Alison Moffat Posts

“Heaven Nowadays”: Review of the Duluth Playhouse Production of Chicago

Mar 31, 2011 2 Comments

The gin may not be cold (or available), but the dancing is certainly hot in the Duluth Playhouse’s production of Chicago. Set in a Prohibition-era Windy City, Chicago is inhabited by irredeemable (yet likable) hucksters and hustlers, all dancing for their lives. The bondage-lite costumes and the spare, gritty set only rarely hint at the Jazz Age, but that’s just as well: the story at the heart of Chicago, about crime, corruption, sensational journalism, the cult of celebrity and all that jazz, feels contemporary and relatable.

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Art, Events, Music

Review of Duluth Playhouse’s Production of Picnic

Jan 20, 2011 No Comments

The Duluth Playhouse kicked off 2011 with William Inge’s Picnic, a drama that reflects on beauty and its uses, restrictive gender roles, and identity. Though Inge’s play grapples with such profound philosophical themes, it does so with plenty of sultriness and a surprising amount of fun. Through its strong performances and an absorbing plot, Picnic transports the audience to the lazy, fleeting days of summer.

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Art, Events

Merry and Bright: A Review of the Duluth Playhouse’s Production of White Christmas

Dec 03, 2010 No Comments

In the interest of full disclosure, I admit that I suffer from almost pathological nostalgia, a condition that only becomes more acute during the holiday season. Out come boxes of familiar, musty Christmas ornaments that probably should be replaced and mountains of Scandinavian desserts from a tradition now many generations removed from my own.  And the annual viewing (okay, multiple viewings) of favorite holiday films: Holiday Inn, It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut, and, of course, White Christmas.

Given the inviolability of established holiday traditions, it was with a bit of trepidation that I attended a preview show of White Christmas at the Duluth Playhouse. Happily, the production did not disappoint, sailing along with plenty of glitz and good cheer. The set, framed like a vintage Christmas card, the familiar Irving Berlin tunes, vibrant mid-century costumes all invoked an amber-tinted yesteryear.

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Events

“Tradition”: Fiddler on the Roof, Jr. at the Duluth Playhouse

Oct 23, 2010 2 Comments

I had the opportunity to attend a performance of this charming production on opening night.  A talented group of young actors and a kid-friendly run time (just over an hour) truly make this an event for the entire family (not to mention a great way to introduce a younger generation to a well-loved musical!).

Hail of bullets:

  • What: Fiddler on the Roof, Jr.
  • Where: The Duluth Playhouse
  • When: October 22-31 (Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 1 and 4 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m).

Art, Events

“Let’s Do the Time Warp Again!” Rocky Horror Picture Show at Duluth Playhouse

Oct 20, 2010 11 Comments

The Duluth Playhouse will be presenting The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 29 and 30 at 9:30.  The event will include:

  • Audience participation and costumes (but of course!)
  • “Scarioke” (Halloween-themed karaoke)
  • Prop bags (request a prop bag when reserving tickets, as supplies are limited). The bag o’ tricks will include glow sticks, newspaper, water gun, noisemakers, etc.
  • Players re-enacting the film in front of the screen
  • Costume contest, including prizes for “Sweetest Transvestite”, “Best Transylvanian”, and “Best Team/Group”
  • A chance to learn the choreography for “The Time Warp”



This “Floor Show” is rated R, so leave the kiddies at home. The seats in the Playhouse will be covered, to maximize mayhem.

So … who’s planning on kicking off their Halloween weekend in style with The Rocky Horror Picture Show? What transsexual Transylvanian costumes are you considering?


Events