Streaming #TCTheater

Hello friends! Post-Labor Day typically marks the beginning of a new #TCTheater season, but as we all know, this is not a typical year. Some companies have announced seasons that incorporate virtual events, some are on a sort of wait-and-see plan. We are continuing to collect virtual performance art events on our events page, so just go to our Facebook page and click on "Events" to see a list of upcoming virtual shows, which this week include:

Frank Theatre

's new conversation series "Frankly Speaking," the first episode about whiteness in theater

Mixed Blood Theatre Company

's "Zealous Hellions" featuring Kenny Leon

Children's Theatre Company

's virtual fundraiser "Curtain Call Ball"

Theater Crush Thursday: Mixed Blood Theatre

THEATER CRUSH THURSDAY!
It's time for another #TCTheater that ranks as one of our favorites. This Thursday it's the Minneapolis theatre known for it's "Radical Hospitality" policy Mixed Blood Theatre Company. A program which focuses on making theater accessible to all by removing any and all obstacles whether they are physical or fiscal. Their mission "Using theater to illustrate and animate, Mixed Blood models pluralism in pursuit of interconnections, shared humanity, and engaged citizenry". A fully accessible theater featuring all single stall restrooms, a huge plus for the Transgender community. They take their role in the community seriously producing works focused on social justice and highlighting the positive aspects of the differences between us.

That may sound like a noble but boring theatre company, the kind you go to learn a lesson rather than be entertained. Nothing could be further from the truth as evidenced by their last production a world premiere of a new musical INTERSTATE which closed early on March 14th due to the Covid -19 crisis. Though the show ran for just over a week, I saw it three times. Why because it is one of the best musicals I have ever seen. it is in my top 5, and I know one 16 year old for whom it supplanted HAMILTON and RENT to become his favorite musical. That's because Mixed Blood understands that when we are entertained and moved we are open to new ideas.

Like all theatres during this crisis Mixed Blood needs our support. I encourage you to go to their website and donate if you can or become a member, there are fantastic benefits for only $9/month. go to https://mixedblood.com/

- Rob, The Stages of MN

for more about Mixed Blood check out my latest blog post at https://bit.ly/2RHSs6M

TCTB Review Roundup: Recently Closed Shows

Recently many well received shows ended their runs early due to the current crisis. Although we are sad that fewer audiences were able to see these works, we wanted to share the thoughts of the bloggers who did see these important works:

Play off the Page saw Thunder Knocking at the Door at Ten Thousand Things and said "This blusical has everything: family dynamic, a love story, a mythical character, soul-searching, and some of the best music I’ve ever heard." http://bit.ly/39NEgzW

The Stages of MN saw Interstate at Mixed Blood Theatre Company and said "We’re so fortunate that something this great is having its world premiere here. In a perfect world, this show with this cast would move from here to Broadway"http://bit.ly/32YKQBi
The Bacchae at Guthrie Theater also closed prematurely.

PhenoMNal Twin Cities said "This production of The Bacchae at The Guthrie comes at a strikingly opportune moment; a time when persistent attacks upon science and reason have undermined institutions when we need them most." https://bit.ly/3ahCqYl

The Stages of MN writes " I’m not sure what to say about The Bacchae. I didn’t love it or hate it. For me it was definitely less then the sum of its parts. If you are a fan of Greek tragedies, I suspect you will find a lot to admire in the production."http://bit.ly/3cNpE5T

TCTB Review Roundup: Mixed Blood Theatre's AUTONOMY at the St. Paul RiverCentre

photo by Rich Ryan

Mixed Blood Theatre Company's current show Automony is playing at Saint Paul's River Centre through May 12th. A couple of our bloggers have had a change to see this truly unique show so far. Read what they thought below:
Compendium - Minneapolis: "Autonomy is an absolute blast and a completely different kind of theater experience, one that I highly recommend you see."
Read more here: http://bit.ly/2VSXkJF
Cherry and Spoon: "Mixed Blood Theatre's latest project is wildly ambitious, and they accomplish it quite brilliantly. "
Read more here: http://bit.ly/30cgMQG

TCTB Review Roundup: ROE at Mixed Blood

Roe at Mixed Blood Theatre Company is STAGGERINGLY good. By Lisa Loomer, Roe is "a theatrical survey of the complicated and fiery underpinnings of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established a womxn’s right to an abortion."

Through March 31 only! Please go see it. Let our bloggers convince you in their posts below:

Cherry and Spoon calls it "the best thing I've seen this year." http://bit.ly/cs_roe

From Compendium - Minneapolis: "my first MUST SEE production of 2019." https://bit.ly/2W9AVE8

Minnesota Theater Love: "If you see one play this year, go see Roe at Mixed Blood Theatre. DO IT. GO. BYE." https://bit.ly/2Wg9mcn

2018 Twin Cities Theater Bloggers Award Winners!

Announcing the winners of the Fourth Annual Twin Cities Theater Bloggers (TCTB) Awards!

Ten Twin Cities Theater Bloggers* participated in the selection of the winners. The full list of nominees was announced last week. Some of the categories were quite hotly contested, so congratulations to all of our wonderful nominees for creating entertaining, inspiring, and challenging theater in 2018.

Below are our 2018 TCTB Award Winners. Be sure to continue reading for some special local theater achievement awards!

TCTB Review Roundup: Prescient Harbingers at Mixed Blood Theatre

HOODED (photo by Rich Ryan)

"Young black men are dying at an alarming rate, and these are voices we need to listen to if we ever hope to understand the problem so that we can stop it from happening."

Cherry and Spoon urges you to see Mixed Blood Theatre Company's Prescient Harbingers, a trio of plays written by black men: Idris Goodwin, Tearrance Arvell Chisholm, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

http://www.cherryandspoon.com/2018/11/prescient-harbingers-hype-man-hooded.html

TCTB Review Roundup: Two Mile Hollow

This is the last week to see the brilliant Two Mile Hollow by Mu Performing Arts at Mixed Blood Theatre Company. Our bloggers loved the show, read more about their thoughts below: 
Compendium - Minneapolis says, "The cast for this show is fabulous and features many of my local favorites, beginning with the endlessly jocose Sun Mee Chomet." Read the full review: http://bit.ly/2ET5ppa
Cherry and Spoon says, "if you like your theater smart, funny, relevant, and painfully true, Two Mile Hollow is not to be missed." Read the full review: http://bit.ly/2CN2BET
One Girl, Two Cities says, "since I saw it opening night, I’ve told countless people that it’s one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time." Read the full review: http://bit.ly/2EVQZpc
Twin Cities Stages says, Two Mile Hollow... is just the show that we need right now. " Read the full review: http://bit.ly/2FJ6q16

TCTB Review Roundup - YPC, Mixed Blood, Sandbox and more!

How to Use a Knife at Mixed Blood (photo by Rich Ryan)

Rounding up reviews for a few shows for October 2017:

Mean at Youth Performance Company

"With Mean, YPC’s Mean uses good original theater to add something useful (and positive) to an important conversation."
Single White Fringe Geek: http://bit.ly/2wOrAFz

How to Use a Knife at Mixed Blood Theatre Company

"For those of us outside of that profession, How to Use a Knife is an honest, illuminating portrait of how difficult work in a kitchen is and how deeply politics seeps through every aspect of our lives, even those hidden behind double doors."
Compendium: http://bit.ly/2fYSwvy

"Will Snider's new play is a tragicomedy that takes place in a restaurant kitchen with diverse, clearly drawn, realistic characters, brilliantly brought to life by a fantastic cast, with a completely engrossing story that'll leave you wondering just who the bad guy is in this story, and maybe realizing that defining a "bad guy" isn't all that simple."
Cherry and Spoon: http://bit.ly/cs_knife

In the Treetops at Sandbox Theatre at Open Eye

"As we left the theater I said to my friend, half-jokingly, “Leave it to Sandbox Theatre to create a children’s show about poverty and death.” Half-jokingly. And art. It’s also about art, and the artist, and creating, because that’s also frequently tucked in the back of things the Sandbox ensemble creates and performs."
Single White Fringe Geek: http://bit.ly/2xAXCtq

Sorry friends, but this one is sold out:

String at Yellow Tree Theatre

But Cherry and Spoon loved it: http://bit.ly/cs_string

Vietgone - TCTB Review Roundup

"VIETGONE is Hamilton meets Kendrick Lamarr meets the Vietnam War, and it's sublime."

Our bloggers agree that this is a must-see, and it's at Mixed Blood Theatre Company through April 30! (And you can even catch it for free thanks to their Radical Hospitality program!)

Cherry and Spoon: http://bit.ly/cs_vietgone

Twin Cities Stages: http://bit.ly/tcs_vietgone

Minnesota Theater Love: http://bit.ly/mtl_vietgone

Compendium - Minneapolis: http://bit.ly/com_vietgone

The Room Where It Happens: http://bit.ly/rwih_vietgone

Orange - TCTB Review Roundup

Orange at Mixed Blood Theatre Company through Sunday!

Screaming fresh is the only word I can think to describe the last couple of seasons at Mixed Blood Theatre Company. - Becki Iverson with Compendium

Cherry and Spoon: http://bit.ly/2fEH3P6
Compendium: http://bit.ly/2fIQEaT

Barbecue - TCTB Review Roundup

Mixed Blood Theatre Company kicks off its 2016-17 season with a bang with a terrific production of Robert O'Hara's Barbecue. It's a fascinating, outrageous, discomfiting comedy. - Minnesota Theater Love

Cherry and Spoon's Review: http://bit.ly/2ebUivt
Minnesota Theater Love's Review: http://bit.ly/2dql2U0

For show times and ticket information, visit Mixed Blood Theater Company's website by clicking HERE. 

Let us know what you think of the show in comments! 

Charm at Mixed Blood Theatre: TCTB Review Roundup

"Sometimes theater is more than just theater. Sometimes theater is about giving a voice to people whose voices are not often heard." 

And this is why you should see CHARM at Mixed Blood Theatre Company, closing May 8. Our review roundup is below:

Cherry and Spoon: http://bit.ly/CSCharm
One Girl, Two Cities: http://bit.ly/1G2CCharm
Minnesota Theater Love: http://bit.ly/MNTLCharm