If you haven't been to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre in Chanhassen, Minnesota (a suburb of Minneapolis), you're missing out. Let me start by giving you a brief overview of what the Chanhassen is and what to expect.
The Chanhassen Dinner Theatre puts on musical theater and cabaret shows for most of the year, as well as doing things like musical theater camp for kids and concert series.
When you buy a ticket for the performance, you have a seat at a table (or booth) of your choice. The day of the performance, you arrive an hour or two before the show begins so that you can eat your meal. The menu has a phenomenal array of choices, including vegetarian and vegan options. You wait for your food to come out, eat it, enjoy its deliciousness and then settle back and wait for the show to begin.
It's the best of both worlds: you get great food and an even better show.
This year, the Chanhassen's major production is a musical theater adaptation of "Grease." I am a HUGE fan of the 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, so when I heard about it, I knew I had to snag tickets. I was not disappointed.
The actors who perform at the Chanhassen are all incredibly talented. They can sing, dance and keep the audience entertained the entire time. The costume changes are quick, yet the costumes remain glam and perfectly tailored. The set changes--done in pitch blackness between takes--are seamless.
Initially, I was blown away by their voices in the opening song, but it only got better. Their renditions of classics like "You're The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights" sounded so much like the film's soundtrack that I forgot I was at the theatre.
Each actor remained in character the entire way through, making any character on stage fun to watch, even if they were just standing in the background.
I personally loved the characters Danny, Frenchie and Teen Angel in the Chanhassen's production. Frenchie's character was a spitting image of the film version, and Danny was a triple threat: strong, sexy and talented.
Teen Angel's voice made my jaw drop; his vocal range made him an instant hit with the audience, even though he only made two brief appearances. I found myself wondering throughout, How are these people not on Broadway?
I cannot recommend this show enough. The tickets are a little pricey for a casual night out with friends (my individual ticket ran 80 dollars) but worth the investment. It's not just a show, it's an experience.
Productions from the Chanhassen always remind me: Nothing beats live theater. I'm amazed by the cast's effervescent energy and excitement, even though they've performed the show dozens of times by this point in the season. If this sounds like your idea of a fun time, get yourself a ticket here before the show closes on October 28th. You won't regret it.