John and Jen at the Jon Hassler Theater

The Jon Hassler Theater will host Nautilus Music Theater's production of John and Jen for four shows over the last two weekends of March. John and Jen (music by Andrew Lippa, music by Tom Greenwald) explores the complex relationships between brothers and sister and parents and children.

Set against the changing background of America between 1950 and 1990, Nautilus' production is a truly original musical, a tour de force for two actors who move from childhood to adolescence to adulthood and beyond, as they explore family connections, broken commitments, and the healing of the human heart.

John and Jen is staged by Ben Krywosz, and features Keri Rodau and JP Fitzgibbons, with Mindy Eschedor at the piano. Critics and audiences called this production "lovely, sweet, affecting - top-quality singing and acting - the score is emotionally ravishing and gorgeous beyond words - absolutely knockout performances - funny, poignant, smart - sung and acted to perfection - you'll hum a few new tunes on your way out of the theater."

John and Jen runs March 23, 24, 30, 31.

Visit the Jon Hassler Theater online for schedules and tickets: www.jonhasslertheater.org
Phone the Jon Hassler Theater at 507-534-2900.

Gruesome Playground Injuries in Lanesboro March 16

By Rajiv Joseph, directed by Eric Decker, live music by BE
A Vertigo Theatre Factory (Rochester) presentation
St. Main Theatre, Lanesboro, MN

In Gruesome Playground Injuries, accident-prone Doug hurts outside: bloody facial gashes, eye wounds, chipped teeth, and legs broken. His life-long friend Kayleen hurts mostly inside. The play takes them through childhood to adulthood on a strange but absorbing journey of pain, friendship, missed signals and bad timing. NOTE: Not recommended for audiences under the age of 16.

March 16, 8:00 p.m. St. Maine Theatre, Lanesboro
Tickets $15/$12 student. 507-467-2446.
Seating in the St. Mane Theatre is handicapped accessible.

Vertigo Theatre Factory’s production of Gruesome Playground Injuries also appears in Rochester:

March 8, 9, 10 Rochester Civic Theatre Lobby, 20 Civic Center Drive, Rochester
March 30, 31, Barnbar, Rochester

Commonweal Apprentice Company Presents: The Metal Children

As has become the custom at the Commonweal, the Commonweal season begins with a full production by the resident apprentice company. The production comes as the capstone of a 10-month residence at the Commonweal for the 5 actors, directors, production team members, ticket-takers, box office workers, and practitioners of every job conceivable at the Commonweal. All five members of the company have been busy on stage and off during the 2011 season.

It has also become customary that the apprentice production stands up very well on the Commonweal stage. The shows are challenging, thought provoking and very well played. This year’s production of The Metal Children promises to continue this custom.

Gary Danciu and Rachel Kuhnle in Adam Rapp’s The Metal Children by the Commonweal Apprentice Company. Photo by Jason Underferth.

The Metal Children, written by Adam Rapp, follows a washed up young-adult novelist as he leaves his NYC apartment for the American heartland after his book, The Metal Children, is banned by a small-town school board. There he finds something more bizarre than fiction—extreme politics, radical teens, and vigilantes in Porky Pig masks—all because of his book.

Megan Pence, who served as assistant director for two productions last season, will direct. She finds that “what’s interesting about The Metal Children is how one artist’s creation can spur a multitude of consequences. An author writes a book, and it reaches further than he ever could have imagined.”

The 2012 Apprentice Company includes Pence, Gary Danciu, Brandon Grayson, Carla Joseph, and Rachel Kuhnle—all seen on the Commonweal mainstage during the 2011 season. The set, costumes, props, and sound design are also handled by the five apprentices with the addition of guest lighting designer Michael Dold, who is a senior at St. Mary’s University in Winona.

The Apprentice Program at the Commonweal Theatre is a ten month commitment designed for recent college graduates or young professionals with commensurate experience who would benefit from a prolonged relationship with a small professional theatre company. Focused primarily on experiential learning through a traditional mentor/apprentice relationship, the program affords artistic opportunities, regular classroom instruction, and administrative responsibilities in the areas of Marketing, Development, and Production.

The Metal Children has a limited run of 8 shows, Thursdays - Sundays, March 22 - April 1.

Visit the Commonweal for schedules and tickets: Commonweal Theatre (www.commonwealtheatre.org)

Leading Ladies

La Crosse Community Theatre
By Ken Ludwig; directed by Anne Drecktrah

La Crosse Community Theater opens Leading Ladies, Friday, March 9 in La Crosse. In this comedy two struggling English actors, Jack and Leo, pose as long-lost nephews to inherit the estate of a rich old woman who has just died. Their trouble begins when they arrive to find out that the long-lost nephews are actually nieces, and the old woman isn't as dead as they thought!

Cast members include Katie Clausen as Meg, Kevin Laumbach as Leo; long-time LCT actors Michael Marcou as Jack, Megan Larson as Audrey, Dennis Kuhn as Duncan, Susan Fox as Florence and Daniel Schneider as Doc; and Daniel Rapoport, who is making his LCT stage debut, as Butch.

Set and lights designed by Andrew Brackett and costumes by Mandy Parmeter. The production is rated theatre PG.

Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. For more information visit www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org.