Secrets of the City

Steve Marsh offers an exclusive (albeit short) Q&A with Ross Brockley before this Friday’s Rolling Blackout Revue at Nick and Eddie.

Excerpt:

SM: What do you think of the term “silly”?

RB: I usually use the word drunk.

SM: What does the term “gentleman goat farmer” mean to you?

RB: What does it mean?

SM: Are llamas quote-unquote silly?

RB: This winter my male llama has been fucking goats and breaking their backs. Silly? Maybe?

Word has it this show is going to “blow our minds”!

I don’t usually get into the events arena here on MNSpeak — I like to leave that to our fabulous Kate Iverson and her “Secrets of the Day” — but some things are just worth repeating, and it’s Friday after all.

First off, if you haven’t already done so, go see Noël Coward’s Brief Encounter at the Guthrie. It is fantastic — easily one of the best productions I’ve even seen in Minnesota. It is beautifully acted, beautifully executed, beautifully produced, and the details are both simple and brilliant — from the perfectly modest and moving walk-in music, to the use of the film (which Coward himself is said to have loved), to the clever set changes, to the marionette children. It’s a must see.

Check out the trailer (with different actors, I believe).

I have no idea what the heck the Strib’s Graydon Rice means by it “trampl[ing] the delicate sensibilities of Noël Coward’s 1946 film.” Besides, it’s based on the play, not the film. But… either way, I entirely disagree. It’s perfect. And the music is perfect.

Also this weekend is the premiere performance of Curio Dance at Intermedia Arts (Friday and Saturday at 7PM). Local sibling duo Dario and Giselle Mejia (who have performed in New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis) have put together a fusion of Modern, Hip-Hop, Ballet, and Club dancing that gives you a titillating glimpse into their shared worlds.

Curio Dance is a dyadic company bringing new dimensions in choreography and dance performance to Minneapolis. They move in parallel form with athleticism and grace using a diversity of themes. Their music ranges from 72 to 180 beats per minute, African to electronic. Dance that defines entertainment.

And just a side note… they put together the entire show during and just after Giselle’s pregnancy. I can’t believe this sexy gal just birthed a child not many months ago!

For years, HUGE Theater has been putting on improvised productions in various Twin Cities venues. Now, they’re looking to step up their game by opening the city’s first long form improvisational theater.

The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council has promised $5,000 to the theater company if they can raise $4,000 on their own by January 24th.

HUGE’s first production in their new space would be an improvised show based off of Minnesota’s own Overheard in Minneapolis.

Donations are being accepted to meet this challenge.

Eyeteeth points out a report that Minnesota artists are more than twice as likely to be ininsured (from Springbpard for the Arts), and then introduces us to Dr. Sam, who is doing what he can to make healthcare affordable for artists, among others: Doctor Sam’s patients are from communities who are often out priced by the health care system — transgender people, the self-employed and artists. Folks with ongoing health concerns can become members of the practice for just $60 a month, and pay $36 per visit. Compare that to workers with comprehensive insurance who pay on average $400 to $600 a month.

City Pages takes a look at Jungle Theater, Trylon microcinema, Chris Baker, and Solo 1×2.

The Daily Planet does a story about the fate of Northeast’s long-dorminant Hollywood Theater which may be reopening soon, although not necessarily as a cinema: the city reevaluated the site’s development potential and changed its approach to pursue more general or interim arts-related reuses such as photography and art studios or architectural offices.

Some of us MnSpeakers are regular theatergoers, so let’s check in with our hive mind: What is your favorite local company? What have you seen lately that you have really enjoyed? Are there any local actors that you think deserve special mention?

MinnPost profiles Matt Desmond, a local designer in the specialized field of typeface design. (Probably the best known local who creates fonts is Chank Diesel.) It’s an interesting field, especially now that digital typography has created previously impossible expressive possibilities in type — the Walker takes the subject seriously enough that a few years ago they hired Matthew Carter, who is arguably the most famous typeface designer alive, to concoct a signature typeface for the museum (which they don’t seem to use much anymore, alas).

Are you a fan of type? What fonts do you favor?

The Star-Tribune reviews the Theatre in the Round’s Production of Kevin Kling’s Ice Fishing Play, one of the first plays I saw that really felt uniquely Minnesotan: Cleverly blending quirky wit, a rich sense of place and the evocative tug of memory and loss, Kling has created a piece that is entertaining and unexpectedly poignant. An additional review from MinnPost.

Susannah Schouweiler at MnArtists discusses recent cuts in City Pages, including laying off the A-List editor and one of the two food writers, as well as the recent announcement that Quinton Skinner’s theater beat is being cut by half. With all these cuts in arts coverage (and City Pages is hardly alone in this), where do you turn to find out what is happening on the local arts scene?