Art Hounds

Minnesota Public Radio

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PERFORMING ARTS
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Each week three people from the Minnesota arts community talk about a performance, opening, or event they're excited to see or want others to check out.

2D AGO

Art Hounds: City Mouse, gravediggers and songs about food

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. WideSpot Performing Arts Center Shaun Duvall of Wabasha recommends a great opportunity for live music in her town: the monthly concerts from WideSpot Performing Arts Center. During the school year (September through May) WideSpot hosts concerts at the Broadway Theater — the old middle school auditorium on Broadway Ave. — in Wabasha. The series ends for the year on Saturday, May 9, with a concert by Americana band City Mouse. The Mankato band has been performing for more than 50 years. Shaun says: I think it'll just be fun! More than anything, it's just a place for local people to get together and visit and connect. And that's one of the great things about small towns, is when you can just spend time with each other. — Shaun Duvall Shaun says there are regular chances to hear live music in the summer, too: the Meet Me Under the Bridge concert series happens every Friday at 7 p.m. from June 12 – Aug. 28 at Heritage Park. ‘Los Profanadores de La Calle Arenas’ Actor, theater maker, and retired Macalester professor Harry Waters Jr. recommends that everyone see Teatro del Pueblo's “Los Profanadores de La Calle Arenas.” Set 50 years in a hotter, drier future, the play centers on a family of gravediggers in the Caribbean. The play was written by Lelis Brito and co-directed with Alondra Alamilla Benitez, with music by Carlisle Evans Peck. The show is performed entirely in Spanish, with English subtitles, at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, May 8 – 17. Harry says: What's interesting about this piece, which is why I recommend going to see it, is that Lelis has brought us to a place where we're re-experiencing how to tell stories. There's a moment in the show that the audience will actually get to leave and visit the space differently. I think it's really important for people now to broaden our perspectives when we're talking about performance now, that we're looking at decolonizing the way performance is presented. And I think this is an opportunity where Lelis Brito and Teatro are shifting the needle. — Harry Waters Jr. ‘The Bountiful Table’ Mark Hiemenz of St. Louis Park is a singer and church choir director. He recommends a delicious concert: Caritas Vocal Ensemble, an a cappella group of 12, will perform a full menu of songs about food in a concert called “The Bountiful Table.” Concerts are Sat. May 9 at New Branches Building in Minneapolis, Sat. May 16 at Grace Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, and Sun. May 17 at Incarnation Lutheran Church in Shoreview. All concerts are from 3 to 4 p.m. Donations will be accepted for local food shelves. Mark anticipates a performance full of humor and the joy of sharing music together. Mark says: Caritas actually began as one person's response to 9/11, so the group has always sung concerts and partnered with local organizations. For example, these concerts are going to support local food shelves. So Caritas really believes in the power of music to show communities how important it is to be together. — Mark Hiemenz

4 min
APR 30

Art Hounds: Fresh dance, short plays and a nightmare gala

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. Strange Loop Project’s ‘Fresh Baked’ Anna Pinault is a dancer and choreographer in Minneapolis, and she recommends an innovative dance performance this Saturday from Strange Loop Project. It’s the second installment in their “Fresh Baked” series, where four dancer/choreographers are given 24 hours to create a new dance based on a three-word prompt. Each dancer receives the same prompt, resulting in what Pinault says feels like a curated collection. The performance of these “fresh-baked” dances, which tend to average about 10 minutes each, will take place 8 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at 1629 Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis. Pinault performed in the first iteration of the series in February, and she described what the next four dancers are about to experience. Anna says: You really have to let go and just give in to the freedom of creation. It takes a lot of trust in yourself as well, that you can show up in the studio, come up with something without over-editing yourself, because you don't have time to do that. You just have to kind of push play and let the creative process go. — Anna Pinault Threshold Theater’s ‘More 4Play’ Freelance director Gretchen Weinrich of Minneapolis enjoyed seeing Threshold Theater’s new collection of four 10-minute plays by LGBTQ+ playwrights. A follow-up from their 2024 event, “More 4Play” continues at Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, which tickets available in advance or at the door. Though the plays center “the LGBTQ+ experience generally,” Weinrich says, they are diverse in story and style. She appreciated seeing the same small group of actors take on different characters in each show. As for the venue, Bryant Lake Bowl is one of Weinrich’s favorites. Gretchen says: The food and drinks are great. They'll serve you right in your seat, and it makes for a fun uptown vibe. — Gretchen Weinrich Plains Art Museum’s Spring Gala Eric A. Johnson of Hillsboro, North Dakota, is an artist and director of Fargo Moorhead Visual Arts. He’s looking forward to the Plains Art Museum’s Spring Gala this Saturday in downtown Fargo. The event is a celebration of artistic talent in the Fargo-Moorhead area and beyond, as well as a fundraiser to support the museum. The swanky evening includes music, food, and a silent auction of art with the region's talent on display, which Johnson says feels like a juried art exhibition. This year’s theme is “Nightmare at the Museum,” with themed costumes encouraged but not required. The Plains Art Museum is free and open daily. Editor’s note: Johnson is one of more than 80 area artists who have donated work for the silent auction.

4 min
APR 16

Art Hounds: A Karen epic returns, abstract art finds sound, flamenco marks a turning point

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. A classic story returns to the stage Juanita Vang is co-executive director at the Southeast Asian Diaspora (SEAD) Project in Minneapolis. She performed in the original production of Ehkhudah Zar’s play “Muyehpen” in 2023, and she’s excited that Exposed Brick is mounting a new, traveling production of the play. Written in English and billed as one of the first — if not the first — tellings of the classic Karen story in English, Muyehpen will be performed at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul this Friday at 7 p.m. and at the Paramount Theatre in Austin at 6 p.m. April 25. The theater notes that, while all ages are welcome, the play contains references to sexual assault. Ageless echoes: The Karen story of Muyehpen finds new lif Juanita says: I love seeing how oral traditions through the centuries are able to come to life and are able to be documented in a way where we can show the rest of the world. Now that it's actually being documented, hopefully, it builds a more beautiful world of diversity and understanding that we all come from different places, but we also have shared lived human experiences, and hopefully, that instills empathy and love in the world. — Juanita Vang Abstract art show: where sound and color meet Amanda Clark owns of Siiviis Gallery in Duluth. She’s shining a light on an exhibition opening at Lizzards Art Gallery on Friday. “Chromesthesia: The Sound of Color” features abstract works by 20 artists represented by Lizzards. There’s an opening artist reception 4-7 p.m. Friday, and the show will be up through late June. Amanda is looking forward to seeing the sheer variety of work in this show, as artists convey on canvas the sounds they hear. Amanda says: They hand-selected artists that are very different from one one another, and it kind of pushes their boundaries of what they normally might do in their artistic endeavors or their artistic style. And so I think this show is kind of pushing that thread of, how can I still keep my same artistic values and artistic techniques, but then create something that's a little bit less conceptual. — Amanda Clark Flamenco at a turning point Jessica Fiala is a company member of Ragamala Dance Company, and she teaches tap classes at Ballare Teatro. She’s looking forward to seeing Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre’s show “Amanecer” April 24–26 at the Luminary Arts Center in Minneapolis. Jessica says: Zorango Flamenco was founded in 1982 by Susanna De Palma, so over more than 40 years now, she's been carving out a place for Zorongo as this anchor arts organization in the Twin Cities that also fosters an international artistic dialogue. But for this production, she's handing over the creative reins to longtime company member Deborah Elias. And so I'm particularly excited about this production because it marks a turning point in the company's history. “Amanecer” means “Dawn,” so it's both celebrating everything that has brought them to this point, with Susanna continuing as a mentor and advisor for the production, but it's also marking the dawn of a new chapter for Zorongo. — Jessica Fiala

4 min
APR 9

Art Hounds: Puppet rock opera, sewing and poetry

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. A puppet rock opera returns Azure Anderson of St. Paul is an artist, musician, and podcaster, and she’s a huge fan of Phantom Chorus Theatre. They are re-mounting the founders’ 2019 production of “Razia’s Shadow,” a puppet rock opera. The production contains 12 songs by Forgive Durden, performed live, with a new cast of puppet characters ranging in size from two to eight feet. The show runs April 10–25 at the Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. In-person and live-streamed tickets are available. While not designed as a children’s show, Anderson says the show is recommended for ages six and older due to a few spooky elements; if your child enjoys Tim Burton’s film “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this show should be a good fit. Having seen all Phantom Chorus’s productions for the past three years, Anderson raves about them. Azure says: “The visuals are always incredible. The music's always incredible. And the technical aspect never misses. — Azure Anderson Sewing and style at Twin Cities Frocktails For Hannah Olanrewaju of St. Paul, sewing means community. She’s looking forward to Twin Cities Frocktails, an evening event where attendees are invited (though not required) to wear clothes they made themselves. This year’s theme is “Making Through the Decades.” Frocktails takes place 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, April 11 at Steady Pour in Minneapolis. Hannah describes the vibe of the first Frocktails in 2024. Hannah says: There's something so uniquely wonderful about being in a room with people who've made at least one part of their outfit and can really speak the same language as you do. And so, I remember walking around with my bingo sheet and getting to know people and where they're from. They're asking you about your outfit, and you're asking them about their outfit. And so by the end of the night, you're saying goodbye to all these people that you've really never met before, but now, you’re finding ways to keep in touch. I think that's something that's so beautiful about Frocktails and about sewing, specifically, that I don't think I've been able to find anywhere else. — Hannah Olanrewaju Poetry and community in Rochester John Sievers is a trombonist from Rochester, but tonight, he’s looking forward to an event that celebrates poetry. The Southeastern Minnesota Poets will hold their next Bright Lights Poetry Night tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the historic Chateau Theatre. The theme of tonight’s reading is “Emergence.” John says: This event is really a community event that is encouraging people to come together as people who are interested in language and words and poetry. And I just love the fact that I can hear people from my community sharing their deep thoughts about important themes in today's society. — John Sievers

4 min
APR 2

Art Hounds: A musical comedy, a science pioneer on stage and a legacy in quilt

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. A rarely staged musical comedy Christine Sweet, a retired classical music radio host in St. Paul, is looking forward to seeing Minneapolis Musical Theatre’s production of "Grumpy Old Men," a musical adaptation of the 1993 romcom set in Wabasha. The musical runs April 3–19 at the Conn Theater in Minneapolis. Christine says: MMT brings us new and rarely performed musicals, digging deep to find forgotten gems and often presenting the local premieres of chosen works, which is the case with this production of “Grumpy Old Men.” After a hard winter, we could use some belly laughs at the foibles of two lifelong rivals vying through snow and ice-fishing for the attention of their attractive new neighbor. MMT draws on the Twin Cities' wealth of vocal, instrumental and theatrical talent, and I can’t wait to hear what they do with the soundtrack, which was commercially recorded just two years ago.” — Christine Sweet A poetic look at a scientific pioneer Carolyn Pool, a writer and performer in St. Paul, recommends seeing “Ada Lovelace: Bride of Science,” a new play staged by nimbus theatre. Daughter of the famed poet Lord Byron, Lovelace (1815-1852) was a mathematical genius who invented the Analytical Engine, a prototype for early computers. Carolyn says this play offers a great way to introduce children to an important historical figure in STEM. This show has sliding scale tickets. It runs April 4–19 at The Crane Theater in northeast Minneapolis. The play is written by Twin Cities performer Nissa Nordland, who is also the head of the Twin Cities Horror Fest. Carolyn says: [Nordlund] has a very, very big interest in both science and beauty and poetry. And so this is going to be, yes, a play about a woman in science, and it's going to be poetic, full of beautiful language and stellar performances. — Carolyn Pool Continuing a quiltmaker’s legacy Brie Taralson owns Lykke Books, across the street from the Grand Center for Arts and Culture in New Ulm. She wants people to see the beautiful quiltwork on display in the Grand’s current exhibition, “Picking Up the Piecework: A Legacy of Creativity Through the Lens of Mary Hartten.” After Hartten, an avid quilter, died, her family gave her fabric and unfinished piecework to be sold to benefit The Grand. This exhibit features quilts that have been made — in a variety of styles — using those pieces, thus continuing Hartten’s legacy. The exhibit runs through April 24. On Sat. April 10 at 5 p.m., Mary’s son Randy Hartten will give a presentation about “An Unfinished Project,” a printed book of 54 of Mary’s quilt squares. Brie describes that project. Brie says: What's really neat is you can actually see the “finished side” on one and flip the book over and see exactly how precise she was and how complicated the stitching was on the other side. And so you get a true behind-the-scenes look at how much math and geometry and and precision that was needed to do this well. [Mary’s children] had this bound, and the the book itself is a piece of art. It's quite literally stitched together of her quilt pieces. — Brie Taralson

4 min
MAR 26

Art Hounds: Magic, memory and the mysteries of the sky

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. A beloved fantasy comes to the stage Becca Buntjer of South St. Paul is looking forward to taking her kids to see the world premiere of the play “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins. The play is an adaptation of the novel by Minneapolis author and Newbery Medalist Kelly Barnhill. The play runs March 27 through April 19 with performances both during school hours and on weekends. The show is 75 minutes long and is recommended for audiences age 10 and up. There is a special meet-the-author and book-signing event 6-7 p.m. on April 4 before that evening’s show. Buntjer can’t wait to see a book her family loves adapted for the stage. Buntjer says: It is a fantastical world with a fun, magic structure, and it's got sweet characters. It is about a young girl named Luna, and she you get to see her grow up as she learns about magic, forgets magic and then learns about it again. She has this beautiful relationship with Xan, the old witch. You get to see how the different villages that Xan interacts with view her role as the witch. Is she the helper, or is she someone to be feared? Pro tip: There’s a free parking garage half a block from the theater. — Becca Buntjer Generations connect over pastries Kim Kivens is an actor based in Crystal who has performed before with Six Points Theater, but she’s looking forward to being in the audience for their upcoming production, the world premiere of the play “Vienna, Vienna, Vienna.” The show follows three generations of women connecting over pastries in Vienna, from where the grandmother fled as a child. The show runs Sat. March 28 through April 12 at Highland Park Community Center in St. Paul. The play is 90 minutes without intermission. Kim says: Six Points is a theater that I love. They are telling stories that are rooted in Judaism, which is close to me, because I happen to be Jewish — but they are universal stories. — Kim Kivens Stargazing through science and story Erin Makela is an educator and author in Worthington, and she’s looking forward to seeing the play “Silent Sky” at Minnesota West Community and Technical College. The show marks director Eric Parrish’s 50th production. “Silent Sky” tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt, a 19th-century astronomer and computer (meaning she did the math and science calculations) at Harvard. Though only men were allowed to touch the telescopes, Leavitt’s careful calculations unlocked a key tool for understanding the distance between stars and galaxies. The play runs March 27-29 at the Worthington Campus Fine Arts Theater. Parrish will be honored after the Friday evening show. Following the Saturday evening show, astronomy instructor Paul Seifert will host a star party with telescopes available to view the night sky. After the Sunday matinee, there will be a talk-back with cast and crew. As a preview, Erin says: The set looks like a lot of fun. They've got it set up to look like an observatory at the top, and there are different constellations that will be appearing throughout the show on the background. — Erin Makela

4 min
MAR 19

Art Hounds: A strike story, a tragicomedy, and scenes from nature

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. A story of the 1977 bank strike As Artistic Director of the Twin Cities Women’s Choir, Randi Grundahl Rexroth loves Women’s History Month and the opportunity to empower women’s voices. She’s looking forward to the opening of Twin Cities actress Sandra Struthers’ new play “Hungry Like the Wolf," which tells the story of the 1977 bank strike in Willmar. In the first bank strike in the U.S., eight women demanded equal pay with their male counterparts. The show features an all-female directing and design team. See it at the History Theatre in St. Paul, Saturday, March 21 through April 12. Randi is looking forward to an engaging show with strong 80s vibes. Randi says: The script is fast-paced and guaranteed to speak directly to us Gen Xers. Sandra Struthers uses comedy to engage the audience and discuss really difficult subjects like gender and gender inequity and double standards and harassment. The cast includes Sandra and Jen Maren, who last teamed up at the History Theatre's production of ‘Glensheen,’ Allison Vincent, Sam Landman and History Theatre veteran JJen Burleigh-Bentz. — Randi Grundahl Rexroth A Gilbert & Sullivan tragicomedy Allison Amy Wedell is the Alto Two Section Leader of the Twin Cities Women's Choir, and she’s looking forward to great singing on display in “The Yeoman of the Guard; Or, The Merry and His Maid” from The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company. Allison says this tragicomedy is “a little more opera than operetta” with a wider range of emotion than some of their satires. Performances run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 29 at the Conn Theater at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. The March 28 performance will be livestreamed. Allison says it’s one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most musically ambitious works, staged by local talent: Allison says: It's music-directed by Dr. Randal Buikema and it's directed by Gary Briggle. I personally know Gary Briggle as an actor from his 10-year run in “Glensheen” at the History Theatre, but I'm really looking forward to seeing him apply his considerable musical theater talent to this show. — Allison Amy Wedell Painting Minnesota wildlife Alejandra Pelinka is the Director of Creative Placemaking for the City of Bloomington, and she feels fortunate that she gets to see art exhibits curated by Artistry in the building where she works. On display right now is Kat Corrigan’s exhibit “Minnesota Neighbors.” The series of vibrant paintings of Minnesota animals runs through April 19 in the Atrium Gallery at the Bloomington Center for the Arts. Alejandra says: What I really love about this exhibit is how it really makes you slow down and notice the animals we live alongside every day. You'll see a very loose, expressive painting method. And what I love about that is it gives it motion, and it gives it emotion as well. With this exhibit, specifically, you feel like you're not just looking at an animal, but it feels like you're kind of meeting it. — Alejandra Pelinka

4 min
MAR 12

Art Hounds: A healing circus, a multiracial family story and expressive prints

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what’s exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here. ‘Touching Two Worlds: Reality’ Koreen Valdovinos runs Open Minds Fusion Studio. She met Sherry Walling when they were both training to be aerial arts instructors 10 years ago, and Valdovinos is looking forward to seeing Walling’s next circus production, “Touching Two Worlds: Reality.” Walling, who is also a clinical psychologist and author, partners with circus performer Lynn Lunny to create circus shows whose narratives focus on mental wellbeing. Shows are March 13 and 14 at Luminary Arts in Minneapolis, with a Circus Experience option that allows ticketholders to try out some circus arts for themselves on Sunday. Koreen says this circus show revolves around themes of loss, embodiment, and healing through movement. Koreen says: One of the greatest parts about watching good aerial dance performances is the shared feeling--almost like co-regulating with the people in the audience and the performers. — Koreen Valdovinos World premiere of “Abuelita” Theater artist Tinia Moulder is a big fan of Prime Productions, which mounts plays featuring roles for women over 50. She’s looking forward to the world premiere of Nathan Yungerberg’s play “Abuelita.” Directed by Shá Cage, the show runs at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis March 14-29 (preview night March 13). Tinia says: I'm drawn to this show because not only is it featuring, four women of different races over the age of 50, but it's also a story of a multiracial family, and it's written by a man who is part of a multiracial family through adoption himself and through raising his own children. And that reflects my own family as well. [The play takes us] to Spanish Harlem, summer of 1983, and there is a white Midwestern grandmother who wants to expose her mixed-race grandson to his Puerto Rican culture. So we have women that are trading wisdom and laughs and trauma and reflections from the past and looking forward to the future. — Tinia Moulder Eric A. Johnson’s “Periphery: Paintings + Reduction Relief Prints” D’Mitry Lewman is an artist in Fargo, North Dakota, where he partners with Ted Martin at Ted Martin Art. He recommends seeing Eric A. Johnson’s exhibit “Periphery: Paintings + Reduction Relief Prints” at the Rourke Art Gallery and Museum in Moorhead, Minn. The show is on view through April 12 with an artist talk March 22 at 2 p.m. D’Mitry says the wavy lines and clever titling of Johnson’s work invokes Vincent Van Gogh. To make reduction relief prints, Lewman says, “You take the initial block of wood and you carve away at it, you print on that, and then you continue to reduce it down into basically nothing.” D’Mitry says: I just really feel like I connect with his work through his colors and his expressive lines. On display will be not only his printmaking, but his experiments within abstract art. There are these beautiful, intricate gradients that almost look like squares of quilts and really engaging pieces all around. — D’Mitry Lewman

4 min

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4.3

out of 5

25 Ratings

Good Overview, ANNOYING Intro

06/13/2013

Lnvk

I love getting these tips for cool art stuff to do each weekend but I absolutely cannot stand the intros. I listen to this as a podcast and every week I try to gauge how far to fast forward so I don't have to listen to the "cheeky," "creative" introduction to the show. Please stop trying so hard, it shows, and it would be stronger if you dropped the attempt to be cool and just added another review.

Each week three people from the Minnesota arts community talk about a performance, opening, or event they're excited to see or want others to check out.