Treasure Island review by Ernest Edwards

Set your sails for a fun adventure! A swashbuckling good time! Adventure on the high seas! There is treasure to be found! It is the production of Treasure Island currently playing at the Children’s Theatre Company.  This script has been adapted by Stuart Paterson based on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson. This production is directed by Artistic Director Rick Dildine.  

Children’s Theatre Company does a great job with getting you into the story. Once you walked into the lobby there’s wanted posters of pirates, there’s also a bookcase full of books and artwork about pirates. The upper lobby has fun for the whole family.  There’s games and activities, along with a pirate map on the wall, and a photo opportunity with the steering wheel of an old ship in front of a green screen.  It really gets you in the mood for the play Treasure Island, and makes one want to say “Arrrr” like a pirate.  Dressing up as pirate is also encouraged when attending this play. Then when you walk into the theater and see the scenery, it’s a two story set that looks like the inside of wooden vessel.  All of the action and story takes place in and around this scenery. It’s all used very cleverly and purposefully by the cast to tell the story.  The program for Treausre Island is full of lots of information about the story, real life pirates, information on pirate ships, films adaptations of the book over time, and activities. It’s a great read before the play begins. 

The story follows young Jim Hawkins (played by Truman Bednar the night I went. The role is double cast). Jim finds a treasure map and with Squire Trelawney (played by Em Adam Rosenberg), Doctor Livesey (played by Max Wojtanowicz) and a crew lead by Long John Silver (played by Reed Sigmund), they get a ship and set sail for a treasure hunt. The crew turns out to be pirates, lead by Long John Silver,  who also have their sights on the lost treasure.  Things get interesting once they get to the island. 

It’s fun watching Jim Hawkins journey in this play. He goes from a young man bar keeping at his Mom’s bar, to taking on pirates and being just as adult as the adults in the story. 

This play has excellent story telling. It moves at a good pace. The scenery (by Christopher Swader and Justin Swader) and costumes (by Alexa Behm) really contribute to the story of pirates in the 1800’s. 

If you’re into pirates, adventure and swordplay then get to Treasure Island. Treasure Island has performances through October 19, 2025.  Check out www.childrenstheatre.org for tickets. 

Anyone Can Whistle in Concert

Minneapolis Musical Theatre gave me some firsts at last nights production.  In all the years I have lived in the Twin Cities I have never been to The Conn Theater at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center. I have also never seen the musical Anyone Can Whistle before.  I do have a cast recording from the 1995 benefit concert in New York City. That concert did include Angela Lansbury, who was also involved in the original 1964 Broadway production.  It’s been years since I last listened to that recording.  

This was such a fun musical.  Doing the musical in concert really helped with telling the story. I think if we have a fully realized production with more cast members and scenery it could have muddled up the storytelling. Having a concert production really allowed this audience member to get into the story and to enjoy the music and lyrics of the late Stephen Sondheim. 

The story is about a small town that is having financial issues. Also the reservoir has dried up.  The town council along with guidance from the  mayor create a miracle by having water pump out of an ordinary rock. The town begins to make money by charging admission to the miracle and allowing folks to drink from the water. When 49 patients from the local asylum show up. The town council can’t have them drinking the water and exposing the fraud. If none of the 49 are cured, then the gig is up.  Lots of musical theater shenanigans start to play out.  Sometimes to hilarious results.  

The musical also has themes and situations that are still relevant in 2025.  The adage of the more things change, the more they stay the same rings true with some of the situations in Anyone Can Whistle. 

Anyone Can Whistle in Concert was perfect for Minneapolis Musical Theater. Their motto is “Rare Musicals. Well Done.” Anyone Can Whistle fits that bill perfectly.  The cast was perfection! It was a great ensemble. 

There are only 4 more performances left to catch this gem of an experience. Please visit www.aboutmmt.org for tickets. This show should not be missed. 

Big Fish

The 2025/2026 theater season is off to strong start! There are big things happening at Lyric Arts with their production of Big Fish.  The musical is based on the book and the 2003 Columbia Picture’s movie.  The book of the musical is by John August, who wrote the screen play for the movie, with music & lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The story follows Edwards Bloom, who is more than the teller of tall tales, he is a loving husband and father.  

Now as his son Will is getting married. Will is realizing that he doesn’t know who his father really is.  He just knows the stories.  Will set’s out to find the truth in the tales to find out who his father really is.  It’s a beautifully told story at Lyric Arts. The music & lyrics of Andrew Lippa assist with moving the story along, adding to Edward’s tales, and also helps to pull on your heartstrings.  

It was a very fun night at the theater. 

The cast does an amazing job bringing this story to life at the Main Street Stage in downtown Anoka.  Ben Bakken as Edward Bloom is not just the leading man in this production, he his the heart and soul of the production.  Ben has the job of playing Edward Bloom throughout his life. From being a teen, to adulthood, to fatherhood, to his own son’s wedding. Ben also has the vocal talent to pull off all of Edward’s songs and emotions. Ben gave a tour de force of a performance on opening night. Also need to mention Will Gaspar as Will Bloom. His voice was golden.  Will is more serious when compared to Edward, but it’s Will who tells Edward’s final story. That was such a beautiful moment on stage.  

There’s also a trio of woman who round out the core cast. Woman who are important to Edward and Will’s story.  There’s Kate Beahen as Sandra, the woman who would become Edward’s wife. Megan Beard as the former high school sweetheart. And Lydia Rose Prior as Josephine who marry’s Will and helps him to find the truth in his father’s stories.  This production also has a great ensemble, who does so much for this production. They help to bring the magic to this wonderful story. 

In addition to the cast, what brought this production together was the scenery, lighting and costumes.  Scenery was designed by Curtis Phillips, lighting was designed by Shannon Elliot, and costumes were designed by Samantha Fromm Haddow.  Excellent use of projections in Big Fish.

To quote a lyric from a song of the musical, “be the hero of your story”.  When the musical was over, I had all of this feel good energy coursing through me.  

This musical runs through September 28, 2025.  To get tickets go to www.lyricarts.org. This production is not to be missed. 

Who am I? I’m Ernest Edwards. I am frequently at a play, musical, opera, comedian, concert and the movies. I’ve been going to theater productions since the 1990’s. Started with Broadway shows on tour with the Broadway on Hennepin series in downtown Minneapolis, and the Broadway at the Ordway series at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul. I have also seen stage productions in Chicago, Toronto, Las Vegas, London and New York City.