It is the character who is willing to bare it all, to risk going against the norms of society, who has the best chance of a happy ending. Summary of what I observed from watching "The Primrose Path" at The Guthrie Theater, and from the discussion with the actors after the show.

"Anything Goes" is a sweet escape on a luxury liner of music, dance, and romance. This classic musical by Cole Porter, is playing at The Ordway in St. Paul, May 7-12, 2013. The pure theatrical delight of "Anything Goes", particularly it's title number, are the talk of the town (state, and every stop along the tour). Imagine, the gorgeous actors singing and tap-dancing to this classic song to a packed house night after night and receiving thunderous applause. They are stunning, the acting superb, every detail glimmers of classic musical theatre. What a treat to see this show.

"The unwritten rules run the deepest," says Mr. Rickey in "Jackie and Me", a play about breaking the color barriers in 1947 when Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers, based on the book by Dan Gutman, adapted for the stage by Steven Dietz, and directed by Marion McClinton, playing through April 14, 2013 at The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN.

Yellow Fever by R.A. Shiomi is a detective mystery set in Vancouver, Canada in the early 1970's. It has all the elements of a great film noir style detective show. Private Detective Sam Shikaze is called upon to help solve the disappearance of Miss Lilly from the annual Cherry Blossom festival. The characters are lively and colorful and all work smootly to carry the plot along. Soulful jazz slides us from scene to scene as Detective Shikaze narrates the story, and the supporting cast brings the actions and emotions to life.

"Buzzer" written by Tracey Scott Wilson and directed by Marion McClinton is a Pillsbury House production currently playing at the Dowling Studio at The Guthrie Theater. "Buzzer" is a contemporary play set in urban America. It has mature themes and adult language and pulls you in from the opening sentence. The characters feel like people you already know and as you're watching, you feel like you are inside the apartment ready to join in on the conversation. I give the director, Marion McClinton, credit for how well the characters interact with each other and the audience.

"The Biggest Little House in the Forest" is a puppet show that invites in even the youngest theatre fans. From babies to Grandparents, the show delights kids of all ages. When you enter the theatre, you are given the chance to wear sock puppets on your feet and slide on into the performance. Autumn Ness keeps the energy and story alive as she tells the tale of Bernice the Butterfly and how she welcomes all her new friends into her home.

"A Christmas Carol" has been a tradition at The Guthrie Theater for 38 years. I wonder if anyone out there has attended a performance every year? Are there people who work for the Guthrie who have been part of every production? I know that some of the actors have been in several productions. This year, J.C. Cutler is again playing Ebenezer Scrooge. I think he's fantastic.

Attending holiday performances is becoming part of my family's tradition. To read more of my review and see photos of the production, go to my writer's blog, Play off the Page, www.maryaalgaard.blogspot.com.

I would like to thank Michelle Woster for inviting me to view and review "Measure for Measure", by Ten Thousand Things Theater. They are a theater company that takes the show on the road, performing at prisons, shelters, housing projects, remote rural locations, and accessible venues. (They have hopes of coming to the Brainerd area next year.) They keep the set and props simple and representative, making it easy to set up their "stage" wherever they go. We walked into the performance space at The Open Book, downtown Minneapolis, where the chairs were set for theater in the round.

"Buccaneers" has all the elements of a great show for older elementary students through adults. It does have some scary images that might be disturbing for younger kids. I heard one mother say that her preschooler wanted to leave after the opening scenes on board the ship. The captain looks and sounds scary and he doles out some harsh punishments. The boys who attended the show with me, ages 11 & 13, loved the show. They thought it was exciting, said it was, "Awesome," and were really engaged with the show.

"Time Stands Still" opens with photo journalist Sarah Goodwin struggling to re-enter her home in Brooklyn, physically and emotionally. She has been injured in Iraq by a roadside bomb. Her partner, James Dodd, is trying to help her while dealing with his own emotional wounds and guilt of not being with her when she was nearly killed. Sarah is a renowned photo journalist. Her photos bring to light the atrocities that happen around the world, most of them inside war zones. She says that when she looks through the lens of her camera time stands still.