REVIEW: Snagged by a Ballad of the Pale Fisherman‘s Line (Transatlantic Love Affair) Arts Dance Theatre by Bev Wolfe - June 7, 2016June 7, 2016 Transalantic Love Affair (“TLA”) staged a revival this past weekend of its famed Ballad of the Pale Fisherman as part of the Southern Theatre’s Artshare program for 2016. Director Isabel Nelson conceived the play based upon a Celtic legend about seals called Selkies who transform into women by removing their
REVIEW: Falling in Love with Rigoletto (Capri Theater/Really Spicy Opera) Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre by Lydia Lunning - June 6, 2016June 7, 2016 Small-scale opera productions, when well executed, are some of the underrated joys for audiences lucky enough to catch them—while their appeal of lavish design and big-budget spectacle seem synonymous with the art form, opera in a pared-down, more intimate setting is a great way to foreground fresh talent and focus
REVIEW: Fascinating, Striking Rigoletto (Capri Theater/Really Spicy Opera) Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre by Hanne Appelbaum - June 4, 2016June 4, 2016 Making fun of period operas in modern settings is like shooting fish in a barrel. There are so many clunkers out there that it's tempting to dismiss the proposition entirely and say, "That's a thing" – but sometimes a staging comes along where the new setting truly enhances the material. Really Spicy Opera's new production
PREVIEW: Rigoletto at the Capri Theater Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre by Hanne Appelbaum - June 3, 2016June 4, 2016 Rigoletto (Jeehoon Kim), Gilda (Jennifer Zabelsky), Maddalena (Megan O'Leary), and the Duke (Joshua Diaz) in Really Spicy Opera's production of Rigoletto. Tonight, Really Spicy Opera opens Rigoletto at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis. It's been twelve years since Minnesota Opera staged this tale of love, lust, and revenge gone awry; before that, the last
REVIEW: Sinuous Pilobolus Dance Theatre Show (Ordway) Arts Dance by Dan Reiva - May 25, 2016May 25, 2016 Pilobolus Dance Theatre presented five recent pieces and one older work from its repertoire in a performance last weekend at the Ordway. With the possible exception of choreographers from the Judson Church Dance Theatre or the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Pilobolus presents the best avant-garde movement in modern dance. It
REVIEW: The Book of Mormon‘s Newer Testament (Orpheum Theatre) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Lydia Lunning - May 12, 2016May 13, 2016 Photo by Joan Marcus. Before Hamilton shot onto the scene early last year, The Book of Mormon was the hottest ticket on Broadway. This smash musical hit won a hefty nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical...but does it live up to it's hype? Yes, yes it does. And you might actually have a decent chance
REVIEW: A Night on Olympus (Illusion Theater) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Bev Wolfe - May 9, 2016May 10, 2016 Harry (Tyler Michaels), Chad (Adam Qualls), and Maggie (McKinnley Aitchison) in A Night on Olympus. Photo by Lauren B Photography. Prom night, teenage love, zombies, and errant Greek gods combine in A Night in Olympus. This Illusion Theater production is a collaboration between composer and lyricist Chan Poling, and playwrights Jeffrey Hatcher and
REVIEW: Swingin’ in the Ring (Steppingstone Theatre) Arts Dance Theatre by Bev Wolfe - May 6, 2016May 6, 2016 Brian Sostek and Megan McClellan in Swingin' in the Ring. Photo by Paul Virtucio. Swing dancing, puppetry, and old-time boxing movies combine to create Swingin’ in the Ring, which opened last weekend at Steppingstone Theatre. This hybrid production is the fruit of Sossy Production (the husband and wife team of Megan McClellan and Brian Sostek
NEWS: Sensory-Friendly Performance of The Lion King Coming to Minneapolis Arts Dance Lifestyle Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 Jelani Remy as Simba with the touring company of The Lion King. For parents of children with sensory, social, and learning disabilities (and adults who fall under those categories), going to the theatre as a family can be a nerve-wracking ordeal – or something that is entirely out of reach. Too loud noises,
NEWS: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Bulks Up, Extends Run Arts Dance Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - April 27, 2016April 27, 2016 Ricky Falbo and Autumn Ness share a drink in the CTC production of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The musical Diary of a Wimpy Kid is proving to be not at all wimpy at the box office. The Children's Theatre Company announced today a one-week extension to the run of its hot new musical, an