"Constellations" at the Jungle Theater

The theory of the quantum multiverse suggests that many different universes simultaneously exist, based on every choice we ever (or never) made. I don't know if I believe that, but I do believe that we are where we are in life based on a million choices we've made in our life, both significant and seemingly insignificant. It's intriguing to think that if we had made one or a hundred choices differently, we might be in a completely different place in life, doing something completely different, surrounded by completely different people. English playwright Nick Payne's new play Constellations, the second production in the Jungle Theater's 2016 season, plays with that idea to great effect. In one of my favorite plays that I've seen all year, we are taken on a journey of a relationship, but not just one single linear journey, rather countless iterations of that journey, some funny, some heart-breaking, some hopelessly romantic, all focused on these two people that are connected in some way in every one of the universes traveled.

"Forget Me Not When Far Away" by Ten Thousand Things at Minnesota Opera Center

The village of Farmingtown has been devoid of men for so long that when one returns from the far away and long-lasting war, the first woman he meets rushes up to him and inhales him deeply. This hilarious and oddly touching moment at the beginning of Kira Obolensky's new play Forget Me Not When Far Away sets the tone for this playful and poignant fairy tale about a soldier returning to a home he once knew. Ten Thousand Things has been on the road with the show for a few weeks, performing at correctional facilities, community centers, and other unlikely venues. As director Michelle Hensley said in her introduction of the show (which has come to be one of my favorite parts of a TTT production), the fact that this play has resonated with such diverse audiences in different ways is a credit to the skills of the playwright, who has created a world outside of time and space that somehow feels familiar and relatable to everyone. This world is brought to life in the beautifully sparse way that only Ten Thousand Things can do, with a brilliant cast of six performing in a fully lit room in a space so small that they literally trip over the audience. The fanciful story is grounded in truth and made to feel very real by the universality of the story, the charming accessibility of the language, the up-close-and-personal performances by the actors in whom you can feel every nuance of every emotion through a look in the eyes, the twinge of a facial muscle, or a subtle movement of the body. Ten Thousand Things harnesses the magic of theater in its most basic form like no other company can.*

Farmingtown is a quaint village in which news is passed by the town crier, the main employment is farming and working in the morgue, and the men all go off to war while the women stay home. The women have adjusted well to this man-free life, taking charge of all systems and businesses in town. They're in for a shock when one John Ploughman returns from war, discharged due to an injury. The more than 20 women depicted in the play (portrayed by just five actors) all react to him in a different way, from the aforementioned inhaling, to surprise, to skepticism, to a determination to win him. Lacking the necessary paperwork to prove that he's not dead as was announced, John faces a tough road readjusting to life in Farmingtown. He's searching for a woman he knew before the war, a woman he now loves but scorned in the past, when he was a bit of a playboy. It turns out Flora Crisp has been pining after him all these long years, or at least the idea of him. But this isn't your typical love story; the people of Farmingtown find love and fulfillment in different ways, as the war ends and a new chapter of their lives begins.

John Ploughman at the bar (Ron Menzel with Shá Cage,
Photo by Paula Keller)

Ten Thousand Things often casts their show without much regard to gender, changing the gender of characters or casting women as men or vice versa. But in this play it's quite specific that there is only one man in town, surrounded by women (and one awkward and adorkable little boy). Ron Menzel is that man, his masculinity standing out in a soldier's uniform against the women in their cute but functional dresses and colorful Keds (costumes by Sonya Berlovitz). Ron is one of my long-time faves from the Guthrie (beginning with the memorable Intimate Apparel nearly ten years ago), and it's a thrill to see him in this setting as he fully inhabits this character in every moment of his journey, effortlessly portraying the frustration, hope, desperation, brokenness, determination, and above all humanity in this man in all his flaws and glory.

three of the bewigged women of Forget Me Not When Far Away
(Elise Langer, Shá Cage, Karen Wiese-Thompsonm
photo by Paula Keller)

I can't say enough about these five women who play over 20 characters, differentiated not only by the wigs on their heads but also by a unique voice and carriage of the body. All of them give sometimes hilarious, sometimes touching, always specific performances, including:

• Sun Mee Chomet as the wounded Flora, the tough landlady, and the steady barkeep
• Annie Enneking as a prim and proper government worker, John's ex, and a singer at the bar (singing songs she wrote)
• Elise Langer as a possibly drunken postal worker, a ditsy blond, the town crier, and perhaps my favorite character - a little boy who's slightly off but open and loving and wise
• Karen Wiese-Thompson as a cigarette-smoking trench coat-wearing PI, a dentist, and Flora's concerned grandmother
• Shá Cage as a fortune teller, a timid little girl, and a woman chasing after John who turns out to be a good friend

Ten Thousand Things travels light in terms of props and set pieces, which only seems to make them more creative. Irve Dell's clever and efficient set consists of four standing metal frames that hinge down to represent a door, window, or bar, with two metal boxes serving as all the other necessary furniture. Peter Vitale creates a delightful soundtrack for the story, subtly setting the tone. For some reason there's clog dancing, which provides a reason to show off Jim Lichtsheidl's charming choreography.

Forget Me Not When Far Away is a delightful story about returning home, reconnecting, and re-establishing your identity in a changed world. Like other TTT productions, the show feels like the neighborhood kids have gotten together to put on a play in someone's backyard, if your neighborhood were populated with some of the most talented theater artists in town. Paid public performances continue at the Minnesota Opera Center and Open Book through the end of May. Go see it, and then make plans for next season when TTT continues their pattern of Shakespeare-musical-new play with Henry IV Part I, Dear World, and Changelings by Kira Obolensky.



*To find out more about the magic of TTT, check out founder and Artistic Director Michelle Hensley' book All the Lights On.


This article also appears on Broadway World Minneapolis.

"Elemeno Pea" at Mixed Blood Theatre

Elemeno Pea is a new play making its regional debut at Mixed Blood Theatre. It's a hilarious dark comedy, but like most of Mixed Blood's work, it runs a little deeper than that. It touches on issues of class, obscene wealth, family, and relationships. All of the characters are distinctly drawn by playwright Molly Smith Metzler and brilliantly brought to life by this cast of five. It's fast, sharp, and engrossing; the 95 minutes fly by as we get a real time look at one afternoon in these people's lives. And the title? It refers to a childhood trauma for one of the characters, who spent years thinking that LMNOP was one letter (say it fast, like in the song), and from that learned that things aren't always what we think they are.

Simone and Devon are sisters who grew up poor in Buffalo. Simone is now a highly paid assistant to a wealthy couple, and invites Devon for a weekend at the family estate in Martha's Vineyard. The only other person there is the groundskeeper Jose, whom the family calls Jos-B to differentiate him from their other employee, Jos-A. Michaela and Peter are supposed to be flying back to NYC, but Michaela shows up, nearly hysterical after Peter left her on the side of the road. She wants Devon to leave so that she and Simone can work all of this out, but Devon refuses to abandon her sister bonding weekend. Soon Peter's friend Ethan drops by, who also happens to be Simone's boyfriend. He and Michaela fight about Peter in front of Devon as if she's not even there. We eventually find out what's causing the rift between Michaela and Peter, and it's a devastating revelation. Through it all these five people argue, cajole, and joke, all of them exasperating at times but always very human.

Here's what LMNOP means to me:

Laughter: if you have a funny bone, this play will surely tickle it repeatedly. 

Moving: several characters share some very personal and heart-felt truths that will make you like them more than you want to. 

Nasty: pretty much everyone is mean and nasty to someone else at some point in the play, whether it's Jos-B talking about his employers behind their backs, or Michaela's rudeness towards Devon, or Simone's reaction to Michaela's crisis. 

Outstanding cast: there is not a weak link in this five-person cast. Michaela seems shallow on the surface, but Laurine Price gives her depth and vulnerability. Grace Gealey is cool and hip as the aspiring Simone, and makes her choices seem right in character. Sun Mee Chomet is funny and entertaining as the fish-out-of-water Devon, but with her own depth of feeling and compassion. Ron Menzel completely commits to the born-with-a-silver-spoon-in-his-mouth Ethan, the one character devoid of depth, but all the more entertaining for it. Last but not least, Pedro Bayon provides much comic relief as the two-faced Jos-B, cursing his employers behind their backs while showering Michaela with artificial sweetness. Maybe it's because this is the end of the run, but the cast (directed by Mark Valdez) has gelled very well. 

Pretentious: the rich people in this play fulfill just about every obnoxious stereotype of the super rich, but none more so than Ethan, who uses those annoying shortened words like "sich," "deets," and "convo" with no sense of irony, named his boats after himself, and complains that he didn't get to have his nap today.

I must also mention the beautiful and rich-looking set (by Richard Borgen), looking every much the cool beach-side guesthouse. But the best part is the sliding glass door to the patio, which we're told is sound-proof, allowing for several hilarious mimed arguments outside as the main action continues inside.

The show closes this weekend, so make your reservations now, or take a chance with Mixed Blood's "Radical Hospitality" program, in which you can get in for free if there are seats available. With this and other programs, Mixed Blood Theatre does a great job supporting their mission of pluralism, both in the audience and in the cast and crew. Through their productions and programs they strive for, and achieve, diversity in race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and physical ability, more so than any other theater I know. I've attended some post-show discussions, and they're among the best at really getting down to the issues in the play and engaging the audience in a great discussion. And they do good, entertaining, thought-provoking work, too. Check them out if you haven't yet.

sisters Simone (Grace Gealey) and Devon (Sun Mee Chomet)
with the boss lady Michaela (Laurine Price)

"Much Ado About Nothing" at the Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theater's Much Ado About Nothing is another one of their big, beautiful productions of a Shakespeare play.  Like most Shakespeare plays I see, it took me a while to get into the story and figure out who was who in this big list of connected characters.  But once I did, it was quite enjoyable.  Judging from the costumes and props (a Victrola and streetlights), I'd say that the time period they're going for is about the turn of the century.  The cast is fabulous, full of many of my favorite actors.  And it's a credit to the depth of talent that the Guthrie pulls in that even the understudy list is populated with great actors!  I wish I could see the show again with the alternate cast.

For those of you unfamiliar with the plot (I had seen it about ten years ago, so I was mostly unfamiliar), Much Ado is a typical Shakespearean romantic comedy, full of misunderstandings that eventually lead to a happy ending.  The play contrasts the love stories of two couples: Hero and Claudio, simple young love, and Beatrice and Benedick, two smart and mature people who swear they'll never marry.  Much like the soap character who wishes someone dead, only to be suspected in their eventual murder, this much protesting against love ensures that they'll fall prey to Cupid's spell by the end of the story.  Beatrice and Benedick's friends conspire to get them together, telling one that the other is in love with them, causing each to see the other in a new light.

Highlights of the show include:

• Dearbhla Molloy and Daniel Gerroll (last seen at the Guthrie as Scrooge) have a wonderful chemistry as the clever, sparring lovers, like the Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy of Shakespeare.
• Beloved Guthrie veteran Peter Michael Goetz as the constable Dogberry is a total ham and steals every scene he's in.  From the delivery of his witty lines, to the silly way he moves around the stage, to barking like a dog, everything he does is wacky and hilarious.
• The captain of the Pinafore Robert O. Berdahl makes a brief but memorable appearance singing and playing the guitar.
• Another one of my faves, Ron Menzel (I first saw him in a beautiful play about immigrants in the Lower East Side called Intimate Apparel, years ago at the old Guthrie), gives a serious, weighty performance in an otherwise light-hearted play.  The depth of his performance made me want to know more about his character; I didn't quite understand why he wanted to sabotage the marriage of Hero and Claudio (it must be because he's the bastard brother, bastards always have a bad attitude in literature).
• The first act features a costume party, which gives the Guthrie costume shop, led by designer Fabio Toblini, an excuse to go gloriously over the top in the creation of delightful masks and costumes for the characters and extras.
• The set (designed by Riccardo Hernandez) is simple but beautiful.  Green and red marble tiles adorn the empty stage, over which a moving neutral-colored tarp hangs.

If you can only see one of the two shows playing on the Guthrie's main stages right now, I'd recommend The Burial at Thebes.  If only because it's something I've never seen before; the original music is amazing and really heightens the storytelling in the classic Greek tragedy of Oedipus' daughter Antigone.  But if you prefer something a little lighter, see Much Ado.  Both are entertaining in different ways.