2019 Spring Arts and Dining Pairings

Produced by Linda Raines and Chris Tarbox
Arts Sections by John Townsend
Dining Sections by Bradley Traynor

Antigone
Park Square Theatre
at Andy Boss Thrust Stage, Park Square Theatre
Through March 3, 2019

An all-female reimagining of the emblematic ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles. When a young woman risks all for her heroic brother’s burial, the wrath of male authority threatens. The play compels us to reflect who and what values judicial systems may truly serve.
www.parksquaretheatre.org

 

Flowers For The Room
Yellow Tree Theatre
at Yellow Tree Theatre
Through March 3, 2019

Minnesotan Jessica Lind Peterson’s acclaimed musical addresses the problem of sustaining a traumatic brain injury. Compounding the agony is that the survivor has recently married. How will her new husband come to terms with their marriage vows? In this production, Lind, whose acting and vocals wowed us in Next to Normal, also plays the survivor.
www.yellowtreetheatre.com

 

The Skin of Our Teeth
Park Square Theatre
at Proscenium Stage, Park Square Theatre
Through March 3, 2019

Gay master playwright Thornton Wilder blended the surreal with the classical in this Pulitzer Prize-winning spectacular that follows a traditional family from the Stone Age to 20th century decadence to a kind of post-war apocalypse. At Park Square, acclaimed presenter of American classics, Girl Friday Productions, revives this wondrously odd comedy epic. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
www.parksquaretheatre.org

 

Stewardess!
History Theatre
at History Theatre
Through March 3, 2019

In 1958, Mary Pat Laffey became a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines. Women prevailed in such a job in numbers, but they were treated like numbers. They had to step down at age 32. Women had to be weighed regularly, not wear glasses, and were not allowed to marry. Laffey’s 20-year efforts to change that have become a play.
www.historytheatre.com

Restaurant Pairing: Dark Horse Bar & Eatery
Not far from the History Theatre, Dark Horse isn’t just a great place to grab a cocktail before the show. It also offers some serious eats. And by eats, I mean you better get the burger. The Dark Horse burger is one of the best in town. Gouda and bacon top a hefty brisket blend patty that’s slathered with thousand island dressing. Don’t miss the elote fondue and the duck wings either.

 

Potted Potter
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Pantages Theatre
Through March 10, 2019

In 70 minutes, all seven Harry Potter books get a condensed theatrical re-imagining. Two Olivier-nominated actors, Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, conjure the magic, complete with ridiculous props and a fire-breathing dragon! And oh, the endless costumes!
www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org

 

A Little Night Music
Theater Latte Da
at the Ritz Theater
Through March 10, 2019

Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony-winning musical is inspired by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Night. Set in Sweden 1900, the erotic tensions and temptations of a respectable conservative household. Produced by one of the region’s finest musical theater companies.
www.latteda.org

 

Benevolence
Penumbra Theatre Company
at Penumbra Theatre
Through March 10, 2019

The violent end of 14-year-old African-American Emmett Till, for false accusations of sexually assaulting a white woman, is widely thought to have launched the modern civil rights movement. The nation’s flagship African-American theater company is always at its best when it recalls and dramatizes important historical moments not likely to be recreated at other theaters. Written by Ifa Bayeza.
www.penumbratheatre.org

 

The Government Inspector
Theatre in the Round Players
at Theatre in the Round
Through March 10, 2019

Nikolai Gogol was a celebrated and detested Ukrainian satirist during the final century of the last century of Tsarist Russia. His play remains a scathing critique of centralized authority and the bureaucracies that ineptly and mean-spiritedly sustain it. A reminder of how local governments in such a system can become their own pettily tyrannical fiefdom. One of modern comedy’s greatest portrayals of mistaken identity.
www.theatreintheround.org

 

Iphigenia And Other Daughters
Theatre Unbound
at Gremlin Theatre, St. Paul
Through March 10, 2019

The rite of human sacrifice was a standard practice in ancient times. In warrior Agamemnon’s case, he sacrificed his own daughter, Iphigenia, much to the outrage of wife and mother Clytemnestra. So much so, that she murders him in turn. However, women don’t always align on what’s just and what’s not. Hence, when living daughter, Electra, aims for revenge for her father, all bets are off to how the chips may fall.
www.theatreunbound.com

 

The Biggest Little House In The Forest
Children’s Theatre Company
at Children’s Theatre Company
Through March 10, 2019

When a menagerie of different creatures move into the home of Bernice the Butterfly, one by one, lots of neat things happen: a bubble bath, a pillow fight, a dance party! A sure bet for sweet entertainment from an esteemed producer of children’s plays.
www.childrenstheatre.org

 

As You Like It
Guthrie Theater
at Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie Theater
Through March 17

William Shakespeare’s cross-gender comedy vibrates to the rhythms of Rosalind, a young woman who disguises herself as a man. However, this comedic gem gets even more cross-gender in a new production wherein some of the other roles, traditionally played by men, will be played by women. Of course, in Shakespeare’s time, all roles were required to be played by men.
www.guthrietheater.org

Restaurant Pairing: Zen Box Izakaya
My favorite pre-Guthrie gathering spot, Zen Box is perfect for the adventurous and comfort food crowd alike. Whether you’re familiar with Japanese bar food or not, prepare for a real treat. Crispy fried chicken, handmade ramen and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly are among my personal favorites. And don’t miss the full range of clever cocktails and sake either.

Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
Old Log Theater
at Old Log Theater
March 1-June 8, 2019

From her Kentucky childhood to her rise to international fame, Rosemary Clooney’s tunes glisten with soulful resonance. Her beautiful sense of harmony and melody were derided amidst the comparatively abrasive dissonance of rock n’ roll. Of her bouts of depression, she said she mirrored the nation itself, which she thought was going through a collective nervous breakdown in the 1960s. Hear Clooney’s signature tunes at an excellent theater for jukebox musicals.
www.oldlog.com

Restaurant Pairing: Cast & Cru (at Old Log)
Not quite dinner theater, but dinner and theater in the same place sounds just as nice, no? The Old Log Theater is a wonderfully warm and inviting venue with a talented chef-driven dining spot built-in right onsite. Grab your special someone for a beautiful drive out to Lake Minnetonka, enjoy an amazing meal, then settle in for a night of great local theater.

 

Mamma Mia!
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
March 1-Sept. 28, 2019

A very popular contemporary pop musical staged by the nation’s pre-eminent dinner theater company. ABBA stood tall against the tide of acid rock, heavy metal, and other more aggressive sounds in the 1970s. Those so-called “bubblegum” tunes ended up having a hummability quotient that has only increased. Also, though English was not the Swedish group’s primary language, you could understand their lyrics! An ideal baseline for a devised musical phenomenon. Gay elements included, by the way.
www.chanhsassendt.com

Restaurant Pairing: Chanhassen Dinner Theatre
Perhaps the easiest pairing on the list for obvious reasons, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre takes dinner and a show to a whole new level. Literally. Every time I sit down to enjoy a meal at this classic Twin Cities theater venue, I’m immediately reminded how the food matches the magic happening on stage. Don’t miss the Chicken Chanhassen.

 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Orpheum Theatre
March 6-17, 2019

Yes, it’s still about Willy Wonka! From the Roald Dahl children’s classic. As we know, Wonka runs a magical chocolate factory and much to the joyous satisfaction of young Charlie Bucket, his life is about to explode into color and confection! Speaking of joy, he and four other golden ticket winners embark on a dreamy joyride!
HennepinTheatreTrust.org

Restaurant Pairing: Spoon and Stable
Dinner at Spoon and Stable is every bit as magical and whimsical as Willy Wonka’s world of chocolate rivers and Everlasting Gobstoppers. Executive chef Gavin Kaysen and his team routinely take diners on fantastical journeys of flavor and fun. You don’t need a golden ticket to grab a table, but you will need a reservation, so be prepared to plan ahead.

 

The Hobbit
Children’s Theatre Company
at Children’s Theatre Company
March 12-April 14, 2019

J.R.R. Tolkein’s fantasy novel looms in its massive influence and popularity. Better yet, CTC is no stranger to those hobbits, the little folks of Middle Earth, and you’ll definitely see some groovy design concepts as Bilbo traverses freezing mountains and woods, not-so-lovely, but certainly dark and deep.
www.childrenstheatre.org

Restaurant Pairing: Pimento
Just a couple blocks over from the Children’s Theater is Eat Street. While there are easily half a dozen delicious dinner spots along this corridor of cuisine, my current favorite is Pimento. An authentic Jamaican gem in the heart of Minneapolis offering easily the best jerk chicken and pork this side of the Caribbean Sea. Add an order of sweet fried plantains and you’ve got the best of both worlds.

 

Mariah Carey
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at State Theatre
March 13, 2019

She’s the bestselling female artist ever. Over 200 million albums sold. 18 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, of which 17 she wrote. She sings in five octaves, composes, writes lyrics, and produces. Her numerous awards include Grammys, American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade”, and the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Artist of the Millennium”.
HennepinTheatreTrust.org

 

Roe
Mixed Blood Theatre
at Mixed Blood Theatre
March 15-31

Lisa Loomer’s play focuses on the lesbian bartender at the heart of the Roe v. Wade SCOTUS decision to make abortion legal. Her story emerges from the shadows. 22-year-old Norma McCorvey wanted to end her third pregnancy and took the pseudonym of “Jane Roe” when she agreed to be the plaintiff. McCovey would go on to be an anti-abortion advocate.
mixedblood.com

 

The Fix
Minnesota Opera
at Ordway Center Center for the Performing Arts
March 16-24, 2019

Conspiracy in the game of Major League Baseball. The year was 1919. American League Champions Chicago White Sox v. National League Champs Cincinnati Reds. The nation was outraged. Eight White Sox players were paid off to lose the 1919 World Series. An epic crime for the epic art form of opera.
mnopera.org

 

School Girls or The African Mean Girls Play
The Jungle Theatre
at The Jungle Theatre
March 16-April 14, 2019

Teenage girls and the problem of physical beauty standards are at the heart of Jocelyn Bioh’s sharp-edged comedy. The setting is an exclusive Ghana boarding school where a girl high in the student hierarchy sets her sights on Miss Universe pageant. Unexpectedly, however, a pageant recruiter prefers someone else.
www.jungletheater.org

 

Cyrano de Bergerac
Guthrie Theater
at McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie Theater
March 16-May 5, 2019

Playwright Edmond Rostand’s title character is one of the most famous figures in literature. Even those unfamiliar with theater have heard about the man with an enormous nose. A poet and a soldier, he is certain that no woman could ever possibly love him. Yet he still dreams of Roxanne, his heart’s desire.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Candide
Theater Latte Da
at Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts
March 21-24, 2019

Voltaire was giant of the bloody French Revolution and his angry satire, Candide, is an indicator of attitudes of the time. Composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Richard Wilbur spirited forth an exhilarating work with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Lillian Hellman. Co-produced by Theater Latte Da and Vocal Essence.
www.latteda.org

 

The Picture of Dorian Gray
COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company
at Park Square Theatre
March 22-April 7, 2019

Gay master writer Oscar Wilde is best known for his sophisticated plays, but his 1890 novel about a mysterious painted picture is a classic. It was also controversial for its decadent and erotic undertones. COLLIDE will honor the Wildean themes.
www.collidetheatrical.org

 

Little Women
Theatre in the Round Players
at Theatre in the Round
March 22-April 14, 2019

Louisa May Alcott’s beloved book draws much from the author’s own actual experience. The four March sisters and their mother keep the home fires burning while father is away fighting in the Civil War which brought an end to slavery in the United States. Adapted for stage by Peter Clapham.
www.theatreintheround.org

 

Sisters of Peace
History Theatre
at History Theatre
March 23-April 14, 2019

A Minnesota story of the antiwar activism history. The McDonald sisters became Catholic nuns and used their faith to energize renowned hot spots of protest such as the Honeywell Corporation’s security gates, the controversial School of the Americas, the Cathedral of St. Paul, and the Lake Street Bridge.
www.historycenter.com

 

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Theater Latte Da
at the Ritz Theater
March 27-May 5, 2019

John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s musical set during the fall of communism in East Berlin provides a window to transgender despair behind and beyond the Iron Curtain. A soldier compels a young so-called “girly-boy” to a sexual reassignment surgery in order to be legally married. However, things goes awry.
www.latteda.org

Restaurant Pairing: Anchor Fish & Chips
One of the best little theaters in Minneapolis is a simple saunter down the block from the absolute best little fish and chip spot in town. Crispy battered cod atop hand cut fries are a perfect pre-performance combo. If fish isn’t top of your list, fear not! Venture forth across the menu and sample some of my other favorites: the battered sausage, as well as their signature Helicopter burger. And don’t forget a side of mushy peas!

 

American Craft Show
American Craft Council
at the St. Paul RiverCentre
April 5-7, 2019

The American Craft Council returns to St. Paul to showcase the fine work of more than 240 contemporary artists from around the nation. This year’s show will focus on spring and summer fashion tips, as well as top creative minds from the Twin Cities providing interactive demonstrations with materials such as clay, glass, wood and metal.
craftcouncil.org

 

Victor/Victoria
Artistry at Bloomington Theatre and Arts Center
at Schneider Theater
April 6-May 5, 2019

Gifted director-choreographer Michael Matthew Ferrell is an ideal choice for the great female-to-male musical based on the classic 1982 Blake Edwards film comedy. 1930s Paris. Songs by Henry Mancini. And a sex farce rippling with romance. Victor/Victoria is a cultural touchstone in cross-gender consciousness.
artistrymn.org

Restaurant Pairing: LYN65
Tucked away just south of Highway 62, LYN65 is a secret garden of a restaurant, perfect for a pre-show dinner date. Especially if you love food. Entrees are solid, but I recommend small-plating your way across the menu. If you skip the bologna sandwich, we’re no longer friends. Trust me. It’ll win you bonus points with your table. As will the burger and the chicken wings. And pizzas. I could go on. Just go.

 

Metamorphoses
Guthrie Theater
at Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie Theater
April 13-May 19, 2019

Roman poet Ovid, who is perhaps the greatest gay writer of all time, gave us a treasure trove of tales that entertainingly beguile while numinously exposing deep recesses of the subconscious. Mary Zimmerman’s stage adaptation has become a contemporary classic that respects the astonishing original text.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Hello Dolly!
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Orpheum Theatre
April 16-28, 2019

The legendary Betty Buckley plays the flamboyant Dolly Levi, whose midlife reawakening is surely one of a kind in musical comedy. Gay composer Jerry Herman created some of the most stirringly joyous songs ever: Before the Parade Passes By, Put on Your Sunday Clothes and the triumphant title tune!
HennepinTheatreTrust.org

Restaurant Pairing: Fhima’s Minneapolis
A restaurant that promises “drinks, debauchery, cachet and fun” couldn’t pair more perfectly with a show celebrating the larger-than-life Dolly Levi. Just down the street from the Orpheum, Fhima’s is located in an historical treasure of a building. Steak au poivre amongst art deco extravagance is a match made in heaven.

 

Marjorie Prime
Park Square Theatre
at Andy Boss Thrust Stage, Park Square Theatre
April 19-May 19, 2019

Gay playwright Jordan Harrison’s sci-fi work was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Technological means aid in creating and storing memories of deceased family members for a woman enduring Alzheimer’s disease. Family secrets and accusations of religious manipulation come forth.
www.parksquaretheatre.org

 

Red Hot and Cole
Theater in the Round Players
at Theatre in the Round
April 26-May 19, 2019

Mary Cutler directs a mixture of life events and the fabulous tunes of the legendary gay songwriter. Cole Porter looms as one of the nation and the world’s most popular musical figures from the 1920s through the ’50s. Sway to tunes like Night and Day and My Heart Belongs to Daddy.
www.theatreintheround.org

 

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical
Children’s Theatre Company
at Children’s Theatre Company
April 28-June 23

One of the most popular children’s novels of modern times takes theatrical form at a Tony Award-winning children’s theater. Five-year-old Matilda Wormwood from a Buckinghamshire village is more conscious than other kids her age. Unfortunately, she is mistreated by family members, so she pranks them in return.
www.childrenstheatre.org

 

Candy Box
ARENA Dances
at the Southern Theater
April 29-May 4, 2019

The postmodernist choreographer Matthew Janczewski assembles a wide variety of performances, workshops, and public showings that reflect a wide range of experience, aesthetic styles, and choreographic perspectives. A glowing indication of the Twin Cities’ vibrant dance scene.
www.arena-dances.org

 

The Brothers Paranormal
Penumbra Theatre Company
at Penumbra Theatre
April 30-May 26, 2019

When several sightings of “Asian-looking ghosts” are reported across the nation, two Thai-American brothers start up a ghost-hunting business. When tasked to investigate the home of an African-American couple displaced by Hurricane Katrina, shocking truths emerge. A Theatre Mu/Penumbra co-production.
penumbratheatre.org

 

La Traviata
Minnesota Opera
at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
May 4-19, 2019

In Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, a young man becomes magnetized to Violetta, a Paris courtesan. She didn’t realize he came to visit her secretly while she recovered from a recent illness. Unfortunately, his family sees her as a stigmatized fallen woman.  Memorable melodies abound!
mnopera.org

 

Tinkers to Evers to Chance
Artistry at Bloomington Theatre and Arts Center
at Black Box Theater
May 4-26, 2019

Here’s a play about a turning point in the game of baseball. The title refers to a shortstop, a second baseman, and a first baseman from early 20th century Chicago. Fast forward to the current century, for a Cubs fan’s contemporary perspective. The past is prologue.
artistrymn.org

 

Dirty Business
History Theatre
at History Theatre
May 4-26, 2019

Minneapolis-born secret agent Betty Pack swam into high level circles in New Deal era D.C. When her marriage to a British diplomat fell apart, her glamorous image was ideal for the purposes of espionage during the rise of Nazism. Music by Laurie Flanagan Hegge. Lyrics by Robert Elhai.
www.historytheatre.com

 

The Play That Goes Wrong
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Orpheum Theatre
May 7-12, 2019

Winner of the 2015 Olivier prize for Best New Comedy. Originally developed by Mischief Theatre Company in West London. One man plays a mystery thriller’s detective character, as well as serving as the production’s director, designers, PR person, vocal coach and ticketseller. Madness!
www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org

 

Autonomy
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
at St. Paul RiverCentre
May 9-12

Auto design recognized for the great art form it truly is—not just its utility. Mixed Blood takes an innovative approach to theatrical presentation with “Drive Through Theater”. Ten scenes of car-based play in an indoor carspace. Sound systems and phone navigation systems enhance a unique approach to theater.
www.mixedblood.com

 

Caught
Guthrie Theater
at Dowling Studio, Guthrie Theater
May 17-June 2, 2019

The acclaimed Rick Shiomi directs Christopher Chen’s OBIE-winning play about the work and imagination of a Chinese dissident artist. It points to the Guthrie’s focus on the inclusion of work from Asian perspectives. It also reminds us of China’s continuing transgressions against human rights.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Small Mouth Sounds
The Jungle Theater
at The Jungle Theater
May 18-June 16, 2019

The New Age movement has impacted our culture in ways that have yet to be examined with the rigor it merits. Bess Wohl’s acclaimed play is set at a silent retreat. Are meditational affirmations and “enlightenment”, as some tangible “thing” achieved, really what they’re cracked up to be?
www.jungletheater.org

 

Dear Evan Hansen
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Orpheum Theatre
May 28-June 9, 2019

In 2016, a new work depicting alienation won the Tony for Best Musical. Teenager Evan Hansen is extremely insecure. His mother suggests he have students sign the cast on his arm, which was broken when he fell from a tree over the summer. The results are unexpected.
www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org

 

To Let Go and Fall
Theater Latte Da
at Ritz Theater
May 29-June 30, 2019

Two former ballet dancers meet at Lincoln Center Plaza in New York after not having seen each other for a quarter century. Gay themes in a new piece by Harrison David Rivers (This Bitter Earth) with music by the Jelloslave cellists Jacqueline Ultan and Michelle Kinney.
www.latteda.org

 

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Theater in the Round Players
at Theatre in the Round
May 31-June 23, 2019

We don’t see classic western movies or stories adapted for the stage. Dorothy M. Johnson’s 1953 short story follows a young New Yorker out west in 1890, a time when the wild and woolly decades are coming to a close and law and order is setting in.
www.theatreintheround.org

 

Heaven
Park Square Theatre
at Proscenium Stage, Park Square Theatre
May 31-June 23, 2019

Chan Poling’s dreamy tunes and Joe Chvala’s dynamic choreography enliven the Bosnian war setting in the 1990s. A photographer journeys with a translator to save a woman’s life. A theater piece about a turbulent political and historical situation not often produced.
parksquaretheatre.org

 

Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant
Park Square Theatre
at Andy Boss Thrust Stage, Park Square Theatre
June 14-July 28, 2019

The set-up is that a contestant died at a talent pageant in 1997, shutting down the small town tradition for 20 years. However, for two decades someone has bitterly blamed the shutdown for losing her shot at being the pageant winner.
parksquaretheatre.org

 

The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs
Old Log Theater
at Old Log Theater
June 18-Aug. 16, 2019

A musical adaptation of the famous children’s story takes a further leap of the imagination when the Big Bad Wolf testifies at the Trial of the Century in Pennsylvania. The pigs put on a puppet show during the proceedings. A sly take on the machinations of our justice system.
www.oldlog.com

 

Five Presidents
Old Log Theater
at Old Log Theater
June 21-Oct. 5, 2019

The 1994 funeral of former President Richard Nixon. Gathered to pay their respects are other former presidents—Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and incumbent Bill Clinton. Television writer Rick Cleveland writes for the stage, imagining what these five men might have chatted about.
www.oldlog.com

 

Guys and Dolls
Guthrie Theater
at Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie Theater
June 22-Aug. 25, 2019

Gamblers! The Salvation Army! Gangsters! With names like Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Sky Masterson. From the mean streets of New York to Havana where the dance reigns supreme, Frank Loesser’s indelible tunes “rock the boat” to exhilarating effect, as in Luck be a Lady and one of musical theater’s most darling songs, If I Were a Bell.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Jeeves Takes A Bow
Theatre in the Round Players
at Theatre in the Round
July 5-28, 2019

P.G. Wodehouse’s popular manservant character, Jeeves, crosses the pond to the USA. Watch out, because trouble ensues when his employer gets in deep with a chorus girl, a gangster, and even becomes engaged to a woman by mistake. TRP has produced Jeeves plays previously and this selection shows there’s interest afoot in Wodehouse.
www.theatreintheround.org

 

Leaves of Grass – Illuminated
Guthrie Theater
at Dowling Studio, Guthrie Theater
July 12-14, 2019

Performer Patrick Scully reprises his superb solo adaptation of world-class gay poet Walt Whitman. The actor uncannily transforms into one of the most famous figures of the 19th century. The audience is privy to sensual homoerotic dimensions of the man and his defiance of censorship.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Agatha Christie: Rule of Thumb
Park Square Theatre
at Park Square Theatre
July 12-Aug. 25, 2019

Three one-acts by the most widely read mystery writer ever and the most popular female playwright ever. In The Rats, two adulterous lovers are framed for a murder. Christie’s iconic detective, Hercules Poirot assess the situation in the love triangle thriller, The Wasp’s Nest. In The Patient, we wonder if a woman actually fell from a balcony…
parksquaretheatre.org

Restaurant Pairing: Meritage
I’m not sure how Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective would feel about dinner at a French bistro prior to his stage debut, but I’m confident you (and everyone else with non-partisan taste buds) will adore Meritage. If you haven’t already. It’s as much a treat for the senses as the show you’ll head down the street to indulge. If the chilled lobster is still on the menu, do yourself (and your relationship) a favor and order it.

 

Stinkers
The Jungle Theater
at The Jungle Theater
July 20-Aug. 18, 2019

Acclaimed actress Sally Wingert stars in a play about parenting and the challenges of finding balance in life. The writer/director duo of Josh Tobiessen and Sarah Rasmussen return. Their 2017 Jungle production of Lone Star Spirits is a previous example of their engagingly entertaining style.
www.jungletheater.org

 

Floyd’s
Guthrie Theater
at McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie Theater
July 27-Aug. 25, 2019

Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage (Intimate Apparel, Ruined) has been commissioned by the Guthrie for a world premiere. A truck stop sandwich shop is a second chance for its ex-con employees. Learn the secret of making the perfect sandwich.
www.guthrietheater.org

 

Fiddler on the Roof
Hennepin Theatre Trust
at Orpheum Theatre
July 30-Aug. 4, 2019

One of Broadway’s most beloved musicals and prolifically produced ever since. In the little Russian village of Anatevka, poor Jews hold to their traditions. Mama maintains a kosher home. Papa works manually and if he’s lucky (and literate) he may get to spend some time reading the Holy Books. The Rabbi and the Matchmaker serve crucial functions. All are magnificently embodied in this towering work.
HennepinTheatreTrust.org