Author: Cristina Córdova

BOOKS & AUTHORS

A Literary Lovefest at Raking Through Books

Join us for tonght’s Raking Through Books, The Rake’s monthly happy hour book club, at Kieran’s Irish Pub.
This month, local literati present their takes on love, hate, kissing,
bittersweet meetings and partings, rants about family, whatever moves
their hearts around Valentine’s Day. Guests include authors Antay
Bilgutay, Carol Bjorlie, Jill Breckenridge, Carol Connolly, John
Gaterud, Cindra Halm, Phebe Hanson, Lorna Landvik, Ardie Medina, Bart
Schneider, Faith Sullivan, and Katrina Vandenberg. The featured book, Classical Love Poetry,
edited by Jonathan Williams (with contributions from Clive Cheesman) will be
for sale at a 20-precent discount. Plus, partake in the new monthly book swap. Bring a book, take a book! Meet kindred readers! Have a beer. —Jennifer Havrish

5:30-7:30 p.m., Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis; free.

MORE BOOKS & AUTHORS
Celebrate Writing and Sisterhood with the Erdrichs

Not since the Brontës bulled their way to prominence in
nineteenth-century Duluth has the flyover cultural set seen a distaff
literary dynasty—or, quite honestly, any sort of literary dynasty—the
likes of the Erdrich sisters. By now everybody knows Louise (independent bookstore owner and author of the award-winning Love Medicine and all sorts of other critically acclaimed novels, children’s books, poetry, and short story collections); and everybody should know Heid,
who for our money is a more consistently stunning poet than her more
celebrated sister. The impetus for this family reunion, however, is the
publication of Night Train, a debut collection of short stories by Lise Erdrich,
the sister we confess to knowing almost nothing about. We do know,
though, that she was a 2007 Bush Foundation fellow, and Sherman Alexie
has said of her collection, “This book challenged, entertained,
thrilled, and scared me.” No idea how often they actually get a chance
to sit down together, but we’re guessing they’ll have plenty to talk
about. —Brad Zellar

7 p.m., Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6174.

COMEDY
Cinematic Titanic

It’s coming on the 20th anniversary of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and the crew is coming to us, right here, tonight, at the Acme. Join original cast-members Joel Hodgson, Josh Weinstin, and Trace Beaulieu — along with MST3k favorites Mary Jo Pehl and Frank Conniff — for an evening of "stand-up comedy, interactive hijinks, and
peeks at our first DVD release: Cinematic Titanic’s ‘The Oozing Skull‘."

8 p.m., Acme Comedy Company, Historic Itasca Building, 708 1st St. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-6393; $20, dinner & show $32.

MUSIC
Cat Power

Last
time Charlyn Marshall played Minneapolis, her set was half songs and half
nervous chatter, owing to the notorious self- consciousness that occasionally
overshadows the subtle beauty in her music. But her 2006 triumph, The Greatest,
has given the shy and sad kid a renewed sense of confidence that will only be
further buttressed by her pro backing band, The Dirty Delta Blues. Expect
plenty of The Greatest, along with a generous assortment of masterfully
evocative tunes from her new Jukebox, which, like The Covers Record from 2000,
consists of stark interpretations of an array
of old classics. If nothing else, count on the beguiling Marshall to
deliver more bangs for your buck. —Christopher Hontos

8 p.m., First Avenue, 701 First Avenue North, Minneapolis; 612-338-8388; $25.

FILM
Charlie Bartlett Special Advanced Screening

Jon Poll’s name has been in the credits of many an amusing movie: producer of The Forty-Year-Old Virgin and Meet the Fockers, editor of Scary Movie 3 and both Austin Powers movies (are there more than two now?), and now director of Charlie Bartlett. Catch a sneak peek of Poll’s directorial debut tonight, two weeks before its official opening. The film stars Anton Yelchin as a loser high school student who finally manages to make some friends by turning himself into the unofficial school psychiatrist. "When he starts doling out advice, and the
occasional pill, to classmates, his popularity soars in this witty take
on teenage insecurity." And who is there to confront him but a disenchanted principal played by Robert Downey, Jr. You can never go wrong with Robert Downey, Jr.!

7:30 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-3134; $8, seniors $6, members and students $5.

Also tonight, the Film Noir series continues at the Parkway with Night and the City.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
John Minczeski

"Let me be the one hawk / migrating late / my white underside / against low clouds

"let wings collapse / then spread / and talons grasp"

Let local poet John Minsczeski whisk you away this evening as he reads from two collections, Glass Elegy and November.

7:30 p.m., Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.

FILM
California Dreamin’ (Endless)

As part of a
Romanian themed movie series showcasing the new wave in said country,
the Walker will screen the final film from late director Cristian
Nemescu, called California Dreamin’ (Endless).
It was completed in 2006, when the director and sound editor were
involved in a tragically fatal car crash. Chronicling the true story of
an American NATO train traveling to Kosovo it imbues an honest realism
and a potent political agenda. The film won Un Certain Regard at the
2007 Cannes festival and it’s of a piece with another Romanian movie
that is currently all the rage and soon to open in area theaters. But
California Dreamin’ is its equal in terms of the virtuosity and beauty
displayed by an incredibly talented director. —Christopher Hontos

Friday at 7:30 p.m., Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-375-7600; $8 (members $6).

Also today, Taxi to the Dark Side opens at the Lagoon Cinema.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Eleanor’s Cabinet

The finest puppeteer in Minneapolis,
Michael Sommers (he’s also a painter and comic artist) presents this
new, family-friendly work based on the children’s poems of Eleanor
Farjeon. It must be said, though, that childless theatergoers shouldn’t
not be repelled by this subject matter-in fact, there are more than a
few grown-up theatergoers (who fancy themselves especially
sophisticated) counting themselves among Sommers’s biggest fans. You
see, Sommers has a special talent for, again and again, conjuring up
miniature worlds of magic. And he does so whether he’s working with
hand-made puppets or engaging in object theater, for which he creates
characters and spectacles using nothing but, say, kitchenware. He’s
truly a Minneapolis treasure! —Christy DeSmith

Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 4 and 7:30 p.m.; Open Eye Theatre, 506 E. 24th St., Minneapolis; 612-874-6338; $15, kids $8.

ART
Paul Shambroom: Picturing Power

Shambroom,
our fellow Minneapolitan, is not a trendy name in contemporary photography, but
he’s revered by insiders: In one recent book surveying 121 heavy hitters in
this medium, more space is devoted to him than to any other. One reason for
that might be his dedication. Shambroom doesn’t just address a topic, be it
nuclear weaponry or municipal government-he becomes thoroughly immersed,
conducting mountains of research, traveling across the country, and taking
years to create a series of images. None of that effort is wasted: His
photographs are by turns majestic and menacing, eerie and absurd. This survey
brings together, for the first time, work from Shambroom’s most important
series: Factories, Offices, Nuclear Weapons, Meetings, and Security. Picturing
Power will travel to Columbus, Atlanta, and Long Beach. —Julia Caniglia

Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, 333 East River Road, Minneapolis; 612-625-9494.

BOOKS

Laura Flynn — Swallow the Ocean: A Memoir

Flynn’s
debut about growing up in 1970s San Francisco with a paranoid
schizophrenic mother sounds like the sort of overwrought therapy
masquerading as literature we’ve been inundated with for years—but it’s
actually as convincing as it is harrowing, and is ultimately a
beautiful testament to the remarkable resilience of children and the
power of imagination and (it really does hurt to write this) love. As
her mother’s illness spirals out of control, and her father (presumably
worn out from accusations of Satanic proselytizing) leaves the family,
Flynn and her two sisters find solidarity and survival in books,
fantasy, and, most touchingly, in the sorts of imaginative flight
they’d originally learned from their mother. —Brad Zellar

Available in bookstores nationwide on Saturday.

LECTURE
The Cat Is Out of the Bag, and Here to Tell You about It

What does an undercover CIA agent do after she’s outed in one heck of a national security scandal? Apparently, she writes a book about it and tours the country. And while that might sound a little snide on my part, it’s actually quite a lucky thing for us, as we now get to hear the story from the horse’s mouth. For 18 years Valerie Plame Wilson kept her covert CIA status a secret from both family and friends. But, somehow, in 2003, when her husband came out against the war in Iraq, Wilson’s name was leaked to the media. Whether the two items are related is for you to decide, though certainly Wilson will have something to say about it. While no one has been charged for the leak — a leak that jeopardized the safety of Wilson, her family, and all other covert agents, for that matter — the White House has been repeatedly blamed. Curious? Get the details from Wilson this evening when she shares her chilling tale.

7:30 p.m., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-371-5656; $42-$66.

MUSIC
Jason Isbell, Will Hoge, and Dawn Landes

Four years with the Drive-By Truckers may have earned Jason Isbell a a great deal of know-how and skill, a good deal of fame, and at least a small amount of money. But since he has gone solo, the man has shown himself to be a true star. His first solo album, Sirens Of The Ditch is a slick and polished mix of hard rock and country balladry (with plenty of soul) that seems a long way off from the Drive-By Truckers grunge he so recently left behind. Perhaps his song "Grown" says it best: "All them years ago you took a nervous little kid / and showed me how to slow it down just a little bit." Hear Isbell slow it down just a bit this evening in a performance with Will Hoge and Dawn Landes.

7 p.m., Varsity Theater, 1308 4th St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-604-0222; $15.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Three and Twenty Dead Folks Baked in a Pie

It’s hard to go wrong with Sweeney Todd. A serial killing barber with a straight razor is surely captivating; but when you combine that with a woman who butchers the dead and bakes them into meat pies, that’s a recipe for success. Isn’t it obvious? I mean, who won the Golden Globe for best picture this year? Who won best actor? What film is nominated for three Academy Awards? — These are all attributed to Tim Burton’s film version of Sweeney Todd, starring Johnny Depp. And while Depp is certainly a hard act to follow, and the film was clearly a smash, let’s face it: this Stephen Sondheim musical is made for the stage.

7.30 p.m., Historic State Theater, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-673-0404; $27-$67.

Ok. It’s Super Tuesday, people. If you’re going to do one thing today, then head over to the caucuses to vote. Let this be another record-breaking year for voter participation — even in the primaries.

Find out where to go for your precint caucuses.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
My Journey as an Abortion Doctor

This being Super Tuesday, why
don’t you go all out and take on one of the critical issues behind any
political campaign these days (and for so many years past) – the
abortion issue. Hear from a twenty-one year veteran on the front lines
of the abortion war, Susan Wickland, as she discusses her book This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor.
Having had an abortion at a very young age, and since then helping
women across the country through their own versions of the experience,
Wickland has much light to shed on the topic and the women behind it.

7:30 p.m., Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.

LECTURE
Andrea Palladio: Architecture and Agritecture

As
Americans, we are often slow to learn from the past. We believe
in growth and progress and often have a hard time stopping to take a
look back at past accomplishments. Well, stubborn Americans, it
is time to get some schoolin’ from the pages of history. University
of Minnesota Professor Leon Satkowski will present a lecture tonight
on Andrea Palladio, one of the most famous Italian architects of the
16^th century. You may be asking yourself, "What does
a dead Italian architect have to do with me?" Well, plenty actually. Focusing on the Italian villas that Palladio designed to serve as working farms, Satkowski will discuss how we can improve our own modern-day site planning
and sustainability. In an age where "going-green" is the new
trend, we might find some not-so-new ways to improve our earth through
architecture. —Kate Leibfried

7 p.m., Pohlad Hall, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6000; free.

FILM

Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show

Vince Vaugh fans, comedy fans, fans of the Wild West, get ready for a special advanced screening of director Ari Sandel’s new film, Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show.
Follow Vaughn on a 30-city, 30-day, 30-show tour with four energing
comics. The film takes you behind the scenes from beginning to end as
Vaughn handpicks his comics and leads them on his 30-day adventure.
You’ll enjoy laughs both behind and on the scene, as well as a host of
special guests.

7:30 p.m., The Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-3134; $8.

Priorities. Priorities. Be on the lookout for Leinenkugel’s Northwoods beer, which, after a two-year hiatus, finally goes on sale today for a limited time. Mmmmm.

Also, be sure to stop and visit our Multimedia page again for a tour of the Art Shanty Project with Rake intern Tricia Towey. We’ll have a new Owen video for you later this week.

FILM
Our Man in Havana

Unavailable on DVD in the U.S., this 1959
British noir classic reunites director Carol Reed and writer Graham Greene, the
sly duo who gave us The Third Man and The Fallen Idol, also classics. Here,
Alec Guinness plays James Wormold, a British vacuum cleaner salesman stationed
in Cuba who is enlisted as a spy for
Queen and country. Concerned that he is going to lose this prized position,
Wormold concocts a story about secret rockets, using vacuum cleaner circuit
diagrams to fool the British Secret Service into believing he’s onto a Russian
missile scheme. Shot entirely in Cuba-Castro’s government was, at the time,
eager to encourage a film that portrayed a corrupt Batista regime. —Peter Schilling

7:30 p.m., Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis;
612-822-3030, $5.

MUSIC
Tim Finn and Alice Peacock

Minnesota in early February is the perfect place and time for some
intelligent and effervescent pop to quicken our winter-slogged minds
and brighten our outlooks across the snow-covered prairie. The chance
to hear ex-Split Enz frontman (and Crowded House cohort) Tim Finn spin flax into gold while reprising the magical realism of his latest solo disc, Imaginary Kingdom, fills that prescription better than anything else out there this month. At his best—and much of Imaginary Kingdom
qualifies—Finn blends Paul McCartney’s delightful sense of naïveté with
Ray Davies’s trenchant eye for social detail. Folk-pop thrush Alice
Peacock (a White Bear Lake native, donchaknow) has enough insight and
honesty in her mainstream-safe approach to set the stage as a strong
opening act. —Britt Robson

7:30 p.m., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674; $25.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
Say Yes to No

We’ve all seen parents idly sitting by as their children grossly misbehave — not a word, not a "No," not a reprimand, or one of those motherly glares that freeze you at the core. Nothing. And then we complain about the state of youth today. Accoring to psychologist, author, and founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family Dr. David Walsh, we just need to learn to say "No!" Join Walsh this evening as he shares some of his strategies for raising healthy, self-reliant kids. He’ll be discussing his new book — offering an antidote to Discipline Deficit Disorder — No, Why Kids of all Ages Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It.

6:30 p.m., Pohlad Hall, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-630-6000.

FILM & PERFORMANCE

Crispin Glover Presents:
WHAT IS IT?

What is it? Debuting for the first time in
Minnesota and unavailable on DVD, What Is It? is Crispin Glover‘s 2005
directorial debut (lately he played Grendel in Beowulf). The movie is described
by its director as "being the adventures of a young man whose principal
interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home as tormented by an
hubristic racist inner psyche." Starring Michael Blevis, a young man with Down
Syndrome, and Mr. Glover as a deus ex machina in a fur trenchcoat and flowing
locks, the film also features a fellow in blackface, a bevy of naked women in
elephant masks, and snails aplenty. What is it? Armed with slideshow and
commentary, Glover will be on hand to explain. No one under eighteen will be
admitted. —Peter Schilling

Friday through Sunday at 7 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-3134.

FILM
Nanking

The tagline says it all: "Even
in the darkest of times there is light." Nanking tells the story
of the rape of Nanking, a black smudge in the history of China. In 1937, the invading Japanese army murdered over 200,000 and raped
tens of thousands of Chinese. This event was not, as its tagline
suggests, completely devoid of light. A small group of Western
expatriates responded to the terror and heroically saved the lives of
250,000 Chinese. This is the story of an event that is surprisingly
little-known in the Western world and deserves to be told. Be
a part of the unfolding of this bittersweet tale. —Kate Leibfried

Opens Friday, 2:00, 4:15, 7:05, 9:30 p.m., Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006; $8.25 ($5.75 seniors and children).

MUSIC
Still Weeping for the Willow

To
be honest, it has been a while since I’ve heard anyone speak her name,
but that certainly wasn’t the case about 10 years ago. Back then, I
remember hearing Ann Reed
at every turn. I believe I heard her play along the river more than
once — Riverplace or St. Anthony Main. If I remember correctly, she had
one of the best versions of "Willow Weep for Me" I’ve ever heard, actually. The woman can sing; I’ll tell you that. I’d say a "rich
alto, smooth guitar playing, great songs, and sly wit" is an accurate
characterization. And the woman hasn’t stopped. I may not have been
hearing her name much, but she’s gone on to produce 15 albums and
countless concerts. Don’t miss this one.

Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; 651-209-6799; $12-$24.

THEATER BENEFIT
All in a Day’s Work

Support your local
theater and have a good laugh at their expense. Watch as over 40 local
artists come together to write, stage, and perform six plays in only 24
hours. That’s right, folks: just one day to put together an entire
show. Talk about putting yourself out on a limb! (As if simply getting
up on stage weren’t enough.) The 7th Annual 24-Hour Play Project &
Benefit Gala, hosted by FringeFest superstar Allegra Lingo, benefits Theater Unbound
and all who go: in addition to the six plays, you’ll enjoy
complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and silent and live auctions
with fabulous gifts.

Saturday at 8 p.m., Neighborhood House, Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul; 612-721-1186; $35, couples $50.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Look and Ye Shall Find

Let’s face it; it is
no longer the 1950s in Pleasantville. We no longer live in the
land of pearl-wearing housewives who rub their husbands’ feet as
they sit by the fire, smoking a pipe, and listening to baseball on the
radio. And a family no longer has to be made up of a mom, a dad,
and a brood of kids. Looking for Normal
is a smartly-styled play that examines the question, "What is the
definition of a family?" It explores the increasingly vast world of
nontraditional families through the poignant tale of Irma and her
husband Roy, who finally admits that he feels that he was born into the
wrong body and sees himself as a woman. Roy’s "coming out" has an
extreme impact on Irma, his wife of 25 years, and on their extended
family and friends. Join ARTisphere Theatre and Torch Theater for a humorous play that delivers a serious message about identity and
the meaning of family. This is the
last weekend of the show, so catch it before it’s gone! —Kate Leibfried

Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., The Minneapolis Theater Garage, 711 West Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-729-1071; $15-$18.

There seem to be an awful lot of things going on today, so be sure to spend your time wisely. If you’re feeling decadent (and financially secure) head to downtown Minneapolis for the opening of r. Norman’s, a new steakhouse on Hennepin. Tonight’s opening is actually a benefit for Hennepin Theatre Trust, so your decadence will do some good for the theater community. If you have kids, or you happen to love children’s theater, then check out Freedom Train, at O’Shaughnessy. And if you’re half the Tom Waits fan I am, you’ll take a break from this email to buy your tickets to Warm Beer, Cold Women, the Waits tribute opening at the Guthrie this evening.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
Politics Without Words — an Interesting Prospect

We all know from Billy Joel
and Rage Against the Machine that music can be political. But
what about music without words? In her book
Symphonic Aspirations: German Music and Politics, 1900-1945, Professor Karen Painter argues
that symphonic music can and does play a role in politics. Painter
will be discussing her fascinating ideas today at the University
of Minnesota Bookstore. Join her as
she leads a discussion about the use of music as propaganda during WWI
and WWII, and how music can be much more political than it appears. You may discover that the messages that instruments convey may not be
so abstract after all. —Kate Leibfried

4 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.

MUSIC BENEFIT
Heart to Heart

Get your own heart racing as
you rock out to protect the hearts of others. The Fine Line is
sponsoring their Heart to Heart concert tonight to help raise
money for children with heart disease in the developing world.
And did I mention there’s a rock show? Popular local performers —
including Hookers and Blow, Billy Johnson, and Atomic
Flea — will be donating their time and talent to support this Heartlink campaign. Buy a ticket, listen to some great
live music, and help support a great cause. General admission ($35) includes a drink and appetizers, but if you really want to
put your heart and soul into this event, buy a VIP ticket ($60) and enjoy cocktails and appetizers throughout the
night, a ticket to the 9 p.m. show, and exclusive seating. Happy
hearts guaranteed! —Kate Leibfried

5 -8:30 p.m. (VIP show at 9 p.m.), Fine Line Music Café, 318 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-8100; $35, VIP $60.

DANCE
Estampas Porteña: Tango Fire

Can you feel the heat?
The sizzling performance of Tango Fire, by the Argentinean group
Estampas Porteñas, will leave you hot, hot, hot. This aptly
named performance will lead you through the riveting history of tango,
the world’s most alluring and exciting dance. Prepare to be
seduced as ten stunning dancers and a group of brilliant musicians perform
five different tango styles, including the fast-paced, heart-thumping
milonga, and the contemporary tango, which incorporates acrobatic stunts
and leaps. A ticket to this passion-filled performance would also
make the perfect early Valentine’s Day gift for someone you love.
For further fiery fun, check out the Milonga tango party immediately
following the show. If you want to learn how to put a little sizzle
in your step, the Tango Society of Minnesota will give free tango lessons
in the Northrop lobby. Stay until 1 a.m. and dance the night away
to Mandragora Tango, a collective of Minneapolis tango
musicians. No mamacita or caballero is going to want to miss this! —Kate Leibfried

7:30 p.m., Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis; 652-393-2837; $31-$52.