As the nation's civic culture deteriorates into ugly political mudslinging, the American theater may be stepping into a leadership role about how we respond to seismic changes in demographics, technology and culture. Twin Cities theater companies in 2014 offered works that made this a banner year for diverse excellence.
1. "Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet," Pillsbury House Theatre and the Mount Curve Company: Director Marion McClinton concluded playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney's landmark Brother/Sister trilogy with a sublime production of "Marcus," the coming-of-age story of a gay teen in the Louisiana bayou. Nathan Barlow led the superb cast, which included James A. Williams, Thomasina Petrus, Aimee K. Bryant, Jamila Anderson, Darius Dotch, Mikell Sapp, Joy Dolo and the rangy Lauren Davis.
2. "Passing Strange," Mixed Blood Theatre: Barlow also was front and center of another coming-of-age story, Stu's musical about finding himself as an American in Europe. Thomas Jones II's production also boasted memorable performances by Jamecia Bennett and Anthony Manough as the guitar-thumping narrator.
3. "The Room Nobody Knows," Walker Art Center: Kuro Tanino's "Room" was an indelible highlight from Walker's Out There series. The show offered a captivating cavalcade of surrealist metaphors, Dali-esque images and Freudian allusions as it plumbed sibling rivalry.
4. "The Gershwins' Porgy & Bess," Ordway Center: Director Diane Paulus' update of the classic opera/musical was like a Jacob Lawrence painting come to life, with splashes of folk life and brilliant performances. Headlined by Nathaniel Stampley and Alicia Hall Moran, the production harmonized different styles of song and dance (Ronald K. Brown choreographed) to make the show captivating.
5. "Rose," Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company: Under director Hayley Finn's subtle direction, Sally Wingert was spellbinding in Martin Sherman's solo show about a grandmother with a powerful story of trauma and survival.
6. "Seedfolks," Children's Theatre Company: Solo shows were plentiful this year, and few had the showcase power of "Seedfolks," in which Sonja Parks played a dozen or so characters in a poor neighborhood. Directed sensitively by Peter Brosius, Parks found the authentic voices of people from every continent in a show about gardening and healing.
7. "The Ballad of Emmett Till," Penumbra Theatre: With his jazzy staging, director Talvin Wilks amplified the lyrical rhythms of Ifa Bayeza's achingly poetic play about the catalytic 1955 lynching of a 14-year-old Chicago boy in Mississippi. The excellent ensemble included Shá Cage, Greta Oglesby, H. Adam Harris, Darrick Mosley, Mikell Sapp and T. Mychael Rambo.
