Critical Review at Hennepin Arts

Jessica Crouch (Donna Sheridan) and the Company of MAMMA MIA! 25th Anniversary Tour Photo by Joan Marcus Okay, why in the world is Mamma Mia!, one of the closest things to a fever dream ever to see the stage, still running after 25 years? And why have people fallen in love with these characters in every single iteration? Well, the answer is simple. Mamma Mia! , running at the Orpheum from September 15th-20th, transforms the historic and classy theatre into a place of laughter, fun, and dance! It truly makes you forget you are watching a musical. The show starts with Juliette M. Ojeda (Sophie) singing the opening song “I Have a Dream.” Her childlike yet mature voice floats through the audience, setting the stage for a musical of girlish wonder that's not afraid to deal with tougher themes. And it's not just Ojeda’s voice that conveys Sophie’s character; her acting is on-point too! Sophie acts like a kid; she acts like how you would if all of a sudden you had three men who could ...

“Mamma Mia, here we go again!” The beloved 1970’s musical Mamma Mia! is currently on tour! For those who are enjoying Mamma Mia for the first time, this is a high-quality jukebox musical featuring several of ABBA’s most popular hits. The musical includes well-known dance tunes such as “Super Trooper,” “Dancing Queen,” and, of course, “Mamma Mia!” This soaring Broadway musical tale follows Sophie (Juliette M. Ojeda), a young woman and bride-to-be who aspires to have her father walk her down the aisle at her wedding. The problem? The identity of Sophie’s dad is a mystery, and there are three possibilities. Sophie takes matters into her own hands and invites them all, without informing her mother, Donna (Jessica Crouch). Mamma Mia! features lots of eyegrabbing lights, some slow moments, and incredible choreography.  The thing that lingered on my mind after I saw Mamma Mia! was the lighting. Howard Harrison, the lighting designer, outdid himself with this production: The vivid lighti...

The global smash hit musical Mamma Mia! is nearly 30 years old, and just as popular as ever. Mamma Mia! first opened in the West End in 1999, before transferring to Broadway in 2001. Since then, the show has toured the globe and performed for more than 70 million people in 60 different countries. In 2008, Mamma Mia! The movie was released, grossing over $706.4 million, becoming the highest-grossing live-action musical of all time. But most famously, the show is set to the hits of ABBA! This was not the first time I had seen this show and probably won’t be the last. It was also not the first time I had seen this specific tour, so expectations were fairly high going in. The show was very fun as always, to say the least, but it did not meet the high standards. To start, the show was miscast. Although everyone involved was clearly talented, not one person quite fit the character they portrayed. Jessica Crouch (Donna Sheridan) had a very large voice that filled the venue, but sounded almos...

Juliette M. Ojeda (Sophie Sheridan), and the Company of Mamma Mia! 25th Anniversary Tour. Photo by Joan Marcus. The moment you stepped into the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis for the opening performance of Mamma Mia! , the excitement could be felt as the curtain rose to reveal a simple set of two walls in the style of a Greek town. The recognizable songs of ABBA made their way into the production and connected the storyline through their similar style. This show-stopping, memorable production far surpassed any expectations I had going in, and is one of the best I’ve seen in every aspect. Outstanding performances came from everyone in the production, especially Juliette M. Ojeda, who played Sophie, and Jessica Crouch as Donna. Their singing, acting, and movement—whether dance, staging, or anything else—advanced every part of the production, from the funny bits to the most wholesome moments near the end. Of course, every member of the cast exceeded expectations. The choreography (Anthony...

  Mamma Mia! Review Mamma Mia, here I go again… writing another review. In my experience there are two reasons people tend to know Mamma Mia! , either they know ABBA, or they know the 2008 movie. The overall plot is silly, with main character Sophie, who wants to know her father, inviting three potential fathers to her wedding. There are overall themes of identity and family love that persist throughout the whole show, making it surprisingly deep, and a common feel-good movie. The movie is based on a stage production, a revival of which is currently touring and much more entertaining. The performance I saw was on opening night in Minneapolis on September 15th and it was one of the more diverse audiences in terms of age I’ve ever seen at the Orpheum Theatre. It was like a Disney movie or family night excursion. The actor’s performances  remain pretty true to the actual songs, not changing delivery very much, but the key thing is: this tour didn’t rely much on its audience...

  Watching Suffs felt like stepping into a history book that was alive. The struggles, arguments, and victories of the women’s suffrage movement weren’t just facts on a page, they were real people fighting, laughing, and crying right in front of me. Suffs , playing at The Orpheum until April 12th, tells the story of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States, focusing on the fight to secure the right to vote in the early 20th century. While it’s rooted in history, the production feels incredibly immediate, as if the story is unfolding in the moment rather than something that happened over a century ago. From the moment the show begins, there’s a strong sense of energy and urgency. The staging is fairly minimal, but it works in the show’s favor because it keeps the focus on the characters and their mission. Instead of elaborate sets, the production uses lighting and movement to shift between moments, which makes everything feel fast-paced and purposeful. I found myself lean...

When I saw Chicago and Les Mis this past winter, I was almost uncomfortable by how the shows related so much to today's world, especially with them being written so long ago. I had an idea going in that Suffs would be the same. However, it didn't feel uncomfortable at all;it felt more powerful, sending a message of strength and courage to its audience. It is about the American women's suffrage movement between 1913 and 1920, and the fight for the passage of the 19th Amendment. It specifically follows Alice Paul and her contribution to the movement and her work founding the National Woman's Party. Maya Keleher’s interpretation of Alice Paul is very impressive. From the very beginning, there is a strange intensity about the character, always trying to work harder, to do the next thing, to keep working towards her goal. As the show goes on, specifically in Act II, you can see her slow down as her character ages and then reflects on her life. Another favorite was Abigail A...

Whatever you do, do not call them “Suffragettes.” As Doris, played by a sweet Amanda Lopez, tells us in Suffs , that word was meant to make the women advocating for the right to vote seem small and unserious. Like dolls that you pat on the head and then put away where they are neither seen, nor heard, Suffs , the Tony-winning musical playing now through April 12 at the Orpheum Theater, reminds us that the women who fought for the 19th Amendment were nothing of the sort. They were brave, bold, and strategic.  Suffs shines with an all-female cast. Even the two male characters, Dudley Molone and President Woodrow Wilson, were portrayed by crowd-favorites Brandi Porter and Jenny Ashman, respectively. Ashman’s portrayal of President Wilson made him seem like a slimy politician, which was great acting because I found President Wilson to be extremely frustrating. One song, “Let Mother Vote (Reprise)” used President Wilson’s own words to highlight his indifference about whether women got ...

There is always more to a story than meets the eye. Water for Elephants is a relatively new musical that made its way to the Orpheum Theatre on March 3rd. This production held potential to fully portray themes of love, abuse, and resilience. Despite the entertaining talents of the acrobats, the plot became buried beneath all of the spectacle of a circus performance. A man named Jacob Jankowski endures the tragedy of losing his parents and, in turn, joins the circus. After becoming the circus veterinarian, he falls in love with the wife of the ringmaster, which enters him into a dangerous love triangle. Through his experience working with the Benzini Brothers Circus, Jacob learns what really happens behind all the glitz and glamour of show business.  The one aspect of this show that really stood out to me was the ensemble performance. Incorporating circus-style tricks gave energy and life to this production. In the song “The Lion Has Got No Teeth,” the ensemble matched the fast ...

On Tuesday, March 3, I attended the musical Water for Elephants at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. The production shows creativity and ambition, using inventive staging techniques to bring the story to life. While the show demonstrated impressive technical ideas and featured a strong lead performance, it ultimately did not leave me with the sense of fulfillment I often experience after other musicals. One of the most impressive aspects of the show was its use of transitions. Directed by Tony Award-Nominated Jessica Stone, this production found clever ways to move between scenes without slowing the pacing. In particular, Marlena’s costume changes were handled seamlessly, allowing the character to shift between moments in the narrative almost instantly. Instead of feeling disruptive, these quick changes felt natural to the storytelling and helped keep the audience engaged. Another transition that stood out involved the two versions of Jacob. The story frequently shifts between Jacob...

You’ve heard the saying “run away and join the circus,” but what happens when you actually do? Water for Elephants , playing at the Orpheum Theater now until Mar. 8, jumps between past and present to tell an exciting and touching story about the circus life. When Jacob Jankowski (Zachary Keller) loses everything, his solution is to run. By accident, he gets on a train carrying an entire traveling circus, and the people he meets, the animals he sees, and the things he learns change him forever.  When you think of the ambiance of a “classic” circus, you can almost see the striped tents and smell the peanuts and cotton candy. This show, directed by Jessica Stone, uses its production elements to fully immerse you in the world of an early 20th century circus and creates that homey ambiance. The lighting by Bradley King makes use of very “traditional” techniques, especially during the circus’s performances, by using many circular spotlights, brightly flashing light bulbs, etc., to ad...

From the very first notes, Les Misérables proved once again why it remains one of the most emotionally powerful works staged. The story, based on the book by Victor Hugo of the same name, follows the life of Jean Valjean, as he breaks his parole to start a new life. The music of Les Misérables is one of the most beautiful and emotionally devastating scores. Composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Alian Boublil, the score carries the emotional weight of the story in a way that words alone never could. Each musical motif returns at just the right moment, that immediately immerses you in its world, reminding the audience of pain, hope, and redemption. Whether you love it or hate it, Les Misérables is an undeniable emotional powerhouse. The performance of Randy Jeter as Jean Valjean was truly splendid, made even more impressive by the fact that he was an understudy. He embodied the role in such a way that was honest and compelling, speaking volumes about his strength and confi...

Les Miserables is currently taking the Orpheum theatre by storm from Feb. 17-22. This musical has been dubbed “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune) with 130 million people, including me, being proud supporters of that statement. The gut-wrenching story follows various time periods in the early 1800s backdropped by a grimy and poverty-ridden Paris, France. Les Miserables recounts a myriad of narratives all intertwined by themes of unrequited love, sacrifice, broken dreams, forgiveness and hope.  Randy Jeter’s Jean Valjean instantly had me engrossed within the production's opening number. The lengthy lines of non-stop singing in “Soliloquy” felt effortless because of his incredible vocal stamina and his tender voice. Moreover, in “Bring Him Home,” Jeter’s warm and touching singing enhanced the song's already beautiful lyrics.  Lindsay Heather Pearce’s Fantine was heavenly and angelic with her voice lifting the audience from earth to cloud nine. With h...

           To condense a 1,400-page novel into just under three hours of theater seems like an impossible task, yet the current tour of Les Misérables , showing at The Orpheum until February 22nd, accomplishes it with astonishing clarity and emotional force. Rather than feeling compressed, the story unfolds with sweeping inevitability. From the first low strains of the Prologue I felt the scope of that world settle over the stage, immense in scale, yet startlingly intimate. The staging moves with cinematic precision. Projections glide across the set, transforming the space from the bleak docks of Montreuil-Sur-Mer to the narrow streets of Paris and, eventually, to the towering barricade. The transitions are seamless, allowing years to pass in moments without ever feeling disjointed. I was struck by how quickly I lost awareness of time; the narrative momentum carrying me forward so completely that Intermission felt like an interruption to another reality. Y...