The Love (Show)boat promises something for everyone

WHAT: “Triumph of Love” by Pierre Marivaux
WHEN: June 18 – August 28
WHERE: The Minnesota Centennial Showboat, 330 21st Ave. S.

Sitting quietly on St. Paul’s riverfront, the Centennial Showboat houses an illustrious 225-seat theater that has for more than five decades attracted a disparate audience that includes families, senior citizens and students.
Now in its 52nd year, the University of Minnesota Centennial Showboat Theater is ready to officially kick off its summer this Friday with the premiere of Pierre Marivaux’s 17th-century comedy, “Triumph of Love.”
Besides taking place aboard a boat, what’s perhaps the most unique thing about the Centennial Showboat is that it’s a student-run operation that allows aspiring actors from the University of Minnesota’s theater department to participate in an intensive 10-week production.
“It’s basically a full-time job. There are eight shows a week, so we don’t get much time do much else,” said third-year acting major Alex Brightwell.
The showboat has been running strong since its first season in 1958, when performances took place on a refurbished military workhorse. The original boat was destroyed in a welding fire in 2000 and has since been replicated.
This year’s play is based on James Magruder’s adaptation of “Triumph of Love,” and follows the disenchanted Spartan princess Leonide (Breana Jarvis ), who is on a mission to return her crown to its respected owner — the young, bespectacled scholar Agis (Alex Brightwell). But Agis is raised to distrust women and the princess is forced to disguise herself as a man in order to win his trust.
What ensues is an eccentric tale that delivers accomplished performances and cutesy ragtime jingles that echo the spirit of early twentieth century vaudeville theater.
At the helm is widely respected Twin Cities-based director Peter Rothstein, who is known for his contributions to the Guthrie Theater as well as being the co-founder and artistic director of Theater Latté Da.
“It’s a unique experience to work with him,” said theater graduate Dustin Bronson . “He went from a bunch of union actors to baby-faced students.”
“Triumph of Love” is premiering Friday night and will be running until the end of August. For the audience, it’s a chance to bask in University theatrical tradition; for the actors, it’s a pretty damn good summer job.
“We get this opportunity to do this fun play and sing and dance all summer, as opposed to my friends who are all, like, working at restaurants and what not,” Brightwell said.