Art Hounds: 'Caucasian Aggressive Pandas' tackles biracial identity with wry wit

Playwright Katherine Glover saw "Caucasian Aggressive Pandas and other Mulatto Tales" the last time it was on stage, and she recommends you check it out. The show is a series of scenes that both playfully and insightfully explore what it means to be biracial. While the term "mulatto" is generally considered offensive, playwright and actor Duck Washington chose the word for a very specific reason, which he outlines at the beginning of the show. Performances run June 8-24 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts.

Playwright and lyricist Maureen Kane Berg is looking forward to seeing "Welcome to Hell," a new play by local playwright Janet Preus that explores abusive relationships. Berg says while many shows will offer performances with an ASL interpreter off to the side signing the dialogue, this show features two casts performing simultaneously — one speaking their roles, and the other signing. The show, staged by ThinkSelf Productions, underscores how abuse is even more common in relationships where one person is deaf or hearing impaired. Performances run June 7-10 at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis.

Commonweal Theatre's Jeremy Van Meter raves about the Lanesboro Arts Association's annual "Art in the Park" festival. Saturday, June 16 will mark the festival's 38th year; they say it's the state's longest-running art fair. There will be more than 90 artists gathered in lovely Sylvan Park, offering a wide variety of work from which to choose. Art in the Park runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live music throughout the day.