MN Shortlist, Jan. 9-15: Art in ice and other events
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January in Minnesota has a way of sharpening the senses: cold air, clear nights and culture that feels a little more urgent because you left the house for it.
This week’s picks lean into transformation and motion, from ice made to melt to music, theater and stories about what happens when belief, speed and ambition collide.
Saltydog CD Release at Turf Club in St. Paul — Jan. 9
Duluth’s own Saltydog celebrates a new release that came together faster than anything they’ve made before, a yearlong sprint fueled by funk, improvisation and sheer momentum. Inspired by Talking Heads and The Band, the six-piece leans into joy, quirk and the need for speed, as they put it themselves. The night widens out with Chicago funk heat from Hot Like Mars and Duluth duo Between Howls, turning the release into a full-on musical field trip rather than a single-stop celebration.
‘The Willing: A New Musical’ at The St. Louis County Depot in Duluth — Jan. 10–12
A literary hoax gets the workshop treatment in Duluth, its big ideas still showing their seams. “The Willing” is a new musical-in-progress inspired by the true story of William Henry Ireland, a 19-year-old in 1794 London whose forged Shakespeare manuscripts become both public scandal and private coping strategy. Developed by Duluth Playhouse with Off-Broadway and Broadway collaborators, the show leans into teen angst, depression and the collective urge to believe what flatters us, playing like a musical retelling of The Emperor’s New Clothes with Shakespeare hovering just offstage.
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‘Shucked’ at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis — through Jan. 11
This Broadway import leans hard into corn-fed wordplay, marrying blue comedy to golden-age musical bones with a grin that knows exactly what it’s doing. Premiering in 2023 with a score by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, it tips its hat to “Oklahoma!” and “The Music Man” while channeling the holy-roller satire of “Leap of Faith.” Alex Newell’s Tony-winning number “Independently Owned” remains the showstopper, delivered on tour with powerhouse flair by Miki Abraham.
‘Pushing the River’ Author Talk at Dakota County Library, Eagan — Jan. 14
Author Frank Bures visits Apple Valley to discuss his 2024 book “Pushing the River,” a sharp, soulful exploration of Minnesota’s waterways with the Mississippi River as its backbone. Blending overlooked history of the Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby with personal essays, including a harrowing near-death experience on the water, the talk promises stories that drift between adventure, obsession and a hard-earned respect for a river that does not care how prepared you think you are.
on canoeing, forgotten races and a brush with death on the MississippiIce Sculptures at Mia — Through Jan. 15
Artists return to Mia’s courtyard with chainsaws and chisels, carving ice sculptures inspired by the collection and letting them slowly disappear in plain sight. Expect frozen riffs on a Viking dragon boat, the front-entrance lions and the beloved “Veiled Lady,” plus an icy homage to the bronze owl that shattered in 2023 and is scheduled to be back on view this week. The free event also connects to a Jan. 11 panel on the World Snowsculpting Championship ahead of next week’s competition in Stillwater.
Whether you’re chasing funk, frozen art or a river story that sticks with you, this is a week for leaning into the long nights and letting something unexpected crack the surface.
