Minneapolis Theatre + Broadway News

SteppingStone Theatre Stages LEGACY!, Now thru 6/1

(5/23/2013) - SteppingStone Theatre presents LC Jackson, and his astounding Michael Jackson tribute show, Legacy! Legacy! is the brainchild of Luis Castillo, 'LC Jackson', who started his career as a Michael Jackson impersonator at St. Paul Central High School at the age of 14. LC Jackson truly embodies the energy and musically of the King of Pop. 'LC Jackson' (Luis Castillo) is a true impersonator.

Theatre in the Round to Present IN THE REST ROOM AT ROSENBLOOMS, 5/31-6/23

(5/22/2013) - Theatre in the Round Players presents IN THE REST ROOM AT ROSENBLOOM'S by Ludmilla Bollow, May 31 - June 23, 2013. Audience discussion follows the matinee June 9th.

Spring 2013 SpotLight Program Honorees Announced by Hennepin Theatre Trust

(5/22/2013) - Hennepin Theatre Trust today announced the new spring 2013 honorees from Minnesota high schools recognizing musical theatre accomplishments by school and category for the 2012-13 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program. Now in its eighth successful year, SpotLight is Hennepin Theatre Trust's flagship educational initiative which honors and supports Minnesota high school musical theatre students and programs. This year, 56 schools, including nine from greater Minnesota, are presenting musicals made possible by the collaboration of almost 5,000 students and annually seen by an estimated 105,000 audience members.

Guthrie Announces Added Performances of AN ILIAD, Running thru 6/1

(5/20/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced three additional performances added to the lauded run of An Iliad, the single-actor storytelling adaptation of Homer's Greek classic about the siege of Troy, featuring Stephen Yoakam as The Poet and directed by Benjamin McGovern (The Edge of Our Bodies, Circle Mirror Transformation). An Iliad is written by Lisa Peterson (director of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Guthrie in 2012, as well as the upcoming production of Clybourne Park opening in June) and Denis O'Hare from a translation of Homer by Robert Fagles. An Iliad, originally slated to run through May 26, will now run through June 1 with 7:30 performances added Thursday through Saturday, May 30 through June 1, in the Guthrie's Dowling Studio.

Northrop Summer Music Festival 2013 Begins 6/7

(5/20/2013) - Northrop Summer Music Festival 2013 (NSMF) on Northrop Plaza. A free, outdoor summer concert series, NSMF features well-known local musicians and DJs, alongside emerging U of M student bands. Curated by a Northrop Student Advisory Committee, Northrop, and Sue McLean and Associates, the series presents a sampling of musical genres including hip-hop, dance music, singer-songwriter, folk, Latin, and spoken word.

BWW Reviews: Guthrie Summer Starts Strong with AN ILIAD and THE PRIMROSE PATH

(5/20/2013) - The two shows currently playing at the Guthrie couldn't be more different in feel and scope but both are thoughtful and engaging, and worth a couple visits to the 50-year-old theatre this month.

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 5/19/2013

(5/19/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 5/19/2013 for Minneapolis

STEERAGE SONG, ALL IS CALM, OUR TOWN and More Set for Theater Latte Da's 2013-14 Season

(5/18/2013) - Theater Latte Da announced yesterday that a season of four adventures in musical storytelling and the continuation of a major new work development program will comprise its 16th Season. Slated for production are Steerage Song at The Lab Theater (September 25 - October 20, 2013), All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 at the Pantages Theatre (December 19-22, 2013), Cabaret at the Pantages Theatre (January 15 - February 9, 2014), and Our Town at The Lab Theater (March 12 - April 6, 2014). In spring 2014, the company will bring back NEXT: New Musicals in the Making, their program to develop new works for the musical theater canon.

(5/18/2013) - The Guthrie's partnership with the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities, Play Care, combining discounted adult theater tickets and affordable child care onsite during select Saturday matinees in the 2012-2013 season, continues today, May 18 with Nice Fish.

Taylor Mac's THE FRE Receives MAP Fund Grant; Accepted to Sundance Theatre Lab

(5/17/2013) - Performance artist Taylor Mac is constantly in creative development, but Children's Theatre Company (CTC) charged him with a first - to create an engaging theatrical piece for a multigenerational audience. His work has been seen and praised at theatres, art institutes, and festivals around the world. He was named best cabaret performer of 2012 by Time Out NY. His new theatrical experience The Fre was one of 41 projects nationwide to be honored with a grant from the MAP Fund, receiving $35,000. The Fre is also one of seven projects selected for the Sundance Institute 2013 Theatre Lab. CTC Artistic Director Peter Brosius claims, 'Taylor is fearless and one of the most creative forces in American theatre today; to have this energy, his heart, and his radical vision on our stage is absolutely thrilling.'

MAD MEN's Vincent Kartheiser to Lead Guthrie's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, 7/6-8/31

(5/17/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced that Vincent Kartheiser, known to worldwide audiences as advertising executive Pete Campbell in the ongoing Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG Award-winning series 'Mad Men', will be featured in the iconic role of Mr. Darcy in the theater's upcoming production of Pride and Prejudice based on the novel by Jane Austen, adapted for the stage by Simon Reade and directed by Joe Dowling. The final show of the Guthrie's 50thanniversary season, Pride and Prejudice will begin previews on July 6, with an opening night of July 12, and will run through August 31.

Minnetonka Theatre's 9 TO 5 Opens 7/19

(5/17/2013) - Tickets are now on sale for Minnetonka Theatre's summer production of 9 to 5 - The Musical, presented on the Arts Center on 7 Main Stage July 19- August 3. Based on the hit 20th Century Fox Picture, the story follows three female coworkers as they join forces in the late '70s to get even with their "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" boss after he pushes them past their limits.

Tickets Go on Sale Today for GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY National Tour!

(5/17/2013) - AEG Live has announced that the southern gothic, supernatural musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, written by Stephen King, with music by John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett, has confirmed a tour of 20 American cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast beginning October 10 in Bloomington, IN, and ending November 6 in Grand Rapids, MI. Tickets go on sale today, May 17 at 10am at aeglive.com.

Christopher Plummer, Barbara Byrne and More Join Guthrie's 50th Anniversary Gala, 6/22

(5/16/2013) - The Guthrie today announced that eight artists who have graced the Guthrie's stages during its 50-year history, from the first season in 1963 to the theater's current season, are slated to participate in the Guthrie's 50th anniversary on June 22, 2013. Exclusive interviews with the legendary Zoe Caldwell and Christopher Plummer will be unveiled as part of a poignant and celebratory multi-media tribute, while stage veterans Barbara Bryne, Peter Michael Goetz and Stephen Yoakam; two graduates of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Actor Training Program, Matthew Amendt and Valeri Mudek; and an alum of A Guthrie Experience for Actors in Training, Erik Heger; will perform live for the one-night-only event.

Guthrie's NICE FISH Plays Final Performances This Weekend

(5/15/2013) - Saturday, May 18, marks the closing of the daring and original world premiere play Nice Fish-written by Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins, dedicated to Nataasha van Kampen and James Hillman.

WAR HORSE Makes MN Debut, 6/12

(5/15/2013) - War Horse, winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, makes its Minnesota debut at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, June 12-23, 2013. Hailed by the New York Times as "theatrical magic," this National Theatre of Great Britain production is the powerful story of young Albert's beloved horse, Joey, who was conscripted to fight for the English in World War I.Tickets are on sale now. War Horse is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as part of its 2012/13 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

(5/14/2013) - The Guthrie's partnership with the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities, Play Care, combining discounted adult theater tickets and affordable child care onsite during select Saturday matinees in the 2012-2013 season, continues Saturday May 18 with Nice Fish. For $10 per child, the YMCA will provide child care in the Guthrie's Learning Center for children ages 4 to 11 while parents attend a matinee performance for $20-$25 (depending on seating area). Tickets for Play Care dates are on sale now and must be purchased in advance through the Guthrie Box Office: in-person or by phone at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE. For additional details visit www.guthrietheater.org/PlayCare.

GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY Comes to Minneapolis, 10/31

(5/14/2013) - Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, the riveting stage version of the new supernatural blues and roots musical from author Stephen King, musician John Mellencamp and producer/songwriter T Bone Burnett, will play Hennepin Theatre Trust's State Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. This haunting tale of fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge will be performed by an ensemble cast of 15 actors and a four-piece live band. The album of the musical (Concord Music Group), featuring such artists as Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Neko Case and Kris Kristofferson, will be released on June 4. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 17.For tickets and information visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

The Southern Theater Opens TRICK BOXING, 6/1

(5/13/2013) - The Southern Theater today announced the presentation of Trick Boxing by Sossy Mechanics, a fast-paced physical comedy full of rapid-fire dialogue, "Fred-and-Ginger style dancing" and puppetry. Trick Boxing premiered to great success at the 2002 Minnesota Fringe Festival, has since played to audiences around the U.S., Canada and the U.K., and will appear at The Southern Theater from June 1st - 8th.

Curious George: Let's Get Curious! Opens 5/25 at Minnesota Children's Museum

(5/13/2013) - The insatiable curiosity of Curious George - the little monkey who has captured the imagination and hearts of millions of children and grown-ups for 65 years - comes to life May 25 to September 8 at Crown Center. The complimentary exhibit, Curious George: Let's Get Curious! will introduce young children to Curious George's world and lead visitors on a fun, meaningful interactive math, science and engineering-based adventure. The exhibit will be open in the Crown Center Shops Showplace, located on Level 1 of the Crown Center Shops at 2450 Grand Boulevard.

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 5/12/2013

(5/12/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 5/12/2013 for Minneapolis

Box Wine Theatre Presents WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOLLAR?, Now thru 5/26

(5/12/2013) - Fascinated about the rise of new online currencies like Bitcoin? Enthralled by news reports (Wall Street Journal, NPR, New York Times) affirming digital money now surpassing over 20 national currencies in value? Wondering how the hot topic surrounding the future of money could be packaged into a fun and fast-paced evening of theater? Box Wine Theatre is producing Sam Graber's new play, 'What Happened to the Dollar' at Bryant Lake Bowl from May 12th through May 26th.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF to Return to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres After 20 Years, Beg. 9/27

(5/10/2013) - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) is thrilled to announce that FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will return to the Main Stage for the first time in 20 years. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF last graced the Main Stage in 1993 to mark Chanhassen's 25th anniversary. This time around, the theatres' most widely requested show will mark CDT's 45th anniversary. The production will run from September 27th, 2013 through January 25, 2014.

Stephen King, John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett's GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY to Kick Off National Tour, Oct 2013

(5/10/2013) - AEG Live has announced that the southern gothic, supernatural musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, written by Stephen King, with music by John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett, has confirmed a tour of 20 American cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast beginning October 10 in Bloomington, IN, and ending November 6 in Grand Rapids, MI. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 17 at 10am at aeglive.com.

BWW TV: First Look at Highlights of CTC's ALICE IN WONDERLAND

(5/10/2013) - Children's Theatre Company presents Alice in Wonderland, now through June 15, 2013. The production celebrates Lewis Carroll as an original modern absurdist, featuring innovative scenic elements while honoring the parade of beloved characters at their illogical best. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights of the production below.

Photo Flash: First Look at Children's Theatre Company's ALICE IN WONDERLAND

(5/9/2013) - Children's Theatre Company presents Alice in Wonderland, now through June 15, 2013. The production celebrates Lewis Carroll as an original modern absurdist, featuring innovative scenic elements while honoring the parade of beloved characters at their illogical best. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

SteppingStone Theatre to Stage LEGACY!, 5/23-6/1

(5/8/2013) - SteppingStone Theatre presents LC Jackson, and his astounding Michael Jackson tribute show, Legacy! Legacy! is the brainchild of Luis Castillo, 'LC Jackson', who started his career as a Michael Jackson impersonator at St. Paul Central High School at the age of 14. LC Jackson truly embodies the energy and musically of the King of Pop. 'LC Jackson' (Luis Castillo) is a true impersonator.

The Guthrie Opens AN ILIAD Tonight

(5/8/2013) - Tonight is opening night at the Guthrie for An Iliad, the single-actor storytelling adaptation of Homer's Greek classic about the siege of Troy, featuring Stephen Yoakam (more than 75 Guthrie productions including a lauded turn as Bertolt Brecht in 2012's Tales from Hollywood and as Creon in 2011's The Burial at Thebes) as The Poet and directed by Benjamin McGovern (The Edge of Our Bodies, Circle Mirror Transformation). An Iliad is written by Lisa Peterson (director of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Guthrie in 2012, as well as the upcoming production of Clybourne Parkopening in June) and Denis O'Hare from a translation of Homer by Robert Fagles.

Guthrie to Offer TAKING CENTER STAGE Live CLE for Attorneys, 5/17-6/14

(5/7/2013) - With deadlines fast approaching for many attorneys to compile the annual Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits required by the Minnesota Bar Association, the Guthrie Theater today announced a new live CLE, 'Taking Center Stage: Issues, Techniques and Ethical Pitfalls of Winning Legal 'Performances.' This new course draws upon the common experience of lawyers and actors in their day-to-day utilization of the art of storytelling, and focuses on the need to develop this skill set through practical approaches to creating compelling and effective narratives in legal practice using insights from the world of the stage. This live CLE presented at the Guthrie Theater will be offered each Friday from May 17 to June 14 from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Jungle Theater's URINETOWN Begins 6/7

(5/7/2013) - John Command (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) returns to the Jungle to direct URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, the Tony-nominated satirical musical comedy. Described as one of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, Urinetown is a mocking tale of greed, corruption, love and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. Starring Bradley Greenwald (as Officer Lockstock) and boasting the largest cast ever assembled on the Jungle stage (20+ actors and musicians), Urinetown will open June 7 and run through August 11, 2013.

BWW Interviews: Broadway First-Timer Alex Finke Finds First National Tour is De-Lovely

(5/7/2013) - A year ago, Alex FInke was a college girl at the University of Michigan. While many of her contemporaries are likely still looking for a job or working their way up from the lower rungs of the corporate ladder, Finke is sailing through a career on the fast track, and she feels incredibly fortunate to be there. Tonight, she appears on the Ordway stage as debutante Hope Harcourt in the national tour of ANYTHING GOES, playing on the Saint Paul stage through May 12, 2013.

Daniel Gerroll, Patricia Kalember and Whoopi Goldberg Set for Guthrie Theatre Gala, 6/22

(5/6/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced that actors Daniel Gerroll, Patricia Kalember and Whoopi Goldberg will appear in BEHOLD: A Gala Performance celebrating the Guthrie's 50th anniversary on June 22, 2013. BEHOLD marks a return to the Guthrie for Gerroll, who last appeared in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in the 2011-12 season. Kalember, a stage actress best-known for her roles on television's "Thirtysomething" and "Sisters," makes her Guthrie debut alongside husband Gerroll in the performance, which will be the first time the pair will perform together since a 2002 production of Blithe Spirit at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY. Goldberg also returns to the signature thrust stage for the first time since her five-night Guthrie engagement in May of 1988.

FTF Works' HEROCYCLE Opens 6/21

(5/6/2013) - FTF Works announced today the opening of Herocycle, conceived by Kym Longhi and Erik Hoover, directed by Kym Longhi with music composed by Sam Brooks and Kalen Keir. The production will open Friday, June 21 and run through Saturday, June 29, 2013 at Old Arizona Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 5/05/2013

(5/5/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 5/05/2013 for Minneapolis

Guthrie to Offer TAKING CENTER STAGE Live CLE for Attorneys, 5/17-6/14

(5/3/2013) - With deadlines fast approaching for many attorneys to compile the annual Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits required by the Minnesota Bar Association, the Guthrie Theater today announced a new live CLE, 'Taking Center Stage: Issues, Techniques and Ethical Pitfalls of Winning Legal 'Performances.' This new course draws upon the common experience of lawyers and actors in their day-to-day utilization of the art of storytelling, and focuses on the need to develop this skill set through practical approaches to creating compelling and effective narratives in legal practice using insights from the world of the stage. This live CLE presented at the Guthrie Theater will be offered each Friday from May 17 to June 14 from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

BWW Interviews: NICE FISH's Emily Swallow: Over the Moon, Coast to Coast and on the Ice in Minneapolis

(5/3/2013) - The lovely Emily Swallow plays Flo in new work, NICE FISH, by Mark Rylance & Louis Jenkins, at Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater through May 18. She took a moment off the stage to tell BroadwayWorld.com in Minneapolis about her current role, her experiences coast to coast and spending time ice fishing, tour guiding and working hard in Minneapolis and beyond.

Guthrie Theater's THE PRIMROSE PATH, Directed by Roger Rees, Opens Tonight

(5/3/2013) - The Guthrie Theater presents the world premiere of the bittersweet romance The Primrose Path by Crispin Whittell based upon the novel Home of the Gentry by Ivan Turgenev. The production will be directed by Roger Rees and will feature actors Kyle Fabel (Broadway: The Farnsworth Invention; Off-Broadway: A Free Man of Color) as Theodore Lavretsky, Suzy Kohane (Acadia Repertory Theatre; University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program) as Liza and Sally Wingert (Broadway/West End, London: La Bete; Guthrie: Other Desert Cities, Appomattox) as Maria.

Wendy Lehr Set for Acting Workshop at Bloomington Theatre and Art Center on 5/25

(5/2/2013) - Bloomington Theatre and Art Center (BTAC) welcomes veteran Twin Cities theatre artist Wendy Lehr to Bloomington Center for the Arts for a special 1-day acting workshop for theater performers called Body and Voice: The Actor's Instrument on Saturday, May 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Voting Opens for the 2013 BroadwayWorld Awards! Vote Now for the Best of the 2012-13 Theatre Season...

(5/2/2013) - 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 11th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards!

TR Knight Joins the Guthrie's 50th Anniversary Celebration

(5/2/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced that stage, film and television actor T.R. Knight will appear in BEHOLD: A Gala Performance celebrating the Guthrie's 50th anniversary on June 22, 2013. Knight will return to the Guthrie--where he first appeared onstage at the age of five and was subsequently featured in productions including Ah, Wilderness! and Amadeus--for the first time since becoming a national presence on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages and in the television program "Grey's Anatomy." He is currently featured as Harold Parrott in the newly released feature film 42 about the life story of Brooklyn Dodgers player Jackie Robinson.