THEATER REIVEW | “In The Age of Paint and Bone” still evolving at Nimbus Theatre

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There’s a fascinating sequence in the middle of Nimbus Theatre’s latest production, In The Age of Paint and Bone, exploring some of the modern history of studying the ancient paintings of cave dwelling people on cave walls. In one of the cavemen sequences in the past, an ensemble member actually creates a cave painting while we watch. It’s a tricky balance of an actor interacting with video projected on a screen inserted in one of the set’s cave walls. Caitlin Hammel’s video is cartooning in this drawing, based on research of actual cave paintings. But the actor is working in tandem with the video, creating the impression that the painting is coming out of the caveman’s brush. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEW | “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Guthrie Theater: Joe Dowling’s darling

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most-studied and most-performed plays, but only rarely in anything approaching its entirety. The main plot wraps up well before the actual ending of the play, and many scenes and monologues pose impressive dramatic challenges to sustain. Dramaturges and directors have, for the most part, confronted this issue with scissors in hand and trimmed down the work to what seems a more manageable size. As a result, patrons seeing the Guthrie’s current production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream might wonder why they hadn’t seen some scenes before.Joe Dowling, in his final season as Artistic Director at the Guthrie, has pulled out the stops for a farewell production that either captures everything that the Guthrie does right or everything that it does wrong, depending on your point of view. Many of the cast members are new to or relatively recent arrivals at this theater on the banks of the Mississippi, with a few stalwarts like Peter Thomson, Kris Nelson, and Tony Vierling making reappearances. Continue Reading

“A night filled with Hollywood glamour and selfies:” Twin Cities 2015 Oscars gala

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It was Valentine’s Day and it was cold, but the passion inside Wixon’s jewelry store couldn’t have been warmer. The luxury jewelry store in Bloomington donated an exclusive 2.43-carat pear shaped Garnet ring, valued at almost three thousand dollars, to the 2015 Oscars Viewing Party at the Marriott Minneapolis City Center.The staff is as excited about the ring as they are about the event they are donating it to.Now celebrating its 22nd year, the Twin Cities Oscars Gala is the longest running Oscars party in the U.S. outside of Los Angeles and is the only party in the state sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.“This gemstone ring will steal the [Oscars Gala] show. The ring is made in 18k yellow gold and the Garnet is surrounded by 92 round brilliant cut diamonds, totaling .65 carats which are displayed in a beautiful double halo design,” said Jason Krepka, Wixon sales executive. “We are very excited to participate in this year’s raffle for the Aegis Foundation at the 2015 Oscars Gala.”Oscars Gem GlamWixon Jewelers is known for donating items to need-based organizations, but this is the first time the company has donated to the Oscars Gala, said owner Hope Wixon.“[The Oscars Gala] had to go through an application process and then I make sure what the cause is,” said Wixon.Hope and husband Dan are avid gem collectors. “They hand select every gemstone we carry,” said Krepka. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Sleater-Kinney return to First Avenue after 10 years

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In the 10 years since they last played First Avenue, Sleater-Kinney grew into a legend of huge proportions. During the band’s previous run, it was rare for First Avenue to sell out the main room for indie bands of any stripe. Going to a show there sometimes felt like an act of rebellion; that the band, you and the few brave souls in the room were fighting the good fight – to keep rock alive, to fight for rights, to fight for art. Today, 1500 people line up upside First Avenue for hours in 0 degree weather on Valentine’s Day, waiting for their chance to see a band that embodied that fight. The trio of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss (with backing musician Kate Harkin) made the effort, and the fight, worthwhile.Stepping into the shoes of their ever growing legend, the band brought a light show and backdrop with them that signaled a step up to another level of performance for them—not just “Words and Guitar,” but now “Sound and Vision” too. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEW | Retrofabulus steampunk “Oliver!” at the Pantages Theatre fun to look at

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Retro chic is not a new phenomenon, but the inevitable accentuations of the Internet Age have given rise to a newer term to describe imitations of the past that seize on select elements and exaggerate them to wondrous effect. This term, retrofabulous, is the best word to describe the Hennepin Theatre Trust/Theatre Latté Da co-production of Oliver! now playing at the Pantages Theatre. This classic tale is re-envisioned less as a gritty Dickensian tale cum musical and more as a tongue-in-cheek pageant. Victorian steampunk is the overriding design aesthetic and plenty fun to watch.The fast and loose connection to realism is both this production’s strength and weakness. The clouds of fog, pipes and machinery, and dramatic lighting by Rick Polenek and Paul Hackemueller create a delightfully heightened world; fans of the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films will be happily at home. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEW | Walking Shadow Theatre Company’s “The Coward”: The ladies draw blood, a lot of blood

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“We have a blood trough!” A member of the artistic team for Walking Shadow’s current production of The Coward was sharing with me after the show was over and they were quite giddy about it. A blood trough. They were so happy that I couldn’t help but be happy for them. After all, if there was ever a play that needed a blood trough at the bottom of its raked stage, it’d be The Coward.“These things can be awful but they’re necessary. How else can we know who the best men are?”Nick Jones’ dark comedy of manners explores men’s obsession with violence as a way of proving worth and honor by casting all the male roles with women. Continue Reading

Hennepin Theatre Trust announces 2015-16 season

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The Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today a Tony Award-studded 2015-2016 season of Broadway musical tours. Spinoff tours from three of the 2014 Tony Award winners will land on Hennepin Ave next season:A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Direction, Best Costume Design)Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Best Sound Design)The Bridges of Madison County (Best Original Score)Also making their first Twin Cities splash include tours for updated Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Disney’s Newsies, and If/Then. Some more familiar shows reprising their runs include Disney’s The Lion King, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and (back for a three-week engagement) The Book of Mormon. Theatre Under The Stars will also visit with their production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, as will Blue Man Group.This announcement also brought word of the next collaboration between the Hennepin Theatre Trust and Theater Latté Da. Having recently dazzled audiences with scantily clad dancers (Cabaret) and adorably exploited children (Oliver), the two have decided to combine the themes to produce a show about an exploited stage daughter who turns to stripping in Gypsy.The full press release and performance dates are available online. Continue Reading

THEATER REVIEW | Public Theater of Minnesota’s “I And You” piggybacks Walt Whitman

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I became a big fan of Lauren Gunderson’s writing when Theatre Pro Rata produced her play Emelie: La Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight back in 2013. When I learned the Public Theater of Minnesota was going to be mounting another of her plays, I And You, I was naturally very curious. In many ways, I And You has a lot of the same Gunderson hallmarks as Emelie—strong female lead role, smart funny characters saying clever things about big ideas. But in just as many ways, Gunderson shows her range in creating a play that is so completely different.“That’s what you get for homework-bombing a sick girl.”I And You takes place in the present, for starters. Rather than adults, the characters are both in their high school years. Continue Reading

KFAI Benefit Sells Out: Mighty Mofos, X-Boys, Flamin’ Ohs and Michael Yonkers

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Feb. 7 the Turf Club was jumping with a sold out crowd for KFAI’s Benefit with Friends show. It was one of those night when you dind’t need two people checking IDs at the door; not a lot of youngsters. Perhaps because the night was a flashback to the 1980s, which is maybe the last time I saw the Mighty Mofos.The Mofos looked the same, sounded the same and nothing could have made me happier. Oh wait, if one of the Batson brothers from the band came up after the show and said, “thanks for dancing” that would make be even happier. Continue Reading