Leslie Odom Jr. at Orchestra Hall

Minnesota and the Twin Cities area is extremely fortunate to have an extremely large arts presence in our area. Often we take it for granted for the many fantastic theaters we have however there is another venue that I had the lovely chance to visit and attend a fabulous concert with a Tony-award winning singer and the always spectacular Minnesota Orchestra.

Last Fall, Leslie Odom Jr. was supposed to have a concert at Orchestra Hall. This was apart of his tour in which he sang original and, of course, Broadway classics. Due to a scheduling conflict, which he later admitted during the show that he was invited to sing at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, it was rescheduled for March. So the devoted and die hard fans were finally able to witness him, and all his glory, in the flesh!

Before I dive into Odom himself, I really want to highlight this gorgeous venue. Orchestra Hall really is stunning and great space. It's always nostalgic for me to go into this space as I was able to perform on it...twice! Once with my high school orchestra where we opened for the Minnesota Orchestra, and the second was with my high school choir. Yes, I was a hardcore music kid and still am. The chairs are comfortable and the service was impeccable with friendly ushers and guest services reps. Kudos to the Orchestra Hall staff!

Now to the performance which was absolutely divine. Odom, winner of the 2016 Best Actor Tony Award for his role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, is even dreamier in person than he is in his recordings. As I mentioned before, he performed a well rounded mix of Broadway, jazz and pop hits. It was nice to see him sing something other than just Broadway, which I'm sure many fans were hoping for. This provided him the opportunity to almost reintroduce himself to many of his fans as someone who is more than just "Aaron Burr."

I was pleasantly surprised when he began the concert with the Hamilton hit, "Wait for It." I felt that he would have kept those songs towards the end however he sprinkled a few other Hamilton songs through out the concert which I thought was brilliant. It kept the audience engaged but also allowed us to see him as more than just a musical theatre performer but as an artist. His cover of "Unforgettable" had me melting in my seat with his beautiful tone. At times the Orchestra did drown him out a tad bit however his voice was so beautiful and rich that it didn't bother me too much.

Here is one of the biggest picture themes of this show that I really want to call out: the younger audience. There were so many younger people in the audience that I saw. Kids from elementary to high school. Orchestra Hall has managed to create a demographic and audience of all ages, genders and backgrounds by bringing in concerts like this. In the past they've gotten other Broadway performers (including Kristin Chenoweth who will be returning in January of next year) which gives Orchestra Hall a chance to introduce classical music to a new audience.

Speaking of classical music, the Minnesota Orchestra sounded absolutely beautiful. Their full ensemble of brass and string was the perfect accompaniment to Odom's beyond amazing voice. I was happy to see that before Odom came out (as well as before he came out again in the intermission) they were able to perform a piece just them, led by conductor Sarah Hicks.

I'm really excited to be able to bring you this post. Orchestra Hall is a treasure within the Twin Cities and often I feel it's overlooked with big flashy performances by other venues. Expanding to content like this is what I really want many readers to see. When you're in the area again, take a chance. Try something different. Purchase a ticket to Orchestra Hall. Whether it's seeing a Broadway performer, the phenomenal Minnesota Orchestra, or seeing their new Concert Live to Film series, you surely won't be disappointed.

For more information, visit http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/

She Loves Me at Lyric Arts

This past Friday, the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage officially transformed into a lovely perfume shop. This is all due to the opening of their Spring musical, She Loves Me. Whether you're new to this lovely suburban theatre, which was recently highlighted in the Star Tribune (link), or a devoted familiar fan, you will have an absolutely delightful night out when seeing this musical. It's charming, warmly romantic and just downright entertaining. 

She Loves Me is a musical by Joe Masteroff with lyrics and music by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock. It revolves around Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash who, despite being consistently at each other's throats at work, are completely unaware they have a lot more common than they think. They are secretly each other's pen pal's met through a lonely-hearts club. The musical originally opened in 1963 but more recently had a successful 2016 revival. The revival was nominated for 8 Tony awards and featured the talents of Zachary Levi, Laura Benanti, and Jane Krakowski, who if you haven't seen perform in the Tony awards medley, please do. Krakowski drops into the splits and gets dragged across the stage whilst still singing. 

I was quite unfamiliar with this show until now. I roughly knew what it was about and knew the soundtrack featured a song called "Vanilla Ice Cream," but other than that I was pretty clueless. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I fell in love with it. Each and every song was engaging and not only fun for the actors but also for the audience. The plot is very simple but somehow so endearing that you can't help but fall in love with it. You know how much I love a show where sometimes I don't have to think about the complexities or themes but more so just sit back and enjoy.

Resident Director Scott Ford cast an absolutely brilliant cast for this musical. There are many familiar faces including James Ehlenz, Kayla Hambek, Brandon Osero, Armando Ronconi, Brendan Veerman and Maxwell Ward. Next to them are more familiar faces and even new ones, making their Lyric Arts debut including the two leads. Katherine Fried plays Amalia Balash and is wickedly talented. An important feature of this musical is the lead female role is a soprano. Many get lost in the flashy vocal styles of new age musicals with belts that last for measures upon measures. However, this one has a soprano and Fried hits it out of the park! Her voice is superb and effortlessly transports you back to perhaps when the musical was first on Broadway. Fried literally had my jaw drop when she hit the highest and purest note in the show, at the end of the song "Vanilla Ice Cream." 

Next to Fried is her leading man, Joseph Hitchock who plays Georg Nowack. Hitchock's tone and portrayal of  Nowack is so dreamy I melted in my seat....multiple times. His voice transcends the meaning of deep and rich. I am extremely excited to see what these two can do in the cities and surrounding suburbs. I will certainly be keeping my eyes on cast lists for their names. Karissa Lade plays fellow clerk, Ilona. Unfortunately, when I saw the show, she could not speak due to illness. However the show must go on and she took that to heart when she walked, danced and mouthed the lyrics and dialogue while Kate Beahen did all the vocals. The joys of live theatre! They both did very well and despite the short rehearsal time they may have had, were both very in sync with each other. 

Another cast highlight for me was Maxwell Ward as the delivery boy, Arpad. I think he was easily a crowd favorite, and certainly was mine. I've had the pleasure of seeing Ward before in Lyric Art's previous holiday show Plaid Tidings and he did not disappoint this time around either. Ward not only delivers each line with humor and excitement but even when the scene does not feature him, he still manages to steal my attention without taking the full spotlight. With multiple comedic bits here and there, I almost want to see it again just to watch him the entire time.

Scott Ford also knows how to pace a show, which is one of the biggest compliments I can give. One of my biggest complaints with many directors is the pacing. At times I feel a show dragging on but Ford directing keeps it moving along. It also helps that I noticed later majority of the song is pretty short, averaging maybe less than 2.5 minutes. A 14-piece orchestra, directed by Louis Berg-Arnold, sounds beautiful despite a few technical sound issues. 

She Loves Me is such a charming musical that it's the perfect show to start spring off. It's light-hearted, joyful and hilarious, the perfect musical rom-com. The cast clearly enjoys the production and performs it with such passion that I really do wish I could go back. Lyric Arts musicals tend to sell out quick so I'll save myself from purchasing one so that someone else can see it!

She Loves Me plays at Lyric Arts through April 15. Tickets can be found at Lyricarts.org.

Familiar at the Guthrie Theater

No matter who you are, where you've been or where you come from, you'll see yourself and some of your family in this new relatable and hilarious comedy. Whether you’re black or white. Whether you’re single or married. Whether you have siblings or are an only child. There is something for everyone in the Guthrie’s newest production. Familiar opened at the Guthrie last week and I can honestly say it’s one of the wittiest shows I’ve ever seen. It’s written by Danai Gurira (Black Panther, The Walking Dead) and is a testament to just how talented of a writer she is. In 2015, she made her writing Broadway debut with Eclipsed which made headlines for it’s all female and black cast and creative team. While Eclipsed had more of a darker tone to it, Familiar is quite the opposite with sharp wit, hilarious dialogue and an all-around relatable family, no matter where you come from.

Familiar takes place in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota during the late winter season. The story opens on a Zimbabwean family that is getting ready for their eldest daughter’s wedding, Tendikayi (or Tendi). Nyasha, the youngest daughter, is a free spirit and musical artist who just returned from a trip to Zimbabwe to attempt to learn more about her family’s culture while her mother, Marvelous, attempts to keep them rooted in their new American life. One by one more family arrives at the house including Tendi, her fiancé Chris (who happens to be white), and Marvelous’ two sisters Margaret and Anne. Tendi surprises her mother with the arrival of her aunt Anne as she is to perform the Roora (or bride price) in honor of her family’s heritage before the wedding. The journey of the evening takes plenty of twists and turns from jaw-dropping family reveals to hilarious interactions that almost had me falling out of my seat.

Before I dive into how utterly fantastic this show was, I want to give recognition to this marvelous set design by Adam Rigg. I saw a tease of the set on the Guthrie’s Instagram a few days before and was blown away. The overall design is simply gorgeous and has the perfect amount of elegance with the dark wood accented throughout the railings and living room. You can tell whoever decorated it (in the script’s sense) clearly has good taste and has worked hard to keep it maintained. It perfectly captures the mother and father of this family and everything they’ve had to do to survive and make a name for themselves. I quite literally saved the Instagram photo so down the road I can give it to an interior designer and say, “I’d like this please.”

The cast is marvelous, and I truly mean that in every sense of the word. Each actor full embodies their character and respects them as if they are a real person they know. Because of this I can’t simply write about one or the other, so I must take the time to quickly mention how fantastic each and every actor was in their role. Harvy Blanks plays the patriarch of the family, Donald Chinyaramwira and really does pull at the heart strings towards the end of the show. Sha Cage plays Tendi and is perfectly cast and must go through a tremendous amount of emotional range throughout the two acts. She does this beautifully and effortlessly. Quinn Franzen plays Chris and is so stupidly charming that I think I went weak at the knees even whilst sitting. He really does care for Tendi no matter what the situation is and manages to stick by her side throughout the crazy evening.  

Perri Gaffney plays Dr. Marvelous Chinyamurindi and is one of the most relatable characters in the entire production. She’s the type of mother that will do anything for her children and no matter how bothersome she may be to her children, you know she does it out of love and only wanting the best for her kids. Austene Van plays Professor Margaret Munyewa (Marvelous and Anne’s other sister) and really does a wonderful job of keeping the mood light when the going gets tough. Aishe Keita, who plays Nyasha, is head strong and eager to continue learning about her families past and heritage. She honestly reminded me a lot of myself. Wandachristine, who plays Anne Mwarimba, is the comedic anchor of this show. Her timing is spot on and lends her self to each scene being a force on stage. Last, but certainly not least, is Michael Wieser who plays Chris' brother, Brad. While Brad isn't on stage as much as the rest, he still manages to be one of the most memorable with the hysterical Act I finale, which I won't spoil, while also being extremely endearing to Nyasha. 

One of the heaviest themes of the show that I wanted to touch on is not only family but sisterhood. The younger generation mirrors the older generation in such unique and intricate ways. Tendi is the one who leads a “normal American life” as a lawyer and yet she is the one who initially reaches out to her Aunt Anne, who currently still lives in Zimbabwe. Tendi teters on the balance of her families roots and her families values now in America. Meanwhile there is a power struggle between Nyasha, who wishes to reconnect with her families roots while her mother wants nearly nothing to do with it. It’s an interesting balance of seeing where all these women are with their connections to their family’s heritage.

Familiar is a witty, hilarious and touching show about what it means to know your family’s history. Taibi Mager, the director, leads a cast that has impeccable comedic timing and pacing of the show. Gurira fabulous writing shows off how versatile of an artist she is. Familiar plays at the Guthrie through April 14, 2018.

*Photo Credit: Dan Norman

Newsies at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre

Chanhassen Dinner Theatre is currently celebrating their 50th season and will be taking the state of Minnesota by storm this summer with their sublime production of Disney's Newsies. I'm one of the few theatre people out there who hadn't seen the musical yet. I have never seen the original musical, which recently had a filmed version in theaters for a limited time. I haven't even seen the original 1992 movie starring Christian Bale. So needless to say, I was in for a treat when I was invited to review Chanhassen's production.

Newsies  is a musical that first aired on Broadway in 2012. This electrifying musical is inspired by the real-life events of the Newsboys Strike of 1899. It takes place in New York City where a group of Newsies try to start a revolution after the New York World publisher, Joseph Pulitzer, raises the prices of the newspaper to maximize his profits. However this move ends up jeopardizing many of the Newsies work to sell the papers. Jack Kelly, known as the leader and almost father/big brother figure to many of the newsies, leads the charge in declaring a protest and strike against the publishing giant. Soon Jack realizes it's going to take more than just his group of friends but the newsies all across the state of New York to take on the publishing company.

First of all, the musical is splendid. The writing is catchy, inspiring and beautifully written. Honestly can you even go wrong with anything written by Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin)? One of the very first songs starts with exhilarating group dance number with one of the catchiest songs in the production, "Carry the Banner." The song really does set the mode for the night with the determined group of young men (and women too! Yes women were newsies too) committed to selling as many "papes" as they can. The sheer volume that this cast reaches is literal music to my ears. They sounded phenomenal.

This cast really threw down the gauntlet this summer for musicals across the Twin Cities. The choreography was single handily the best I have ever seen. Yes that includes traveling  Broadway casts. Despite the size of the stage compared to some other theaters, choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson brilliantly composes group numbers that look clean, concise and consistent. After the opening number dance, I thought "Can it even get better?" and it did. Again...and again...and again.

That being said, a choreographer is only as good as the actors she or he works with. This ensemble is everything that is right with Twin Cities theatre. They prove that the theatre scene here is thriving, bustling and shows how spoiled we are to witness it. Aleks Knezevich plays Jack Kelly and is so charming I almost fell out of my seat. He's the perfect amount of charisma and almost sleazy all wrapped into one. His voice is beautiful with a stunning tone that echos through out the entire space. Kersten Rodau plays the swanky theatre owner, Medda Larkin. Her voice is classic and her belt has an almost old time Broadway flair that I absolutely fell in love with. Ruthanne Heyward plays the female lead, Katherine who is the real feminist icon of this production. Despite some wanting her to lead a life of luxury and being a socialite, she refuses by wanting to be a reporter with a career.

This show has a really important theme that I want to touch on as well. It is obvious that this story is more relevant now than it probably ever was. It's about a group of young people who see the injustice, greed and wrongs of society. Do they whine and complain about it? No. They stand up for what they believe in. They fight for what they believe in and courageously don't stop when the going gets tough.

CDT just gets it when it comes to musical theatre. They know exactly what they are doing from all aspects of performance and hospitality with the overall goal of surprising and delighting their patrons. The staging of this musical is spot on due to the real life images that are projected behind the actors at some points during the show. What I adore about CDT is the moments when the actors come into the audience. It just sort of adds that one extra special flair to the production that makes it memorable and fun.

There are plenty of chances to see this production as it runs through the end of September. This production doesn't get produced often so I highly suggest seeing it if you are debating it. Tickets can be purchased here.
*Photos by Rich Ryan Photography.

School of Rock at Hennepin Theatre Trust

I'll be honest, when I first heard that the hit 2003 movie School of Rock was being developed into a musical I thought "Yeah...it could work." When I heard Andrew Lloyd Webber was the one creating it I thought "Wait...really?" I honestly didn't know what to think about it. On one hand it's a pretty good movie and had some really iconic lines including "You're tacky and I hate you," one of my personal favorites. However Webber? The same guy who wrote music for iconic Broadway productions like The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar. Could it work? Would it work? Guess what...it worked.

School of Rock: The Musical is about a rock star wannabe, Dewey Finn, who gets kicked out of the band that he originally started. Lost and saddened by losing his band he also receives more flack from his best friend/roommate's fiance who pesters Dewey about paying rent and needing to get a real job. After taking a call, meant for his roommate, he worms his way into a substitute teaching job at a very extravagant private school. One day he overhears the class in their music room and soon puts together a rock band with the students to compete against his former band in the 'Battle of the Bands' contest. The journey they take will change all of their lives as a result.

The cast rocks harder than anyone I've ever seen. Never did I think I would be attending a musical production where midst performance people would be holding up their hands with the "Rock On" symbol instead of clapping. The pre-show announcement addressed probably one of the most asked questions about the production and it's "Do the kids really play these instruments?" The answer? Absolutely they do. The show features quadruple-threat kids between the ages 9-12. That's elementary school students for those keeping track at home. Not only do they sing, act and dance but they also play the instruments which makes for an even more fun performance.

Dewey is played by Rob Colletti and really is perfectly cast. I don't want to say he was just like Jack Black (who was the original in the film) but he had his moments that almost seemed homage to Black's performance. His high pitch scream was one of the most notable but he still managed to make the role especially finding moments of compassion and love for the kids involved in the newer scenes that the musical featured. Lexie Dorsett Sharp plays the uptight (who later let's loose) principal who has a really beautiful voice both in a power ballad and aria opera solo. Matt Bittner, who plays Ned, and Emily Borromeo, who plays Patty Di Marco, Ned's fiance, have a hilarious chemistry together as Patty pulls off the overbearing and controlling girlfriend.

The students really are the scene stealers in this production, of course and each have their moment. The kids really do work as a well oiled ensemble letting each student have their spotlight moment with the audience.

• Ava Briglia, who plays Summer, is absolutely hilarious and annoying at the same time as the know it all student that we all know oh too well from school.
• Gianna Harris, who plays Tomika, has stunning vocals and plays the shy character until she finally learns to speak up. She is also adopted by two men, something not featured in the original musical, and it's nice to see a same-sex couple even if it isn't the main part of the plot.
• Phoenix Schuman, who plays Zack, is probably the one who rocks the hardest out of everyone as the band's lead guitarist. His numerous solo's had me honestly wanting to stand mid performance and crowd surf through the audience...but I won't cause audience etiquette is a thing.
• Theodora Silverman, who plays Katie, has a hilarious physicality of her role as the band's bassist. She often had a grunge rock style facial expressions that had me thinking of a rock version of Wednesday Addams. It was hilarious.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater (Lyrics) really do create a dynamic and engaging score. The music includes numbers that feel very much like Broadway and a musical but also could easily be performed at a rock concert. Probably the anthem of the show is titled "Stick It to the Man" and really does encompass everything that the show is about which is basically show everyone what you're made of and never give up. The movie also features original songs from the movie like "School of Rock" which the band performs at the 'Battle of the Bands' contest.

While this show is absolutely incredible from the entertaining music to the wickedly talented kids, it does deal with a rather important theme and that's music education. Something that is particularly interesting about the production is that it parallels the story behind Webber's first production Jesus Christ Superstar which was written for a school and performed in a school. In 1992, Webber set up the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation which supports the arts, culture and heritage in schools. This really resonated with me and I'm sure with many of the audience members who studied the arts in school. I was a proud music kid who sang and played an instrument and also acted in the schools theatre department (shout out to Ms. Johnson and Ms. Kjellberg!). To me, that's one of the most important things the musical touches on.

I think that's what makes this production work so well. It keep's the original film's comedic moments, funny and popular lines and the overall zest for music it served. While it does this, it also highlights important themes like the one I mentioned previously and also brings more insight to the relationship between kids and their parents. The musical really focuses more on the fact that these kid's parents push them to learn, what some would say, more useful skills in life. I don't want to get to political but the kids in this production reminded me of the kids who are organizing the march to end gun violence after the shooting in Florida. They stand up for what they believe in and what they want their lives to be and that is truly inspiring.

School of Rock: The Musical is not only funny but it's inspiring and full of hit songs that had me bobbing my head and tapping my foot all the way home. For anyone who is a fan of the movie, I highly suggest you see this. It's a perfect production for new theatre fans and hopefully pulls in new theatre goers into our lovely word of art. School of Rock: The Musical is at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis through March 11th. Tickets can be found here.

*Photo credit to Matthew Murphy

The Pirates of Penzance at Park Square Theatre

When I was high school (shout out to Andover High School Theatre and Ms. Johnson!) I attended many immersion theatre days at Park Square Theatre. These days were full of fun, learning and then, of course, a performance. Since then I've gone off to college, graduated and now am a college grad of coming on two years. That means I haven't seen a show there since 2012! So I was absolutely delighted to finally be able to return to Park Square for a production that has been getting rave reviews from fellow theatre lovers, and that's The Pirates of Penzance.

Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious, hopeful farce follows young Frederic, an orphan who has mistakenly been apprenticed to an ineffectual but raucous band of pirates. He disavows the pirates' way of life and falls for the beautiful Mabel. Frederic's melodious tones win over the heart of Major-General Stanley's songbird daughter, Mabel, but when the Pirate King discovers that General Stanley has lied about being an orphan to keep the pirates from stealing all of his belongings and carrying off his bevy of beautiful daughters, an "ingenious paradox" may prevent the budding romance and lead to the death of "The very model of a modern Major-General."

First off this is the first Gilbert and Sullivan show I've seen and it was a delight. The craftsmanship in the writing, both dialogue, and music is spectacular. It's charming, witty and, of course, hilarious. The writing of each song is so carefully crafted but every line still serves a purpose, whether it's setting up a joke or landing it. This is an old opera that has been beautifully updated and modernized with new verses, more clever jokes and plenty of modern references. Director Doug Scholz-Carlson does a phenomenal job in keeping this show fresh by updating it and blending the history behind the show's creation and the actual show itself.

One of the most famous songs in the production is "I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" which is the epitome of a tongue twister. Christina Baldwin plays Helen Lenoir the Scottish producer who performs this song and plays the General. This was a fresh take on this song and role because it is normally not played by a woman. Not only that, but the song calls for a verse to be updated with a more modern and current reference. This song (along with a few other jokes and songs through out the production) added a feminist twist by referencing "Never the less, she persisted" made famous by Senator Elizabeth Warren. When she said those famous words, I just about jumped out of my seat. It's a brave decision to make a political joke in this current political climate but I thought it was absolutely brilliant. Brilliant decision. Brilliant casting in Lenoir. Just brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

The whole cast really is on fire the entire production as the show originally is 10 roles plus an ensemble, Scholz-Carlson casts the best of the best and does this show with only 9 people. This 9 person cast embodies everything that is right and hilarious about this production. Their comedic timing is dynamite and their dedication to making the audience laugh is nonparallel. Some highlights in this cast include:

• Bradley Greenwald plays the Pirate King like a drunken sailor with some slurring, hilarious dialogue and a swash-buckling physicality of the role, very much like Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow. 
• Elisa Pluhar, who plays Ruth, has an incredibly beautiful voice both embodying a little bit of modern typical Broadway belt with a mixture of tone that the score originally intended. 
• Victoria Price, Elizabeth Hawkinson and Alice McGlave all play the General's daughters (including serving as Pirates and Policeman). Their voices are absolutely magnificent and blend so well together, I can't imagine a more perfect trio for these roles.
• Special shout out to Alice McGlave, who played Mabel, for her stunning arias! 
• Max Wojtanowicz, a Twin Cities acting favorite who played Frederic, is not only charming but also kept me in stitches the entire time with his asides to the audience and wicked humor. Definitely an actor that I'd go to a show solely for the reason to see him!

Last but certainly not least is the set designed by Ursula Bowden. What I loved about this set is the ever changing set pieces. Never did I get bored with it because of the amount of large set pieces that were so three dimensional with different looks on each side. As the actors moved them around and spun them to reveal new sides, it consistently felt like a new scene, set or moment. I really applaud this effort and think that Scholz-Carlson's directing had the actors using the stage and set magnificently. 

The Pirates of Penzance is a hilarious farce that was the perfect production to see with all the snow in Minnesota. It made for a great and spirit lifting evening for a night at the theater full of laughs and smiles. A wonderful production for anyone, especially theater lovers who may have not seen the production live before! 

The Pirates of Penzance  runs through March 25 at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul. Tickets and more information can be found here. 
*Photo credit goes to Petronella J Ytsma

Indecent at the Guthrie Theatre

This past winter I attended a production of Blithe Spirit at the Guthrie. My best gal pal, Sofie, was in town visiting from New York and saw in her program that the Guthrie was producing Indecent by Paula Vogel in 2018. I remember how excited she was not only that the play was being produced but that I would have the chance to see it. After seeing how excited she was, and she hadn't even seen it personally in NYC, I knew I had to experience it for myself.

Indecent is inspired by the Yiddish playwright, Sholem Asch and his widely produced, yet ultimately censored, 1906 play The God of Vengeance. The God of Vengeance is the story of a Jewish brothel owner who lives with his wife, a former prostitute who used to work for him, and their overprotected daughter who has a reputation of being the purest of girls. The family lives above the father's brothel and soon his daughter falls in love with one of the girls downstairs. 

However Indecent is an emotional and captivating, multilayered script about behind the curtain anThe God of Vengeance came to be and ultimately how it was censored. It tells the story of what the acting troupe had to go through to have success on Broadway ultimately leading to their arrest after their debut. Even two days after seeing this script, I'm still trying to grasp how to put into words, what I saw. What I experienced. Lately, I've been seeing a lot of powerful plays that leave me utterly speechless. I said it in my last review of The Humans but I feel as if my writing isn't up to par with the pure genius that is this play. Stella Adler once said "The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation" and that quote perfectly captures what this play is and was.

As you can probably tell already, I was in awe. I absolutely loved this production. I'll be honest. I was very branded as an "only musical theatre type guy." But this production reawakened my love for plays. It was technically "a play with music"  Right away, upon walking into the theatre I had already begun analyzing the stage through the huge broken down theatre that was built on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. This play-within-a-play literally has...a theater-within-a-theater and it's lovely. You can even see a time-lapse video of it here. What I loved about the set, designed by Arnulfo Maldonado, was how it complimented every aspect of the production. Cast members hauntingly sat in the abandoned seating as audience member took their seats. Piles of abandoned suitcases, pictures and other items scattered across the edge and back of house. This, at least to me, made so much sense after the production as it was a tribute and reminder to those who lost everything during the Holocaust, a subtle plot point towards the end of the production.

Projections were cast on the different pieces of the set by projection designer, Alex Basco Koch. The projections serve multiple purposes including letting the audience know when time has passed or what language the cast is speaking at that moment (usually Yiddish or English). This was an amazing detail because it was fascinating to see this brilliant cast flip on a dime. It truly shows how talented they are as they speak perfect English through the whole production, symbolizing the character's native Yiddish language, but then broken English at times symbolizing them trying to speak English. It's hard to write out but trust me, it was fantastic. The projections almost serve as stage directions for the audience, something I've never seen done before. Whenever the cast actually did speak in Yiddish (mostly when they sang), the English translations would flash across the screen while the actual Yiddish writing shined on the floor.

The cast was six actors with three musicians (who almost served as actors in the show as well). The cast served as multiple roles and I thought they all did a superb job in differentiating the difference between each character. They were passionate and respectful while portraying these people. Sally Wingert, always a Twin Cities favorite, makes an appearance in this production as well and adds the perfect amount of zing and spice to each role. She kept me from absolutely sobbing through the entire production with her well timed comedic moments. Ben Cherry (below) plays Lemml, one of the leading characters and leading people who kept The God of Vengeance playing.

Cherry was also in the original Broadway production and now making his Guthrie Debut. What a production to debut your talent to the Twin Cities. He was absolutely incredible. Whether it was making the audience laugh as he tried to learn English or making us cry (I cried a lot...) through his pleas and desperation to continue his work, I was completely drawn in. Never once did he let the audience look away from the stage.

Paula Vogel, the playwright of this marvelous production, should be very proud. The dialogue and relationship she's created with another playwrights work is truly a masterpiece that should be forever taught in theater classes around the world. Indecent is one of the most important pieces of theater I've ever seen in my life time and I mean that 100%. It's powerful and a story that everyone should know. It's the epitome example of how art can start a revolution, can change lives and create change. Indecent is story-telling at it's finest. I honestly can't say more great things about it. I fully intend on seeing it again before it leaves.

Indecent plays at the Guthrie Theater through March 24th in the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Ticket and more information can be found here.
*Photo Credit to Dan Norman and provided by Guthrie Theater.