Tom Reed News

As usual, Mixed Blood Theatre is doing something pretty remarkable right now. They're presenting three plays in rep, all written by young black men. Under the umbrella 'Prescient Harbingers' (meaning: 'having or showing knowledge of events before they take place;' 'a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another'), these three brilliant plays explore what it means to be a black man in America, directly or indirectly (one is even subtitled BEING BLACK FOR DUMMIES), along with commenting on race relations in America and more generally on modern life in America. Young black men are dying at an alarming rate, and these are voices we need to listen to if we ever hope to understand the problem so that we can stop it from happening. If you are a young black man, I can only imagine how validating it must feel to see these voices and these stories on stage. If you're not, I encourage you to go see one, two, or preferably all three of these plays with an open mind and an open heart. Listen, hear, laugh, cry, be disturbed, get angry, join the movement for justice and equality.

Milwaukee's Free Shakespeare in the Park (SITP) is pleased to announce their 2018 production of "King Lear". Mr. James Pickering*, a legend of the Milwaukee stage, will appear in the title role and, in her return to Milwaukee, Ms. Lisa Gaye Dixon will direct.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) is thrilled to kick off their 60th Anniversary Season with the best of show, 'Age Against the Machine: BNW's Greatest Hits'.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME racked up awards in both London and NYC, including winning the Tony Award for best play in 2015. Just last year the Broadway tour stopped in Minneapolis, which I saw and was impressed by the clever and inventive storytelling. Now available for regional productions, Mixed Blood Theatre is bringing us their take on the play. The West End/Broadway production was very tech-heavy, and I was curious what this story with a smaller-scale production and in a smaller house would look like. It turns out I like it even better. The 15-person Broadway cast has been reduced to just 9, with very smart casting and direction. There are still some pretty impressive tech effects, but also some great low-tech effects that all serve this story of a 15-year-old boy with an unspecified autism-like condition who goes on an epic journey in search of the truth.

Christopher Boone, a young man on the autism spectrum, sets out to investigate the bizarre death of a neighbor's dog, setting into motion a series of events that expose far greater mysteries.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) welcomes deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons to enjoy an ASL-interpreted performance of their hit sketch comedy revue 'Guardians of the Fallacy: Executive Disorder'

We're halfway through the 11-day, 15-venue, 167-show Minnesota Fringe Festival. I've seen 25 shows, with another 20-some on the schedule for the next five days. Here are a few of my favorites so far. I haven't seen everything on my must-see list yet, so be sure to check that out for more recommendations and tips for Fringe newbies. And you can read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here. There are five days left of Fringe - so get out there and see some shows! Full schedule, venue, and ticketing information can be found on the Fringe's handy dandy website.

Republicans and democrats alike were shocked by a series of morning tweets by Donald Trump which personally attacked MORNING JOE co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough.

Optimist Theatre, presenter of Milwaukee's Shakespeare in the Park (SitP), has announced details of this July's production of "Much Ado About Nothing." The three-weekend run will feature Kelley Faulkner* and Todd Denning* as Beatrice and Benedick, Michael Stebbins* as Don Pedro, Jonathan Wainwright* as Don John and Jim Pickering* as Dogberry.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) welcomes deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons to enjoy an ASL-interpreted performance of their hit sketch comedy revue 'Booty And The Beast: A Tinderella Story.'

 In a bold move to discover what they "may be," Shakespeare in the Park, Milwaukee's free outdoor summer theater, is moving to the Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) is pleased to announce the opening of their 2017 Winter Show, 'Booty and the Beast: A Tinderella Story' on Today, February 11th. 

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) is pleased to announce the opening of their 2017 Winter Show, 'Booty and the Beast: A Tinderella Story' on Saturday, February 11th. 

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) welcomes deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons to enjoy an ASL-interpreted performance of their hit holiday sketch comedy revue 'What the Elf?!'

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) has announced the title and cast of its 2016 Holiday revue, 'What the Elf?!' Previews for the show run November 11th - November 18th, with opening night on Saturday, November 19th.

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Director of Federal Affairs Andrew Bird released the following statement on Representative Tom Reed's (NY-23) victory this evening.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) welcomes deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons to enjoy an ASL-interpreted performance of their hit election sketch comedy revue 'Lady And The Trump.' This show, interpreted by professional ASL interpreters Carlos Grant and Maria Dively, will be on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 7:30pm at the Brave New Workshop Theatre at 824 Hennepin Ave in downtown Minneapolis. Tickets are on sale now online and via the BNW box office, with special sight line seating reserved for ASL patrons.

The Brave New Workshop Theatre (BNW) has announced the title and cast of its 2016 Holiday revue, 'What the Elf?!' Previews for the show run November 11th - November 18th, with opening night on Saturday, November 19th.

You can feel fall. The breaking of a stick. The shattering of leaves. It's unusual to fall victim to this intense experience in the aggressively muggy, unending days of August in Milwaukee. And yet you'll feel this beginning with the first chord of Optimist Theatre's production of Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar, performed 12 times over 3 weekends: August 4-7, 11-13, and 18-21. Free to the public, this marks the program's 7th season, held outdoors at the Selig-Joseph-Folz ampitheater in Alice Bertschy Kadish Park.

It's the halfway point of the 11-day, 168-show Minnesota Fringe Festival. I've seen 29 shows in the last 6 days, with 20+ more scheduled for the final 5 days of the fest. The new system of daily wristbands that get you into any and all shows that day seems to be working great. The handy Fringe website has all the information you'll need about schedule, venues, cast and creative team, and reviews from people who have already seen the show. The Fringe continues through Sunday August 14, so there's still time to get your Fringe on!