Few things, on the face of it, are more innocuous than the hair on one’s head. However, so far as social issues go, the hair on a Black woman’s head is far from an idle consideration. Indeed, reaction thereto can be subtle, yet far-reaching discrimination. All one needs to verify this is to note that there […]
Theater
Arts & Entertainment: a space for local and national arts and entertainment stories, with an emphasis on stories pertaining to African and African Americans.
Posted inArts + Culture, Theater
Designer creates magic through costumes
Have you ever stopped to think about how important clothes are? Have you ever wondered what causes someone to wear a certain sweater or dress? What would you wear when spending the day with someone special? These are just a few questions that costume designers think of when creating the looks for characters we see […]
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Penumbra partners with Children’s Theater on ‘The Wiz’
Given the collaboration’s assembled talent, a hit seems likely The Wiz was never merely a remake of L. Frank Baum’s distinctly white-bread classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Still wholesome, family-friendly fare, it nonetheless over the decades underwent a telling, timeless transformation by which, reconceived, it celebrated and sustained the contemporary Black culture. No small feat. Indeed, […]
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REVIEW: ‘The Wiz’ — a lively rendering sure to delight young and old
The kick-off of the Super Bowl experience in Minneapolis couldn’t stop the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) from packing the house for the opening night of The Wiz on Jan 26. Full of excitement and energy, CTC and Penumbra Theatre collectively delivered a five-star production of the award-winning show. Under the direction of Penumbra’s Lou Bellamy, […]
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‘Dot’ handles topic of Alzheimer’s with humor and realness
E.G. Bailey has experienced family dementia first-hand with his grandmother and then his aunt. Bailey said, “My aunt’s progression was really quick; she was diagnosed in the early stages of dementia in her late 50s and died within three years.” Born and raised in Liberia, Bailey moved to the United States at age 10 with […]
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‘Khephra,’ enlightening entertainment for all ages
Shá Cage hardly rests on her laurels. After the runaway success of New Neighbors, which debuted in June at the Sundance Film Festival, Cage has performed on more than 50 venues internationally and still tours prestigious outlets. Indeed, on the heels of starring in and co-producing the short film with director-screenwriter husband E. G. Bailey, Cage […]
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Charla Marie Bailey relishes the chance to ‘revolt’ in new play
To call actor Charla Marie Bailey committed heart and soul to her profession would be something of an understatement. “I can’t breathe without acting,” she readily attests. “I have to do it, bring life to stories that move people emotionally. Whether it’s to make them laugh or go home and kiss their partners or join an action […]
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Kasano Mwanza’s angelic voice lifts ‘Grease’ at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre
During the second half of Grease at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, audience members are entertained with the voice of an angel — a teen angel to be exact. Kasano Mwanza steals the show with a soulful performance of “Beauty School Dropout.” “We all know the Frankie Valli version, which is great, and it’s sort of this […]
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‘The Highwaymen’ recounts the memories of St. Paul’s Rondo community
History Theatre used to produce Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird to honor Black History Month. The classic play showcases precocious youngster Scout’s reflections on her dad, crusading attorney Atticus Finch, along with his valiant, but failed attempt to save Tom Robinson from being framed for rape. This season, Black life moved from the incidentally […]
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The poetry of Langston Hughes takes spotlight in ‘Warm Dark Dusk’
Warm Dark Dusk, a jazz music and dance production presented by Phyllis Productions that celebrates the poetry of Langston Hughes, is coming to a theater near you. Hughes, as described in the press release, is “one of the essential figures in American literature. His vision of America was as timely today as back in the […]
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Subversive comedy opens Mixed Blood Theatre’s 2016-17 season
Director reflects on upcoming BARBECUE Thomas W. Jones II, when he’s at work, presently directing BARBECUE at Mixed Blood Theatre, is the proverbial consummate pro, acutely assessing a script, deftly taking actors through their paces, expertly crafting an enjoyable stage experience. Relaxing to get ready for an interview, the man is, as the saying goes, a mess, […]
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2016 Ivey Awards shines bright light on thriving theater scene
The 2016 Ivey Awards usually attracts a packed house, so this year’s sold-out event was no surprise to those who regularly attend. African Americans were well represented once again during the 12th annual show held at the Historic State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, September 19. The event was co-hosted by Regina Marie-Williams again, but this […]
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‘Charm,’ one of three productions on tap in Twin Cities for prolific playwright
Chicago-based playwright Phillip Dawkins is mounting a one-man invasion of Twin Cities theater. This season he’ll see three scripts produced: Charm at Mixed Blood Theater, Le Switch (The Jungle) and Dr. Seuss’ THE SNEETCHES (Children’s Theatre Company). “I’ve had a crush on St. Paul/Minneapolis for a long time!” he spiritedly states.
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‘Nina Simone: Four Women’ beautifully captures the birth of an activist
What better way to continue the conversation about Simone’s rich legacy than going to see to see the play Nina Simone: Four Women at Park Square Theater in St Paul?
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‘The Snowy Day’: a warmhearted children’s story for the family
In 1963, the book The Snowy Day, by writer and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats was released and made history by becoming the first children’s book to feature an African American as the main character.
Posted inArts + Culture, Movies, Theater
Penumbra’s ‘Reel Talk’ ponders roles of Black Twitter in Black press lineage
Black newspapers — a fixture in almost every major city since the 1800s — are needed now more than ever, contends narrator Joe Morton in The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords. The documentary was the center of discussion at the January 11 “Reel Talk” monthly film screening session at the St. Paul’s Penumbra Theatre.
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‘An Octoroon,’ a contemporary coon show
Instead of delivering a sharp send up of slavery and its ills, Jenkins is so clumsy you are painfully reminded that, when it comes down to it, there isn’t a damned thing funny at all about being beaten, whipped, raped and sold — treated, indeed, worse than the lowliest livestock.
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‘The Wizard of Oz’ a delightful take on a classic tale
Entertaining and joyful are just a few words to describe Children’s Theatre Company’s (CTC) production of The Wizard of Oz.
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‘Sister Act the Musical’ showcases homegrown soul star
It is the mid-1970s in Reno, and a trio of disco singers — Tina, Delores and Michelle — are performing in a nightclub. So sets the stage for Sister Act the Musical playing at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre beginning October 30.
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PHOTOS | ‘Things Your Man Won’t Do’
On Thursday, October 8 at the State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, Jecaryous Johnson’s Things Your Man Won’t Do was showcased.