Bernhardt/Hamlet

Review by Christine Sarkes Bernhardt/Hamlet at The Crane Theater through October 14 is an exceptionally well-acted, highly entertaining theater-lovers play. As the title suggests, it centers on a point in time in the fascinating true life of French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who is coming to terms with her future career as an aging actress at…

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Christine Sarkes “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.” – Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax, The Importance of Being Earnest In the spirit of Oscar Wilde’s Gwendolen Fairfax, I am beginning a review of The Importance of Being Earnest, Guthrie Theater’s brilliantly acted and amusing season opener, as I have never…

Beetlejuice

The Orpheum definitely closed out their 2022-2023 season with a Bang! Beetlejuice is a thrilling combination of haunting and whimsical from start to finish. Based off of Tim Burton’s 1988 classic, this musical adaptation gives fans of the original source material a hearty helping of that dark, twisted story-line while revamping the comedy with a…

Arsenic and Old Lace

by Christine Sarkes Celebrating its 72nd anniversary, Theatre in the Round opens its season with a classic, screwball black comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace. Those of us ‘of a certain age’ will remember the brilliant 1944 movie adaptation, starring the incomparable Cary Grant and directed by the legendary Frank Capra. This zany and eccentric play…

Legally Blonde: The Musical

Burnsville Summer Theater; ISD 191 Community Education Reviewed by Emily Grimes Has the premiere for Barbie got you hyped for campy fun, feminine power, or just looking at really pretty clothes? Do yourself a favor by donning some pink apparel and doubling the fun by making this production part of your double feature. Come support…

An American Tail the Musical

If you grew up watching the 1986 animated classic An American Tail or it’s beloved sequel Fievel Goes West, you’re sure to love Children’s Theatre Company’s world premiere production of An American Tail the Musical, playing now through June 18th. The production is the perfect blend of nostalgia, creativity, and hope for a brighter world, and sitting in the audience full of delighted and curious children is always an adorable way to spend a couple hours.

Hamlet

by Erika Sasseville and Christine Sarkes (a mother/daughter review) In celebration of the Guthrie Theater’s 60th anniversary, Artistic Director Joseph Haj has staged a magnificent and powerful production of arguably one of the greatest plays of all time, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, on stage now through May 21. Sir Tyrone Guthrie directed this play to…

Hamilton

In 2009 Lin-Manuel Miranda performed a new piece at a White House Poetry Jam for the newly elected President Barack Obama. He nervously told the audience that he had been working on a hip-hop concept album based on the life of a man whom he believed “embodied hip-hop.” That man was an immigrant, a Founding Father, a Secretary of the Treasury: Alexander Hamilton (played on the tour by Joseph Morales). In the end, he created a musical that blended hip-hop, R&B, rap, blues, jazz, and the broadway sound and went on to win 11 Tony Awards. Now on its second national tour, Hamilton will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis through October 7th.