Art Hounds: The music of Nye's and Arab American theater

Nye's Polonaise Room
Nye's Polonaise Room, Minneapolis, March 27, 2009.
Alan Turkus | Creative Commons via Flickr

This week Art Hounds recommend an Arab American theater festival, music at Nye's Polonaise and "Prints" at Paul Bunyan Playhouse.

Heather Bunch is glad to see that there are enough Arab Americans sharing their perspectives through theater to warrant their own festival. Taous Claire Khazem, Mohamed Yabdri and Kathryn Haddad have each created plays that give a personal window into what it means to be Arab-American. The New Arab American Theatre Works festival runs through July 12 at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis.

Sarah McGrill loves going to Nye's Polonaise on Tuesday nights for the music, and is sad that the restaurant and bar is slated to close this winter. In the meantime she recommends people check out John Eller at the piano or the St. Dominic's Trio by the bar and feel the good community vibes.

Scott Pakudaitis thinks folks should drive to Bemidji to check out "Prints" at Paul Bunyan Playhouse. Based loosely on the 1933 kidnapping of William Hamm, Jr. in St. Paul, the show combines elements of film noir, slapstick comedy and B-Movies. "Prints" runs through July 11.

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