It has been a week of theatre theatre theatre for me, and it is only Wednesday! Who knew I would lead such a cultured life? Actually, I spend most of my time reading text books about how teachers better like working with kids and not everyone comes from a "Leave it to Beaver" family, so when I become a teacher I better be understanding. When I'm not studying, I manage to fit in a lot of really terrible television. For a while, I watched one of those platinum wedding planning shows almost every night before bed. Some of those people spend about $10,000 dollars on their lighting alone! What's with that?
Anyway, back to the not so embarrassing part of my life, I saw two plays this week. On Sunday, my little sister and I went out to the Illusion theatre in Minneapolis to see The Secret Garden. Luckily, it was a musical. I won't lie. I had no idea that there was a musical version of this book much beloved from my childhood. The reason I went to go see this production was that one of my good friends is in it. He plays the spirit of dead Lt. Shaw. I know what you're thinking, because I was thinking it too: Wait! I don't remember any real ghosts in the book! But, let me assure you, it worked. The spirits managed to add some lovely harmonies as well as narrate the story. Between the delight of going into the city for a special event, seeing my friend perform, and the pretty darn good music (my favorite was "Lily's Eyes"), I would highly recommend the show. It is still playing this upcoming weekend (March 19-22), so if you need some entertainment on a bit classier side, go and enjoy. It really isn't more than going to the movies nowadays.
Tuesday night, the same friend I went to see in The Secret Garden got a really good deal on some tickets at the Guthrie Theatre. With over half-priced tickets in hand, we went into the thrust theatre to see Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The play was reset in the 1950's and was supposed to be like a live tv show. At the beginning of the play, the director asked us to please turn off our two-way radios or any other dookickeys we had brought along. The play was interspersed with rock and roll musical numbers that had a little to do with the play....usually someone's name was in it, like Julia's or Sylvia's.
There were cameras on the set, too, and a giant screen on each side of the stage. The screens were supposed to be what the "audience at home" was seeing, and it even played old commercials between acts. I liked that the screens made it easier to see the faces of the actors turned away from me (since we were seated to the left of the thrust stage), but I agree with my friend that it got distracting at times. The experience was a little over 3 hours, which is really REALLY long, but I'll have you know, I didn't even realize it was 11pm until we had pulled out of the parking garage.
To top it all off, I go to school, which is kind of like a theatrical production. It makes you laugh, cry, clench your fists in frustration, and the characters are outrageous, yet so, so real.
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