"When the wind blows, the cradle will rock." This sweet and innocent lullaby takes on a whole new meaning in Frank Theatre's production of the 1937 musical The Cradle Will Rock. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of it; I hadn't either, and really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I went to see it at Gremlin Theatre last weekend. For a piece that was so revolutionary at the time (the original production was shut down due to its pro-union stance and skewering of the power structure), it's still extraordinarily relevant. It feels like it could have been written in 2019. As usual, director Wendy Knox and her cast and creative team have created a manifestation of the written play that is incredibly detailed, thoughtful, consistent, and true to the message. And better yet, they do it in 90 minutes with no intermission. In the past I've had problems staying engaged for over three hours at a Frank show; no matter how good the play is, that's both a physical and a mental challenge for me. But 90 minutes seems the perfect length for this sort of thing. They fully but succinctly tell the story in an incredibly effective way, without the premise wearing thin or any redundancies. It's truly a rousing and gripping piece of theater (with music!) that will stay with you long after you leave the theater.
Showing posts with label Molly Sue McDonald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Molly Sue McDonald. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Sunday, September 16, 2018
"Once" by Theater Latte Da at Ritz Theater
Ever since it became available for regional productions a few years ago, I've been (im)patiently waiting for a #TCTheater company to do Once, the eight-time Tony winning musical based on the Irish indie film that won an Oscar for best song. My (im)patience has finally been rewarded with a production by my favorite company of theater musically that is, in a word, grand. Theater Latte Da used to have a series called "Broadway Re-imagined," but the cool thing about Once is that the original production on Broadway was already re-imagined, at least in terms of what you usually see on a Broadway stage. It's a small intimate story lacking the traditional (clichéd) happy ending; it features folk-rock music; and there is no separate orchestra, rather the ensemble also functions as the band in one cohesive celebration of music, love, joy, and pain. So very Irish. Still, Latte Da has managed to put their own unique spin on it and cast 13 multi-talented local performers to create something truly special that will make your heart ache in the best possible way.
Monday, April 28, 2014
"The Threepenny Opera" by Frank Theatre at the Southern Theater
First produced in 1928 in Berlin, The Threepenny Opera tells the story of a criminal/mobster/thief named Macheath (aka Mack the Knife) in Victorian London. When Mack marries the daughter of his rival Mr. Peachum, head of the beggars, Mr. Peachum retaliates by trying to get Macheath arrested and hung. Despite Mack's many crimes, it's not an easy task since the police chief is Mack's buddy. But eventually, Mack is jailed and about to be hung when he's suddenly miraculously freed. The story is told through a series of vignettes and songs, with each character getting their moment to be heard.
Here are some highlights of Frank Theatre's The Threepenny Opera:
- First and foremost: Bradley Greenwald** as Macheath. He's dark and twisted and his gorgeous voice fills every corner of the spacious Southern Theater with no need for amplification.
- Speaking of - I love it when actors in musicals are not miked, and there's nothing to come between their voices and my ears. It's rare, and perhaps difficult to do when mixing sound with a band (or at least that's the excuse I've heard), but with a small band like this (musical director Sonja Thompson on piano and organ, with actors occasionally joining in on various instruments) and the excellent voices in this cast, it's quite possible and creates a perfectly mixed and unaltered sound.
- As Mr. Peachum, Gary Briggle is deliciously mischievous and mustachioed, and well-matched by Janis Hardy as the wig-adjusting Mrs. Peachum.
- Mack's women are all fantastic, from Suzie Juul's absurdly silly Polly Peachum, to Molly Sue McDonald's world-weary Jenny, to Kira Lace Hawkin's slightly crazy Lucy. Particularly excellent is the duet between Polly and Lucy as they're fighting over Mack, hilariously and beautifully sung by both Suzie and Kira.
- I was delighted to see the reunion of Officer Lockstock (Bradley Greenwald) and Little Sally (Elisa Pluhar) from last summer's Urinetown, although in a very different set of circumstances with a very different relationship!
- This is a huge cast and they all do great work.
- The Southern Theater is all decked out with racks of clothing and huge shelves full of tchochkes (set by Joe Stanley), and the costumes (by Kathy Kohl) really help to define the weird and wacky world of this Threepenny Opera.
*Read my thoughts on the Atlantic Theater Company's production here, and yes I did plagiarize myself for some of the background info.
**Bradley Greenwald will again be singing the music of Kurt Weill (along with two of my other faves, Dieter Bierbrauer and Christina Baldwin) in Skylark Opera's Berlin to Broadway in June, which I hear is also directed by Wendy Knox.Sunday, October 6, 2013
"Fiddler on the Roof" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' new main stage musical Fiddler on the Roof feels like a bit of a change from recent fare. The last few shows (Joseph, Bye Bye Birdie, Xanadu) have been very high energy, fun, almost campy musicals. It's been quite a while since I've had a tear in my eye at the Chanhassen, but I did on Friday night. Tevye, the main character in Fiddler, has such love for his family, his traditions, and his village that when those things begin to be broken apart, you can't help but be moved by it. Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty of humor and great dancing (although of a different kind than the usual Broadway style), but this show has more of a deeper meaning and serious undertone that we've seen recently at the Chan. But what hasn't changed is the excellent cast of regulars (and a few newcomers) directed by Michael Brindisi, the fantastic onstage orchestra led by Andrew Cooke, and the high production values. This is a great production of one of the most popular musicals of the last century.
The 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof is based on late 19th century stories by Russian Jewish writer Sholen Aleichem. Tevye is a poor and simple man with strong belief in his Jewish faith and traditions. He believes in doing things the way they've always been done, which means arranging marriages for his five daughters. But it's 1905, and the times, they are a-changin'. Oldest daughter Tzeitel wants to marry a man of her choice, a poor tailor. Despite the fact that Tevye has arranged for her to marry the wealthy (and much older) butcher, he gives in to Tzeitel. It's obvious that the girls have their papa wrapped around their little fingers and he would do (almost) anything to see them happy. In the struggle between tradition and his daughters' happiness, his daughters win. Second daughter Hodel moves further away from family tradition when she agrees to marry a man not from the village, a scholar and political activist who gets arrested and sent to Siberia, with Hodel to follow. Third daughter Chava goes a step too far when she wants to marry outside the faith, a Russian man named Fyedka (but he's one of the "good" Russians). It breaks Tevye's heart to do so, but he cannot accept this gross breach of tradition and the seeming rejection of the faith he holds so dear. But these are not the only problems poor Tevye is dealing with; 1905 Russia was not a welcoming place for Jews. Facing religious persecution and pogroms, Tevye and his family are forced to leave and find a new home. It's a sad ending, but there's also a feeling of hope that this family will stay together and continue their traditions, as well as begin new traditions, wherever they find themselves.*
At the heart of this production is Keith Rice as Tevye. He's long been one of my favorites at the Chanhassen, often hamming it up in a comedic role (such as his recent turn as the Pharaoh in Joseph), but this is the best I've seen him. He still plays the comedy in Tevye's friendly kvetching about his troubles as he talks to God (and the audience) like an old friend, but there's great heart there too. Keith possesses a beautiful rich baritone with which he can bring down the rafters, but he shows incredible restraint in "If I Were a Rich Man," pulling it in and making it a sort of conversational rumination on a daydream. Michelle Barber is a good match as his wife Golde, and they share a comfortable chemistry, especially in the sweet song "Do You Love Me?" The three daughters are well cast; they're charming, strong singers, and embody the different personalities of the girls (Serena Brook, Ruthanne Heyward, and Caroline Innerbichler). Also great and well cast are the men playing their suitors (Zachary Colton Schaeffer, Jared Oxborough, and Tyler Michaels**). The large ensemble provides great support, and Mary Sue McDonald is the titular Fiddler, who seems to represent Tevye's soul, always there at important moments.
The costumes (by Rich Hamson) are excellent and authentic-looking, and I couldn't help but think how hot the actors must be under the layers of coats, shawls, skirts, boots, hats. A fortunate story element - according to tradition everyone must keep their heads covered - eliminates the need for unflattering wigs. In addition to the muted everyday wear, there's also an opportunity for fun and colorful costumes in a fantastical dream sequence. The choreography (by Tamara Kangas Erickson) features some thrilling Jewish and Russian-style dancing, and the well-known score includes such favorites as "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," and "Sunrise, Sunset."
I wasn't that familiar with Fiddler before seeing this show, having never seen the entire 1971 movie and only having seen it onstage once before (pre-blog, which means I don't remember much about it). I found it to be a great musical about faith, family, tradition, resilience, and community. Head out to Chanhassen between now and February for something to warm your heart (and stomach - some great new menu items) this winter.
*If you want to know what happens to Tevye and his family upon immigrating to America, go see Theater Latte Da's Steerage Song, a new music-theater piece about the European immigrant experience in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
**Tyler Michaels is playing the role of Fyedka through Dec. 8, at which time he leaves the show to play the emcee in Theater Latte Da's Cabaret.
The 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof is based on late 19th century stories by Russian Jewish writer Sholen Aleichem. Tevye is a poor and simple man with strong belief in his Jewish faith and traditions. He believes in doing things the way they've always been done, which means arranging marriages for his five daughters. But it's 1905, and the times, they are a-changin'. Oldest daughter Tzeitel wants to marry a man of her choice, a poor tailor. Despite the fact that Tevye has arranged for her to marry the wealthy (and much older) butcher, he gives in to Tzeitel. It's obvious that the girls have their papa wrapped around their little fingers and he would do (almost) anything to see them happy. In the struggle between tradition and his daughters' happiness, his daughters win. Second daughter Hodel moves further away from family tradition when she agrees to marry a man not from the village, a scholar and political activist who gets arrested and sent to Siberia, with Hodel to follow. Third daughter Chava goes a step too far when she wants to marry outside the faith, a Russian man named Fyedka (but he's one of the "good" Russians). It breaks Tevye's heart to do so, but he cannot accept this gross breach of tradition and the seeming rejection of the faith he holds so dear. But these are not the only problems poor Tevye is dealing with; 1905 Russia was not a welcoming place for Jews. Facing religious persecution and pogroms, Tevye and his family are forced to leave and find a new home. It's a sad ending, but there's also a feeling of hope that this family will stay together and continue their traditions, as well as begin new traditions, wherever they find themselves.*
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Keith Rice as Tevye |
The costumes (by Rich Hamson) are excellent and authentic-looking, and I couldn't help but think how hot the actors must be under the layers of coats, shawls, skirts, boots, hats. A fortunate story element - according to tradition everyone must keep their heads covered - eliminates the need for unflattering wigs. In addition to the muted everyday wear, there's also an opportunity for fun and colorful costumes in a fantastical dream sequence. The choreography (by Tamara Kangas Erickson) features some thrilling Jewish and Russian-style dancing, and the well-known score includes such favorites as "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," and "Sunrise, Sunset."
I wasn't that familiar with Fiddler before seeing this show, having never seen the entire 1971 movie and only having seen it onstage once before (pre-blog, which means I don't remember much about it). I found it to be a great musical about faith, family, tradition, resilience, and community. Head out to Chanhassen between now and February for something to warm your heart (and stomach - some great new menu items) this winter.
*If you want to know what happens to Tevye and his family upon immigrating to America, go see Theater Latte Da's Steerage Song, a new music-theater piece about the European immigrant experience in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
**Tyler Michaels is playing the role of Fyedka through Dec. 8, at which time he leaves the show to play the emcee in Theater Latte Da's Cabaret.
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