RELAY: The Broadway…Ab Connection Arts Music Theatre by Hanne Appelbaum - February 26, 2016February 26, 2016 A promotional photo of James Craven for the 2015 Ivey Awards. Photo by William Clark; note the lack of abs, flesh, and eroticization compared to the links below. Several of the largest and most-established theatre companies in the Twin Cities holding both local and New York casting sessions. What do companies
REVIEW: Gypsy Takes Pantages (Latté Da) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Lydia Lunning - February 22, 2016February 23, 2016 Mama Rose (Michelle Barber) confronts reality and the ghost light of a darkened theatre. Photo by George Byron Griffiths. Audience members at the Pantages in Downtown Minneapolis last Saturday night were absolutely enamored with Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust’s production of Gypsy, directed by Peter Rothstein. The 1959 musical adaptation
PARIS REVIEW: Le Portrait de Dorian Gray (Lucernaire/Théâtre Rouge) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - February 20, 2016March 23, 2017 There aren't too many theatrical stops on the typical American in Paris tourist itinerary. It's not uncommon for tourists to visit the Opéra-Garnier, and perhaps see a show at the Moulin Rouge, but by and large they're missing out on a vital part of Parisian nightlife. Paris is home to more
REVIEW: Thrilling Horror in La Dame Blanche (PARIS: Théâtre du Palais-Royal) Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - February 16, 2016November 26, 2017 You might not think about Paris as a theatre destination, but the French capital is home to more than a hundred professional theatres. If you speak even a little conversational French, it's worth checking it out. La Dame blanche ("The White Lady"), now playing at the Théâtre du Palais-Roy al, is not about
GENERAL ADVISORY: Snow Emergency and Show Cancellations Arts Dance Lifestyle Music Opera Theatre Visual Arts by Twin Cities Arts Reader - February 2, 2016 The Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have declared snow emergencies for Tuesday, February 2. In addition to the normal travel and parking advisories, the staff of the Twin Cities Arts Reader would like to remind you to check before heading out to an evening's entertainment. Although some performing arts organizations
REVIEW: Lush Rusalka Delights (Minnesota Opera) Arts Music Opera Theatre by Lydia Lunning - January 24, 2016March 11, 2017 Minnesota Opera’s production of Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka, with soprano Kelly Kaduce in the title role, has returned to the Ordway after its premiere in 2008. This fairy tale opera had not appeared in United States until the mid-1970s, but this richly textured staging and Dvořák’s full-bodied score should be an
INTERVIEW: Costume Designer Raquel Barreto Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - January 23, 2016January 24, 2016 Raquel Barreto's costume designs in the 2016 staging of Pericles at the Guthrie Theatre. Photo by Jenny Graham. It's been 25 years since the Guthrie Theater's artistic director Joseph Haj first staged the Shakespearean play Pericles, Prince of Tyre. The production that opened last night at the Guthrie is the third incarnation of a critically
PREVIEW: Flourish! Resource Fair – for Artists and Creative Entrepreneurs Arts Dance Music Opera Theatre Visual Arts by Jenny Martel - January 22, 2016January 24, 2016 Tomorrow, Springboard for the Arts hosts its second Flourish! Resource Fair. This half-day event is designed as a resource forum, clinic, and networking event for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Programming includes informational sessions about artist organization resources, healthcare, funding, tax preparation, and artists' services. Staff representatives from 26 organizations will be available for
REVIEW: Creeptastic Beauty Queen of Leenane at Park Square Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - January 22, 2016January 23, 2016 Sally Wingert (left) and Amber Bjork in Theatre Pro Rata/Park Square Theatre's production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Photo credit by Charles Gorrill. Some reviews of less-known plays start with a synopsis of the work. Doing so for The Beauty Queen of Leenane (now playing at Park Square Theatre) would be counterproductive to theatergoers, since
REVIEW: Frog Bride Excellent Bedtime Ribbit (Children’s Theatre Company) Arts Lifestyle Music Theatre Visual Arts by Basil Considine - January 16, 2016January 16, 2016 The Frog Bride opened Friday at the Children's Theatre Company. This storytelling hour riffing on a classic fairy tale makes an excellent afternoon interval or pre-bedtime story. It includes more than a few touches for the parents, a very memorable delivery, and a lot of musical pizzaz. The Frog Bride is not