Actors Gary Briggle (left) and Wendy Lehr (right). Photo by Keith Bridges. The playwright A.R. Gurney passed away two months ago. Many of the various eulogies and obituaries cited his 1988 play Love Letters, a tale of charmed correspondence that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Love Letters encapsulated many of the themes
SET LIST: Lady Gaga at Xcel Energy Center
Lady Gaga rocked the Xcel Energy Center with her trademark costume-heavy, immersive performance. Here's the set list from the concert: Act I "Video Intro" "Diamond Heart" "A-Yo" "Poker Face" "Perfect Illusion" Act II "John Wayne" "Scheiße" "Alejandro" Act III "Horns" "Just Dance" "LoveGame" "Telephone" Act IV "Claws" "Applause" "Come to Mama" "The Edge of
Fringe File, #28: Graphs and Charts, Part 1
A mosaic of different graphs of Fringe Festival sold-out attendance data. It's been one week since the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival closed its doors and the Fringe staff are still tallying and double-checking festival data. While a fuller report on the festival box office is still forthcoming, here are six figures
PREVIEW: A Glimpse at Aladdin (Hennepin Theatre Trust)
Women dancing in Arabian Nights. Photo by Dan Van Meer. The Orpheum Theatre is getting a magic lamp. Starting September 15, the Orpheum will host the Broadway touring production of Aladdin for three and a half weeks (closing October 8). This touring production stars Adam Jacobs, who originated the title role of Aladdin
INTERVIEW: Claire Wellin and Youth in a Roman Field
Actress-musician-songwriter Claire Wellin. Photo by Tiffany Topol. This Friday, Claire Wellin is bringing her band Youth in a Roman Field to Icehouse in Minneapolis. Youth in a Roman Field's "ghost folk" sound emphasizes haunting strings, acoustic instruments, and multipart vocal writing. The MSU-Mankato graduate spoke with the Arts Reader's Basil Considine about
Fringe File, #27: The Arts Reader Awards
A photo collage of the recipients of the Arts Reader's awards for the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Read about our awards process. Read about why we give awards related to Minnesota Fringe Festival. The annual Minnesota Fringe Festival floods Minneapolis with an 11-day deluge of theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and (as they say)
EDITORIAL: On Lists and Awards
A double photo collage of every show image from the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Some trivia: the decision to found the Twin Cities Arts Reader was made during the 2015 Minnesota Fringe Festival. It's only natural, then, that the festival was very much on the core leadership team's minds as we brainstormed about
Fringe File, #26: The Encores
The 2017 Minnesota Fringe encore shows. The Minnesota Fringe Festival concludes Sunday with a full schedule of shows and a final round of encore performances. The encore performances, which are comprise the best-selling production from each venue, were announced this evening on the patio of the downtown Grumpy's in Minneapolis. The
REVIEW: Engelbert Humperdinck in Fine Form (Ordway)
Englebert Humperdinck in a 2011 concert. When I was first asked if I would review Engelbert Humperdinck’s concert at Ordway Center, my first reaction was that I thought he was dead. After going to Sunday’s performance, however, I am glad to say that this octogenarian is not only alive, but possesses
Fringe File, #25: The Last Two Days of Fringe / Prelude to the Encores
A photo collage of Minnesota Fringe Festival show images. The Minnesota Fringe Festival is nearing its close, with just two days' – and 214 performances – remaining. Audiences have spoken about their favorites, both in online reviews on the Fringe website and by putting butts into seats. Each day comes with new word