Sidekick Theatre opens its season with the Twin Cities debut of Dancing Lessons, a celebrated play by Mark St. Germain at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center in Bloomington. The play is running now with final performances November 2, 3, 5 and 6.
A wonderful combination of comedy and drama, Dancing Lessons tells the story of a geoscience professor and a professional dancer who live separate, solitary lives in the same New York City apartment building. Impaired with an injury that threatens her career and identity, Senga is surprised when her socially awkward neighbor, Ever, knocks on her door in desperate need of dancing lessons. He is determined, and offers to pay an exorbitant fee. These two mismatched souls engage in a series of funny and poignant dance lessons that quickly lead both out of their comfort zones. That Ever lives with autism only enriches the story as we are given more reason to champion him and in the process are better for it.
“Dancing Lessons is the perfect play for this moment in time,” says director Tim Stolz, “and a delightful antidote to the feeling of isolation many have experienced during COVID. It’s about two people who have been living remote lives to learning how to connect with each other in ways that are surprising. Charming, touching, funny and life-affirming, you’ll find yourselves laughing and moved – often in the same moment in this tender-hearted sweet comedy.”