Author: rakemag

If you’re managing to keep in the holiday spirit, you might want to know about that a couple promising Christmas shows open tonight. Both are reprises. There’s Ballet of the Dolls’s irreverent take on The Nutcracker, which bears the telling subhead (Not So) Suite. This plays at the Ritz. There’s also The Seven Poor Travellers, local actor/writer Charlie Bethel’s one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens’s short story, which plays at Illusion Theater. I saw it last year, and was rather enchanted by the generous spirit of the thing, which still managed, against all odds, to avoid too much earnestness or sap. (Sentimentality is a constant criticism hurled at Dickens. But in this instance I don’t find that to be the case.) It’s thick on words though, so it should only be considered by fierce lovers of florid Victorian prose. I can’t seem to locate the year-old freelance review I wrote about the show for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. But I do remember quoting something I overheard in the lobby later that evening: “That was a perpetual language machine,” remarked a young, and probably fairly hung-over, theatergoer. But even a perpetual language machine can be endured when it’s only an hour long.

Tonight, the Lagoon Cinema is hosting a free, advance screening of Volver, Pedro Almodovar’s latest film starring Penelope Cruz. I haven’t seen it yet, so I can’t offer my personal endorsement. However, our much-trusted film guy, Peter Schilling, seems to like it. On the other hand, plenty of critics have panned the thing, as is often the case with Almodovar’s work. For example, I did overhear a remark made by another prominent local film critic. (I was eavesdropping on his conversation with Landmark Cinema’s local PR guy.) His basic assessment was a confused “What?!”

In any case, you’ll need a pass to make good on these free tickets. According to an ad in our December issue, passes are available at Puerta Azul, a restaurant in St. Paul. But we here at Rake Media Worldwide are big fans of Almodovar as well, and so we happen to have a stash at our front desk–while supplies last. You might quietly enter our suite, tell the receptionist what you’re up to, and swiftly take one away.

Today’s my 31st birthday. If I weren’t already set to enjoy a home-cooked dinner, as made by my fabulous boyfriend, and then drinks-upon-drinks with my closest friends, I’d probably want to spend the evening at Walker Community Church, where I’d detail and repent the very many sins I’ve committed this past year. Just Kidding! This is a Methodist Church, my friends. I don’t believe they deal in reconciliation. It also happens to be the venue for Nautilus Music-Theatre’s latest Rough Cuts concert. Tonight’s program of “Twentieth Century Degenerate Music,” as sung by Christina Baldwin, JP Fitzgibbons, and other such fine, classically-trained singers, isn’t limited to that which was deemed inappropriate by the Nazi government. (This, I believe, was the original definition of the term “degenerate music.”) The bill includes disgusting, offensive, and just irritating tunes by Marc Blitzstein, who composed the great depression-era musical, The Cradle Will Rock, as well as Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, Kurt Weill, and Frank Zappa. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.; call 651-298-9913 to make reservations yours.

It’s the rare Monday night on which a worthwhile theater production takes place. The not-often seen (not often anymore) Open Eye Figure Theatre will present its version of The Nativity Story–and the Virgin Mary promises to be a lot punchier than in Catherine Hardwicke’s playing-it-safe film version. Another thing to note about the show: although this telling of the Christmas is done from the perspective of Lucifer, rest assured that it’s quite kid-friendly. It was written and is directed by ace puppeteer and Open Eye artistic director Michael Sommers, which means it’s visually interesting. It stars such great performers at writer/performer Kevin Kling, Jeune Lune regular Sarah Agnew, and the not-often-seen-anymore, but delightful, Luverne Seifert. There’s even a backup brass band. The Holiday Pageant plays tonight and tonight only at the Pantages Theater. See the Pantages website for more information.

All kinds of promising rock shows are scheduled for this evening: Curtiss A’s Tribute to John Lenon is at First Ave, this being the anniversary of Lenon’s murder; The Alarmists are at the Turf Club; Beatifics are at the Uptown–which reminds me that the beatific Mr. Chris Dorn left me a message a while back, in which he said he quit his job at the Hex. What’s up with that? As for tomorrow evening: the Free Range Pickin’ Holiday Show is at the Cedar; my favorite band to encounter at an outdoor concert series, Low, is at First Ave; the Hopefuls, Friends Like These are at the Nomad.

I’m writing about secrets in two sections today, since the first will probably offend the tastes of some readers. Section one: Today, folks from the Rochester Art Center (yes, all the way down in Rochester) are talking about the influence of graffiti and skateboard culture on contemporary art. Scott Sulen, a young artist and, if my memory serves, a U of M graduate, is organizing many of the Art Center’s educational events these days. And he seems to have a nose for trends. One of the most interesting (I wouldn’t say beautiful) pieces of public art I’ve seen in recent weeks was on a utility box along the Cedar Bike Trail–a colorful spray-painting of a ghoul.

Section two: Otherwise, it’s Thursday, which is always a great night for theater since the tickets are cheaper. Plus, it’s the holiday season. My picks for the best Christmas shows are still Black Nativity, for the singing, and the unfortunately named Lutefisk Champ, for the laughs. Both play tonight.

An art dialogue worth noting: A collection of artists, critics, and administrators are gathering tonight at the Minnesota Museum of Art to discuss the life and work of George Morrison, a Minnesota-born American Indian artist most famous for his abstracted “North Shore” style. (If you need a primer, go look at the sidewalk mosaic outside the downtown Minneapolis public library; this used to be out front of IDS Center.) Joining in the discussion will be colleagues and former art students of Morrison’s, as well as Evan Maurer, Director Emeritus of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, a museum that boasts an impressive archive of Morrison’s work. Hear the talk tonight at 7 p.m., at the Minnesota Museum of Art. George Morrison: Finding Abstraction runs at the MMA (not to be confused with the MIA) through December 31. 651-266-1030; www.mma.org.

It’s the sort of thing that might keep you up at night, but nevertheless, the Jonestown documentary that’s playing at Oak Street Cinema is worth seeing. Lots of folks are too young to remember or know exactly what transpired at Jonestown. Of course, most of us have seen those haunting images of heaped bodies, faced-down and holding one another. This film fills in the rest of the story. A congressman and cameraman were also killed at Jonestown, on the very day of the mass murder-suicide, in fact. And a handful of Jim Jones followers were able to escape into the jungle; this documentary presents their living to tell about it. See Peter Schilling’s review, if you’re so inclined. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple runs through Thursday.

Wow, this Monday there’s something really cool and uplifting going on (besides shopping). The Blind Boys of Alabama perform tonight on the Guthrie stage. Get a sample at blindboys.com.

What’s impressive: The Walker Art Center’s programming of “semipopular music” this season. Personally, I anxiously await the arrival of The Books, a duo of “recording artists” whose live performances have been known to fall a little flat on audiences’ ears. But when it comes to laying down her credit card, a loyal fan doesn’t discriminate between the catchy song bought for her iPod and a ticket to hear the low-def but nevertheless real thing. Of all the concerts in the WAC’s music season, tonight’s show probably falls the furthest from the “semipopular music” repertoire. Rather, cellist Maya Beiser will join with the VocalEssence singers as well as composer Eve Beglarian and visual artist Shirin Neshart to create something proponents of “contemporary classical music” like to call an “evening-length performance.” In other words, there’ll be film footage artfully set to the music this evening. The result: something of a cross between theater, concert, and music video. In any case, this is the kind of music–the kind that’s made of acoustic instrument and un-amplified voice–that I still love to hear live. And I don’t mind the eye candy either.

Other worthwhile happenings this weekend (both shopping-related): There’s MCAD’s Art Sale. And a group of clothing stylists, interior designers, and store owners are throwing a pretty great sale up in Northeast today and tomorrow, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.. I stopped by yesterday and, if you’ll believe it, scored a vintage Diane VonFursteberg wrap dress for only $30. Find them at Patina Props: 2014 Central Ave. NE.