The History Theatre's New Works Festival "Raw Stages" 2024

It's January in Minnesota and that means two things: below zero temperatures and History Theatre's "Raw Stages" new works festival. This year they're presenting five readings of new plays and musicals, and I thought about getting a hotel room in downtown St. Paul so I could just hang out for a week and see them all. But other duties and shows call, so I'll likely end up seeing just three of the five. I love "Raw Stages" for many reasons - the incredible performers who made these characters and stories come alive after just a few hours of rehearsal, the fascinating stories of little known Minnesota history, and being a part of the new work development process. It's a thrill to get a glimpse into how new work comes to be, something we don't often get to see or even really think about. And the best part is most of these works will end up on the main stage in a fully realized production, and you can watch something new and exciting come full circle. Keep reading for full details of all shows below (from the History Theatre website), as well as my thoughts on the three I saw. Since there's not much snow to play in or to impede getting out and about - head to downtown St. Paul this weekend and watch theater in the making (click here to purchase $15 tickets for one show, or a pass for $30).

"Fire in the New World" by Full Circle Theater Company at Park Square Theatre

Rick Shiomi, founder of Theater Mu and current co-Artistic Director of Full Circle Theater Company, returns to the Japanese-Canadian noir detective world of post-WW II Vancouver in his new play Fire in the New World. The first play in what is now a trilogy, Yellow Fever, is set in 1973 and premiered in 1982, and was produced by Mu in 2013 as part of Rick's last season as Artistic Director. It was followed by the prequel Rosie's Cafe, set in 1951. Fire in the New World takes place between these two, in 1963, but don't worry if you haven't seen the other plays, it stands on its own (although it would be great fun to see the three plays in rep). Once again, private eye Sam Shikaze battles crime, gentrification, and racism with the help of his friends. See it at Park Square Theatre through November 6.

"The Empathy Project" streaming from Full Circle Theater

This past weekend, Full Circle Theater Company premiered a new play they've been working on for several years. Playwright and Full Circle Core Artist Stephanie Lein Walseth interviewed about 20 people around the state about empathy. She noted in a post show discussion (which followed all four showings of the recorded zoom reading) that she first had the idea for this project prior to the 2016 election, and started interviewing people about a year ago. Out of each interview, she pulled a short story, looking for moments of surprise or something that challenged our stereotypes. The stories are woven together in a structure she compared to the docu-theater style of a Laramie Project or Yellow Face, or like a story circle. The result is incredibly moving, and is well suited to the virtual format as it focuses on one person telling a story.

"Caught" by Full Circle Theater at the Guthrie Theater

When I took the elevator up to the Guthrie Theater's 9th floor Dowling Studio, accompanied by high school students dressed for prom*, I didn't know what I was in for. I knew I was attending my third Full Circle Theater show, and I knew enough about them to expect it to be something thoughtful, well done, and relevant to the world we live in. And I knew this play had something to do with Chinese political art. All of those things are true, but Caught is so much more. It's a Russian doll of a play with layers upon layers of truth, reality, and artifice. By the time it was over I didn't know what was real, where the play ended and reality began. And that's the point of Caught, to make us question truth, reality, art, politics, even theater. It's a brilliantly written play (by California based playwright Christopher Chen), perfectly executed by director Rick Shiomi and the team. I'm not going to be able to tell you too much about it because I don't want to spoil the surprising and delightful trip, but just trust me - you need to see this play. And with all tickets just $9 as part of the Guthrie's Level Nine initiative, you have no excuse not to.

"The Mikado" by The Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center

This long winter is beginning to transition into a very wet spring, which means it must be time for The Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company's annual production of a Gilbert and Sullivan classic comic opera. GSVLOC has been around for 40 years, but this is just my 5th year attending their spring show. I love G&S's fast, witty, joyful operas, and GSVLOC does them well with a huge cast and orchestra. This year they've partnered with Rick Shiomi, directing his adaptation of The Mikado which removes the Japanese stereotypes and modernizes some of the songs. G&S were famous for their biting social commentary, so I'm all for updating their shows to include more relevant social commentary, remove the offensive bits that no longer play to today's audience, but keep the things we love about the original (see also Park Square Theatre's Pirates of Penzance). This Mikado welcomes in the spring "with laughing song and merry dance."

"365 Days/365 Plays" by Full Circle Theater at Penumbra Theatre

About 15 years ago, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks gave herself a challenge - write a play every day for a year. New #TCTheater company Full Circle Theater (they've been around a couple years but this is just their second production) has chosen to produce a "remix" of 46 of these plays in just over two hours. The result is a mishmash of stories, characters, and conversations, seemingly unrelated, but with some common threads to be found. Full Circle is intentionally multiracial, with a mission "to produce heartfelt, groundbreaking theater that artfully addresses issues of human nature and social justice for 21st century audiences." A wonderful goal, and 365 Days/365 Plays is an interesting, perplexing, thought-provoking step towards it.

"The Language Archive" at Park Square Theatre

The language of Esperanto is a universal language that was invented in the late 19th Century as a way to heal the divides that speaking different languages can cause. A beautiful idea, isn't it? In a nutshell, this is what Julia Cho's lovely play The Language Archive is all about. It's about the different languages that we all speak, not just the actual language, but also the more intimate informal languages that we develop in relationships with the different people in our lives. Even though the characters in the play all speak English, they struggle to communicate with each other on a deeper level, sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing, as we all do. This play had me laughing through my tears as I contemplated life and relationships. Friends, it doesn't get much better than that.

George is a linguist who is obsessed with studying and recording endangered languages. Ironically, he is unable to communicate with his wife, Mary, who is unhappy and decides to leave him. So George goes to his work, at a place called The Language Archive, where he records rare languages before they disappear. Along with his assistant Emma (who is, of course, in love with him), his current task is to record the (fictional) language of Ellowa as spoken by a couple that he has flown in from a remote village somewhere in the world. But on this particular day, the couple is fighting and doesn't want to speak their precious language in anger. George struggles with how to accomplish this task while his world is falling apart, Emma struggles with how to tell George how she feels, and Mary struggles with finding a happier life. Watching them do so is a bittersweet joy.

Mary and George (Sara Ochs and Kurt Kwan,
photo by Petronella J. Ytsma)

Rick Shiomi, recently retired founder and Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts, directs this wonderful seven-person cast. As the wounded linguist, Kurt Kwan gives a sensitive, heart-breaking, funny, and very real performance. Sara Ochs is sympathetic as the wife who doesn't quite understand him and wants something of her own. Emily A. Grodzik plays the eager young assistant (like a Season 1 Peggy Olson) with a simple open spirit hiding deeper feelings. Claudia Wilkens and Richard Ooms are perfection as the Ellowa speakers, extremely believable as the bickering yet loving couple (perhaps because they are married in real life). Rounding out the cast are Melanie Wehrmacher and Robert Gardner, bringing depth and interest to several smaller roles.

Joseph Stanley's remarkable set fills the stage with huge shelves upon which books, typewriters, files, tapes, and other objects associated with words are stacked. Words in many different languages adorn the walls, and the center section rotates to reveal the recording room. Shrouded stage hands quietly move set pieces on and off stage during scene transitions, which are many but fluidly handled.

The Language Archive is one of those rare plays that satisfies on so many levels. It's smartly written, funny, a bit fantastical but very grounded in reality, superbly acted, features a huge and fascinating set, and most importantly, touches the heart as well as the mind and the funny bone. I'm catching this one near the end of its run, but if you can make it to one of the four remaining performances on Park Square Theatre's main stage, it will be well worth your time and effort.

"Inside the Beat" by Mu Daiko at Mixed Blood Theatre

I've seen Mu Daiko perform about a half dozen times, and it never ceases to be an absolutely thrilling experience. Minnesota's own taiko drumming ensemble, under the umbrella of Mu Performing Arts, always gives a passionate, spirited, emotional, and thoroughly entertaining performance. I was reminded of the lovely little folk music festival I attended this fall, where one of the musicians gave a profound campfire speech about how everything is made of vibrations, including and especially music. Those big drums create some big vibrations, that literally move the ground beneath your feet and the chair you're sitting on. Perhaps all music is like this, but it's more evident with drums that music is not something you just listen to with your ears, the vibrations of the music can be felt within and throughout the entire body. The insane rhythms created by Mu Daiko move right through you.

Now in their 18th season, Mu Daiko's fall concert was held at Mixed Blood this weekend. The concert includes about a dozen pieces, most composed and/or arranged by Mu Daiko founder Rick Shiomi, current director Jennifer Weir (who performs with a fierce joy), and ensemble member Heather Jeche. They call the show Inside the Beat, and create that experience for the audience with drums on all four sides of the seating in Mixed Blood's black box theater. You can hear and feel the rhythms literally surrounding you. In addition to the drums, some pieces include flute song, or traditional stringed instruments, or singing, including a lovely piece that harkens back to the songs of childhood. Another piece incorporates theater, as masked figures act out a sweet story. Jennifer worked with choreographer Joe Chvala, a natural fit with his percussive dance style, on a piece called "Stepping Up." Joe's foot-stomping hand-slapping choreography combines with the drumming to create something fun and playful.

I brought a friend with me who had never seen Mu Daiko before, and it was so fun to watch her reaction and remember the first time I saw them. It's really indescribable and must be experienced firsthand. Taiko is a beautiful and unique art form that combines athleticism, strength, musicality, spirituality, dance, theater, and grace. It's beautiful to watch the movement and thrilling to hear and feel the rhythms. There's something raw and primal about it.

Only one more performance of Inside the Beat remains, and it's sold out. Check out their website for information on upcoming concerts and taiko workshops and classes.

"A Little Night Music" by Mu Performing Arts at Park Square Theatre

A few weeks ago I wrote that the Guthrie's My Fair Lady is the must-see summer musical. Correction: it's one of two. Mu Performing Arts' production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music should also be on your must-see list; it's every bit as good as My Fair Lady. The songs might not be as "hummable and quotable," but they're clever and beautifully complex in a way that only a Sondheim score can be. The music sounds gorgeous, the costumes are luscious, the show is funny but a little sad too, and the cast is fantastic (and by the way, they also happen to be Asian-American). It's another gorgeous production of a classic.

Set in Sweden at the turn of the last century, the 1973 multi-Tony-winning musical A Little Night Music is a story about love, loss, regret, and second chances. Desiree is a glamorous actress who has left her teenage daughter to be raised by her mother in the country. Her former lover Fredrik walks back into her life after seeing her in a performance and wants to rekindle their relationship. But there's a complication. Well, several complications. Fredrik has a new young wife Anne, who has so far refused to consummate the marriage. And his son Henrik is in love with her. Desiree has a married lover, who's very jealous and possessive of both his wife and mistress. When the entire group is invited out to Desiree's mother's house in the country, much hijinks ensue, as you can imagine. Lovers meet and break up, hearts are broken and repaired, and everyone has a lovely, if bittersweet, time. This is a comedy, almost a farce, but one with an undercurrent of sadness, longing, regret, and weariness of life.

Desiree and Fredrik
(Sheena Janson and Randy Reyes, photo by Michal Daniel)

The show is so beautiful and elegant, beginning with the onstage six-piece orchestra, which sounds gorgeous playing this gloriously complex and stunning music. Sondheim is not easy to pull off, but under the direction of Jason Hansen, these musicians and singers do so flawlessly. Musical highlights include the first act closer "A Weekend in the Country," the solos "Now," "Later," and "Soon" which combine to become an intricately layered trio, and of course, the sad and beautiful ballad "Send in the Clowns." The music is accompanied by subtle and lovely choreography by Penelope Freeh.

Anne and her stepson Henrik
(Suzie Juul and Wes Mouri,
photo by Michal Daniel)

The cast is just perfection, under the direction of Rick Shiomi (and they look gorgeous in the gowns and tails designed by Lynn Farrington). There's Randy Reyes (Mu's Artistic Director) with his usual charm and humor as Fredrik, the always delightful Suzie Juul as the bubbly innocent Anne, Wes Mouri as the tortured and in love Henrik, Alex Galick as Desiree's pompous lover, and Lara Trujillo as the wise grandmother who has lived long and learned much, and isn't afraid to share it. And then there's Sheena Janson, who so perfectly conveys Desiree's wry humor and realism, but also shows her vulnerability and longing for something deeper. Sheena's rendition of "Send in the Clowns," a song that has been covered by everyone from Bing Crosby to Olivia Newton-John, is a thing of heartbreaking beauty. The leads are backed by a wonderful ensemble, especially the sort of Greek chorus of five singers that wander through the show, sometimes commenting on the action, sometimes singing the characters' songs back at them. They even move set pieces gracefully.

It's become a bit of a summer tradition with Mu to cast a classic American musical with Asian-Americans (see also: Little Shop of Horrors and Into the Woods). It gives these wonderful actors a chance to play roles that they otherwise might never be cast as, and they absolutely flourish in the opportunity. It's a beautiful thing to see. Head to downtown St. Paul between now and August 10 to see a beautiful production of a classic Sondheim musical (discount tickets available on Goldstar).


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Rhythm in Motion" by Mu Daiko at the Cowles Center

I wanna be a taiko drummer. What a thrill it must be to carry a big stick, hit something as hard as you can, and make a beautiful noise with your friends. It certainly is a thrill to be in the audience and experience all that wonderful energy coming from the stage! Mu Daiko, the drumming ensemble part of Mu Performing Arts, presented their seventeenth mainstage production at the Cowles Center this weekend. I've seen them perform several times over the past few years, and they never cease to absolutely thrill me with their precise rhythms and gracefully powerful choreography. You owe it to yourself to see them perform at least once; it's a thrill that engages the mind, body, and soul and leaves you feeling invigorated and energized (perhaps not the best choice of performance for the night before the time change!).

The eleven-member ensemble (including two interns) presented twelve pieces in two acts, composed by Mu Daiko Founder Rick Shiomi, Artistic Director Iris Shiraishi, and members Jennifer Weir, Heather Jeche, and Craig Schultz. As difficult as it must be perform, I cannot imagine all that goes into composing one of these pieces, not just creating rhythms and dynamics for multiple instruments, but also the intricate choreography that accompanies each sound. Instruments include multiple sizes and types of drums, flutes, and stringed instruments. Some pieces are quiet, still, and graceful, some are fun and playful, and some are explosive. Sometimes the entire ensemble is onstage, sometimes just four drummers. It's a really nice variety and I appreciate all of the pieces, but it's the loud and fast ones that are the crowd-pleasers and really get the blood pumping. In the final number, composed by Jennifer Weir, drummers sit on the floor and lean back while pounding on the drums, in what must be the best ab workout ever. By the end of the song they are all grimacing and shouting, in pain or ecstasy or both. A fantastic ending to a wonderful display of music, dance, talent, and artistry.

my abs hurt just watching this!
(photo by Michal Daniel)

A lovely feature of this concert is that all nine full members of Mu Daiko spoke a little bit about how they started with taiko and what it means to them. It was truly inspirational to listen to their different stories, most of which started with "I went to see Mu Daiko perform, took a class, and was hooked." They spoke of a deeper connection with fellow members and the audience and oneself, an exchange of energy, and the rewarding challenges to mind, body, and spirit.

Jennifer Weir leads the way
(photo by Michal Daniel)

A taiko drumming performance is not out of place on a theater blog. There are quite a few theatrical elements. While there's no story per se, each piece is built around a theme or idea, and the drummers are actors too, almost playing characters as they egg each other on and toss the rhythm back and form. They most definitely are dancers, not just in the perfectly synchronized movements of the drumming, but also in the traditional dancing that accompanies some of the songs. The lighting is theatrical, as are the costumes - the traditional red and black uniforms in the first act (and these strange sock/shoes that look like cloven hooves), and the modern and individual white clothing with a touch of red in the second act (barefoot!).

It's so much fun to watch this wonderful ensemble as they work and play together, and see the expressions on their faces. In particular, it gives me so much joy to watch Jennifer Weir, an original member of Mu Daiko. She is a great example of a true artist lost in her art, in the creativity and expression and sharing with others of her talent. What she and all of the members create in that space is truly a thing of beauty. Unfortunately the performances of this concert are over, but check their website for future performances and for information on how you, too, can become a taiko drummer!

"Yellow Fever" by Mu Performing Arts at the Guthrie Theater

Thirty years after its debut, Rick Shiomi's play Yellow Fever is being produced in the Guthrie Studio Theater, as part of Rick's final year as Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts, one of the largest Asian-American theater companies in the country (the multi-talented Randy Reyes will be taking over as Artistic Director at the end of this season). Yellow Fever is part classic noir detective story, and part exploration of racism in Canada a few decades after the internment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II. It's like a Japanese-Canadian version of Guy Noir, Private Eye, but with more serious undertones behind the mystery, drama, and romance. And like many crime/mystery TV shows, the actual mystery is less interesting than how the characters go about solving it and their interaction along the way, as well as the implications of the truth that eventually comes out.

The setting: March 1973, Powell Street in Vancouver. Sam Shikaze, P.I., is the main character and narrator of this tale - divorced, middle-aged, a loner and workaholic. He spends most of his time in his shabby office, helping out the locals, and in Rosie's tea shop. When the newly crowned Cherry Blossom Queen is kidnapped, he's on the case, and soon learns that it's more than just a simple kidnapping. Helping him out is his old buddy Chuck Chan, a suave downtown lawyer in beautiful suits, and spunky reporter Nancy Wing. Sam's frenemy, police Captain Kadota (Sam flunked out of the academy and stayed in the neighborhood, while Kadota moved out and up) and a couple of crooked cops complete the characters in this distinctly drawn universe.

Sam Shikaze, P.I. (Kurt Kwan) with
girl reporter Nancy Wing (Sara Ochs)

This strong cast is led by Kurt Kwan, who perfectly portrays the classic noir detective in all his world-weariness. Sara Ochs is delightful as Nancy, a strong independent woman who tries to break through Sam's tough veneer, and Alex Galick is charming as the smooth player Chuck. Wade A. Vaughn, star of last year's Ivey-winning Compleat Female Stage Beauty, is completely unrecognizable as the elderly Japanese expert Goldberg. But as Superintendent Jameson, leader of the Sons of the Western Guard (Canada's version of the KKK), he has that familiar compelling stage presence.

The set (by Joseph Stanley) and lighting (by Karin Olson) do wonders in creating the 1970s noir feeling. Sam's sparse office is detailed and authentic, and Rosie's tea shop looks homey and comforting. Lighting changes signify time of day or mood, whether it's streetlights shining through the blinds, or the lowered lighting every time Sam does his noir-ish narration.

Yellow Fever works on several levels - as an entertaining homage to noir detective stories of old, complete with clever witty lines and those classic characters. But it also explores the effects of Japanese interment that wasn't that long ago in our history, and extended beyond the U.S. to our neighbors in the north (a fact previously unbeknownst to me). It's what Mu does best - Asian-American (or Canadian, in this case) theater that appeals to everyone because it's really about our shared history and experience. There are many reasons to go to the Guthrie right now, and Yellow Fever is one of them.

The 2012 Ivey Awards at the State Theatre

The Ivey Awards is always my favorite theater night of the year, and this year's awards ceremony was my favorite of the six I've attended. Why? I saw seven of the ten awarded productions, the host was perhaps the best I've seen, I completely agree with the choices for this year's Emerging Artist and Lifetime Achievement awards, the featured performances included some of my favorite shows of the year, and I had a fabulous time at the after party with my blogger buddy The Playbill Collector talking to many of my favorite theater artists. That all adds up to perhaps the best local theater night I have ever experienced! Once again, I'm blown away by the level and diversity of talent in the Twin Cities theater community, and I'm truly honored to be a part of it in my own small way.

The hilarious Shanan Custer was a perfect choice to host this year's awards (as we have learned from TV awards shows, it's always better to ask a comedian). I didn't know who she was when she did a skit at last year's Iveys, but I have since seen her in several things, including one of my favorite shows at the Fringe this year. She was funny and charming and natural, a great guide to the evening's activities. Many of her funny words were written by Joseph Scrimshaw and Zach Curtis, but she ad libbed a bit too. After a particularly moving acceptance speech, she came on stage and said, "I'm crying already, I just want to make art!"

The show opened with a slideshow of the over 70 local theater companies, and then sadly, a rather lengthy "In Memoriam" segment (including the co-host of my favorite radio show, Tom Keith aka Jim Ed Poole). And then, the opening number. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was Places!" (Reminding me of one of my favorite sounds in the world - "The call is places!" announcement at the Guthrie.) Beth Gilleland and Dane Stauffer gave a history of sound and light in the theater, with actors Brian Sostek, Katie Bradley, Madde Gibba, Taj Ruler, and Neal Skoy interpreting their words to amusing effect. As they've have done in the past few years, the Ivey people managed to turn what could be the most boring segment (thanking the sponsors) into one of the most entertaining. Shanan introduced a scene from that great American play, Angry People in a Living Room, starring the comedy team of Scrimshaw and Middleton as very dramatic brothers who just happen to name sponsors in their argument about whom their father loves most.

Ten Ivey Awards were given out this year. Many of last year's winners returned to present awards to this year's winners (for the shows that I saw, click on show name to read my thoughts at the time).

1. Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Walking Shadow Theatre Company (Overall Excellence)
   I didn't really know what to expect from this play when I saw it, but I ended up loving it. A play about theater, gender roles, and figuring out your place in a changing world, with a great cast, costumes, and music - much deserving!
2. Spring Awakening by Theater Latte Da (Overall Excellence)
   This was the least surprising award of the night. As the mythical and mysterious Ivey said, "this is the reason the Iveys were created." Such a gripping, energetic, and powerful production with amazing choreography and a fantastic young cast, it was a sure thing.
   
   

   

   Group hug!
   Peter Rothstein and the cast of Spring Awakening

   
   
3. Miriam Monasch, director of Our Class by Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company
   This was a really powerful play about a group of friends, Catholic and Jewish, growing up in Poland at the time of the Soviet and Nazi invasions. I don't usually notice the direction (which I think probably means it's good), but when I think about the ten-person cast and everything that's going on in this play, and how smoothly and effectively it ran, it makes perfect sense that the director would be awarded for it.
4. Barry Browning, lighting designer for Dial M for Murder by the Jungle Theater
   This was a deliciously tense murder mystery. Like direction, I tend not to notice lighting (again, that means it's effective), but thinking back, there were some creepy lighting situatious that added to the overall tone of the piece.
5. Tracie Bennett, Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow by the Guthrie Theater
   Tracie so completely inhabited the legend that is Judy Garland, as well as the very human woman behind the legend, that I was sure that she was going to win a Tony (the show went on to a six-month run on Broadway after closing at the Guthrie). She did not. Instead, the British actress returned to Minnesota to pick up an Ivey. Who needs a Tony when the land of Judy's birth loves you!
6. Ballad of the Pale Fisherman by Illusion Theater (Emotional Impact)
   I am so bummed I missed this one, but in my defense I didn't really know who Transatlantic Love Affair were at the time. After seeing their amazing Fringe show Ash Land, I now know that they're a truly inventive and lovely and heart-breaking physical theater company, and I will not miss another one of their shows.
7. Hugh Kennedy, Don in Buzzer by Pillsbury House Theatre
   I would have given Hugh an Ivey for playing Hamlet at the Jungle last year, so I'm happy he got one for this intense little play. He played a privileged but underachieving recovering drug addict whose best friend is an underprivileged but now successful lawyer. He ranges from sympathetic to maddening throughout the play. And the great thing about this one is that if you missed it, you can see it at the Guthrie Studio Theater early next year (hopefully with the same cast).
8. Julius Caesar by Theater Unbound (Inventive Reinterpretation)
   The idea of an all female production of Julius Caesar sounds completely amazing, how did I not hear about this? I just liked Theater Unbound's Facebook page so hopefully I won't miss any other good stuff.
9. Joe Vass, Music Director of The Soul of Gerswhin by Park Square Theatre
   Another one I missed, sadly. If it comes back around I won't make that mistake again.
10. Jody Briskey, Judy Garland in Beyond the Rainbow by the History Theatre
    I'm so thrilled that Jody's portrayal of Judy was not overshadowed by that other fabulous Judy this year. She plays a different Judy, younger and more in control of her life, so it's really not fair to compare the two performances. But she is definitely equally as deserving of this award.

This year's Emerging Artist is Isabel Nelson, co-Founder and co-Artistic Director of Transatlantic Love Affair. She directed the Ivey-winning production Ballad of the Pale Fisherman. As I said above, I was so moved by TLA's Ash Land at the Fringe this year that I plan to see everything this woman creates with this completely unique company, including a remount of their 2011 Fringe show Red Resurrected at the Illusion early next year.

The final Ivey awarded was the Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Rick Shiomi, the founder and (soon-to-be-retiring) Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts, one of the most influential Asian-American theater companies in the country. The interview/film package they showed was fascinating, as it told how Rick created this theater company and built the talent pool around it. I have enjoyed many productions by Mu over the last several years, including the incredible taiko drumming ensemble Mu Daiko, and I can't think of a more deserving recipient of this award this year.

Interspersed with the award presentations were six varied performances from shows this year. Musical numbers were accompanied by the fabulous Ivey band, led by Denise Prosek. The performances included:

• A short scene from the Ivey-winning production Ballad of the Pale Fisherman that left me wanting more.
• "The Bitch of Living" from Theater Latte Da's Ivey-winning production of Spring Awakening. Perhaps my favorite scene of anything I've seen on stage this year, I could watch it every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. The choreography is amazing, the cast is energetic (as Shanan said, "I like those boys!"), it's fan-freaking-tastic.

•  A truly bizarre and wonderful little scene from Psst! by Off Leash Area, a strange little workplace romance in which the actors wear not just masks, but full animal heads.

• A flying dragon and a boys choir in a scene from the delightful musical fable The Dragons are Singing Tonight, a show I very much enjoyed.

• Regina Marie Williams and Austene Van in a number from Penumbra's Dinah Was. Another one I'm sorry I missed. When the magnificent Penumbra Theatre gets up and running again, I will not miss another one of their shows (please consider donating to help them get back on their feet!).
• An appropriate closing number to the evening was a medley of songs from the Chanhassen's super-fun summer musical, Xanadu (closing this weekend!). I was a little concerned that Sonny Malone (aka Dieter Bierbrauer) would not make it home from the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, where he was performing in George Maurer's Autumn Song, in time for the show. But gladly, he was there, along with Jodi Carmeli's they-call-me-Kira-because-that's-my-name and the rest of the fabulous cast. A great end to a wonderful show - this night was my Xanadu!

So ended an awesome celebration of Twin Cities theater. It truly was a wonderful evening that highlighted many theater artists and companies for the great work they did this year. If you're a local theater-goer and you've never attended the awards, you should go next year. It'll inspire you to go to even more local theater!

Celebrity Sighting

Too many to recount here!! On the red carpet, inside the theater, at the after party, it felt like every other person I saw was someone I've seen in a show. My blogger buddy The Playbill Collector and I made the rounds at the after party and talked to many of our favorites. Everyone was so gracious and sweet, and many said lovely things about my blog, which I very much appreciate. It was truly a pleasure to meet and chat with each and every one of you, and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

with Ivey winner Tracie Bennett

"Into the Woods" by Mu Performing Arts at Park Square Theatre

"Witches can be right, giants can be good. You decide what's right, you decide what's good."

After seeing the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods for the second time (the first being last year's production at BCT), I have an even greater appreciation of the cleverness of the piece. I love how it turns fairy tales on their heads and explores what happens on the other side of the "happily ever after." Does Cinderella get bored living the pampered life in the palace? Can you really get away with killing a giant without repercussions? Things are not always as straight-forward as they seem. In addition to the clever intertwining and re-imagining of fairy tales, the music is of course brilliant. Smart, fast, funny lyrics combined with unexpected and interesting melodies that sometimes don't fall easily on the ear, but that's what makes it so uniquely, brilliantly, Sondheim*. But something unique about Mu Performing Arts' production of Into the Woods is that director (and soon to be retiring Artistic Director) Rick Shiomi has "set the piece in the woods of Asia rather than those of fairy-tale Europe. Several of the classic western tales featured in this musical have equivalent stories in Asian cultures." And the shift works beautifully, shedding a slightly different light on these archetypal stories that are common among many diverse cultures, attempting to make sense of our shared human experience. And it's also a whole lot of fun.

Here are a few highlights in the all-around fantastic production:

• This is an intricate score and, I imagine, not an easy one to pull off successfully. But under the direction of Denise Prosek it sounds amazing, beautifully performed by the singers and the five-piece band that sounds bigger than it is.
• Randy Reyes and Sheena Jansen as the Baker and his Wife are the heart of the piece, and have a wonderful easy chemistry together. They both do a wonderful job filling in the little in between moments, such as when they frequently have to pause their dialogue to wait for the laughter to die down.
• Maxwell Chonk Thao and Suzie Juul are both adorable as the sweet but stupid Jack (and the Beanstalk) and the bubbly and willful Little Red Riding Hood.
• Alex Galick and Eric Sharp are appropriately melodramatic as the princes who enjoy being in "Agony" over the women they love, and for whom the thrill is in the chase (and kudos to Eric for also playing the dastardly wolf).
• Sarah Ochs plays Cinderella with a little more depth and spirit than in the traditional story, and beautifully sings the touching ballad "No One Is Alone."
• Last but not least, Katie Bradley is entertaining as the evil ugly old witch who transforms into a young and beautiful (but powerless) witch, and also has a poignant moment in "Children Will Listen."
• A really effective addition to the piece is the use of two Kurogos (played by Kim Egan and Bri Heu), traditional Japanese stagehands dressed in black who move set pieces and provide sound effects (such as a crying baby or a mooing cow).

The bad news is that the show closes this weekend, so only two performances remain, but it's well worth the effort if you can make it. I've really come to love Mu's slightly non-traditional take on traditional musicals (see also Little Shop of Horrors), which allows me to see them in a whole new light. I'm looking forward to the announcement of next summer's show! (In the meantime, you can catch Mu's awesome taiko drumming ensemble, Mu Daiko, at the Fringe Festival.)

the cast of Into the Woods

*For more Sondheim, see Theater Latte Da's Company at the Ordway McKnight Theatre and Sunday in the Park with George at Bloomington Civic Theatre, both opening in October.

"Heading East" by Theater Mu at Dreamland Arts

On the afternoon of the day that the Tony Awards were presented in NYC, I had the privilege of watching Tony winner BD Wong in a reading of a musical called Heading East (first produced at East West Players in the 1990s, with music by Leon Ko, book and lyrics by Robert Lee, who was also in attendance), presented by Theater Mu and supported by a fabulous cast of local actors. I've never attended a workshop of a new work before (unless you count an early preview of Tony Kusher's An Intelligent Homosexual... at the Guthrie a few years ago, at a time when he was making daily changes to the script), so I was curious to see what it would be like. It was just like I pictured it – a dozen or so chairs with black music stands on a bare stage (at the lovely and intimate Dreamland Arts in St. Paul), where the actors sat, stood, sang, spoke, and mimed some action. The emotion and feeling of the piece was fully there, but with a very sparse production around it. Some stage directions were read aloud to help create a mental picture of the scene, and the work of the actors soon made me forget this was "just" a reading. I found it to be a really well-written, entertaining, and moving piece of musical theater that I hope continues to grow and find life.

Heading East tells the story of one man over the course of roughly 130 years, representing the life of the Chinese immigrant in that time. The time warp allows for many different topics and eras in Asian-American history to be covered, but as discussed in the post-show talkback, it's an issue that needs to be worked out so that it's a little easier for the audience (and not so distracting for linear thinkers like me). As a young man in mid 19th Century China, Siu Yee embraces new ideas and wants to help his parents by moving beyond the old ways. This eventually leads him to the "gold mountains" of California, where he develops a successful business. He takes a wife, raises a son, and becomes a citizen, all while experiencing over 100 years of Asian-American history. The show really about what it means to be an American. Most of us are descended from immigrants, and I found myself thinking of my own ancestors making the decision to leave home and family behind in search of a better life in America. Of course nothing is as good as it seems, there are struggles along the way, and there's a longing for home, as well as redefining what "home" means.

I really enjoyed the music. There are fun, catchy songs, beautiful duets and solos, and stirring ensemble numbers. (You can listen to the score here, from a 2010 concert.) The cast really did an amazing job; they've obviously been working hard on this little reading (click on the program above to see a list of performers). Everyone sounded fantastic (thanks to musical direction and piano accompaniment by Anita Ruth of BCT), and successfully conveyed the emotions of the characters. What a pool of talent we have here, it's no wonder the creators chose to work with Theater Mu on this project! Now about the star of the show: I've long been a fan of BD's TV work (especially as Father Ray, the moral center of the Oswald State Correctional Facility), so it was a thrill to see him act and sing on stage. His character is not always likable as he pursues success with little regard for anything else, but you begin to understand the man behind the ambition and the complexities of the character through BD's beautiful performance.

A post-show discussion was led by BD Wong, Robert Lee, and Mu Artistic Director Rick Shiomi. As usual, I'm fascinated by artists talking about their work, and there were many insightful comments from people more knowledgeable than I about the subject matter and the art form of musical theater. I really look forward to seeing the fully staged production next year (it will be part of Mu's 2013-2014 season) and seeing how it has changed. There's nothing I love more than new original musical theater, and I'm happy to support it wherever I can. And I'm thrilled and proud that a work like this is being produced here in Minnesota. After that, who knows? Personally, this is the kind of thing I'd love to see on Broadway instead of another movie adaptation or jukebox musical.

Mu Performing Arts 20th Anniversary Gala

Last weekend I attended the Mu Performing Arts 20th Anniversary Gala, held at the Loring Pasta Bar (a lovely venue for a celebration, if less than ideal for stage performances). I've attended the Mu Gala a few times in the past, and it's always a fun evening of theater, music, drumming, good food and drinks, and great silent auction items (sadly, no Ivey Award tickets this year). The goal of the evening, in addition to celebrating the amazing Asian-American theater community in the Twin Cities, is to raise money for Mu to continue its work. In particular, this year they're focusing on building a new space and developing a new musical (my favorite thing). Artistic Director and founder Rick Shiomi announced his impending retirement, which made for a bittersweet celebration. And despite the absence of my favorite Mu actor Randy Reyes (he's a busy guy, so he was probably working somewhere), it was another delightful evening.

This year's gala featured a special attraction - an appearance by stage, film, and TV actor BD Wong. I know him best as Father Ray from Oz, one of my all-time favorite TV shows and HBO's first scripted series (that paved the way for everything else to come).

BD has also appeared on Law and Order: SVU, as well as the recently cancelled NBC drama Awake. In addition to these roles, he's an accomplished theater actor, having won a Tony in 1988 for his role in the David Henry Hwang play M. Butterfly (which was produced at the Guthrie a few years ago, with the aforementioned Randy Reyes in BD's role). BD is working with Rick and Theater Mu on the development of a new musical called Heading East, which will be part of Mu's 2013-2014 season. The musical tells the story of "would-be tycoon Siu Yee Tong, a brazen young man who travels from drought- and famine-ridden China to the shores of Gold Rush-era San Francisco in 1849, determined to be America’s next great success story. Too weak to make his fortune as a prospector, Siu Yee discovers instead the joys of American entrepreneurship, building a thriving Chinatown business on the backs of his struggling countrymen." 

BD Wong performing a song from the new musical Heading East,
with Suzie Juul and Eric Sharp

BD and local actors performed two songs from the musical (you can listen to songs from the 2009 demo here). We were also treated to a performance of "No One is Alone" from the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods, which Mu is doing this summer at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. And of course, no Mu Gala would be complete without a performance or two from Mu Daiko, the thrilling Japanese drumming ensemble.

BD was presented with the Rick Shiomi Award for Excellence and made a lovely acceptance speech about the true meaning of Community Theater, as work that serves the community (I prefer the term Regional Theater, but I agree with his point). He said he's enjoying working with our local theater artists and exploring that sense of community, which can be missing in "the big city."

Here's wishing Mu another fabulous 20 years, in which I'm sure they'll continue to meet and exceed their goals.  You can find more information about current and upcoming productions and projects at their website.