Christy DeSmith In 2004, the Guthrie Theater offered to send a favorite playwright, Julie Marie Myatt, to wherever in the world she wished to go, just so long as her travels inspired a new play. Myatt chose Cambodia. Once there, she immersed herself in the sex trade, interviewing child prostitutes and even volunteering for organizations trying to … Read more
The Burning House Group was once the darling of the local theater scene, a collective of talented young performers forged in the crucibles of such dearly departed companies as Eye of the Storm and Margolis Brown. Today, the troupe is best remembered for its hit ’97 production Knock Knock, which was an uproarious farce with … Read more
By commissioning five pieces of original music, each of which is to be accompanied by some form of electronic media, the Southern Theater is hitting upon a big trend in the contemporary composition business. As of late, composers of all stripes have sought collaborations with video and performance artists, thus adding an element of spectacle … Read more
The Minnesota History Center certainly hit upon a fetish last night. The place was so crowded at the first-ever RetroRama that a girl couldn’t even get a pink martini. Note to self: Next time, heed that time-honored tradition of packing a flask in your stockings. Even though I couldn’t get a drink and didn’t come … Read more
The Minnesota History Center’s RetroRama event is tomorrow (Thursday) night. Note: The promotional photo at left was stolen from the History Center’s site. But I feel entitled to it, since it features a moonlighting model/Rake staff member. In any case, about that event: Five local designers, including milliner/ Voltage producer Anna Lee, went digging through … Read more
Last weekend, I stopped by a certain tax accountant‘s office/art gallery to soak up the scenes. Among them: The Gap has really foisted this hoodie-and-tie trend upon us, which I don’t entirely dislike. It’s sort of like an updated version of the tie-with-tweed look, since it, too, is worn mostly by brooding wimpster types. (Don’t … Read more
I had a lovely time at Voltage … I’m sorry I didn’t say so sooner. You see, I was mightily impressed by the quality of the craftsmanship on display. By chance, I went to Voltage just after visiting with the owner of a fantastic local boutique. I was surprised to learn that s/he wasn’t going … Read more
“There are hidden energies in a home. And you can’t predict them; you’ve just got to find them.” Two years ago, Anna Lee was settling in to a new apartment in Northeast Minneapolis. The now-thirty-year-old milliner and producer of local fashion shows attempted to set up the spare bedroom as her studio, lugging her desk, … Read more
“Eveningwear made comfortable”: Those are the operative words this season for Katherine Gerdes, the twenty-five-year-old designer best known for her appearance on Project Runway. The artist has successfully parlayed that exposure into businesses offering custom fashion and ready-to-wear, both of which bear the signature of Gerdes’ casual aesthetic. The avid snowboarder requires a loose fit … Read more
Smitten Kitten, the South Minneapolis sex boutique, recently launched its own version of the in-home sex-toy party, at which such wares as lubricants and vibrators are passed around for taste-testing, manhandling, discussion, and, of course, purchase. These “Pussy Parties” are geared to have a more urban, less hetero bent than, say, “Passion Parties,” which is … Read more