Minneapolis Theatre + Broadway News

Tickets for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in Minneapolis Go On Sale 6/1

(5/14/2012) Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that individual tickets for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the classic musical love story running at Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Orpheum Theatre October 16-21, 2012, will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 1, 2012.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatre Hosts Mother's Day HAIRSPRAY Performance Today, 5/13

(5/13/2012) Chanhassen Dinner Theatre has announced its May updates, including a Mother's Day performance of HAIRSPRAY, today, May 13 with lunch at 11 a.m. and curtain at 1 p.m.

Win Tickets to See IL DIVO in Concert!

(5/11/2012) The world's foremost classical crossover quartet IL DIVO is set to embark on its 2012 world tour, the group's fourth, which follows the release of the quartet's latest album, Wicked Game (on Syco/Columbia Records) and provides a new mark of achievement for the signature vocal blend and unique operatic arrangements which have captivated millions and launched a classical-crossover sensation. To celebrate the kick-off of this much-anticipated world tour, BroadwayWorld invites you to enter for a chance to WIN ONE PAIR OF TICKETS to see IL DIVO live in concert!

Jungle Theater to Present Tony-Nominated Play NOISES OFF! This Summer

(5/11/2012) This summer Jungle Theater will stage NOISES OFF! Joel Sass will direct the Tony-nominated play by Michael Frayn, playing June 8-July 29 at the Lyn-Lake theater, 2951 Lyndale Av. S., in Minneapolis.

BWW TV Seattle Exclusive: Behind the Scenes of Kristin Chenoweth on Tour!

(5/11/2012) BroadwayWorld Seattle was granted EXCLUSIVE access to Kristin Chenoweth's debut performance of her new (and first ever) tour, which opened in Seattle on Wednesday night ... and received a whopping NINE standing ovations for a show unlike we had ever seen.

Theatre in the Round Presents Agatha Christie's THE HOLLOW, 5/25-6/24

(5/10/2012) Theatre in the Round Players (TRP) continues its 60th Anniversary Season as the longest-running theatre in Minneapolis with Agatha Christie’s mystery “The Hollow” in weekend performances May 25 through June 24.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatre Hosts Mother's Day HAIRSPRAY Performance, 5/13

(5/10/2012) Chanhassen Dinner Theatre has announced its May updates, including a Mother's Day performance of HAIRSPRAY, Sunday, May 13 with lunch at 11 a.m. and curtain at 1 p.m.

Northrop Announces Summer Music Festival At Northrop 2012

(5/8/2012) Northrop Concerts and Lectures at the University of Minnesota presents the 58th Annual Summer Music Festival at Northrop 2012 (SMFN) on Northrop Plaza. A free, outdoor summer concert series, SMFN will "Rock the Mall" by featuring well-known local musicians and DJs, alongside emerging U of M student bands. Curated by a U of M Student Advisory Committee with Northrop Concerts and Lectures, the line-up presents an eclectic sampling of musical genres including hip-hop, dance music, singer-songwriter, folk, Latin, and spoken word.

Theatre Pro Rata Opens 44 PLAYS FOR 44 PRESIDENTS in Plays for Presidents Festival, 6/29

(5/7/2012) On June 29th, 2012 Theatre Pro Rata will open 44 Plays for 44 Presidentsat Calvary Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN as part of the national Plays for Presidents 2012 Festival.

Family Equality Council Launches 1st Annual International Family Equality Day Celebrations Today, 5/6

(5/6/2012) In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 2 million children being raised by 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents. Globally, that number greatly increases. Family Equality Council, the nation’s foremost advocate for LGBT families, announced this week they will launch a series of annual celebrations in honor of the first-ever International Family Equality Day today, May 6, 2012.

Dog in the Door Theater for Kids Celebrates 2 Years Today, 5/5

(5/5/2012) Dog in the Door Theater for Kids (DITD) announces a special workshop day event to celebrate their two-year anniversary of “lively stage fun for children.”

The Ordway Presents New Work by Ballet of the Dolls Tonight, 5/4

(5/4/2012) Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents a newly commissioned work for Minneapolis-based dance theater company Ballet of the Dolls, choreographed by the esteemed Myron Johnson, artistic director of the company. This new work titled “Faith: A Dance for Life” will be showcased in a one-time-only public performance tonight, May 4 at 7:30 p.m., the last performance in the Ordway’s 2011-2012 Target Dance Series.

Ordway Presents 2012 Flint Hills International Children's Festival, 5/29-6/3

(5/3/2012) Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents its 12th annual Flint Hills International Children’s Festival from May 29-June 3. Minnesota’s signature arts festival for children and families—and one of the only of its kind in the nation—features artists hailing from all around the globe, telling stories about different cultures through the uniting power of the performing arts. The Flint Hills International Children’s Festival will highlight five headlining artist groups making their mark internationally through extraordinary puppetry, dance, music and theater performances.

Voting Opens for the 2012 BroadwayWorld.com Awards - Vote Now on the Best of the New York Season!

(5/3/2012) The TONY Awards Nominators had their say earlier this week and now it's your turn! We're pleased to announce that voting has now opened for the 10th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards!

Live Action Set and The Southern Theater Co-Present BASIC NORTH, 6/28-7/8

(5/2/2012) The Ivey Award winning Live Action Set co-presents the premier of Basic North, an evening in three directions, its newest and bravest original production, June 28–July 8, at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis.

Guthrie's 2012-2013 Season Includes Tony-Nominated Roger Rees, OTHER DESERT CITIES & CLYBOURNE PARK

(5/2/2012) The Guthrie's 2012-13 season features three major Tony Award nominees, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris and Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz, which were both nominated for Best Play. The Guthrie’s upcoming season also features Roger Rees as director of Crispin Whittell’s new play The Primrose Path. Rees has been nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for his work on Peter and the Starcatcher.

Family Equality Council Launches First Annual International Family Equality Day Celebrations, 5/6

(5/1/2012) In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 2 million children being raised by 1 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents. Globally, that number greatly increases. Family Equality Council, the nation’s foremost advocate for LGBT families, announced this week they will launch a series of annual celebrations in honor of the first-ever International Family Equality Day on May 6, 2012.

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Play the State Theatre, 9/22

(5/1/2012) Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time and the inspiration for the Broadway blockbuster Jersey Boys, returns to Minneapolis by popular demand to play Hennepin Theatre Trust’s State Theatre at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and University of Minnesota – Duluth Announce Educational and Professional Alliance

(4/27/2012) Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) and the University of Minnesota – Duluth (UMD) will announce the creation of the “The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and the UMD Department of Theatre Educational and Professional Alliance.”

All-Asian Cast Set for MN's WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, 4/27

(4/27/2012) In a rare occurrence, 18 Asian actors bring the colorful 2010 Newbery Honors winner WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin to life beginning April 27 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

Stephanie Rothenberg, Edward Watts to Lead Guthrie Theatre's ROMAN HOLIDAY Musical; Opens 6/9

(4/26/2012) The Guthrie Theater today announced complete casting for the sparkling new musical Roman Holiday. This song-filled delight—based on the iconic 1953 Paramount Pictures film starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck—includes timeless music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Paul Blake. The production will play from June 9 – August 19 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage and features soul-stirring Porter standards like “Easy to Love,” “Just One of Those Things” and “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.” Guthrie Associate Artistic Director John Miller-Stephany (1776, God of Carnage and A Streetcar Named Desire) will direct.

Star Players Musical Theatre Camps Set for Summer 2012, Woodbury

(4/26/2012) Back for their 9th year, StarPlayers present their Musical Theatre Camps for Summer 2012 at Guardian Angels Church, 8260 Hudson Blvd., Oakdale, MN. There are four identical weeklong sessions: June 18-22, June 25-29, July 9-13 and July 16-20.

New Century Theatre Presents STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, 5/31-6/16

(4/25/2012) Hennepin Theatre Trust presents the new theatrical event Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays, running May 31–June 16, 2012 at the New Century Theatre. Showcasing funny, heartfelt “mini works” that celebrate the courage to be in a relationship–any relationship, Standing On Ceremony’s smart and witty vignettes were penned by playwrights whose credits include two Pulitzer Prizes, four Obies, one Emmy and three Tony nominations. Wendy Knox of Frank Theatre will direct a stellar cast of six Twin Cities actors including Laura Adams, Shawn Hamilton Brown, Aimee K. Bryant, Jim Lichtscheidl and Mark Rhein, with one more actor to be announced soon. With this production, the Trust is working in cooperation with Minnesotans United for All Families, the official statewide campaign working to defeat the constitutional amendment that would exclude gays and lesbians from marriage in Minnesota.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, et al. Set for Yellow Tree Theatre 2012-2013 Season

(4/25/2012) The Yellow Tree Theatre has announced their fifth season, the 2012-2013 season, which features shows such as THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK and CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION.

Commonweal Theatre Company Presents THE 39 STEPS, 5/19

(4/25/2012) The Commonweal Theatre Company presents Patrick Barlow’s comedy The 39 Steps, May 19th through September 1st with discounted tickets available for previews May 11th to May 18th.

Theater Latte Da Presents SPRING AWAKENING, 4/25

(4/25/2012) Theater Latté Da presents in partnership with the University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, SPRING AWAKENING, with book and lyrics by Steven Sater, music by Duncan Sheik, directed by Peter Rothstein, music direction by Denise Prosek, and choreographed by Carl Flink. The production will run through May 6th.

Minneapolis Theatre Garage to Present COMPLEAT FEMALE STAGE BEAUTY, 5/18 - 6/2

(4/25/2012) In Shakespeare's time, all female roles were played by men (often boy apprentices), who learned to create an idealized version of femininity onstage. This practice continued throughout the Jacobean era until the theatres were closed by Oliver Cromwell in 1642. When Charles II returned from his exile on the continent in 1661, the theatres reopened and actors initially resumed the tradition of men-as-women. But the new monarch had an appreciation for women onstage and the old practice was quickly abolished.

Paul Carter Harrison Lectures on RESHAPING THE BLACK IMAGE ON THE AMERICAN STAGE Tonight

(4/25/2012) The University of Minnesota and Penumbra Theatre present Reshaping the Black Image on the American Stage: Penumbra's Legacy and Influence. a series of four lectures and conversations moderated by Dominic Taylor, tonight, April 26, from 7 to 9pm at the Regis Center for Art, In-Flux Auditorium (U of M, West Bank). The speaker is Paul Carter Harrison, playwright and scholar.

Stages Theatre Co Sets 2012-13 Season, Begins With DUCK FOR PRESIDENT

(4/25/2012) The 2012-13 season at Stages Theatre Company (STC) features eight productions for children and young adults, with the selected titles evoking imagination and inspiration.

MAMMA MIA! Returns to the Orpheum, 4/24-29

(4/24/2012) Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ Mamma Mia!, the internationally popular musical based on the songs of ABBA, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Orpheum Theatre, April 24-29, 2012. Seen by approximately 50 million people worldwide, the show is celebrating more than 4,000 performances in its tenth year at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre and remains among Broadway’s top selling musicals. Tickets are on sale now. Mamma Mia! is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2011/12 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Dog in the Door Theater for Kids Celebrates 2 Years, 5/5

(4/23/2012) Dog in the Door Theater for Kids (DITD) announces a special workshop day event to celebrate their two-year anniversary of “lively stage fun for children.”

Four Humors’ 2012-13 Season to Include CANDIDE, HAROLD and More

(4/23/2012) Four Humors today announced its new season of "creation full of adventure, imagination and wonder. Now in its 8th year of performance, Four Humors continues its tradition of original works and innovative adaptations with three productions in very different genres."

HIGH Starring Kathleen Turner Leaves Minneapolis Tonight

(4/22/2012) Kathleen Turner, two-time Golden Globe winner and Academy Award and Tony Award nominee, returns to the Minneapolis stage in the national tour of playwright Matthew Lombardo’s HIGH, a stirring drama about addiction, faith and redemption. Highruns for one week only, Wednesday–Sunday, April 18-22, 2012 at the Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., in downtown Minneapolis.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, March 2. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Woodbury Community Theatre Hosts Stars at the Twins' Ballpark, 6/13

(4/21/2012) Woodbury-Community-Theatre-Hosts-Night-at-the-Twins-Ballpark-613-20010101 Woodbury Community Theater presents "Stars” at the Ballpark to celebrate WCT's Stars on Broadway. Join WCT friends for an evening of beer (or soda!), brats, and a ball game on Wednesday, June 13th as the Twins take on Jim Thome and the Philedelphia Phillies at Target Field. The game starts at 7 p.m.

History Theatre Presents CAPITAL CRIMES, 4/21-5/20

(4/21/2012) History Theatre returns to the crime-ridden streets of St. Paul in the early 1930s with the return of a play written by David Hawley with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen, Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. This new production is directed by Noah Bremer (artistic director and co-founder of Live Action Set) who is working with the design team to create a world full of bright colors and the idolized ambiance of a speakeasy as juxtaposition the harsh – and often bloody – reality of the stories being told. Hawley, a former writer for the Pioneer Press himself, uses the voice of Nate Bomberg a St. Paul reporter who covered the police for 52 of the 69 years he lived, to tell the tales of murder, mayhem, kidnappings, and shady deals. The lines between good guys and bad guys get crossed and double-crossed by everybody including gangsters, lawmen, the media and even innocent bystanders all to the playfully sinister and clever tunes of Drew Jansen.

LEARN TO BE LATINA Opens at Mixed Blood Theatre, 4/20-5/13

(4/20/2012) The politics of ethnic and sexual identity take center stage in comic playwright Enrique Urueta’s LEARN TO BE LATINA, winner of the first national Great Gay Play Contest. Mercilessly off-color, the show offers a comedic take on cultural appropriation—and what makes a pop culture star.

DEAL! THE MUSICAL Premieres at the Ritz Theater, 4/20-5/6

(4/20/2012) Tyrol Hills Music is presenting the world premiere of the original production of Deal! The Musical, which will debut April 20 and run through May 6 at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis.

Theatre in the Round Presents LOST IN YONKERS, 4/20-5/13

(4/20/2012) Theatre in the Round Players (TRP) continues its 60th Anniversary Season as the longest-running theatre in Minneapolis with Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers in weekend performances April 20 through May 13.

HIGH Comes to Minneapolis With Kathleen Turner, 4/18-22

(4/18/2012) Kathleen Turner, two-time Golden Globe winner and Academy Award and Tony Award nominee, returns to the Minneapolis stage in the national tour of playwright Matthew Lombardo’s HIGH, a stirring drama about addiction, faith and redemption. Highruns for one week only, Wednesday–Sunday, April 18-22, 2012 at the Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., in downtown Minneapolis.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, March 2. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Minnetonka High School's LEGALLY BLONDE Opens Friday

(4/16/2012) This weekend is about to get “So Much Better!” with Minnesota’s first ever production of Legally Blonde - The Musical.