Theater Latté Da's new production of the classic musical HELLO DOLLY!

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP!

Our bloggers are loving Theater Latté Da's new production of the classic musical HELLO DOLLY!, featuring a diverse cast, and a much smaller production than the huge show that came through town a few years ago. It was extended through March 26 due to popular demand, so put on your Sunday clothes and head to the Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis!

https://www.latteda.org/hello-dolly

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_dolly23

"Though the costumes are scrumptious and the design is charming, there are no trains or trolleys driving across the stage... But what this show lacks in size it makes up for in heart and gumption."

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/theaterlattedadolly

"This production is short of spectacle, but has more heart, and on that emotional level I connected more than I expected to."

Play off the Page: http://bit.ly/3RXQnBv

"Kelli Foster Warder directs a charming production of Hello, Dolly! I laughed, I sighed, I cried. The actors are all fully committed to their roles and give each character pizzazz."

Photo credit: Dan Norman

Regional premiere of THE PROM!

https://chanhassendt.com/

Last weekend, a bunch of our bloggers attended opening night of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' regional premiere of THE PROM, and a fantastic time was had by all! We loved this beautiful and big-hearted show and believe in its message of love and inclusivity so much that we're hosting a special event next weekend. Join us for the matinee performance on March 4 and receive $20 off the ticket price, and stick around after the show for a talkback with some of the cast. The code TCTB1 is valid at any performance through March 12, but we'd love to see you on the 4th! Get your tickets here, and read reviews from 8 of our bloggers at the links below.

Life in Revue: http://bit.ly/3Izq0yD

"It was, in a word, fabulous!"

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_prom23

"This incredible cast is a true ensemble with many stars."

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/chanprom

"This show is simply the best!"

PhenoMNal Twin Cities: https://bit.ly/3IDUTlP

"The singing is effortless, the dancing skilled, and the live orchestra a treat."

One Fan Show: http://bit.ly/3kbmZLK

"The Prom is an unexpected delight that puts the Netflix movie to shame."

Play off the Page: http://bit.ly/417XJ9K

"The dancing is spectacular!"

Lettered in Theatre: https://bit.ly/LIT_TheProm

"The entire cast is phenomenal, especially Monty Hays in the role of Emma."

Artfully Engaging: https://bit.ly/5-Reasons-To-See-The-Prom

"It's great to see contemporary musicals, support living artists, and resonate with the issues of our times!"

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP! "Locomotion" and "Corduroy" at Children's Theatre Company

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP!

There are two shows happening at Children's Theatre Company right now, one for the younger set and one for a bit older. Our (grown-up) bloggers have seen them both - read their reviews below.

https://childrenstheatre.org/

Three of our bloggers saw LOCOMOTION (recommended for age 9 and up, continuing through March 5 on the Cargill Stage):

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/CTCLocomotion

"It’s a show that contains a lot of flashbacks and poetry which I think lost some of the younger members of the audience. Paradoxically, that’s probably what makes it a more interesting narrative for those of us on the other end of the age spectrum. I appreciated the way information was revealed slowly, filling in the missing pieces of the plot. I also enjoyed the way poetry was used as a way for the characters to connect with their emotions."

Life in Revue: bit.ly/3JWIiv9

"There were a mishmash of important topics brought up - foster care, loss of family, sickle cell anemia - which made it a bit difficult to figure if there was one core message. Then I realized that it is like life - throwing you all sorts of curveballs and how you deal with them, how you respond is the important thing. Lonnie learns to respond through writing and his poetry."

Lettered in Theatre: https://bit.ly/LIT_Locomotion

"Adult Cast: Charla Marie Bailey (Mama/Ms. Edna/Ms. Marcus) and Darrick Mosley (Daddy/Agency Man) are incredible to watch as they fill the roles of all the adults in Lonnie’s life, I caught myself at times forgetting they were playing all the roles as they transformed into each new character presented on stage."

Life in Revue also saw CORDUROY (recommended for age 4 and up, continuing through April 12 in the main theater) based on the beloved book and wrote: "This play is an incredibly fun romp! ... There is so much visual and physical comedy in this play! So much action for young eyes to take in, a story that is fairly simple to follow - even if you don't understand all the words, and at the same time plenty of wordplay, and tomfoolery for older kids as well."

Read full review here: https://bit.ly/CTCCorduroy

BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY continuing at Guthrie Theater through March 12

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP!

A great #TCTheater choice for Black History Month is the moving play BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, continuing at Guthrie Theater through March 12. Read our bloggers' reviews below, and get your tickets here:

https://www.guthrietheater.org/.../blues-for-an-alabama-sky/

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_blues

"Escape the bleak Minnesota midwinter to spend a few hours in the Harlem in the summer of 1930. The dramedy Blues for an Alabama Sky has romance, betrayals, friendship, grief, fashion, and even a little music. There is tragedy in this story of a group of friends living in NYC's large and thriving Black community in the early part of the 20th Century, but the focus is on aspirations and dreams. "

PhenoMNal Twin Cities: https://tinyurl.com/5n8x85jb

"The play is powerful, and in some respects, haunting. It is powerful, and it is worth seeing. The running time may be two and a half hours, but the experience, and the questions it brings, will linger far longer."

Play off the Page: http://bit.ly/3Z7OlRV

"The first act takes a while for the set-up, but once we’ve established who these characters are and their relationship with each other, it picks up. By the second act, it becomes a riveting play about the issues that each one faces. While it carries some heavy themes, and a tragic moment, it still offers humor, hope, and possibilities for some of the characters."

Photo credit: Dan Norman

DalekoArts production of the smart, funny, relevant play NATIVE GARDENS

Two of our bloggers made the drive down to New Prague to see DalekoArts production of the smart, funny, relevant play NATIVE GARDENS and declared it "worth the drive!" (as always at Daleko). But only three performances remain so don't delay!

https://www.dalekoarts.com/season-11/?wmTabs=native-gardens

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/nativegardensDalekoArts

"Native Gardens is about themes we can all relate to on some level, race, privilege, what it means to be a good neighbor, and gardening. Themes like that can be serious stuff, particularly the gardening, but the script's magic trick is in how entertaining it makes exploring these themes. It’s a cast that really owns these characters and a set that once again uses the DalekoArts smallish stage wonderfully."

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_gardens23

"DalekoArts always makes smart, interesting choices for their seasons, from original works, to beloved classics, to choices that might challenge their audiences. As Amanda White (stage manager and co-Artistic Director) noted in the talkback, New Prague is a community that's 95% White, which is why it's maybe even more important to bring stories from other communities to the stage. This play demonstrates what can happen when people from different communities clash over something as simple and as important as a backyard, how they try, falter, and eventually find a way to live peacefully together."

Broadway tour of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP!

The Broadway tour of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is in town, featuring a new adaptation by screenwriter/playwright Aaron Sorkin, a lead performance by Broadway vet (and TV's John Boy Walton) Richard Thomas, and a few familiar #TCTheater faces. Read our bloggers' reviews at the links below, and get your tickets for one of the remaining shows this weekend.

https://hennepintheatretrust.org/.../to-kill-a.../

PhenoMNal Twin Cities: https://bit.ly/3XxgpNc

"Aaron Sorkin’s production of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is as riveting as it is relevant. For three hours the audience is drawn in, and there is no turning back."

Play off the Page: http://bit.ly/3lwI6Z3

"It was a thrill to see him in a live performance. And, what a terrific performance it was. Thomas gives the iconic character of small-town lawyer Atticus Finch great sensitivity, wisdom, humor and heart."

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_mocking23

"To Kill a Mockingbird is a wonderful and well-told lesson for Black History Month, in the form of a gorgeously scripted and executed play that's engaging from start to finish."

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/mockingbirdstages

"Aaron Sorkin is a beloved Playwright, Screenwriter and Director and he has brought his immeasurable talents to this adaptation which is faithful yet irreverently original at the same time. The spirit of the book remains intact as does the plot, but the way in which it is told and where the focus lies has evolved."

Photo credit: Julieta Cervantes

History Theatre's new play THE ROOT BEER LADY, a solo piece written and performed by Kim Schultz

TCTB REVIEW ROUNDUP!

Our bloggers loved History Theatre's new play THE ROOT BEER LADY, a solo piece written and performed by Kim Schultz, about the last non-indigenous human to live in the majestic Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Only three (nearly sold out) performances remain!

https://www.historytheatre.com/2022-2023/root-beer-lady

The Stages of MN: https://bit.ly/theRootBeerlady

"It’s clear that Kim Schultz connected with Molter as her portrayal is so affectionate. She embraces the wonder of a young Molter experiencing the majesty of the wilderness, and gradually over the course of 80 minutes imperceptibly changes into the mature woman who spent 56 years living in the place she fell in love with. "

Cherry and Spoon: https://bit.ly/cs_rootbeer

"This is one of the more beautiful and effective designs I've seen at the History Theatre, with all elements working together to really create the feeling of the BWCAW."

Life in Revue: http://bit.ly/3kSyPdC

"Oh my word what an absolutely charming show."

Play off the Page: http://bit.ly/3Y6Uttu
"Kim Schultz paints such a vivid picture of Dorothy’s life and adventures on her island that I could imagine it happening. The image of her dragging Bill on a toboggan through a blizzard to get medical help was especially memorable."

Photo credit: Rick Spaulding