Bonnie Prince Charlie

Bonnie Prince Charlie returns to England to reclaim his throne. Music and mayhem, love and death, desparate English women and Scotsmen in kilts. Who suffers for one man's plan to rule?

WHAT IS RIGHT, AND WHAT IS WRONG, BY THE LAW, BY THE LAW?
A SHORT SWORD AND A LONG,
A WEAK ARM AND A STRONG, FOR TO DRAW, FOR TO DRAW!

YE JACOBITES BY NAME, LEND AN EAR, LEND AN EAR!
YE JACOBITES BY NAME, YOUR GLORY I PROCLAIM,
WE'LL SET THE WORLD AFLAME - YE SHALL HEAR, YE SHALL HEAR!

War impacts all of us. Bonnie Prince Charlie is about individuals and war; how it affects men and women on a fundamental level. History is often the story of people who took arms against others, and these conflicts continue to change the lives of those directly involved and all those who care about them.

NED - (Downstage, Aside to PEGGY.) Seeing Keith and Purity married only reminds me more that there is no lass waiting for me. No lass to fight for. To live for. (He embraces her, pulling her close.) I would e'en marry ye and tonight. My offer stands.
PEGGY - (Smiling.) Is that all that stands, Captain?

The cast

Danielle Bronshteyn
Role: Rhianonn
DaniB is very happy to get to try to stab the director without getting in trouble for it. Before this show, DaniB has appeared in a variety of plays including The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Narnia, and Anne of Green Gables. She most recently appeared as Jasmine in Aladdin through Youth Theatre Workshop. Besides her onstage endeavours, she has also run spotlights, a soundboard, and many things backstage. She also wrote and assistant directed a one-act called The Test which appeared at Elk River high school in January.

Nancy Covington
Role: Mother Mac
After Thoroughly Modern Millie, Nancy is darn glad she doesn't have to dance in this show! Favorite roles in other shows are Evangeline Harcourt in 'Anything Goes', Ethyl Thayer in 'One Golden Pond' and Old Sally in 'Oliver!' She is thrilled to be a part of 'Charlie,' and wants to thank Minrod for casting her, and her husband, Dennis for supporting her hobby, and putting up with yet another theater adventure.

Bob Danielson
Role: Captain Ned
Bob likes to build stuff. As Bob the builder he has accumulated many cool tools with which to practice his trade on sets from Theatre in the Round to Cross Players to Morris Park. Bob likes being onstage too and has enjoyed this show because it finally gave him a reason to go buy himself a kilt.

Corey de Danann
Role: Peggy
Corey has appeared on stages all over the city, including TRP and others. She was in the last Minrod Fringe show and helped make babies fly.

Greg de Danann
Role: Priest
Greg has the panda part in this show. He eats shoots and leaves.

Mitch Dillon
Role: Keith
Mitch likes to play guitar and hang around Rachel a lot.

David Gamache
Role: Greg and Others
David wouldn't let Minrod write his bio this time.

Minrod Mier
Role: Frasier
Minrod is back with his fifth original Fringe Production after "Free Falling," "The Bitter Festie Play," "Sally Steps Out," and "Heart of the Faerie Queen." He's written several other plays and has directed shows (mostly musicals) here and there around the twin cities for the past 100 years. In the late fall he will be directing his original show "The Skid Row Kids Save Christmas" at Morris Park Players in South Minneapolis. Every other year he says this will be his last Fringe show, and then somewhere during the off year he forgets...

Rachel Miller
Role: Purity
Rachel is great for this part. Especially the screaming.

Rose Osterbauer
Role: Emma
Another show, another innkeeper/mother figure.

Tony Price
Role: Finlay
Tony has never played a homicidal maniac before, yet everyone says - "Yep, I can see that." and Tony just shakes his head, preferring to see himself as the comic relief such as Eugene in Grease, and the cross dressing Francis Flute (aka Thisby) in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. He wants to thank his sister Nicki for all her help and support!

Emily Roehl
Role: Shawna
This is Emily's last appearance onstage in Minnesota for a while, so you better enjoy it! She's heading for California home of swimming pools and Movie stars.

Bradley Scarp
Role: Sean
Brad is a master of voices and stuff like that there. He recently played the Genie in Aladdin in Elk River where they painted him until he was blue in the face - and everywhere else.

Jennifer Schmidt
Role: Trudy
Jennifer has been in lots of shows. But got to keep her dress on in the rest of them. She's glad her parents aren't seeing this one, and hoping Tony doesn't end up with a black eye in the shape of her boyfriend's fist.

Mike Wadlund
Role: Stewart
Mike has been in over ten productions in the Twin Cities since 2004. He is overjoyed to work with so many talented singers and actors in this production. This is his first time playing royalty and his second time this year playing a Charlie. Past roles include: Luscious Charlie in Pirates of the Great Lakes, Dr. Jim Bayliss in All My Sons, Stony Stevenson in Between Time and Timbuktu, and 7 of Spades in Wonderland. He dedicates this performance to his father, who is happy that Mike finally did a play with some history stuff in it.

Showtimes

Fri., Aug. 1 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 2 @ 8:30 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 3 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 9 @ 4:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 10 @ 7:00 p.m.

Show details

Venue: Theatre de la Jeune Lune

Duration: 60 minutes

For ages 10+

Written by Minrod Mier

Genres: Musical theatre, Drama

Warnings: Violence

Overall rating

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User reviews

Energy Galore
by Glen Stone Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The show started off with a bang, and never slowed. Excellent original script, with music very tastefully placed. I had heard this was a musical. I beg to argue that it simply was a form of expression for the characters in this time and culture. Well cast, especially for the huge size in a fringe production! Great choreography, the scenes flowed together. I got a good history lesson while being fully entertained. Big hand for the whole production team. Well done!

A wonderful surprise
by Sharon Kahn Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Wow! This show was a real surprise - possibly the best show of the Fringe for me (and I've seen 25 shows)! Bonnie Prince Charlie is problematic as an iconic hero. On the one hand, he's a great romantic figure: the young prince coming back over the water from exile to reclaim his throne, the kilts, the bagpipes. And all those great songs ("Charley is my darlin', my darlin', my darlin'...."). Unfortunately, that whole losing the war thing kind of casts a pall over the story. And not only losing, but dragging his countrymen into an epic bloodbath. So Charlie never gets bombastic Braveheart type movies where good triumphs over evil. Instead he gets fascinating, subtle, brilliant little plays like this one. It's a story of war told largely from the point of view of the women in a small English inn. But that doesn't mean that the men are dismissed or demonized or the women sanctified. It's about a group of very distinct individuals and the way they are affected by war and the way their own actions and choices affect the world. And then there's the music, which is integrated so seamlessly into the play that it doesn't seem accurate to call it a "musical." Soldiers sing boisterously (and slightly out of key) as they carouse in the tavern, minstrels perform liltingly for the soldiers, everybody takes a break from war to celebrate a quick wedding, and so on. I wanted to see this play for the traditional Scots music (which did not disappoint) but there turned out to be much more to this play than the music.

whoa!
by Ashley Quynn Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Wow! This was an extremely intense show.I went in not really knowing what to expect. The cast naration at the end was the perfect way to close the show while still leaving the audience with the decision of what they wanted to think. The rest.....I was left completely speachless.

Aside from my brother's rape scene...
by Michelle Price Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
First of all, I really don't understand all the emphasis on the singing. There was only one woman who was characterized as a good singer, so I don't see any reason to set higher expectations for the others. The songs were all appropriate for the scenes they were in and didn't hinder my judgment of the show whatsoever. The acting was incredible aside from some inconsistencies with the accents and each of the characters' individual stories and the emotions they evoked were very realistic. Everyone involved with the show should be very proud of themselves for the performance they gave. Good job Minrod!! =)

Awesome
by Steve Rastall Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Great show. Great acting. Passable British accents.

Shouldn't be a musical
by Mistress Mary Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I really, really wanted to like this one, if nothing else than as kudos for bringing Scotch history to the stage. This probably would have been more successful as a non-musical, as the less than perfect singing really distracts from the story, which is a compelling bit of history.

Compelling
by Debra Hannu Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Fifty minutes and an extraordinarily simple set placed the responsibility for this message squarely on the actors - and they delivered. I was placed directly in the middle of several lives struggling to embrace the passion of life amidst the passion of war; one couldn't help but draw parallels to our own time. Patriotism? God and country? Terrorism? What is "worth" fighting for? I did not find the vocals at all problematic; they seemed as honest as the spirit in which many of the historic lyrics were originally created; when we expressed our own sentiments rather than relying on Hallmark and ITunes. It was not the type of musical where the actors take a break from the action, turn to the audience and break into choreographed song, and thank goodness for that! The show took me from seeing the big picture and historic context, to focusing on individuals' most personal concerns, and back again in a most engaging way; without missing a beat! Well worth seeing!

Amazing!!
by Nicki Price Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
The story was great and the acting was amazing. Interesting characters and unexpected plot turns made this show worth seeing. The songs were enjoyable and I liked the history of it.

Mediocre
by Jennifer Tworzyanski Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
The premise of the show is intriguing, the musical choices are good, and the script is decent. However the performances, both musical and theatrical, are mediocre causing a loss of interest and sympathy with the plight of the characters. I felt a sense of relief when the show was over.

Amazing show of Amazingness
by Bouncy Trousers Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
well, despite other people focusing on all the negatives, such as, not perfect singing, i am going to focus on the positives. i liked Finaly. he was awesome TOny (tom) PRice was excellent. as were all the other actors and actresses. it had just enough humor with just enough violence. i very much enjoyed seeing this play.

Extraordinarily Magnificent
by Mikel Cog Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Extraordinarily Magnificent ( a review in Don King's voice):

Historical underpinnings, and dramatically uncanny. Wonderfully transcribed and transacted characters personificated by masterful thespians. Melodious and euphonious singing of frolicking folk songs, and multitudinous murder. It is the greatest Bonnie Prince Charlie play that has ever been, that will ever be!

Historical gem
by Skye Smith Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This play took me by surprise. At any moment it seemed to about fall into melodramatic overkill. I think it avoided that tendency wonderfully. The entire troupe just wowed us--an exuberant, dedicated, intensely committed cast! Wonderfully done! --Skye Smith

Ragged Tartan
by Rick Treece Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Valid premise, cast well-prepared, uneven acting, musically disappointing. Worth seeing if only for Tom Price's performance. As Helen Kivnick noted, one or two of the men couldn't match pitch consistently, but the music is Scottish, so I just viewed the errant bass-line as a kind of bagpipe drone. And drinking songs shouldn't be musically clean anyway. As to the work, I thought the scenes were well-written and worked dramatically, but the whole thing put together didn't gel. At the end, I didn't know what I was supposed to feel about the characters: admiration? pity? scorn? History should strive to be neutral, but theater should have a viewpoint.

Scotland Lover!
by Eric Herr Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I went to this show because I am in love with Scotland. I basically agree with the first reviewer. The history of the show was incredible. The story engaging and the actors, for the most part, nicely portrayed their characters (especially, the leading players.)

My critique comes with the singing. I wanted to just disappear into these wonderful songs, but the off-key singing just didn't allow that to happen. The ladies were the exception...beautiful singing. One thing I felt missing from the entire production...bagpipes! This is, after all, a musical set in Scotland!

Frayed passion
by Peter Erickson Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
The story of Bonnie Prince Charlie--a history lesson really, told by a set of passionate Scots, or at least convincingly so. If you love the Celtic world, song, and all, this may well work for you. If not, the drama may not be enough. Also, a harpist or piper would have greatly helped the vocal pitches.

History, Lassies and Men in Kilts
by Kristi Bruno Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
All's fair in love and war. This play has it all. Raucous Scot soldiers, a young couple in love, traditional songs, and a history lesson to boot... with a cast and script that pulls it together for an engaging hour of entertainment. I'd have given it 4-1/2 kitties if I could, losing a half-point only for a few performers who needed to work on their accents. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't have a problem with some of the off-key group numbers - I felt that it was more true to soldiers singing in a pub - and the numbers with featured singers really shone through. I'd love to see this expanded to a full-length play. Well done!

Hold on to your seat for this one!
by Steve Hirsch Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Intense - right from the beginning this show grabs your attention and never lets it go. You are pulled into the story right from the beginning. Every once and awhile you are given a little comic relief and I enjoyed some of the twists and turns in the story plot. Very good acting from every one and a very good hour of entertainment. A job well done.

Lots o' Scots
by Helen Kivnick Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I wanted to love this show. And some aspects of it I did. It packed a lot of Scots history into 50 minutes. And it was quite effective in illustrating, in the playwrite's words, that "War isn't pretty, clean or kind," and that it "...sows seeds for its own continued propagation." But this is a play structured around wonderful songs from a people known for their rich, lusty, and true singing. Reasonable expectations include: 1)The men on stage, as well as the women, should be able to hold a melody in one key all the way through a song. 2) The ensemble -- vocal and instrumental -- should all be in the same rhythm at the same time. 3) Individual players who can't sing on pitch shouldn't sing audibly in a small ensemble on stage. 4) Strong, true unison almost always sounds better than off-key harmony. I wanted to enjoy each of these familiar songs, not cringe or feel my throat straining to pull the singers back in tune.

>4 kitties for history;
>4 kitties for using history and nationalism to encourage contemporary thinking about war;
>5 kitties for structuring a show around wonderful traditional singing I almost never hear in the Twin Cities;
>1/2 kitty for the performance of the vocal ensemble.

Maybe they had first-night jitters. Maybe they just need one more great singing rehearsal. Maybe they need Scots ringers in the audience.

outstanding
by bruce wadlund Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
cast was dynamic and had great chemistry! Fabulous singing and just enough romance. Excellent story line and the cast pulled you in with them. MUST SEE.

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