“It’s definitely very nerve wracking but very exciting,” said Ashley Ens, ‘24.
Minnetonka’s theatre department has long delivered high quality and engaging productions year after year, with each new season becoming more anticipated than the last, by actors and theater-goers alike. This may leave many guessing about what shows may come next.
Ens continued, “It’s fun to hear everyone talking about what shows they want to see.” Speculation for the next season begins as early as the middle of the spring musical, with any number of titles thrown around, ranging from Broadway musical classics to obscure plays. However, everyone is left in suspense until August, when the full season is announced, and with work beginning on the fall play, what better time to take a look at this year’s season at Minnetonka Theatre?
Cabaret
Willkommen to Berlin’s infamous Kit Kat Klub, where you leave impending political turmoil outside, and enter into a world of jazz, flappers, and hedonistic pleasures. Set in 1929 Berlin, Cabaret explores the decadence of the ‘20s, the nearing chaos of Germany’s interwar period, and the looming threat of economic collapse.
Cabaret was released in 1966 by John Kander and Fred Ebb and opened on Broadway later that year, where it ran for 1,166 performances, or about three years. The show also won multiple Tonys, including Best Musical and Best Score.
Although some people might be familiar with the 1972 film adaption of Cabaret featuring Liza Minnelli, many people aren’t aware of the origins of the story itself. Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 semi-autobiographical novel, Goodbye to Berlin, takes inspiration from the author’s own experiences: living in an impoverished Germany and a deep friendship with Jean Ross, a cabaret singer. This was then adapted into a play, I Am a Camera, by John Van Druten in 1951, which inspired the musical adaption by Kander and Ebb fifteen years later.
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music follows the story of Maria, who is studying to become a nun, but leaves to take a job as a governess for the Von Trapp family. While there, she helps the family reconnect and find joy, despite the pressure on Captain von Trapp to take a commission in the German Navy.
From Julie Andrews’ Maria in the 1965 film, to the beloved music (Do-Re-Mi, My Favorite Things, and So Long, Farewell, just to name a few), The Sound of Music can only be described with one word: classic. While the film holds fond memories for so many, the original musical was released in 1959 by Rodgers and Hammerstein, to much renown, and also won a Tony for Best Musical. The musical is based on the actual 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, and her own journey escaping Nazi-controlled Germany
“I’m looking forward to [the Sound of Music] and working with the community theater … and I want to get more familiar with the theater community outside of the high school,” said Emily Kratz, ‘24.
What the Constitution Means to Me
Although the name may sound odd or daunting, the 2017 play discusses what playwright Heidi Schreck highlights as ‘pitfalls of the Constitution’ by telling stories of her own life, as well as members of her family, as they try to navigate living as an American.
What the Constitution Means to Me is Minnetonka’s One Act. It will be performed as a part of a competition, coming off last year’s state win. However it will also be available to see for one night in late January.
Picnic
It’s Labor Day and everyone in this small Kansas town is getting ready for a neighborhood picnic. Picnic premiered on Broadway in 1953, and tells the story of a drifter coming to town to look for work and reconnect with his college friend. While there he is introduced to three women, who all start vying for his attention, and turn the rest of the town upside down in the process.
The Rink
Another Kander and Ebb collaboration makes its way to the stage with The Rink. The musical tells the story of the owner of a rundown skate rink, and her plans to tear it down and sell the lot. That is until her daughter returns into her life, trying to reconnect with her home. This puts an immediate halt to the plans, as mother and daughter attempt to reconnect, reconcile, and move on.
Despite poor public reviews upon its release, The Rink is now considered critically acclaimed. However, more interest seems to be sparking at the high school over the announcement of on-stage rollerskating being featured in the production.
If any of these shows sound interesting to you, be sure to grab tickets while they’re still available, because they sell out quickly! You can get them on the Minnetonka Theatre website, www.minnetonkatheatre.com!
