In the Heights at Artistry Reminds Us That Movie Theaters Are Not the Only Places to Find Summer Blockbusters

The Cast of In the Heights Artistry 2026 Photo by Dan Norman

Artistry in Bloomington’s new production of In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda is a triumph in every way. The cast, the choreography, the musicians, and every aspect of the production design. I’ve seen the film but had never had the chance to experience this musical live. If you’re in the same boat, this is the perfect opportunity to remedy that. Director Maija Garcia skillfully captures the vibrant and complex sense of community at the heart of this story. The stage feels as though it is literally overflowing with the rich history of these characters and their barrio.

Set in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, referred to by its residents as the barrio, the story centers on a community facing change as developers begin buying out existing businesses and gentrifying what was once a predominantly Latino neighborhood. Eli Sherlock’s set design is divided into thirds, highlighting three key locations. Stage right features Daniela’s hair salon, which is closing and moving to the Bronx after being priced out of the neighborhood. Stage left is Rosario’s Taxi Company, also struggling to stay afloat. At center stage, we see the entrance to Abuela Claudia’s apartment on one side and Usnavi’s bodega on the other. Above it all sits a rooftop where Abuela Claudia, “abuela” meaning grandmother, watches over the community. Each section tells its own story, yet the characters move fluidly between them, just as people would in such a tight-knit neighborhood.

Nina Rosario has returned home from college with the news that she has dropped out. Benny, who works for Nina’s parents and dreams of owning his own taxi company, shares a mutual attraction with her. Usnavi, the show’s narrator, is in love with Vanessa, who works in Daniela’s salon and dreams of escaping both the barrio and her alcoholic mother. Usnavi’s bodega serves as the neighborhood hub, drawing everyone in for coffee, conversation, and lotto tickets. He also looks after his younger cousin Sonny and cares for Abuela Claudia, who, though not his actual grandmother, is the spiritual matriarch of the community. As the characters pursue love, navigate financial hardship, and live their lives, tensions rise. When it’s revealed that a winning $96,000 lottery ticket was sold at the bodega, excitement builds, only to be followed by a Fourth of July blackout, looting, and strained relationships as Act One comes to a close.

A recent Facebook post from a seasoned theatermaker lamented the difficulty of finding work, with one commenter suggesting that youth often wins out. While tI’m sure there is some truth to that, this production is a reminder of how vital veteran performers are in shows like In the Heights. This is a fantastic production, I had tears in my eyes multiple times, and while the young cast is exceptional, the show would not resonate as deeply without the powerful performances of Pedro R. Bayón and Lisa Vogel as Mr. and Mrs. Rosario, and Jen Santoro Rotty as Abuela Claudia. They bring a depth and emotional weight that comes from years of experience, grounding the production in something profoundly human.

the surprise in the younger cast is Andrés-Román Wood as Usnavi, not because of any doubt in his ability, but because I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of him before. He is terrific in the role and a performer I’ll definitely be watching out for going forward. As for the rest of the cast, it’s nearly impossible to single out just a few. Believe me, I tried. Raquel Ponce as Nina, who wowed audiences earlier this year at Lyric Arts in Mamma Mia!, is excellent, as is Chris Owusu as Benny. The two share wonderful chemistry, amazing voices, and Owusu, in particular, is an electrifying dancer. Then there’s Julia Diaz as Daniela, whose performance of “Carnaval del Barrio” is a showstopper. But wait, isn’t there something really special about what Pierce Brown does with the character of Sonny, this young attitude that provides so many added touches of humor? Oh, but come on, how do you not mention Janely Rodriguez as Vanessa… you see the problem? There are eight more members of the cast, and they all bring something incredible to the production.

I do want to highlight Eli Sherlock’s set design. After what seems like a year or two of very bare-bones sets, though effective and, in these days of struggling finances for theaters, completely acceptable, it was nice to see a really well-built and extensive set again. It’s very impressive and well thought out, a thing of beauty. I also cannot fully express how wonderful Abby Magalee’s choreography for the show is, and again, what an incredible job this cast does in executing her moves.

In the Heights is overflowing with incredible songs, dynamic dance numbers, moving performances, and a powerful message about community and cultural legacy. I mentioned I had tears in my eyes multiple times; those were mostly the joyful kind. This is an uplifting and positive show that focuses on the richness of community over the riches of material things.

In the Heights runs through August 23 at Artistry in Bloomington. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://artistrymn.org/intheheights.

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

Proudly supporting local theatre — 79 Seconds on Stage

I’ve been poking around on the site and I think it’s just what the Twin Cities Theater scene needed. I hope you’ll check it out, if you do I think you’ll find it a site that becomes part of your routine. You’ll find links to all the shows happening and even links to reviews of those shows. I’m not sure how they are doing this, but I hope you will all show them how great it is by utilizing it.

Don’t rely on Facebook or Instagram algorithms to keep you in the loop about great shows. Subscribe and have every post from The Stages of MN delivered straight to your inbox. It’s the best way to make sure you never miss out on the theater action. To subscribe on a computer, enter your email address on the home page (right-hand side) and click subscribe. On mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page to find the same option. You can also follow me on Facebook @thestagesofmn and on Instagram thestagesofmn.

The Stages of MN YouTube channel is home to the Stages of MN Show. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to check out the latest episodes and subscribe so you’ll always know when a new one drops. Not sure you agree with one of my takes? I’m also part of the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB), where you can find review roundups from my colleagues and me. Follow us on Facebook at @TwinCitiesTheaterBloggers.

Private Lives One of Many Knots in the Thread Between Shakeaspeare and Moonlighting Supplies Many Laughs

William Connell and Laura Odehm, and Bradley Beahen as the Pianist Photo by Dan Norman

If you saw The Cottage at Gremlin Theatre recently and are looking for more of that style. Well, Noël Coward was the original. Private Lives, set in 1930s France, features two couples arriving at neighboring hotel rooms for their honeymoons. They share a terrace, which in some circumstances might be a lovely way to meet new friends and enjoy the outdoor pleasures of a honeymoon. However, when it turns out that one member of each newlywed couple is the ex-spouse of one of the others, it quickly becomes a worst-case scenario. Coward knows exactly how to take such a situation and pump it full of deliciously awkward humor. Here, he demonstrates how some flames of passion are never fully extinguished, while also being far too scorching to survive.

The fun of this show is watching William Connell as Elyot Chase and Laura Odeh as Amanda, the formerly married couple who fall right back into their “will they or won’t they…kill or kiss each other?” dynamic. They are an extremely toxic couple—but they are our extremely toxic couple. You can’t help but feel for their new spouses, who haven’t even enjoyed their wedding night before being abandoned. What’s truly wild is the effect these exes have on their new partners. By the end of the play, we’re left wondering if their uniquely volatile form of love is somehow contagious.

Stages of MN favorite Dustin Bronson plays Victor, Amanda’s new husband, while Nikki Massoud plays Sibyl, Elyot’s new wife. While it’s undoubtedly Connell and Odeh’s show, they have the juiciest roles, equal parts sugar and acid, Bronson and Massoud provide a perfect contrast. Connell and Odeh are terrific with the fast-paced banter that would feel right at home in a 1940s Howard Hawks film. Meanwhile, Bronson and Massoud play the more traditional, even-keeled “everybody” types, at least until their final scene, when they finally get to lose their composure. At that point, we (along with Elyot and Amanda) sit back and watch the sparks fly. A play like this isn’t about who ends up with who, it’s about the wit of the dialogue.

There’s one other cast member worth noting: Bradley Beahen, making his Guthrie debut as the piano player and Louis. Interestingly, just across from the Wurtele Thrust Stage, over in the McGuire Proscenium Stage for Come From Away, you’ll find his sister, Kate Beahen, also making her Guthrie debut. I always love seeing performers I’ve followed for a while reach this milestone, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer pair of siblings.

The show runs about two hours and 15 minutes, including two 15-minute intermissions. The longer one is necessary to transform scenic designer Alexander Dodge’s hotel terrace into Amanda’s flat in Paris. Watching that transition is genuinely impressive. The second, shorter intermission allows for some simple redressing of the set.

Private Lives runs through August 23 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.guthrietheater.org/whats-on/private-lives/

The Butler Did It Satisfies the Mystery Lover With a Brand New Sleuth I’m Dying to See More of at Park Square Theatre

Allison Vincent and Steve Hendrickson Photo by Dan Norman

The Butler Did It, the new play by arguably the finest mystery playwright working today, Jeffrey Hatcher, is sure to please any fan of the genre. Done in the subgenre of the inverted mystery, where we witness the killer commit the crime and then watch the cat-and-mouse game unfold between criminal and law enforcement. The format is most famously associated with the TV detective Columbo, for which Hatcher wrote one of the final installments. While this play certainly has shades of Columbo, Hatcher also brings his unique talent for surprising the audience with unexpected twists.

The thing about mystery plays is that there isn’t much you can say without accidentally spoiling the fun. In fact, during the talkback I attended after the show, I realized that even discussing one of the lead characters, and the actor who portrays them, could be considered a spoiler. Even that might be enough for the especially deductive among you to piece things together. Therefore, a play I feel I could write a double-length review about is instead going to get one of my shortest.

The play is set at a school for gentlemen’s gentlemen in 1975 San Francisco. A murder takes place that appears to be a suicide, but we, the audience, know otherwise. Assigned to the case, her first in fact, is the newly appointed Inspector Denise. And that’s about all I dare say of the plot. What I can add is that, for a mystery where you already know the killer, the fun comes from how cleverly Hatcher subverts expectations, how sharp the dialogue is, and how well the cast executes it. The Butler Did It does all three in spades.

Speaking of the cast, there’s exactly one person I feel safe discussing without being hauled away by the spoiler police: Allison Vincent as Inspector Denise. Luckily, I could write about Vincent all day. Hatcher may have modeled aspects of the play after Columbo, but he has created a completely original hero in Inspector Denise. It’s a role that feels tailor made for Vincent, who is one of the most distinctive theater artists in the Twin Cities. Not just a performer, but also a writer and director, Vincent has never once failed to impress. Here, she goes nowhere near Columbo as a character, instead bringing a style and energy entirely her own. Her humor feels like a perfect match for Hatcher’s writing.

After seeing her as Inspector Denise, I’m ready for a full series of plays, a Netflix show, starring Vincent in the role, written by Hatcher of course. Hatcher did mention that of the four future mysteries he’s been commissioned by Park Square Theatre to write, Inspector Denise is a character he’d like to revisit in one of them. Personally, I hope he doesn’t limit it to just one, I’m ready to tag along with Inspector Denise on many more investigations.

I hesitate to discuss the rest of the cast, but they are absolutely perfect. The production is filled with names faithful readers and Twin Cities theatergoers will recognize: Anna Beth Baker, Neal Beckman, Pearce Bunting, Peter Christian Hansen, Steve Hendrickson, and Nora Long. With that lineup and Hatcher’s script, audiences can be confident they’re in for something exciting.

What else can I say without hampering your enjoyment? Director David Ira Goldstein expertly guides the audience through the plot’s twists and turns. Scenic designer Benjamin Olsen has created a wonderful set, which we’re told will be reconfigured and adapted for each of Hatcher’s future mystery/thrillers. Karin Olson’s lighting design features some highly effective cues, from a small gunshot to a large explosion, both convincingly realized. Frederick Kennedy’s sound design includes a delightfully ’70s TV-style motif that brought a smile to my face every time it popped up.

The Butler Did It is exactly what mystery lovers crave, a new play that feels like a classic of the genre. The production runs at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul through August 16. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.parksquaretheatre.org/the-butler-did-it.

Twelfth Night Is Hot Shakespeare. Seriously, There is No Air Conditioning at Bumbling Fools Meadery

Twelfth Night you may remember, is the Shakespeare play with a shipwreck. Need more? Okay, it’s the one with twins. Still not sure? This one has a woman disguised as a man! 😀 Yep, it’s one of those, which, I realize, doesn’t exactly narrow it down for anyone not well-versed in Shakespeare.

I’m decently versed myself, I see eight to ten productions of his plays a year, alongside roughly 150 non-Shakespeare shows. Thankfully, Twelfth Night is one I’ve seen a couple of times, most recently about three years ago by Ten Thousand Things. So I had a fighting chance of following this production.

Let me explain why that matters.

I generally love a show staged in a unique space, so I was excited to head to Bumbling Fools Meadery for the first time. I was picturing something like Sociable Ciderwerks, where you can currently catch a production of Hamlet. This is…not that.

First off, I felt lucky just to find the place. My GPS initially led me to what appeared to be a deserted industrial building. Seeing no cars or people, I retreated to the main road and tried another driveway. There, at last, were cars, and a sign for Bumbling Fools Meadery. Well, “sign” might be generous. It looked more like a bedsheet with the name painted on it.

I parked and descended some sketchy stairs, fully prepared to encounter either a box office attendant or my untimely demise. Thankfully, I was greeted by the friendly, familiar face of Jackson Hoemann ready to check me in, not a hulking brute in a burlap mask ready to check me out. From there, I explored the basement in search of mead, or in my case, a non-alcoholic option. I had a delightful beverage called a switchel (I went with cinnamon), which I enjoyed immensely.

Now, this all sounds kind of fun, and it is. It’s very mom-and-pop…if Mom and Pop were more “wake and bake” than “spit and polish.” That’s not a bad thing, it just helps to set expectations so no one walks in unprepared.

This labyrinthian basement has no air conditioning whatsoever. I attended on a Friday night when it was approximately 125 degrees in the freezer, thermometers were unable to measure the temperature in the shade.

The show begins at 7:00, but you’ll want to arrive by 6:30 for about 30 minutes of Appalachian mountain music performed by the cast. The music, both before and during the show, is one of the highlights of the experience.

After the preshow, we are invited into your Uncle Scruffy and Aunt Ruth’s laundry room, where the play is performed. Box fans line the walls, bravely attempting to battle the heat. In what may be one of the kindest gestures ever extended to an audience, each person is given a frozen bottle of water. You can rub it over yourself to cool down, and by the halfway point of the 90-minute show, it has melted into something you can drink, assuming you never tire of lukewarm water.

So, back to that “fighting chance” I mentioned earlier.

We are hot. We are uncomfortable. We are audibly crinkling frozen water bottles against our bodies. Box fans hum softly but constantly, in the background. And then the show begins, at a chaotic pace. Productions of Twelfth Night typically run 2.5 to 3 hours; this one clocks in at 90 minutes. In one sense, thank God. In another, you lose much of what helps acclimate an audience to Shakespeare.

It took me a solid 15 to 20 minutes to sort out who was and what there relationships were, and I pieced that together mostly from memory of past productions. Shakespeare can be wonderful, but it can also be challenging. Because of that, you need to do everything possible to help the audience connect.

There are many good elements in this production, but also some head-scratchers, or maybe that’s just part of the flea-market aesthetic of the setting. You know how you sometimes feel like you’ve picked up actual fleas after walking through a flea market? Maybe it’s just me, but I itch for a day after being dragged through antique stores and garage sales.

If you have an uncomfortable audience who are battling heat and noise distractions, it needs to be made very clear who is who and what’s going on, particularly if you have twins who are in disguise. I’m honestly not sure what the unifying concept here was. Hill people? Is that a concept? There are Dukes and Countesses, yet much of the costuming leans toward a sort of hobo motif. And in a particularly baffling makeup choice, several cast members appear to be suffering from some kind of skin condition, which is perhaps, the result of too much flea marketing.

The bottom line: the show is sold out. So I’m having a bit of fun with this review while also trying to steer those of you with tickets in the right direction. Read a synopsis beforehand. Bring a personal fan. Wear a Speedo or bikini, no judgment. And maybe pack some antifungal cream, just in case the skin condition is catching.

I’m glad I went. I’m equally glad my wife bailed. I could appreciate the strengths and rely on my familiarity with Shakespeare. She doesn’t share that interest and likely would have been lost, as would anyone unfamiliar with the play.

One of the most important aspects of performing Shakespeare is conveying meaning, even when the language itself isn’t fully understood. This cast is capable of doing that. They’re just battling extensive cuts, background noise, and an audience too distracted by discomfort to fully meet them halfway.

Brick by Brick Players seems to be sort of a poor man’s Ten Thousand Things. They are doing Shakespeare, they are touring it around to make in accessible to people who might not get to see it otherwise. I don’t think this is a bad production I think it’s an interesting one that is battleing some extreme circumstances and a nasty rash.

Twelfth Night runs through July 25th at Bumbling Fools Meadery. For more information and to join the waitlist for tickets go to https://www.brickbybrickplayers.org/whoweare-1

The Cottage is a Wonderfully Light Comedy in the Style of a Noel Coward Play at the Gremlin Theatre

Corey DiNardo, Sarah Malfara, Sasha Andreev Photo by Alyssa Kristine Photography

The Cottage by Sandy Rustin is the sort of comedy Noël Coward might have written, if he were writing today, and a woman. It isn’t vulgar, but it carries a distinctly modern sensibility, freer than the comedies of manners Coward penned in the 1920s and ’30s.

The play opens in 1923 at a country cottage, where two lovers, Sylvia and Beau, have just spent a night together. We quickly learn they are both married, and, in fact are brother- and sister-in-law. In a fit of impulsive honesty, Sylvia has sent telegrams to their respective spouses confessing the affair, assuming she and Beau will simply move on and marry each other. Naturally, this decision brings those spouses, and a few surprise guests, crashing onto the scene. To reveal more would spoil the fun, but suffice it to say this is an old-fashioned farce with a decidedly modern, feminist edge.

Sarah Malfara opens and closes the play alone on stage as Sylvia. At first, her performance feels overly mannered, but it soon becomes clear this is intentional, Sylvia is “playing house,” posing within a role of her own creation. As revelations unfold, Malfara gradually strips away that façade. By the end, she has transformed from a fluttering romantic into a clear-eyed woman firmly in control of her own narrative. It’s a terrific turn from an actor I was previously unfamiliar with, and Malfara keeps the audience constantly reassessing both her performance and Sylvia herself.

All Is Calm alum Sasha Andreev puts his dashing good looks to excellent use as Beau, a man who clearly has no trouble attracting women. Andreev is as adept at turning on the charm as he is at landing sharp comedic beats, particularly in his well played exits after a confrontation with a potentially deadly visitor. Mira Davis, as the delightfully unpredictable Dierdre, makes the most of every entrance (often from unexpected places) and mines plenty of laughs from her character’s… incapacitated state. Corey DiNardo (Clarke) and Shana Eisenberg (Marjorie), the wronged spouses, most strongly evoke the classic 1920s British comedy-of-manners style, while still sneaking in some wonderfully surprising flourishes. And Chance Carroll, as Richard, delivers one of the evening’s biggest surprises with a transformation that once again upends expectations.

The Cottage is a light but thoroughly delightful comedy, packed with unexpected twists, entrances, and revelations. Just when it has exhausted its surprises, it lands on a message that feels fully earned. Director Brian Balcom captures the spirit of a Noël Coward comedy with precision while allowing Rustin’s modern voice to shine through.

The Cottage runs through August 2 at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. For more information and tickets, visit https://gremlintheatre.org/the-cottage/

The Prom is the Feel Good Musical Blast of the Summer! Lyric Arts, I Just Wanna Dance With You!

One thing Bloggings taught me, is how much people enjoy a show! And so it’s got me debating how this review should go. Audiences will be reading, how Lyric Arts’ Production is. What I must say is, They built a show for everyone! And It’s just so damn fun. The music soars, the dancers score and my unruly eyes wept.

The Prom will always have a special place in my heart for a lot of reasons. It’s one of the cast albums that I throw on fairly regularly, because every song is good. A lot of them stir up some powerful, joyful emotions; others make you want to get up and dance. They all make me want to sing along. The National Tour was a blast and had me and the entire audience on our feet dancing. In my review at the time, I wrote, “I haven’t left the theater this high on a show since Come From Away.” I could absolutely say the same thing in this review, thanks to the Guthrie’s brilliant production of that show this summer. The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres production I saw twice, the second time, I led a talkback afterwards where I had the honor to share the stage with the late, great Michael Brindisi and several members of that incredible cast. This is by far the smallest production I’ve seen, but that in no way diminishes it. This production of The Prom reminded me of how much I love this show.

I’ve heard people whose opinions I respect, people who know more about musical theater than I ever will, dismiss The Prom. But I choose to open my unruly heart to the sheer joy that this show embodies. This show is a blast and it’s really hard for me to imagine anyone not having just about the time of their life with it.

The Prom tells the story of a small town in Indiana that has cancelled the prom rather than let a high school student, Emma, take her girlfriend as her date. It opens with Dee Dee and Barry, actors who are past their prime, headlining a show, Eleanor! The Eleanor Roosevelt Musical, whose opening night is also going to be its closing night. They grasp onto the story in Indiana as a way to raise their profiles and rehab their unlikeable image. Along with fellow actors Trent and Angie, these thespians descend upon a meeting where Emma, along with her principal, Mr. Hawkins, is trying to convince the PTA to reverse their decision. What begins as a co-opting of Emma’s dilemma for their own narcissistic reasons will ultimately help all of them deal with their own issues. Emma will have her ups and downs, as will her closeted girlfriend Alyssa Green, whose mother is the head of the PTA. It’s a story that pokes gentle, loving fun at theatrical types while also dealing with the very real issue of intolerance toward, and the need for inclusion of, LGBTQ-identifying individuals. It shows us the ugly side of human nature, but it is about the courage to be who you are, and is ultimately very uplifting.

I’m going to single out a few members of the cast that I just want to spotlight for different reasons, but again, this is a show that, if you, faithful readers, had the patience, and I didn’t need to sleep at some point, I could talk about everyone in the cast. They are all amazing. First off, I have to mention Andrew Newman as Barry Glickman. Newman is outstanding in the role and will be getting a TCTB Award nomination from me come the end of the year for this performance. Every facial expression, every line reading, every dance step, and every lyric sung is perfection. Imani Harris as Emma is a revelation. I guess I saw her in Big Fish at Lyric Arts last fall, but other than that she is new to me, and one to watch. Her vocals are impressive, and she had me tearing up at about three different points in the show. Lastly, I want to give a shout-out to Colin Perucco, who plays Principal Hawkins. Perucco is familiar, but his bio didn’t give me any clues as to where I’ve seen him before. But man, this guy has something. I can’t put my finger on it, but I was really impressed by him. He just seemed perfect in the role, believable, caring, and brilliant at being the grounded counterpoint to the more eccentric thespian characters. I never saw him acting, he just seemed to exist in the story.

Director Amanda White has an eye for finding humor in the reactions of the characters who are not the focus of the scene. It’s what separates a great production from a good one. There is more happening in the world of the story than just the information we are being fed. The nuances that come out about characters, when everyone is bringing something to every scene, whether they are speaking, singing, or just in the background, is what makes a show come to life. The other aspect that brings this production to another level is the choreography by Lauri Kraft and Michael Terrell Brown. I feel like there is more dancing in this production than I remember in previous ones. It’s fast, precise, and on more than one occasion comedically inspired. Like Brown’s work in Mamma Mia! earlier this year at Lyric Arts, the choreography almost feels like another character in the show; it has so much personality.

If this show doesn’t sell out most of its run like Mamma Mia! did, I would be very surprised. Of course, there is the whole LGBTQ aspect, and this is the suburbs. I remember writing in my review of the CDT production, “Is it weird to say you are proud of a theatre? Maybe, but it’s how I feel about CDT’s decision to produce The Prom.” And you know what, Lyric Arts? I’m proud of you too!

The Prom runs through August 9th at Lyric Arts in Anoka. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get to from Minneapolis, but believe me, this production is worth the drive. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.lyricarts.org/prom

Wicked at the Orpheum Theater Defies Expectations and Proves Wicked Fatigue is Not a Real Thing. It Soars!

Claudia Bennett as Glinda and Aline Mayagoitia as Elphaba Photo by Joan Marcus

From the first time I saw Wicked, I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Each time I see it, though, I enjoy it more. Going into this, my third touring production, I was curious how both the audience and I would respond. Was there potential for Wicked burnout after the phenomenal film adaptation of the first act, which I greatly enjoyed, and the decidedly less popular film adaptation of Act II, which I have not seen?

I think if fans went in thinking that maybe they were over the whole Wicked thang, they left with a rekindled love for the show. Like its most popular song, this show is “Defying Gravity.” First-timers are discovering the magic that has made it the second highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time. I know because I brought a first-timer with me, and she flipped for it. For myself, I can truly say I fell in love with the show this time. I followed the character arcs more closely, thanks in no small part to two fabulous performances in the lead roles. I also appreciated the allegorical nature of the story more, while still being wowed by the production design and effects work. I will say this, though: Act I of Wicked is brilliant; Act II is good, not great. I think this accounts for the less favorable response to the film Wicked: For Good.

Wicked is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It tells the backstory of The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. From this perspective, The Wizard of Oz is merely propaganda designed to manipulate the population in order for the Wizard to maintain power over the people. Remember, history is written by the victors, which is the crux upon which both the novel and the musical are based. We learn the details of Elphaba’s conception and birth, and that she is shunned because of her green skin. From there, we jump to her and her sister Nessarose going off to Shiz University. Here Elphaba meets Galinda, later to be just Glinda. At first, they feel a mutual loathing, but an act of mistaken kindness creates a bond between the two. This moment also unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes.

What’s a musical without a love story or, in this case, a love triangle. They both pine for Fiyero, the Winkie Prince bad boy who isn’t as shallow as he wants everyone to think. Elphaba has a gift for magic, which attracts the attention of the headmistress, Madame Morrible, who begins to teach Elphaba how to use her gift, and at Elphaba’s insistence, Glinda as well. When the Wizard sends word for Elphaba to come see him, Glinda goes with, and they discover the truth behind the curtain. One of the things the Wizard is doing is restricting the rights of Animals, who in this world can speak and even teach at the university level. The novel was published in the mid-1990s and the musical opened on Broadway in 2003, over 20 years ago, and it’s still going strong. When they created the show, I’m sure their intention was to present an allegory that reminded us of our own world’s history, a show meant to caution us against repeating the past. Now, it seems to be speaking directly to the world we somehow find ourselves in. There’s a scene in the second act that seems to reference Eva Perón’s balcony moment in “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from Evita, which itself evokes a fascist regime.

In my previous review of the show, I stated that “the real star of the show are the set design, special effects, lighting, and costumes. All of which are amazing, but they are utilized in the service of the story for the most part, which is really the way it should be. Scenic designer Eugene Lee’s sets are detailed and dazzling. Kenneth Posner, the lighting designer, creates just the right look in every scene, truly enhancing the sets. Projection designer Elaine J. McCarthy and special effects creator Chic Silber work wonderfully together and with the other departments to pull off what is honestly one of the most innovative and evocative shows I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Finally, Tom Watson on wigs and hair and Susan Hilferty as costume designer complete the picture with so many different looks and styles, sometimes borrowing motifs from the past, sometimes creating something that feels wholly original.”

That is all still true, except the part about those elements being the real stars of the show. This time around, the real stars are Claudia Bennett and Aline Mayagoitia, who play Glinda and Elphaba. Bennett particularly gets the humor just right; she is perfect as Glinda, and someone I imagine is going to have a very long career. Mayagoitia rises to the challenge of the show’s most iconic scene, bringing power and passion to “Defying Gravity,” making it not only the high point of the show but of the theater season. They are supported by a solid cast, including Tom McGowan, who played Station Manager Kenny Daly on Frasier, as the Wizard of Oz. That was an unexpected and delightful surprise.

Wicked may seem like the perfect show to take kids to, but it isn’t really. I’d say teenagers and above. It’s set in the land of Oz; there are witches and wizards and tin men and flying monkeys, but it’s also a deeply political show that deals with issues that draw clear parallels to many of today’s concerns, from restrictions of rights to fake news. But for anyone interested in the political side of things, it is a dazzler of a show, with great music, jaw-dropping special effects, and every aspect of the production layering together to create some truly magnificent environments.

Wicked runs through August 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked