You don’t have to buy a plane ticket to New York to see two luminaries of Broadway this weekend, when The Ordway presents Mandy Patinkin while Leslie Odom Jr. visits Pantages. Also this week, birding meets Black liberation as J. Drew Lanham dives into his latest poetry at Milkweed Books. Satiric agit-prop in opera theater form comes to life in An Opera Theater’s production of “The Cradle Will Rock,” and a fashion contest and runway show stirs up dreamy innovation at the Fillmore. Also this week, MotionArt presents dance films at the Center for Performing Arts, and The Somali Museum investigates the healing power of art at Soomal House of Art.
J. Drew Lanham at Milkweed Books
Poet, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and wildlife biologist J. Drew Lanham, whose latest poetry book, “Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves,” was released on April 2, visits the Twin Cities. Lanham will read from the book and then be in conversation with Minnesota’s own Michael Kleber-Diggs, discussing racism, eco-reparation, and more.
Wednesday April 17, at 6 p.m. at Milkweed Books (free). More information and reservations here.
The Cradle Will Rock
An Opera Theater takes on the classic pro-labor organizing musical “The Cradle Will Rock,” by Marc Blitzstein, first produced by Orson Welles with the Federal Theatre Project back in 1937. Tim Robbins made a wonderful film about the first production in 1999. AOT’s production comes at the helm of director Christina Baldwin and executive producer Kelly M Turpin, with puppets by Lizz Windnagel and cast of singer/actors who bring the satirical comic spirit of the original musical to the 21st century.
Thursday, April 18, Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20 at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 21 at 5 p.m. at In the Heart of the Beast’s Avalon Theater ($0-$35). More information here.
Mandy Patinkin comes to the Ordway, Leslie Odom, Jr. comes to Pantages
Two Broadway megastars are visiting the Twin Cities this weekend. Mandy Patinkin is known of course for his iconic role as Inigo Montoya in the film “The Princess Bride,” his Emmy-winning TV performances, and has earned recognition for his many leading roles in Broadway hits. He originated the role of Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, which earned him a Tony, and gained fame as Georges Seurat in Stephen Sonheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, as well as many other roles, including decades perfecting his solo act on Broadway.
See his talent in the flesh when “Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Being Alive” comes to the Ordway Friday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. ($77-$158). More information here.
Meanwhile in Minneapolis, Leslie Odom Jr., visits for just one performance. He played Aaron Burr in the original “Hamilton,” and has gone on to win a Tony, a Grammy, and three Emmys. In recent years, he played Sam Cooke in Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” performed in a new show on Broadway about Ossie Davis, and released his fifth studio album last November.
He performs Sunday at 7 p.m. at Pantages ($61-$110). More information here.
Fashion + Fusion 2024
Teams of designers envision outfits made of carpet, tile, and industrial materials in The International Interior Design Association’s annual Fashion + Fusion event. This year, the theme of the competition is “Mirage,” with top designs, chosen by a panel of three judges, earning prizes. Let your dreams of desert oases inspire your outfit for the evening. Fire and ice performance troupe Insphyre starts things out before the runway event.
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19 at the Fillmore ($60.) More information here.
Reel Imaginings!
Pam Gleason’s pedigree as a dance artist spans 35 years in the Twin Cities. She was a company member with Nancy Hauser Dance Company and has choreographed over 50 dance works besides her work in theater and film, showing work across the U.S. and internationally. These days, Gleason runs MotionArt and has been busy creating dance films she’ll be showing this week as part of a program called “Reel Imaginings!” made in collaboration with cinematographers Guy Wagner, Nate Gebhard, and Adam Tapper as well as a line-up of multigenerational movers.
Browse through a Twin Cities grocery store with the whimsical “Last Chance” (presented two years ago as part of the Waterford International Film Festival in Ireland). Also on the bill is “Currents” filmed along Minnehaha Creek, a comic film called “Afloat,” and “Evergreen,” based on chess.
Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 21 at 3 p.m. at the Center for Performing Arts ($22). More information here.
Art as Liberation: A Journey Towards Collective Healing
Featured artists in The Somali Museum’s new exhibition, “Art As Liberation: A Journey towards Collective Healing,” will give an artist talk this Saturday about their work. Tariq Tarey, who uses photography and film to explore culture and Somali entrepreneurship as part of an ongoing project called Dunta Taxan, and a collective of artists called Start-Us One— made up of Abdurahman Ali, Aesha Mohamed, Khadija Charif, and Yasmin Yassin—will be in conversation Saturday, April 20 at 5 p.m.
Another artist talk, featuring Ifrah Mansour, creator of The Healing Aqal (hut) and Mohamed Hersi will give a talk Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m., and there will be an open mic and closing reception Saturday, May 4 at 5 p.m. at Soomal House of Art, 2200 Minnehaha Ave. (free). More information here.
Sheila Regan
Sheila Regan is a Twin Cities-based arts journalist. She writes MinnPost’s twice-weekly Artscape column. She can be reached at sregan@minnpost.com.