REVIEW: Blasts from the Past in Million Dollar Quartet (Old Log Theatre) Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - August 5, 2016June 24, 2018 Eric Morris, Matt Tatone, Frank Moran and Eric Sargent in a publicity photo for the Old Log Theatre's Million Dollar Quartet. Million Dollar Quartet, now playing at the Old Log, is a fun musical romp through rock and roll history. As jukebox musicals go, this one is quite pleasant and thankfully concise;
INTERVIEW: Steven Eng of the Ordway’s Paint Your Wagon Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - July 29, 2016July 29, 2016 A scene from the Ordway Center for the Performing Art's upcoming production of Paint Your Wagon. Actor Steven Eng stands house left, holding a shovel. Photo by Tracy Martin. The summer heat may have ebbed outside, but over in St. Paul things are still heating up at the Ordway Center for the Performing
Fringe File #5: Previews, Round 2 Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - July 26, 2016July 27, 2016 The show postcard for Pound: A Musical for Dogs. Last night saw the second round of live previews for the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival. A total of 29 shows presented 3-minute excerpts, many of whose opening moments were carefully designed to discomfort and upstage Fringe Executive Director Jeff Larson during the introductions and seize
REVIEW: Magnificent, Intelligent Disgraced (Guthrie Theater) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - July 23, 2016July 23, 2016 The most interesting dinner party in the world in the Guthrie Theater's production of Disgraced. Photo by Dan Norman. Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific was considered a stirring and thought-provoking exploration of race and prejudice when it opened. It was also a thrilling musical with a beautiful and witty score, which are the main reasons why it's mostly remembered
INTERVIEW: Ron Peluso on Glensheen, Murder, and Revivals Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 Glensheen opened last Wednesday at the History Theatre in St. Paul. This revival of last fall's hit came early – just seven months after the world premiere at the History Theatre brought in surging audiences and sold-out show after show. The Twin Cities Arts Reader's Basil Considine spoke with the History Theatre's artistic
FEATURE: Building the Opera Audience of Tomorrow Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - July 8, 2016July 8, 2016 Opera has a reputation, deserved or undeserved, for exclusivity. To the young audience members in attendance at The Marriage of Figaro last night, exclusivity was definitely on the menu: by the time the performance drew to a close, each of them seemed absolutely convinced that attending was like winning a lottery. Technically, this performance was the
Fringe File #3: About Fringe and How to Pick a Show Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - July 4, 2016July 5, 2016 Pictured: The official show image for Trusty Paper Ship's The Real World: Fringe Festival. Part 3 of a multipart series. Read Part 1 and Part 2. One of the great things about the Minnesota Fringe Festival is that it's a large, unjuried festival with an adventurous audience. "Unjuried" in this context means that there's
Open Studios: Jazz KBEM 88.5 FM Arts Lifestyle Music by Basil Considine - June 16, 2016June 19, 2016 The Art-A-Whirl may have come and gone, but it's open studio time this afternoon at Jazz KBEM 88.5 FM from 5:30-8:30 pm. What's on exhibition? A revamp of the KBEM's Studio A as a performance and recording space. When can you drop in? 5:30 pm-8:30 pm tonight Where? 1555 James Avenue North, Door #
NEWS: Cantus and Chanticleer, VocalEssence and Bocelli, Sitting in a Tree, S-I-N-G-I-N-G Arts Music Opera by Basil Considine - May 19, 2016May 20, 2016 Cantus and Chanticleer. Note: This story has been updated to include additional commentary. It's a practiced, Hollywood-style reveal: the lights go down, leaving the star singer in an intimate pool of light – then BAM! lights up, and it's a full choir singing! The crowd goes wild as the heavenly voices
INTERVIEW: Kelly Kaduce of The Shining Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - May 12, 2016March 11, 2017 Wendy (Kelly Kaduce) and Danny (Alejandro Vega) Torrance meditate on the strange turns that their life has taken in The Shining. Photo by Ken Howard. Soprano Kelly Kaduce is Minnesota-born and raised, but since graduating from St. Olaf's she has traveled and sung all across the United States. The month of May finds