrant and minimalistic set was enjoyable to watch. Many of the actors were very talented in interpreting the script. Any actor who tackles Shakespeare deserves an award for the sheer amount of work it goes into memorizing and understanding the text. Even with the 80's theme, the cast stayed true to the text and told the story.

On that note, each time a theater company does Shakespeare, there is the question of "How can we make it our own?" This is not relating to the question of "What time period are we going to put it in?" but literally what set's this production apart from another As You Like It production. CAE decided to add music to theirs. Not just any music, but the music of the 80s. It did seem a bit...awkward at times. Some of the actors came out to sing these songs while people were still filing into their seats and with at least 7 minutes before the show was to start. It felt weird because I didn't know if this was a part of the show and if I was supposed to sit down, turn my phone off and get into "audience mode" or if it was supposed to be music to just casually enjoy before the show starts. More songs from the 80's were intertwined through the production as well as actors would finish a scene, walk over to the microphones stage right and sing. I personally wasn't feeling it but I was feeling it when Megan Daoust sang.

Daoust, played Phoebe, was phenomenal. All around just a joy to watch on stage. It's a shame that Phoebe is such a small role in this play because I wanted more! The shepherds and folks who lived in the forest weren't entirely 80's themed but almost Canadian. While I didn't understand the correlation between the 80's court and Canadian forest people, Daoust made it work. She had the accent, the wit and even a hilarious physicalization of the character. She sadly only sung a small bit of one of the songs but I wish she would have sung all of them.

As You Like It runs February 17th-March 5 at the Crane Theater.

Peter and the Star Catcher at Theater Latté Da

I loved this production so much that my first sentence of this review needs to solely include the words "See this show if it's the last thing you do because I certainly am going to see it again." Now that that is covered, let's get into the details, shall we?

The play Peter and the Starcatcher is originally based off of the 2006 novel of a similar play by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson adapted for the stage by Rick Elice. It opened on Broadway, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, on April 15, 2012 and was nominated for 9 Tony Awards and won 5. With 18 previews and 319 regular performances, it closed on January 20, 2013. It later re-opened Off-Broadway and included two national tours.

There is nothing I love more than a wonderfully written origin story and this script does that. The story provides audiences with a backstory on how Peter became Peter Pan (along with a few other explanations including why our favorite crocodile is constantly ticking). It hints at the story we all know and love which brings up plenty of happy, warm and nostalgic emotions for everyone in the audience. This is certainly a new story however I think anyone going to see it should really try not to look up anything about it. I went into this production with no prior knowledge, other than it was simply a Peter Pan origin type story. I'm so glad I did because not knowing anything about it, made it that much more magical to watch.

This is my second time seeing a Theater Latte Da production, however it is my first time seeing a show at their new space, The Ritz Theater. It really is a wonderful and beautiful space. The stage is large and spacious yet the seating and audience space is close and intimate, really allowing yourself to be whisked away into the story. The set, designed by Joel Sass who also directed, is marvelous to look at as it included plenty of trinkets that crawled their way up the proscenium line, all leading up to a beautiful abstract blue octopus that loomed over the stage. This junk yard chic look gave me plenty to look at and observe before the show started. Later in the show, audiences discovered lights that were hidden inside the structure that changed for certain scenes.

Theater Latte Da has consistently produced some high quality productions including some all star casts. The cast of Peter and the Starcatcher brings a whole new meaning to the word "ensemble" as they are constantly in tune and in check with one another. At times actors, who are not directly involved with a specific scene, can be found on a ladder, a stool or somewhere else on the stage acting as a foley artist (one who creates sound effects). The sound effects came in perfectly every time whether it was replicating the ocean crashing against a ship or a more silly sound for a chest opening.

The cast shine as an ensemble and as individuals through out the entire performance, all portraying more than one character at times. Each actor has their moment in the spotlight in which the other actors provide support without stealing the scene. We see Tyler Michaels play the title role of Peter, and of course he did not disappoint. I've had the pleasure of seeing Tyler perform many times and the way he molds into each character is truly inspiring. He dedicates not only himself to the character but the way he interacts with the rest of the cast, never dropping even a hint of energy.

The rest of the cast is equally talented including Pearce Bunting, who had me in stiches from laughing over his hilarious portrayal as the hilarious and flamboyant pirate captain, Black Stache. Megan Burns plays the strong headed and spunky, Molly. Craig Johnson had the audience eating from the palm of his hand the entire night, effortlessly changing characters from Mrs. Bunbrake to Grempkin and even a quick role as a beautiful salmon colored mermaid. Ricardo Beaird is also hilarious in his role as the know it all, self-declared leader of the boys. Silas Sellnow as the orphan Ted, whose persistent search for good food is something we call can relate to.

Peter and the Starcatcher is by far one of the best productions I've seen in quite sometime. It's heartwarming, funny, imaginative and is a shining example of how the Twin Cities performing arts scene is in a league of their own. It is the perfect show for the whole family to see...or even for adults who wish they'd never had to grow up. I certainty can't wait This production runs at the the Ritz Theater through February 26th. Tickets can be found here.

Heathers: The Musical at Twin Cities Theatre Community

Heathers: The Musical is a rock musical with music, lyrics and a book by Laurence O'Keefe (Batboy: The Musical and Legally Blonde: The Musical) and Kevin Murphy. The musical was in development for quite sometime including a sold-out Los Angeles tryout and a concert version before finally moving to Off-Broadway in 2014. The story is about Veronica (played by Winona Ryder in the movie) who manages to become a part of the most popular clique in high school, but she disapproves of the other girls' cruel behavior. When Veronica and her new boyfriend, J.D. confront clique leader Heather Chandler and accidentally poison her, they make it appear a suicide. Soon Veronica realizes that J.D. is intentionally killing students he does not like. She races to stop J.D. while also clashing with the clique's new leader, Heather Duke.

As a fan of the original 1988 American cult black comedy film, I was ecstatic to hear that they were adapting this movie into a musical. It had a rather short run off-Broadway, which is unfortunate because it's a great campy adaption and an even more wonderful score with killer lyrics. They even manage to sneak in all of the iconic lines such as "Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?" and my personal favorite "Fuck me gently with a chainsaw."

I saw the Twin Cities Community Theatre production on Thursday, February 4th and it had some ups and some downs. Many of the actors took their parts a little too realistically and didn't embody the dark comedic elements that the original movie had. The exception to this was Lily Cornwell, who played Heather Chandler. I also appreciated Dylan Cima approach to the role of J.D. It felt like his own but at the same time honoring Christian Slater, who played the original J.D. in the movie. The singing in this production had some notable performances including Tommie Hollingsworth who played Veronica Sawyer. Her belting in the popular song "Dead Girl Walking" was fantastic and she had a wonderful tone to her voice. 

I think one of the hardest songs to sing in this production is possible "Candy Store" sung by the Heather trio. It needs to evoke power and a serious ear for the harmonies that the three sing. The three Heather's sang this song well but they were just shy from hitting the harmonies perfectly.  While many of the actors still had me laughing at times, I credit most of that to the actual book and lyrics.

Often I don't blog about technical elements with a show, however I really want to give praise to Matt Jansen (Light Design) and Toniy Hamernick (Light Engineer) to the impressive light show they created for this production. The lighting was absolutely beautiful and really brought some depth to the show visually. I enjoyed that there was an actual permanent structure on stage for this production. Last fall I saw Legally Blonde: The Musical here and was slightly disappointed at the constant roll on set pieces. However the structure for this show gave it some height and more levels for the actors to play with.

If you're a huge fan of the movie, I still recommend going to see this production. It has just about everything that you loved from the movie and is an almost scene by scene adaptation of the movie but with music. This musical is not produced often by many theatre companies s, so I applaud Twin Cities Community Theatre for taking on this show, especially with its questionable content matter.

"Heathers: The Musical" plays Feb. 2nd-Feb. 12th.
Tickets are available online at www.tcctheatre.com
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Fun Home at Hennepin Theatre Trust

Fun Home played at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis December 13th through the 18th. This 2015 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical is based off of the autobiographical best-selling graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. The musical tells the story of famed cartoonist Alison Bechdel and what growing up was like living in a funeral home (which her siblings named "The Fun Home), having a strange, often rocky, relationship with her father and realizing at a younger age she was different. The musical is narrated by Alison as an adult as she looks back at herself as a young preteen (refereed to as Small Alison) and college student referred to as "Medium Alison," where she comes to grips with identifying as a lesbian.

Let's start by just saying that the musical was fantastic. The story, the music, the actors, the message and themes, everything. I absolutely loved it. What made Fun Home so outstanding was how beautifully the songs and funny dialogue are weaved effortlessly into a pretty serious plot. The song "Ring of Keys," which many were introduced to at the Tony Awards where Sydney Lucas gave us all chills, a lot of LGBTQ members can relate to. The song depicts a moment in Small Alison's life when she can't quite form the words that she feels after seeing an "old school butch." It is a moment of emotional and sexual awakening for her. The song was moving and the performance was amazing. Read here how the song writers approached writing the song.

Whether you're apart of the LGBTQ community or not, everyone can relate to a lot of the themes from this musical especially the one that comes across in one of the last songs "Telephone Wire." As Medium Alison is visiting home and goes on a car ride with her father (although during the scene, the older Alison acts the scene out) she is continuously lost for words as she tries to come out to her father in person. Previously in the musical, we discover that her father is also gay and while they each know about one another, they fail to say it out loud or confront it head on. The song is relatable to everyone as many can remember having a secret you want to tell your parents but can't manage to say it. The moment when you think you're going to and then bail out by bringing up a different topic.

Now without getting too political, let's point out the title of this specific blog post. Big capital screaming letters saying "THIS IS IMPORTANT." It is an important show for many reasons, one being the representation of the LGBTQ community. They have been underrepresented and now within the last few years have finally been included in the media and entertainment. So what makes this coming out and coming of age story different than the others?

Fun Home is an important piece of musical theatre, not only because it shows the very personal and intimate struggle of realizing your sexuality but also because the leading character is a lesbian and that was a breath of fresh air. It is not about a rugged gay male or a teenage boy coming out and realizing he likes RuPaul more than monster trucks. It's about a girl. A lesbian. She isn't a supporting character either. She is the main character. Earlier I did say that the LGBTQ community is finally being represented more and more in entertainment, however I should have said the G in LGBTQ is being represented more. I thoroughly enjoyed that the story was about a young gay woman and I can't wait to see some sort of similar musical come out within the next decade about a trans* person. 

While this musical has left the Orpheum Theatre, it is still on tour. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to see it. It's also fairly short, and only runs about an hour and 45 minutes.

Hairspray LIVE by NBC

I am not going to lie. I’ve been very unimpressed with NBC and their live musicals. When the idea first came forward. with The Sound of Music, I was excited. That was true until I heard that Carrie Underwood would lead (I only managed to watch 30 minutes of it). I was not impressed with Peter Pan and never managed to see The Wiz, despite hearing pretty decent things about it. However, I felt maybe NBC had finally figured it out with Hairspray. Maybe they were ready to do it right especially with the fact that Fox had successfully taken the broadcasted live musical crown with their production of Grease. So did Hairspray stand up or fall flat?

Let’s start with the two biggest technical issues: cameras and microphones. I honestly thought Maddie Baillio (Tracy Turnblad) forgot some of her lines in the opening song “Good Morning Baltimore” because her microphone kept going out at times when I couldn’t see her face. The microphones continued to be a problem in big numbers when cheering from the audience, or the music was still being played, drowned out the actors singing or speaking.

During the performance I was also extremely confused on many of the camera angles. I know nothing about the actual science of producing but half of the time I had no idea as to why some of the angles looked like a hidden camera in a shady bootleg recording of a Broadway production. And don't act dumb, cause we all know exactly what I'm talking about because you all have watched one or two on Youtube.

Hairspray is a musical. Cast people who know how to sing. As a big budget musical, I understand they need to cast stars that will bring people in, but Derek Hough (Corny Collins) could not sing and was given three songs. He’s a very talented dancer but I was not impressed with his singing or even Garrett Clayton (Link Larkin) despite being very easy on the eyes. Some casting choices I just did not understand including Jennifer Hudson (Motormouth Maybelle). Now before you sharpen your pitchforks, I will say I am a fan of her singing. She’s certainly talented and don't get me started on how she had me crying during her rendition of “I Know Where I’ve Been.” However I think NBC missed an opportunity in casting a bigger girl for this role, especially because her first song is titled “Big, Blonde and Beautiful." Next to race, one of the biggest themes of this show is being an outcast, or in Tracy and Edna’s case a “big girl.”

While some could not sing, or weren’t exactly what I was hoping casting wise, others most certainly were both including Tony-Award winner Kristin Chenoweth . We all knew she’d rock it, despite getting her bow cut off at the end (WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THIS!?). Her portrayal of Velma Von Tussle was hilarious, engaging and she made the part her own. When it came to singing I think the most underrated performance of the night was Dove Cameron who played Amber Von Tussle. For many, this was our first exposure to her and I felt like she nailed it. At times I felt she was a little too whiny to be the “mean girl” but I guess you can’t have it all, she was still fantastic.

These were some of my biggest pros and cons. I could ramble on more about how I felt Link and Tracy had no chemistry once so ever or how I thought the “behind the scenes” before commercial breaks totally broke the illusion but as I said before we can’t have it all.

Big picture though, Hairspray was enjoyable. It had some very talented singing by some, dancing and in general, it’s a musical with some catchy songs. NBC has done one thing that you cannot deny and it is that it is bringing more people into the world of live theater. With productions like these, theater is able to reach and introduce themselves to a wider national audience and I think for the theater industry that’s fantastic. I hope that with these live musicals, smaller theaters across the nation start getting more business and exposure.

Legally Blonde: The Musical at Twin Cities Community Theater

When I walked into the Twin Cities Community Theatre (recently renamed and originally the Coon Rapids Community Players)  production of "Legally Blond: The Musical" at the the Sabes Jewish Community Center, I'll admit I was a bit nervous. There are musicals out there that if a theatre plans to do, they better make sure they have the time, resources and cast to not only do it, but do it well. There is no way to hide inexperience singers, a bad set or just plain bad acting with a show like this. It's also based on an iconic movie, originally starring Reese Witherspoon. The musical does a fantastic job of adapting the movie to the stage with our favorite lines (What like it's hard?) and turning moments like the "bend-and-snap" into a hilarious number.

However the two biggest things, in my opinion, you need is a phenomenal actress to play Elle Woods (Spoiler Alert: Mary Burchill played Elle and was phenomenal) and solid vocals for the entire cast especially the Greek chorus girls. I will say there were many times in which the ensemble/Greek chorus felt hesitant in many of the numbers in which they came in rather sheepishly and then sang louder after.

However that being said they were often in tune and sounded great especially the three leading Greek chorus girls Serena, Margot, and Pilar (Tynelle Marschall, Brogan Deblieck, and Haley Sister) were total scene stealers. They sounded great and always brought in so much energy and kept that energy throughout the entire production despite having some very intense choreography. 

A crowd favorite was also Paulette (Anne Brown) the crazy and hilarious hair stylist that Elle befriends. She did a great job on honoring the role of Paulette (from the movie) while at the same time making the character her own. The females, owned this show while honestly, the males were a little lackluster and not very memorable compared to the force that the woman brought on stage.

While I was quite impressed with the vocals that these performers had, I was a little disappointed with the set. Maybe it was a directors choice however some parts just did not make sense to me. For example when Elle was in her dorm room there was a door, a bed, a rolling set piece with a vanity and chair (all with plenty of props and detail) however while she was studying for the LSAT or meeting her classmates in the courtyard at Harvard Law, there was only a bench or chair. Nothing else. It seemed strange to me that some scenes and so many pieces to show the audience where they were while others lacked really anything.

I also found some tiny things in the set to be unfinished. Many times doors simply would not stay shut and opened during the middle of a scene. Another thing that I continuously would zone in on was the fact that the door in the salon was an empty door frame. There was no screen in the door, glass or even some plastic or Plexiglas. I often saw actors stick their hand through it while they opened or closed the door and that really takes you out of the show and the world that the actors have created.

Overall it was an enjoyable performance. The music, book, and characters are funny and charming and I look forward to seeing their next performance as the Twin Cities Community Theatre will be producing "Heathers: The Musical" February 2-12, 2017.

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The Illusionists at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

The Illusionists was by far one of the most engaging shows I've seen in a really long time. I can't count how many times I was on the edge of my seat during this show. I have always been a fan of magic tricks however the entire time I was at this show, I was convinced none of these acts were tricks. The tag line for The Illusionists is "witness the impossible" and that is exactly what I saw. The show was not only spectacular features in magic however entertaining in many ways including humor and theatricality. Coming from a theatre background I loved this aspect.

The amount of sheer talent between these seven illusionists was unreal. I was stunned the entire time. However there was one illusionist that had my attention the entire time and that was Dan Sperry. His role within the show was the "Anti-Conjurer" and he was amazing. His eccentric personality, wit and humor mixed with his magic was what kept me begging for more. I would pay money to watch a show entirely made up of him, just him. His abilities can be seen on YouTube and I highly recommend you search it. He conjured birds (and a cockatoo named Spike). I think I held my breath the entire time...however not as long as Andrew Basso, the Italian escapologist who kept the entire audience motionless. 

Andrew Basso's part of the show was much more than a magical illusion...because it was pure talent. He is known as the Escapologist. His act mimics that of his hero, Harry Houdini. Andrew Basso was locked in handcuffs and submerged (see picture on left) in a tank of water, UPSIDE DOWN! The time varies, however during the show I saw he managed to unlock himself from the handcuffs, get his feet loose and get out of the tank in under four minutes. This was an interesting part about this section of the show. It wasn't an illusion. It was completely real and absolutely amazing.

If you get a chance to see this show, I highly recommend it. It was great for many ages (most of the adult humor is too witty for children to understand). If you don't get the chance, check out their website or look them up on YouTube.

Evita at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

Evita is a musical that opened on The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Stage on August 12 and will run through August 17. For those who do not know, Evita is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and a score written by multi-award winning composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber. The musical is about the former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Perón. The musical follows her early life, rise to power, charity work and her eventual death.

Eva Perón was born in 1919 in the poor town of Los Toldos, Argentina. She made her way to Buenos Aires (the capital of Argentina) in the 1930s at the mere age of 15. Soon after moving there she rapidly climbed the social ladder and became an actress on a radio station. She then married Juan Perón, a military officer, in 1945 after dating for a year. The following year he became the president of Argentina where Eva used her position as the first lady to fight for women's suffrage and improving the lives of the poor. She died in 1952 of cancer and was given the title "Spiritual Leader of the Nation."

Going into this musical with very minimal knowledge was a mistake. If you do not know anything about Eva Perón, I suggest you musical to take the time to research her and her life. The musical's plotline was a little twisty turny and due to the large chorus numbers (sometimes sung in Spanish), it was a little hard to follow. The chorus had a wonderful sound and tone to it however at times it was hard to understand.

This production had something that I haven't seen in quite some time. Something that is simple but in my opinion required in almost every musical I would like to see and that is dance. This new staged production uses beautiful tango choreography by Rob Ashford that is truly beautiful and really adds to the authenticity of the Argentinean production.

The thing I enjoyed the most about Evita was the powerhouse leading actress, Caroline Bowman, who portrayed Eva Perón. She had such an amazing stage presence that had me begging for her to return to the stage every time she exited. Bowman's powerful vocal stamina is what really brought me into the musical. At times she had a belt that is in the ranks of Broadway legends like Patti LuPone (the Tony-Award winning actress who originated the role on Broadway) while other times her voice was soft and gentle in songs like "Don't Cry for Me Argentina."

At the top of the second act, Bowman came out onto the balcony to address her people. She wore a dress that was almost too fabulous for the Argentinean diva as she delicately sung the musical's most popular song. It was this moment when I knew just who Caroline Bowman was. Just like the lyrics in the song "Buenos Aires," Caroline Bowman is an actress with true star quality.

Bring It On: The Musical at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

Bring It On: The Musical opened on The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Stage on May 13 and will run through the 18. 

If you attend this high flying musical, in hopes to hear the same favorite quotes from the original 2000 cult classic movie starring Kirsten Dunst, then you will be sadly disappointed. Upon entering the Ordway, I was expecting the same story line that made me fall in love with the movie, however it's quite different.

The plot line for Bring It On: The Musical is similar to the second movie Bring It On: All Or Nothing in which a transfer student must compete with a new inner-city school's cheer squad against her old high school. In this musical, Campbell is the shows protagonist. Due to the school board re-districting parts of the city, she is forced to attend Jackson High School. This is of course after she has been named cheer squad captain which is all she's ever wanted and is expressed in the shows opening song What I was Born to Do.

The show had it's ups and downs for me. First off I did love the choreography and vocals. The choreography has two different distinct feels. It opened with Truman High School, Campbell's original school, doing many flips and gymnastic styled moves. I guess it's hard to classify it as either choreography or gymnastics. However the students of Truman High School had plenty of bumping and grinding dance moves all across the stage that they integrated with their gymnastics for their final squad routine. During the final show-down, my friend Lexia and I jumped a few times in fear that someone wasn't going to be caught! It was the most memorable thing from the show and really set it apart from other musicals I've seen in the past. Believe me, I've seen a lot.

The vocals were remarkable as well. The performers were constantly belting out some really stellar songs while at the same time twerking, flipping and tumbling. The music was something that kept me interested through out the entire production. This is no surprise when I found out Tony award winners Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and Lin-Manual Miranda (In the Heights) both composed music for this show, as I am huge fans of both of their work. At times it was pop-like and sweet as the show opened, featuring Truman High School. However as the scenes transitioned into Jackson High School, the music shifted into music that had more hip-hop influence. 

Now for what I did not care for. I thought the writing was in a word...cliche. It was funny and witty at times however I thought the story line progressed way to fast and really was completely unrealistic. Now we all know that in musical theatre, very rarely is anything realistic which is when the actors actual acting abilities come into play. This is when I am torn. Was the book just that poorly written that I did not believe it or was it the fact that the actors did not truly pull me into the story enough to make me believe it. I'll let you decide upon seeing the production. 

Bring It On: The Musical plays at the Ordway through May 18.

Photography by Clint Tuccio.

The Phantom of the Opera at Hennepin Theatre Trust

It's been awhile since I've seen a production at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. I finally returned to that lovely theatre on Tuesday, December 17th and saw an absolutely stunning new production of "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I've seen this movie multiple times however never have I seen a live stage production of it. This new production by Cameron Mackintosh (following the sold-out tour in the U.K.) includes brilliant new scenic designs by Paul Brown including the show's legendary and iconic chandelier.

The set and costumes for this show were one of the best I've ever seen. Upon walking into the theatre, I was entranced by the stage. Unlike many other shows, there was a small set already constructed with the famous chandelier hanging above the pit, covered with a tarp. While the cast sang one of my favorite songs from the musical, Masquerade, the set transformed into an incredibly beautiful ballroom. There was multiple mirrors upstage of the set. These mirrors truly made this set come to life. It added depth to the scene in a sense of it made it look larger than it really was. It looked like there were a lot more actors on stage then there actually was.

One thing that performers are consistently trying to do is make the audience truly believe that what they see on stage is actually happening. We get the audience to believe they are no longer in modern time but actually in 19th century Paris. Very rarely do I see a performance where I'm so engulfed in the production that I actually forget where I am. This musical did that. I was so entranced by the actor's performances, I completely cut out everything else that was going on.

These actors did an unbelievable job with this music as well. I've never had the pleasure of performing Webber myself, however, I've heard it's fairly difficult. There were multiple songs where actors were singing different melodies and harmonies compared to what other actors were singing. The layering of these songs is incredible and very well executed. It was stunning.

The Phantom of the Opera will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre through January 5th, 2014. Student/Educator Rush tickets are available for all performances.

The Wizard of Oz at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

The timeless tale of The Wizard of Oz had their opening night of their new production by Tony, Grammy and Oscar winner Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera) on December 4th at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in St. Paul. This was a fun production for the family and all ages. Upon walking into the lobby of the Ordway I noticed instantly a little girl who was wearing the iconic red slippers, braided pigtails and of course the farm girl blue checkered dress. 

I must applaud whoever designed the lobby of the Ordway for this production. There was a set up in the lobby of what was an upside down Christmas tree complete with decorations and a small house with the Wicked Witch of the East's recognizable striped socks and red ruby slippers. Upon further examination of the tree, it was discovered that the tree was supposed to replicate the tornado that appears in the show. How creative!

Now for the production itself. I thought it was enjoyable and charming. I have never been the greatest fan of the movie The Wizard of Oz however since it was a staged musical rendition, I was hoping that I would enjoy it. Webber does a fantastic job of re-imagining a story that many generations know and love while at the same time adding an almost new modern feel to it. For example one of my favorite things about the show was the amazing portrayal Jacquelyn Piro Donovan created of The Wicked Witch of the West (below). 

She was just as evil as the original with the same cackle of a laugh while at the same time adding an almost diva-esque quality to the character. The production has the classic songs from the original Oscar award-winning movie such as "Over the Rainbow" and "The Merraward-winning Oz." Webber does write new songs as well such as "Red Shoes Blues."

Recently I saw a production of the restaged version of Les Misérables where they used a projection screen to add a sense of depth to the stage. This production of The Wizard of Oz used that same concept however to the point of annoyance. The projection screen I think is a really amazing technique that designers can use however at some points I felt like I was watching a movie. The screen should have been used to slightly enhance the audiences interpretation of Oz, now create it for them. At times I felt like the magic of musical theatre was nonexistent. As a co-worker of mine said "Attach those flying monkey's to some pulley's and get those pretties to fly!!"

The Wizard of Oz will be playing at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts through December 29th. Get your tickets before they fly off back to Oz!

*Photo Credit: Tom Donoghue

Miss Saigon at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Miss Saigon, a very controversial show, graced the Ordway Center for Performing Arts on October 8th in St. Paul, Minnesota. Miss Saigon is a modern take on the opera by Puccini, Madame Butterfly. This powerful musical is a timeless tale of love, war, and suffering and will only be performed in three cities before opening in May 2014 across the pond in London. The Ordway Center for Performing Arts was its last stop in the United States.

Miss Saigon is a tragic love story between a 17-year-old Vietnamese woman named Kim and an American GI named Chris. It takes place during the occupation of Saigon during the Vietnam War in the 70's. Miss Saigon has had numerous amounts of criticism for some believe it is a racist show with a sexist overtone despite it's multiple Tony Award nominations and wins. In 1991 it had won three Tony Awards including Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, and Best Featured Actor.

I neither hated or absolutely loved Miss Saigon. It was not my favorite piece of musical literature, however, I really enjoyed some parts. There were a few flaws in the script that I felt didn't make sense or were just completely unrealistic. For example, in the first Act, I did not understand the love between Kim and Chris. They met, had sex and all of a sudden Chris is singing about his love for this young woman, whom he just met. I understand some musicals don't have enough time to set out a huge long love story. Due to them falling in love so fast, I had a hard time fighting for their relationship throughout the musical. I felt no emotional appeal for the two and did not want to fight for their love.

As I mentioned before, there were some things I did enjoy. First off I have to give absolute praise to Manna Nichols (Kim). From her very first note, she had my attention. Her voice was one of the purest voices I've ever heard on a stage. Her acting was superb however her singing is by far what kept me engaged. She would effortlessly hit a wide range of notes from both a high register and low register. It was beautiful.

Miss Saigon was once deemed one of the most technically challenging shows of its time. I had heard this before seeing the show and I was confused as to why. It didn't seem that technically challenging until the second act when a helicopter flew downstage almost from the depths of Vietnam itself. It was quite extraordinary and I was extremely impressed with it. Miss Saigon will be running at the Ordway until October 13th.

*Photo Credits: J. Urdaneta Photography

Les Misérables at Hennepin Theatre Trust

Les Misérable is a timeless musical (adapted from Victor Hugo's novel) takes place in 19th-century France. It revolves around the main character Valjean who has just served 19 years of prison (prisoner 24601) for stealing a loaf of bread. After being released, he breaks his parole and becomes an extremely successful mayor and businessman who eventually cares for a young orphan by the name of Cosette. However, he is haunted and chased by the infamous inspector Javert.

I've seen this musical staged twice prior to seeing this performance. I had seen a high school production (Which I still thoroughly believe high schools should be banned from doing this production) as well as the last time it toured back in December of 2011. I knew what I was getting into when I saw it and I knew it would result in many tears. However what made me so happy to see it this time around was my two friends who I decided to take with me for they had never seen a production of it.

I believe each and every actor did a splendid job in this production. Peter Lockyer who played the lead role Valjean, completely nailed it. His rendition of "Bring Him Home" gave me goosebumps by the end of the song. His impeccable vibrato and high register were absolutely beautiful.

However, when it comes to lead actors and actresses I can not stop raving about the Briana Carson-Goodman who played the role of Éponine. There was something about her performance that had me truly mesmerized through the entire production. Her performance of "On My Own" had the entire audience speechless and jaw's to the floor. There were true emotions behind it that had me captivated.

I really don't have many negative things to say about this production. Towards the beginning, it was a bit hard to hear some of the actors to the overpowering pit orchestra. I also had a tiny critique about the actor who played Javert. At times it seemed like there was something strange happening with the back of his throat as he sang. I can't quite put my finger on it, however, I didn't notice it so much after the beginning of the first act.

Les Misérable is such an amazing musical that I really do recommend anyone and everybody to see it if they get the chance. It is one of those timeless musicals that anyone interested in or an avid fan of theatre should get the chance to see it. And no, the musical is not based off of the 2012 movie. And yes this actor does do it better than Russell Crowe, and yes this musical does put the movie to shame. 

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

Another blogger night at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts. "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" musical is a fast paced rock and roll themed night of fun. "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" is a stage musical that includes over twenty of Buddy Holly and rock and roll's greatest hits. It is considered one of the first jukebox musicals and has been seen in over fifteen countries across the world. For those who don't know, a jukebox musical is a musical that uses previously released popular songs as its musical score (such as Mamma Mia and Rock of Ages).

Buddy Holly released over 10 hits within his first 18 months of hitting the scene. His hits included songs such as Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, That'll Be the Day and many more! The musical tells the story of how he originally started out as a country singer who wanted nothing more than to play his music, his way. It explores his meteoric climb to fame, his adventures through it and eventually his young and untimely death, the day the music died.

I enjoyed the talent of the show, not necessarily the actual production. It just wasn't my type of show. When I see a musical I am all about a stereotypical lights, costume and belting type musical (which this was not). This was more of a concert type musical (similar to Million Dollar Quartet). However I can not at all disrespect the talent of Kurt Jenkins.

In this production, there are two leading men who alternate the part of Buddy, Andy Christopher and Kurt Jenkins. I had the pleasure of seeing Kurt Jenkins who played the part to the best of his ability despite the less than stellar plot line. In the first act (which had a substantial amount more of acting than the second act) Kurt was enjoyable. Complimenting his lovely voice he played the quirky and almost dorky Buddy perfectly.

Through out the show I did complain on how hard it was hard to hear him at some points due to the loud music which out played his voice. Sometimes I felt like since the production was a concert structured show, I did not feel any connection to the songs. The songs were only being sung for the sake of being sung. There were almost no emotion  behind the pieces. To be honest the young woman who sang "Shout" I feel was one of, if not the best thing in the entire show. She had me wanting to stand up on my feet and jump around with her as she strutted across the stage of the "Apollo Theatre" in Harlem New York.

Overall the talent of the show was good however the plot line and concert style musical was not for me. I think my generation might not be able to appreciate this production only for the fact that he wasn't in our generation. His music didn't touch us the way it touched our parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents. By the ending scene (which was exactly like a concert) patrons were standing up, clapping and dancing in the aisles which was a fun site to see.

Anything Goes at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

It was another wonderful night with the touring cast of Anything Goes by the Roundabout Theatre Company. The cast had it's opening night at the Ordway Theatre for Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota and it was spectacular.

Anything Goes, a musical written by Cole Porter in 1934, has been revivied a total of three times. The most recent revival, starring Sutton Foster, won three Tony Awards in 2011 including Best Performance  by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Revival of a Musical. Anything Goes is a charming, witty and fun show for all ages.

Anything Goes is musical about reckless antics abroad the "S.S. American," a ship on it's way to London from New York. Reno Sweeney (Rachel York) is a swanky nightclub singer who boards the ship where she runs into her friend, and stowaway,  Billy Crocker (Josh Franklin). Billy hopes that by stowing away on the ship, he can win over the heiress Hope Harcourt (Alex Finke) who is aboard the ship with her fiance Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Edward Staudenmayer). Aboard the ship as well is Public Enemy #13 Moonface Martin (Jeff Brooks), who aids Billy in his quest for love.

Let's start with talking about our leading lady, Rachel York. This is that awkward part of the review where I already don't know what to say. Rachel York was brilliant. She left me speechless through out the entire production. One thing I despise about theatre people is the constant need for comparison. People were comparing Rachel York to Sutton Foster the entire night. However as much as I love both of these ladies, I felt Rachel York did a spectacular job. I felt York brought a new look to Reno Sweeney which many of us haven't seen since the great Patti LuPone played the part. York brings back an air of seduction to the character with her beautiful acting and superb vocals. York's voice is raspy and sultry while at the same time reaches a new level of clarity with numbers such as the title song "Anything Goes" as well as "You're the Top" and "Blow Gabriel Blow!" It was not only a joy and a thrill but an honor to see Rachel York live in the flesh performing such a wonderfully fresh new revival of a timeless musical

I've been to many musicals in my time here in Minnesota and never have I ever seen an audience erupt in applause-mid dance. During the Act 1 Finale, Reno Sweeney leads the cast in the title song Anything Goes. The casts tap sequence was something like nothing I have ever seen. The cast flawlessly tapped their ways into the audiences heart with what looked like absolutely no effort. Upon finishing the tap sequence mid song, the audience erupted in applause as the tap dancers continued to tap even more while York began to belt out the shows title song. Never have I ever seen something that impressive on a stage. Ever. I mean how many people can tap dance their sea legs off for what seemed like 5 solid minutes of tap, and then blow the roof off the place with their powerful belt? Not many, however Rachel York sure can.

Overall the national touring cast of Anything Goes was magnificent. You know me, give me a Broadway star, a tony award winning score and a couple of sailors and I'm on board. (Ha-ha). Get your tickets now before it sails away on May 12th!

Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

On October 10th 2012, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts I was invited once again to participate in "Blogger Night" for the opening night of the touring Broadway production "Billy Elliot: The Musical." This 10 time Tony Award winning musical, including Best Musical, features the story of a young boy who finds himself thrust into the world of ballet dancing accidentally during the day of his first boxing lesson. What makes the story extremely interesting is the historical events taking place at this time involving the UK Coal Miners strike which was a backdrop for the setting of the musical. "Billy Elliot: The Musical" was an energized musical with a sub-par score, brilliant choreography and real authenticity through out the show

The music was catchy however I was expecting more to be honest. With a young actor as the lead of the show I was excepting some nice tenor falsetto solo's to be hundred percent honest. There was really only notable song that I feel stood out in my mind which was "Electricity" towards the end of the show, however I was mesmerized more by his impeccable dancing. The more notable song (Shine) was right in the beginning for me which was sung by Mrs. Wilkinson (played by Janet Dickinson) as she teaches the very first ballet class Billy attends. Her voice and accent were perfect not to mention her comedic delivery. Her comedic relief through out the show was spot on 100% of the time. I would honestly say that Mrs. Wilkinson was by far the best singer the entire show had, however Billy Elliot's dancing stole the cake for that category. One small detail that I eventually got used to was the authenticity of their accents. Their cockney British accents were so thick it was hard to understand some of the dialogue as well as songs at times, however it was a minor issue that I got used to after the third or fourth song.

The dancing was by far breathtaking. The range and diverse forms of dancing had me absolutely captivated. It was nice to see a switch of pace when it comes to the choreography. I am so used to seeing musicals with grapevines and jazz hands it was interesting to see a musical production that involved classically trained dancing including ballet as well as tap. The ballet was superb but what I enjoyed the most about it is how you saw it evolve through the show. You see Billy's skills in his dancing grow more and more through out the show as you see his skills improving. The ballet scene where Billy dances classical ballet with an older version of himself to "Swan Lake" was by far one of the most amazing things I've seen in quite some time. It was truly magical.

Overall I thought the show was very well done. The choreography really brought it up to standards that many may have. As I said earlier, the music (by Elton John) was sub-par but it got the job done. I enjoyed the show very much and I am seriously considering putting my children in dance after seeing how amazing it can be. Does this mean I get to be on the new Bravo show "Dance Dads" or not?

Chicago at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts

The cast of "Chicago" begins yet another national tour around the country. This tour was by far one of the fiercest things I've seen on a stage. The leading ladies were eye catching, showing a lot of leg, however that didn't keep the audience away from listening how amazing the voices were. The cast included Terra MacLeod as Velma Kelly (who has a long running resume with Chicago, starring in the Broadway & West End Companies to the French Premiere), Tracy Shayne as Roxie Hart (who joins straight from the current Broadway production) and even the award-winning actor John O'Hurley as Billy Flynn. These three leading personalities skill in singing, dancing and acting proved this show to be the perfect triple threat musical, some performing better than others.

One of the first things I noticed and that all I could think of through the night was how after the Overture, the beginning couple of notes for "All that Jazz" began to play, I was amazed and stunned when Velma Kelly (MacLeod) emerged from a rising platform. She looked stunning as I began to clap for her....only to realize no one else was. However later in the show when John O'Hurley simply walked on stage the audience went nuts for him. I understand he is a star however this is a topic that has always gotten to me. The way people will be interested in a musical for one night just to see a big named star who to be honest didn't do as well as I'd hoped. He was absolutely nothing compared to the combined power of MacLeod and Shayne. I thought his dance moves were very...simple for someone who made it to the last round of "Dancing With the Stars."

Ann Reinking, choreographer of the original New York Production, does brilliantly with sexy and seductive choreography. The use of each actor and actresses hips, shoulders and fish net stocking legs make for a very crisp and precise combination of dance moves. I've seen a lot of shows ranging from The Ordway, The Guthrie, The Orpheum and even a handful of shows in New York on Broadway and never have I seen such amazing dance moves. You know a musical is great when you can't pick out that one weak dancer and let alone some of the strongest dancers were the male actors.

I was almost a little disappointed in the set design. It was a little too simple. The used down stage as a platform for the actors to use however upstage was a giant almost sandbox looking square that was set upright where the pit orchestra actually played. Sometimes the actors would even perform conversations with the conductor for their was a staircase leading up to the middle of the square. Always a favorite for us theatre lovers, breaking the fourth wall.

This national tour of Chicago was by far one of the best productions I've seen in a long time. I still can't get the catchy tunes out of my head as well as the fabulous dance moves. This musical will have you dancing all the way home and snapping all the way to Chicago.