American Players Theatre - September 2026

I went to American Players Theatre over the weekend. Made my annual trip with my theater going friends,  

2026 Program Cover

some who are also bloggers with the pages Cherry and Spoon, and Minnesota Theater Love. I did have plans to see all eight shows of the 2026 summer season, but between the transmission puttering out on my vehicle and some rain, I ended up only seeing five out of the eight plays. That’s okay. I was able to make lemonade out of the lemons life gave me. 

I have been blogging for over a year now, and I have written many mini reviews on my personal Facebook page for several years. Let’s talk about APT and the town of Spring Green, WI. APT produces plays annually June through early October. APT is celebrating their 47th season. In 2026, they are also the recipient of the 2026 Regional Theater Tony Award, which is well deserved. APT is known for their productions of Shakespeare and classic theater. They will also produce more modern plays too. What I love about APT is being able to picnic either between

The Tony Award

plays or before plays with friends. There are tables set up all over the grounds with grills that can be used by the patrons, along with some shelters. That is where some of the magic happens. Being able to talk about the shows with your friends and family. Another part of the magic in the Core Company, the Apprentice Company and the rest of the cast. The company members can appear in up to three shows during the main part of the season. It’s fun to see the actors in different roles throughout the course of the weekend. APT also has two stages, the Hill Theatre is what I refer to as the flagship theatre which holds just over 1000 seats. The second stage is the Touchstone Theatre, which opened in 2009. It’s an indoor stage with around 200 seats. APT started producing an extra play in the Touchstone Theatre, during the October/November timeframe. It’s nice to come back to APT one more time. This years extra play is Witch by Jen Silverman.

Spring Green is a small Wisconsin town to the west of Madison. Not only is APT located at Spring Green, but so is Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright’s home) and just down the road is House on a Rock. There’s the Wisconsin River, Tower Hill State Park, and plenty of trails nearby. This weekend my friends and I did some shopping and eating at Los Amigos, The Spring Green General Store, The Wisconsin Riverside Resort, Arcadia Books, Simply Rooted, Reunion Family BBQ, Peck’s, Anita’s, the River Valley Market and Birds of Paradise Tea. Check out the town. It has a lot to offer. Who knows, you may see cast members from APT out and about as well. 

Day 1, Friday September 18, 2026. 

My first play was a matinee peformance of Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea by Nathan Alan Davis at the Touchstone Theatre.

Photo by Ernest Edwards

The play takes place present day in Baltimore, MD, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Dontrell Jones III has a vision of an ancient ancestor and wants to know what the message means. His parents really want him to start college now that he just graduated from High School. 

This play had a strong cast with Dontrell Jones III played by Derrick Moore, Erika played by Jamie Herb, Dontrell Jones Jr, played by Gavin Lawrence, Sophia Jones played by Dee Dee Batteast, Danielle played by Samantha Newcomb, Shea played by Jazzma Pryor, and Robby played by Kayla Mariah Fifer. 

This play runs for just over 90 minutes and was a very powerful and moving play. 

The evening play was the William Shakespeare play As You Like It at the Hill Theatre, directed by Core

Photo By Ernest Edwards

Company member Laura Rook. 

What is great about the Hill Theatre during evening performances is seeing theatre under the stars, the occasional bat flying around, and illuminating the trees behind the stage with various colors. 

I noticed during intermission, that the trees in the lobby were filled with Orlando’s letters to Rosalind. When I came back to my seat, the scenery on stage was also full of letters by Orlando. 

Fun play. The cast includes Rosalind played by Samantha Newcomb, Celia played by Sola Thompson, Orlando played by Derrick Moore. 

Day Two, Saturday September 19, 2026. 

The matinee play did get rained out. 

My evening performance was the Thornton Wilder play The Matchmaker.

Photo by Ernest Edwards

Which is the play that the musical Hello Dolly is based on. APT’s production is a play with music, which is a nice homage linking the play to the famous musical. 

The Matchmaker was utterly delightful. 

It is also the only play to use the trap doors on the Hill Theater after a few years. 

I don’t think I have ever seen this before at APT, but The Matchmaker had a sponsor for the Costumes. The character Dolly Gallagher Levi does have some impressive dresses that she wears throughout the production. 

This play was perfectly cast. Dolly is played by Traci Michelle Arnold, Horace Vandergelder is played by Triney Sandoval, Cornelius Hackl is played by Colin Covert, Barnaby Tucker is played by Trevyn Wong, Mrs. Irene Molly is played by Phoebe Gonzales, Minnie Fay is played by Ama J. Kuwonu, Ambrose Kember is played by Jonathon Gardner, Ermengarde is played by Kelly Simmons, and Rudolph is played by Josh Krause. Lots of APT favorites in this cast. 

Day Three, Sunday September 20, 2026. 

My matinee play was Casey and Diana at the Touchstone Theatre, written by Nick Green. 

This play was the tear jerker of the weekend. Such a wonderful play. 

Photo by Ernest Edwards

It takes place in Toronto, Ontario in October 1991. The week leading to when Princess Diana visits the Casey House, which was a hospice facility for those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Today it’s now a speciality hospital for those living with HIV/AIDS. 

The story focuses on Thomas, played by La Shawn Banks, and his new roommate Andre, played by Joe Meyer. Knowing that Princess Diana will be there in a week gives them both something to live for. Vera, played by Elizabeth Ledo, is a nurse at the Casey House. Marjorie, played by Colleen Madden, is a volunteer at Casey House, Pauline (Thomas’s sister) is played by Dee Dee Batteast. Diana is played by Hanna Ruwe, Such a great cast for this play. Bring the tissues. You will need it for this play. 

The evening play was The Two “Gentlemen” of Verona, which is an adaption of the Shakespeare play by Aaron Posner. 

This was a fun play to close out my big APT weekend. 

Photo by Ernest Edwards

Crab, the dog, was played by Elizabeth Ledo. The host was played by Nate Burger, Valentine was played by Colin Covert, Proteus was played by Jonathan Gardner, Julie was played by Maggie Cramer, Silvia was played by Ama J. Kuwonu, Speed was played by David Daniel, Launce was played by James Ridge, The Duke was played by Brian Mani, Antonio is played by La Shawn Banks, Thurio is played by Casey Hoekstra, and Eglamour is played by Tim Gittings. Tim Gittings, Nate Burger, and Ellen Dobias do a great job as the band for this play. 

If there is an overarching theme connecting all of the plays together this season. Of those that I was able to see, I would say the them is love. 

Not only is the company of actors pretty amazing. So is the design staff, the directors, the technicians, the front of house staff. It takes a lot of people in various roles to make all of these plays being performed in repertory to happen without a hitch.  

My friends and I already have our tickets for Witch in October. The main APT season still runs through October 4, 2026. Check out www.americanplayers.org for tickets. 

Waiting for Godot - Guthrie Theater - September 2026

Waiting for Godot

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By Samual Becket

Review by Ernest Edwards

While Waiting for Godot is a great piece of 20th Century literature, the Guthrie Theater’s production is profound, thought provoking, fun and insightful. It is one of the best performances you will ever see live on stage. 

The play is about two friends, Estragon and Vladmir, trying to pass the time in what seems to be a post apocalyptic world. As they are trying to pass the time, two strangers by the names of Pozzo and Lucky do cross their paths. That is when Twin Cities favorite Jim Litchtsheidl gets to shine with his mastery of physical comedy. 

I have some history with this play. The 2026 Guthrie Theater production of Waiting for Godot is my fifth professional production I have seen of this Samuel Becket play. (The Guthrie Theater originally produced the play in 1973.) The first production I had seen was in 2009 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London starring Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen, along with Simon Callow as Pozzo. The second production was 2010 at American Players Theater featuring James DeVita and James Ridge. The third production was in 2012 at the Jungle Theatre featuring Nathan Keepers and Jim Lichtscheidl. The fourth production was on Broadway, at The Hudson Theatre, December 2025 starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. That production was “most excellent”. It was great to see Bill & Ted back together again, this time live on the Broadway stage. Now the fifth production is at the Guthrie Theater in 2026, featuring film star David Strathairn as Vladimir, Jimmy Kieffer is Estragon, Jim Lichtscheidl is Lucky, William Sturdivant is Pozzo, and Antonio Teodoro is A Boy. 

Photo by Dan Norman

One of my favorite things about seeing shows at The Guthrie Theater is the extra information about the show they include in the program. Waiting for Godot is referenced as one of the most important plays of the 20th Century. Check out those articles either before or after the play. They are a great read. 

With having seen different productions of Waiting for Godot before, when I walked into the Wurtele Thrust Stage at the Guthrie Theater, Marion Williams scenic design definitely said it was Waiting for Godot to me. 

The acting is phenomenal in this play. 

The play runs through October 11, 2026, check out www.guthrietheater.org for tickets. 

 

 

The Great Gatsby - Theatre in the Round - September 2026

The Great Gatsby

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Based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald book

Adapted for the stage by Simon Levy

Review By Ernest Edwards

Theatre in the Round is starting their 75th Anniversary season with the classic tale of The Great Gatsby. This adaptation first premiered at the Guthrie Theater back in 2006. I was not a season ticket holder at the Guthrie back then and was unable to see the play, but I remember The Great Gatsby was a hot ticket at what was the “new” building for the Guthrie Theater. I have a feeling that Theatre In The Round’s 2026 production will also be a hot ticket. The roaring 1920’s are strong on the stage. 

For their 75th Anniversary Season, Theatre in the Round is featuring Minnesota in the season. F. Scott Fitzgerald was a native to St. Paul, Minnesota. The Great Gatsby is a fun way to start off their homage for Minnesota. 

The National Tour of The Great Gatsby musical was at the Orpheum Theatre earlier in the year. While the National Tour was big and splashy, with a large cast, dance numbers and full of spectacle. The play at Theatre in the Round succeeds in other ways. With a smaller cast and a more intimate stage, you really get to be up close with the cast and get more drawn into the story. 

Speaking of being up close, let’s talk about the talented cast for The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is played by Jake Leif, Nick Carraway is played by Gavin Webb, Daisy Buchanan is played by Nina Broberg, Tom Buchanan is played by John Blocher, Jordan Walker is played by Kendra Alaura, George Wilson is played by Ian Fee, and Myrtle Wilson is played by Sydney Lanning Payne. Along with the ensemble, these core actors do an amazing job bringing these characters to life. Especially John Blocher as Tom Buchanan, his Tom had a very strong stage presence. 

The Costumes designed by Emma Shook do take us back to the 1920’s. It’s high fashion from back in 1922. The Scenery designed by Michael Haas does have all of the elements from the story. You have the giant Billboard, the green light, and a marble interior to represent the mansions on Long Island. 

Photo by Tom Taintor

With a run time of 90 minutes, plus the intermission. The show captures everything about The Great Gatsby himself with a nice run time. 

Do the Charleston on your way to Theatre in the Round for a wonderful night of the decadence of the roaring 20’s.  

Play runs until October 4, 2026. Check out www.theatreintheround.org for tickets. 

Merrily We Roll Along - Lyric Arts - September 2026

Merrily We Roll Along

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Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by George Furth

Based on the original play by George S. Kaufman and Max Hart

Review by Ernest Edwards

Lyric Arts 2026/2027 season is off to a strong start with the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along. 

If you have never heard of Merrily We Roll Along before, it focuses on the friendship of three friends Charlie (Noah Hynick), Frank (Brandn Veerman) and Mary (Maureen O’Malley). The story flows backwards from 1976 back to 1957. The musical asks the questions “How did you get to be hear?”  “What was the moment?” As the show progresses, we see the moments that shaped the journey the characters take during the musical. 

In addition to the talented cast, what really brings this show together is the costumes designed by Eleanor Schanilec. With the story taking place in the 1960’s and 1970’s, we get see some great fashions from those time periods. Scenic Designer Greg Vanselow and Projections Designer Brady Whitcomb do a great job of showing us the Hollywood Hills in the 1970’s and various locations for NYC in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The scene change choreography during the interludes was fun to watch.  

This musical contains some of the Stephen Sondheim songs like “Not Day Goes By”, “Old Friends”, “Merrily We Roll Along”, “We Got a Good Thing Going”, “Our Time” and many more. 

Let’s talk about this cast! Noah Hynick as Charlie is the one to watch during this musical. He has so many great moments. One of the his best moments is the song “Franklin Shehard, Inc”. Emily Grodzik plays Gussie, Steven Ramirez plays Joe, Faith Winship Smith plays Beth. For last nights production Frank Jr was played by Jaxson Kingdon. Maureen O’Malley as Mary, brings a lot to the story. She is the glue that tries so hard to keep Charlie and Frank together through thick and thin. Brendan Veerman plays Frank. Frank goes through a lot throughout with this musical. There’s a range of emotions that Frank goes through and Brendan Veerman is able to take us on along on Frank’s journey. The rest of the ensemble does an amazing job rounding out the rest of the cast in the musical. 

What Stephen Sondheim and George Furth do with this with this musical, is they start with a dark future

Photo by Dan Norman

and take us back to the beginning where the future is bright and optimistic. 

Spoiler Alert! Director Scott Ward adds a moment at the end where he has the cast freeze, and Frank steps out and looks at the stage and is filled with a wave of emotion. Like Frank has been able to look back on his life and where it has lead. Does he have regrets? He just might. I have never seen a production with that for the ending before, it’s a quite powerful. 

This is one of my favorite musicals. It’s a mix of the songs, the core characters, and telling the story backwards that seems to hit all the right moments to me. 

Merrily We Roll Along plays through October 4, 2026. Check out www.lyricarts.org for tickets. 

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle - Artistry - September 2026

Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testictle

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Written and Performed by Max Wojtanowicz

Co-Conceived by Max Wojtanowicz and Nicole Swoboda

Review by Ernest Edwards

I was at the first performance of Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle, which is being presented at Artistry’s Black Box Theater for a a limited time with dates through September 20, 2026. Artistry’s Black Box Theater is the perfect venue for this one man show. 

It’s been ten years since actor Max Wojtanowicz received his cancer diagnosis and went through nine weeks of chemotherapy. The events are as follows: cancer diagnosis in January, chemo begins in February, presented idea to Fringe Festival in April of that year, and then presents/performs the show in August at the annual Minnesota Fringe Festival. Max said the show was so well received that it toured for over two years. 

I’ve know Max as an actor, but never knew this very personal story of his. I haven’t done Fringe in years, as I have usually had a business trip that same week. 

There was a one moment that included audience participation. Max invites a person from the audience to represent his boyfriend. Yours truly was that person the night I went to the see the show. It was fun to be on stage and watch Max work his magic act up close and personal. 

We did learn that when his diagnosis and treatment started, he was in a relationship with his boyfriend for six months at the time. His boyfriend didn’t run away. He stayed by his side during all of this, and even went with him to some of his chemo treatments. Today Max has been married to this very same man for 8 years. 

We also learned that testicular cancer is treatable and has a higher survival rate than other forms of cancer. Seeing this show also reminded me of the friends and family who have had their own battles with cancer.

I want to say “Thank You” to Max for sharing such a personal story with us, and for revisiting this part of his life on the tenth anniversary of his diagnosis and treatment. 

Don’t let the subject matter get you down. While cancer is a serious topic, Max tells this story with humor and heart. It’s a very nice mix for telling this story. 

While the 2026/2027 theatre season is off to a strong start with several shows opening this weekend around the region. Ball only plays for two weekends. This is the must see show. Put Ball on the top of your list. 

Ball has a run time of 60 minutes and continues through Sunday September 20, 2026, check out www.artistrymn.org for tickets. 

Wait Until Dark - Dark and Stormy Productions - August 2026

Wait Until Dark 

Program Cover

Play by Frederick Knott

Review by Ernest Edwards

Dark and Stormy is starting the 2026/2027 theatre season with the thriller Wait Until Dark. This play is the first play of Dark and Stormy Productions 14th season and is playing at the Gremlin Theatre. With this play, the Dark and Stormy season is off to a strong start. 

I had never heard of this play before. I did some research and this play is from 1966, and received the Hollywood treatment in 1967. I have not seen the movie either. I’ll have to add that to my to do list for movies. I definitely recommend seeing this story live on stage. Dark and Stormy not only has a good story to tell with this play, but also has a strong cast. 

The play takes place in a basement apartment located in Greenwich Village in New York City. There is a trio of crooked men looking for a doll that the husband was given in Montreal. I think the doll is full of drugs, probably cocaine. The trio waits for the husband, Sam, to leave and tries to persuade his blind wife to hand over the doll. They use the ruse of an old friend and a police sergeant to try to gain familiarity and access to the apartment in order to look for the doll. 

The blind wife Susy, and the neighbors child Gloria, do figure out these guys are up to no good and how can they stop the schemes of these men and survive the night. 

This play has a great cast. The husband Sam Hendrix is played by Josh Jabas, the wife Susy Hendrix is played by Sara Marsh, Gloria is played by Madelyn Tax, Mike Tasman is played by Paul LaNave, Sgt. Carlino is played by Bob Malos, Harry Roat Jr. is now being played by Paul De Cordova. Since the program was printed Paul De Cordova has taken over the role of Harry Roat Jr. Who is the mastermind or puppeteer behind this caper. He is perfect for this role, as is Sara Marsh as Susy Hendrix. 

The Scenic Design by Bobbie Smith and the Lighting Design by Shannon Elliott really added to the story and were vital parts of the story for this production. What I found nostalgic was the rotary telephone on the wall. Remember that? Just one phone for the residence with no caller id. 

If you like thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is the play for you. The play continues through September 13, 2026. Check out www.darkstormy.org for tickets. 

Dirty Dancing The Musical - Ordway - August 2026

Dirty Dancing The Musical

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By Eleanor Bergstein, based on the Lionsgate film by Eleanor Bergstein

Music Supervision & Arrangements by Joseph Joubert

Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie

Directed by Lonny Price

Review by Ernest Edwards

The Ordway, in downtown St. Paul, is the launching point for the new tour of Dirty Dancing The Musical. That is pretty exciting news! It’s a strong start to the Ordway for their Broadway at the Ordway 2026/2027 season. 

This is not the first time that a tour of Dirty Dancing has been in the Twin Cities. I got to see a tour at the Orpheum Theatre back in October of 2014. This is the same script from the previous tour, but with a new team of creatives. It is a new brand new production. At last nights performance, The Music Supervisor Joseph Joubert, sat across the aisle from me. I also got to see director Lonny Price as he entered the theater and took his seat for the performance. That was kind of exciting for me. Lonny Price is known for his acting and directing career. 

If you have seen 1987 movie of the same name, you know the story. The stage musical is a faithful adaption of the story from the movie. One of the best parts of the stage musical is Darrell Grand Moultrie’s choreography. Everyone in the audience is expecting the dancing, and the stage musical does not disappoint. 

One thing I noticed last night, was how similar the stage design reminded me of The

The stage, before the musical began.
Photo by Ernest Edwards

Notebook musical. Even down to the silhouette of the shape of the scenery. I also heard other audience members around me making similar comments during the intermission. I did like the scenic design for the Kellerman’s Resort by Brett J. Banakis. It was flexible, it morphed for different scenes. Excellent use of projections. I liked how the learning to jump scene at the lake was executed. I also liked that the usher staff were all wearing Kellerman’s T-Shirts. We the audience are being welcomed to a summer at the Kellerman’s resort in the Catskills. That was a nice element. 

The Costumes Design by Emily Rebholz, along with Hair & Wig Design by Robert Pickens do make strong connections the time period and characters from the movie. The character of Baby, definitely has Jennifer Grey’s hairstyle from the movie. 

The best part of the show is the cast. Baby is played by Annalese Starzec, Lisa Houseman is played by Lily Kren, Jake Houseman is played by Bryan Fenkart, Marjorie Houseman is played by Gina Lamparella, Johnny Castle is played by Blake Zelesnikar, and Penny Johnson is played by Olivia Cece. Let’s not forget the ensemble. It’s a large cast of very talented people. The show also features lots of great songs from the early 1960’s, as well as the three big songs from the movie. “Hungry Eyes”, “She’s Like the Wind”, and “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”. 

If you a fan of the movie, this stage production is a lot of fun. 

Then there is the question of, do we need another movie turned into a stage musical? When compared to other movies that have been become stage musicals, it does feel like Dirty Dancing falls short. It doesn’t become more than what it is. It’s not in the category of stage musicals like Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, Legally Blonde, Once, Lion King, Kinky Boots, The Lost Boys, and The Outsiders. Those stage musicals are some of the examples of where the stage musical took on a life of its own. There’s nothing wrong with simply being the stage adaptation of the movie. That is what Dirty Dancing The Musical is. It’s a copy of the movie on stage. What it does well, is it makes for a fun night at the theatre. All of your favorite moments from the movie are here, live on stage at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul. 

Dirty Dancing runs through September 6, 2026. Check out www.ordway.org for tickets.