Minneapolis Theatre + Broadway News

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 4/28/2013

(4/28/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/28/2013 for Minneapolis

McKnight Theatre Bids Farewell to The Ordway with THE NIGHT OF A MILLION STARS Tonight

(4/28/2013) - The Ordway will say farewell to the McKnight Theatre in grand style tonight, April 28 at 7:30 pm, in a special performance called, 'The Night of a Million Stars.' The concert production will highlight area artists and feature musical pieces from productions previously held in the McKnight Theatre.

Kyle Fabel, Sally Wingert and More Star in Guthrie Theater's THE PRIMROSE PATH, Directed by Roger Rees, Beg. Tonight

(4/27/2013) - 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.

BTAC Offers DON'T FEAR SHAKESPEARE! Workshop and More, Summer 2013

(4/27/2013) - Bloomington Theatre and Art Center (BTAC) is offering a variety of theater classes for youth and adults this spring and summer, including classes that introduce actors young and old to the works of William Shakespeare.

BWW Interviews: James Rocco and the Ordway's BROADWAY SONGBOOK: Cole Porter

(4/26/2013) - James Rocco is the vice president of programming and producing artistic director of the Ordway Center for Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minn. He is also the director, host and a performer in the Ordway's latest edition of BROADWAY SONGBOOK, this time, focusing on American musical theatre master, Cole Porter. I recently sat down to learn about James, the BROADWAY SONGBOOK: Cole Porter and what's next for the theatre.

Caroline Innerbichler Stars in BESSIE'S BIRTHDAY at Theater Latte Da, Beg. Tonight

(4/26/2013) - Theater Latte Da announced the cast for Bessie's Birthday, book and lyrics by Katie Baldwin Eng, music by Jeff Tang. This musical comedy is being developed as part of NEXT: New Musicals in the Making, a major new work program to develop new musical theater in the Twin Cities.

Northrop Announces 2013-14 Season

(4/25/2013) - Northrop at the University of Minnesota announces its 2013-14 Northrop MOVES Season, featuring a U.S. Premiere, two world-renowned classic ballet companies, four evening-length works, four international companies, the return of three Minnesota favorites, and four Saturday night performances. The new season reflects Northrop's 95-year tradition of presenting world-class artists, as well as a dedication to work that is fresh and new, and brimming with today's most innovative ideas.

Park Square Theatre Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

(4/25/2013) - National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Park Square Theatre is one of 817 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. Park Square is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support the Theatre Ambassadors program.

Jeremy Stanbary's MERCY UNRELENTING to Play Open Window Theatre, 4/25-5/19

(4/25/2013) - When Artistic Director Jeremy Stanbary planned the second season for Open Window Theatre, no one knew that the world would be welcoming a new pope in 2013. When one witnesses the world premiere production of Mercy Unrelenting, however, it would seem that Stanbary's decision was timely, if not prophetic. Mercy Unrelenting by Jeremy Stanbary tells the true story of a family overcome by tragedy and ultimately forgiveness. The message is akin to that of the newly elected Pope Francis whose papal motto is one of divine mercy.

Northrop's McKnight Artist Fellowship Program Announces New National Residencies Program With Four National Partners

(4/24/2013) - The McKnight Artist Fellowships for Dancers and Choreographers, a program of Northrop at the University of Minnesota, announces a new choreographic residency program in partnership with four national partners: the American Dance Festival (Durham, NC), the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (Tallahassee, FL), Tofte Lake Center (Ely, MN), and FringeArts (Philadelphia, PA).

Box Wine Theatre to Present WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOLLAR?, 5/12-26

(4/23/2013) - 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.

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

(4/23/2013) - 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.

History Theatre Announces its 2013-2014 Season

(4/23/2013) - History Theatre's 2013-2014 season will include 3 world premieres, 2 regional premieres, and 1 returning favorite. These six distinct plays and musicals will explore what it means to be an American "hero." What is promised and sacrificed when ordinary people are faced with extraordinary circumstances? What is the measure of heroism and has that measurement changed over time?

LES MISERABLES Single Tickets Go On Sale 5/3 in Minneapolis

(4/23/2013) - Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that single tickets for Cameron Mackintosh's new 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables, running July 30-August 4, 2013 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2013. Tickets will be available in person at the State Theatre Box Office, online at www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org, by calling 1.800.982.2787 or visiting a Ticketmaster Ticket Center. Les Miserables played to capacity crowds at the Orpheum in December 2011 and features glorious new staging and spectacular re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. It is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as a special addition to its 2013/14 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season. For more information, please visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

Caroline Innerbichler to Star in BESSIE'S BIRTHDAY at Theater Latte Da; Full Cast Announced!

(4/22/2013) - Theater Latte Da announced the cast for Bessie's Birthday, book and lyrics by Katie Baldwin Eng, music by Jeff Tang. This musical comedy is being developed as part of NEXT: New Musicals in the Making, a major new work program to develop new musical theater in the Twin Cities.

Photo Flash: Sneak Peek at Stephen Yoakam in Rehearsals for Guthrie's AN ILIAD

(4/22/2013) - Rehearsals continue at the Guthrie for 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. Check out the rehearsal photos below!

Photo Flash: First Look at History Theatre's THIS SIDE OF PARADISE

(4/21/2013) - History Theatre presents the regional premiere of a new musical about the lives and works of St. Paul's original "it" couple, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. As glittering emblems of the Jazz Age, their romance reflected the era during which they lived: highs and lows, boom and bust, a thrilling rise and a devastating crash. This Side of Paradise, which premiered off-Broadway in 2010, is seen from the point of view of Zelda at the age of 39, looking back on her life with Scott using music and dance to capture both the joy of their romance and their struggles for artistic identity and fame. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 4/21/2013

(4/21/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/21/2013 for Minneapolis

Wendy Lehr to Lead Acting Workshop at BTAC, 5/25

(4/20/2013) - 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.

BWW Interviews: MARY POPPINS Cast Member and St. Paul Native Elizabeth Ann Berg Gives Hometown Connection to Beloved Musical

(4/19/2013) - Elizabeth Ann Berg (Ensemble and Katie Nanna) shares a little about herself and her Twin Cities beginnings as MARY POPPINS gets set to open at the Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre April 23 - 28, 2013.

Jason Robert Brown to Write New Piece Based on HAMLET for Guthrie Theatre

(4/19/2013) - The Guthrie today announced that it has commissioned Tony Award and Drama Desk Award-winning Broadway songwriter and composer Jason Robert Brown to create an original music piece for its 50th-anniversary gala performance BEHOLD. Brown's composition will be based on text excerpts from Shakespeare's Hamlet.

ROCK OF AGES Returns to the Orpheum Theatre in May

(4/18/2013) - Rock of Ages, the five-time Tony nominated musical and love story told through the hits of iconic '80s rockers such as Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Whitesnake and more, returns to Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre, May 17-19, 2013. This awesomely good time features nearly 30 chart-topping hits from "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Here I Go Again" to "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "We Built This City." Single tickets are on sale now. Rock of Ages is presented by Hennepin Theatre Trust as a special addition to 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.

CINDER EDNA Opens April 26 at Stages Theatre Company

(4/17/2013) - "Cinder Edna" delivers a classic story with a modern twist when it opens April 26 at Stages Theatre Company (STC) located in the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Written by Ellen Jackson, "Cinder Edna" is a clever tale that follows Cinderella and her spunky neighbor Cinder Edna. While they are very different from each other, they both have the same problem: two stepsisters and a stepmother.

Bradley Greenwald, Laurel Armstrong and More Set for C. at Theatre Latte Da

(4/16/2013) - Theater Latte Da announced today the cast for C., book and lyrics by Bradley Greenwald, music by Robert Elhai. This musical adaptation of the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand is being developed as part of NEXT: New Musicals in the Making, a major new work program to develop new musical theater in the Twin Cities.

VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, Marion McClinton Directing OTHELLO and More Set for Guthrie's 2013-14 Season

(4/15/2013) - Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced 12 mainstage productions of the theater's 2013-2014 season. The theater's 51st season includes first-time Guthrie productions of playwrights Beth Henley and Nina Raine, classics on the Wurtele Thrust Stage directed by Dowling and Marion McClinton, WorldStage Series presentations of returning companies Kneehigh Theatre and Out of Joint, as well as a summertime slate of a beloved musical and a Christopher Durang comedy that is currently a Broadway hit.

Theatre in the Round Players Present TREASURE ISLAND, Beginning 4/26

(4/15/2013) - Theatre in the Round Players (TRP) presents "Treasure Island" in weekend performances April 26 through May 19, 2013.

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 4/14/2013

(4/14/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/14/2013 for Minneapolis

BTAC to Offer DON'T FEAR SHAKESPEARE! Workshop and More, Summer 2013

(4/13/2013) - Bloomington Theatre and Art Center (BTAC) is offering a variety of theater classes for youth and adults this spring and summer, including classes that introduce actors young and old to the works of William Shakespeare.

THE LITTLE BIRD THAT WAS CAUGHT, THE RELUCTANT DRAGON and More Set for SteppingStone's 2013-14 Season

(4/12/2013) - Coming off of a very successful 25th Anniversary Season, which had record-breaking ticket sales and new versions of SteppingStone Theatres most popular and exciting plays, SteppingStone Theatre will be continuing that momentum into the new season with ground-breaking new productions, including four SteppingStone Theatre Originals.

Photo Flash: First Look at Open Window Theatre's MERCY UNRELENTING

(4/12/2013) - Artistic Director Jeremy Stanbary has assembled a powerful cast for the world premiere production of his original play Mercy Unrelenting, which opens at Open Window Theatre in the Metropolis Minneapolis building downtown on April 26. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Photo Flash: First Look at Mark Rylance and More in Guthrie's NICE FISH

(4/12/2013) - Tonight marks the opening of the world premiere of Nice Fish, a play by Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins, dedicated to Nataasha van Kampen and James Hillman. Get a first look at Rylance and the cast in action below!

Theatre Pro Rata's EMILIE Opens Tonight

(4/12/2013) - On June 7th, 2013 Theatre Pro Rata will open Emilie: La Marquise du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN.

Raye Birk and More Star in Theater Latte Da's WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE, Opening Tonight

(4/12/2013) - Theater Latte Da opens its inaugural year of NEXT: New Musicals in the Making with When the Moon Hits Your Eye by Jon Marans.

Tracie Bennett to Perform at Guthrie's 50th Anniversary Gala

(4/11/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced that Oliver Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tracie Bennett, best known for her tour-de-force performance as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow, will appear in BEHOLD: A Gala Performance celebrating the Guthrie's 50th anniversary on June 22, 2013. Bennett returns to the Guthrie stage following the play's electrifying run at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway and at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles this spring.

Raye Birk and More to Star in Theater Latte Da's WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE; Full Cast Announced!

(4/10/2013) - Theater Latte Da opens its inaugural year of NEXT: New Musicals in the Making with When the Moon Hits Your Eye by Jon Marans.

The Guthrie Celebrates Stephen Kanee, 4/14

(4/10/2013) - The Guthrie Theater today announced that a public celebration of the life and work of former Guthrie artist Stephen Kanee, who passed away on January 18, will take place Sunday, April 14 at 11 a.m. on the Guthrie's Wurtele Thrust Stage.

Anthony Caponi, Hillcrest Community School and More Receive Ordway's 2012 Sally Ordway Irvine Awards

(4/8/2013) - The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts today announced the recipients of the 2012 Sally Ordway Irvine Awards. Now in its 21st year, the Sally Awards honor extraordinary achievement in the visual, performing and literary arts.

Now Playing Onstage in Minneapolis - Week of 4/07/2013

(4/7/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/07/2013 for Minneapolis

BWW Reviews: FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL Spins, Leaps and Pirouettes its Way Through Minneapolis Run

(4/4/2013) - The Minnesota debut of Flashdance the Musical is a dance spectacle with all the moments from the 1983 film you want to see in all its unabashedly 80s glory.

McKnight Theatre to Bid Farewell to The Ordway with THE NIGHT OF A MILLION STARS, 4/28

(4/3/2013) - The Ordway will say farewell to the McKnight Theatre in grand style on Sunday, April 28 at 7:30 pm, in a special performance called, "The Night of a Million Stars." The concert production will highlight area artists and feature musical pieces from productions previously held in the McKnight Theatre.