Jared Fessler - Page 2

The barricade is up at the Orpheum Theatre, and yep — Les Misérables still packs a punch. It’s in town through February 22 with the Bank of America Broadway on Hennepin series, and whether you’re a longtime fan or finally seeing what all the fuss is about, this cast makes it worth the trip downtown.

What did our critic think of BLUE MAN GROUP at State Theatre Minneapolis?

Thursday night at Orchestra Hall had a different kind of energy right from the start. The place was full, and you could feel that people knew this wasn’t just another concert — it was the first time Cantus and The King’s Singers were sharing the stage.

​​​​​​​Les Misérables returns to the Orpheum Theatre February 17–22, bringing one of the most beloved musicals in theatre history back to Minneapolis. Set in 19th-century France, the show’s sweeping story of hope, sacrifice, and redemption continues to resonate just as strongly today as it did when it first premiered.

On February 22, 2026, Flipphone Events brings the heat to Heated Rivalry Drag Brunch at Quincy Hall in Minneapolis, featuring a special performance by Locky Brownlie, the creator and star of BROLESQUE.

The Happiest Man on Earth is the kind of show that quietly asks you to sit down, listen, and really pay attention. There’s no spectacle here, no flashy staging—just one man telling a story that’s stayed with him for a lifetime.

What did our critic think of ERIC CHURCH: FREE THE MACHINE TOUR at Grand Casino Arena?

Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures comes to the Twin Cities, it will be a special homecoming for Kenny Short, a Minnesota native and cast member of the touring production. Performing in front of a hometown audience, Kenny is part of the ensemble bringing this energetic, family-friendly show to Target Center, February 27–March 1, 2026.

Set in the American South of the 1920s and 1940s, Bright Star tells a story about love, loss, and the things we carry with us whether we want to or not. When Alice Murphy, a literary editor, meets a young soldier just home from World War II, something shifts. That meeting opens a door Alice has kept closed for a long time, and once it cracks open, there’s no turning back.

In 1986, Tamara Erickson was just nine years old when she appeared on the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres stage as Marta Von Trapp in The Sound of Music—the second child from the left, brimming with confidence and joy. At the time, no one could have predicted that this young performer would one day help lead the very theatre where her journey began.

Theatre in the Round Players kicks off 2026 with How to Catch Creation, Christina Anderson’s moving and lyrical play about what it means to create—and to connect—with art, with others, and with ourselves.

I write fiction about kids living in the here and now, though I occasionally take trips into the past. I’ve also spent time writing about changing bodies, stressing less, and figuring things out.

What did our critic think of THE NO SECRETS TOUR - JESSIE J at First Avenue?

What did our critic think of RIDE THE CYCLONE at Lyric Arts?

What did our critic think of DEFEND MINNESOTA at First Avenue?

There’s a reason CHICAGO keeps coming back to Broadway—and to Minneapolis. Seeing it at the Orpheum Theatre this past week reminded everyone why this show has stayed at the top for decades: it’s sharp, funny, sexy, and endlessly entertaining. From the moment the lights dimmed, you could feel the excitement in the room.

What did our critic think of LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR - RASCAL FLATTS at Grand Casino Arena?

It was freezing on January 22. Not “kind of cold,” but the kind of Minneapolis cold that makes you rethink your plans. Still, people showed up. And once everyone packed into 7th Entry—that small room tucked under First Avenue—it didn’t take long for the cold to fade into the background.

Kimberly Akimbo is hitting the road this season, and audiences in Saint Paul will soon get the chance to experience the Tony Award–winning musical when it arrives at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts from February 24–March 1. Among the show’s most memorable characters is Seth Weetis, an awkward, big-hearted teen whose humor and honesty bring surprising depth to the story.

On a cold January night in Minneapolis, the State Theatre felt anything but wintery. As Celtic Throne II—Psalter of Ireland unfolded on January 18, 2026, the audience was carried into a world of ancient history, pulsing music, and remarkable young talent.