The Cottage is a new, old fashioned, laugh-out-loud farce — set in an elegant 1923 “cottage” where affairs and shenanigans bounce about, stylishly reminiscent of Noel Coward’s naughty worldliness — even though this is a relatively NEW comedy by Sandy Rustin. It made its Broadway debut in 2023, directed by Jason Alexander. 

Lebowsky’s Director Sabrina Dahlgren has led her talented mostly-Lansing cast in a clockwork of silliness, enhanced by her actors’ chemistry and talent. Meghan Malusek is stylishly oversexed in her once-a-year fling with Quinn Kelly, suave and sophisticated with his trademark manic silliness bubbling underneath. A set of ill-advised telegrams sets off a chaotic cascade of politely jealous dominoes including the arrival of Quinn’s brother Andy Frikken, who happens to be having an affair with Quinn’s very pregnant wife, Xia Skowronek  — and if that weren’t complicated enough, ditzy delight Tayor Haslett and best-entrance-ever Anthony Mandaleri arrive to tie up and trip over more twists and turns.

As always, the Lebowski technical aspects are excellent. The ultra decorated elegance of the cottage set, the plentiful scotch and tea sets, the cigarettes hidden EVerywhere, as characters attempt to puff away their stress and confusion. This is not a musical, but the pace and blocking feel like a clockwork choreography that enhances the stylized passions and deceptions. I especially appreciated Meghan’s character’s evolution from mindless passion to self-reassessment — and Xia’s convincing embodiment of the weight of pregnancy, in spite of her “belly” being costumed by a lightweight beach ball. 

The Cottage continues for one more weekend at 7:30 Friday and Saturday and 2pm Sunday:  https://www.lebowskycenter.com/tickets
It’s well worth the drive to Owosso: 114 East Main Street, Owosso, MI 48867  |  989.723.4003

​The inimitable Heather Lewis is ba-a-a-ck! A favorite “star” in Peppermint’s early years of venue-hopping, Heather returns after a seven-year hiatus to inhabit a tour de force role in Martín Zimmerman's one-woman play  On the Exhale, inspired by the Sandy Hook massacre.

The Stage One venue at Sycamore Creek Eastwood is set up in a thrust-stage arrangement to increase the intimacy of Heather’s dialogue with the audience. We feel like friends invited in to share the story as Heather leads us through her roller coaster of emotions as a single mother college professor who loses her only child to a school shooter. Director Payton Romig advises us “... not to sit back and relax. Rather, lean in and listen."
This 70-minute monologue twists and turns as Heather traverses her personal fear of potentially being the victim of a disgruntled, armed student — to the unimaginable loss of her only child — and then finds herself drawn toward the very weapon that changed her life forever. What is her plan for the pro-gun senator…?

As the press release states, "Through poetic and hauntingly powerful storytelling, the play delves into the complexities of grief, trauma, and the cyclical nature of violence, challenging audiences to reflect on their own perspectives on gun control and safety.” 

This show is partnering with the local Mikey 23 Foundation teaching Lansing area youth construction skills in memory of Michael McKissic II who was a victim of gun violence at age 23. More information at mikey23foundation.org.

On the Exhale continues through May 4 at Stage One Performing Arts Center, 2200 Lake Lansing Road, across from McAllister’s Deli. The driveway is down the east side of the building; parking and entrance in the rear. (Handicap parking in front.) Tickets at http://www.peppermintcreek.org or at the door, while they last. General admission is $15, or $10 for students, seniors 65+, and veterans.

I quite enjoyed LCC’s high-octane production of Puffs, or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. My companion-who-did-not-see-all-the-movies-and/or-read-all-the-books — not so much. It was also nearly as long as last night’s epic. For that reason and maybe a touch of adult-innuendo, I wouldn’t recommend it for elementary aged kids — though it is action-packed and magical. 
This homage to the beloved Harry Potter series was written by Matt Cox. He calls it, "essentially a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead-style romp through this world of wizards. Familiar characters pop in and out, but audiences see a different side of key moments.” It also has the universal appeal of teen/school/social issues that don’t rely on Potter knowledge. Cox calls it “…adolescence through a wizard filter.”

Four new characters give us a new point of view through the seven year epic, compacted into two and a half hours (which included a 15 minute intermission.) Narrator (Olivia Challa) was our friendly fourth-wall breaker and guide. Wayne Hopkins (Caleb Tracy) was the engaging, earnest, ordinary kid, aspiring to hero status. Oliver Rivers (Jonathan Riley) was a math-kid friend trying to get along and Megan Jones (Keara Hayes) was the chip-on-the-shoulder student from an abusive family, mean, funny and eventually sympathetic.. 

Director Blake Bowen assembled a versatile cast, most playing multiple roles. Lliam Hamilton-Kraft was Cedric the dashingly coolest of the Puffs. Denise Huguez bubbled over as Sally Perks and Rita Scooter. Shane Curtis was weirdly funny as J.Finch Fletchley, even adding a surprising unicycle ride to his performance. 

Costume designer Chelle Peterson dressed over 40 characters, played by 20 other actors. Mia Irwin’s versatile, multi-level set gave us the castle/school arena enhanced by elaborate proscenium projections (even including the moving portraits!) Not sure if this media package came with the script. it was an elaborate creation. Though not a musical, the show included some fun dancing; choreography Lauren Muddy.

Potter fans will enjoy this Puff’s eye view of the Potter series. Director Blake Bowen writes, “This play captures the beauty and magic of growing up — going to school, making friends, falling in love, getting bullied, and the wins and losses that are inevitable when fighting monsters.”

Remember, LCC shows are free of charge this season. Arrive early at Dart Auditorium and get your voucher at the box office (so they can make sure not to let in more people than there are seats.) Dart was at least two-thirds full, so this show could easily “sell out” even though the only $elling is the concessions at intermission. Puffs continues at 2pm tomorrow Sunday, April 13 as well as Friday and Saturday next week at 7pm.

https://www.lcc.edu/calendar/events/tag/Performing%20Arts,LCC%20Performing%20Arts
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MSU’s “dark, absurd comedy” Inching Towards Yeolha was enthusiastically received by a small but raucous audience of mostly students, I’m guessing, who gave it a standing ovation. I and my fellow non-young audience companions found it well performed, but profoundly confusing and a bit long (2 hours 45 minutes which includes a 10 minute intermission.)

Be sure to take your phone to QR code the extended program to read Director Ji Won Jeon’s insightful Director’s Note as well as Phillip Effiong and Kara (Amy Hyun) Hwang’s Dramaturg’s Note on this script, inspired by 18th-century Korean philosopher Yeon-Ahm’s quest for a new perspective. Ji Won Jeon says, “….the villagers of Yeolha respond to the absurd disruptions brought in by by outsiders seeking to stir chaos — only to find themselves instinctively and immediately restoring balance in their own way."

There was plenty of said chaos onstage with a visiting horse/beast at first being silenced and later encouraged to talk. The Inspector from the Emperor arrived with threats, and a curtained wagon of masked characters. Demands for “mystery” and/or “ideology” were met with with energy and angst and moments of humor — with “physical and sexual violence, reference to rape, sexual assault kidnapping, depictions of animal cruelty and explicit language” as warned in the program — but not offensive, in my opinion, because of the unrealistic style. The set (Shea Snow) created a sand-swept, twisted dried-up setting with Brandon McDuff’s sound design adding the sandstorm sounds to complete the mood.

 Inching Towards Yeolha continues through April 19 on the Pasant stage at the Wharton Center. Tickets at https://whartoncenter.evenue.net/events/WC-DOT-YEOLHA