Author: Jean Gabler
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“Country Roads”: Plymouth Playhouse Celebrates the Music of John Denver
Country Roads: The Music of John Denver is currently being staged at Plymouth Playhouse. Conceived and created by Dennis Curley, this show is not about revisiting Denver’s life, but instead focuses on how John Denver’s music has touched our lives. Denver wrote and sang about things that everyone can relate to — home and family, love…
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Ordway’s “Sound of Music” summons old-world charm
Based on a true story, The Sound of Music tells the story of Maria Von Trapp, a young postulate at an Austrian abbey just before World War II who is sent to be governess for the seven children of widower Georg Von Trapp. Maria uses her love of music to bring joy back first to the…
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“The Wizard of Oz”: CTC Recreates a Classic
Imagine an audience equally comprising young children and adults—all held captive for close to two hours, with the only sound being a young voice commenting excitedly on the action on stage. This is what I experienced when I attended The Wizard of Oz, currently playing at the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) in Minneapolis. I went with two of my…
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New “Cinderella,” at the Orpheum Theatre, fails to enchant
The production of Cinderella currently playing at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis is playwright Douglas Carter Beane’s 2013 adaptation of Rogers and Hammerstein’s 1957 musical, which was originally written for television. According to a press release, Beane went back to the original French version of the story and found additional elements that had been left out…
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A triumphant “Music Man” parades into the Guthrie Theater
The Music Man opened at the Guthrie Theater this weekend under the direction of John Miller-Stephany and delivers pure, pleasurable summer entertainment at its best. Meredith Willson wrote the book, music, and lyrics for The Music Man based on his own childhood in Mason City, Iowa in the early 1900s. The Music Man tells the…
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“Church Basement Ladies” revival at Plymouth Playhouse marks tenth anniversary of stalwart franchise
In 2005, Church Basement Ladies premiered at Plymouth Playhouse, a run that lasted two and a half years and entertained over 250,000 patrons. Over the next eight years there were four additional stories featuring the stalwarts of the church: Vivian Snustad (Janet Paone), the matriarch of the kitchen; Mavis Gilmerson (Greta Grosch), the hard-working jack-of-all-trades…
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“Damn Yankees” at the Ordway: A Familiar Tale, Told Well
The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is currently presenting Damn Yankees, which tells the story of Joe Boyd, a life-long Washington Senators fan who just once wants his team to beat the New York Yankees. For those who may not be aware, the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961 and became the Minnesota Twins, bringing…
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“Ring of Fire: The Life and Music of Johnny Cash” Honors the Legend at Plymouth Playhouse
Plymouth Playhouse is currently showcasing the life and music of Johnny Cash in a Broadway show — Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. Ring of Fire is really more a concert than a play. An ensemble of eight musicians, Tim Drake, Steve Lasiter, Candice Lively, Brittany Parker, Amberly Rosen, Jason Uhlmann, Chad Willow and…