Review: ANYONE CAN WHISTLE IN CONCERT at Minneapolis Musical Theatre

Minneapolis Musical Theatre (MMT) has kicked off its 2025-2026 season with a bold take on Anyone Can Whistle, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents’ quirky, once-maligned Broadway musical. Running from September 5-14, 2025, this concert version of the show strips away the usual trappings of a big production to spotlight the music and the biting social commentary at its core. The result is a fresh, raw look at a show that, while it may have flopped on Broadway in 1964, still manages to feel startlingly relevant today.

Directed by Max Wojtanowicz and with music direction by Walter Tambor, MMT’s Anyone Can Whistle breathes new life into a story about a bankrupt town, phony miracles, and the dangerous allure of conformity. The music, which foreshadows Sondheim’s later masterpieces of the 1970s, takes center stage, and without the usual distractions of elaborate sets and costumes, we’re left with a performance that’s raw and intimate—but also absurd and darkly funny.

The cast, made up of a talented ensemble of actors, is one of the standout elements of this production. Timothy Kelly and Aliyah Lamb bring energy and charm to their ensemble roles, capturing the eccentricities of the show’s offbeat characters. Benjamin Kruse as Comptroller Schub plays the role with perfect comedic timing, blending cluelessness with an underlying desperation. William Lucas brings a sharp wit to J. Bowden Hapgood, an outsider who’s more concerned with exposing the truth than playing along with the town’s madness.

Alice McGlave, playing Mrs. Schroeder as well as part of the ensemble, delivers a nuanced performance that shows the character’s quiet resistance to the chaos around her. Quintin Michael as the Chief of Police, Magruder, brings a dry humor to the role, playing it straight even as the absurdity of the world surrounding him grows.

Mary Palazzolo as Cora Hoover Hooper and Marcie Panian as the Narrator each do a fantastic job of grounding the wild narrative in a way that makes it more relatable, if not entirely sensible. Hope Quinn’s portrayal of Fay Apple adds layers to a character who is both vulnerable and determined, reminding us of the very human emotions at play beneath the show’s outlandish premise.

Mitra M. Sadeghpour and Caitlin Sparks (as Baby Joan) shine with their respective roles, each adding their own special flavor to the chaotic energy of the piece. Marty Swaden as Dr. Detmold finds the right balance of humor and sincerity, while Andrew Schufman’s portrayal of Treasurer Cooley adds a touch of quiet authority to the ensemble, balancing out the madness around him.

While the concert-style production means there’s no huge set or elaborate costumes to distract from the story, it works surprisingly well. The focus remains on Sondheim’s beautiful, complicated score and the razor-sharp lyrics that define the show. The stripped-down approach forces you to engage with the material in a way you might not if you were distracted by a flashy set. It’s a celebration of Sondheim’s brilliance and a reminder of how far ahead of its time Anyone Can Whistle was.

For anyone unfamiliar with the show, this concert version is an excellent introduction. It’s quirky, it’s witty, and it’s more than a little dark, but it also has heart. With a cast that clearly understands the material and a direction that highlights the show's strengths, MMT’s Anyone Can Whistle is a must-see for anyone who appreciates musical theater that dares to be different.

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