THEATER | “Painting Churches” (and watching the paint dry) at Park Square

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An unlikely cross between On Golden Pond and Waiting for Godot is the best way to describe Painting Churches, which opened last Friday at Park Square Theatre. Playwright Tina Howe wrote this drama in the 1980s and it was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Although Painting Churches was a hit off-Broadway, it appears to be a play better suited to be studied than performed on a stage. The play is a semi-autobiographical story inspired by Howe’s relationship with her parents. Mags Church (Angela Timberman) is the Howe character, a talented painter/teacher who has returned to the family mansion in Boston to help her parents pack as they prepare to downsize to a cottage on Cape Cod. Continue Reading

THEATER | At the Guthrie, strong performances save Theater Latté Da’s “Violet”

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Theater Latté Da’s intriguing, but uneven, musical production of Violet opened at the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio on Saturday night. Jeanine Tesori composed the music, with book and lyrics by Brian Crawley. The musical is based on a short story by Doris Betts titled “The Ugliest Pilgrim,” which was turned into an Academy Award winning short film in 1981. The play takes place in the deep south in 1964, its story unfolding on a stage with a telephone pole that serves as both a symbol of the road and a crucifix. It tells the story of a young woman named Violet whose face was horribly scarred at thirteen when she was accidentally struck by her father’s ax. Continue Reading

THEATER | “According to Coyote”: CTC spotlights the ancient art of storytelling

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According to Coyote, the new one-person show at the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), relates the captivating tale of the legendary trickster from Native American lore. The story is told as part of the Native American myths about how the world was created, the naming of the animals, and the creation of the North American tribes. The central character is Coyote, who is both heroic and foolish in fulfilling his responsibility to rid the world of monsters and make the world safe for the coming of humanity. The play was originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was written by the late John Kauffman. Kauffman was the former artistic director for Honolulu Theatre for Youth and his mother was full-blooded Nez Perce. Continue Reading

THEATER | Claudia Wilkens gives a commanding performance in “Sister Kenny’s Children” at the History Theatre

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Claudia Wilkens turns in a powerhouse of a performance as Sister Kenny in the world premiere of Doris Baizley’s Sister Kenny’s Children at the History Theatre. The play tells the story of the international figure Sister Elizabeth Kenny, who did important pioneering work in treating polio in Minneapolis. The play was inspired by the letters from parents and patients who were helped by Sister Kenny’s treatments. Upon reading the letters, the History Theatre’s artistic director, Ron Peluso, commissioned playwright Baizley to write this play on the life of Sister Kenny. The play is set in the mind of Sister Kenny near the end of her life when she was dying from Parkinson’s. Continue Reading

THEATER | At the History Theatre, “Sisters of Swing” transcends nostalgia

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The energy and charm of the History Theatre’s reprise of Sisters of Swing transcend nostalgia. The immensely entertaining show, written by Beth Gilleland and Bob Beverage, premiered at the History Theatre in 2002. When I went to the 2002 production, I brought my mother, who a longtime fan of the Andrews Sisters. The 2002 production was knee-deep in nostalgia. The nostalgic appeal of the show is still strong, as evidenced by the mostly senior audience at Sunday’s performance, but I found myself enjoying this production as a work on its own merit. Continue Reading