The Butler Did It - Park Square Theatre - July 2026

The Butler Did It

Program Cover

By Jeffrey Hatcher

Review By Ernest Edwards

Park Square is closing their 50th Season with the new play The Butler Did It, by Jeffrey Hatcher. I was at opening night, and what an exceptional  “who done it” this new play is. You are probably thinking, doesn’t the title give it away? Not really. In an effort not give any spoilers, the play takes place at the Portman School for Gentlemen’s Gentlemen in the spring of 1975 San Francisco. It’s a school for butlers. 

I learned a new phrase from the information in the lobby displays and the program. This mystery is called an inverted mystery. Where we the audience sees the crime happen on stage and then we watch the cast as they try to solve the murder. 

Jeffrey Hatcher has another great play for his catalogue. The Butler Did It has excellent story. The language in the script is superb. Between the situations and the character growth, and will get they get the murderer by the end? It’s all great stuff. Definitely keeps you engaged the entire time. 

The cast is also a good selection of a who’s who of the Twin Cities Theatre scene. Nicholas Lane is played

The cast, Dan Norman Photography

by Peter Christian Hansen, Emma is played by Anna Beth Baker, Tony is played by Neal Beckman, Merriman is played by Pearce Bunting, Portman is played by Steve Hendrickson, Lady Caroline is played by Norah Long, and Inspector Denise is played by Allison Vincent. Allison Vincent as Inspector Denise is the actress to keep an eye on during this play. She has some of best moments and adds some comedy to this play. I feel like she knows who the murderer is, but she has to play a game to catch the killer. 

The gorgeous scenery for this play is designed by Benjamin Olsen, who also designed the scenery for Park Square’s previous show A Chorus Line. The costumes designed by Matthew Lefebvre are great! I also really like the Lighting Design by Karin Olson for this play. There were some moments in the play, where the lighting design had some good moments. 

Park Square has a hit on their hands with the World Premiere of this summer mystery The Butler Did It. Run to the theatre and catch this show. It plays through  August 16, 2026. Check out www.parksquaretheatre.org for tickets. 

My Anotonia - Theater Latte Da - June 2026

My Antonia

Program Cover

Conceived by Jessie Austrian, Noah Brody, Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses

Music and Lyrics by The Kilbanes

Book by Noah Brody

Review by Ernest Edwards

This musical had me under its spell from the opening moment of the show. Picture this, that cast is on stage and throughout the theater. They ask us to picture the wide open prairies, and then we begin to hear birds chirping and the sounds of crickets. The way that was executed was pure theater magic. It was such a wonderful moment. It reminded me of the opening moment the first time I had seen the musical Light at the Piazza. When those leaves drifted across the stage during the first few moments of that musical, it was an elevated detail that was so cool to see on stage. It had me hooked from the beginning. It was the same with My Antonia. I knew I was going to be in for an excellent evening of  storytelling. 

I did not know this world premiere musical is based on a book by Willa Cather. There is a nice display in the lobby that you should check out either before the show or the during intermission. It’s fun to see a new work and not have any previous knowledge to the story. This musical stands on its own. 

The story and the storytelling are so compelling, it was a treat for me to be a witness to this world premiere production. It was truly a magical evening. 

The story follows James as he recounts to Willa, meeting Antonia (pronounced An-toe-knee-uh) for the

Photo by Dan Norman

first time. As young Jimmy, his parents died in Virginia.  He takes the train to live with his Grandparents in Nebraska. On the same train is Antonia and her family, fresh from Bohemia trying to start a new life in America. The story takes place over the course of approximately 30 years. Life on the prairie was hard. Antonia’s family is living in a sod house. Jimmy and Antonia become good friends, but their lives do diverge and take different paths as they get older. 

The scenic design by Benjamin Olsen takes us to those big open prairies. The Costumes by Sarah Bahr tell us who each character is, their status in society and when the show takes place. Such amazing detail with the costume designs. 

The biggest reason for the success of the story of My Antonia is the cast. What a cast it is. Looking at the cast list in the program, and it’s a who’s who of the Twin Cities theatre community. We have so much talent in this metro area, and it’s great to see it showcased in a production like My Antonia. Jimmy is played by Maddox Tabalba, Jim is played by Will Dusek, James is played by Tom Reed, Lillian Hochman plays Young Antonia, Sara Masterson plays Antonia, Emily Gunyou Halasas plays older Antonia, Em Adam Rosenberg plays Willa, Sally Wingert plays Grandmother, Bradley Greenwald plays Grandfather, Anna Hashizume, James Rodrigue and Spencer Chandler round out the rest of the cast. Another thing that makes this show so wonderful and magical, is that while the actors do have a primary character that they are playing they also are part of the ensemble and take on other roles throughout the musical. This is a strong ensemble production. 

This production was so good, and so moving that the show received an instant standing ovation when the show was over. That a testament to the story, the storytelling and the performances of the cast. 

My Antonia is not to be missed. Check out www.latteda.org for tickets. The musical runs through July 12, 2026. 

The Right Thing To Do: The Joe Mauer Story - Stages Theatre Company - April 2026

The Right Thing To Do: The Joe Mauer Story

Program Cover

Based on the book by Joe Schmit

Book and Music by Michael Mahler

Review by Ernest Edwards

The Right Thing To Do is making its world premier at the Stages Theatre Company on Main Street in downtown Hopkins. I was at the opening night performance, but Joe Mauer was not in attendance. As a spoiler alert, this one act musical does feature videos of Joe Mauer at the begging and end of the musical.  

I have never heard of the book that this musical is based on. I just know Joe Mauer the former MN Twins baseball player and Hall of Fame inductee. The musical does have some catchy songs. The story of the musical does follow Joe Mauer from being a 10 year old to being in High School. His closet friends were Andrea and Mike. Mike is legally blind and uses a cane. One line Mike had in High School was, “how it is he is the only blind student, but no one can see him?” A teenage Joe Mauer changed all of that by adding Mike to his circle of friends. Mike is very good at sport stats. He listens to the games on the radio. 

Something that a young Joe Mauer’s dad said, and I hope I get the quote right “try something different, and great things can happen”. At the beginning of the musical, young Joe could throw a baseball with his right hand, and write with his right hand, but was not as good batting with his right hand. Once he started batting left handed, that was a game changer for him.  He tried something different and something great happened. Which also includes his friendship with Mike. There are still friends to this day.  

A fun moment in the musical, during High School, a group of girls are fawning over Joe’s success on the high school baseball team. Except Maddie, who is not impressed. Then the voice of the narrator says “Maddie eventually becomes Mrs. Joe Mauer, but that’s a story for a different musical.”  

Director Sandy Boren-Barrett assembled a fine cast of young people for this production. Some cast to mention are Baron Heinz as Young Joe Mauer, Charlie Gold as Teen Joe Mauer, Sakhile Mazwi as Young Andrea, Akron Manson as Teen Andrea, Reid Soltis as Young Mike, Noah Durand as Teen Mike. The only adult character on stage is JC Lippold as Joe’s Dad.  

This one act musical is a feel good story. It’s a fun story about the younger years of a local who became a famous national baseball player and the life lessons and morals he learned along the way. One thing to take with you from this musical is “do the right thing”. 

The show plays at Stages Theatre Company through May 10, 2026. Check out www.stagestheatre.org for tickets. 

My Name is Florence - MN Opera - January 2026

My Name is Florence 

Review by Ernest Goes To The Theatre/Ernest Edwards

I was at opening night of the World Premier of the new opera My Name is Florence. It’s part of the Minnesota Opera’s 63rd Season. We learned before the opera started that MN Opera is working on six new opera’s.  There will be a new opera per season for several seasons to come.  That will be fun! Some opera’s that have premiered through MN Opera are Grapes of Wrath, Silent Night, The Shining The Opera, and many more. This is the 51st original new opera for MN Opera.  

For this new opera. The orchestra was on stage, the area where the orchestra pit is normally located was an extended part of the stage. That brought this opera closer to the audience.  I really enjoyed the scenery designed by Eli Sherlock. Costumes by Trevor Bowen need a shout out. The story takes place between 1900 and the 1940’s. 

The story is about music prodigy Florence Beatrice.  Florence as named after her mother and taught piano by her mother. Florence also named her own daughter Florence. Florence left Little Rock for the New England Conservatory of Music.  We see the affects of American History in Little Rock Arkansas during this time period.  

Florence eventually moves to Chicago. While living in Chicago she composes her most famous work Symphony in E Minor.  Composer B.E. Boykin and Libretto by Harrison David Rivers were also present for the curtain call on opening night.  

This new opera is just under 90 minutes.  With the ice sculptures in Rice Park, it’s a fun time to be at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul.  

I really liked this new opera. The story is one to hear. The cast has wonderful voices.  For opening night there was a post show with the cast.  

My Name is Florence plays at the Ordway through February 8, 2026. Check out www.mnopera.org for tickets. 

The Stage, before the opera begins. 

Purple Rain - Hennepin Arts - November 2025

Purple Rain

Review by Ernest Goes To The Theatre/Ernest Edwards

Over the weekend, my friends and I went to the pre-Broadway engagement of Purple Rain the musical.  The musical was still in previews when we went to it. The official opening night is Wednesday November 5, 2025.  The purpose of the out of town tryout, and some weeks of preview performances is to engage the audiences reactions and to work out any kinks.  I just learned from a tour of Paisley Park, Prince’s home, that that first performance was almost 4 hours long.  Online it said the show was averaging 3 hours. The night we went, including the intermission, it was 2 hours and 45 minutes. I would say some bugs were fixed in the two weeks between the first performance and the night that we went to it. 

The stage musical is based on the movie of the same name. The screenplay was by Albert Magnoli & William Blinn.  The stage musical has the book by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, musical and lyrics are of course by Prince himself.  Directed by Liliana Blain-Cruz. Choreography by Ebony Williams. The Kid is played by Kris Kollins. Apollonia is played by Rachel Webb. Morris is played by Jared Howelton. According to the introduction in the playbill, Bobby Z of The Revolution and Morris Hayes of The New Power Generation were serving as Prince Music Advisors for the musical.  That’s kind of cool! 

They were very careful in the playbill/program.  No songs are listed, not even the old “in alphabetical order” either.  What I will tell you, is all of the songs from the movie are in the stage musical. Including the two songs by the Time and the song by Apollonia 6.  The musical is rounded out by other songs that were all written by Prince.  

The musical is based on the story from the movie. I want to point out that it’s not Prince on stage, it is The Kid. Who is trying to make it in the music scene, and deal with his personal demons too. Another notable change for the musical is that the music club is not referred to as First Avenue, it’s The First in the stage musical.  

Kris Kollins as The Kid looked and sounded just like Prince.  Although much taller than Prince himself, who was 5 Feet and 2 inches tall.  His Kid has a bigger redemption story arc than in the movie. Rachel Webb made the role of Apollonia her own.  Rachel has a great voice. She was recently seen as Juliet in the national tour of & Juliet.  Jared Howelton as Morris, had really embodied the Morris Day character, and at times was also the comic relief for the story. In an effort to be spoiler free, I will say I liked the changes in the story for Wendy and Lisa.  

The scenery flowed effortlessly between The First, backstage at The First, the Kids apartment and Morris’s rehearsal space. 

Purple was the theme of the night. I was wearing purple myself, as were many other theater goers. The ambiance in the State Theater was purple before the musical started.  Also in LaSalle Plaza, where the State Theatre is located, is the Purple One exhibit.  Lots of images and information about Prince on the first and second floors. A purple motorcycle is part of the exhibit too.  

It’s a fun musical. The music is a rocking flashback to the 1980’s. As is the fashions from the musical.  

I would say the musical is a 7 or 8 out of 10.  It’s good, it’s fun, it’s entertaining, but it needs a little more work.  I think the musical has the same problem that the movie has. Lots of great music,  and costumes, but it’s the story/script that needs work.  

It’s only fitting that the musical Purple Rain made its world premiere in downtown Minneapolis, just two blocks away from First Avenue itself. Prince did put the Minneapolis music scene on the map with the film version of Purple Rain.  

Musical runs through November 23, 2025. Check out hennepinarts.org for tickets. 

Photos are by Ernest Edwards of the marquee and the stage before the musical begins. 

The Ruins - Guthrie Theater - October 2025

The Ruins a play through music

Review by Ernest Edwards/Ernest Goes To The Theatre

First let me say, I went to this play on Wednesday October 1, 2025. I am still able to wear shorts and short sleeves, at night, when going to the theater. I am enjoying the warmer than normal temperatures. Looks like more seasonable temperatures are on the horizon for next week.  

The Ruins is making its world premiere at the Guthrie Theater at the Dowling Studio on the 9th Floor. It’s a new play by actor/playwright George Abud, along with Sydney Shepherd rounding out the cast. 

The plays continues through October 12, 2025. Check out www.guthrietheater.org for tickets. With a run time of 1 hour and 40 minutes that is perfect for a work night.  

This is my first play of the Guthrie Theater’s 2025/2026 season. 

With the Dowling Studio, the space can be configured anyway that it needs to be for a production. It can be a proscenium stage setting, a thrust stage setting, or as with The Ruins it can an arena setting. That really helped to make this play more intimate. The story takes plays in one room.  The play focuses on George and Sydney who are at this place, as their days are numbered. I didn’t ever really figure that part out. We do know that neither one has any family and this facility is for these circumstances. To pass the time and to get to know each other better, as they are sharing a room the until the end for each of them.  They play music.  George plays an Oud, and Sydney plays the cello. And they teach each other about music and share poems from favorite authors.  

Something else the play does is asks the questions “are you good enough?” I know, that can a very deep question. This play does draw you in. 

It’s very unique and special play.  Glad I got to see the world premiere here in Minneapolis.  George Abud has a very good play that he has written.