Art Hounds: Take your Valentine to the theater
Kelli Foster Warder of Theater Latte Da recommends going to see a musical fitting for Valentine’s Day. It’s Bucket Brigade Theater’s “Till Death: A Marriage Musical.”
The show tells the story of two married couples stuck together in one cabin. One couple is reevaluating their marriage, while the other appears caught up in that honeymoon glow. The result, Warder said, is “hilarious and insightful and a really great night.”
The 10-year-old production’s performers are all married couples in real life, including Jeremiah and Vanessa Gamble, who co-wrote the music and lyrics. Warder said she’s seen the show several times over the years and gets something new from it each time.
The final four shows of the run are Friday through Monday at Art House North in St. Paul. The production is in-person with reduced audience capacity and masks required.
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St. Paul actress and writer Greta Grosch is an equity actor, but it’s community theater that she’s excited to share this week: Theatre in the Round stages “Marjorie Prime” starting this weekend.
Set in the near-future, 85-year-old Marjorie has a handsome young man in her life. That “man” is a hologram of her late husband, imbued with artificial intelligence so that he can feed Marjorie the stories of her life as she loses her memory.
The heartfelt play by Jordan Harrison is full of plot twists that take the audience on a journey. The play was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2015, and it was made into a movie in 2017.
Grosch said she’s thrilled to see Theatre in the Round emerge through the pandemic to celebrate its 70th season this year. “Marjorie Prime” runs Friday through March 6. Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test are required.
Pamela Potter Langley loves to support her local arts scene in Zumbrota, and she’s thrilled that a Minnesota musician she has admired since the ‘80s will be coming to her town for a concert.
Folk singer/songwriter John Gorka’s long career has spanned 11 albums and a collector’s edition, with performances across the globe.
“John’s music just keeps aging beautifully,” said Potter Langley, “and some of the lyrics are, for me, as pertinent now as they were back in the ‘80s when I listened to some of the songs for the first time.”
Potter Langley said she’s traveled far to hear the iconic singer perform so she feels lucky that she can walk a few blocks to the historic State Theatre in Zumbrota to enjoy this show with friends. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Masks are required in the theater unless eating or drinking.
The State Theatre in Zumbrota celebrated its 100th anniversary last October.
