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MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended arts events from MPR News, highlighting standout theater and music performances, exhibits and gatherings around the region.

 — For Minnesotans of a certain generation, Bob Mould gives us genuine emotions about being from the Gopher State. (Never mind that he was born in Malone, New York.) And it’s not just his work with the seminal St. Paul punk band Hüsker Dü, although that’s a lot of it. He also recorded introspective acoustic tracks as a solo artist in Pine City. He wrote the theme song for “The Daily Show” when it was heavily Minnesota-inflected — and performed a satire of the Bing Crosby/David Bowie “Little Drummer Boy” with then-host and former Minnesota basketballer Craig Kilborn. 

And then he did the most Minnesota thing possible: moved away, but somehow kept coming back. 

 touring for his newest album, “Here We Go Crazy.” With the album, Mould demonstrates that there’s a lot more to him than Gen-X nostalgia: his new songs shimmer with dense, roaring guitars and jagged melodies, and his lyrics also reject nostalgia. “I was so wild and too hard to contain,” he sings on “Neanderthal”; he still is. 

‘The Great Gatsby Ballet’ at the Mayo Civic Center

— In 2025, there have been countless ways to celebrate the centennial of St. Paul author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic, from live readings — including of a graphic novel — walking tours and cocktail-imbued soirees to the exhibition “Gatsby at 100” at the Minneapolis Institute of Art — which is up through March 2026. 

on adapting a classic for comics

Now, it’s time to dance about that Great American Novel. The L.A.-based World Ballet Company brings 

“The Great Gatsby Ballet” to Minnesota with stops Oct. 10 at the Mayo Civic Center

 in Rochester. Additional shows include the Orpheum in Minneapolis on Oct. 18, the DECC Symphony Hall in Duluth on Oct. 19 and the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts in Brainerd on Oct. 22-23. The production features 40 dancers, sparkling Art Deco sets and an original score. 

 — From a Ukrainian kylym featuring the Cossack people and colorful Pac-Man ghosts to a hand-knotted wool “Tyger” by Ai Weiwei, the University of Minnesota art museum exhibition is a textile feast for the eyes. 

“RugLife” travels to Minneapolis from the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco

 and features artists from around the globe working in silk, wool, hemp and less-expected textile mediums. Fiber artist and Amherst College art professor Sonya Clark — who made a “Comb Carpet” out of plastic combs! — will give an artist talk at 3 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Weisman.

“The poetry and politics of Black hair care specialists are central to my work as an artist and educator,” Clark says in her artist statement. “Rooted in a rich legacy, their hands embody an ability to map a head with a comb and manipulate the fiber we grow into complex form.” 

‘Shadowland’ author talk at Magers and Quinn Booksellers

 — On the shores of Lake Vermillion, a mystery unfolds in the latest novel from Minnesota writer Karen Engstrom, “Shadowland.” Picking up where Engstrom’s last novel, “The Fox,” left off, the new book unravels multi-generational threads, including a love affair and betrayal. 

Engstrom will speak about her new book at Magers and Quinn this weekend.

 — Arizona-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Madilyn Mei is known for the creative worlds he’s built, from his early presence on TikTok and YouTube to his debut album “A Thousand Songs About It All: Act 1.”

,” features rich storytelling, wordplay and innovative sound. Since his beginnings, he has brought a whimsical energy to his performances, blending alternative pop with a bright, playful and relatable style. (

‘Bluebird Improv’ at The Depot Theatre

 brings their world-renowned improv talents to Duluth. The collective is composed of four improvisers from across the country that are familiar faces from many sitcoms.

The lineup features Marc Evan Jackson, recognizable from “The Good Place” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine;” Brad Morris, a Second City alum who’s appeared on “Curb Your Enthusiasm;” Joe Canale, also from The Second City’s Chicago stage; and Matt Walsh, Upright Citizens Brigade co-founder and star of “Veep.” The night will feature original and never-again-performed scenes and characters inspired by viewers. 

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MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended arts events from MPR News, featuring a dancing Great Gatsby, the art of the rug and more.

One musician plays drums and another plays guitar and sings

Todd Owyoung/NBC

Ornate rug art featuring orange, red and black designs.

MN Shortlist, Oct. 10-16: Bob Mould returns and more

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