Earlier this year I made a vow to see more live theater. By the last week of 2022, I had only seen one, Cats at the Orpheum Theater. So since I had nothing planned and I wanted to end the year by doing something special. I got tickets to see The Little Prince at the Guthrie Theater. The Little Prince is a book written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and was adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoulluar into a play and musical. The production I saw at the Guthrie was the play version directed by Dominique Serrand, with just a 5-person cast. Having read a few chapters in English, I was vaguely familiar with the story, and between this and seeing A Christmas Carol for the 1500th time in my life, I chose The Little Prince.

The set is that of an airplane hanger, opting for a set that is simple but much more tangible and realistic that the drawing in the book. The lighting throughout the show is stark and used to make the hanger look as dry and barren, transporting the audience picture to the desert. The clothing is simple as well, but very vibrant against the brown and beige set. All of these technical choices work fantastically to put the shows strongest hand front and center, the performances.=

 The two leads, Steven Epp as the Aviator and Reed Northrup as the Little Prince are fantastic in such an oddball way. The Aviator’s childlike imagination is conveyed perfectly in the way Epp speaks, sounding almost like a 5 year old talking the ear off of his parents. Northrup’s performance as the Little Prince was manic yet equally heartbreaking. The 3 person ensemble was also spectacular, emulating the many different topics the book covers in such a hilarious way. 

Lastly, The choreography and little details in between the movements was subtle but added so much. A specific detail I can give is when the two leads are at their lowest moment, the empty water canteen the Aviator is holding has a noticeable swing, reminding me of a clock and time running out for the Aviator and Little Prince. 

The Little Prince simply left me so happy after the curtain call, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. It was sweet, hilarious, and heartbreaking in all the best ways. For my first show at the Guthrie, this was such a great first impression and is one of the best shows I’ve seen. Still showing till February 5th, I urge you to go see it. But if this show has taught me anything it is that all I need to convince you is that this show is worth a million bucks, and you’ll be a richer person for it.