Review: BEANIE BABY DIVORCE PLAY at Open Eye Theatre

Beanie Baby Divorce Play By Melancholics Anonymous, created by Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly, is playing at the Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024 at the Open Eye Theater, now through August 11, 2024.

Beanie Baby Divorce Play

By Melancholics Anonymous
Created by Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly

Playing at the Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024
Open Eye Theater
Now through August 11, 2024

As someone who grew up collecting Beanie Babies and vividly remembers the craze, the viral photo of a couple dividing their Beanie Babies in court is still fresh in my mind. Walking into the theater and seeing towers and piles of Beanie Babies brought back a wave of nostalgia.

The play begins with the CEO seated with his book, "The Beanie Baby Divorce Play." He serves as both the narrator and a character within the story. The plot centers around a family of four, with the parents going through a divorce. Their two children become involved in a whimsical situation where they encounter the "beanie thing."

The costumes in this production are a delightful throwback to the early '90s, featuring props like Dunkaroos and Brain Quest cards that perfectly set the scene. The puppetry was enjoyable and added a unique layer to the performance. The lighting effectively enhanced the different scenes, creating the right mood throughout.

One of the standout elements was the "beanie thing's" rhyming lines, and the Princess Diana Bear segment was brilliantly executed. The cast demonstrated excellent chemistry and brought their roles to life with energy and precision. The flow of the production was smooth, and it was evident that the creators had done their Beanie Baby research, incorporating accurate names, poems, and facts into the show.