Art Hounds

Actor Lizzy Andretta is excited for “Let the Crows Come” to make its way to Lanesboro’s St. Mane Theatre on March 6. This dance performance created by Ashwini Ramaswamy uses the idea of a DJ remix and applies it to the Indian classical dance of Bharatanatyam. Ramaswamy uses this structure to investigate what it feels like to be a second-generation immigrant.

Actor and singer Monica Heuser is headed to Lakeville South Theater to see Twin Cities Ballet perform “The Wall.” This “rock ballet” is set to the iconic concept album by Pink Floyd. Heuser is a fan of both rock and ballet, she’s looking forward to seeing how the two come together.

Choreographer and Red Eye Theater artistic director Emily Gastineau recommends Eric Larson’s performance piece “Tweezer Burn.” She says his work is always funny, strange and makes you think. Gastineau says this conceptual piece was inspired by examining the human desire to collect precious things, and what we choose to value. The performances — which run through Sunday — take place at DuNord Craft Spirits.

Anderson Center’s executive and artistic director Stephanie Rogers has got her tickets for Champagne Confetti at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, Minn., and she highly recommends you join her. Champagne Confetti is the brainchild of Aby Wolf and Eric Mayson, and it brings together some of the finest musical talent in the Twin Cities to create music that defies categorization. You can hear classical, jazz and pop all at once in their tunes. Champagne Confetti performs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29.

Poet and English professor Doug Green thinks you should check out “From Puerto Rico … With Love?” The show, which consists of two solo performances, is being remounted by Teatro del Pueblo Thursday through Sunday at the Avalon Theater in Minneapolis. Green says both performances will make you laugh, and will leave you smarter than before when it comes to this unincorporated territory of the United States.

Music lover and occasional gospel singer Marie Denholm is looking forward to "The Sounds of Gospel" this Saturday at Bethel University. The concert, directed by Jevetta Steele, traces the evolution of gospel music and features some great vocal talent. Denholm says it’s a great way to mark Black History Month while enjoying some powerful, uplifting music.

Lighting designer Emmet Kowler loves the play “Peerless,” now on stage at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. The story revolves around two twin sisters who are determined to win a coveted “affirmative action” spot at a prestigious college. Kowler says the play is actually a witty update of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Theater Mu’s production takes audiences on a similarly dark ride.

Writer Lucie Amundsen is delighted to see that the NorShor Theatre in Duluth is presenting two performances of the musical comedy “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” just in time for Valentine’s Day. The show is a series of vignettes capturing all the seasons of love, from first blush to enduring romance and everything in between. Performances are on Friday and Saturday.

Heather Rutledge, executive director of ArtReach St. Croix, says Stillwater is the perfect setting for your romantic outing. This Saturday, the upbeat a cappella group Tonic Sol-fa performs a Valentine-themed show at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Zephyr Theatre.

Minneapolis Arts Commissioner and performer Janay D. Henry says she’s super excited to see “Skeleton Crew” at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo. The show is a co-production with New Dawn Theatre, a new company founded by some of the best theater talents in the Twin Cities. “Skeleton Crew” looks at the issues facing a small team of factory workers as the recession takes it’s toll on Detroit. Performances run through March 1.

Roseville Area Middle School Theatre’s assistant director and props master Peg Cavanaugh highly recommends grabbing your favorite pillow and blanket and heading to University Lutheran Church of Hope in Dinkytown for “Night Songs.” This hourlong event features live music and poetry accompanied by projections of the universe on the ceiling of the church. Cavanaugh says the evening provides a breathtaking reminder of the beauty of the universe and a much-needed escape from news of the day. “Night Songs” takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 13.

Poet Tim Stouffer is a fan of the Ely Art Walk, which turns the northern Minnesota town into an open-air gallery. Approximately 400 works of art by local residents of all ages will be on display in shop windows. The art walk coincides with the town’s annual Winter Festival, which includes snow sculpting, guided hikes, and more. Both run Thursday through Feb. 16.

Musician John Sievers is looking forward to February — because “My Grandma’s Cardigan” will be the artist in residence at Thesis Beer Project in Rochester, Minn. On Wednesday nights, the indie folk band will perform; a different band will open for them each week, and Thesis Beer Project has event crafted a special beer in their honor. This is a year long project by the brewery, which will be hosting a different band every month in 2020.

Improv performer and educator Jill Bernard recommends you head to Aster Cafe in Minneapolis for the release party for James Rone’s new album “Quiet as Fists.” Bernard loves Rone’s witty, catchy tunes; she says he’s great at writing lyrics that are very specific, but end up feeling universal. The music begins at 9 p.m. on Friday.

Arts lover Nina Grunseth thinks Hennepin History Museum is an underrated gem that deserves more attention. Case in point: It’s currently showing an exhibition on women’s voting rights in honor of the centenary of the passage of the 19th amendment. In conjunction with the exhibition, there will be a birthday party for Susan B. Anthony on Feb. 15. “Votes for Women” runs through July 5.

Humanities teacher and theater director Sara Skelton says it’s a great time to visit Ely, Minn. Not only do they have a foot of fresh snow, but the whole community is coming together to celebrate the artwork of resident Gail de Marcken. She illustrated the children’s book “The Quiltmaker’s Gift.” This weekend the town is putting on the musical version of the children’s book at the newly renovated Historic State Theater. It’s also hosting a quilt show, storytelling and family-friendly workshops in conjunction with the show.

Artist Nancy Valentine recommends paying a visit to the Charles Beck Gallery on the campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College to see the Lake Region Arts Council Consortium art exhibition. The features the work of nine area artists working in a variety of media, including Gyotaku fish prints, made from inking actual fish. The show runs through Feb. 6.

Theater artist Brooke Nelson says the weather forecast is looking perfect for some outdoor winter fun. That’s perfect because this Saturday there are two great events for the whole family. The Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival starts at noon; watch the pros fly fancy kites or bring your own to fly along with them. Then head over to Powderhorn Park for the 13th annual Art Sled Rally and see what outlandish creations people have built to send flying down the hill.

Moorhead, Minn., artist and educator Su Legatt is headed to St. Cloud, Minn., to see Heidi Jeub’s new exhibition of paintings. It’s called “Remote: An Abstract View of Rural Flight.” Legatt says Jeub’s brightly colored canvases are open to interpretation, and yet manage to deftly convey the unease of a rural community losing its sense of identity. The show runs through Feb. 22 at Gallery St. Germain.

Storyteller and author Loren Niemi recommends you check out Dovie Thomason’s performance “How the Wild West was Spun.” Thomason takes apart Buffalo Bill Cody’s famous traveling show, which offered stereotypes of cowboys, Indians and the “Wild West.” Niemi says Thomason offers a much more nuanced history that deconstructs many popular ever-present myths. Performances run Jan. 23-26 at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis.

Full-time arts enthusiast Florence Brammer says Franconia Sculpture Park is considered a summer destination, but she encourages people to pay a visit in the heart of winter. Located along the St. Croix River Valley, the 43-acre park has more than 120 large-scale sculptures; Brammer says they pop against the backdrop of a winter snowscape. Franconia is open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk.

Glencoe resident Marie Zimmerman is looking forward to Friday when Quebecois folk band Le Vent du Nord makes a stop in nearby Winsted. Zimmerman is a new fan of the high-energy francophone musicians, and appreciates that the Winsted Arts Council brings such big acts to town. Le Vent du Nord performs at 7 p.m. Friday at the Blue Note Ballroom. (Can’t make it to Winsted? Le Vent du Nord performs Thursday at The Cedar in Minneapolis.)

Playwright Dan Pinkerton is a fan of Henrik Ibsen’s plays, particularly “A Doll’s House,” which offers a searing critique of a woman’s opportunities in late 19th-century Norway. The show closes with the character Noura leaving her husband and children. Now, Jungle Theater in Minneapolis is staging “A Doll’s House, part 2,” by playwright Lucas Hnath. This story picks up 15 years later, and Noura is back. Pinkerton says the play is a smart and funny look at the broader consequences of one woman’s freedom.

Singer and writer Alia Jeraj used to be a skeptic when it came to puppetry, but now she’s a huge fan. She recommends you see some of the most creative puppetry around by attending "Puppet Lab” at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis. The lab presents two weekends of new performances by four different emerging puppeteers. Performances run Friday through Jan. 19.

Correction (Jan 9, 2020): A previous version of this feature misidentified Alia Jeraj’s artistic pursuits.

Artist Heather Wright recommends paying a visit to the Rochester Art Center “Artists on the Verge” exhibition. The show features artists who are integrating technology into their work in new and exciting ways. Wright was particularly impressed by Kathy McTavish’s installation “Swarm.” McTavish uses computer code to create light displays, soundscapes and fiber art that combine to create an immersive environment. The show is on display through Feb. 8, 2020.

Founder of Live Mind Learning Casey Jarrin says she’s looking forward to attending Erik Farseth’s zine release party. Jarrin describes Farseth’s collage art as a sensory explosion, inspired in part by everything from punk music to advertising and politics. The celebration takes place on Dec. 27 at Black Forest Inn and includes live music by Wax Lead.

Poet and musician Anna George Meek was delighted and moved by The Moving Company’s latest show “What If?” Meek says the production contains two distinct halves which might at first appear to have no connection, but they both work to bring us closer to understanding this delicate thing called the human heart. Performances run through Dec. 29 at the Lab Theater in Minneapolis.

Arts consultant Robyne Robinson says you might not normally associate Rosedale Mall with compelling artwork, but this holiday season, you can take your family to Roseville for an art treasure hunt. “Who You Are” presents artwork that explores the Twin Cities’ increasing diversity — from Latinx to Lizzo. More than 30 works of art are placed throughout the mall. Robinson says it’s a great way to celebrate and embrace Minnesota’s changing racial identity.

Priest, song leader and Hutchinson fruit farmer Kerri Meyer is filling her truck with friends and hauling them to The Cedar in Minneapolis for “Kolyada: Winter Songs from the Black Sea.” Meyer says as a priest, she’s gets tired of hearing the same old Christmas tunes over and over. She says Balkan harmonies are extraordinary, the rhythms are wild, and the music will fill you up with the holiday spirit.

Duluth actor Louisa Scorich says her favorite way to celebrate the season is to attend “A Holiday Spectacular Extravaganza Pageant” at Zeitgeist. Scorich says it’s a holiday-themed variety show, featuring the talents of “Colder by the Lake,” “Superior Shorts,” “Beer and Hymns” and others. The third annual extravaganza takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Correction (Dec. 12, 2019): A previous version of the article misspelled Kerri Meyer's name. The article has been updated.