Elizabeth Hawkins

Asolo Repertory Theatre proudly continues its 60th season with SWEENEY TODD: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It is directed and choreographed by Peter Rothstein, who helmed the theatre's critically acclaimed 2018 production of Ragtime. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a book by Hugh Wheeler and from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, this musical masterwork and global phenomenon previews May 1 - 3, opens May 4 and runs through June 1.

Theater Latte Da presents Stephen Sondheim's romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a book by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Heidi Spesard-Noble. Performances begin January 23 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.

A third new theater company is making its #TCTheater debut this month, following a charming new original musical RAGTIME WOMEN by Theatre Elision and LITTLE WARS, a powerful story of women in their prime brought to us by Prime Productions. Now we have Trademark Theater, whose mission is to 'expand the breadth of original theatrical works born in Minnesota by creating, developing, and producing dynamic stage productions.' Their first creation is a new adaptation of an old story - Robin Hood. And it most definitely is original and dynamic. I saw a reading of it as part of Illusion Theater's 'Fresh Ink' series last year and was impressed with the storytelling and original music. But now, with the added elements of movement, costumes, set, lighting, and all of the theater magic, plus a super talented and energetic young cast, it's something truly exciting.

Trademark Theater celebrates its inaugural year with The Boy and Robin Hood, a play-with-music written by Tyler Mills with score and lyrics by local composer David Darrow. The production, conceived and directed by Tyler Michaels, runs at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis, May 24 - June 11.

?They say that the more specific something is, the more universal it is. That's certainly the case with the new original musical ONLY ONE SOPHIE by Illusion Theater's Artistic Director Michael Robins. Based on the life of his grandmother, the musical tells a very specific story about an American family centered around a strong, independent, loving Russian Jewish immigrant woman. But this tale of love, grief, family, and memories is a universal one that brings to mind one's own family history and memories. The specifics may be different, but we all have family traditions and memories and, if we're lucky, a loving grandmother that will never be forgotten. ONLY ONE SOPHIE is a beautiful, funny, poignant, inspiring story brought to life through lovely original music (by Roberta Carlson) and a terrific eight-person cast. If you're interested in sweet, simple, heartfelt stories told musically, head down (or rather, up) to Illusion Theater's 8th floor stage in the Hennepin Center for the Arts between now and March 5.

The Illusion Theater presents the world premiere of Only One Sophie, an engaging musical inspired by Director Michael Robins' remarkable family history. Opening February 12, the new work will be on stage through March 5 at the downtown Minneapolis theater, located on the eighth floor of The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave.

This holiday season, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is excited to present Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, Dec. 10-Jan. 2. Tickets for the Ordway produced family classic start at $37 and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at 651-224-4222 or in-person at the Ordway ticket office.

Friends, Theater Latte Da has done it again. They've created a music-theater production that is so stirring and chilling, it's nothing short of brilliant. After the delightfully innovative and stripped-down INTO THE WOODS this spring, they return to Sondheim with a similarly innovative and stripped-down SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. But where INTO THE WOODS was a fun and slightly sinister mish-mash of classic fairy tales, SWEENEY is all darkness and death, albeit with a bit of dark humor. Director Peter Rothstein again cast just ten actors in the show, many playing multiple roles and all perfect for the parts, and Denise Prosek leads a pared down orchestra of just four, that still somehow sounds musically full on this gorgeous and disturbing score. With a couple of actors not known for their singing leading this talented cast, and a cohesive look to the set, costumes, and theater space that is well used, this SWEENEYis completely engaging and all-consuming, and brilliantly shows what Latte Da can do with not musical theater, but theater musically.

Directors and producers in the Nashville region are seeking actors for upcoming productions of The Mousetrap, Manuscript, Cheaper by The Dozen and First Baptist of Ivy Gap - and producers are seeking cast members for a touring production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. There's even a haunted house in Auburtown seeking performers for a paying gig. We've gathered the details together here to make your planning easier. So now you have no excuse!

Girl Friday Productions is a theater company that specializes in large cast classic American plays. The bad news is they only do one production every two years. The good news is it's worth the wait. In their first time partnering with Park Square Theatre, they're presenting Thornton Wilder's comedy THE MATCHMAKER. With a funny and poignant story about love, money, and adventure, smart period set and costumes, a cast that is sheer perfection, and direction that keeps it all running smoothly, this MATCHMAKER is an absolute delight from top to bottom, start to finish. Go see it now (playing through July 26), or wait another two years for your chance to see this great company.

Manuscript stars Jeffrey Carlson, Marin Ireland and Pablo Schreiber and opened on June 12 at the Daryl Roth Theatre.