At the outset I have to declare a prejudice: my wife (my play-going companion last night) and I are adoptive parents. We underwent, 13 years ago, the infertility/adoption tribulations of the hapless couple in Lisa Loomer‘s Expecting Isabel (Theatre Unbound, Lowry…
Category: Theater
Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice at Twin Cities Friends Meetinghouse
Last night I had the pleasure to attend the first performance of the first production of the Prospero Theatre Company, a group composed, so far as I can tell, of three “founding members”, actors Rebekah Henrickson and MaryLynn Mennicke, along…
Young Frankenstein at Orpheum Theatre
The Hennepin Theater Trust continues its season of touring productions with the Mel Brooks classic, Young Frankenstein, a musical version of his movie spoof on the monster horror genre. But everybody knows that movie, right? If you do, you won’t…
Yellow Face, a Theatre Mu Production at The Guthrie Theater
David Henry Hwang calls the question very early in Yellow Face (produced by the always worthwhile Theatre Mu in the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio, through Feb 21, guthrietheater.org): “Is race a meaningless construct?” Who, the play asks, is more authentically Chinese? The successful…
The Ballet Works Project, presented by The James Sewell Ballet at Southern Theater
The Twin Cities premier Ballet Institution, The James Sewell Ballet Company, presented its newest season performance this past weekend, The Ballet Works Project. The new endeavor is a collection of forward-thinking pieces by local choreographers Hijack and Nicholas Lincoln (who is…
Macbeth at The Guthrie Theater
As my companion pointed out, one of the enduring pleasures of Macbeth (on the Guthrie’s Wurtele Stage, through April 3, guthrietheater.org) is that it’s so much fun. A tragedy to be sure, and stern academicians will parse the deep meaning of…
Channeling Carol, a Queerdo Production at Bedlam Theatre
Queerdo, a queer artist collective formed out of the mission of Outward Spiral Theatre Company, launched its first production with a cabaret inspired by legendary performer Carol Channing. Conceived and curated by Jeffry Lusiak, it featured new work by 10…
Rock ‘n Roll by Tom Stoppard, a Park Square Theatre Production at Park Square Theatre
I’ve always been a fan of Tom Stoppard plays, but I chose not to direct one with my college students once because I thought they’d all need a degree in its subject matter to understand what they were talking about.…
Mr. McGee & The Biting Flea at The Children’s Theatre Company
The real test of theater is whether or not it works for the intended audience. Mr. McGee & the Biting Flea, the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company’s winter offering for young children, clearly knows its audience. CTC partnered with the Australian…
Dreamgirls at Orpheum Theatre
Wow,” said my young companion, “she’s amazing,” and it’s true: as Effie White, Moya Angela turns in a knockout performance, one that lifts Dreamgirls (at the Orpheum, 910 Hennepin Ave., through Jan 17, hennepintheatretrust.org) and turns a solid Broadway production…