Marie and Rosetta - Yellowtree Theatre - April 2026

Marie and Rosetta

Program Cover

By George Brant

Review By Ernest Edwards

Marie and Rosetta raises the roof at Yellowtree Theatre with this story of some of Gospel’s greats. 

Marie and Rosetta is a wonderful story to be told. The intimate stage at Yellowtree Theatre is the perfect venue for this play. I had first seen the play at Park Square Theatre back in November of 2018. It is very nice to revisit this wonderful slice of history after many years. 

The play focuses on a rehearsal for an upcoming concert in Mississippi in 1946. It’s the first time that Sister Rosetta Tharpe and her protege Marie Knight perform together. Sister Rosetta Tharpe has been nicknamed the Godmother of Rock-N-Roll. You can see her musical influences in musicians such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Hendrix and Ray Charles.  

Yellowtree has cast Adair Gilliam as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Chaz Shermil Hodges as Marie Knight.

From the online program

 These two actresses have such great voices. It makes me want to listen to more gospel music. 

The characters can sing, play piano and Sister Rosetta Tharpe is well versed in both the guitar and an electric guitar.  

The scenery is designed by Sarah Brandner, with costumes designed by Samantha Fromm Haddow. The sound was amazing for this production. I remember Marie and Rosetta was delayed a season as Yellowtree had to replace their sound system. Let me tell you. It was worth the wait! 

The scenery is that of a funeral parlor. As we learn from the play. Two northern African American artists traveling in the South in the 1940’s, could not get accommodations at hotels and had to go with what they could. They also had hired a white driver, so he could go into restaurants in the South and get them food. The concert will not be a theater or concert. African American artists had to perform in out of the way venues. Warehouses, etc that were out of sight. Hearing about all of the parts of life that segregation touched on is very eye opening. It was definitely more than just separate restrooms, and water fountains that we see depicted in movies. 

The play is an hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. The music, history and storytelling is so wonderful. The play just flies on by at a good pace. These actresses and the music they perform are so up lifting. The play has a touching full circle moment in the final scene of the play. Yellowtree has an extremely talented cast for Marie and Rosetta.Their performances are not to be missed. 

The play runs through April 19, 2026. Check out www.yellowtreetheatre.com for tickets. 

The stage before the play begins. Photo by Ernest Edwards

Sleuth - Guthrie Theater - April 2026

Sleuth

Program cover

By Anthony Shaffer

Review by Ernest Edwards

I had never heard of the play Sleuth before. It’s written by Anthony Shaffer, whose twin brother is playwright Peter Shaffer. Peter wrote the plays Amadeus, Equus and Lettice and Loveage to name a few. Sleuth did go on to win the Tony Award for best play in 1971. Anthony Shaffer also went on to write the screenplay for the first film adaptation made in 1972 with Lawerence Olivier as Andrew Wyke and Michael Caine as Milo Tindle. There is also a 2007 film version with Michael Caine as Andrew Wyke and Jude Lawe as Milo Tindle. I have not seen either of the film versions, I wanted to wait until I see the play at the Guthrie Theatre first. Oh what a play it is!

Sleuth at the Guthrie Theater is wonderful. The play takes place at Andrew Wyke’s manor in Willshire, England many decades ago. Let me tell you, Todd Rosenthal’s scenery is gorgeous. The scenery is two stories with a spiral staircase, huge chandeliers, a fireplace wall with several heads from game hunting. All of this beautiful scenery was secretly hidden behind the stage curtain. It was a luscious surprise when the curtain went up at the start of the play.  

For the cast, we have Ramiz Monsef as Andrew Wyke, and John Tufts as Milo Tindle. 

John Tufts as Milo Tindle and Ramiz Monsef as Andrew Wyke.
Photo credit: Dan Norman. 

The cast is rounded out with Stanley Rushton as Inspector Doppler, Robin Mayfield as Detective Sergeant Tarrant, and Liam McNulty as Police Constable Higgs. 

The story is about how Andrew Wyke invite his wife’s young lover, Milo Tindle over to the Manor house for drinks. That’s really about all I can say without giving too much away. 

Sleuth is a mystery play, but not in the same manner as the Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes stories. It’s a mystery play, but not exactly a whodunnit.  The play is so well crafted and the acting is so amazing. It keeps you guessing until the end.  

The performances by Ramiz Monsef and John Tufts are not to be missed. 

There’s great information in the program about playwright Anthony Shaffer and some great “crack the code” games in the program. Plenty of good reading before the play begins. 

The play has a run time of about two and half hours, including the intermission. Sleuth continues at the Guthrie Theatre through May 10, 2026. Check out www.guthrietheater.org for tickets. 

Gutenberg! The Musical! - Theater Latte Da - April 2026

Gutenberg! The Musical!

Program Cover

by Anthony King & Scott Brown

Review by Ernest Edwards

Gutenberg! Is one of the funniest musicals ever made. 

Theater Latte Da has assembled the best cast, director/choreographer for Gutenberg! and the results are phenomenal!

You are probably wondering, what is Gutenberg! The Musical!?  It is a two person musical about Doug and Bud. They work at a nursing home in New Jersey and have written a musical about Johan Gutenberg, who is the inventor of the printing press. In their research, they discovered that not much else is known about Johan Gutenberg. The internet says the information is “scant”. So they decided to use some historical fiction for their musical. To hilarious results.  

The musical was written in 2005. It had productions in London and Off Broadway in 2006. Gutenberg! finally made its Broadway debut during the 2023/2024 season. I was lucky to able to see the Broadway production with Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. I was super excited when Gutenberg! was announced as part of the 2025/2026 Theater Latte Da season.

Doug and Bud are really hoping a Broadway producer will like their show. They spent every dime they

Photo provided by Latta Da

have on renting the theater for one night only to show off their show. Our two actors play all the characters with hilarious results. They use baseball caps with names on them for every single character. There’s a lot of hats that get used during this production. It’s so much fun! Credit to the props & stage management teams for making sure those hats are put in order for every performance.  

Gutenberg!  It’s a musical comedy with farcical moments.  Gutenberg! pokes fun of itself, pokes fun of the musical as an art form, and also explains what a musical is for new theater patrons. 

Image from Theater Latte Da 

Let’s talk about the cast. Doug is played by Tom Reed, and Bud is played by Dominic Schiro. These two actors give a tour de force acting performance. They are funny, they are energetic, they can do comedy, they do drama, they can sing, they can dance.  In the program I see the understudies are Noah Hynick and Carl Swanson.  Whether your performance has the original two leads, or one understudy, or both of the understudies, you are in a for a treat! When the show was over, there was an instant standing ovation. These gentleman deserved the adoration for all of their hard work. 

This production is directed and choreographed by Tyler Michaels King.  He must have had a lot of fun working with this talented cast and this script. As a member of the audience, we get to share in the joy and exuberance of this production. 

I also really like the scenery by Sarah Bahr. I have attended many Theater Latte Da productions at the Ritz Theater over the years.  I feel like this was the first time I have seen a show with an actual proscenium arch. The joy of the Ritz is seeing the bare walls and how Latte Da incorporates the venue into the productions and vice versa. I’m not saying we need a proscenium arch going forward, for Gutenberg! it was fun to see the arch with curtains and lined with light bulbs. Remember, Doug & Bud rent a theater for the night.  It added so much to the style for this production. 

In an effort to not give you a spoiler, I will say there is a brief cameo in Gutenberg!  The night I went the cameo was the director of Theater Latte Da’s production of Fun Home, Addie Gorlin-Han. With the wide array of theater artists that we have in the Twin Cities. I just wonder who will it be at each performance? 

Gutenberg! The Musical! Runs through May 3, 2026. Check out www.latteda.org for tickets. 

Photo provided by Latta Da

Conscience - Theatre in the Round - March 2026

Conscience

Image from TRP website

A play by Joe DiPietro

Review by Ernest Edwards

Conscience is a last minute replacement for the 2025/2026 season by Theatre in the Round in reaction to what was going on not only in the Twin Cities metro, but our country as a whole. As I watched the play last night, I felt so many similarities between the 1950’s and today. This play is being presented at the right time.  

I really liked the scenery for the play. When you walk into the theater, the stage floor is covered by the United States Constitution. Don’t forget to look to up, as you will see not only a chandelier but ripped up pieces of the Constitution hanging amongst the stage lighting. Check out the signs in the inner lobby. There are write ups of the four characters, and what happened after the events of the play concluded. Definitely some good reading. 

The play Conscience is a fairly new play that premiered in 2020. Joe DiPietro is an award winning playwright known for Diana, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Memphis, All Shook Up, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, and many more. 

The play takes place in the 1950’s and is about Republican Senator Joe McCarthy and Senator Margaret Chase Smith. Margaret Chase Smith was the first female Senator in the US Senate. Not only was she a Republican Senator from Maine, she was the only Senator to stand up to Joe McCarthy. Not capitulating, almost cost her everything.  She stood up for her beliefs and the American people. 

Also on stage is Jean Kerr played by Mary Lofreddo, who is Senator McCarthy’s assistant and later on his wife. Senator Margaret Chase Smith is joined on stage by William Lewis Jr played by Tim Wollman, who is her administrative assistant. Of course with this being the age of McCarthyism, there were rumors flying around about William Lewis Jr’s sexuality in the play. 

Ron Lamprecht is so good at embodying Joe McCarthy, his performance was downright creepy at times. Alison Anderson was amazing as Margaret Chase Smith. She never lost her cool, was also full of composure. If only members of Congress today had her backbone.  

Whether you are into politics or not, this play is a great slice of history that is holding a mirror up to current events. Little moments here and there definitely felt like the playwright was speaking to current events. It is uncanny. History does repeat itself. 

The play has a run time of 1 hour 45 minutes, including the intermission. Conscience runs through April 19, 2026, check out www.theatreintheround.org for tickets. 

Mrs. Doubtfire - Ordway - March 2026

Mrs. Doubtfire, a new musical Comedy

Program Cover

Music & Lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karen Kirkpatrick

Book by Karen Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell

Based on the Twentieth Century Studios Motion Picture

Review by Ernest Edwards

The Ordway continues their Broadway @ The Ordway 2025/2026 season with the new musical Mrs. Doubtfire on tour. My season tickets for the Ordway is for Sunday evening’s. If the show is only in town for one week, I end up seeing the last performance in downtown St. Paul before it moves onto the next city.  

Based on the title, you are probably thinking, another stage musical based on a movie. Yes. This one is a lot of fun. If you a fan of the movie, definitely go see it. If you are a fan of musical theater, then go see it.  It makes for a fun and entertaining evening.  If you have seen the Robin Williams movie, you already know the story. There’s some fun changes and additions to make it a full two act musical.  

Daniel Hilliard/Mrs. Doubtfire is played by Craig Allen Smith. I did see the original Broadway production in May 2022. Rob McClure played Daniel Hilliard/Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway and reprised the role for the first National

The stage, before the show begins

Tour of Mrs. Doubfire. Rob was amazing! Let me tell you, Craig Allen Smith has definitely stepped up the plate and is filling big shoes as Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire.  His rendition of the Act One song “It’s About Time” had a lot of energy and creativity to it. That is a great song about how to read a clock. Playing Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire live on stage, 8 times a week, is no easy feat. Craig makes it look easy. 

There are some quick costume changes that happen in this show. Some are on stage, but most are off stage. The crew behind the scenes definitely need some recognition for those costume changes.  

Also want to mention Brian Kalinowski as Frank Hilliard and Devon Wycovia Buchanan as his husband Andre Mayem. They are Daniel’s brother and brother-in-law. They help Daniel and also provide additional comedy. The rest of the cast is pretty amazing too.  

I think we need to mention Catherine Zuber as the Costume Designer. We see some of her creativity and genius live on stage. 

Check out www.ordway.org for tickets to the rest of their 2025/2026 Broadway @ The Ordway season, and for information on the recently announced 2026/2027 Broadway @ The Ordway season.  

Hungry Like The Wolf - History Theatre - March 2026

Hungry Like the Wolf

Program Cover

by Sandra Struthers

Review by Ernest Edwards

The History Theatre has a new play titled Hungry Like The Wolf. No this is not a play about Duran Duran. I wish. Just like the main character in the play Sandra, played by playwright Sandra Struther, I’m a fan of Duran Duran. The play is about Sandra’s life, her obsession with Duran Duran, and the Willmar 8. The Willmar 8 is about a group of 8 woman who went on strike in 1977 in Willmar, MN. The first set of woman to ever go on a bank strike.  

Before the play began, the screen on the stage had images of Sandra over the years, the Willmar 8, and 

The stage with the album cover to Duran Duran’s Rio Album

various images of Duran Duran graced the screen.  It really got you into the time period of the play. What I really like about the History Theatre, is the history we learn on the stage with these productions, but is the history on the walls of the inner lobby and the dramaturgy in the program.  So much information about the Willmar 8. I learned from the play there is both a movie and a documentary that was made in the 1980’s about the Willmar 8. Both the movie and documentary were directed by Lee Grant.  

The play is directed by Laura Leffler. The cast is lead by Sandra Struthers as the narrator.  The rest of the cast includes Twin Cities favorite Jen Burleigh-Bentz, Sam Landman, Jen Maren and Allison Vincent.  For Jen Maren, her hair and makeup had that Farrah Fawcett volume and bounce to it. Pure 1970’s. 

While the play is fun and educational. It does include moments that deal with the heavy topics of sexual abuse and harassment.  

This is a fun play.  I definitely want to learn more about the Willmar 8. This play moves pretty fast. Hungry Like the Wolf makes for a fun night at the theater. 

The play runs through April 12, 2026. Check out www.historytheatre.com for tickets. 

All Shook Up - 4 Community Theatre - March 2026

All Shook Up

Program Cover

Songs of Elvis Presley, Book by Joe DiPietro

Review by Ernest Edwards

As we are getting some very measurable snow in the Twin Cities metro, it’s a great day to stay at home and write of a review for the Juke Box musical All Shook Up that I went to Friday night at the Plymouth Playhouse to see this 4 Community Theatre production.

If you have been to the Plymouth Playhouse before, it’s a small stage. There are big things happening with this production of All Shook Up. 

It was such a fun evening of Elvis songs that caused me to be “all shook up!”.

This 2005 musical contains a wide catalog of Elvis Presley songs. Such as “All Shook Up”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Love Me Tender”, “Heartbreak Motel”, “Devil in Disguise”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, and many more.  According to the cast recording there’s 27 Elvis songs in the musical.  

The stage, before the musical begins

The story takes place in small U.S.A town in 1955. A motorcycle rider by the name of Chad arrives in town and starts shaking his hips to music. Mayor Matilda Hyde has put law and order in this small town. Basically took all the fun out of living by banning public necking, loud music, and gyrating hips. Chad’s arrival brings romance, change, chaos, and the exploration of individuality. The town get’s “All Shook Up” in a good way.  

I liked the Set Design by Dan Sherman. During Act 1 there’s various scenes that take place on the street, a Honky Tonk Bar, a service gargage, a shoe shore, city museum and front and center of it all is a Juke Box. The back wall, behind the orchestra is lined with LP singles/45’s. For the second act, the stage is transformed to an abandoned amusement park. 

Director Greta Grosch, works with a talented cast to bring us a fun and entertaining evening of mirth and merriment. The cast consists of Cameron Roy Hall as Chad, Maddie Froehle as Natalie, and Kyle Yetzer as Dennis, along with a strong ensemble. 

There’s only more weekend to catch All Shook Up. This musical runs through Sunday March 22, 2026 at the Plymouth Playhouse. Check out www.4communitytheatre.org for tickets.