Summer Theater for DAYS - Jefferson Township etc.

Leslie Vincent and Kelly Houlehan in
Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant

Periodically, the utter abundance of fabulous theater in the Twin Cities gets a little overwhelming. In order to help you, our dear readers, sort through the opportunities, here's our list of what we're looking forward to this summer.

NUMBER ONE: 

Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant
Jun 14 – Jul 28, 2019

Andy Boss Stage at Park Square Theatre

Why we're excited: We saw this at the Minnesota Fringe in 2017 (twice) and here's what we had to say and we'll say it again and LOUDER.

Go see this. Keith Hovis is a young genius, and this show is just as dark and delightful as his Teenage Misery. The music is fun and the lyrics are hilarious. And the CAST. Kelly Houlehan plays and sings crazy like no one else, and Ryan London Levin, as her reluctant partner in crime and pageantry is delightful to watch. Leslie Vincent is frighteningly perfect as the small town beauty queen hanging on to her crown with all her might. Zach Garcia is perfect as the ex-jock who might just be the most level-headed of the group. Amazingly, in the span of an hour, Hovis fits a clear story, fully-realized characters, and oh, so many jokes! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll laugh again.

NOTE: This was sitting in our blog drafts for an age and we're just coming back to it. We were going to add a bunch more shows, but although there is a lot of great theater coming up, we were not remotely as excited about them as we were about this one! So go!! Darn it!

The Korean Drama Addict's Guide to Losing Your Virginity - Theater Mu

Thank you, May Lee-Yang and Theater Mu.

After seeing The Korean Drama Addict's Guide to Losing Your Virginity (at Park Square Andy Boss stage through August 19), I'm officially obsessed with Korean Dramas.

Just Because It's June, June, June - Upcoming Theater

Since this is a frequent conversation I'm having these days:

Friend: "Hey, what's a good show to see?"

Me: "Uhhhhhh ..."

Here are some shows we're looking forward to in June. Enjoy!

Dot at Park Square Theatre

Cynthia Jones-Taylor, Yvette Ganier, Anna Letts Lakin
Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma. 

Bold move, Park Square Theatre.

While other theaters offer up sugar plums and Christmas carols during the lucrative holiday theater season, you are presenting a play that tackles weighty issues of family dynamics and dementia.

I support this wholeheartedly.

Dot, now at Park Square through January 7, is an exciting new play by actor and playwright Colman Domingo, which originally opened at the Vineyard Theater in 2016.

The play revolves around Dot, or "Dotty," (Cynthia Jones-Taylor) the matriarch of a squabbly family in Philadelphia who are coming together to celebrate the holidays. Although daughter Shelly (Yvette Ganier) has been the primary (and incredibly stressed) caregiver for her mother, her brother Donnie (Ricardo Beaird) and sister Averie (Dame-Jasmine Hughes) are just realizing the extent of Dotty's dementia. Neighbor Jackie (Anna Letts Lakin), Donnie's husband Adam (Michael Hanna), and unlicensed caregiver Fidel (Maxwell Collyard) all join in, creating a rich and bubbling stew of family drama.

Maxwell Collyard and Cynthia Jones-Taylor
Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

Lest I make it sound unrelentingly grim, though, there are heaps of humor in Dot. Ricardo Beaird's fantastic comic timing adds a rich level to his character, and Dame-Jasmine Hughes adds a surge of energy in the second act. Yvette Ganier, who stepped in on very short notice and is amazing, makes the much put-upon Shelly multilayered and endearing.

Cynthia Jones-Taylor, as Dot, portrays the wildly vacillating states of someone with dementia with authenticity, yet never stops being the heart of this play. Michael Hanna and Maxwell Collyard add a sweetness to the often-edgy family dynamics.

Holidays can be hard. This is not an easy play--crosstalk, swears, and long-simmering resentments abound--but it's a beautifully written, amazingly acted, incredibly worthwhile story. The portrayal of a character struggling with dementia and the family drama intensified by the siblings’ love and worry for their mother are increasingly relevant and poignant.

Dame-Jasmine Hughes and Cynthia Jones-Taylor
Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

As director E.G. Bailey says: "It's part of our tradition--to confront tragedy with comedy, to laugh to keep from crying. I love the characters, their humanity, their candor, and sense of humor...there's obviously a lot of love between them."

Go see this play. Support new theater. Support amazing actors. Support stories of humanity and humor.

And once again (as in our review of Imagined Theatre's Facility), here's a public service announcement.

If you are caring for someone with dementia, there is help available. I work with an organization called Roseville Alzheimers & Dementia Community Action Team, which provides community information, programming and helpful resources at your local library for those with dementia and their caregivers. Check out their amazingly helpful website for more information.

I also highly recommend a couple of books:

A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia: Using Strategies to Prevent, Reduce and Manage Behavioral Symptoms by Laura Gitlin

This fairly slim and not remotely intimidating book helps caregivers find ways to manage the symptoms of dementia. Filled with incredibly simple and practical advice, this is a must-have for anyone working, caring for, or loving someone with dementia. SO highly recommended.


Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer's Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers by Jolene Brackey

As Brackey says: "When people have short-term memory loss, their lives are made up of moments. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer's, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did or said, but the feeling that we left them with will linger."

Public service announcement over. Thanks for listening.

A Raisin in the Sun - Park Square Theatre

The new production of A Raisin in the Sun at Park Square Theatre is a welcome revival of a classic which unfortunately serves to illustrate how little some things have changed in the half-century since the play premiered on Broadway.

The play depicts a moment in the life of the Younger family, with all the action taking place in their cramped shared apartment. Widowed matriarch Lena is expecting an insurance check following the death of her husband. She wants to use the money to buy a house, to give her family something to hold onto for the future. Her son, Walter, wants money to invest in a liquor store. Walter's wife, Ruth, works hard to take care of her husband and their son, Travis. Walter's sister, Beneatha, will be able to continue her studies toward a medical degree with the money. As always when resources are short, so are tempers.

Aimee K. Bryant, Darius Dotch, and Am'Ber Montgomery.
(Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma)

At first, the Andy Boss Thrust Stage seems like an odd fit for a traditional script like A Raisin in the Sun, with its realistic-looking sets. In fact, from the side seats, it wasn't possible to see the upstage doors to a bedroom, a closet, and the hallway. But the staging, by Warren C. Bowles, ensures that the important action is visible from all angles. And the layout, with the stage at floor level and few barriers between stage and audience, makes the action of the play more intimate and immediate. Rather than observing the family in their apartment, it feels as though we are right in it with them.

The house Lena has found is in Clybourne Park, a primarily white neighborhood. When a representative from the neighborhood association visits to pay the family not to go through with the sale, his repeated use of the phrase "you people" felt like a slap all the way out in the audience. Sadly, his agenda was identical, if sometimes phrased more delicately, to the objections of St. Cloud residents to an influx of Somali immigrants, as covered by This American Life several weeks ago.

Greta Oglesby couldn't be more perfect as Lena Younger, a woman who rules her family and holds them to her high standards. Darius Dotch is all frustrated energy as Walter, trying to stake out his own place in the world. Aimee K. Bryant is sweet and resigned as Ruth, and Andre G. Miles is the repository of so many of the family's hopes as Travis. Am'Ber Montgomery's Beneatha tries to embrace her African heritage as she juggles two suitors, played with nice contrast by Cage Sebastian Pierre and Theo Langason. The performances and pacing are perfection.

Aimee K. Bryant, Greta Oglesby, and Andre C. Miles

Park Square Theatre invited the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers to attend a matinee of the show and participate in a conversation after the show. Jamil Jude, Artistic Programming Associate at Park Square Theatre, led the discussion with Becky of Compendium and Gina of The Room Where It Happens. This discussion was what the theater is calling Park Square Musings, where audience members can stay after the show and discuss it without the cast or production team's input. The format worked wonderfully for this show, the play brings up a lot of issues that people don't often have a chance to discuss in a safe space.

The show is selling fast, but if you can get tickets before it closes on November 20, you'll be glad that you experienced this classic at this tumultuous time.


Check out what our blogger friends had to say about the show at the links below!

Cherry and Spoon, Compendium, The Room Where It Happens, Say Entirely, Play Off the Page, Twin Cities Stages.

And here's director Warren Bowles talking about the intimacy of the Boss space.

Warren C. Bowles, Director, A Raisin in the Sun from Park Square Theatre on Vimeo.

September Short Cuts - A Month in Review

September got away from us here at Minnesota Theater Love. Here's a super speedy look at what we saw and what we thought.

The Liar - Park Square Theatre: 
1643 French play, rewritten by David Ives. Starring Sha Cage and Zach Curtis, with amazing performances by Sara Richardson, JuCoby Johnson and especially Shanan Custer. So funny that my face hurt from laughing.

The River - Walking Shadow Theatre Company:
Jez Butterworth, a playwright I LOVE, and amazing performances from a cast of three, including Andrew Erskine Wheeler, completely unrecognizable from Walking Shadow/Mixed Blood's The Christians. This production was not afraid to lean into the quiet and the silences, and the audience was rapt.

The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up - Mu Performing Arts
I love Mu, and I adore both Sun Mee Chomet and Sherwin Resurreccion, but did not love this play by Carla Ching, nor the production. This show jumps around in time, but doesn't develop the characters fully enough for us to care about their journey. Also, it was performed at Rarig, and sightlines were awful. Still love ya, Mu. Still happy to be a season subscriber.

Sense & Sensibility - Guthrie Theater
Sneh. The relationship between the sisters was lacking, and the tricksy production didn't work fully. We had WAY more fun recasting the show with our favorite local actors.

And then we went to American Players Theatre in Spring Valley, WI for six shows in four glorious days. More on that later.

The 2016 Ivey Awards - State Theater
The very best things about the Ivey Awards are as follows: Seeing scenes from fabulous shows over the year that I loved or somehow missed, and the love in the room. It might be theater prom, but it's fun even for those of us who work on the school paper. But if I'm totes honest, I'm not sure what's happening with that publicity campaign.

Ragtime: The Musical - Theater Latte Da
I love Ragtime, I love Latte Da, and I now completely adore David Murray. I loved the tour, and Ragtime was the first show I saw at Ten Thousand Things Theater, and I remember it as if it was yesterday (Aimee K. Bryant as Sarah, T. Mychael Rambo as Coalhouse, and Jim Lichtscheidl as Younger Brother). As always, Latte Da does a lovely job and the music is beautiful. But this production feels a bit too stripped-down. The cast feels too small, especially with such iconic characters and the staging too spare (moving staircases for days). But more than anything, in this day and age, to see both of the African-American characters martyred (and so violently) and their child raised by a white family feels....wrong. So many reviews say that this is the show we need right now, but I can't help but wonder: Is it? More on this later.

Broadway Songbook: Rebels on Broadway - Ordway
The Broadway Songbooks are wonderfully produced and sung, and clearly are a labor of love for James Rocco, who's done such a beautiful job in recent years with Ordway productions. This one, though, eh. Despite a wonderfully talented cast, the numbers were too staged, too choreographed, and too awkward. The best numbers were simply done: Telephone Wire from Fun Home (Hope Nordquist and Wes Mouri) and God I Hate Shakespeare from Something Rotten! (Wes Mouri and company). The wonderful cast also included Julius Collins and Brianna Graham.

The Children - Pillsbury House Theatre
This is one of those plays where if they had a second showing right after the first, I'd have stayed to see it again. Beautifully acted by a fantastic cast including Kurt Kwan, Michelle O'Neill, and Jim Lichtscheidl, The Children featured a fantastic script that mixes Medea with modern tragedy. Loved it. If only there were more days in the week, and more time to see amazing theater more than once!

Songs for a New World - Minneapolis Musical Theatre
Four talented performers, including the OUTFREAKINGSTANDING Brandon Jackson, performed Jason Robert Brown's song cycle at Bryant-Lake Bowl. Beautifully musically directed by Tony Sofie, it was a lovely evening of music performed by singers who could really put a song over. However, I do miss an actual program. Even a mimeographed sheet would be great (millennials: it's like a copy machine copy only smearier and smellier.)

Passing Through Pig's Eye - Flying Foot Forum at Park Square

Photos by Rick Spaulding

Joe Chvala and the Flying Foot Forum present Passing Through Pig's Eye:  It's a mouthful, and not easy to describe.

But here are a few words that come to mind: Enthralling, jaw-dropping, intense, athletic, funny, and engaging.

Oh, and must-see. Here's what the website says:

Joe Chvala and the Flying Foot Forum present a characteristically bold new production throughout downtown Saint Paul inspired by the city’s past. Part enchanting history tour, part splashy dance party, Passing Through Pig’s Eye is a roving romp of wildly entertaining and eclectic dance, music and comedy.

The website description isn't inaccurate, but words are inadequate to encapsulate the experience.

Upon arrival in the lobby at Park Square's Andy Boss stage, guests are asked to choose a path for the evening, by choosing groups named for gangsters famed for spending time (between crimes) in Saint Paul. You can be a part of the Alvin "Creepy" Karpis gang (as we were) or Ma Barker's gang. Much of the evening includes the whole audience, but there are a few times when the groups are separated.

Throughout the evening, we learn pieces of Saint Paul's history, from its original namesake, Pierre "Pigs Eye" Parrant, through the gangster years, and even into the future. But the history lessons are decidedly overshadowed by the amazing dancing. Chvala and his talented company of dancers and musicians showcase percussive dance in a tremendous variety of forms and styles, ranging from traditional Broadway-style tapping to full-body contact. I don't really know the vocabulary to describe it, but it's amazing to watch. Along the way, we also learn that the rhythms the dancers create with are not so mysterious, but something we all can connect to. (Yes, that means audience participation, but it's very gentle.)

From the theater, the performance moves to different spaces and out to the streets of Saint Paul. The website suggests dressing comfortably and traveling light. There is some walking, and some standing, but there are elevators and chairs available for those who need them. And if audience participation is not your thing, know that, aside from the occasional stroll, any participation is strictly voluntary on your part. And if audience participation is your thing? You will love it.

Just some of the terrific cast of Passing Through Pig's Eye: 
Michelle Lemon, Joe Chvala, Molly Kay Stoltz, 
Ayana Dubose, Karla Grotting, Rush Benson. (Photo: Rick Spaulding)

This dance evening is extremely approachable, even for a dance novice like me, and the cast are engaging. I particularly enjoyed several pieces performed by Rush Benson and Brian J Evans, who displayed amazing athleticism and remarkable teamwork as well as wonderful acting and comic timing in their duets.

The audience is encouraged to return and see the show again on the alternate track. Twenty minutes in, I knew I already wanted to see it again. How can you be unhappy watching tap dancing? This show certainly kept me grinning for the full 2 1/2 hours (which flew by).

Passing Through Pig's Eye runs through September 11 at Park Square Theatre, Wednesday through Sunday with post-show discussions following the Friday evening performances and ASL interpretation for the Saturday, September 10 performance. Tickets are limited to keep tour group sizes reasonable, so do reserve in advance. Several people were turned away on opening night because the show was sold-out, so get your tickets while they last!

For a sampling of what you'll see at the show, check out this video from Three Minute Egg:

Joe Chvala convenes his Flying Foot Forum through a Pig's Eye tap dance from 3-Minute Egg on Vimeo.

Calendar Girls at Park Square Theatre

Christina Baldwin, Shanan Custer,
and Charity Jones.
Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma. 

Park Square Theatre has assembled an amazing cast for the local premiere of Calendar Girls, playing through July 24. Playwright Tim Firth adapted the script from the 2003 film, which he co-wrote with Juliette Towhidi. If you have seen the film, you know the story, but the joy of the play is spending time getting to know these realistic women and seeing their friendships develop and deepen.

The play features the talents of actresses Charity Jones, Christina Baldwin, Linda Kelsey, Carolyn Pool, Laurel Armstrong, and Shanan Custer as members of a Women's Institute (WI*) group in Yorkshire, England, who take off their clothes for a charity calendar. The supporting cast is also impressive, including John Middleton and Bill McCallum as two of the ladies' husbands, Ryan Colbert as their photographer, and Julia Cook as the group leader who is always just a little too perfect. Karen Weber, Anna Hickey, and Kory LaQuess Pullam are also strong as some of the people who alternately help and hinder the cause.

(L-R) Laurel Armstrong, Linda Kelsey, Carolyn Pool, Charity Jones,
Ryan Colbert, Christina Baldwin, and Shanan Custer.

The WI meetings seem a bit silly at first, with much talk of broccoli and tea towels, but then we discover that John (Middleton), husband of Annie (Baldwin) is very ill. As time passes, marked by the seasonal activities of the group, the loss felt by all of the women when John dies is apparent. Chris (Jones) and Annie think of a way to memorialize him. Rather than their planned calendar of the bridges of Yorkshire, they will pose nude—tastefully, of course—to raise enough money to purchase a new settee for the family waiting room at the hospital. 

Kelsey, Pool, Armstrong, Jones, and Baldwin raise a glass.
(Possibly more than one.)

Some of the women need more persuading than others, but watching them support each other through this experience is really touching. Oh, and funny! It is a delight to spend a couple of hours with these women through their laughter and tears. In spite of the subject, Calendar Girls never gets sappy. It is a treat to be able to watch these gifted actresses together on stage. While it's not unusual to see a play with multiple juicy roles for middle-aged men, it's not as common for women. And these well-rounded roles give the performers the chance to have their characters grow and develop. I can't say enough nice things about the whole cast, but I have to single out Shanan Custer. Her Ruth is funny from the moment she sets foot on stage, but is also so familiar as a timid people-pleaser that the audience can't help but root for her to stand up for herself. 

Well-paced by director Mary Finnerty, with spot-on costumes by MaryBeth Gagner, the story plays out on a simple set by Michael Hoover that is enhanced by Michael P. Kittel's lighting. All the technical elements support the story beautifully. Calendar Girls is a delightful and touching play that took our audience on an emotional journey that felt like the kind of shared experience that only live theater can provide.

Many thanks to Connie Shaver and Michael-jon Pease for welcoming the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers to participate in a pre-show meet and greet and a post-show discussion at Sunday's matinee. Thanks also to all the actors for sharing their time at the discussion as they were wrapping up a very busy opening week. We had a great time, and hope to participate in more events that expand the conversation around the great theater we have here in Minnesota!

Post-show discussion! Photo by Park Square Theatre

* When I looked for information on the Women's Institute (WI), I found this story about how the organization has been a force for progress in Great Britain for 100 years. It's quite a bit more than tea towels and broccoli!

Six Characters in Search of an Author - Wonderlust Productions

Six Characters in Search of an Author, currently playing on the Andy Boss Thrust Stage at Park Square Theater (through May 8) is a fascinating, multi-layered work of meta-theater.

Alan Berks adapted this work from Luigi Pirandello's 1921 play (which you can read on the Internet, thank you Project Gutenberg!) and also directs the production.

Here's a snippet of the synopsis of the Pirandello play from theaterhistory.com:

A stock company under the direction of their Manager and with the assistance of the Prompter and the Property Man is about to rehearse a play. Since there is a dearth of good French comedies, they have to fall back on a comedy by Pirandello, which, the Manager admits, is, as usual, quite incomprehensible. Just as rehearsal starts the Door Man interrupts. He is followed by a queer assortment of Characters who announce that they are looking for an author.

It appears that the author whose imagination has conceived them has decided against putting them in a drama. Their only chance to live is to find some author who is willing to put them in a play. The bewildered Manager finally consents to let the Characters live out their own story on the stage, while the Prompter takes down the parts in shorthand and the stock company stands round to pick up suggestions for proper interpretation.

The action proceeds accompanied by the attempts of the harassed Manager to keep it within the selective and arbitrary requirements of the stage, and by the insistent endeavors of the Characters to act out the whole of their internal struggle. (Here's the rest of the synopsis.)

This adaptation is set in the world of reality television, which allows Berks to comment on some of the tropes of the genre and on the artificiality of "reality" television.

Joe Wiener, Annika Wahlquist, and Paul LaNave, with Michael T. Brown
on monitor screen. (photo from Wonderlust facebook page)

The play begins in the control room on the set of The Maze, a Big Brother-like tv show, which is preparing for its live finale. Playgoers are the studio audience, watching the crew prepare for the show and being coached by the host (Joe Wiener) to applaud, boo and hiss. Banks of monitors show various views of the house, as well as footage from past episodes of the show.

In the midst of all this, the three remaining contestants burst into the control room, complaining about the game, the show, and each other. The Producer (Paul LaNave) tries to take back control of the proceedings without much success. Meanwhile, we gradually become aware of a strange group of people moving through the supposedly empty house--a wonderfully spooky effect.

The strangers enter the control room, and everything gets a bit surreal. They identify themselves as Characters (Adam Whisner, Sandra Struthers, Kiara Jackson and Gabriel Murphy) who have been abandoned by their author and are searching for someone to help them finish their story. To explain more would be too spoilery. Suffice it to say that the Characters (who are dressed in old-fashioned clothing and kind of otherworldly make-up, but don't appear to be of any specific era) are from the Pirandello play, and their stories are appropriately (and decidedly) complicated.

The beauty in this adaptation is the conceit of the Characters meeting the 'characters'--the contestants, who each fill a particular reality show niche. Rachel (Rachel Finch) is "the flirt", Sam (the wonderful and committed Sam Landman) is "the jerk," an outspoken racist/sexist stereotype. Sam's ill-informed barbs are mostly directed at "the dude," Michael (Michael T. Brown, whose frequent asides to the audience are hilarious). Although the reality show unsuccessfully tries to cast Michael as a thug, he's actually a gay, black man. I'm not sure the stereotyping has been totally averted here. There are tons of interesting observations here about the nature of "reality" television--I only wish they had been developed more fully. At points, those observations feel less like comment, and more like an excuse to have the characters behave in reprehensible ways, especially Sam. It's a very thin line to walk.

The reality show setup has some very nice touches, like the banks of monitors showing "camera angles" from the rest of the house, and the ability of the Techs (Gregory Adam and Annika Wahlquist) to turn their live cameras on the action and individuals. I loved the two Techs tweeting each other during the show, and the tweets being displayed on the monitors. The video showing what was happening in the rest of the house was very well done and integrated into the onstage action. (See the trailer for the reality show below.)

Elements of the Characters' stories are doled out in bits and pieces, and are so complicated as to make the story unclear, but that seems to have been the point in the original play. It's still kind of unusual to see a work of entertainment that doesn't spell out the whole story, but it gave me and my companions plenty to discuss after the show, as we all had different interpretations of what we saw. And hurrah for plays that make the audience think!

The performances by the cast were universally excellent, with the stylized portrayals of the Characters contrasting nicely with the other, more realistic, but equally dramatic, characters. Each actor plays a recognizable "type" but delves below the surface to make each player specific. No matter how confusing the plot becomes, the cast is rock-solid in maintaining each distinctive character. In addition to the work on stage, the actors had the added layer of performing in and reacting to the video from other rooms in the house, which is done seamlessly. Kudos to this talented group and Berks' direction.

Wonderlust Productions updated Berks' adaptation (originally performed in 2013 at Gremlin Theatre) with input from a residency at the University of Saint Thomas, where they asked how young people in our modern society interpret some of the questions asked by the play. Wonderlust has more community-driven projects coming up, including plays about the adoption experience and about being an employee at the state capitol. I look forward to seeing more of this newish company's work, given their unique take on this classic.

Check out the trailer for the play's "reality show:"



(Co-written by Carly and Jules)

Nina Simone: Four Women - Park Square Theater (Guest Post!)

Don’t let me be misunderstood!

Nina Simone: Four Women is currently in its world premiere at the Andy Boss stage at Park Square Theater in St. Paul. The show runs through March 26.

Actor-singer Regina Marie Williams takes on the role of Nina Simone. It’s a role she performed a few years ago in a one-woman show at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis. That show was essentially just the music of Nina Simone. But here and now, we have a full-fledged play written by Christina Ham and directed by Faye Price, with Nina Simone as the central character.

Regina Marie Williams as Nina Simone; photo
 by Petronella J. Ytsma

The play is set in 1963 in the bombed out ruins of the 16th Street Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, the day after the four little girls were killed. The event inspired Nina Simone's song "Mississippi Goddam." She meets three other women who are seeking shelter in the church from the riots outside. These woman are played skillfully by actor-singers Aimee K. Bryant, Thomasina Petrus and Traci Allen Shannon and serve as the fictitious inspiration in the show for Simone to write one of her signature songs, "Four Women," which depicts stereotypes of black women.

It was during this period that Simone became more of an artist/activist--realizing how difficult it was to sing tender ballads like “I Love You Porgy” while the civil rights movement was gaining momentum. (Note her use of "Love," not "Loves.") The play clearly outlines how black women were marginalized during this time--not just for their race, but also for their sex. I learned that during the March on Washington in 1963, black women were even forced to walk down a separate street to hear Martin Luther King speak. Also, only one black woman was allowed to speak at this monumental, historic gathering and her speech was written by a black man.

Nina Simone: Four Women is an important, thought-provoking piece of theater, where these four women bond and become stronger individuals as a result. In the process, we are given a taste of Simone’s prickly personality. (Much later, in the 1980s, she would be diagnosed as bipolar. According to her daughter, she was an abusive parent after being abused herself both physically and mentally by her controlling husband.)

This original production is a good introduction to an important turning point in Nina Simone’s complex and complicated life. Sanford Moore’s arrangements are beautifully vocalized in the play--the harmonies are heavenly. A special shout out to the effective lighting design by Michael Wangen. My only disappointment was that there wasn’t more of Nina Simone’s music in the show, but it understandably wasn’t created as that type of play. Thankfully, we avid Simone fans have our old LPs and CDs for that!

A marvelous companion piece to this play is the documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? I highly recommend it if you have any interest in Nina Simone, and after seeing this show, you will.

(Guest post by rickjallen)

The Beauty Queen of Leenane - Theatre Pro Rata

Amber Bjork and Sally Wingert. Photo by Charles Gorrill.
(Pay no attention to the frying pan.)

Martin McDonagh is my spirit animal. In his work, flowing, lilting language, interspersed with cutting remarks and colorful cursing, combines to create the funniest and most disquieting dark humor--and then things get a little darker.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane, by Theatre Pro Rata and playing now at the Andy Boss stage at Park Square Theatre (through January 24), is an excellent introduction to Martin McDonagh's work.

Mag and Maureen Folan, spiteful mother and bitter spinster daughter respectively, live together in a small house in Leenane, locked in a poisonous relationship. When Maureen's long lost crush returns to Leenane, she starts to envision a different future for herself. However, as Theater Pro Rata puts it, "In his first published work, master tragedian Martin McDonagh proves that when cruelty is met with cruelty, all promises of civility are forfeit." I'd also add that in addition to being a master tragedian, Martin McDonagh writes some of the funniest dialogue and situations I've ever seen on stage.

Photo by Charles Gorrill

Director Carin Bratlie Wethern keeps the pace brisk and the tension high--relieved only by more laughter than you'd expect. Local treasure Sally Wingert, playing the mother, alternately put-upon, vicious and sneaky, captures the sly nature of McDonagh's language perfectly and hits every subtle and hilarious note. Amber Bjork ably holds her own as daughter Maureen, spinning from bitter daughter to free spirit to something much more dark and mysterious. Taylor Evans as Ray, and Grant Henderson as Pato alternately adds bits of humor, menace and sweetness. And the accents were spot on--with McDonagh's language, you've got to get the Irish right.

The staging is well-done, with most of the action centered around Mag in her rocking chair. The continuously playing television and radio lend even more tension to the scenes (sound design by Jake Davis) as do the visible stove (and poker), and the lighting (by Julia Carlis) sets the tone beautifully.

Go see it--you seldom see this beautiful combination of humor and darkness done so beautifully. You'll leave the theater tired from laughing but shaking off a bit of a macabre chill. Theatre Pro Rata is fast becoming one of my favorite theaters in town.

A note: There's a quick language guide in the program, but for those questions that you may be left with (What is Mag eating and drinking?), check out their Online Play Guide. It'll be after saving you a bit of Googling, to be sure. There is a ton of additional information on their website--well done, Theatre Pro Rata. I love an online program.

One more note: Dear MN Theaters: Please do more Martin McDonagh plays. Thanks, me. Also plays by women and from communities of color. Okay, I'm done now. Thanks for everything, love, me again.