Review: History Theatre’s ‘Rollicking’ is tuneful but scattershot

History Theatre's latest production, 'Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical,' has finally arrived after nearly five decades of chronicling Minnesota's stories on stage. The show's premise revolves around the 139-year-old St. Paul Winter Carnival, a festival born out of a desperate need to boost tourism during the state's harshest months. Despite this rich history, the musical meanders, juggling an array of carnival-related subjects without ever finding its footing.

The narrative is as disjointed as it is confusing, with various plot threads and characters struggling to come together. Playwright Rachel Teagle attempts to tie everything together with a convoluted storyline centered around early 20th-century architect Cap Wigington's design of the 1937 ice palace. However, the script veers wildly off course, leaving audiences perplexed.

One saving grace lies in composer Keith Hovis' talented songwriting. With 18 disparate tracks that span various styles, from upbeat pop to vintage Vaudeville numbers and belters reminiscent of Adele, 'Rollicking!' shines as a carnival-flavored musical revue. The catchy choreography by Joey Miller adds an extra layer of energy.

The cast delivers a commendable performance, with standout roles for Benjamin Dutcher and Randy Schmeling as the two main spokesmen in the ice vs. fire debate. Adrienne Zimiga-January brings a delightful balance between clownishness and dignity to her characters. Roland Hawkins II and Erin Nicole Farste give powerful voice to Cap Wigington's quest.

Despite its talented ensemble, 'Rollicking!' succumbs to its own excess of material, overwhelming the audience with too much history in a two-and-a-half-hour show. The result is an unfocused carnival collage that fails to deliver a coherent narrative or satisfying conclusion.

For fans of the Winter Carnival, this production might provide some entertainment through trivia night-worthy facts and fun musical numbers. However, those seeking a cohesive story will likely leave unsatisfied. With its talented cast and catchy music, 'Rollicking!' is an enjoyable but ultimately disjointed theatrical experience.

I was kinda disappointed with this latest production from History Theatre - it felt like they were trying to cram too much history into this 2.5 hour show . Don't get me wrong, the cast was great and the music was catchy, especially that awesome vintage Vaudeville vibe . But overall, I think the story got lost in all the different plot threads and historical tidbits . It's like they were trying to fit 139 years of Minnesota history into one show and it just didn't work out . As a fan of musical theatre, I love seeing talented performers bring a story to life, but this one felt more like a fun fact-filled revue than a cohesive narrative-driven show . Still, if you're a Winter Carnival superfan or just looking for something entertaining with a few great songs, 'Rollicking!' might be worth checking out .

I mean I'm all for embracing our crazy winters in Minnesota , but this musical just felt like too much info crammed into 2.5 hours of showtime... I was literally having to refresh my notes on the Winter Carnival history halfway through lol. But hey, that catchy choreo and some amazing tunes kept me from totally checking out! The cast did a great job with their roles, esp those two guys who played the ice vs fire debate ... and Adrienne's energy was infectious . Maybe if they'd focused on one storyline instead of trying to cram everything in?

I just saw this new play about the St Paul Winter Carnival and I gotta say, it's like they tried to cram too many fun facts into one show The music was on point though, Keith Hovis' songwriting is fire I loved the catchy choreo by Joey Miller, it added so much energy to the whole thing But honestly, the storyline was all over the place like a snowstorm in Minnesota . They had some great characters and performances, but it felt like they didn't know where the show was going Still, if you're into Winter Carnival history or just wanna see some fun musical numbers, I guess it's worth checking out

I just saw the new History Theatre production "Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical" and honestly, I'm still trying to figure out what happened on stage . The musical had so much potential with all those fun carnival-themed songs but the storyline was super messy . It felt like they were trying to cram too many cool facts about the Winter Carnival into one show . As a Minnesotan myself, I loved learning new tidbits about my state's history, but it wasn't enough to save the whole production from feeling disjointed. The cast was super talented tho! Benjamin Dutcher and Randy Schmeling stole the show for me . Maybe if they had trimmed down the script a bit, it would've been a real winner?

omg this new play is like so meh i mean its got all these cool facts about the winter carnival and some awesome songs but like the storyline is whack they cant even tie everything together rachel teagle shoulda stuck to a simpler plot and whats up with cap wigington's character being in 2 different eras at once? anyways the cast is def on point especially benjamin dutcher & randy schmeling lol @ those 2 guys

It's like they took every cool fact about the Winter Carnival and mashed them all together into a show But sometimes that just doesn't work out... The music is awesome tho! I mean, who wouldn't want to hear Adele-inspired numbers in a musical about ice palaces? The cast is talented, no doubt, but with so many plot threads and characters it's hard to keep up. It's like they were trying to fit too much into the show . For fans of Winter Carnival history, this might be entertaining, but for those looking for a story, it's just meh... I guess you could say it's a bit of a "mashup"

I GOING TO SAY THAT THIS PRODUCTION IS LIKE TRYING TO JUGGLE TOO MANY BALLS AT ONCE - IT'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT STUFF BUT CAN'T SEEM TO GET INTO A RHYTHM! THE MUSIC IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, THOUGH AND SOME OF THE CHOREOGRAPHY IS SO COOL! BUT THE STORYLINE IS LIKE TRYING TO SOLVE A PUZZLE WITH TOO MANY MISSING PIECES . I THINK THE CAST DID AN AMAZING JOB, ESPECIALLY BENJAMIN DUTCHER AND RANDY SCHMELING - THEY KILLED IT ON STAGE!

man that musical sounds like it's got some great vibes but also kinda meh storyline you feel? the songwriting tho is on point! keith hovis must be a genius i mean who doesn't love adele-esque numbers? and benjamin dutcher and randy schmeling are my new favorite duo they got some serious chemistry going on. but yeah, too much info overload for this two-and-a-half hour ride maybe they could've trimmed it down a bit more? still, the energy from the choreo is infectious

I gotta say, I was pretty excited to see this production of the Winter Carnival Musical after hearing it had been in the works for so long ...but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The show's got some great songs and a talented cast - I mean, who doesn't love a good belter or some upbeat pop numbers? But when it comes to the actual story, it just feels like too much info crammed into one runtime. It's like trying to drink from a firehose, you know? The plot threads are all over the place and it's hard to keep track of what's going on.

I think the real star of the show is actually the music - Keith Hovis does an amazing job with the songwriting, and the choreography by Joey Miller adds so much energy. But when you strip away the songs and just focus on the narrative, that's where it falls flat. It's like they tried to cram in too many historical facts and anecdotes without tying them all together into a cohesive story.

I think fans of the Winter Carnival might still get some enjoyment out of the show, especially if they're looking for some fun trivia night-worthy facts. But for anyone hoping for a well-rounded narrative or satisfying conclusion, I'd say you might be disappointed . Still, it's not like it was a complete waste of time or anything - the cast does put in some great performances, and there are definitely some standout tracks that will stick with you long after the curtain call