"Take Two for Christmas" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

nimbus theatre is back with another Hallmark holiday movie spoof, their third in three years. The first one, A Count Up to Christmas, was a lot of fun and chock full of cliches of those types of movies. As often happens, the sequel, A Very Electric Christmas, was still fun but not as good as the first one; it was a bit rough with a convoluted plot. I'm happy to report that the third play in the trilogy, Take Two for Christmas, is back to the fun of the original, and might even be my favorite of the three. It's got all of the tropes needed for a holiday rom-com: a small town invaded by city folk, a frozen lake, a gazebo to save, and a sweet romance (or two). The design is cozy festive and the cast is all in on the spoofy fun premise. Whether you love or love to hate the Hallmark Christmas movie, Take Two for Christmas is a fun way to celebrate that live on stage. See it at the Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through December 22.

"A Very Electric Christmas" by nimbus theatre at The Crane Theater

nimbus theatre's first holiday* show last year, A Count Up to Christmas - a spoof of the Hallmark holiday movie, was such a success that they're doing another one this year. Last year, the show featured commercials for other "movies" in the network's line-up, and they took one of those and turned it into this year's show. While I didn't enjoy it as much as last year's show, it's still full of fun cliches, bad puns, and double entendres, with a festive design and entertaining performances. See A Very Electric Christmas at The Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis through December 17.

"Nimbus Presents: A Count Up to Christmas" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

nimbus theatre's contribution to the #TCTheater holiday* space (and I think their first holiday show in their 20 years) is a delightful spoof of the beloved Hallmark Christmas movie. You know the one, in which a big city person finds themselves in a quaint small town, where they find love and a purpose. Nimbus Presents: A Count Up to Christmas is so full of these movie clichés that they offer a bingo card with items like "peppermint spice," "sledding," "coffee shop." And check off nearly every one. Whether you love or hate these movies, A Count Up to Christmas is a cute and fun way to experience them. See it at the Crane Theater in Northeast through December 18.

"The Red and the Bright" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

photo by Todd Craig

nimbus theatre is celebrating 20 years in #TCTheater with their 50th production, the original play The Red and the Bright. From my first nimbus show, the original and locally historical play Bohemian Flats in 2013, to the harsh look at race and racism in America in Nacirema, to the breathtaking design of Ghost Sonata, to a fascinating look into art forgery in From Darkness, to many historical dramas and even a comedy, what I've come to expect from nimbus is something interesting, thoughtful, and unique. Sometimes a little weird, sometimes a little rough, but always intriguing, forward-thinking, and worth checking out. They often do original plays, as is the case with The Red and the Bright, written by co-Artistic Director Liz Neerland and directed by co-Artistic Director Josh Cragun. They began working on it before the pandemic, and it's finally seeing the stage, presenting a fantasy world that feels real and complete unto itself, from the language spoken, to the relationships amongst the tight community, to the detailed design. Only two more performances remain; click here for info and tickets.

"A Life of Days" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

nimbus theatre's new original plays always explore some fascinating topic, idea, or historical era in a way that gets me thinking and wanting to know more. Their latest such work, A Life of Days, officially opens tonight and was inspired by a true story about a family that lived completely isolated in Siberia for 40 years. You can read that super fascinating story here, as well as playwright Liz Neerland's other literary research and inspiration here. I want to read all of these books, preferably by myself in a remote cabin in the woods, but as that's not possible at the moment, I'll settle for seeing this thoughtful rumination on solitude, society, nature, civilization, and humanity.

"The Pathetic Life and Remarkable Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy, the Worst Robber in the West" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

With their original work, nimbus theatre often brings us some fascinating but little known historical event or issue, typically in a thoughtful way that's somehow relevant to today. Their newest work, The Pathetic Life and Remarkable Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy, the Worst Robber in the West, does that too, but it's the first straight-up comedy I've seen them do, and it's great fun. Real life unsuccessful outlaw Elmer McCurdy would likely have been lost to history, if not for the strange tale of his corpse, which was preserved and made the rounds of carnivals, exhibits, side shows, and even movies, eventually stashed away in storage where it was discovered in 1976 and finally buried. He was the subject of an episode of Drunk History, and this play sort of feels like an extended episode of Drunk History. Silly and funny yet sorta kinda true.

"Ludlow" by nimbus theatre at the Crane Theater

What I love most about nimbus theatre (other than the fact that they perform at the Crane in Northeast, a 15 minute drive from my house) is that they usually perform new works, often historical, always interesting and thoughtful. Their latest creation is Ludlow, about the Colorado Coalfield War of 1913-1914, the deadliest labor dispute in US History, resulting in the deaths of dozens or even hundreds of people. Playwright Josh Cragun and director Liz Neerland, Co-Artistic Directors of nimbus, have created an ambitious new work with a large and talented ensemble that not only brings the lives of the victims and survivors to life, but also speaks to current issues of unions, immigration, and the haves vs. the have-nots.

"The Kalevala" by nimbus theatre at The Crane Theater

What's The Crane Theater, you ask? It's nimbus theatre's brand new theater space in Northeast Minneapolis. Less than a year after a rent hike forced them out of their previous space in Northeast, a space where they not only presented exciting new work of their own but also hosted many nomadic theater companies in presenting their work, nimbus has found a new home. There seems to be a dearth of small affordable theater spaces for small theater companies (of which there are very many in this town), so the opening of The Crane Theater is an important and exciting thing. This big, open, airy former factory space with 30-foot ceilings will provide a great home for not just nimbus, but many theater companies who need a space in which to share their work, and also for audiences who want to see such work. That's why I donated to their Kickstarter campaign to help with continued renovations, which include a second theater/studio space, and I look forward to watching the space progress and to seeing some great theater there. Last weekend nimbus opened the first show in The Crane Theater, a new work based on the Finnish epic poem The Kalevala. As a new work it's a bit rough, but also fascinating, introducing me to a piece of literature and history with which I was previously unfamiliar, using modern language and cool design elements.

"The Storms of November" at nimbus theatre

What I love about nimbus theatre is that they often present original work, usually based on history, that, while not always flawless, is always interesting and thought-provoking and sheds new light on their subject. Such is the case with their newest work The Storms of November (written and directed by Co-Artistic Directors Josh Cragun and Liz Neerland, respectively), about sailors, ships, and shipwrecks on Lake Superior. November is a notoriously dangerous month on Minnesota's great and mysterious inland sea, and this play explores the lives of fictional characters on and off the ships, inspired by real people and events.

"In the Age of Paint and Bone" at nimbus theatre

nimbus theatre's newest original theatrical creation, In the Age of Paint and Bone, deals with the very oldest of recorded history. Tens of thousands of years ago, the earliest humans painted on the walls of caves, many of which have been rediscovered in the last century or two. Co-Artistic Director Liz Neerland directs and wrote this piece, along with the ensemble in their unique workshop process. It's a fascinating subject, and one of those plays that makes me want to know more (fortunately the playbill includes a reading list, gotta love that!). I've long been fascinated by the pre-historical era, and used to be a bit obsessed with the Earth's Children series (aka The Clan of the Cave Bear books), which are part cheesy romance novel and part historically accurate description of a time long past. In the Age of Paint and Bone brings this era to life, but subtly and not in sharp focus, as we don't really know what these pre-historic people were like. The play also looks at the people who first rediscovered the paintings, and what they mean to us today.

In the Age of Paint and Bone takes place in three time periods, the present, the ancient past, and the recent past when the caves were rediscovered. The nimbus stage has been transformed into a cave, with paintings either drawn on the wall or projected. Before the show the audience is invited to explore the area, while actors, in the form of museum tour guides, answer questions. The play begins as a presentation in a museum, and we flash back to the discovery of the cave paintings in Altamira, Spain in 1879. An amateur explorer and his daughter find the paintings, but his belief that the paintings are ancient are disbelieved, until he's finally proven right after his death. We also witness the accidental discovery of the cave paintings in Lascaux, France in 1940 by a couple of teenage boys. But the most fascinating scenes of the play are the flash-way-backs to the people who created this art. The light is dim, music is playing, and we never hear them speak (perhaps they didn't speak in the way we currently do). But we see them painting (including a cool trick of projection that shows the lines of one of the drawings appearing as the artist moves his brush), performing rituals, and communicating with each other.

a painting of a bison in Altamira

The seven members of the ensemble (Timothy Daly, Erin Denman, Jeffery Goodson, Shira Levenson, Derek Meyer, Brian O'Neal, and Alyssa Perau) play multiple characters in all time periods, and change in and out of the varied costumes so quickly it feels like there are more than just seven actors. Brian Hesser's multi-level cave-like set, Mary C. Woll's ancient, period, and modern costumes, and Caitlin Hammel's inventive video design all combine to define these specific worlds.

This piece doesn't answer any questions about why the paintings were created (probably for the same reason anyone creates art, which are many and varied), but rather it plants a seed of interest in the audience, or at least it did in me. What a different life our long ago ancestors lived, but maybe they're not that different from us than we think. Minnesota has its own version of cave paintings in the Jeffers Petroglyphs, which are carvings rather than paintings, that I hope to visit someday. What fun this piece must have been to explore and create. I wish I could take a leave of absence from my day job to re-read the Clan of the Cave Bear books and some of those suggested in the playbill. But if you don't have time for that either, you can spend 70 minutes in nimbus theatre's exploration of the Age of Paint and Bone (playing now through March 1).

a progression of light in the three time periods
(photo by Mathieu Lindquist)

"Nacirema: Stories of Color" at nimbus theatre

"I don't see race. People tell me I'm white and I believe them because (insert hilarious quip here)." This is one of my favorite Colbert Report bits, because it shows just how ridiculous it is to claim to be color-blind. We're not color-blind and we shouldn't be, we should see and celebrate all our beautiful colors, despite the difficulties that may come along with it. nimbus theatre's new original work Nacirema (American spelled backwards) explores this and other ideas about race in America. Presented as a series of vignettes written by nimbus' Artistic Directors Josh Cragun and Liz Neerland, along with the seven-person ensemble, it's a modern, thoughtful, innovative, and entertaining take on the issue.

This seven-person cast (consisting of Ernest Briggs, Alsa Bruno, Suzie Cheng, Nastacia Nicole Foster, Dana Lee Thompson, Jesse Villarreal, and Simone Williams), most of whom were unfamiliar to me, all do a wonderful job bringing their unique perspectives and talent to the piece. On a mostly bare stage with a screen to display images or video, with large panels occasionally covering it to provide the backdrop (scenic and video design by Josh Cragun), a dozen or two short scenes played out. Some are funny, some poignant, some a bit shocking, all raw and true. My favorites include:

• The show begins with the cast visiting Nacirema Travel Agency, illustrating the mostly horrible ways people ended up in this country.
• A spoof of local news shows us how skewed it can be, with hilariously sing-songy voices by Ernest and Simone, and stories featuring homicide, sports, and weather.
• A QVC sale of the "token friend of color" is funny and dead on and might make you squirm a little.
• A scene on a bus with few words spoken shows us what's really going on inside people's heads as characters hold up signs that display their thoughts. It's quite telling, moving, and disturbing.
• In some of the most beautiful scenes, each of the seven ensemble members describes her or himself in terms of food, which I assume they had at least a part in writing. These monologues are all lovely, diverse, and poetic, like spoken word performances.
• What starts out as a fun dance party with Alsa calling movements and the cast performing them turns into a sobering police encounter.
• Alsa's painting show (think Bob Ross painting a crack house) is really funny, playful, and surprisingly poignant.
• Dana and Nastacia embrace and celebrate beautiful natural hair!
• The cast stands at the front of the stage and takes turns saying some of the stupid and insensitive things people say.
• A lovely song by Dana and the cast ends the show, with beautifully diverse images of famous Americans displayed on the screen.

I'm a little late to this party - nimbus theatre's Nacirema closes this Sunday. But if you have time this weekend, I recommend checking it out for some entertaining, thought-provoking, challenging, creative theater.

the cast of Nacirema

"Perilous Night" at nimbus theater

In Perilous Night, a play by local playwright Lee Blessing currently receiving it's world premiere at nimbus theater, HRH Queen Elizabeth III returns from the future. Of course she's not really a queen, but rather a delusional wealthy woman whose family has placed her in a mental hospital. It's a strange and disturbing little play, featuring not just mental illness but also racism, violence, needlepoint, and castration. I'm not quite sure what to think or write about it, but it's definitely thought-provoking and not boring!

The highlight of the play is Shirley Venard, who is a delight as the regal but addled Elizabeth, intent on her strange needlework. Also entertaining is Dana Lee Thompson as fellow mental hospital patient Harriet, who opens the show with a long monologue while Elizabeth ignores her. Harriet's particular delusion is that she believes the world was perfect and everyone was happy, until the day that she was born. Elizabeth and Harriet discuss the world and the differences between the present, future, and idealized past, while Harriet waits to escape. A couple of guards, Harriet's "boyfriend" (Ross Destiche) and his racist violent friend (Kevin Carnahan) facilitate the escape, but of course things don't go as planned. Elizabeth intervenes on behalf of her new friend; she's not as meek as she seems.

The cast does a good job with the material as directed by Artistic Director Liz Neerland, and the set (designed by the other Artistic Director Josh Cragun) is a perfect setting, with it's tile floor and metal bed frame in sterile hospital style, but I found the play to be a bit odd and perplexing. Perilous Night runs through October 6; go see for yourself.

Shirley Venard as the deluded Queen, intent on
her needlework (yes that's blood on her hand)

"Bohemian Flats" at nimbus theatre

The chance to experience a new theater and learn about Minnesota history? I'm in! Last night I attended my first play at nimbus theatre in Northeast Minneapolis (I really wanted to see their production of The Cripple of Inishmaan last fall after seeing A Behanding in Spokane by the same playwright, Martin McDonagh, but didn't quite make it). I love checking out new theater spaces, and in this case an unassuming exterior leads to a quite nice space inside. Their current production is the new original play Bohemian Flats, written and directed by Co-Artistic Director Liz Neerland, about the life of immigrants living in a Minneapolis community of that name in the late 19th and early 20th century. Bohemian Flats was located on the west bank of the Mississippi, at the site of what is now the Washington Avenue bridge. Residents built their own little wooden houses, and those on the lower levels moved out every spring when the river rose. The city of Minneapolis eventually cleared out the flats in the name of progress, but the community lives on in this play which is less of a cohesive story and more of a series of vignettes about life in the flats throughout its 60-year history. More globally, it's a common story of our immigrant ancestors who came to this country to make a better life for themselves and their families.

the cast of Bohemian Flats

The play opens in the 1930s with a man who has lived in the flats for 50 years, in the house his father-in-law built. He reminisces about the people who lived in the once busy community (it housed a church and a saloon, two things every town needs), and the good times and bad they experienced. The drab little wooden shanties soon come to life with flowers and people, and we see scenes of weddings, tragedies (the 1878 explosion at the Washburn A. Mill, where many of the residents worked), arriving immigrants, and community life. Several scenes include immigrants reading letters from family members left behind in the old country, or writing to them of their new life in America. The eight-member ensemble ably brings these many characters to life. I found myself looking for a little more follow-up on some of the stories (did the woman's son survive the mill explosion? did the young girl ever make it out of the flats?), or a return to the man from the beginning of the play for some sort of closure. There's no one thread to follow through the play, no one person to grab on to and become emotionally invested in as you follow their story. Still, the play effectively brings the audience into the world of Bohemian Flats, a unique community on the very shore of the river, but with a universal story of the immigrant life.

Helping to create this world are the set (by Brian Hesser, also one of the ensemble members) and costumes (by Andrea M. Gross). Walking into the theater space at Nimbus, I was immediately charmed by the rustic shanty town on stage, which later blossoms with life as flower beds and other decorations are added. The costumes reflect a plain, hard-working people, with people from "up in the city" differentiated by their somewhat more distinguished clothing.

Bohemian Flats is playing now through April 7 at nimbus theatre. Check it out for an entertaining lesson on local history.

a historical photo of the community know as Bohemian Flats

a historical photo of the community know as Bohemian Flats