I’ve always loved historical fiction, but it can be a tricky thing to get right.  Photo by Dan Norman Where is the line between taking a fictional account of history too far and hitting just the right balance? Done well, historical fiction can provide an exciting, accessible way to engage

What can I say about a show that’s been touring the country steadily for over 25 years? Photo by Matthew Murphy Probably simply that things haven’t changed all that much in the 150+ years since Les Miserables was first published. Photo by Matthew Murphy Anyone who isn’t familiar with Les

Anyone who knows me even a little knows that one of my great passions is discovering, sharing, and enjoying stories that lie outside of our popular understanding of the world.   Photos by Petronella J. Ytsma This is especially true of historical stories, which often tend to center middle aged

I hate it when I’m late to the party…   Photo Courtesy of Genesia Williams But that was definitely the case at Waafrika last week. Unfortunately this little gem of a show is already closed – it was only on stage for a two week span – and I went

“Folks always tryin’ to kill what they can’t understand, for whatever reason”   Photo courtesy of Interact It’s rare, but sometimes something comes at me so fresh and so unexpectedly that it takes my breath away. I had the pleasure of just such an experience last weekend at Hot Funky

Here’s to hoping history stops repeating itself.   Photo by Shannon TL Kearns It’s always amazing to me how imperfectly progress on social issues is made. Causes will fight for decades on an issue with little to no improvement – or maybe even sustain severe setbacks – only to jolt

CDT is the theatrical equivalent of a giant, comforting, cozy bowl of steaming mac and cheese, and I’m totally fine with that. Sometimes I see people take aim at things that are mainstream or inherently positive as if they are somehow unworthy of attention. This frustrates me. I love avant

It seems 2018 is the year of historic anniversaries.   Photo by Dan Norman First we had the 150th anniversary of Louisa May Alcott’s delightful Little Women. It’s the 50th anniversary of the ridiculously eventful 1968, which is featured in a star exhibit at the Minnesota History Center. Park Square

Lush. Lavish. Generous. Honest. Humbling.   Photo courtesy of the Penumbra’s website These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I try to describe the full circle experience that is the Penumbra’s latest show, Ntozake Shange’s seminal for colored girls who have considered suicide /

Adapting favorite childhood stories to a new medium can be tricky business.   Photo by Rich Ryan The unique mix of nostalgia and ownership that childhood characters breed can wreak all sorts of havoc on an adaptation’s profitability. For example: despite coming from an eternally beloved book series and boasting a