BREAKING NEWS: Prince Dead at 57 Arts Music by Twin Cities Arts Reader - April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 The Chanhassen resident and internationally renown recording artist Prince was reported dead today. The singer, guitarist, and songwriter was 57. Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958, and began songwriting at the age of 7. He began playing as a studio guitarist in his teens, and made his
REVIEW: Harvey (Guthrie Theater) Arts Theatre by Bev Wolfe - April 17, 2016April 27, 2016 Ryan Shams (Dr. Sanderson), David Kelly (Elwood P. Dowd), Ashley Rose Montondo (Nurse Kelly) and Tyson Forbes (Duane Wilson) in the Guthrie Theater’s production of Harvey. Photo by T. Charles Erickson. The title character in Harvey, which opened this weekend at the Guthrie Theatre, is a six-foot, white invisible rabbit. Mary Chase’s play
REVIEW: Constellations (Jungle Theater) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - April 17, 2016April 18, 2016 Ron Menzel and Anna Sundberg in the Jungle Theater's production of Constellations. Photo by Dan Norman. Nick Payne’s drama Constellations, which opened Friday at the Jungle Theater, is a play with a very smart script, an engaging concept, and challenging execution requirements. It's the type of show whose power and thought-provoking delivery
REVIEW: Super Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - April 16, 2016April 16, 2016 Greg (Ricky Falbo) and Rowley (David Rosenthal) and kindergartners in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid, written by Jeff Kinney, is one of the hottest properties in children's books. Its two film adaptations so far have both been critically and commercially well-received; to say that
WEEKEND PICKS: What to Do After Fun in the Sun Arts Dance Lifestyle Music Opera Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - April 15, 2016April 15, 2016 Image by Pezibear. With temperatures staying in the mid-to-high 70s, outdoor fun is the name of the game for this weekend in the Twin Cities. Here are some recommendations for activities in and outside of the sun: Lakeshores: Grab a puppy dog at Isles Bun and Coffee in Minneapolis and work on those
NEWS: Skylark Opera Announces Return Plan, Part 1 Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - April 14, 2016April 14, 2016 It's been a very busy month since March 18, when Skylark Opera abruptly cancelled its planned 36th season. That season, originally scheduled for June 2016, would have brought the musical theatre works of Comden & Green and Noël Coward to the E.M. Pearson Theatre. The unexpected announcement sent shockwaves through the Twin
PREVIEW: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - April 14, 2016April 14, 2016 Photo by Dan Norman. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical opens Friday at the Children's Theatre Company. This adaptation of Jeff Kinney's best-selling book series is the fifth world premiere by CTC this season – and a very hotly anticipated show. As CTC Artistic Director Peter Brosius stated, "The finale
INTERVIEW: Jeff Whiting of Bullets Over Broadway Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - April 13, 2016April 14, 2016 Jeff Whiting, director of the touring company of Bullets Over Broadway. The mobsters of Bullets Over Broadway have brought their national tour to the Ordway. Director Jeff Whiting sat down with the Arts Reader's Basil Considine to talk about directing, touring, and acting careers. Read Lydia Lunning's review of the Bullets Over Broadway tour. Where are you based? I've
REVIEW: Jammed Bullets Over Broadway (Ordway) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Lydia Lunning - April 13, 2016April 14, 2016 Jemma Jane (Olive Neal) and the cast of Bullets Over Broadway. Photo by Matthew Murphy. The 1st National Tour of the Tony-nominated musical comedy Bullets Over Broadway has landed at the Ordway. These performers are doing their best to dance, sing, and mug with everything they’ve got to get you your money’s
PREVIEW: Constellations (Jungle Theater) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - April 13, 2016April 16, 2016 Marianne (Anna Sundberg) and Roland (Ron Menzel) in the Jungle Theater's production of Constellations. Photo by Dan Norman. When Nick Payne's play Constellations opened on Broadway, the show's advertising copy trumpeted the New York Times' verdict as "the most sophisticated date play Broadway has seen." That's pretty close to the truth – what Ben Brantley