“If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” was a very funny show. I laughed and laughed through the whole thing because it was soooo silly. One of my favorite parts was when the mouse was dancing and shaking his booty. Another favorite part was when the mouse blew bubbles in his milk with a straw. Oh, another funny part was when he was playing like he was in the jungle. But my most favorite part was when the hair balls starting chasing the boy and the mouse all over the kitchen…I laughed so hard at that part. I had so much fun that I went back to see the show again with some friends from school! – Taylor, age 5
Tom Lycos and Stefo Nantsou did an amazing job pulling a story out of the headlines and bringing it to the stage. As a mother of a 13-year-old boy and a professional having worked with young people in the Juvenile Justice system for many years, I have to say that these grown men did a fantastic job portraying teen age boys. Their posture, mannerisms, tone and dress switched so dramatically between the characters that this two man show was fascinating and entertaining to watch. The situations that were created on stage also depicted a reality for what actually does happen for many at-risk youth. Activities that seem victimless to a young person (breaking into garages, damaging property, and throwing stones) really are damaging, and more than just to property. Taking the journey with the two boys from the pranks they pulled to the final verdict provided a powerful platform for further discussion with my son. The scene where the two policemen were at odds regarding what the outcome should be for the boys provided a great opportunity for people to consider both sides of the situation. What if it was my son who had made the mistake? What if it was my parent that had died? These questions force you to take a deeper look at what your personal values around the topic and sparks conversation about consequences to our actions. As an added bonus, the guitar playing before and throughout the play was a great way to get connected with a teen audience. It is a powerful experience and I would recommend it to anyone pre teen and older. - Jocelyn
Above, all The Stones is an extraordinary performance by two unusual actors. Tom Lycos and Stefo Nantsou are middle-aged and physically unprepossing: one is snaggle-toothed, the other too small to meet the standard stage requirements; both have the kind of face one is likely to encounter at any Minnesota bus stop. Magically, they transform this all-too-ordinary clay into two unforgettable teen-aged boys, characters at once representative and unique. There’s something silly about trying to capture these astonishing performances in words; you really do have to be there. Lycos and Nantsou embody the kids, two cops, a cat, a Jaguar, a bridge, a freeway…. There’s nothing but them, and that suffices perfectly.
The boys kill a man by behavior that is entirely consonant with who they are, with their heart-breaking immaturity, and with their reckless thrill-seeking. As is so often true in real life, the results of their behavior are out of proportion with their intent. The piece sets up the questions about responsibility, blameworthiness, consequences and appropriate punishment that make juvenile courts the most fascinating part of the criminal justice system. Best of all, the artists do not neatly resolve those questions. The truth in such cases is always a mess, and it cannot be dramatized fairly in plays that draw to a tidy close.
It is hard to make really good theatre out of this kind of material. Most of the time, the efforts are preachy and didactic or veer into melodrama that is both more histrionic and more boring than the facts. The Stones is, against all the odds, really good theatre.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie opens on Friday, February 29. Our community reviewers are waiting anxiously with their pens, pencils, crayons, and fingerpaints to share their thoughts on the show with you! Keep checking back for the latest reviews. In the meantime, why not purchase tickets for you and your family? Click here to see the list of performances.
My ten year old daughter and I had the privilege of seeing "The Stones" Tuesday evening. At times we laughed and then moments later we were clutching our hands tightly. Upon leaving the theatre I was so overwhelmed with conflicting emotions I actually cried! This show touched me at my core. The ensuing conversation on the drive home was priceless. The life lessons learned in that hour were tremendous! This should be required viewing for kids ages 10 to 17. All the things we try to instill about decisions and consequences are put right in your face at a very real level. How life can change in the blink of an eye by the simplest of things. We can talk to our kids, dole out punishments for bad decisions, all of which are learning experiences, but to view such an impacting performance drives it home in a very REAL way without having to actually experience a life altering event first hand. Tom and Stefo are amazing! The character changes are brilliant. Two guys, two guitars, two sawhorses, one ladder, ONE INCREDIBLY AMAZING PERFORMANCE!!!
In order to avoid writing about the complicated initial plot developments in CTC's "Bud, Not Buddy," we arrived very fashionably late. The atmosphere in the theater was dark and confusing, reflecting the psychological state of the brave, intrepid ten year-old orphan/hero of the play. We both recognized the actor from a workshop that we had participated in last year at CTC's open house for its new stage. He seemed a LOT taller and had turned from a kid working on his acting to an actor acting like a kid. Katie declared the acting to be good, overall, since the actors made a "sad story not so sad," but at times "a little cheesy." I think the actors showed a brightness of spirit and human affection designed to shine a light on the poverty, racism and social inequity that was the story's backdrop. The irreverence and humor of the "jazz age" was reflected in music, physical humor, jokes and dialogue richly intertwined.
The play involved layered stereotypes – our own of a homeless, orphan child- and that same child's fear of the strange people looming through his uncertain life. A good example is the portrayal of Hooverville, with actors sitting in the dark, huddled and with their backs to the audience. At first Bud didn't trust this group with the suitcase containing his few precious belongings. As the evening unfolded, these struggling people provided true hospitality and earned Bud's, and our, admiration. The stage lighting set out the emotions of this story, with a dark, muted look. Spots turned to the eloquence of the characters. A random end note - we really liked how the strobe lights showed a train coming down the tracks, really conveying the weight and speed of the train.
In order to avoid writing about the complicated initial plot developments in CTC's "Bud, Not Buddy," we arrived very fashionably late. The atmosphere in the theater was dark and confusing, reflecting the psychological state of the brave, intrepid ten year-old orphan/hero of the play. We both recognized the actor from a workshop that we had participated in last year at CTC's open house for its new stage. He seemed a LOT taller and had turned from a kid working on his acting to an actor acting like a kid. Katie declared the acting to be good, overall, since the actors made a "sad story not so sad," but at times "a little cheesy." I think the actors showed a brightness of spirit and human affection designed to shine a light on the poverty, racism and social inequity that was the story's backdrop. The irreverence and humor of the "jazz age" was reflected in music, physical humor, jokes and dialogue richly intertwined.
The play involved layered stereotypes – our own of a homeless, orphan child- and that same child's fear of the strange people looming through his uncertain life. A good example is the portrayal of Hooverville, with actors sitting in the dark, huddled and with their backs to the audience. At first Bud didn't trust this group with the suitcase containing his few precious belongings. As the evening unfolded, these struggling people provided true hospitality and earned Bud's, and our, admiration. The stage lighting set out the emotions of this story, with a dark, muted look. Spots turned to the eloquence of the characters. A random end note - we really liked how the strobe lights showed a train coming down the tracks, really conveying the weight and speed of the train.
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