REVIEW: Outrageous Humor in the Familiar: Danai Gurira of Black Panther‘s New Play (Guthrie Theater) Arts Theatre by Bev Wolfe - March 24, 2018March 30, 2018 The cast of the Guthrie Theater's production of Familiar by Danai Gurira. Photo by Dan Norman. An unexpectedly uproarious drama by Danai Gurira – one of the stars of the blockbuster movie Black Panther – opened last week at the Guthrie Theatre. The play weaves together various themes concerning assimilation, immigration, and family. In
PREVIEW: The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Arts Music Opera Theatre by Basil Considine - March 23, 2018March 23, 2018 Soprano Jessica Faselt singing at Bethel University in the 2017 round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council – Upper Midwest Region Auditions. Faselt won the Regional audition and competed in New York City in the Semi-Final Round of the auditions. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera National Council – Upper Midwest
REVIEW: Reliable Horses in Old Log’s Guys and Dolls Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - March 18, 2018June 24, 2018 The famous "Fugue for Tinhorns" in the Old Log Theatre's production of Guys and Dolls. Pictured: Jordan Oxborough, Aaron Booth, and Austin Stole. Photo courtesy of the Old Log Theatre. You won't find any surprises in the Old Log Theatre's new production of Guys and Dolls, but that's not why you
REVIEW: Princess Ida‘s Steampunk Bursts (GSVLOC) Arts Music Opera Theatre Visual Arts by Basil Considine - March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 The women of Castle Adamant preparing for war in the Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company's new production of Princess Ida. Photo by Stephen Hage. Some of the jokes in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas have stood the test of time better than others. This is one of the reasons
REVIEW: Designing Laughter in Corduroy (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - March 16, 2018March 29, 2018 Ileri Okikiolu as Lisa in the Children's Theatre Company production of Corduroy. Photo by Dan Norman. I grew up with Don Freeman's classic children's picture book Corduroy. It's a story so simple, endearing, and timeless that it seems odd to learn that the book dates back to 1968 – fifty years' old, to
NEWS: Loring Park Art Festival to Return July 28-29 Arts Visual Arts by Twin Cities Arts Reader - March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 Flowers blooming during a past Loring Park Art Festival. Photo by Sher Stoneman. The Loring Park Art Festival returns to downtown Minneapolis on July 28 and 29, 2018. This year will mark the 19th installment of the annual festival and showcase of art. This year's festival will showcase work by 140 artists across a
REVIEW: It’s the Time for Newsies (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - March 14, 2018March 14, 2018 Aleks Knezevich (center) leads a ragtag group of newspaper boys (and one girl) in sticking it to the man in Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' production of Newsies. Photo by Rich Ryan Photography. There is a moment in Newsies when Aleks Knezevich (as lead newsboy Jack Kelly) gives a speech about standing together. "All across this
REVIEW: Opera on Tap’s New Arias Program (Honey–Minneapolis) Arts Music Opera Theatre by Amy Donahue - March 13, 2018March 18, 2018 Opera on Tap–Twin Cities director Eryn Tvete and singer Ben Winkler at 2017 installment of the organization's New Arias Program. Photo courtesy of Opera on Tap. The Twin Cities are home to a lot of things, but if you're a fan of new opera you shouldn't wait around too long to
REVIEW: Orphans and NHCC’s New Blackbox (North Hennepin Community College) Arts Theatre by Dan Reiva - March 11, 2018March 11, 2018 It seems like every other month that another long-time theatre in the Twin Cities announces its closure, caught between rising property values and fundraising woes. Discovering a new performance spaces being created is a welcome counter-current of good news. Last week, I attended an incredible dramatic performance of Lyle Kessler's play Orphans in
REVIEW: Kids Rock Out in School of Rock (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Bev Wolfe - March 10, 2018March 11, 2018 The cast of the national tour of School of Rock. Photo by Matthew Murphy. Andrew Lloyd Webber made much of his name and reputation with original – and now classic – rock operas like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. Returning to the genre in 2013, however, Andrew Lloyd Webber surprisingly chose something quite