REVIEW: Old Log’s Wedding Singer = Fun Retro Trip Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - November 23, 2015June 24, 2018 The Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore film The Wedding Singer was a surprise hit in 1998. Its stage adaptation landed on Broadway in 2006 and was less so, running for just 284 performances – quite respectable 40 years ago, but much less than stellar with current Broadway economics. The show was hailed as generally appealing,
Before the Mermaid, a Papagena Arts Music Opera by Basil Considine - November 20, 2015November 21, 2015 One of the attractions of live theatre is the near-infinite list of what can go wrong during a performance and the special delight taken in seeing what the cast does in response. Last year, a backdrop tumbled to the floor in the middle of "On This Night of A Thousand Stars" when Evita opened
REVIEW: Beautiful = Beautiful Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 Carole King (Abby Mueller) busts out in "Natural Woman." Background: (L to R) Britney Coleman, Sarah Bockel and Ashley Blanchet. Photo by Joan Marcus. On Wednesday, the Hennepin Theatre Trust opened two related but very different affairs. One was the branding launch of WeDo™, the recently christened West Downtown Cultural District
REVIEW: Silent Movie Magic Flute Extravaganza Still Has It Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - November 18, 2015November 20, 2015 It's been a year and a half since Minnesota Opera opened its striking and iconoclastic take on The Magic Flute. This production wowed audiences, who came in droves; at the time, the two-week run was the best-selling show in the company's 41-year history (it was dethroned by last spring's Carmen). Not everyone
REVIEW: The Wizard of Oz (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - November 8, 2015November 16, 2015 The Wizard of Oz is a show that needs no introduction, so let's dive right into some of the elements that make the current Children's Theatre Company production the endearing gem that it is. First, this show (which opened on Friday) is visually fun to look at. The Kansas is
FOR SALE: Music Box Theatre, Lightly Used Arts Lifestyle Music Theatre by Basil Considine - November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 Is your company looking for a 400-seat theatre in Minneapolis? Can you pull off a $2 million fundraising drive? Were you alternately planning on buying a mansion on the shores of Lake of the Isles but would secretly like to have your bed onstage, like in the film Stage Beauty? If your
Joshua Bell Redux Arts Music by Basil Considine - November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 Joshua Bell and Samuel Haywood haven't even taken the stage yet, but their November 1 concert is already one for the history books: it's sold more tickets for a single performance than any show in the history of the Ordway. Officially, the Ordway seats 1900 people; those seats sold out
PREVIEW: Minnesota Opera’s The Magic Flute in Duluth Arts Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 31, 2015March 11, 2017 Minnesota Opera's revival of The Magic Flute isn't playing in the Twin Cities for two weeks, but the production opens out of town this afternoon for a special 2 PM Halloween performance in Duluth. Here are some pictures from the tour: All photos courtesy of Minnesota Opera. MN Opera's Duluth tour is sponsored by
INTERVIEW: Dale Johnson on Minnesota Opera’s Magic Flute Madness Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - October 29, 2015March 11, 2017 Minnesota Opera Artistic Director Dale Johnson. Photo by Michal Daniel. Minnesota Opera's innovative 2014 production of The Magic Flute was one of the surprise hits of the 2013-2014 season. This adaptation of the classic Mozart opera smashed the company's box office records, selling 14,584 tickets and bringing in $951,000 in ticket revenue. A year and
Weekend Picks: 10/23-10/25 Arts Dance Lifestyle Music Theatre Visual Arts by Twin Cities Arts Reader - October 23, 2015October 24, 2015 Has peak color hit the trees in your area and you're looking for something fun indoors? Here are the Twin Cities Arts Reader's picks for things to do this weekend: Cabaret Hot Dish Cabaret presents the burlesque extravaganza Spooky Boobies IV: The Ghoulash is Coming on Friday evening at 10:30 PM at