Jon Andrew Hegge

'1898. Swedish immigrant Olaf Ohman digs up a rock on his property near Kensington, MN with 'a story on carved runes' that tells that the Vikings were the first Europeans to set foot in Minnesota. He is praised for his discovery but soon controversy erupts and his life is turned upside down with claims of 'Fake! Fraud! Liar!' Step back in time and enjoy the ride with this whimsical rock 'n roll musical. Rock on!!'

The Guthrie Theater presents the perennial holiday favorite A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens, adapted by Crispin Whittell and directed by Lauren Keating. A Twin Cities holiday tradition for many, this season marks the Guthrie's 45th production, making it the longest run of A Christmas Carol in regional theater history. 

The Guthrie Theater presents the perennial holiday favorite A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens, adapted by Crispin Whittell and directed by Lauren Keating. A Twin Cities holiday tradition for many, this season marks the Guthrie's 45th production, making it the longest run of A Christmas Carol in regional theater history. 

I love sad plays. I love stories of miserable families who love each other but don't know how to express it in healthy ways. AWAKE AND SING!, now playing at Artistry's black box theater, is one such tragically beautiful and beautifully tragic play, like Tennessee Williams set in the Bronx. Or rather, since Clifford Odets' 1935 play predates Williams' major works, I guess I should say that Tennessee Williams is like Odets set in the South. The multi-generational Berger family has become beaten down by life, with the younger generation trying to break free and make a new life in this new country, if only it will let them. With a strong cast and detailed design in an intimate space, Artistry's production is beautiful and heart-breaking.

The word octoroon is defined as 'a person of one-eight black ancestry.' THE OCTOROON is a 19th Century play by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault about which Wikipedia says, 'among antebellum melodramas, it was considered second only in popularity to Uncle Tom's Cabin.' AN OCTOROON is a new play by playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who adapted the play and added himself as a character, writing the play and playing all the while male parts in white face, with the original playwright and his assistant playing roles in redface and blackface, while a rabbit seems to pull the strings behind the scenes. Got all that? Believe me, it's a lot to take in, and the play says some pretty profound things about race and racism in the past and present. But despite being a little perplexing and intentionally offensive (in a way that's not really offensive because it's satire), the whole thing is kinda brilliant in a crazy sort of way.

Full disclosure: I'm a huge fan of Garrison Keillor and A Prairie Home Companion. He's the Mark Twain of our generation, and is Minnesota's best export. If A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION is one of the things that Minnesota is most known for, I am proud to be a Minnesotan. So of course, I absolutely love his new play RADIO MAN, the first he's written. I saw a reading of it early this year as part of the History Theatre's Raw Stages festival and loved it then, but this full production, now playing at the History Theatre, is so much more polished and complete, and really a thing unto itself and not just an episode of A Prairie Home Companion on stage. Yes there is the familiar music, the jingles for Powdermilk Biscuits, rhubarb pie, and ketchup, stories from Lake Wobegon, and beloved characters including Dusty and Lefty and Guy Noir. But there's also a story and a character (the host of a radio show called A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION who bears a striking resemblance to Garrison) who we get to know as he reminisces about his past and contemplates his future.

History Theatre produces the world premiere of a new musical by local artists Dominic Orlando (book and lyrics) and the late Hiram Titus (composer). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below!

History Theatre will produce the world premiere of a new musical by local artists Dominic Orlando (book and lyrics) and the late Hiram Titus (composer). The Working Boys Band tells the story of Professor C.C. Heintzeman, a German-born educator who believed in the power of music to give structure and purpose to people's lives, especially for the children who worked in the mills and factories of Minneapolis in the years before Child Labor Laws. The story of the Minneapolis Working Boys Band and its founder was suggested to History Theatre back in 2010 when Titus handed a photo of the band circa 1915 and his first draft of the opening number to artistic director Ron Peluso. In September of 2013, Titus submitted the show's finale just days before suffering a fatal cardiac arrest; Raymond Berg joined the team to finish the musical arrangements.

History Theatre will produce the world premiere of a new musical by local artists Dominic Orlando (book and lyrics) and the late Hiram Titus (composer). The Working Boys Band tells the story of Professor C.C. Heintzeman, a German-born educator who believed in the power of music to give structure and purpose to people's lives, especially for the children who worked in the mills and factories of Minneapolis in the years before Child Labor Laws. The story of the Minneapolis Working Boys Band and its founder was suggested to History Theatre back in 2010 when Titus handed a photo of the band circa 1915 and his first draft of the opening number to artistic director Ron Peluso. In September of 2013, Titus submitted the show's finale just days before suffering a fatal cardiac arrest; Raymond Berg joined the team to finish the musical arrangements.

Baby Case originally premiered at the Arden Theater Company in Philadelphia in 2001 and received four Barrymore Awards including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical and Outstanding Original Music (with 11 nominations). In 2012 it played at the New York Musical Festival where it received the "Best of Fest" audience prize. Baby Case celebrates its regional premiere at History Theatre in Charles Lindbergh's boyhood home state of Minnesota.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is thrilled to produce another new show to its Main Stage -- ALL SHOOK UP! Called the 'best retro rock show since Grease,' ALL SHOOK UP opens on the Main Stage to previews from August 6 -19, with grand opening festivities on Friday, August 20.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is thrilled to produce another new show to its Main Stage -- ALL SHOOK UP! Called the 'best retro rock show since Grease,' ALL SHOOK UP opens on the Main Stage to previews from August 6 -19, with grand opening festivities on Friday, August 20.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is thrilled to produce another new show to its Main Stage -- ALL SHOOK UP! Called the 'best retro rock show since Grease,' ALL SHOOK UP opens on the Main Stage to previews from August 6 -19, with grand opening festivities on Friday, August 20.

The Guthrie is proud to announce complete casting for its 34th production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Adapted by Barbara Field and again under the direction of Gary Gisselman, A Christmas Carol will feature actor Raye Birk, who returns to play Ebenezer Scrooge for the fourth consecutive year.

The Guthrie is proud to present its 33rd annual production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Adapted by Barbara Field and again under the direction of Gary Gisselman, A Christmas Carol will feature actor Raye Birk, who returns to play Ebenezer Scrooge for the third consecutive year. A Christmas Carol begins previews November 20, opens November 23 and plays through December 29, 2007. Tickets are priced from $29 to $64 and are on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE and online at www.guthrietheater.org.