Category: Reviews

The Phantom Of The Opera at the Orpheum Theatre

The Phantom Of The Opera (playing at the Orpheum through Jan 5) has become an international phenomenon.  It opened in London and on Broadway in the late 1980s and is still running, having racked up more than 10,000 perfs.  Dozens…

Black Nativity: A Holiday Concert at Penumbra Theatre

If you see one Christmas show this year, pick Black Nativity: A Holiday Concert. It’s absolutely wonderful, and it will make you feel wonderful, too. Penumbra Theatre is much more than Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity but it is the show…

A Christmas Pudding at Open Window Theatre

Are you not the type for irreverence? Not in the mood for a blockbuster Broadway show? Wondering what happened to wholesome, traditional Christmas variety shows? Open Window Theatre has an answer for you. “A Christmas Pudding,” adapted by David Birney…

The Sexual Life Of Savages, Walking Shadow Theatre Company performing at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage

The Sexual Life Of Savages (Walking Shadow Theatre Co., performing at the Theatre Garage, through Dec 14).  What a gutsy, ambitious, throw-down-the-gauntlet title.  Here, the title seems to suggest, you will find a play about crazed reptilian passion.  The characters…

“The Veterans Project” from Footprints Collective & Mixed Blood

First, let’s get the obvious out the way:  you should go see The Veterans Project.  It’s been developed and staged with great care by Leah Cooper at a fantastic space that was completely new to me (the Fort Snelling Base Camp)—and it…

Cinderella at the Children’s Theatre Company

In Cinderella (at the Children’s Theatre Company, through Jan 5), Cinderella’s ugly (an understatement) stepsisters, Pearl and Dorcas, are played by CTC vets Dean Holt and Reed  Sigmund.  Her deliciously malevolent stepmother is portrayed by Autumn Ness. Wow.  Never have…

Driving Miss Daisy at the Jungle Theater

Wendy Lehr is in this play!  James Craven!  Holy moley! Why can’t live theater generate Twins-like, Vikings-esque excitement?  Certainly, seeing artists of the caliber of Lehr and Craven bring a play to life is at least as exciting as watching…

Online Journalism by the Theater of Public Policy at Huge Improv

The Theater of Public Policy. Sounds auspicious, doesn’t it? Either they do very serious stuff, or they make fun of very serious stuff. Actually, they do both. Monday night’s “Online Journalism” at Huge Improv Theater started with a casual interview…

Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, State Theater

“Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” billed a “supernatural blues and roots musical,” is the creation of author Stephen King, and musicians John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett. Clearly the writers have the credentials to write a) about the supernatural, and…

For Sale by The Moving Company at the Lab Theater

“What would you call that?” my faithful theater mate asked. “It’s an interactive, semi-improvisational comedy,” I answered, putting the words together slowly. “Oh,” he said, “It’s sort of hard to describe, isn’t it? Really funny, though.” And that’s it in…