TUESDAY PICK | AEthem Theatre Company realizes their “Before. After. Never.”

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Before. After. Never.‘s Kickstarter video is a little, uh, offbeat. But it worked nevertheless, because AEthem Theatre Company now has itself a fully produced play showing at the Sabes Jewish Community Center on May 21 and 22. The premise of the show takes J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan one step further by looking at what happened after Neverland and describes itself as darker than Disney’s version. The Twin Cities ensemble specializes in “physical theatre” and is made up on a group of Bethel University students wanting to develop “non-traditional skills.” It seems the little company is succeeding in all of that so far.

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MONDAY PICK | National Waiter/Waitress Day with Candacy Taylor

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Working in the service industry, more often than not, comes with negative connotations and presumptions of class rank. That’s no thanks to the media; take, for example, the movie Waitress starring Keri Russell or blog-turned-book Waiter Rant. In her book (a hybrid of photography and interviews) Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress, Candacy Taylor refutes the stereotype of the age 50+ women waiting on tables in roadside diners, and helped Taylor to, “redefine my perspective on life, work, and happiness.” On Monday, May 21, the final installment of this year’s Friends of the St. Paul Public Library’s “Untold Stories” labor history series will feature Taylor and her work on this project. Incidentally, the multi-media lecture is taking place on National Waiter/Waitress Day.

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TUESDAY PICK | The Black Keys move on up to Target Center

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The rise-to-fame (and fortune) story of The Black Keys is probably nothing too original (obscure band goes from touring small venues to winning Grammys), but still romantic nonetheless. The Black Keys played at First Avenue back in 2010, but will be playing at the Target Center on Tuesday, May 15, thanks to their new album El Camino, which released in 2011 and conquered the number-two spot on the Billboard 200 list. Pitchfork calls El Camino the band’s best album and the Keys the “true victors of the 2000s garage explosion.”

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FRIDAY PICK | Greta Oglesby returns in Penumbra Theatre Company’s “The Amen Corner”

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Greta Oglesby made quite a stir when she starred in Caroline, or Change at the Guthrie Theater and then Black Nativity: A Season for Change back in 2009. Based on reviews of these shows, Minneapolis is glad to have her back as Sister Margaret in yet another Penumbra Theatre Company production, The Amen Corner. The production features music by a 10-member gospel choir from Minneapolis’ Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and tells the story of a Harlem woman and congregation leader who struggles with balancing her faith and her family.

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TUESDAY PICK | Chad Harbach discusses “The Art of Fielding”

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I have four friends on Goodreads who have read “The Art of Fielding” and their ratings range from a one to three to four to five stars (out of five). The author of the mixed-reviewed book (it’s a small sampling on my end, to be fair) Chad Harbach will be making an appearance at the U of M’s Coffman Memorial Union to read from, discuss, sign and possibly defend his book. But a book about baseball (well, kind of about baseball) and an enticing tagline (“But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended”) is enough to intrigue me.

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SATURDAY PICK | Biblio Bash makes a midway of Coffee House Press

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A fundraiser and literary event—two things that wouldn’t likely make for a carefree night. But this is Minneapolis we’re talking about, and in that context the literary scene is not only relevant, it’s hoppin’. When Coffee House Press promises their annual fundraiser to be “fun, not stuffy!” I’m inclined to believe them. Among the night’s carnival-themed activities are book-based performances by Bedlam Theatre, a Grammar Gauntlet (which includes various word games like Bananagrams and Scrabble), music from DJ Jacquie Fuller from 89.3 The Current, book-related arts and crafts from MCBA and the Walker, a silent auction, and creative freedom with Magnetic Poetry and Spine Poetry. It’s all the fun of a carnival without the carnies.

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SUNDAY PICK | MayDay parade marks the end of winter … and the world?

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The MayDay parade that takes over Bloomington Avenue every year will do so once again for the 38th time in four scenes under the theme of “The End of the World as We Know It”: “Consider This,” “Break the Spell,””Make Do” and “Surround of Light.” And because it’s put on by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, you can bet it won’t be your usual candy-throwing parade. Immediately following the parade is a ceremony (a 200-person and puppet retelling of the parade’s events) and festival (which includes music, dancing, food, and canoe rides) in Powderhorn Park. The parade, for a lot of Minneapolites, is a sign that winter is truly over; it’s a time to get out of the house and immerse yourself into the community. And what better time than now, especially with the Mayan calendar “predicting” the end of the world this year.  Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Horse Feathers orchestrate a great show at the 7th Street Entry

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Disclaimer: I have a huge bias in favor of Horse Feathers. I walked into the 7th Street Entry on Tuesday, April 24 ready to love them because I’ve listened to their third album a disgusting amount of times, and their newly released album, which has only been released for about two weeks, is quickly following suit. So it should come as no surprise that I loved them in concert, but not because I know their music like the back of my hand, but because they put on a hell of a show. I had already fallen in love with their music through the ear buds connected to my iPod, but Horse Feathers live in concert is the best way to enjoy it.

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SATURDAY PICK | Cuba receives positive exposure in Kimber Fiebiger’s photos

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50 years ago, John F. Kennedy imposed a trading ban between Cuba and the U.S.; after all of this time, the legislation still stands just as the Castro regime does. For as many years as this embargo blockade has been active, the Cuban people have protested it, claiming it’s responsible for their many shortages. The history between the U.S. and Cuba is a rocky one, to say the least. On a recent trip to Cuba documented on a camera, Kimber Fiebiger captured a candid side of socialism and the Cuban revolution that’s scarcely, if ever, shown in American media. Beginning with an opening reception on Saturday, April 28, Fiebiger’s photos will be on exhibit through May 26 at Joan of Art Gallery.

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