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Regional Reviews: Minneapolis/St. Paul A Taste of Things to Come
That is precisely what Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin have done in their musical A Taste of Things to Come, brought to life by Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in a production that offers plentiful entertainment while contrasting the changes wrought by those ten years in the lives of four women. Taking place in Winnetka, an upscale Chicago suburb, Act 1 is set in 1957 and the women are in their early twenties; in Act II, set in 1967, they're in their early thirties, having followed the trajectory of the changing times. The musical premiered at Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania in early 2016, followed that fall by an Off-Broadway run at The York Theatre Company. In 1957 the women, friends since their years at New Trier High School, meet in Joan's kitchen every Wednesday afternoon for what they call a cooking club, but it is really more of an excuse to catch up on gossip, share some guarded confidences, and slip into a de-facto happy hour. Joan acts as the show's narrator, with both a participant's and an observer's perspective on the foursome. Her husband is a traveling salesman, giving her a lot of time on her own which seems to suit her independent nature. Connie's husband works in women's shoes–that is, the department at J.C. Penney–while she is just days away from the due date of their first child. Dottie's husband is a telephone repairman (read blue-collar) and she already has four kids and alternates between extolling the joys and the pains of motherhood. That leaves Agnes, still single and, unlike her three friends who fear that at age 23 she is headed for spinsterhood, not worried about life without a husband. Agnes' main goal at this point in her life is to break out of Winnetka. The first act revolves around the foursome trying to win the Betty Crocker Cooking Contest, as published in Life magazine (the vintage magazine cover handily displayed), aiming for the $15,000 grand prize. Even divided up four ways, that much cash in 1957 is enough to change each of their lives. In learning what they would use their winnings for, we understand that, in spite of their homogeneous appearance, each one is a unique individual. We also understand that individuality was not a trait one wanted to dwell on. If this sounds like deep sociology, no, far from it. The mood is light and altogether charming. In truth, the friends never have a prayer of winning the Betty Crocker contest, as they spend the afternoon chatting and singing about different aspects of their existence. In "Dear Abby," they offer up the types of personal problems that passed as crises back in the day. "Prom King" is an ode to the standard of good looks and athleticism that was so admired, while "Didja Hear?" sings the praises of juicy gossip. "You Can't Win a Man" is a warning to Agnes from Joan, Connie and Dottie that if she ever wants to land a man, she had better learn to cook, while Agnes counters with her own ambitions in "I'm Outta' Here." "Just in Case" explains the presence of all kinds of pills in Dottie's purse. They also heat up the kitchen with "Somethin's Burnin'" after a provocative publication is delivered to Joan's address. Inevitably, their attempts at preparing an award-worthy meal, with an international theme, no less, descend into "Happy Hour" with a raucous segue to Connie's dream vacation to Trinidad, putting the ladies "In Limbo." Their session is winding down when a sudden event changes the mood and forces issues that had only been hinted at throughout the afternoon, wreaking havoc upon the Wednesday Afternoon Cooking Club. Most of the aforementioned songs start out with one of the characters opining on its subject, then the other three joining in. The tunes reflect rhythms and sounds of the 1950s era. They are sprightly, if not particularly memorable, their lyrics witty commentary on the subject at hand. Dorian Brooks's choreography gives the performers moves to enliven the numbers in this small-scale musical, with "In Limbo" particularly rousing. Come the second act, the music leaps ahead ten years, along with the characters, to echo 1967 sounds. A rocking four-piece all-woman band led by music director Emily D.H. Olson delivers the songs with flourish. In Act II, Joan is hosting a reunion of the club, promising to issue an important announcement. Connie and Agnes have both moved far away from Winnetka. Joan is still there, but has made big changes in her life. Only Dottie seems the same–even her clothes and hair, unlike the other three, seem to be from just another page from the 1957 catalogue. She has advanced from having four kids to a brood of six, and risen to become PTA president. Her song, one of the few solos, "Just a Mom," is the most moving and distinctive in the show. They share the changes that have moved them in different directions over those ten years and agree that all of it has been a "Blessing in Disguise." All four actors–Bridge Benson as Dottie, Natosha Guldan as Joan, Lydia Rose Prior as Connie, and Siri Ashley Wright as Agnes–are excellent, seeming to be fully immersed in both the 1957 and 1967 versions of their characters. There is a nice chemistry among them that makes their friendships believable, with Guldan's Joan clearly the hub of the group. Guldan and Benson have particularly strong voices that support their spotlighted musical moments. Dottie has a larger share of the laugh lines than the other three characters, which Benson delivers with aplomb. Prior as Connie and Wright as Agnes ably convey the arc of their character's growth over the course of those ten years. Curtis Phillips' scenic design does a splendid job of replicating the shapes and colors of a 1957 suburban kitchen and adapts the space sufficiently for the second act to authentically reflect the onset off flower-power. Kudos, too, to Ren Edson for the period-matching prop designs. Sarah Christenson's costumes are on point, with the four women wearing ensembles that seem of a piece–like they shop at the same stores–in 1957, then diverging in 1967 to reflect the path taken by each character. Director Laura Tahja Johnson (who is also Lyric Arts' Artistic and Executive Director) keeps the two acts, which take place in real time, moving smoothly and swiftly, and maintains coherence regarding their distinct time periods. At times this coherence is undermined by anachronisms in the plot–slight ones, like referring to the hair gel product Dippity-do in 1957 when the product didn't appear until the 1960s–and large ones, like a character nonchalantly pulling out a joint to share with the others. In 1967, smoking weed might have been a casual act in some college dorms, in a hippy enclave, a jazz or rock band session, but not among this set. Not that it might not show up, but there wouldn't be an assumption that everyone else is cool with it. There is also mention of Rock Hudson, who actually is an alumnus of New Trier High School, as if he were their contemporary, when he would have been there more than a decade before. A reference to Ann-Margret, another actual New Trier alum, fits right into their time frame. A Taste of Things to Come is a charmer of a show. It makes a strong case for the ten-year time span it covers being one of exceptionally profound social and cultural change, not only in fashion, but women's rights, sexual freedom, and race relations. It speaks to the value of each base of the arc between 1957 to 1967. Joan suggests this at the show's end–their lives in 1957 were a necessary launching pad for where they were headed–when she states, "We were in the kitchen, like millions of other women, changing the world." It is not likely to open too many eyes to new perspectives, but delivers its message with zip, humor, warmth, melody and plenty of talent. A Taste of Things to Come runs through February 9, 2025, at at Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, 420 East Main Street, Anoka MN. For tickets and information, please call 763-422-1838 or visit lyricarts.org. Book, Music and Lyrics: Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin; Original Concept: Hollye Levin; Director: Laura Tahja Johnson; Music Direction: Emily D.H. Olson; Choreography: Dorian Brooke; Scenic Design: Curtis Phillips; Costume Design: Sarah Christenson; Lighting Design: Andrew Vance; Sound Design: Paul Estby; Props Design: Ren Edson; Wigs: Lindsey Fields, Wigs by Linz; Intimacy Consultant: Callie Aho; Stage Manager: Christian Erben; Assistant Stage Manager: Maddie Ronning. Cast: Bridget Benson (Dottie O'Farrell), Natosha Guldan (Joan Smith), Lydia Rose Prior (Connie Olsen), Siri Ashley Wright (Agnes Crookshank). |
