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.
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