Photo by Heidi Bohnenkamp, courtesy of the Guthrie Theater
Guthrie Theater
Artistry Theater, artistrymn.org, 952-563-8877, 1800 W Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington
- Wonderland, September 8 - October 2, presented by Collide Theatrical Dance Company: This high-energy show, set to a popular music soundtrack, serves up vivid costumes and dazzling technical dance skills. Wonderland takes audiences on a compelling ride as familiar Alice in Wonderland characters experience mental health challenges and discover friendship and acceptance along the way. COLLIDE Theatrcial’s Artistry debut!
Chanhassen Dinner Theater, chanhassendt.com, 952-934-1525, 501 West 78th St., Chanhassen
- Footloose, Feb. 4–Sept. 24: Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town where they are met with a ban on dancing instated by the local preacher, who is determined to control the town’s youth. Enjoy the beloved classic and dinner at Chanhassen Theater.
Children’s Theatre, childrenstheatre.org, 612-874-0400, 2400 3rd Ave. S, Mpls.
- Circus Abyssinia: Tulu, September 13 - October 23, created by Mehari “Bibi” Tesfamariam and BInyam “Bichu” Shimellis: World-famous Circus Abyssinia returns by popular demand! Witness the energy and spectacle of their newest show, packed with high-flying acrobats, hand balancing and juggling in this dazzling celebration of athleticism and the power of speed!
Guthrie Theater, guthrietheater.org, 612-377-2224, 818 2nd St. S, Minneapolis
- Vietgone, September 10 - October 16, by Qui Nguyen, directed by Mina Morita: After Saigon falls in 1975, Quang and Tong, two Vietnamese refugees separated from their previous partners, reunite in Arkansas and ignite a no-strings-attached relationship to pass the time. Living in America becomes an adventure that leads the pair to question their futures and their relationship. It’s part history, part memoir, and this whip-smart comedy gives an unabashed reflection on American culture and a human-centered view of the Vietnam War and its aftermath.
Lyric Arts, lyricarts.org, 763-422-1838, 420 E Main St., Anoka
- Lumberjacks in Love, September 9 - 25, directed by Scott Ford and Michelle Rademacher: It's 1912 and lumberjacks Minnesota Slim, Muskrat, Dirty Bob, Moonlight, and The Kid live in a state of manly bliss at Haywire Lumber Camp in northern Wisconsin, 200 miles from the nearest woman. Entertainment is found through rejoicing (or complaining) about their bachelor status, taking weekly baths, and practicing their social dancing. However, when Slim accidentally orders himself a mail-order bride named Rose, their simple, shanty lives are turned upside down. Rose's arrival pushes the camp further into chaos, and soon every single lumberjack has to come to terms with what they really want and who they truly are.
Old Log Theater, oldlog.com, 952-474-5951, 5185 Meadville St., Greenwood
- Once Upon A Mattress, opens September 16, directed by Garry Lennon: Many moons ago in a far-off place, Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride. Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the Queen. That is, until the “shy” swamp princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, showed up. Would she be able to pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince and help Lady Larkin and Sir Harry to the altar?
Theater Latté Da, latteda.org, 612-339-3003, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
- Merrily We Roll Along, September 21 - October 30, music by Stephen Sondheim, directed by Peter Rothstein: This innovative musical about a group of friends spans three decades, spooling backwards from their present-day lives to the beginnings of their friendship. A cult-classic, the blend of excitement and humor of a backstage musical with the poignancy of regrets and reconciliations has made Sondheim’s musical a fan-favorite.
Theatre in the Round, theatreintheround.org, 612-333-3010, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls.
- Doubt A Parable, September 23 - October 16, written by Patrick Shanley, directed by Kari Steinbach: In this Pulitzer Prize winning drama, Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal, takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with one of the malle students.
Yellow Tree Theatre, yellowtreetheatre.com, 763-493-8733, 320 5th Ave. SE, Osseo
- A Streetcar Named Desire, September 9 - October 9, by Tennessee Williams, directed by Randy Reyes: School teacher Blanche DuBois loses her ancestral home following the death of her remaining relatives. She relocated from Lauren, Mississippi to the cramped quarters of her estranged younger sister and her brother-in-law's apartment in a blue-collar neighborhood of New Orleans. Though unable to face the brutal reality, Blanche spys a shimmer of hope while connecting with her brother-in-law’s friend, Mitch. But Blanche still cannot face the truth of her own past and ultimately spirals into madness.
Zephyr Theater, stillwaterzephyrtheatre.org, 651-342-1542, 601 Main St. N, Stillwater
- True West, September 8 - 24 (Thursdays through Sundays): In the Sam Shepard classic; two brothers, a petty thieving drifter and a successful screenwriter, explore their fraught relationship while reluctantly cooperating on writing a screenplay. Who is the ideal family man and who is the lost soul, is not as obvious as it might seem. The “double nature” of ourselves, as described by Shepard, is brought to the fore in this American standard of the stage.
