THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW - Winona State University

written by: Richard O'Brien
director: Heather Williams-Williams
music director: Ian Schultz
choreographer: Sydney Swanson
scenic designer: Peggy Sannerud
lighting designer: Andy Glischinski
costume designer: Tracy van Voorst
stage manager: Emma Cavanaugh
cast: Emily Budach, Jessica Campbell, Jacob Eberhard, Benjamin Glomski, Josh Hill, Rochelle Hovde, Tyler Jensen, Nathel Kaiyeepu, Cameron Lorntson, Rachel Maron, Noah Nelson, Cameron Pelzer, Rita Rahoi-Gilchrest, Samantha Rosendale, Tristen Weldon

The classic Rocky Horror Picture Show comes to the stage, complete with cross-dressing monsters, sexual innuendo (and not so much innuendo), and a pair of virgins made to see the world in a whole new light.

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Wow.  This was perhaps one of the worst productions I've seen in a long while.

I'm confident that if you didn't already know the story or hadn't seen the movie, you wouldn't have a clue what was going on.  Why am I confident?  Because I heard people all around me constantly asking what was said or what was happening, and listening to the talk after the show it was clear that most people didn't know what they had just seen.

There was a lot of cheering and laughter from college students, but mostly because of the sexual antics (dressing, undressing, cross-dressing on stage).

The actors often paused for the expected responses from the audience (if you've been to the film you probably know what I'm referring to).  The night that I saw this show there were probably 150 patrons but only one person was shouting the appropriate responses and she gave up half way through.

What made the show so bad was the lack of cohesion - telling the story to the audience.  Nearly all the actors mumbled through their lines and even though they were mic'd it was difficult to understand them.  This play relied much more on sexual shock than it did on presenting a funny, shocking play.

A good friend of mine, who sees a LOT of theatre, attended the day after I did and he called me to ask me what they play had been about.  He couldn't understand any of what was happening.

Of the cast, the young woman playing Janet was probably strongest, capturing Janet's change from innocence to experience quite well.  The young man playing Eddie/Dr. Scott was also quite good, but neither was able to carry the weight of telling the story of this play.

The set was better than most I've seen in the past few years at this school.  The costumes ... what can you say? Revealing and sexual and mostly appropriate for the show (though not always appropriate for the body).

Kudos to all for their willingness to get as almost naked as they did.  I wish there was more to this production than near-nudity and sex. Mostly this was a waste of time and I had actually warned my friend not to bother, but he went anyway and regrets that decision/

OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR! - Winona State University

written by: Joan Littlewood, Theatre Workshop, and Charles Chilton
director: Jim Williams
music director/accompanist: Sandy Todd
choreographer: Heather Williams-Williams
scenic design: Peggy Sannerud
light design: Peggy Sannerud & Andy Glischinski
costume design: Tracy Van Voorst
stage manager: Gavin Johnson
cast: Cody Anderson, Sam Bolt, Rebecca Borchardt, Adam Calcagno, Ella Dierberger, Catherine Douglas, Josie Hannon-Geller, Brad Krieger, Jake Leif, Courtney L'Heureux, Kayla Nelson, Sam Scherrer, Abby Schmidt, Stephanie Trypuc, Lance Urbick, Kayla Williams-Schwarze, Heather Williams-Williams

A 1960's satirization and attack on the war profiteers of World War I as only the British could conceive it.

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What do you say about a show that has almost nothing worth writing about?

There were a couple of strong performers in the show (it's difficult to name who they were because the playbill only lists the actors as "Ensemble") and it's quite possible that all of them were decent performers, but the direction of this piece...

This play was the brainchild of Joan Littlewood in the 1960's, but she, or someone connected with the lay, hated the color khaki and didn't want to put the actors in army khaki green and instead gave it more of a circus/commedia dell'arte look.  This production is trying to recreate that feel, but there's little sense that anyone understands why they are performing it in the way that they are.

It was muddy, and generally illogical.

The black and white clownish costumes were interesting and nicely done.  It certainly created an interesting tone - it's just too bad nothing else lived up to it.

The set was workable.  There was an attempt to add some levels to the staging, though it wasn't used particularly well.  The rolling carts that represented the trenches on the front lines were very well done but strangely out of place - they were quite realistic but the 'soldiers' in them were in black and white clown outfits.

And while there seems to have been an attempt to recreate the 1960's production, the addition of video/slides on a screen center stage brings this piece decidedly into the modern stage.  This dichotomy of styles only compounds the lack of focus on the project.

I was glad I went simply because this is the sort of show I would likely never have an opportunity to see again, but at the same time, I wish I had these two hours back.

ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD - Viterbo Univesity

written by: Jacques Offenbach
English lyrics and book: Buck Ross
reduced orchestration: Omari Tau
director: David Gardiner
music director: David Richardson
choreographer: Joey Miller
scenic designer: Frank Ludwig
lighting designer: Ann M. Archbold
sound designer: Megan Gunderson
costume designer: Bryce Turgeon

cast: Katie Bean, Aidan Buckingham=Taylor, Alexandra Burch, Arianna Day, Jackson Diedrich, Hunter Evenson, Emma Finder, Jonathan Gill, Sierra Glosson, Abigail Hall, Cameron Henrickson, Zach Johnson, Aaryn Jones,Cameron Lande, Joseph Madary, Cale RauschMax Rosa, Deana Schmidt, Sarah Seegert, Libby Sorenson, Nick Temte, Leah Wons, Dylan Woodman, Emma Woods

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How often do you get the opportunity to see an opera like Orpheus in the Underworld?  If you live in a major metropolitan area with a regularly producing opera company, perhaps there are more opportunities. But for those of us who live in a rural area, the opportunities are much less.

The production at Viterbo University was pretty average college fare.  Most of the performances were somewhat tepid and the direction simple.  As is often the case with opera, the voices are most important, and indeed, our leads (Arianna Day as Eurydice, Jackson Diedrich as Pluto, and Hunter Evenson as Jupiter) sing divinely.

The costumes are the star of the show, however ... with Cameron Henrickson as Mercury making an applause-worthy entrance and outshining the rest. The costume theme is clear and well conceived and beautifully executed.

I am not a fan of productions that add regional commentary and inside jokes and this production added more than a few.  Not being previously familiar with the show, I don't know what the references typically are and how the modern references may have changed things.

The music is familiar, of course, and some may be surprised at just how familiar.  You might not be expecting to hear the 'can-can' in an opera about gods and hell, but this is the show where that familiar piece originated.

I'm glad I went but this was definitely a college performance.

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT - Winona State University

written by: Eric Idle
music by: John Du Prez & Eric Idle
director: Heather Williams-Williams
music director: Dr. Harry Mechell
choreographer: Seth Gabriel-Mayotte
scenic & lighting designer: Peggy Sannerud
costume designer: Tracy van Voorst
stage manager: Rebekah Bailey
cast: Thomas Sonneman, Bailey Bestul, Adam Calcagno, Daniel Kopitzke, Elijah Wood, Kort Lindblad, Brooke May, Grace Harrington, Tristen Welden, Josie Hannon-Geller, Linden Kirscht, Kayla Williams-Schwarze, Brooke Bestul, Rebecca Borchardt, Taylor Nyman, Lance Urbick, Taylor Nyman, Marley Benedum, Cameron Lorntson, Sam Scherrer

The stage version of the popular Monty Python film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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I think it is admirable that a small-to-medium liberal arts college with a very small theatre department would put on a large scale musical such as this. But just because it is done with enthusiasm in an educational setting, doesn't mean it will be a strong production.

For all the smiles and energy that comes from this cast, this was an un-even production that relied much more on the actors and audience to be familiar with Monty Python's famous film to get the story across. The acting ranged from over-the-top to subtle to very direct without any obvious intention for the variety.

The chorus of knights was probably the strongest part of this show (which is good since they are on the most).

The scenery was barely serviceable. For a college production of a large musical the sets seemed cheap and flat. Most community theatre I attend put more effort into their sets.

This is not a school known for their theatre program, and based on this, not likely to be so in the near future.

SPRING ALL-SCHOOL BAND CONCERT - Rushford-Peterson Music Department

Band Directors: Burton Svendsen & Jake Olson

5th GRADE BAND:
"The Crusaders"
"Pirates Parade"
"Midnight Sky"
"Popcorn Prelude"

6th GRADE BAND:
"Blue Rock"
"Even Now"
"Trailblazer March"
"Salute to America"

7th & 8th GRADE BAND:
"Pevency Castle"
"Song for Winds"
"Exaltation"
"Yellow Submarine-Maxwell's Silver Hammer"
"Rites of Tamburo"

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMBINED BAND:
"Beauty and the Beast"
"Sunny Point"

CLARINET SOLO:
Canzonetta, Op.19

JAZZ BAND:
"The Blues Brothers Rockin' Soul Revue"
(I Can't Turn You Loose - Soul Man - Gimme Some Lovin')
"Viva La Vida"
"Uptown Funk"

SENIOR HIGH CONCERT BAND:
"Espana!"
"Three River Suite"
III. The Mississippi"
"Alligator Alley"

This is a pretty typical small school band concert and it is fun to watch and listen to the progression of talent through the grades.  This is the first time we get to hear the 5th graders (who've been playing for all of four months).

I was definitely impressed with the younger talent this year.  There are some very strong young musicians coming up at this little school.  In particular two percussionists (one 5th grade, one 6th grade) clearly have a great deal of skill.

A delightful evening.

It's hard to believe that I haven't written in here in four years. Well...maybe it's not so hard to believe. Over the next few months I hope to make a few posts...trying to catch up on some past events. This is mostly just for my own record-keeping.

A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN - Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

playwright: Randy Johnson
director: Randy Johnson
musical director: Mark Berman
costumes: Amy Clark
sound: Ben Selke
projections: Darrel Maloney
wigs/hair: Leah Loukas
production stage manager: Hethyr Verhoef
cast: Mary Bridget Davies, Cicily Daniels, Tawny Dolley, Kelly McIntyre, Q. Smith, Jennifer Leigh Warren

A Janis Joplin concert, near the end of her life, with Janis recalling some of the singers and songs that inspired her, with those characters (Bessie Smith, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Chantel, et al) making an appearance to sing their songs.

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This was an absolutely AMAZING evening of theatre/music!

The show feels a LOT like an actual concert - a feeling encouraged by the performers.  This created a sense of uncertainty in Minneapolis, Minnesota (where I saw this show) as Minnesotans are typically very reserved.  But credit to the performers to get the audience on their feet and cheering as though they were at a rock concert.

Much has been said and written about Mary Bridget Davies as Janis Joplin and I'll simply echo the raves.  She is truly outstanding, and the energy she shares on stage is electric.

But what isn't written about much is how remarkable the rest of the cast is.  Cecily Daniels as Bessie Smith knocked my socks off!  Tawny Dolley's Etta James absolutely rocked, and Q. Smith as Aretha Franklin brought the house down.  This was a complete group effort.

My wife and I had house seats and it really was like being at a Janis Joplin rock concert, which made it feel like seeing a play and going to a concert all rolled into one.  Is there a better way to spend an evening?

If this show is coming to your town, you should do yourself a favor and go see it.