After injuries force cancellation of ‘Scotland, PA’ at the Ritz Theater, producers plan extra performances

Did someone say the M-word, Macbeth, inside the Ritz Theater?

For “Scotland, PA,” the musical based on Shakespeare’s tragedy that’s running at the Minneapolis playhouse, has had a run of bad luck. Just before the new season opening, a principal in the cast was replaced. And now Theater Latté Da, which owns the Ritz and is producing “Scotland,” had to cancel performances because of injuries to two separate cast members on different days.

Shows for Saturday and Sunday were scotched.

Citing privacy reasons, Latté Da officials declined to say which actors were sidelined. They also would not talk about the severity of the injuries but confirmed that they occurred during performances.

“We’re working with our suite of understudies and expect the show to go as scheduled on Wednesday,” said marketing and communications director Brittany Wallman.

She added that the company also is considering adding a week of performances to make up for the cancellations. The energetic rock musical by composer Adam Gwon and book writer Michael Mitnick was originally scheduled to end its run Oct. 20. That closing date will now be Oct. 27.

In the musical, Will Dusek and Katherine Fried play a dreamy couple who work at a small town eatery in 1975. They want to own their own restaurant, and take drastic steps to put their dreams in motion.

Adapted from Billy Morrissette’s 2001 film of the same name, the musical is named in a nod to the superstition around “Macbeth,” which theater people refer to as “the Scottish play.”

Wallman joked that theater officials will be talking with everyone at the Ritz to not mention the M-word anywhere near or inside the playhouse.

“Fingers crossed, this is the end of the injuries,” Wallman said, adding that additional dates will go on sale Wednesday at noon.