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Are the golden years of socially engaged art behind us?

A 1970 drawing by University of Minnesota faculty member Herman Somberg (from the collection of the Minnesota Historical Society).

It is simply amazing to me that in the most hippie neighborhood in Minneapolis—nay, Minnesota—there is not one single cooperative grocery store. I’m speaking, of course, of the Powderhorn neighborhood, home of In the Heart of the Beast’s MayDay Parade, the May Day Café, rain gardens galore, and impromptu backyard music festivals and puppet shows. While the Seward Co-Op isn’t too far away, it just feels wrong that there isn’t a co-op in the neighborhood proper.

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THEATER REVIEW | Yellow Tree Theatre's "Circle Mirror Transformation": A beautiful reflection on theater workshops

Photo courtesy of Yellow Tree Theatre

It’s true that some people love touchy-feely theater workshops more than actually performing. They engage in creative self-exploration by participating in theater games, improvisational exercises, self-revelatory monologues and other activities. But what if the workshop participants found themselves trapped within a reflection of a reflection? What if they find they don’t want to get out?

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What's behind the new MJTC play, Compulsion or the House Behind?

Mark Benninghofen as Sid Silver with Anne Frank marionette. (Photo by Sarah Whiting)

It’s rare for Jews — even children — not to know the story of Anne Frank. Her diary has been in continuous print for decades. Its movie version is easily viewed via Netflix or any number of video services. The play on which the movie is based is regularly staged; in fact, it is playing at St. Paul’s Park Square Theatre through March 22.

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Gremlin Theatre will move this summer

The Gremlin Theatre is moving at the end of July. Citing changes in ownership and developmental plans for the building at 2400 University Ave. that has housed the company for the last five years, artistic director Peter Christian Hansen says the time has come to look for new quarters.

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THEATER REVIEW | Theatre Unbound's "Girl Shorts": Great scripts, strange production

Photo credit Richard Fleischman

I'm torn. Theatre Unbound's new evening of one-act plays, Girl Shorts, is a great, and eclectic, collection of little-seen shorter works, many by name authors—a hilarious parody of Medea by Wendy Wasserstein and Christopher Durang (directed by Alexandra Gould), the goofy duo in Lost by Mary Louise Wilson (directed by Cheryl Moore Brinkley), the offbeat new work Within by Anne Bertram and Heather C. Brady (also directed by Brady), the bracing script The Judge's Wife by Caryl Churchill (directed by Maggie Scanlan), and the warmhearted short The Obligatory Scene by Carolyn Gage (directed by Crystal G. Schneider). I also thoroughly enjoyed the work of the ensemble, populated by a host of Theatre Unbound regulars—Delta Rae Giordano, Alexandra Gould, Kari Kelly, Stacey Poirier, Victoria Pyan, Noe Tallen, and Laura Wiebers all do double duty in more than one short; they're joined by Charla Marie Bailey, Shannon Buchda, Viv Corringham, Meredith Gillies, Stephen Houtz, Jen Johnsen, Tyler D. Martin, Tyler Stamm, July Vang, and Lacey Zeiler. The scripts themselves and the acting work were quite entertaining. But on the whole, the evening felt almost under-produced. 

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THEATER REVIEW | Savage Umbrella's "Emma Woodhouse is Not a Bitch": Time and money well spent

Photo credit Stacy Schwartz - Staciaann Photography

There's a friend with whom I try not to talk about my day jobs. Every time it comes up that I'm holding down both a full-time job and another part-time job, the friend inevitably asks, "How much longer are you going to have to do that?" The friend means well. But honestly, sometimes it's all I can do not to say, "Well, you've got a partner with a second income helping support your household. So until I get myself a rich husband, or at least a gainfully employed boyfriend who wants to play house, I'm pretty much on my own to pay the bills. That's how long." Life's expensive. Money is a touchy subject. If you're not making enough money, then you're viewed as not working hard enough, or you're letting yourself be undervalued by others (both notions being, hopefully, bullsh*t, but there are days I wonder). Money shouldn't be the measure of people. But people are human. And money matters.

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THEATER REVIEW | "Ring of Fire: The Life and Music of Johnny Cash" honors the legend at the Plymouth Playhouse

Photo courtesy Plymouth Playhouse

Plymouth Playhouse is currently showcasing the life and music of Johnny Cash in a Broadway show–Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash

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THEATER REVIEW | Brave New Workshop's "Babe Lincoln and the Vajazzled Badge of Courage" falls flat

Photo courtesy Brave New Workshop

Babe Lincoln and the Vajazzled Badge of Courage opened February 1 at the Brave New Workshop. The talented duo of Lauren Anderson and Katy McEwen wrote, directed and performed in this two-woman review. The title conjures images of Abe Lincoln (the skit with President Lincoln lasts for only a few minutes), but the show is actually targeted as a “girls night out,” but has humor that works for both genders. Although the show has definite high points, it is not up to the usual Workshop standards. 

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Black History Month onstage: Eight shows to see at Twin Cities theaters

Ruby! Photo courtesy SteppingStone Theatre.

February is Black History Month, and several local theater companies are presenting productions featuring African-American themes. Are any shows missing from this list? Leave a comment and let us know!

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THEATER REVIEW | Transatlantic Love Affair's "Red Resurrected": A miraculous thing

Adelin Phelps and the Red Resurrected ensemble

Finding words to adequately describe a new production from Ivey Award-winning theater company Transatlantic Love Affair without repeating myself is starting to get mighty difficult. Thankfully there's a line from their current production, an expanded remount of their Minnesota Fringe Festival hit Red Resurrected, that describes it best:

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