Minneapolis Official Visitors Guide - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 47) THEATER/CULTURE Avenue Q at the State Theatre Hennepin Theatre District Sir Ian McKlellen at the Guthrie Theater There are more theater seats per capita here than anywhere outside of New York City. A T H I S PA G E ( L - R ) : P H O T O B Y C A R O L R O S E G G ; P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H E H E N N E P I N T H E AT R E G R O U P ; P H O T O B Y M A N U E L H A R L A N OPPOSITE (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP L): PHOTO BY GEORGE HEINRICH; PHOTO BY CHRIS BENNION; PHOTO BY WARWICK GREEN quick look around Minneapolis-Saint Paul and you are sure to agree with Shakespeare that “All the world’s a stage.” In fact, the area is chockfull of different performance spaces, ready for the classic dramas and daring puppets on stage this season. Besides the three distinct stages of the new Guthrie Theater, the metro boasts the nation’s largest dinner theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, as well as the creative stage of Theatre in the Round, and the floating Centennial Showboat, featuring seasonal performances by the University of Minnesota Showboat Players. This fall the acclaimed Guthrie Theater opens its second season since moving to the Jean Nouvel-designed building along the Mississippi in Minneapolis. The McGuire Proscenium, Wurtele Thrust and Dowling Studio stages look to present another strong season. On the thrust stage alone visitors can see Jane Eyre, the annual performance of A Christmas Carol, and a special Royal Shakespeare Company production of King Lear, starring Sir Ian McKellen. Saint Paul stages are also set to impress this season. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts welcomes several fun shows to town, such as the daring Rocky Horror Picture Show and the heartwarming Sound of Music. Performance spaces all over Minneapolis-Saint Paul host theater all year round. There’s the Mixed Blood Theatre and the Penumbra, which promote diversity, and small spaces like the Plymouth Playhouse and the Brave New Workshop, which aim to make people fall off their seats in fits of giggles. And for theater in a historic setting, there’s the Hennepin Theatre District, with the Orpheum, Pantages and State theaters along Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. Among the top productions making the district home this season are a musical version of The Wedding Singer, the quirky puppet musical Avenue Q, the acclaimed My Fair Lady, and The Lion King, which debuted at the Orpheum in 1997. While many shows are fit for all ages, families should take note: The Children’s Theatre Company is a Tony Award-winning theater, which showcases performances on two recently remodeled stages. The suburban Stages Theatre Company is another a family-friendly theater. But performance is not limited to the theater in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Seek out the talented dancers of the James Sewell Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, Zenon Dance Company or Flying Foot Forum. And music lovers will enjoy the sounds of VocalEssense, the Minnesota Opera, and the Rose Ensemble as well as the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra. Or, learn about the “true” Minnesota in Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul. MINI ITINERARY MORNING: Close your eyes and listen to the monthly Friday performance of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra at the Ordway Center for the Performing arts, where you can kick off your day with music, pastries and coffee. NOON: Enjoy lunch (Tuesday-Friday) or brunch (Saturday-Sunday) at Spoonriver in downtown Minneapolis and a walk back and forth across the Stone Arch Bridge before stepping back in time inside the Mill City Museum. NIGHT: Mill City Museum and Spoonriver are neighbors to the conversation-starting new home of the Guthrie Theater. Start with dinner at Cue Restaurant, then take in a performance on one of the three stages, and be sure to enjoy the expansive views of the Mississippi River from the Guthrie complex’s Endless Bridge. FREEBIE: With 38 miles of books, more than 300 computers for public use and stunning architectural features, the new Minneapolis Public Library is a must-stop for culture quests. Fall/Winter 2008 Minneapolis&Saint Paul 47
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