Cardboard Piano is Agonizingly Poignant

Where should forgiveness begin and end? 

Pictures speak louder than words. 

That is the question at the heart of Cardboard Piano, a gutwrenching play about the liminal nature of morality, kindness and grace when they are applied in the harshest imaginable circumstances. Who is deserving of mercy in light of the worst crimes? What acts are truly unforgivable? Who is allowed to define what is and is not moral, and the appropriate way to heal from immoral acts?

Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

These impossible questions are asked through the story of Adiel, a Ugandan girl, and Chris, the daughter of white American missionaries, who are deep in the throes of a young romance. The girls are truly in love and hold a secret wedding for themselves, intending to run away together to a safer place than the small Ugandan village they call home, where they will certainly be ostracized - and Adiel may be killed - if others learn of their sexuality. Their night of joy and bright future is soon interrupted forever with knowledge of Chris's parents' disgust at their relationship, and with the entrance of Pika, a child soldier on the run from his horrible master. The girls help Pika and promise to care for him, especially after he saves them from the leering intentions of his former commander. Pika is not as forgiving as the girls are of his sordid past once he learns of their sexuality, killing Adiel in his revulsion. The play resumes ten years later as Chris returns to Uganda and once again meets Pika; both of them have been irreparably changed by their encounters, and the rest of the show wrestles with how they should interact and what their roles in atoning for the drastic consequences of their young life are for the future. I won't say more about their dialogue, but it's truly fraught, and it will leave you with many heavy thoughts - as well as some small hope for human nature - by the end of the play.

Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

This is a difficult show with so many weighty themes vying for priority - homosexuality (especially outside of westernized countries); white savior complexes; the damagingly judgmental yet also incongruously (but limited) redemptive qualities of Christianity; the victims of rebellions and civil wars; and a community's capacity (or limits) for forgiveness and tolerance. It wouldn't work without a strong cast, and Cardboard Piano features a good one. Roles are given equal weight and stage time, making this a truly collaborative enterprise. As always, Ansa Akyea brings gravitas and depth to his roles as the rebel commander and Pika as an adult. His nuanced portrayals allow us to humanize the devastating reality of his characters, and his monologues as Pika provide some profound food for thought. Kiara Jackson is radiant as Adiel and Pika's wife Ruth, with a calm, placid yet passionate performance. She warms up every line she speaks, and I can't wait to see her in more shows. Adelin Phelps is explosive as Chris. It's clear that Phelps feels this role to the tips of her fingernails, and her physical presence is dynamic as soon as she steps on stage. Michael Jemison is heartbreaking as young Pika and Adiel's cousin Frances. He has such a youthful, wistful vibe, and you can't help but feel for the painful place in which his characters reside.

Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

Signe V. Harriday has done a terrific job of directing this fragile story, and I want to make sure to give her commendation. There is so much going on in this narrative that it could easily become overwrought, but with her deft supervision we are able to feel each layer of the story. Foster Johns does a great job of overseeing dialect coaching, with notable accents from most of the actors. Sara Wilcox's costume design is vibrant and simple, as is the set design from Sarah Brandner, keeping the focus on the complex plot unfolding on stage. And a shout out to Lyndsey Harter, who does a bang up job of stage management and keeps the show moving along at a very clippy pace.

Photo by Petronella J. Ytsma

I want to give huge props to Park Square Theatre for tackling this play. I wasn't sure what to expect from the description and by about 15 minutes in it was clear that I was in for an impossibly dark emotional rollercoaster. This production of Cardboard Piano is nuanced, thoughtful, and has clearly been invested with a lot of intention and care. What could feel like an overly stereotyped or inordinately dramatic plot line instead feels real, impactful and brave. Cardboard Piano is not afraid to ask audiences hard questions - about their beliefs, their stereotypes, their culpability in propagating horrific practices overseas, and the hard work we all must do to create a more just and fair world. I was surprisingly moved throughout this performance (thanks in part to the terrific cast), and I know I will be thinking about the nuances of the story of Cardboard Piano long after the lights close at Park Square on February 18. For more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

The Wiz is a Wondrous Experience

2018 kicked off with a hot collaboration from two of the Twin Cities' anchor theater companies, and it couldn't be a better way to start off the year in #tctheater. 

Photo by Dan Norman

If you grew up in America, chances are you've seen The Wizard of Oz. In fact, you've probably seen it multiple times - on TV movie specials, in anniversary screenings in theaters, on various community theater stages, and maybe even read the original novels by Frank L. Baum. MGM's transcendent film adaptation (which holds up shockingly well on screen 80 years after its first release) was an instant classic and has remained a bedrock of the American cultural imagination ever since.

Photo by Dan Norman

So you've seen The Wizard of Oz... but how about The Wiz? In all the magic of the original it's easy to forget the one major thing that was omitted in the story line: people of color. Despite a fantastical universe filled with munchkins; talking scarecrows, tin men and lions; flying monkeys; witches; and myriad other magical creatures, it seems to have been beyond our collective imagination to diversify the casting to include people who weren't white. The Wiz takes this original story, modernizes it and fills it with a different set of cultural references and an all-black cast. The film adaption circa 1978 is a classic in its own right and stars (among many other VIPs) a luminescent Diana Ross and heartbreakingly youthful Michael Jackson. Despite the familiar plotline, The Wiz has a thoroughly different feel and fiercer urgency from The Wizard of Oz thanks to the casting exchange, and it's a perfect example of the difference it makes to have a wide variety of people and experiences represented on stage, as well as a testimonial to the good things that can be created when we decide to eschew the “classics” and bring things into the modern era.

Photo by Dan Norman

The Children's Theatre Company (CTC) paired up with Penumbra Theatre to bring The Wiz to the stage, and who could be better qualified to do so? I saw The Wizard of Oz on stage at CTC a couple of years ago and it remains one of my favorite shows I've seen, ever; combined with Penumbra's talented cast members and deep legacy, this Wiz is a powerhouse performance that is one of the blackest things I've seen on stage in the Twin Cities and a riotous performance from start to finish.

Photo by Dan Norman

The best part of this Wiz, bar none, is the stellar cast. CTC and Penumbra pulled all the extensive strings they have to flesh out the roster, and boy, did it ever pay off. The performance begins and ends with the stellar, supremely talented Paris Bennett as Dorothy, whose powerhouse, pitch perfect vocals are chillingly fabulous from the very first note. My only real complaint about this production is that we couldn't just listen to Bennett sing for a few hours straight on her own (which is to say: I don't have many complaints), and the moments when Bennett is allowed to shine solo, sans orchestra or even fellow cast members, are truly mesmerizing.

Photo by Dan Norman

Bennett is not alone in talent, though. The cast also features Grammy award winner Jamecia Bennett (who has a standout solo of her own as Glinda in the second act); an extensive and shockingly good list of local luminaries such as Aimee Bryant bringing her best Effie Trinket and smooth singing to the role of Addaperle; Rudolph Searles III shredding the dance floor in unlaced Timberlands as the Lion; a hilarious basso in T. Mychael Rambo as The Wiz; a poignant contralto from Greta Oglesby as Aunt Em and Evillene; and an absolutely resplendent Dennis Spears as the Tinman, in what I am convinced is his best role yet. Dwight Leslie is a promising newcomer to Penumbra as the Scarecrow, and the entire cast is supported by a resplendent cadre of ensemble characters including thrilling young actors like China Brickey, one of my favorite young local performers to watch in coming years.

Photo by Dan Norman

Matthew LeFebvre is back designing costumes for this performance, and they're some of his most inventive yet. The Lion has vibrant dreadlocks and dances with the aforementioned unlaced Timbs; Dorothy has a sweet but modern schoolgirl vibe; the yellow brick road features dancers in Lego-fied cargo pants that are reminiscent of In Living Color; each of the witches has technicolor costumes that pop off the stage into vivid, gaudy life; the munchkins have sculptural wigs that are straight out of the Hunger Games; and the whole thing is sure to dazzle the eye. Choreography, expertly developed by Patrdo Harris, is vital, athletic and reminiscent of African American greats such as Alvin Ailey and Misty Copeland; I wish there were more straight dance interludes to let these talented hoofers really soar. The set, designed by Vicki Smith, is evocative but a little underwhelming for my taste; with such creative costumes and talented performers, why not go all the way and fly them through the cyclone or really maximize the magic I've seen before on stage at CTC? It's still very good, and the detailed projections go a long way to adding depth - I just would have liked a little more of the awe-inducing trickery I've seen there before.

Photo by Dan Norman

Co-productions can be very tricky to pull off well, but I can attest that Penumbra and CTC really got this one right. We obviously don't know what kind of negotiations were made behind the scenes, but it seems like a true creative partnership out in the red seats, and I was really happy with how vibrant this whole production of The Wiz was. From the A++ talented cast to the dynamic costumes and robust dance chops, The Wiz is a living testament to why (every once in a while, at least) we really should reinvent the wheel. Go for the eye candy, stay for the heavenly musicality of one of the most talented casts I've seen in a while. The Wiz is thankfully open through March 18, but tickets are selling fast, so make sure to click here to learn more and reserve your seats before it closes.

Photo by Dan Norman

Thrillist: Best Winter Date Ideas

What do you do when the weather is cold and #dryjanuary is only half over? 

Photo from Thrillist. 

If you're feeling a little stir crazy and uninspired with your dating life (I don't blame you), look no further than this comprehensive list of winter date ideas that I pulled together for Thrillist. There's something for everyone on this list, from theater to classes to nature appreciation and outdoor athletic activities. There's so much going on in the Twin Cities right now - especially thanks to the Superbowl coming - so there's no excuse not to venture out and enjoy some of our unique things to do. Take a look at my list by clicking here and tell me - did I get it right? What would you add? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

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Date night -- whether that means meeting your Bumble crush for the first time or trying to have an adult conversation with your spouse sans the kids -- should be the bright spot in your busy week. We think the best dates are affordable, quality time spent with your significant other, and in the Twin Cities there’s no shortage of great options. Forget “let’s grab a drink!” (insert boring eye-roll here) and check out this list we’ve scouted instead below.

See a spectacular waterfall
Minnehaha Park
One of the most scenic date spots in the Twin Cities? Minnehaha Falls, hands-down. The 100-foot cascade is a sight to behold any time of year, whether it's flowing in the summer or frozen in the winter. You can view it from the top or descend the stairs to take it all in from the base.

Ice skate with a view of downtown Minneapolis
Loring Park
If you’re brave enough to explore the outdoors despite the cold temperatures, make sure to swing by the Wells Fargo Winterskate in Loring Park. You can always stop by one of the many ponds or lakes in the Twin Cities too, of course, but this location also features free skate rentals, a warming house, and a groomed rink, making it perfect even for the greenest skater.

Warm up at the Como Zoo Conservatory
Como
The Como Zoo is a popular summer attraction (a free zoo? Who wouldn’t go?), but why not head there in the wintertime? Rather than see animals, you can stop by the Como Zoo Conservatory which is a free, glass-enclosed building, filled with steamy tropical heat. In addition to the gorgeous gardens, visitors can attend a free weekly concert series in the conservatory. Nothing sets the mood like an abundance of flowers.

Pull your best Harry Houdini by playing the Escape Game
Bloomington
Intentionally locking yourself and a small group into an escape room for an hour might not sound like your idea of fun, but it is truly a blast. With themes from a Mars Mission to a museum heist, the Escape Game is the best group date out there for mystery and whodunit fans.

Get dinner and a show at the largest dinner theater
Chanhassen
If the idea of hopping between locations is just too exhausting for you, look no further than the Chanhassen Dinner Theater (CDT). The largest dinner theater in the country, CDT has a rotating schedule of spunky musicals, comedic shows, and musical theater that serves multi-course dinners along with the performance. Free parking and excellent customer service make this more than worth the drive.

Indulge your inner Al Capone
Wabasha
Learn about St. Paul’s mobster past and practice your swing dancing steps with a visit to the Wabasha Street Caves. With live swing bands and year-round historical tours, the Wabasha Caves will teach you everything you didn’t know about St. Paul’s dark, Prohibition-era past. It's cheap too; swing night tickets are less than $10.

See world-class exhibits for free
Whittier
In case you didn't know, the Minneapolis Institute of Art is free and boasts one of the best collections of Asian Art in the United States. Attend on a trendy Third Thursday of the month, where events like fashion shows from local designers or concerts by local bands are featured inside of the exhibit halls.

Consider some contemporary art
Loring Park
The Walker Art Center regularly makes national headlines with its collection of truly abstract, contemporary, mind-bending theater and art displays. Thursday evenings are free thanks to a Target sponsorship; special exhibits currently include a display of Cuban art that is sure to warm your frigid soul. If you’re extra daring, venture across the street for a stroll around the Walker’s world-renowned (but outdoor only) sculpture garden, which is open year-round.

See a free show about a new culture
Cedar Riverside
With their totally unique Radical Hospitality program, Mixed Blood Theatre gives you no excuse to avoid checking out our vibrant local theater community. Most of the performances are free charge, with a host of programming representative of many of the local immigrant groups in the Twin Cities, making Mixed Blood a must-visit destination any time of the year.

Visit a museum after closing
Downtown St. Paul
Geek out with a visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota, which regularly hosts adults-only events after-hours where you can enjoy the interactive exhibits kid-free. With tons of special events like Star Wars Day, Lego construction challenges, and Omnitheater screenings, there is no shortage of date night activities to be found here.

Take a selfie above the Minneapolis River
Downtown East
There’s a reason why people fly from all over the country to the Guthrie Theater. Aside from the gorgeously staged productions in three separate theaters, the facility itself is an architectural landmark that provides #instaworthy views of the beautiful Mississippi Riverfront from many angles. Combined with delicious on-site dining, this theatrical destination is a great one-stop date shop. Even better: Some performances go for as low as $15 a pop.

Expand your mind with an avant-garde show
Seven Corners
The Southern Theater is one of the busiest and most affordable theatrical venues in the Twin Cities and hosts a rotating schedule of shows from indie companies to one-man performances and student revues, meaning you're always guaranteed to see something unusual there. Come for a cheap ticket to an unknown theater company; stay for the hauntingly gorgeous historical interiors.

Indulge your inner art activist
Northeast Minneapolis
If you and your date consider yourselves part of the #resistance, look no further than the Public Functionary gallery, which routinely hosts politically charged work by diverse artists that are sure to trigger your political touchpoints.

Take a leisurely stroll around the lake
Literally everywhere
One of the best parts of living in the Twin Cities is our abundance of urban bodies of water. Don’t let the weather scare you off; parks are still open, and many have planned seasonally appropriate activities that are unique and a whole lot of fun.

Putt through some indoor mini-golf
Hamline-Midway
For those who are going fully stir crazy, Can Can Wonderland is a terrific option to check out. While the main attraction is an elaborate indoor mini-golf course, there are lots of other active options, from pinball machines to variety shows to an indoor beach boardwalk, to keep you occupied.

Vertical Endeavors
Those who climb together, stay together
Bloomington, Minneapolis, or St. Paul
Prepare for warmer, better, barer days by getting some training in at Vertical Endeavors, the Twin Cities’ resident rock climbing society. Options are available for all skill levels, giving anyone the chance to get sweaty in more ways than one.

Drive through the Mall of America -- literally
Bloomington
Forgo the typical mall shopping experience at the Mall of America and immerse yourself in a world of full-body virtual reality games and -- wait for it -- a full-size indoor go-kart racing track. Smaaash has 40,000 square feet of entertainment that includes a multi-level racetrack. Say no more.

Please a big group at Punch Bowl Social
St. Louis Park
Another great spot for group dates, Punch Bowl Social has something to please everyone. There are bowling lanes, arcade games, karaoke, and table games, so if Punch Bowl Social can’t keep your crew engaged, nothing can.

Catch a movie in a unique theater
Columbia Heights, Edina, St. Anthony Main
Movie dates are one of the oldest (and least original) ideas you can have, but they’re a crowd pleaser for a reason. Spice up your cinema card by taking your date to a unique theater like the historically renovated Heights Theater, avant-garde and international films at Edina Cinema, or an eclectic mix of blockbuster and independent films at the cobblestone-paved St. Anthony Main Theatre.

Pick up some new reading material
Uptown
Think of Magers and Quinn as Minnesota’s version of The Strand. With an expertly curated roster of books (including troves published by the Twin Cities’ many award-winning indie presses) and a full calendar of literary events, there’s something here to please every bibliophile.

Indulge your inner Ice Queen at an ice castle in Excelsior
Excelsior
Speaking of ice castles, if you are up for a short road trip you have no alternative but to head to Excelsior for their magical display of ice castles, which are constructed and refreshed daily. If you’re impressed by the formal castle constructed at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, you’re bound to be blown away by these luminescent natural beauties.

Get hands on at The Loft
Downtown East
If browsing a bookstore isn’t bookish enough for you, you’re in luck: Minneapolis hosts The Loft Literary Center, a temple to all things paper. There are meeting rooms, a coffee shop, and a bookstore (as might be expected), but look a little deeper and you’ll find a plethora of unique activities to partake in. From writing classes to hands-on activities like making chapbooks or letterpress, The Loft is a must for lovers of the written word.

Practice your best Patrick Swayze pottery at Fired Up Studios
Golden Valley
Are you a secret 1990s film aficionado? You wouldn’t be alone. If you’ve waited all your life to pull off your best Demi and Patrick in Ghost, look no further than Fired Up Studios, a local pottery studio that -- no joke -- offers "clay dates" for couples.

Use your noodle with Trivia Mafia
Metro-wide
Many local watering holes host trivia nights, but for the safest bet for a great trivia experience, you should attend one led by Trivia Mafia. Hosted at locations throughout the Twin Cities, Trivia Mafia provides excellent bar trivia as well as drunken spelling bees, bingo, and live radio trivia available any time you want to quiz yourself (or vet your date’s IQ).

Free your inner Che Guevara
Seward
Revolutionaries and anarchists will feel right at home at Boneshaker Books, which is the truest embodiment of an indie bookstore. Run solely by volunteer power, Boneshaker hosts a litany of queer and radical reading clubs, promotes social justice and movements, offers an extensive list of hard-to-find books and zines, and will even deliver your books by bicycle if it’s just too cold to get them yourself. 

Cook yourselves dinner
St. Paul, Minneapolis, Stillwater
Why go out to dinner at a restaurant when you can cook your own with instruction from a pro chef? Local cooking shops like Cooks of Crocus Hill and Kitchen Window offer classes with instruction on everything from make-your-own sushi to hand-rolled pasta to cupcakes and macarons. Afterwards, you get to eat whatever you make -- and you don’t have to tip!

Go wild with a trail hike
St. Paul
Get active with an afternoon hike at Fort Snelling State Park’s Pike Island -- the three-mile loop leads you along the path where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet. It’s hard to believe a trail this scenic is just off the highway, and if you look closely you and your sweetie may spot deer, beavers, or otters along the shore.

Go wine-tasting in the countryside
Saint Croix River Valley
What better place is there to spend a lazy weekend date than a winery? Just a short drive (about a half-hour) from the Twin Cities is the Saint Croix River Valley, a peaceful place to escape urban life for a glass of vino in the countryside. Some favorites include Chateau St. Croix and Dancing Dragonfly Winery. Sip and sample at their tasting rooms and bring back a bottle for later.

Get your game on at an arcade bar
Uptown
You can’t beat playing like a kid again...except when you also throw in some 21+ drinks and an attractive date. Minneapolis bar Up-Down charges only a quarter for throwback arcade games from the '80s and '90s and they also have life-size Jenga and Connect Four. The house-made Mac & Cheese Pizza is way better than whatever the gaming spot of your youth served, and we suggest you take advantage of the “Six Pack and a Pound” special- six domestic tallboys and a pound of tokens -- at a steal of a price.

Bad Axe
Throw an axe together
Northeast
If you’re looking for a unique date idea that also serves as a stress reliever, check out Bad Axe, which recently opened an 8,000 square foot building in Northeast. They supply you with tools, coaching, and safety tips so you can learn how to throw an axe like a Northwoods lumberjack. Described as “like bowling, but edgier,” it’s a guaranteed good time. Afterwards, stop at neighboring Norseman Distillery for a cocktail.

Book Spotlight: Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in A Testament of Hope

"Let me say that we have failed to say something to America enough. However difficult it is to hear, however shocking it is to hear, we’ve got to face the fact that America is a racist country. We have got to face the fact that racism still occupies the throne of our nation. I don’t think we will ultimately solve the problem of racial injustice until this is recognized, and until this is worked on."

Photo from Wikipedia.

It's no great secret that I love books.

I posted a roundup of my favorite reads last year here (previous roundups can be found by clicking here and here), and it's one of my favorite things to write about. Reading has been a passion of mine since I was a child, and no other practice has been more beneficial in opening my mind and my heart to continued growth and empathy.

Considering the many fraught events of the last year or two, I found myself feeling somewhat overwhelmed with all of the political noise. How could we ever climb out of this, I thought? How can we ever hope for a brighter day? Is all of our progress lost? How can I, an individual, do anything impactful to help solve these problems?

As a test to myself I decided to channel this angst into action and research by reading A Testament of Hope cover-to-cover. This hefty tome (clocking in at well over 600 pages) is a collection of almost every writing and speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Encompassing essays, letters, speeches, books and pamphlets, and interviews, the book is organized by type and provides a magnificent survey of the full philosophy of one of our nation's greatest heroes. It's the best place I could have channeled my energy last year, and I can safely say that now, exactly one year after I began this project, I have learned so much and gained so much wisdom from this text. I will certainly be revisiting it frequently going forward, but I wanted to summate some of my favorite lessons from the book. This year marks 50 years since King was killed and we have a lot of ground to make up; there's no better place to turn than the source itself to figure out how to get where we need to be.

1. White people need to do more to fix racism and racist policies. A lot more. Especially in the North. 

If there was a single takeaway that most impacted me personally it was this one. One of the major themes of King's work that we love to forget, particularly after he won the Nobel prize and had gained international fame, was his extreme disappointment with the lack of support for civil rights among white people, particularly Christians and political liberals. The single biggest factor in slowing the march of progress of the Civil Rights Movement was the lack of initiative in the white community to speak out about obvious wrongs, challenge fellow white people on their racist beliefs, financially support the movement, demand that the political system change to one of true fairness, and most importantly to admit and apologize for the destructive racism that has poisoned America from day one. Black people didn't invent systemic racism, white people did, and until that cause/effect is directly addressed, our society will not be truly equitable. It is not enough to point fingers at "those rednecks" down South and pat ourselves on the back. Racism is pervasive, insidious, and takes many forms - even up in the great white North. We need to address those issues here just as urgently as Alabama had to tackle Jim Crow.

2. Dr. King was far more radical than anyone wants to admit. 

One of the reasons I felt so driven to read all of this book was that the true history of a person tends to get muddled or deformed as time passes, and I had a suspicion this was true of King. Turns out, I was right. King has become such a mythical figure in the collective American memory that his work is often distilled to a single, whitewashed quote - "I have a dream" - and the finer, more important points of his arguments are lost. It was extremely beneficial to fully submerge into his philosophy of nonviolence and harsh recriminations of the American system. The popular image of King might be a warm and fuzzy memory, but we'd be better off to remember the real, more pointed King, the King who went to jail, preached against war at all costs, and who approached American policy with unflinching honesty and unending grace in the truest sense of that term.

3. Racism hurts everyone, not just black people. 

The systemic inequalities facing our society have trickle down effects that end up affecting all of us. Whether it's watching our neighbors suffer while we look on, to enabling class exploitation or simply reducing the tax base through unfair wages, every American citizen is impacted by our racist laws and policies. We are all in this together and acknowledging that shared burden is the only way we're going to fix these massive problems.

4. Real persistence can get you anywhere, even with a small amount of resources. 

It's highly instructive to revisit success stories like the Montgomery bus boycott. It can feel overwhelming to work in a social movement - where will you find money to promote your cause? How will you convince people to join your cause? If the power structure has no incentive to change, how can you convince them to? The Montgomery boycott was effective because everyone participated, it was never broken - despite extreme personal sacrifices on the part of many who had very little - and it made an enormous financial impact to the city's bottom line. Had any of those elements failed (and they almost did), the boycott itself would have failed as so many before it. Good organization and clear demands can get you a very long way, so it's important not to get caught up in the trappings of fundraising or political infighting to the neglect of specifying your goals and consistently following through on your promised actions.

5. We have more in common than we don't. 

Perhaps the most powerful gift King had was the ability to gently remove prejudices and stereotypes to help people find common ground. Reading his interviews to diverse cross-sections of audiences, from African-Americans to Jews to Southern and Northern White America, he was a master at making his arguments seem personally impactful. None of the achievements King is known for could have happened without a supportive base, and I'm hard-pressed to think of another person who was so able to truly unite such a broad cross-section of society. King was not a popular man even at the height of his work - his approval ratings never exceeded 45% of the population until after his death - but he still managed to draw an intriguing group of dedicated volunteers from key demographics who made a huge impact with very few resources.

I'd like to leave you with some quotes from the last piece of A Testament of Hope, a short book King wrote called the Trumpet of Conscience. It's one of the last pieces he published and so extraordinarily timely that I hard a hard time not copying the entire document. You can find links to the full text here, and it's worth grabbing a copy if you're able. I hope you all have some meditations and actions of resistance to celebrate the life of Dr. King today; I know I will be finding ways to participate on my own as well.

"Let me say that we have failed to say something to America enough. However difficult it is to hear, however shocking it is to hear, we’ve got to face the fact that America is a racist country. We have got to face the fact that racism still occupies the throne of our nation. I don’t think we will ultimately solve the problem of racial injustice until this is recognized, and until this is worked on. [...]

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom. [...] This generation is engaged in a cold war, not only with the earlier generation, but with the values of its society. It is not the familiar and normal hostility of the young groping for independence. It has a new quality of bitter antagonism and confused anger which suggests basic issues are being contested. [...]

The tempest of evils provides the answer for those adults who ask why this young generation is so unfathomable, so alienated, and frequently so freakish. For the young people of today, peace and social tranquility are as unreal and remote as knight-errantry. […] Ironically, their rebelliousness comes from having been frustrated in seeking change within the framework of the existing society. […] Their radicalism is growing because the power structure of today is unrelenting in defending not only it social system but the evils it contains; so, naturally, it is intensifying the opposition. [...]

Of course, by now it is obvious that new laws are not enough. The emergency we now face is economic, and it is a desperate and worsening situation. For the 35 million poor people in America – not even to mention, just yet, the poor in the other nations – there is a kind of strangulation in the air. In our society it is murder, psychologically, to deprive a man of a job or an income. You are in substance saying to that man that he has no right to exist. You are in a real way depriving him of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, denying in his case the very creed of his society. Now, millions of people are being strangled in that way. The problem is international in scope. And it is getting worse, as the gap between the poor and the “affluent society” increases. [...]

As a minister, I take prayer too seriously to use it as an excuse for avoiding work and responsibility. When a government commands more wealth and power than has ever before been known in the history of the world, and offers no more than this, it is worse than blind, it is provocative. [...]

The dispossessed of this nation – the poor, both white and Negro – live in a cruelly unjust society. They must organize a revolution against that injustice, not against the lives of the persons who are their fellow citizens, but against the structures through which the society is refusing to take means which have been called for, and which are at hand, to lift the load of poverty. [...]

In a world facing the revolt of ragged and hungry masses of God’s children; in a world torn between the tensions of East and West, white and colored, individualists and collectivists; in a world whose cultural and spiritual power lags so far behind her technological capabilities that we live each day on the verge of nuclear co-annihilation; in this world, nonviolence is no longer and option for intellectual analysis, it is an imperative for action."

Out There 2017: Teatro El Público: Antigonón

The Walker's annual mindbending theater festival got off to bombastic start last night. 

Photo Courtesy of the Walker Art Center

Do you ever just feel a little bored? Just a little worn out, like things are the same ol' same ol' all of the time and just aren't as intriguing anymore?

Thankfully I had a very revitalizing year of theater in 2017 (you can see my best-of round up here), but it's always nice to do something totally new to mix it up, especially at this time of year when resolutions abound and everything is being reexamined with fresh eyes.

The Out There series at the Walker Art Center has long been one of my favorite ways to mix up my engagement with and understanding of the performance arts. I've seen everything from the legendary Bill Jones to hip hop laden spoken word to split stage Japanese magical realism to a completely indescribable Baz Luhrman-esque on-stage dance fest, and it just keeps coming.

This year promises to provide more of these mindbending works, beginning with Teatro El Público's Antigonón. One of my favorite parts of the Out There festival is the fact that it draws incredible international talent to the Twin Cities, allowing us all to affordably see groups we'd never otherwise be exposed to. Teatro El Público, an edgy Cuban group, is just such an entity.

Antigonón, a radical piece by Carlos Diaz (a leading member of Havana's underground theater and drag scene) re-envisions Sophocles' famous play Antigone. Antigone's subject matter clashes in Antigonón with intense drag costumes, political commentary and a montage of graphic historical film footage to create an emotional, kinetic show that will shove you straight in the chest. The performers are led by a group of three powerful women who narrate us through the bulk of the show with a presence that I can only describe as fearlessly vigorous. From the first word each woman hisses, stomps and punches her way through the narrative, and their unstoppable energy drives Antigonón forward with force. The two male performers provide a softer delivery that includes a folksy song sung in drag and a series of explicitly eye candy poses. It's an interesting gender flip and one that I wasn't expecting.

Be warned, if you are a sensitive person, that this is not a performance for the fainthearted: at least 80% of the performance is done in full or partially explicit nudity and there are plenty of swear words throughout the dialogue; even though they're in Cuban Spanish, you'll know exactly where it's going. I don't mind an edgy delivery (so long as the ends justify the means) and it was fine for me here, with the nudity in particular used almost as a blunt against the sharp narration. It's easy to forget how artistic the nude human form can be, and these performers had no problem displaying their masterpieces here. I enjoyed the creative costumes once they were utilized, and my only real complaint is that I wish we had heard more from the single black female performer. Her poetic, sonorous soliloquy moved me more than any of the rest of the dynamic action, and I'd have liked to have more exposure to her narrative throughout the performance.

Either way, Out There shows are always an insight into the unknown that provide a refreshing break from the usual theater fare. You may love it, you may hate it, but there's no doubt that you'll leave an Out There performance with food for thought and a fascinating topic of conversation. Each performance runs for one weekend only, meaning you have only two days left to see Teatro El Público: Antigonón. I suggest you head to this link to learn more and buy tickets, and a word to the wise: you can get a discount if you purchase for the whole series at once.

For a roundup of past Out There performances I've covered, see the following: 

• Out There 2017: Andrew Schneider's YOUARENOWHERE
• Out There 2016: Daniel Fish
• Out There 2016: Rabih Mroue
• Out There 2016: A Joyful Germinal
• Out There 2016: RoosevElvis
• Out There 2015: RED-EYE to HAVRE de GRACE 
• Out There 2015: CAMPO "Still Standing You"
• Out There 2014: Clement Layes
• Out There 2014: The Room Nobody Knows
• Out There 2014: Wunderbaum/LAPD's "Hospital"
• Out There 2012: red, black & GREEN: a blues
• Out There 2012: Bill Jones' Story/Time
• Out There 2012: The Past is a Grotesque Animal
• Out There 2012: Untitled Feminist Show

FREE: Reading of a New Play + Learn About DREAM Act and DACA

Start the New Year off right by learning about DACA, the DREAM Act, and how to truly help your neighbors. 

Photo by Mark Van Cleave

If I haven't sung the praises of Karen Zacarias enough yet, let me correct that right now: she is one of my favorite new playwrights and I am dying to see what she comes up with next. I was first introduced to Karen Zacarias through the excellent production of Native Gardens at the Guthrie last year (which easily made my top 5 performances of the year), and I've been keeping a sharp eye out for her next work ever since.

She's popped up again in a reading taking place at the Mixed Blood next week (in partnership with the Guthrie) of her play Just Like Us, which discusses the topic of DACA recipients and the very serious, very sad, imminently looming issues facing them today. The mixed event will do a short reading of part of the play and end with a panel discussion and community conversation about these issues centered on ways to build empathy and awareness in our wider community. I think the event is a fabulous idea and I hope it's packed to the gills. I've copied the bulk of the press release below; please read through and take a visit to Mixed Blood for this wonderful event! If you go, make sure to reserve spaces; it's free but you will not get in without an RSVP.

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The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) and Mixed Blood Theatre (Jack Reuler, Artistic Director) today announced their partnership to present Enacting the Dream: Select Readings from Karen Zacarías’ Just Like Us and a Community Conversation about the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act) on Tuesday, January 9 at 7 p.m. at Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 South 4th Street, Minneapolis. Enacting the Dream is an opportunity to reflect upon the lived realities of the roughly 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients living in the United States. The event is free, but reservations are required through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, or online at guthrietheater.org. There will be an RSVP check-in at Mixed Blood Theatre on the evening of the event. Due to limited capacity, there is a two-person limit per reservation.

Enacting the Dream features select readings from Native Gardens author Karen Zacarías’ play Just Like Us followed by a panel discussion including public officials, immigration experts and DREAMers. As a March 5 deadline looms before the bulk of the DACA permits begin to expire, well over 6,000 DREAMers living in Minnesota remain unsure of their future status in the United States. Enacting the Dream provides the opportunity to build empathy and awareness about the challenges faced by those whose path to citizenship remains unclear.

Mixed Blood Artistic Director Jack Reuler said, “The Guthrie and Mixed Blood offer complementary platforms from which to observe and decry societal wrongdoings and offer affirming alternatives. Enacting the Dream makes the political personal. Issues of immigration and concerns of immigrants and refugees occur daily on Mixed Blood’s block (on which 4,500 people from 65 countries reside). Since 1989, Mixed Blood has produced theater by, about, for, and with Latinos in Spanish and English with bilingual casts, which led me to see the heart-wrenching world premiere of Just Like Us in Denver in 2013. I was moved by its coming-of-age storytelling of four Latina friends in the shadow of disparate immigration consequences. As one cast member said, ‘It’s about finding the courage to build your own destiny.’ Societal progress occurs because of an aggregation of incremental changes. Enacting the Dream is an important ingredient in that process.”

“Our theaters make really lousy forts, but they make very good bridges,” echoed Guthrie Theater Artistic Director Joseph Haj. “Hosting these free community Happenings where listening and dialogue provide a safe backdrop for exploration and learning is an important part of our mission at the Guthrie Theater. For Enacting the Dream, the Guthrie is pleased to partner with Mixed Blood, which champions equity and animates social change through its artistry, community relationships and universal access.”

Based on Helen Thorpe’s bestselling book, Just Like Us is a documentary-style play that follows four overachieving Latina teenagers in Denver, two of whom are documented and two who are not. Their close-knit friendships begin to unravel when immigration status dictates the girls’ opportunities, or lack thereof. When a political firestorm arises, each girl’s future becomes increasingly complicated. Just Like Us questions what makes us American.

Best of 2017: My Favorite Theater Performances and Top Blog Posts

No annual roundup would be complete without a listing of the top performances I saw last year. 

The most exciting exchange I've ever had on Twitter. 

If I had to sum up my feelings about the Twin Cities theater scene in 2017 in just a few words, I'd leave you with these: diverse, general excellence.

It's hard out here at times for someone who sees a lot of shows to write reviews. There are so many companies doing so many different things that they often don't belong in the same categories. The quality in general tends to be very high from show to show and it's quite rare that I see something that I totally despise or just can't support. I hate to sound like a recurring positive broken record, but I genuinely enjoy 90+% of everything I see and I want you all to know how much I love the amazing work amassed by our talented theatrical community as I engage with it.

So with all that in mind, let me introduce you to my favorites of 2017, shows that I can't stop telling people about even months after they've closed and that I desperately wish would return in all of their glory. I'm thoroughly excited for the upcoming seasons from each of these wonderful companies and let me know: what were your favorites? Do you disagree with any of my choices? What are you looking forward to in 2018?

*Note: all shows are listed in order of when I saw them throughout the calendar year. 

**Note: all photos were used with permission from the theater/company and are sourced in my original reviews, which are linked below. Please click through to find credit. 

1. Vietgone (read my original review here) 

This was the first must-see performance of last year for me and it cemented the extraordinary cast - including perennial favorites Meghan Kreidler and Sun Mee Chomet, as well as new-to-me David Huynh - as must-sees in any upcoming performances. I wrote about Vietgone that it was "Hamilton meets Kendrick Lamarr meets the Vietnam War, and it's sublime" - words I still vouch vociferously for to this day. From the witty dialogues to the sexy, serious subject matter, Vietgone brought an untold American perspective to vibrant, throbbing life.

2. Girl Shakes Loose (read my original review here)

I didn't label Girl Shakes Loose as a must-see when I saw it as I had just posted my Vietgone review and I thought two raves in a row was too many. I've regretted that ever since. This edgy, thoroughly modern world premiere musical told the story of a bisexual millennial in a completely new way (both musically and narratively), and I've thought of it often since it left the stage. Girl Shakes Loose starred many terrific young African American actors who are sure to become stars in the Twin Cities theater scene and the only phrase I can use to describe it appropriately is screaming fresh. Girl Shakes Loose didn't get nearly the amount of press it deserved when it came around last year; here's to hoping it comes back and gets more attention.

3. The Boy and Robin Hood (read my original review here) 

Is there anyone more ambitious right now than Tyler Michaels (except for Kory LaQuess Pullam, of course)? A cornerstone of an excellent passel of hyper-talented young performers making their rounds in the Twin Cities theater scene these days, Michaels has moved himself from starring roles to working behind the red velvet curtains in the director/producer/choreographer's chair, and the early fruits of his labors are promising indeed. Michaels' new venture, Trademark Theater, is not only performing new work but writing and scoring all of that work at the same time. I was thoroughly impressed with this new take on Robin Hood and it was easily one of my favorites last year. Trademark has a few growing pains to work out but have no fear: the path they are on is fantastic, entertaining, and bright indeed.

4. Little Wars (read my original review here)

I've been so excited to see the explosion of women on stage and behind the scenes, and one of the most promising new developments is the work of Prime Productions. Concentrated on telling the stories of "women of a certain age," Prime Productions got off to a banging start with Little Wars. I was delighted to see such a strong group of female performers and learned so much about a period in history I knew little about. Prime Productions fills a vital hole in our theatrical community, and I can't wait to see what they'll be up to next.

5. Native Gardens (read my original review here)

What can I saw about Native Gardens that I haven't already said? This brilliant, masterful comedy from Karen Zacarias was an immediate standout when I saw it last summer. The set is one of my favorites I've ever seen, but even that was totally outshadowed by the delicious performances from this tight four-person cast. Covering any political issue you can think of (from immigration to women at work to motherhood to gentrification) with finesse and biting honesty, this Guthrie production was pitch-perfect from start to finish.

6. The Immigrant Journey Project (read my original review here)

Mu Performing Arts has always been one of my go-tos for fresh, totally original work, and their Immigrant Journey Project was totally unlike anything I've ever seen. Created with the benefit of grants and participation from local immigrant communities, this show told many diverse, real-life stories of the ways that immigrants came to Minnesota through beautiful vignettes and brightly designed puppets. The unpolished, raw performances from local immigrants, several of which were translated from their tribal languages into American English, were moving and vital, and I thought of them long after the lights turned up. The Immigrant Journey Project was everything that Refugia (which had a much larger budget, profile and press coverage) should have been, and I hope we get a series in this vein with Mu at the helm.

7. In The Heights (read my original review here) 

Lin Manuel Miranda is the rare example of a celebrity whose praises may actually be undersung. Many people know Miranda for his work on Hamilton and Moana, but before they existed he created In The Heights, a beautifully performed musical at the Ordway this year. In The Heights proved that you don't need to travel to New York City to get a full on, spectacular, Broadway-caliber theatrical performance; instead, you can stay right here and indulge in top-notch work at one of our many theatrical gems. There are few things I would gladly purchase tickets to watch again and again within a limited week-long run; In The Heights was one of them. That is all you need to know.

8. Man of La Mancha (read my original review here)

Man of La Mancha is one of those revered musicals that has never done much for me. It's fine, whatever, I'm tired just thinking about it - except in relation to the fabulous rendition performed by Theatre Latte Da last fall. Featuring a terrific cast with several new-to-me actors (who I am dying to see come back in roles in other local shows), Man of La Mancha made me fall in love with a musical I thought I'd never care about. The inventive staging, hearty musicality and inventive costumes sold me from the get-go as well as on future productions from Theatre Latte Da.

9. Wedding Band (read my original review here)

Wedding Band was one of the shows I was most excited to see last year, and the Penumbra's production exceeded all of my high expectations. Starring a revelatory Dame-Jasmine Hughes, Wedding Band is the only play I've seen to-date that tells the truth - the whole beautiful, painful, terrifying truth - of interracial relationships in the United States. It moved me from start to finish and gave an articulate voice to many of the struggles I face in my own interracial relationship, and I can't recommend it highly enough if you ever get the chance to see it.

10. The Christmas Carol (read my original review here) 

I know, I know - how on earth did the Guthrie's perennial holiday show make my list? I'm as surprised as you are, but let me tell you: I was blown away by the fresh staging by this first-ever female directed production. With select performances featuring a woman in the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a noticeably diverse cast, an expertly trimmed script and a gloriously lavish set, this Christmas rerun entranced me from the get-go and was one of my most recommended shows over the holiday season.

11. Phantom of the Opera (read my original review here) 

Another pick that's not the most original, but I make no apologies. Phantom of the Opera has been a favorite show for my entire life, and the re-imagined set in this production (which runs through tomorrow - you can still grab a ticket if you dare!) is still my favorite I've ever seen. In my life. Of all time. It's lavish, it's transportive, and combined with the experience of seeing the first ever African American actor I've seen in the role of Phantom (my favorite second only to Michael Crawford, a testimony in itself), this was a top-notch production that I am not ashamed to ring the bell for.

12. Dot (read my original review here)

Dot was one of the most unexpected surprises on my best-of list this year. The summary - a story about a woman suffering from Alzheimers and her family over the holidays - isn't terribly engaging and sounds downright depressing. But what I found in this lovely gem of a show was education about an increasingly common disease, terrific ensemble performances, and a bevy of hilarious scenarios that brought teeming life and realistic elements to what otherwise would have been a devastating, heartbreaking story. It rung true from my real-life experience with Alzheimer's in my family and is a show that I hope generates more press attention than it's currently received. You can still get tickets (and I highly encourage you to) through early January.

And while I'm at it, here are some other favorite pieces I wrote last year: 

1. Some thoughts on high-end restaurants and racist servers
2. Wrestling with Refugia at the Moving Company
3. Compendium celebrates its 5 year anniversary 
4. Pixar comes to the Science Museum 
5. Why everyone needs to see Wonder Woman
6. Thrillist: The Best Small Towns in Minnesota
7. Living the podcast dream
8. The Penumbra Theater celebrates 40 years at the Minnesota Historical Society
9. The top 10 reasons to see Romeo and Juliet (again)
10. Why the Lynx deserve more
11. Thrillist: Best New Restaurants of 2017
12. The best books I read in 2017

Don't just take my word for it! Don't miss the best of year posts from some of my other TCTB blogger friends below: 

Cherry and Spoon: click here
MN Theater Love: click here
Play off the Page: click here