It’s impossible for us to say “Digable Planets” without some feet-thumping and hip-swaying. It reminds us of our cooler, more nimble youth, specifically: First Avenue Danceteria, circa 1992, and the band’s ultra-smooth rendition of “Nickel Bag of Funk.” This brand of relaxed, jazz-infused hip-hop was something new then, and the Digable Planets helped pioneer it … Read more
In this world-premiere production written by Lee Blessing, two fiftysomethings–a man and a woman–wake up side by side in a house on a mountaintop that’s encircled by water. They have absolutely no recollection of their lives before. Are they husband and wife? One-night lovers? People pass by, filling in the blanks of their forgotten lives, … Read more
Joe Orton’s play was a sensation when it premiered in Britain in the sixties. Time has tempered the shock value of this love triangle, in which a prim landlady and her sneaky brother compete wildly for the attentions of Mr. Sloan, a charming bisexual fellow played by Justin Kirk (Angels in America), but it’s still … Read more
Expect Lonely Mountain and Middle Earth to be spectacularly colorful. Expect a fantastical troupe of lords, dragons, and trolls, all cloaked and bearded and wearing their hair in those requisite sci-fi ringlets. Children’s Theatre Company has employed its own stable of sorcerers and wizards–costume and set designers, that is–to do justice to the beginning of … Read more
A spectacular performance by the Ananya Dance Theatre attempts to produce something beautiful from the violence, fundamentalist zealotry, and militarism that seems especially plentiful right now. Created and performed by a group of twenty-five women from the Twin Cities and various locales overseas, Bandh expresses the dream of peace they wish for in their homelands … Read more
Payne’s About Schmidt, Election, and, of course, Sideways have all had success with mainstream audiences, and we find this encouraging, since there’s more than a little something off-kilter about his work. There’s his seedy and often shocking sense of humor; annoying and utterly pathetic characters that you don’t like, but can’t help but empathize with; … Read more
According to a study conducted by the BBC, McDonald’s is the corporation with the least favorable image on the Internet. It’s not looking so good for this multinational in theaters, either, with documentaries like Super-Size Me and McLibel revealing that under the Golden Arches, it’s not just the food that’s bad. McLibel tells the story … Read more
Burned-out, third-rate rocker starts music school for kids. Nerds, jocks, and princesses find joy and meaning and unity in their newfound desire to rock out. The hit film was, of course School of Rock, starring the gloriously second-rate rocker Jack Black; less well-known, until now, is that Black’s character was based on a real person, … Read more
Time magazine dubbed the current glut of twenty-somethings “Twixters” because so many are hovering between (or betwixt) college and career. Mired in this limbo, many embark on a quest to “find themselves,” which often requires changing jobs and apartments every six months. But instead of taking a decade to “think about stuff,” what would it … Read more
The weather is warm, the sun is high in the sky–but don’t let yourself be deceived. There are crooks, murderers, and plenty of weirdos out there to get you, especially if you happen to be a winsome blonde. Find out how you might meet your end in this summer-long series that covers the early years … Read more