Author: Cristina Córdova

FOOD AND FUN
We’re in This Together, You and Me

Here’s a secret for you — Galactic Pizza is having another Richard Simmons Night. That’s right, another one; apparently this is an annual event. You have to give this place credit. They lack no imagination. Order a pizza and Captain Awesome will be there in a jiffy in his electric Galactic wack-mobile. (Employees get to pick their own superheros when they start.) Well, now they’re giving it up to exercise guru/joker Richard Simmons. Dress like Richard Simons, act like Richard Simons, squeal like Richard Simons — or one of his “fatties” — and you’ll get half off your second pizza, second round, or second anything. Me, I’m going to pay full price and get some free entertainment. The employees all have to dress like him, too.

Friday, Galactic Pizza, 2917 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis; 612-824-9100.

MUSIC by Britt Robson
Modest Mouse

The mainstreaming of Modest Mouse has predictably put many undies in a bunch among the band’s original die-hards. Aside from an occasional blast of belligerence and a meandering sonic idyll or two, the sextet’s new We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank furthers the commercial maturity of their improbable hit, “Float On.” And it cements a spot for frontman Isaac Brock (alongside the Talking Heads’ David Byrne and Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus) in the pantheon of “indie-rock” tunesmiths who like their clever, quirky, sardonic lyrics served up with angular, jangly, soft-elbowed grooves. The big splash of ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr joining the band wasn’t overwhelmingly apparent on the disc, but one imagines his arching riffs will protrude a little more noticeably onstage.

Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Orpheum Theater, 910 Hennepin Ave; 651-989-5151; $32.

Listen to Modest Mouse.

If you dare to step outside the metro area for the night, there’s more good music to see in every direction: The BoDeans in Mankato on Friday; Cake at Winona State on Friday, and at Concordia College on Saturday; and Greg Brown in Rochester on Saturday night. Hell, I’d even drive to Iowa to see him.

DANCE
Progressive Evolution

But the must-see event this weekend isn’t just about music, it’s about dance. This weekend, the Minnesota Dance Theatre and Springboard come together to present Playin’ At The Pantages. Dance Theater member Dario Mejia — who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing grow up a bit over the past fifteen years — is making his choreographic debut with Soil, spinning from Ravel and Whitacre to Golillaz and Sia. Then watch as the Springboard dancers bring us the world premiere of Strange Attractors, composed by Shirley Mier and choreographed by Penelope Freeh (James Sewell Ballet) and Wynn Fricke (MDT Choreographer-in-Residence). That’s all for the premieres, but there are several other beautiful pieces to be performed, even an excerpt from George Balanchine’s Seranade.

Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis; 612-339-7007; $32.

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
She Did It All for Love, Amen!

Tonight is the opening night of Frontier Theatre’s production os Nicky Silver’s The Maiden’s Prayer at the Lowry Lab Theater. It’s a love story story with all the traditional fixings — obsession, romance, betrayal, tragedy. “The Maiden’s Prayer examines the delicate balance of loving someone and needing someone. Falling in love with the idea of someone can be tricky, and as these characters unpack their emotional baggage, their desperate romantic fixations breed betrayal, tragedy, and a little accidental prostitution.”

7:30 p.m., Lowry Lab Theater, The Lowry Building, 360 St. Peter Street, St. Paul; 612 669-9306; $15.

FOOD AND SHOPPING
Secure Your Produce and Secure the Farm

Anybody know what Community Supported Agriculture is? Take the Farmer’s Market one step further and set up a direct partnership between the farm and the consumer. You simply subscribe to a share of the harvest. Your investment covers the farm’s operating costs, and your produce is delivered to one of various drop-off points each week. Find out more this Saturday at the sixth annual Seward Co-op Community Supported Agriculture Fair.

Saturday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Seward Co-op, 2111 East Franklin Ave, Minneapolis; 612-338-2465.

READING
A Touch of the Erotica

“To be thrilled at the touch of leather, aroused by the sound of harsh words, or satisfied by the security of rigid bondage is the mark of a lover. To be thrilled at the opportunity to provide useful service, aroused by a pleased nod, and satisfied by the proverbial job well done, is the mark of a slave. It may sound severe. Almost anti-erotic. Until you see two people, owner and owned, existing in a complementary relationship where each suits the other like balances on a delicate scale.” — That’s an excerpt from Laura Antoniou’s Marketplace series. Now, you decide whether or not you’re up for it. Do you really want to be the one to say no?

Saturday at 7 p.m., DreamHaven Books, 912 West Lake St, Minneapolis; 612-823-6161.

FOOD
Leave the Bikini Behind and Stuff Yourself Brazilian-style

Eat light all day, so you can stuff yourself at the grand opening of Fogo de Chão, a traditional Brazilian churrasquería. Their fixed-priced menu offers fifteen cuts of meat, sliced tableside by a server dressed as a Brazilian gaucho. Yes, it’s a bit pricey, and yes, it’s a ridiculous amount of meat; but don’t you just have to try it?

Fogo de Chão, 645 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-338-1344.

MUSIC AND WORKSHOP
The Real Electronic Music

If you didn’t tear electronic equipment up as a child — just to see what was inside — maybe it’s time to start now. Tonight is the onset of the Minneapolis Bent Festival. Circuit benders from around the globe will perform concerts with their bent instruments, teach workshops for both children and adults, and flaunt their skills. Stop by tonight for art installations and concerts. And be sure to attend some of the workshops this weekend. Learn from some of the best circuit benders in the world.

7:30 p.m. (through Saturday), Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-871-4444; $10/day, $24/festival pass.

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
Improbable Theatre

“Britain’s Improbable Theatre abandons the relative safety of such lavish puppetry spectacles as Shockheaded Peter and The Hanging Man (performed here in 2000 and 2003, respectively) and instead harks back to its roots in scrappy, improvisational object theater. Animo, therefore, is not so much a play as it is a series of spontaneous performances. With no script — not even predetermined characters — Improbable will invent its show anew, every night; found objects collected from nooks and crannies around the Twin Cities will serve as puppets. Local performers are pitching in, too: The Animo cast includes Minneapolis master puppeteer Michael Sommers,
Jeune Lune co-founder
Barbra Berlovitz, Bedlam Theater’s Julian McFaul, burgeoning puppeteer Lindsay McCaw, and percussionist extraordinaire Aaron Barnell.”

8 p.m. (through Saturday), McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-375-7600; $12 ($10 members).

Street Opera

Looking for a more traditional theater offering — something somewhat more dramatic? Go so see Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. When German composer Kurt Weill met American playwright Elmer Rice in the mid-1930s, he was compelled to transform Rice’s depression-era depiction of New York slum tenements into an opera. After much resistance, he finally did so in this impassioned tale of disillusionment.

7:30 p.m. (through Saturday, 1:30 Sunday), Ted Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota, 2106 S 4th St., Minneapolis, 612-626-1892; $18 ($10 students).

FILM
International Film Festival

“Despite every possible setback, The Minneapolis/ St. Paul International Film Festival soldiers on, though with fewer films (which is, perhaps, a blessing).” Now in its 25th year, the International Film Festival features 80 films from 40 countries, 21 of which are US premieres. See the opening night screening of Bamako, from Mali, West Africa, and stay for the Opening Night Gala with producer Danny Glover. Enjoy free beer or wine with your ticket stub, appetizers, an African drum and dance performance, and beer and wine specials all night long at the Riverview Café and Wine Bar.

7 p.m., Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave South, Minneapolis, 612-729-7369 (Film Fest 612-331-3134); $15, $25 for movie and party.

SHOPPING
Thursday Shopping Pick: “Greed Gone Wild”

“Greed Gone Wild” is the name of the weekend’s best top-secret junk sale. This semiannual event is, in essence, the emptying of some very impressive closets. A fashionable group of Twin Cities shop owners, antique dealers, gallerists, and stylists (including one of the Twin Cities top stylists, Gwen Leeds) gather their castoffs for this junk sale, selling housewares, clothing, shoes, jewelry, furniture, and even art. This is the very event at which Rake Assistant Editor Chritsy Desmith once found a vintage Diane von Furstenberg wrap-around dress priced at a mere thirty dollars.

8 a.m. – 8 p.m., (Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.), Patina Props, 2014 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis; 612-729-6006.

FILM
Eat, Drink, and Lounge for Cinema

IFP’s monthly Cinema Lounge is a great way to find out about local filmmakers, meet them, and see their work. (It’s also a great showcase for those of you who do film.) Stop by the Bryant-Lake Bowl tonight for a frosty beverage, perhaps some sesame-crusted ahi tuna, and some original short films. Following each film, you’ll have an opportunity to hear from the filmmaker(s) and ask them questions about their work. Tonight’s Cinema Lounge features a music video for Felt (the side project of Murs and Slug from Atmosphere), a dystopic look at a not-too-distant future where “self-termination” is encouraged, and an over-the-top action spoof that will have your beer coming out your nose. Plus, meet filmmakers Rod Peyton, Dan Merritt, and Joe Dressel.

7 p.m., Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 West Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-825-8949;free.

MUSIC
A Stripped-Down Ryan Adams with a Country Twang

Are you a Ryan Adams fan? How about Bright Eyes or John Prine? Go see Memphis singer/songwriter Cory Branan play tonight. If you can appreciate the occasional country twang, you’ll enjoy the show. It’s hard to believe he started out playing death metal, but perhaps that’s the source of his confidence. This guy really owns the stage. He puts on a great show, telling tales between numbers and tossing out the kinds of witticisms found in his songs.

8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), Fine Line Music Cafe, 318 First Avenue North, Minneapolis; $10 ($57-$59 for reserved table tickets).

Listen to Cory Branan.

DANCE
Get Out Those Victorian Dancing Shoes

Sometimes you just have to go out and do something you wouldn’t ordinarily do. If you’re looking to break the rut of movies and dinners and concerts, kick out those dancing shoes and head to the Ramsey House for a Victorian Dance Club. Start the evening with a first-floor house tour, proceed to the Carriage House for a dance lesson and parlor cotillion, and top it all off with punch and cookies made from Ramsey family recipes. Call ahead to make a reservation.

6, 7:30, and 8 p.m., Alexander Ramsey House, 265 S. Exchange St., St. Paul, 651-296-8760; $10 ($9 seniors and youth 9-17, $2 discount for MHS members).

FOOD
1982 Prices

The Loon Cafe is celebrating its 25th birthday this week. That’s right, they’ve been around for a quarter of a century. If you remember them opening, then you’re doing well for your age; at least the memory is not going yet. Stop in and celebrate with the Loon, and enjoy the 1982-priced deals. If that’s not enough to entice you, you can hit their happy hour, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., for a variety of food and drinks priced at $2.50 each.

11 a.m. – 2 a.m., The Loon Cafe, 500 1st Ave. N., 612-332-8342; 1982-priced.

ON THE NET
What in the Web Is Becoming of Us?

Video time-wasters.

Online John
The Machine Is Using Us
Supermarket 2.0 — very long!
Bill Murray Technology Rant
Jessica Simpson on the Internet
The Danger of Internet Overexposure
Webcam Danger
Facebook Song
Internet Killed the Video Star
Internet Killed the Gay Cruising Bar

And… because EVERYONE MUST SEE THIS…
Americans are NOT stupid – WITH SUBTITLES

LECTURE AND PERFORMANCE
Your Brain is Not Your Friend!

Tonight is the monthly Cafe Scientifique happy hour forum at Bryant Lake Bowl. And this month’s guest speaker happens to be Dennis Cass, author of Head Case: How I Almost Lost My Mind Trying to Understand My Brain. Cass, who was working as a freelance journalist at the time, went on a mission to learn everything he could about the human brain in an effort to overcome his writer’s block. Using himself as a guinea pig, he subjected his mind and body to a number of stimuli in order to study the effects. Accompany Cass on his tour of the brain. Learn why zombies prefer to eat brains, a history of misguided brain metaphors, and a scientific process for not turning into your parents.

6:30 pm (5:30 doors), Bryant Lake Bowl, 810 W Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-825-3737; $5.

LECTURE
Contracting Media – Expanding Need

If your brain is still your friend, and you want to exercise it a while tonight as you speculate on the future of media, go hear former anchor of CNN’s NewsNight and Minnesota native Aaron Brown speak this evening as part of the Minnesota Public Radio Broadcast Journalist Series. Brown will discuss political, technological, and social changes facing today’s media. Get free tickets from the Campus Center Information Desk at 651-696-6888 or at any Bibelot shop.

7 p.m., Alexander G. Hill Ballroom, Kagin Commons, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., Saint Paul, 651-696-6000; Free with ticket.

MUSIC
16th Annual Honors Concert

Seeing a bunch of high school students perform might seem a little silly to you without the obligation of going to support a family member, but most of our best musicians and artists were already creating masterpieces when they were of high school age. Tonight, more than 300 students from St. Paul Public Schools will showcase their talents as the best of the best high school vocalists, musicians, and artists in the district. The Honors Concert features high school aged students in band, orchestra, and choir, performing under the direction of guest conductors. The concert begins at 7:30, but if you get there at 6:15 you can catch the World Party, featuring small instrumental and vocal student ensembles from Saint Paul elementary and junior high schools, in Ordway Center’s Marzitelli Foyer preceding the performance.

7:30 p.m., Main Hall (World Party, 6:15 p.m., Marzitelli Foyer), Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St, St Paul, 651-224-4222; $5.

CéU Means Heaven, and She’ll Take You There

Looking for something a bit more refined and sexy. Go see CéU perform tonight at the Dakota. The latest in a great tradition of Brazilian singer-songwriters, CéU’s unique sound combines Afro-beat, soul, and electro-jazz with a voice of melodic beauty and sensuality. She doesn’t belt out her music. She doesn’t smack you on the head with overt sexuality. No. She whispers softly at us, oozing an organic, uncontainable sexiness. CéU was nominated for a 2006 Latin Grammy Award as the Best New Artist.

8 p.m., (tomorrow at 7 and 9 p.m.),
Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis, 612-332-1010; $17.

Afro Cuban Jazz

If you want the same splendor with just a little more texture, head to Babalú for dinner, and enjoy the smooth, steamy offerings of Afro Cuban Jazz with Joto. Zap the last remnants of winter out of your tongue with the plátanos machos, then ward off the evening chill with the cazuela de mariscos. Eat slowly, and enjoy the music. By the time you’re ready for your fresas con crema and Cointreau, you’ll be ready to surrender yourself entirely to the music. (That’s when it’s time to go home.)

Babalú, 800 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, 612-746-3158.

I hope you dressed for work today ready to head straight out. You’ve got a full evening ahead, so you best pick up the phone, shoot out an email, or turn around and yell, and see who’s going with you. Work hard today. Don’t dawdle around on the computer all day long. Limit your MNSpeak lurking — just for the day — and give the phone and email a rest. It’s Monday, and you want to start the week out right and get out early. (I’ll give you some videos to waste time with tomorrow.)

Once you’re out, meet up with your partner(s), and head straight to Old Arizona for an organic wine tasting. Yes, that’s right. Start the week out healthy. With the weather warming up, you might want to even go for a run. Do it now, because you’re going to eat right tonight. The organic wine tasting — Taste of the Earth — is in honor of Earth Day, but don’t worry, it’s OK to support the earth; you don’t have to hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Do-gooders can feel good about drinking for the land, and if you’re too cynical to buy into that you can just enjoy the wine and still satisfy that little inkling that needs to be there just in case. Get there exactly at 5:30, when the going is fresh and there are no crowds. Sample the wine, and get out for the next course once your tongue has been aroused. You might want to call ahead, or go here to see if there are tickets left. If not, don’t worry, you can skip straight to the next event. Your time is precious this evening. (And if $23 a person is too rich a way to start out the evening, just continue.)

5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Taste for the Earth, Old Arizona, 2821 Nicollet Ave S., Minneapolis, 612-871-0050; $23.

From there, go out to enjoy a titillating meal on the first night of Twin Cities Restaurant Week. See, one more opportunity to turn decadence into philanthropy. You’re going to eat well this week, and you’re going to feel great about doing it. You’re supporting the Minneapolis and St. Paul libraries. No guilt. This is all for good. Empty the wallets and fill up those tummies. Read up on your latest Wine Spectator. Read Oliver’s latest column. Definitely read Oliver’s latest column, or seek back into the archives for some doozies.

If you’d rather break up the night into smaller bites, so that you can better savor them, don’t head for the full meal right away. Just get a bite before you move onto the next event. Complement the wine with something a bit more solid and just as pleasant for the tongue. What the heck; it’s warm out, it’s early, it’s Monday, and there won’t be a lot of cars on the road. Head over to Solera for some tapas. Or you can go later for the late night happy hour.

Solera, 900 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-338-0062.

If you’re neurotic and need to stay on track, like me, then go to The Herkimer. It’s on the way, and frankly, it’ll get you in the mood for the next event. But you better be careful; you don’t have a lot of time. They have a sampling menu for $10. Get one, and split it. If you’re with a group, get a couple and get out. Sample the Sky Pilot Keeler Bier, and make up your mind. Are you staying, or are you heading out for more?

The Herkimer, 2922 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis, 612-821-0101; $10.

Stimulate the mind before you sit down for more indulgence. Let the wine and beer course through you — and the sampler settle — while you explore the American dream with a reading by Mike Palecek. I’d send you to silently stare at some art for a while why you daydream, but most galleries are closed on Mondays. Palecek will do the trick. He’s the perfect third course the evening — a writer and activist for peace and social justice, so you’ll be able to relate to him tonight as you drink for the earth and eat for free thought and access to knowledge. OK, you probably won’t end up in a federal penitentiary for civil disobedience, like he did. But who knows? You could still run for Congress. Go meet Palecek. Stand in his presence. We need some more of that around here. Get yourself a copy of The American Dream if you haven’t read his latest satirical novel. And what the heck, pick up a new copy of On the Road. It’s time to read it again.

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

By now, that wine and beer should have worked itself well into your system, and you’re probably feeling hungry again. If all that talk about America got you craving a ride, then open up the windows and drive to one of the great, locally-owned Twin Cities Originals restaurants sponsoring Restaurant Week. Make sure you tell them you’re there for Restaurant Week. They have a special menu for you and everything, so just let them spoil you. Remember, the little children must read. Sorry. I’m really not mocking this, people. It’s the libraries, for crying out loud. Get out there and eat! Tell your waiter you’re there for Restaurant Week, pick up an “ENTER TO WIN” card, fill it out, and leave it there. You’ll help feed the libraries and be entered to win one of many prizes, including a trip for two. Contributions to the libraries depend on the number of “ENTER TO WIN” cards the restaurants receive, so be sure pick one up at any participating restaurant, online, in our April print issue, or in any Twin Cities library.

If you passed up the reading and went straight to dinner, then you have time for more fun. Your belly should be full, so go sit in the dark a while, relax, digest, and watch the 4th Annual Five Fifths of the Wizard of Oz at The Southern Theater. I have to be honest with you, I can’t find a darn thing about it on their site, so I would suggest calling and verifying this before heading out there. Five different companies are supposed to perform five different segments of The Wizard of Oz. It should be great fun to see the various interpretations come together.

8 p.m., Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave S., Minneapolis, 612- 340-1725.

FILM
New Voices in Native Media

One of the beauties of Minnesota is its rich Native American culture — a culture not confined to pow-wows and beadwork, but permeating every part of our daily existence. This weekend we have a unique opportunity to explore Native voices in film. New Voices in Native Media honors youth and new filmmakers. Head out tonight for the mini-film festival’s opening reception, talk to the filmmakers and their families, and then enjoy two days of short films, videos, and animations.

Opening Reception Friday from 6-7 p.m., Screenings Friday and Saturday from 7-9 p.m., Center for Independent Artists, Instituto de Cultrua Y Educacion, 4137 Bloomington Ave. South, 612-724-8392; free.

Iddy Biddy Film Festival

If you’re up for some more short films and animations from all over the world, head on over to the the Iddy Biddy Film Festival on Saturday. This Adamantine Arts presentation features 10-second to 10-minute films and music by Kill the Vultures, Night in the Box, and Small Towns Burn a Little Slower.

Saturday at 7 p.m., Suburban World Theatre, 3022 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-822-9000; $8.

MULTIMEDIA ART
Korean American Memories of the Korean War

Learn about the ever-present (and much-neglected) impact of the Korean War. Saturday is the Minnesota opening of Still Present Pasts — a multimedia exhibit exploring the legacies of the Korean War. Based on Ramsay Liem’s Korean American Memories of the Korean War Oral History Project, the exhibit reveals multiple legacies of the war that influence individual, family, and community life, to this day. Saturday’s program features a brief introduction by Ramsey Liem, a brief history by Ji Yeon Yuh, Chang Mi dancers, Shinparam (drummers), and poetry readings by Ed Bok Lee, Walter K. Lew, and Sun Yung Shin.

Saturday at 7 p.m., Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-871-4444.

Two Exhibits Come to an End

This weekend is your last chance to see both the Stella Ebner and Larry Hofmann exhibits at the Groveland Gallery, and the David Lefkowitz exhibit at Thomas Barry Fine Arts. Stella Ebner’s domestic-themed woodcuts “echo the matter of everyday existence, the true flowers and landscape of our lived urban hours.” Meanwhile, Larry Hofmann’s transfigured trees and slightly Martian landscapes “invite you to step out of the paper-and-telephone world and imagine that you have different eyes.” David Lefkowitz puts down the sculpting tools for a while and returns to painting with “oil-painted hybrids of electric-cord kudzu and tropical lianas, limned in an overheated nineteenth-century botanical style. The theme here is the hybrid: How is humanness changing the visible world? What kind of animals are we? How does transformation start, and where does it go?”

Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace, Minneapolis; 612-377-7800. Thomas Barry Fine Arts, 530 Third St. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-3656.

Images of Dylan

Calling all Dylan fans! On Sunday, two photographers who helped solidify Bob Dylan’s identity during the early part of his career — from 1962 to 1965 — will be sharing their work and discussing Dylan’s image as part of his complete body of work. John Cohen and Daniel Kramer are responsible for some of the most popular Dylan images, including the Huck-Finn-hatted Dylan we’ve all grown so fond of, and album covers such as Highway 61 Revisited and Bringing It All Back Home.

Sunday at 2 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, 612-625-9495; $8 ($4 members/seniors/students).

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
Weekend of Women

The Bryant Lake Bowl is honoring women this weekend with a number of shows. The Second Coming of Joan of Arc, presented on Friday by the 20% Theatre Company, tells their interpretation of Saint Joan of Arc’s life. She was anorexic. She was a teenage runaway. She had an incestuous, alcoholic father. She was in love with a woman. She fought for her right to wear men’s clothes. She led an army. She saved France. And still, she was burned. Oh, and her name wasn’t even Joan. On Saturday and Sunday, see The Flower Shop Project’s Preferred By Discreet Women Everywhere, a story of three women stuck in a public restroom in Minneapolis. And also on Saturday, catch Eos Productions’ Women Stand Up! Comedy Cabaret!.

Bryant Lake Bowl Cabaret, 810 West Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-825-3737; check prices.

ADVENTURES
A True Crime Evening of Music, Art and Mystery

Back about twenty years ago (Has it really been that long?), pre-packaged murder mystery games became extremely popular. For about $50 you would buy a box that contained everything you needed. Then you simply mailed out the invitations (included in the box, of course) with instructions for the guests on what to wear and how to act according to their characters. Finally, everyone would meet for a thematic night of adventure, play out their characters, and follow a series of steps to solve the murder. Well, in all honesty, I have no idea if this is what’s in store for Saturday’s big fundraiser at the Soo Visual Arts Center, but it’s weird enough to spark some interest. In an effort to raise money for an odd documentary film about dolls used for crime scene investigation, local documentary filmmaker Susan Marks invites you to solve a murder mystery inspired by one the doll crime scenes featured in her next film. Our Wildest Dreams: A True Crime Evening of Music, Art and Mystery also includes a silent art auction, door prizes, drinks and music by Luke Zimmerman.

Saturday at 7 p.m., Soo Visual Arts Center, 2640 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-386-6694; $20 ($15 advance).

READINGS
What Light

In April of 2006, mnartists.org launched a weekly online poetry series, What Light: This Week’s Poem during National Poetry Month. Poet and critic Lightsey Darst and mnartists.org editor Ann Klefstad coordinated the series, posting a new poem every Monday on mnartists.org and magersandquinn.com, along with a profile of the poet. Now, after a very successful run, some of these poems have come to life in print form with the release of What Light: A Poetry Anthology. Join mnartists.org, Magers & Quinn Booksellers, and some of the 27 featured Minnesota poets for a book launch party and reading on Sunday.

Sunday at 5 p.m., Lucia’s Bakery, 1432 W. 31st St, Minneapolis, 612-825-1572.

BOOKS
A Hilarious and Desperate Story

Did you happen to read Year of the Ice? Maybe you took a creative writing class at the Loft, or even at Emerson. No matter. If you haven’t yet been introduced to local author Brian Malloy, tonight’s the night. Go hear him discuss his new novel Brendan Wolf. Like his previous novel, this one is also set in Minneapolis. And much like his previous novel, this one unveils a dark and complex story with heart-breaking characters. His novels are very honest and real, always highlighting the complexities of human relationships and self-exploration. Malloy will sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Friday at 6:30 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis; free.

FASHION
Have You Had Enough Yet?

Ok. I already mentioned this — and so has every other publication in this city — but this is Voltage Fashion Weekend, so be sure to head out to participating boutiques to meet designers and purchase items from their fabulous collections. Also on the slate for fashion lovers tonight is the l’étoile magazine Spring/Summer issue release party. Celebrate the release of the biannual fashion and art book, enjoy a special preview, win prizes, and dance to the music of Attitude City, Karl Doreza, and Molotov Cocktails.

Friday at 8 p.m., Suburban World Theatre, 3022 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-822-9000; $8.

Here’s a slide show of the new Twins ballpark renderings that were released today. Tell me what you think.

Click To Play

DANCE
Neo-Classical Choreography

Having grown up in New York, with a dancer as a sister, I am utterly spoiled when it comes to dancing, particularly ballet. And without offending our local dance companies, I must say that I was extremely please when dancer/choreographer James Sewell made his way back home to Minneapolis in 1993, after a long stint in New York, bringing his company with him. Sewelll began choreographing ballets in 1982, while at the School of American Ballet, in New York. He went on to dance with ABT II, an apprentice company of the American Ballet Theater, and then as principal dancer for the Feld Ballet. Once hailed by The New York Times as “one of American ballet’s best choreographers,” James Sewell consistently delivers innovative and exciting pieces. Tonight, he offers two pieces of his own — Opera Moves and Late — George Balanchine’s Tarantella, and a LightSpace premiere choreographed by Jennifer Hart. Arrive 25 minutes early for a pre-performance discussion of the evening’s delights.

7:30 p.m., Guthrie Theater, 818 South 2nd St., Minneapolis, 612-377-2224; $27-$32 (students $13.50-$16).

MUSIC
R&B with a Solid Heart

While so many R&B singers are out there stripping off their shirts and talking up the babe booties, John Legend delivers a straightforward honesty and sweetness that you simply can’t ignore. Somehow, he manages to sing about relationships, commitment, and infidelity without getting nasty — and you know what I mean by nasty. Yes, Legend has been accused of riding on Kanye West’s shirt tails, but after winning three Grammy Awards for his 2004 breakout album, Get Lifted, this man can stand on his own. Since then, he has even transformed his seductive tone into something slightly more retro, reminiscent of 60s R&B — sweet vibrant whispers. Opening for him tonight is English singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. What this jazzy vocalist lacks in raw, rough edges, she makes up for in simple emotion. Her songs are heart-felt and well executed.

7:30 p.m., Historic Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-373-5600; $45-$75.

Listen to John Legend.
Listen to Corinne Bailey Rae.

Ocean Waves on Broken Glass

Guitar aficionados should really go check out Bruce Goldfish this evening. Now living in California, this Minnesota native offers up some great finger-picking with a new age twist and a little bit of everything else tossed in for good measure — a touch of flamenco, a twist of the classical, and a whole lot of texture. Granted, it’s all infused with the whole new age feel, but if you like listening to the wind, then this is your thing.

7:30 p.m., Gingko Coffeehouse, 721 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul, 651-645-2647; $10.

Listen to Bruce Goldfish.
Watch and listen to Bruce Goldfish’s demo video.

Making Music

If you want to be more than just a passive listener, head out to The Whole tonight for Josh Grier’s Making Music event — featuring an interview, a live demonstration, and Q+A from the audience. As lead guitarist and vocalist for Tapes ‘n Tapes, Josh Grier will be sharing his talents, his inspirations, his history, and his music. It’s a great opportunity for aspiring musicians and Grier fans in general.

8-10 p.m., Coffman Memorial Union, The Whole, 300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, 612-624-INFO; free.

Listen to Jon Grier with Tapes ‘n Tapes.

THEATER & PERFORMANCE
Or the White Whale

“Orson Welles did it, and Laurie Anderson, too. Now local director Jon Ferguson — best known for his 2005 hit, Please Don’t Blow Up Mr. Boban — has taken up the challenge of adapting Melville’s epic for the stage. This is an undertaking that, he admits, could elude, haunt, and/or — much as with Captain Ahab — swallow him whole. Ferguson’s project got under way with the casting of clowns and dancers from physical theater circles as well as actors from more text-based traditions. With this range of performers, the show aims to capture both the powerful physicality and the amazing prose of the story. Intriguingly, a fully functional set involves ropes, planks, canvas, and pulleys, meaning that as the play production builds, so too will constructed images of the sea, the ship, and even the whale.”

8 p.m. (through April 22), Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-340-1725; $22.

COMEDY
Joy Schtick

Any woman who can make you laugh is well worth your time. Tonight, Joy Behar will be performing her schtick at Orchestra Hall Best known as co-host of the Emmy Award-winning talk show The View, Behar is a true comedienne, tackling some of the most controversial topics (which is what comedians love most, of course) with honesty and wit. Behar has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kelly, and The Late Show with David Letterman. She also starred in her own HBO special and was one of the judges on the Jay Mohr reality series Last Comic Standing. Go start the weekend off with a belly-full of laughter.

7:30 p.m., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 612-371-5656; $37.75-$61.75.

READINGS
A Curious Combination

“Here’s a pairing with a curious backstory. Galway Kinnell, whose 1980 Selected Poems won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, was touring in Northern England when he found himself at a reading by Josephine Dickinson, a deaf Oxford-educated poet, musician, composer, and teacher. More than a decade earlier, she had fallen in love with and married a sheep farmer more than twice her age. So struck was Kinnell by Dickinson’s poetry, most of which is set in England’s rugged Pennine Mountains, that he wrote an introduction for her American debut, Silence Fell, and helped get it into print. He’s also got his own new collection, Strong is Your Hold, and the duo will read from and discuss their work as the Talking Volumes program celebrates National Poetry Month.”

7 p.m., Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange Street, St. Paul, 651-290-1221; $15.

THURSDAY FASHION PICK
Fresh off the Runway

Fresh off her run at DIVA MN and last night’s charged rock and runway show, Voltage: Fashion Amplified, Minnesota’s celebrity clothing designer, Katherine Gerdes, will be selling her fine jersey gowns at the Design Collective this weekend. Rumor has it that she might also toss in a tea dress and top or two. To kick things off, and to celebrate the first-ever Voltage Fashion Weekend, the store is hosting a meet ‘n greet with the designer and Project Runway alum from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday. That event will take place just around the corner from the store, at The Tea Garden in Uptown.

Saturday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Design Collective, 1311 26th Street West, Minneapolis, 612-377-1000. Meet-n-Greet: Saturday 1-3 p.m., Tea Garden, 2601 Hennepin Ave S., Minneapolis, 612-377-1700.

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
Talk about Dark Humor

Tonight is the opening — or rather, re-opening — of Jeune Lune’s Figaro. If you didn’t see it last time around, don’t miss it. And if you did see it last time around, you already know — don’t miss it. First presented in 2003, Jeune Lune’s Figaro is a unique blend of all three of Beaumarchais’s plays about Figaro, set to Mozart’s sublime music. The story begins at the end and incorporates Mozart’s adaptation of Beaumarchais’s second play as a flashback, thereby giving Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro historical context.

8 p.m., Theatre de la Jeune Lune, 105 North First St., Minneapolis, 612-333-6200; $30.

FASHION AND MUSIC
Rocking down the Catwalk

After so much hype, the Voltage: Fashion Amplified has finally arrived.
Bands and designers unite tonight for an incredible runway rock show at First Avenue. Come feast your eyes on new designs by Katherine Gerdes (of Project Runway), Laura Fulk, Anne Seldon, Red Shoe Clothing, and many other designers, as they send their models down the catwalk to the music of The God Damn Doo Wop Band, The Plastic Constellations, The Alarmists, and others. Proceeds from the show will benefit the Springboard for the Arts Artist’s Access to Healthcare program, as well as Mnfashion. And it doesn’t stop there. If you like what you see, be sure to stop by our local boutiques this weekend for Voltage Fashion Weekend. You’ll be able to pick up your favorite collections from the show at Cliche, Design Collective, and Robot Love.

8 p.m. (7 p.m. doors), First Avenue, 701 First Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8388; $15($12 advance).

MUSIC
Ahhh, Bliss…

Without a doubt, the best concert I’ve seen in the past decade was last year’s Lucinda Williams concert at the O’Shaughnessy. So perfect was the sound that Lucinda actually stopped midway through the show to comment on it. And, yes, it was perfect indeed. Tonight she’s back — this time at the Historic State Theater — but it promises to be a great show, especially now that Lucinda is no longer happy and in love. Come on — we all know she’s best when she’s downtrodden.

7.30 p.m., Historic State Theater, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-673-0404; $31.50-$36.50.

Watch and listen to Lucinda Williams.

More Female Songstresses

Also performing tonight are Raining Jane and Emilia Dahlin. California’s Raining Jane and Maine’s Emilia Dahlin will share the stage in an eclectic acoustic performance. Composed of four songwriters, three of whom are vocalists, Raining Jane offers a unique interpretation of rock-folk and an unusual array of instrumentation including cello, cajon and sitar. Emilia Dahlin, voted Best Singer/Songwriter of 2006 and Best Female Vocalist of 2005/2006 in Portland, Maine, weaves tales of Greek mythology, robotic messiahs, epic floods, and tax evaders, with raw, rootsy folk and jazz vocals.

7:30 p.m., Gingko Coffeehouse, 721 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul, 651-645-2647; donations encouraged.

Listen to Raining Jane.
Listen to Emilia Dahlin.

READINGS
150 Years of Minnesota Poetry

If you’re big on local poetry, you really can’t miss this one. Celebrate the publication of a new collection of poetry from the Minnesota Historical Society Press, Where One Voice Ends Another Begins: 150 Years of Minnesota Poetry, with readings and book signings by many of the featured poets. Robert Bly, Bill Holm, Michael Dennis Browne, Deborah Keenan, Heid Erdrich, Wang Ping, and Angela Shannon will read from their work, and many of the other participating poets will attend and sign copies of the new book.

7 p.m., Mill City Museum, 704 South Second St., Minneapolis, 612-341-7555; free.

A Low-Profile Literary Lion Steps into the Limelight

It’s not often we get a chance to see E.L. Doctorow in person, so you might not want to miss this. “And judging from the man’s eclectic body of work, distinguished by its broad historical sweep and social criticism, it’s likely that Doctorow will have something of substance to say. Over a career that’s now spanned almost fifty years, Doctorow’s writing has consistently garnered critical hosannas and literary honors alike: He’s got a National Book Award, a PEN/Faulkner Award, and a couple of National Book Critics Circle Awards under his belt. His last novel, 2005’s ambitious The March, offered plenty of evidence that he’s still got stories he wants to tell.”

7:30 p.m., Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth St. S., Minneapolis, 612-626-1528; free.

Learn from a Master of Comics

Today’s readings don’t leave anyone out of the mix. Are you a comic book fan? Do you long to make your own? Come out and meet Scott McCloud, author/artist of Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, and Making Comics. Currently on a 50-state tour of the United States, he’ll be in Minneapolis tonight talking about his work and signing books.

7:30 p.m., DreamHaven Books, 912 W Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-823-6161; free.

FILM
Stories from All over the World

As if there weren’t enough to choose from already, there are a few great films to see tonight.

The documentary Darfur Diaries: Message from Home chronicles the history, hopes, and fears of the people of Darfur since the Sudanese Liberation Army in Darfur (the western region of Sudan) responded to decades of oppression by taking up arms against the Sudanese government. Up to 400,000 civilians have died since the beginning of the conflict and over 2 million people have been displaced. And if you’re interested, check out Darfur on Google Earth. Google Earth maps atrocities in Darfur.

6 p.m., Coffman Memorial Union Theater, 300 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, 612-624-INFO; free.

A cross-generational story of ostracism, love and legacy of the past, Dam Street (directed by Li Yu) chronicles the life of a Chinese woman whose teenage indiscretion continues to haunt her years after the event.

7 p.m. (other showings this week), Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-375-7600; $8 ($6 members).

Set in war-torn Algeria in the 1990s, Barakat! (directed by Djamila Sahraoui), follows two women on the dangerous search for the younger woman’s husband, a journalist whose writings resulted in his disappearance. Ignoring curfews and the constant threat of ambush by armed militias, the two women journey across the picturesque landscapes of Algeria, to a deeper understanding of how their lives were shaped by their country’s history.

9 p.m. (2 p.m. on April 22), Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-375-7600; $8 ($6 members).

Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film (Germany), The Lives of Others chronicles the disillusionment of Captain Gird Wiesler, of the secret police, from 1984, five years before the fall fo the Berlin Wall, to 1991, in what is now reunited Germany.

4 and 7:05 p.m. (today and tomorrow), Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights, 763-788-9079; $5.

THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
High Art Meets Low Art

Who would have thought that The Simpsons and Shakespeare would ever come together? You really have to see it to believe it. MacHomer, written and performed by Rick Miller, is a one-man show featuring over 50 voices from TV’s favorite dysfunctional family, the Simpsons, in a comedic multi-media performance of Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy, Macbeth. Yes, it sounds ridiculously odd, but the show has toured the world to rave reviews and awards in Scotland, England, Australia, and New Zealand — and has finally arrived to the Twin Cities. You have to give it an “A” for ingenuity if nothing else. And it’s guaranteed to make Simpsons fans laugh. Of course, if you don’t know the Simpsons (And who doesn’t know the Simpsons?) you might be utterly lost and confused.

7:30 p.m., The O’Shaughessy, College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, 651-690-6700; $25.

A Gothic Fairytale Goes from Screen to Stage

It’s hard to imagine Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands without Johnny Depp (forget Winona Ryder), but… well… now you don’t have to imagine it. You can see for yourself. Tonight, Matthew Bourne and his New Adventures are presenting a new adaptation of the Burton movie, Edward Scissorhands, at the Ordway. This musical adaptation tells the story of a boy created by an eccentric inventor — after his son dies playing with scissors. With only scissors for hands, Edward must find his place in a candy-colored suburban community. Don’t miss it. Edward Scissorhands broke all Box Office records when it premiered at Sadler’s Wells in November 2005.

8 p.m., Ordway Center for Performing Arts, 345 Washington Street, Saint Paul, Box office: 651-224-4222, Main: 651-282-3000; $20-$50.

Watch a video of Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands.

MUSIC
Swamp Rock Funk

Apparently, there’s more to Florida than a retirement town and a Spring break destination. Hailing from the swamplands, JJ Grey & Mofro serve up some gritty country ghetto music tonight at the Varsity Theatre. Not so appealing? How about Southern funk and soul music? Bringing a fresh take to an old American sound, JJ Grey draws from rock, blues, gospel, and soul to deliver a great show. The lyrics are raw and folksy, telling tales of the Southern life over guitars, organ, drums, and occasionally horns, harmonica, and tambourine. Grey’s vocal range is impressive, as he shifts from a high-range lulling sound to a lower grittiness that seems to fill the space with that wretched Florida heat. Don’t dismiss it ’til you hear it. You won’t be disappointed. Playing with them is Dubconscious, a progressive reggae band from Athens, Georgia.

9 p.m. (8 p.m. doors), Varsity Theatre & Cafe des Artistes, 1308 4th Street SE, Minneapolis, 612-604-0222; $15.

Listen to JJ Grey & Mofro.
Watch and listen to JJ Grey.
Listen to Dubconscious.

Transcendental Virtuosity

Looking for something slightly more conservative — with unleashed passion? Tonight, American pianist Jeffrey Siegel brings his Keyboard Conversations series to St. Paul with Liszt: The Devil Made Me Do It! The program, designed to make classical music more accessible to newcomers and enhance the concert experience for connoisseurs, begins and ends with discussion. Before the performance, Siegel will speak to the audience about the composer and the historical context of the music. Following the performance will be a question-and-answer session. Come learn about one of history’s most sublime musicians, Franz Liszt, inventor of the symphonic poem; and learn from one of the current world piano masters. Jeffrey Siegel has been soloist with the world’s great orchestras, as well as conductor from Minnesota to Pittsburgh to France to South America. In addition to solo piano works of Rachmaninoff (one of the most difficult composers to play), Hindemith, and Dutilleux, Jeffrey Siegel has recorded Gershwin’s complete works for piano and orchestra with Leonard Slatkin and the Saint Louis Symphony.

7:30 p.m., Sundin Hall, Hamline University, 1536 Hewitt Avenue, Saint Paul, 651-523-2459; $17 ($12 seniors and students).

Art-Inspired Compositions

Tonight, award-winning students from the School of Music will be performing compositions inspired by art from the Weisman Art Museum’s permanent collection. Join the Art Sounds concert and reception in the museum galleries, where you can listen to the music as you absorb the art that inspired it.

7 – 8:30 p.m., Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, 612-625-9494; free.

LECTURES
Which Way South Africa?

Join South African political analyst and commentator Xolela Mangcu as he discusses the future of South African politics when South African President Thabo Mbeki’s term comes to an end. Often described as the heir to Steve Biko, leader and martyr of the Black Consciousness Movement in 1970s South Africa, Dr. Mangcu calls for a revitalization of the democracy movement as a whole. Founder and past executive director of the Steve Biko Foundation and former director of the Division of Social Cohesion, Identity, and Leadership at the Human Sciences Research Council (the main research body in South Africa), Mangcu is now director of the Centre for Public Engagement at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, syndicated weekly columnist for Business Day, and assistant editor of the Sunday Independent. He is a regular political commentator and has been featured on both local and international broadcasting networks.

8-9:30 p.m., Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, Cowles Auditorium, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-626-5054; free.

BOOKS
Hang with the Minnesota Book Award Nominees

Don’t settle for being a passive reader. Join April’s Raking Through Books tonight to celebrate the Minnesota Book Award nominees. Come to our Kieran’s happy hour, hang out and chat with the authors, and get your books signed. Rake readers receive 20 percent off the Raking Through Books selections at the University of Minnesota Bookstore at Coffman Union.

5:30-7 p.m., Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Av. S., Minneapolis, 612-339-4499; free.