Weekend Arts Roundup: On the Green and On the Boards
by Luke Taylor and Marianne Combs
May 23, 2013
MPR News Arts Reporter Marianne Combs joins The Current's Steve Seel and Jill Riley to talk about artist-designed mini-golf and about two new plays -- one set in Denmark, the other in a cul-de-sac.
Walker on the Green: Artist-Designed Mini Golf: Today is the opening day of Artist-Designed Mini Golf at Walker Art Center. Part of the Walker's 25th anniversary celebration of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, these two 8-hole courses are the collaborative output of architects, artists, machinists and mini-golf aficionados. The courses feature a scale model of a French château, mazes, gopher holes and an oversize watering can. Artist-Designed Mini Golf is open every day until Sept. 8.
Hamlet: Sweden and Denmark are connected by a bridge, and the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis is building an artistic bridge with Denmark through this production, as Theatre Coup d'Etat presents William Shakespeare's Hamlet in the historic ballroom of the ASI's Turnblad Mansion. The play just opened last night; it's the first theatrical performance held at ASI in decades, and it stages on select evenings until June 9.
Cul-de-Sac: Actor Wade Vaughn performs the roles of all nine characters in this play, written by Daniel MacIvor. The story centers on Leonard, who's lived in the same dead-end street for 15 years, and the circumstances leading to his death. Loudmouth Collective presents this production of Cul-de-Sac, with performances held at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis on select nights until May 26.
Bonus question: Do neighbors have more knowledge about one another when they live in cul-de-sacs? Listen to the audio and share your thoughts below.
Marianne Combs joins The Current's Morning Show for the Weekend Arts Roundup every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Read about all the latest arts news at the State of the Arts blog at mprnews.org.