One Fan Show

Welcome to One Show to See This Week. Every Monday I send out a newsletter with the one play or musical I think you should buy a ticket for in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in the next seven days, along with tips for discounts and things to do in the vicinity, because I think theater should be part of your weekly routine. My inbox is always open (alexlauer.mpls@gmail.com), as are my DMs (@OneFanShow). Glad you’re here!

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One Show to See This Week

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
Theatre Elision
Elision Playhouse, 6105 42nd Ave. N., Crystal, MN 55422
October 29th – November 22nd

At the time I’m writing this, there are still tickets for the upcoming week to see a highly anticipated musical making its Twin Cities debut with an absolutely stacked cast. No, I’m not talking about Purple Rain. I’m talking (shouting? Hollering? Howling with joy?) about Theatre Elision’s production of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. Demand for this musical that adapts a smidgen of War and Peace has been so great that they were already 80% sold out a week ago. But they’ve added a preview performance for this Wednesday, October 29th (that’s almost sold out too), so go grab those tickets now and then come back and read the rest of this week’s edition!

Did you get them? No? You want to hear what all the hubbub is about first? You must know straight away that this is an epic undertaking: Most musicals divvy up the music, lyrics, and book writing, but multi-hyphenate artist Dave Malloy did it all here (plus the orchestrations!) to create a sumptuous “electropop opera” that weaves together Russian folk, Broadway rafter-shakers, electronica, and a grab bag of other musical styles. If you never read Tolstoy’s doorstopper, the story here follows Natasha who, while pining for her betrothed who’s off fighting in the book’s titular Napoleonic War, gets mixed up with playboy Anatole while Pierre tries to mediate while experiencing his own personal crisis. 

If you want a sample of what you’re in for, and potentially some dramatic clarity, here’s Theatre Elision’s wonderful video for “Prologue,” which begins the show and introduces the characters:

“This is a pretty big departure from anything we have done before,” Theatre Elision wrote when announcing this show back in August. “Our first Tony-award winning Broadway show. Our first large cast, two-act musical. Four weekends of shows. … You know that we have a fair amount of experience with producing Dave Malloy with six iterations of Ghost Quartet. But this will be epic.”

Do. Not. Miss. This. And if you can’t get tickets for Wednesday’s preview, scoop them up for later in the run. This will sell out.

What to Do Before or After

I live in Golden Valley just south of Crystal, so I’m going to plug a local spot for me: Nong’s Thai Cuisine, which is just an eight-minute drive from Elision Playhouse. It’s an unassuming little outpost in a strip mall, but it’s delicious, reasonable, and always busy (a good sign). Also, Schuller’s Tavern is nearabouts and a bit of a legendary neighborhood bar — might make a good post-show stop.

How Much Are Tickets? Any Discounts?

Tickets for Wednesday’s preview are just $18.12 (nice one). Again, get those while you can! Otherwise they’re offering three tiers: discounted general admission ($25, though these are sold out), general admission ($42), and table seating on stage ($60, though some performances offer $150 for a table for three). 

The Cast Album I’ve Got on Repeat This Week

Last week I wrote 1,500 words about the musical Tuck Everlasting after seeing a high school production in Lakeville put on by Twin Cities Homeschoolers for the Arts. More about the musical itself than that specific staging. The show flopped on Broadway ten years ago, but I think the cast album is brilliant and surprising and tender and inspiring — and I think the musical deserves an afterlife among schools, community theaters, and professional companies alike. Give the album a listen wherever you download music and let me know what strikes you. Oh, and read that story too if it piques your interest.

Question of the Week

Since I mentioned two musicals in this edition that are based on beloved books, what’s your favorite play or musical that’s adapted from a classic work of literature? I’m intrigued by the revamped American Psycho that just hit Houston…

See you here next week!

-Alex