What’s happening this week
On the radar: Recess, the multimedia dance night, returns for the third month to the Varsity Theater. Yes, I am friends with the people who run it and yes, I am biased—but if you go and don’t have a good time, I will personally refund the money you paid for this issue of the Twin Cities Daily Planet.
Under the radar: “Latinos in Transition” is the theme of Teatro del Pueblo’s Tenth Annual Political Theatre Festival, opening today at Gremlin Theatre.
On the radar: King Tut himself doesn’t go on tour, but just about everything else having to do with him will be at the Science Museum for several months starting today. It’s like Ed’s Museum, but with Tut instead of Ed.
Under the radar: Local playwright Aditi Kapil has been earning increasing national attention for her funny, subversive, and thoughtful writing. The premiere production of her latest play, Agnes Under the Big Top, opens today at Mixed Blood Theatre.
On the radar: “To name a fashion show,” Becky Lang learned in her years as an arts editor, “just use a violent word, like ‘Guillotine!’ or ‘Paralyze!’ with an exclamation point.” There’s no exclamation point in the title of this year’s University of Minnesota Senior Fashion Show, but there should be. Distortion!
Under the radar: The new album by Tennis? What’s that one? Andy Sturdevant explains: that’s “the one where that attractive couple buys a yacht and sails around the Eastern Seaboard and then makes a record about it (and apparently, don’t feel guilty about it, but that’s just how it goes, as we are in one of those pop epochs right now where it’s OK or even encouraged for rock bands to be, or at least act, rich, like the late 1980s, or the mid-1970s).” The guiltlessly gilted (or at least acting gilted) couple are at the Entry tonight.
On the radar: The Old 97s are one of those perfectly-formed four-piece bands: the pretty-boy frontman (Rhett Miller), the flashy guitarist (Ken Bethea), the personable drummer (Philip Peeples), and the bassist who looks nerdy but is the band’s songwriting secret weapon (Murry Hammond). They’re at First Avenue tonight, and those who care about great American music ought not miss out.
Under the radar: No real man needs an excuse to wear a kilt—but for those of you who do, there’s a Scottish Ramble today at Landmark Center. Rumor has it that Chris Coleman’s going commando.
On the radar: Veteran Oscar contender Randy Newman would be an easy target for jokes if he didn’t have such a damn good sense of humor about himself. He’s at the Guthrie tonight.
Under the radar: Sandbox Theatre describes their Fargo-inspired show, opening tonight at the Bryant-Lake Bowl, as being “a multimedia mix of homage and spectacle,” which makes me think it’s going to be something like Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles show. Cool.
On the radar: Whether or not the music of guitarist Bill Frisell is your cup of tea, you can’t argue with his exquisite technique. Frisell is at the Cedar tonight with longtime collaborator Vinicius Cantuária, a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist.
Under the radar: As part of the Minnesota History Center’s “History of Hip” series, Tom Oszman and Jack Stahlmann of TCMedianow.com will be presenting a series of clips drawn from local newscasts in the 1970s and 80s. There is absolutely no way this can be not awesome.
On the radar: The Wednesday-midnight slot at Nick & Eddie has birthed yet another improvisational noise band: H.U.N.X., who succeeded Marijuana Deathsquads at that gig, are now a full-fledged band who plan to start playing more shows around town. First up: tonight at the Hex.
Under the radar: Laurie Van Wieren’s 9×22 Dance/Lab is a mandatory monthly stop for everyone who cares about new dance in the Twin Cities. This month’s show features new pieces by Nicole Stanton, Mad King Thomas, and Morgan Thorson.
Daily Planet arts roundup
• Just for Kix: Brainerd costume designers taste Super Bowl stardom (feature by Sheila Regan)
• Dunn Bros. rebranding: Boring in black? (blog entry by Jay Gabler)
• Minneapolis Riverfront Design Competition winner announced (feature by Joe Sixta)
• 83rd Academy Awards Governors Ball preview (feature by Barb Teed)
• Precious Waters: Film examines Iron Range mining proposal (feature by Anne Holzman)
• Signing On advance screening on Saturday (feature by Sara Chars)
• Gnomeo and Juliet puts a twist on tradition (review by Katie Sisneros)
• Hubert H. Humphrey: Documentary generates memories and invites discussion (blog entry by Mary Treacy)
• Justin Bieber: Never Say Never: A giant 3D encounter with the Jesus of Pop (review by Jay Gabler)
• Talking with Silver Tongues director Simon Arthur and Lee Tegersen (interview by Jim Brunzell III)
• Grant Hart pushes forward in wake of house fire (feature by David Jarnstrom)
• Robyn, Diamond Rings, and Natalia Kills move the masses at First Avenue (review by Jay Gabler, photos by Alexa Jones)
• Best Coast and Wavves at the Varsity Theater: Hormones and aliens, but otherwise nothing special (review by Becky Lang, photos by Eric Petersen)
• Politics in the theater: Spotlight’s on gay and immigrant communities (feature by Cynthia Boyd)
• All the theater I’m missing (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• Rented lips and the merits of tongue: Building same-sex intimacy onstage in my play Leave (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• A sizzling Doubt by Ten Thousand Things (review by Jay Gabler)
• My play Leave: First impressions (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• My play Leave—Things that make it real (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• Fringe 2011: Happy birthday to my Fringe sidekick! (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• Fringe 2011: Apparently size does matter (blog entry by Matthew A. Everett)
• Sustainable farming’s most critical conversation (blog entry by Brian Devore)
• As Mother Courage, Barbra Berlovitz is a must-see (review by Bev Wolfe)
• Michelle Perdue’s The Housekeeper’s Dirt takes on the issue of domestic violence (preview by Dwight Hobbes)
• Ta-coumba Aiken, In the Spirit and in the zone at Metro State’s Gordon Parks gallery (feature by David Jarnstrom)
• Domacin Wine Bar (Stillwater, MN) (feature by Bruce Schneier)
• Sen Yai Sen Lek (Minneapolis, MN) (feature by Bruce Schneier)
• Bon Vie Cafe in St. Paul (blog entry by Amy Rea)
• A seventh grader reviews St. Paul classic Mickey’s Diner (blog entry by Sebastian Tippett)
• Haute Dish (Minneapolis, MN) (feature by Bruce Schneier and Karen Cooper)
• Skittering over the lake (blog entry by Sharon Parker)
• Vulcanus Rex overthrows King Boreas (blog entry by Ann Treacy)
• Chicken soup for the body (blog entry by Emilio Degrazia)
• The 2011 Medtronic Marathon…why? WHY?! (blog entry by Melanie Danke)
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