INTERVIEW: After the Mermaid – A Conversation with Caroline Innerbichler Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - December 10, 2015December 11, 2015 Caroline Innerbichler (Ariel) examines Tyler Michaels (Prince Eric) in Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' 2014 production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. Photo by Heidi Bohnenkamp. The Ordway's self-produced production of the classic musical The Sound of Music opens on Saturday. One of the leads in this production is Caroline Innerbichler, a dazzling local actress who
Magic Flute Revamp Rules Box Office Arts Music Opera Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - December 9, 2015 The Queen of the Night may not have succeeded in Mozart's The Magic Flute, but Minnesota Opera certainly did. The company's recent revival of its 2014 staging of the opera completely sold out, with 9,808 tickets purchased for the six public performances. Throw in about 150 people for the first dress rehearsal and 1,600 eager high
REDUX: Joshua Bell and A Little Nightmare Music Arts Music by Twin Cities Arts Reader - December 6, 2015December 11, 2015 With Hanukkah starting tonight and memories of Joshua Bell selling out the Ordway fresh in mind, let's look back at the violin virtuoso's holiday team-up two years ago with Igudesman & Joo of A Little Nightmare Music fame:
The Real Captain Von Trapp Arts Music Theatre by Basil Considine - December 5, 2015December 6, 2015 Captain Georg Johannes, Ritter von Trapp on the conning tower of the Austrian submarine U-5. Today, the Twin Cities Arts Reader looks at the story behind The Sound of Music, which opens at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts one week from today. This dramatization of the real-life von Trapp family's adventures and
The Dean of American Musical Theatre Arts Music Theatre by Twin Cities Arts Reader - November 25, 2015 When Aaron Copland died in 1990, a flood of obituaries hailed the composer as the "Dean of American Music." In the 25 years since his passing, no composer has picked up the reins; no successor has arisen whose music for the concert hall is popular, universally respected, and profoundly influential
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