Event Calendar: Things to Do in Minneapolis and St. Paul

TCDP TOP PICK: Out of the Pan Into the Fire, a new fairy tale directed by Dominique Serrand, which opened at the Southern Theater on Friday May 4 and plays until May 26, is a candy shop full of every individual’s favorite treats. The show is born with a bang: a crashing noise like the slamming of a book, followed by the slow lighting of an antiquated filament light bulb, which then rises from a pile of sand like the sun (but it’s actually just on a wire). Steve Epp’s character Angelo is born out of (and occasionally disappears into) his big woolly-looking overcoat. He finds a book and reads to us: “It was in the days when wishing was still of some use… “ Angelo describes his main characters, including himself and his so-called children, Thirteen and Elsie, who both, on different occasions, fell from the sky into the garbage. The rest of the story blends elements, tropes, objects from fairy tales with wishes, fear, a touch of magic (but not too much), and knowledge that follows from experience. - read the complete review by Rene Meyer-Grimberg

TCDP TOP PICK: To "essentialize" a culture in just a few ideas or images can be insulting and even destructive when done from outside the culture—but what if it's done from within? In Obsidian Arts' exhibit Five in Five, photographers representing Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Somalia, and the African-American community present their responses to the challenge of capturing their respective communities in just five photos each. The results are striking, and are sure to inspire discussion among viewers from all cultures. - Jay Gabler

TCDP TOP PICK: Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire has been produced by virtually every major American theater company, but this classic story about a troubled relationship in an unpretty neighborhood of New Orleans is at its best when it's down-low and rough, like its iconic character Stanley Kowalski. Ten Thousand Things' stripped-down take on the play is virtually guaranteed to rivet. - Jay Gabler

TCDP TOP PICK: At the newly-opened Public Functionary gallery in Northeast Minneapolis, DZINE’s Victory is like a brilliant cluster of diamonds, captivating in its gaudiness and gleeful without forgetting its purpose—because the purpose is the foundation and its foundation is the story of an American heritage in a way that is most profound and personal. - read the complete review by Amina Harper

TCDP TOP PICK: Most of the time, whether it is intentional or not, art is an inventory of personal experiences that once you’ve fleshed out into a tangible form you give to the audience to perceive at their own discretion. This fosters a continuation of history, especially when it comes to found objects, as these objects existed before the exhibition and will likely exist well after for others to project further value onto. Abraham Cruzvillegas encourages this inference of value because it gives the work a new life, adding an extra layer of meaning that may not have been there otherwise. It starts a new story, and that story can differ from viewer to viewer. - read the complete review by Amina Harper

TCDP TOP PICK: An entire generation and more have not the first idea about gospel legend and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson, which is reason in and of itself to see the musical biography Mahalia at the Old Log Theater in Excelsior. Taking on the role is Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir artistic director Sandra Robinson Hodges, who has her own solid reputation and impeccable pedigree. It's a choice opportunity to learn about the life of a historic figure and enjoy an evening of rousing entertainment while you're at it.  Runs through May 25. - Dwight Hobbes