REVIEW: A Sometimes There’s Wine Appetizer (Park Square) Arts Theatre by Amy Donahue - October 18, 2018October 20, 2018 Shanan Custer and Carolyn Pool created and star in Sometimes There's Wine, now playing at Park Square Theatre in Saint Paul. Photo by Flordelino Lagundino. There's a lot of Fringe going on at Park Square Theatre this season. The company's 2018-2019 features not just the demented musical Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent
INTERVIEW: Mill City Summer Opera’s New Artistic Director Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - October 17, 2018November 4, 2018 Crystal Manich, the recently named Artistic Director of Mill City Summer Opera. Photo by Laura Marie Duncan. Next summer, Mill City Summer Opera will open its festival season under new leadership: Crystal Manich, the company's recently named artistic director. Manich has directed operas across the United States and in far-off cities
REVIEW: Tepid Two Degrees (Guthrie Theater) Arts Theatre by Amy Donahue - October 17, 2018October 20, 2018 Norah Long and Joel Liestman star in Two Degrees a PRIME Productions/Guthrie Theater co-production now playing at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Photo by Dan Norman. In its best moments, Two Degrees reminds you of some of the more lurid scandal episodes in The West Wing. In its less strong moments,
REVIEW: Nostalgic, Light-Hearted Holiday Inn Hits the Spot (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - October 15, 2018October 22, 2018 A scene from Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' production of Holiday Inn. Photo by Tom Wallace. Is your idea of a good night at the theatre a light-hearted tale, pleasant music, interesting dance, and no weighty thoughts at the end of the day? If so, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' new production of Holiday Inn is
REVIEW: Long La Rondine Worth the Wait (Minnesota Opera) Arts Music Opera Theatre Visual Arts by Basil Considine - October 14, 2018November 17, 2018 Celine Bryne as Magda, Leonardo Capalbo as Ruggero, and the Minnesota Opera Chorus in Minnesota Opera’s new production of La Rondine. Photo by Cory Weaver. There is a temptation that directors and designers face to re-encapsulate or reframe an old stage work for today's audience. Sometimes it is about trying to highlight
PREVIEW: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres to Open Holiday Inn Arts Dance Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 9, 2018 A promotional image for Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' production of Holiday Inn, which opens this Friday in Chanhassen, MN. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is going to open a Holiday Inn. Wait, that's not quite right – CDT is opening Holiday Inn, a stage adaptation of the beloved 1942 holiday film of the same name. Holiday
PHOTOS: I Come from Arizona (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 9, 2018October 9, 2018 Luca La Hoz Calassara and Ayssette Muñoz in the Children's Theatre Company world premiere production of I Come From Arizona. Photo by Dan Norman. Tonight, the Children's Theatre Company opens its latest production, the world premiere of I Come from Arizona by Carlos Murillo. Murillo, an award-winning playwright of Colombian and Puerto
PHOTOS: Minnesota Opera’s La Rondine Takes Flight Arts Music Opera Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 6, 2018October 9, 2018 Celine Bryne as Magda, Leonardo Capalbo as Ruggero, and the Minnesota Opera Chorus in Minnesota Opera’s new production of Puccini's La Rondine. Minnesota Opera's 2018-2019 season kicks off tonight with Giacomo Puccini's La Rondine, a tale of new love and spectres of the past. [Editor's note: Naturally, this plot has no bearing at all
PREVIEW: DaVina and the Vagabonds Return to the Dakota Jazz Club, 10/6-10/7 Arts Music by Amy Donahue - October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 Davina Lozier of Davina and the Vagabonds at the piano. Photo by Garrett Born. One of the oft-trotted phrases in music criticism is "Jazz is dead." Like many popular aphorisms, it's a fun but false soundbyte. Don't believe me? Just try to buy same-day tickets to see local jazz blues band
REVIEW: Moving Solo Songbook Show by Kenny Barrons (Crooners) Arts Music by Brian Bix - October 3, 2018October 3, 2018 A publicity photo of jazz master Kenny Barron. Photo by Philippe Lévy-Stab. It has been a great week in the area for jazz piano, with Cyrus Chestnut leading a trio last week at Vieux Carre and Kenny Barron giving a magnificent solo performance last night at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club's Dunsmore