Weekend Arts Roundup: Out There, Out There

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April 02, 2015

Cast of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play — The cast in the Guthrie Theater and American Conservatory Theater co-production of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, by Anne Washburn, score by Michael Friedman and directed by Mark Rucker. March 31 to May 10, 2015, on the McGuire Proscenium Stage at the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis.
Kevin Berne

MPR News Arts Reporter Marianne Combs joins Jill Riley and Sean McPherson (in for Steve Seel) to talk about what's out there this weekend. "Let me tell you, it's 'out there' this weekend," Marianne says. Here's what's on tap:

Shapiro and Smith Dance — How to describe the work of Shapiro and Smith Dance? It's often like think pieces; Shapiro and Smith are very intellectually engaged in the work they do, and so they're often communicating about ideas, rather than movement for movement's sake. This weekend at the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts in Minneapolis, Shapiro and Smith are presenting two works: Tableau Vivant, which draws on a practice of people posing in historical settings; the other is Ravel x 3, which features choreography to three pieces of music by Maurice Ravel — resulting in what Shapiro and Smith describe as "exciting, intricate, sensual and luscious performances."

Venus DeMars — After 18 months of dealing with the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Venus DeMars, one of our favorite local transgender musicians, finally received an overturning of an original judgment citing her as a hobbyist rather than the working artist she is. Now, she's put together a new acoustic album, Flesh and Fire and will be celebrating its release this Sunday, April 5, at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater in Minneapolis. Local music writer and performer Jim Walsh is the opening act.

Mr. Burns, a post-electric play — Imagine a world after a nuclear apocalypse where the survivors cling together reciting the stories from the one thing they can remember: the "Cape Feare" (sic) episode of The Simpsons. Now imagine that oral tradition becoming the foundation of a new society. Mr. Burns, a post-electric play explores that idea. It's now staging at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, and has received rave reviews for its way of looking at storytelling and the power of storytelling in our lives.

Marianne Combs joins The Current's Morning Show for the Weekend Arts Roundup every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Read all the latest arts news from MPR News.