Winter is coming, and it’s predicted to be a rough one this year (when isn’t it?). That means the mere weeks leading up to the unbearably cold, dark season of Minnesota is fast upon us. To help you make the most of these precious fall days, we’ve rounded up some of the best entertainment planned, including concerts, comedy shows, art exhibitions, theater, and more.
MUSIC
Father John Misty
Palace Theatre
At age 41, it seems Father John Misty has outgrown shitposting. Gone are the Twitter beefs and japes; gone, in practice, is the Twitter account entirely. Once anchored by literary irony and a smirkingly apocalyptic worldview, Josh Tillman’s music has returned to its earnest roots on his latest, Chloe & the 21st Century. But that album, which dropped in April, came with some surprises, most notably the fact it’s a goddamn swooning, swinging jazz-folk record. It’s hardly the first reinvention of Tillman’s career, and critics embraced Chloe with restrained warmth. Additional insight into the creative left-turn is lacking, since Mr. Tillman has stopped doing press. It’ll be interesting to see how the once-puckish, still-golden-voiced indie star of the ‘10s interprets his rock-solid first four albums during this two-night run at the Palace. $45-$75. 7 p.m. 17 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; find more info here. September 30-October 1 —Jay Boller
Pusha T
Fillmore
King Push loves two (and maybe only two) things—selling cocaine and rapping. We only have this Virginia rapper’s word that he excelled at the former, but from his days in the titanium-hard duo Clipse up through his unflashily brilliant solo career, we do know for sure he can sling words. (Either way, he’s sharp enough to know which field offers more career longevity.) Pusha’s latest album, It’s Almost Dry, offers more of the gripping true crime narrative, tough guy aphorisms (coke, he says, bestows “white privilege”), and clipped delivery you’d expect, with production duties split between Pharrell Williams and some fool name of Kanye West, both of whom deliver. It’s not quite as terse and focused as his 21-minute 2018 collab with West, Daytona. But as ever, he’s cold, cruel, and effective. $39.50 and up. 8 p.m. 525 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 2 —Keith Harris
Sudan Archives
Fine Line
One-woman-band Brittney Parks is a classically trained, Cincinnati-born, L.A.-based violinist with a background in, yes, the music of Sudan. That’s a lot of modifiers for an artist to juggle, but she does so deftly. On her latest, Natural Brown Prom Queen, her beats flow easily, with double-time hand claps occasionally livening things up, and her tunes stream into even more dazzlingly unexpected rivulets than they did on her 2019 album, Athena. She has a gift for toying with restraint and release, emitting the least exhibitionist “I just wanna have my titties out” you’ve ever heard and reserving one of her sweetest melodies for a line about how her Chicago cousins will fuck you up. Never less than her own unassuming self, she’s lost in her music but never precious about it. She expresses herself but she never strains to be heard. She’ll make you listen close so you don’t miss anything, and you’ll be glad you did. With Lulu Be. $20-$40. 8 p.m. 318 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 4 —Keith Harris
Steve Lacy
Myth Live
Well, this is one of the less expected success stories of the year. Lacy, the guitarist for the brilliant R&B band The Internet, has a hit single, “Bad Habit,” a catchy, warbling little thing off his second solo album, Gemini Rights, and it’s projected him from midlevel appreciation to actual stardom. There’s something charming about how far above his weight dude is punching—he ain’t got Luther’s pipes or Prince’s licks, but he knows a thing or two about how R&B works. Just promise me that if you think he’s onto something here, though, you’ll check out The Internet. PS: This may be one of your last chances to pay your respects to the Myth Live—Maplewood is itching to tear the club down and replace it with apartments, and this is one of the final shows it still has on the books. All ages. $60 and up. 8 p.m. 3090 Southlawn Dr, Maplewood; find more info here. October 4 —Keith Harris
Lizzo
Xcel Energy Center
Lizzo’s strength is her willingness to be corny. So of course she starts her latest album, Special, with a hearty “Hi motherfuckers, did you miss me?” then heaps on the clichés of self-care, self-love, self-discovery that you’d expect. And that corn extends to her beats—where Beyonce crate-digs for encyclopedic dance music references, Lizzo knows her fans dig the perky uplift of lite disco. While her tracks will never flaunt as much bottom as she does, Max Martin and his assorted studio munchkins are among those Georgio Morodering up the synth bass, and if you listen closely you’ll discern some fun interpolations. (“About Damn Time” lifts from Malcolm McClaren; “Grrrls” jacks the Beastie Boys.) Then she goes out admitting she cries to Coldplay. Everyone deserves some corny uplift in their lives. Yes, even a very cool person like you. With Latto. $65 and up. 8 p.m. 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St Paul; find more info here. October 11 —Keith Harris
Imarhan
Cedar Cultural Center
With our ever-vigilant immigration system having protected us from being entertained by Tinariwen, this gig hops up the list to become the most unmissable Tuareg desert blues show of the year. Heck, depending on your tastes, you might think these southern Algerians smoke Tinariwen on a good night. If you’re not one for such fine distinctions, you can just rest secure that you’re getting the good stuff. On their latest album, Aboogi, (which varies their sound by integrating Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys) they leap from whispery trance-like music into rave-ups of ululating frenzy, with dextrous guitar work in both modes. Here’s hoping their full range is on display at the Cedar. With Crystal Myslajek. All ages. $18/$23. 7:30 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 11 —Keith Harris
Alvvays
First Avenue
Five long years after the brilliantly named Antisocialites, these Toronto indie-pop boppers are back, and not quite the same as ever. They worked with producer Shawn Everett on their latest, Blue Rev, and Alec O'Hanley’s guitars have shifted from bright jangle to a heavier shoegaze—those Loveless comparisons you may have seen aren’t in vain. Thing is, songwriter and frontwoman Molly Rankin’s too articulate, too observant, too much herself to be anyone’s bloody valentine. Rather than get buried in the fuzz, or shouting over it, she punches right through. They’ve already released four singles in advance of the album, and the big surprise of the lot is that she’s more ambivalent about “Very Online Guy” than most reply guys deserve. Please do not take this as a signal to @ Molly, you nerds. With Slow Pulp. 18+. $25/$30. 9 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 15 —Keith Harris
Maren Morris
Armory
When Morris emerged in 2016 with Hero, recorded with beatwise producer busbee, she seemed to portend a new direction in country-pop. But Nashville doesn’t like women rewriting the rules, and so, frustrated with threading Nashville’s stylistic needles, she teamed up with superproducer Zedd for the colossally huge “The Middle.” She’s kept a one-foot-in, one-foot-out pose since; her latest, Humble Quest, feels contemporary but only rarely pushes the needle into straight pop, with its high points a straightforward love song called “I Can’t Love You Anymore” and (though it pains this shorty to admit it) the comic “Tall Guys.” After Tucker Carlson recently called her a “lunatic country music person” because she stood up for trans rights, she popped the phrase on merch and made bank for Trans Lifeline and the GLAAD Transgender Media Program. In other words, she’s one of the good ones. With Lone Bellow. All ages. $47 and up. 8 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 21—Keith Harris
Turnstile
Fillmore
Turnstile’s unlikely rise has been a whole lot of fun to watch. One minute the Baltimore boys are releasing EPs on little-known New York hardcore imprints, the next they’re doing Tiny Desk Concerts and touring in support of $uicideboy$ (a show I really loved when it came through the Armory last year). Who’d’ve thunk it? In hindsight though, this broader breakthrough post-Glow On—the groovy, hooky crossover record that got Pitchfork Best New Music status last year—makes sense. In describing their stunning, 11-minute video for four of the record’s best bangers, Mannequin Pussy called the genre “romantic hardcore,” a descriptor that fits beautifully because Turnstile is hard and soft, heavy and sensitive—and like all the best hardcore, it’s a lot of fun to move around to. (Don’t, uh… don’t Google that term, by the way, unless you’re in a place where it’s OK to be browsing porn.) With Snail Mail; find tickets here. All ages. Resale tickets starting at $40.25. 5 p.m. 525 Fifth St. N., Minneapolis. October 25 –Keith Harris
Illuminati Hotties
Fine Line
The best bands, in my humblest of opinions, balance the heartfelt with the yuks, a needle that bandleader Sarah Tudzin threads with the best of ‘em. On last year’s Let Me Do One More, her second LP as Illuminati Hotties, the singer/songwriter/producer/engineer celebrates cracking poolside beers, sneers at health goths, laments capitalistic decay with rippin’ pop-punk guitars and a mischievous grin. We’re major fans down at the Racket office. On this spooktacular date, expect the reliably evocative Tudzin to put on one helluva show; the crowd shout-along to "MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA" will be a guaranteed hoot. Enumclaw and Guppy open. $20-$38. 7 p.m. 318 N. 1st Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 31—Jay Boller
Flo Milli
Amsterdam
Rap has no shortage of trash-talking women these days, and it can never have enough. This Mobile, Alabama, brat is one of the most wickedly playful of the crop, fluent in every form of insult and boast. She emerged in 2020 with a mixtape that asked the eternal question Ho, Why Is You Here? spouting an assured, unruffleable comic confidence. Naturally, she followed that up this year with an even more pressing question: You Still Here, Ho? She’s pure smack-talk, true to the spirit of the old school if not the letter, and I appreciate that one of her best brags is that she’d wear the same clothes four days in a row. With Monaleo. All ages. $20. 7 p.m. 6 W. Sixth St., St Paul; find more info here. November 2 —Keith Harris
Vijay Iyer
Dakota
Vijay Iyer is the kind of 21st century improvised music performer you can’t sum up in a blurb. His corpus demands something more formal—a cv, or a testimonial, something like that. I’m not teasing—Iyer is one of the finest examples of the new breed of musician, equally at home in the academy or the club, committed to an overarching vision that hews to no particular style. He’s done the trad thing, he’s done the jazz with electronics thing, he’s done all manner of unclassifiable in-between things. His latest trio album, Uneasy, with bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey, is a good place to start if you’re curious, and as long as you realize that its music may give you no guidance as to where he’ll go in his Dakota performance. $30-$40. 7 p.m. 1010 Nicollet Mall; find more info here. November 3 —Keith Harris
Modest Mouse
Palace Theater
With regard to “holding the fuck up,” it’s tough to top The Lonesome Crowded West. Modest Mouse didn’t just avoid the dreaded sophomore slump with their 1997 release—they created a top-to-bottom indie rock artifact for the ages. Young Isaac Brock took on timeless themes of isolation and urban sprawl with poetic heft and a no shortage of winks; his Pacific Northwest band raged and noodled through soaring, complex song structures with an ambition early 20-somethings often attempt but rarely nail. I can’t recommend this 45-minute Pitchfork doc on Lonesome enough. Anyway, that’s a roundabout way of saying: Modest Mouse, now established alt-rock royalty, will be performing Lonesome Crowded West in its entirety at the Palace. Let’s all get over to St. Paul and do the cockroach! $45-$75. 7 p.m. 17 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul; find more info here. December 10 —Jay Boller
ART
Smoke and Ground
Public Functionary
In 2019, Public Functionary closed their gallery at 1400 12th Avenue NE with the promise of returning bigger and better. And that’s exactly what they did. That same year, local artist Leslie Barlow joined the crew to helm PF Studios, a program offering mentorship, affordable gallery space, and other resources for (often low-income) BIPOC artists just starting their career. (You might recognize Barlow from this year’s official State Fair artwork.) Then, in 2020, the PFunc gang secured a much bigger space in the Northrup King Building. Now, you can check out their new 7,000-square-foot gallery and performance space at the official grand-opening, which will feature artists from Barlow’s Studios program. For this group show, curator Adrienne Doyle asked artists to consider the question: Where do our memories live in our landscape and how do they tie or sever us from place? See how different artists answer on Saturday, October 8, from 5 to 11 p.m. Northrup King Building, Studio 144, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis. October 8-November 6 –Jessica Armbruster
Harriet Bart: Reckoning
NewStudio Gallery
“We live in a broken world,” warns Harriet Bart. “‘Reckoning’ is a cautionary tale.” This time, the St. Paul-based, international artist cautions us through creating a unique, site-specific space filled with a variety of items. Some hold cultural significance (a bronze owl, a model of a barn), some have been found in nature (a burl, animal bones), and others have been tampered with in-studio (a gold-leaf embossed stone). Will you be able to decipher and heed the warning? The exhibition opens Saturday, October 8, with a free public reception from 5 to 8 p.m. 2303 Wycliff St., St. Paul. October 8-December 3 –Jessica Armbruster
TC Art Week
Various Locations
Art-a-Whirl? The Saint Paul Art Crawl? Yeah, Twin Cities artists know how to throw a big art fest. But what about something a little more low-key, a little less crowded? Enter TC Art Week, a sprawling, cities-wide event that offers a variety of fun over four days. Highlights include artist-led gallery walkthroughs with Angela Two Stars, Joshua McGarvey, and Tetsuya Yamada; the return of Free Ink Day at Highpoint Center for Printmaking, where you can try your hand at printmaking; and an art crawl with stops at Hair + Nails, Waiting Room, MirrorLab, and Night Club. Parties, talks, special installations, and more are also planned at Mia, Walker Art Center, Public Functionary, and SooVAC. Find the complete schedule of happenings and venues at tcartweek.org. October 12-16 –Jessica Armbruster
पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night
Soo Visual Arts Center
Projects by Roshan Ganu are less about straightforward gallery shows, more about presenting a storytelling experience. If that sounds pretentious, rest assured that it’s not—it just means that you’ll probably have a good time simply walking through “पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night.” Her most recent collection is part space voyage, part romp through urban nightlife. There are starry landscapes, a rock that hangs like a disco ball, collages of Pan Indian serials, and neon signs. Language is a key player here, too. The Goa-born, Minneapolis-based Ganu speaks Marathi, English, Konkani, Hindi, Portuguese, and French. You can enter her brave new world at SooVAC’s opening reception on Saturday, October 15, from 7-10 p.m. 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. October 15–November 12 –Jessica Armbruster
Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Normally, if you want to see a Botticelli in-person, you’d have to travel to New York City, or abroad to museums in Amsterdam, Berlin, or Chantilly. This fall, however, you can see some of his works by simply traveling down the street to Mia. Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, will be bringing an impressive collection of works from the era, including 12 pieces from Sandro Botticelli, aka the guy who created The Birth of Venus and Primavera. For this rare show, you’ll be able to view Pallas and the Centaur (c. 1482) as well as works by his teacher Fra Filippo Lippi, and colleagues Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Perugino. Over 45 masterworks from Uffizi’s collection–including paintings, drawings, and sculptures–will be on display, as well as pieces of note from Mia archives. $20. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis. October 16-January 8, 2023 –Jessica Armbruster
Paul Chan: Breathers
Walker Art Center
Can those inflatable tube guys used to drive people to sales be art? If it’s in the Walker Art Center then, yes, it can. But that would be oversimplifying the work of Paul Chen, a Hong Kong-born, Nebraska-raised, NYC-based writer, publisher, and artist. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, Chan garnered attention releasing videos, animations, fonts, and more, often for free on his website, nationalphilistine.com. These pieces explored pleasure, war, politics, and human interactions. But by 2009, he had burned out, tired of looking at a screen. Five years later, after a brief, you know, “breather,” he found a new way to explore movement and meaning without a computer, instead using physics, fabrics, and fans to create shapes that move about in interesting ways (and thankfully won’t try to sell you a car). You can see these kinetic sculptures at the Walker; the show will also include some video installations as well as pieces from his publishing company, Badlands Unlimited, which releases poetry, erotica, artists’ writings, and more. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. November 17-July 16, 2023 –Jessica Armbruster
A few other shows we think are worth checking out:
For this group show, 19 artists have created 19 paintings. Participants range from the formally trained to self-taught. HAIR+NAILS, 2222 1⁄2 E. 35th St., Minneapolis. October 4-October 23
Terrence Payne’s new collection of large-scale paintings explore the trauma of living through pandemics, upheavals, and other ‘20s-era bullshit. Rosalux Gallery, 315 West 48th St., Minneapolis. October 8-30
Gods and Monsters Art Show
This annual horror party and group show returns with new freaky images. The two-night opening party is $5, and runs from 4-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15. Artspace at Jackson Flats, 901 18 1/2 Ave. NE, Minneapolis. October 14-30
This large retrospective explores the Greek artist’s contribution to the Italian Arte Povera movement of the 1960-’70s via over 50 works. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. October 14–February 26, 2023
Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition
Part exhibition celebrating Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s enduring character, part murder mystery, this exhibition combines clues, period artefacts, and info on the forensic processes of the era. Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. October 20 through April 2, 2023
This free art party features over 40 original park-inspired posters by local designers. Sales proceeds benefit the artists and the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s People for Parks Fund. Royal Foundry Craft Spirits, 241 Fremont Ave. N., Minneapolis. 4-8 p.m. Saturday, October 22
Gamut teams up with Derek Meier of Interact Center for this group show featuring artists of varying backgrounds and abilities. Gamut Gallery, 717 10th St. S., Minneapolis. October 22-November 19
Emerging Minneapolis artist David Moore Jr. shares recent abstract paintings. Kolman & Reeb Gallery, Northrup King Building, Studio 395, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis. November 3-January 7
FESTIVALS
Owámni: Falling Water Festival
Water Works Park and Father Hennepin Bluff Park
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Owamni—the restaurant—yet, we get it… that place is one of the toughest reservations in town. (And it’s not likely to get less busy as the accolades keep coming.) But there’s also Owámni—the festival—which celebrates Indigenous Minnesota culture with Native music, art, artifacts, and more. As a bonus, the music-and-art-filled afternoon also includes a picnic in the park with food from Owamni by the Sioux Chef, along with an array of other vendors. Free. 1-5 p.m. 333 First St. S., Minneapolis and 420 SE Main St., Minneapolis. October 8 –Em Cassel
Twin Cities Book Festival
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
Buckle up, bookworms—there’s more action at this year’s Twin Cities Book Festival than you’re gonna be able to fit into a few short hours. There’s the book fair, of course, which invites you to relive your Scholastic memories with 100+ publishers, literary organizations, authors, and more. Then there’s Rain Taxi’s used book and record sale, with thousands more lightly used pieces of media available at a steal of a deal. And then there are dozens and dozens of author talks and readings… just take a look at this list, because it’d be folly to attempt to list ‘em all here. If you don’t leave with a new favorite book tucked under your arm or in a tote bag, well, that’s on you. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. October 15 –Em Cassel
Oktoberfests
Real heads know that Oktoberfest actually starts in September. (Why isn’t it called Septemberfest? Take it up with the Germans.) But you’ve still got a few chances left to bust out the lederhosen…
Oktoberfest at the Black Forest Inn
Free. 3-9 p.m. 1 E. 26th St., Minneapolis. Through October 2
Waldmann Brewery & Wurstery Oktoberfest
$7.50 for adults; $3 for kids 12 and under. 3-10 p.m. Friday; 12-10 p.m. Saturday; 12-7 p.m. Sunday. 445 Smith Ave., St. Paul. September 30-October 2
Gasthof's Oktoberfest at Fulton
Free. 4-10 p.m. Friday; 2-10 p.m. Saturday. 2540 NE Second St., Minneapolis. September 30-October 1
Geilfest at Nouvelle
$79 per person (all-you-can-eat-and-drink food and beer). 5-10 p.m. 4124 W. Broadway Ave., Robbinsdale. October 1
Co-optoberfest at Fair State Brewing Cooperative
Free. 1-10 p.m. 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis. October 1
Free. 12-10 p.m. 1495 Stieger Lake Ln., Victoria. October 1
Free. 7-10 p.m. 2005 Second Ave., Anoka. October 1
$10-$80. 5-11 p.m. Saturday, noon 10 p.m. Sunday. 1621 Randall Ave., Falcon Heights. October 7-8
New Ulm’s 40th Anniversary Oktoberfest with Schell’s
Events (free and ticketed) all over town; find the full listings at the link above. October 7-8 and 14-15
THEATER
Sally and Tom
Guthrie Theater
Regardless of what dry history books tried to teach us in history class, the Founding Fathers were pretty questionable. Thomas Jefferson, for example, was a grown man when he started a “relationship” with Sally Hemings, the teenage daughter of two of his slaves. At the time, that shit flew in Paris, but upon returning to his Virginia plantation, Monticello, the two had to tread carefully. Through Sally and Tom, a world-premiere work debuting at the Guthrie, “we come to know the ways in which Sally Hemings and her other Black family members navigated hard truths of 1790 as well as the ways we are still navigating some of those truths today,” says playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. “We also come to understand how the white Jefferson family embraced some of the less-than-noble truths on which the founding fathers built America.” Parks is a heavy hitter of American theater; in 2002 she won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Top Dog/Underdog – making her the first African American woman to do so. 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis. October 7-November 6 –Jessica Armbruster
Twin Cities Horror Fest XI
Crane Theatre
Horror isn’t just a movie genre; it also works really well onstage, where audiences are trapped in the confines of a dark theater. For over a decade, TCHF has been demonstrating how versatile horror can be, whether a production offers creepy vibes, psychological mindfucks, or all-out gore. The fest returns this fall with a hearty dose of all three of those things and more. There’s Bad Egg, a retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that follows Veruca down the chute after she’s deemed “rotten.” In Third Floor Studio’s Dead Mountain, a researcher enters Russia's treacherous Ural Mountains to try to solve the Dyatlov Pass Incident in which nine experienced campers died under mysterious circumstances. In Dangerous Productions’ All Your White Darlings, a Black man must survive white paranoia after a white person turns up dead, while Victor Invictus follows Frankenstein's creature, who is presented as a life-size bunraku puppet (creepy!). Other offerings include horror musicals, improv, and a queer storytelling cabaret that promises to be like “Goosebumps, only gayer.” 2303 Kennedy St. NE, Minneapolis; find tickets and the complete schedule at tchorrorfestival.com. October 20-30 –Jessica Armbruster
the bull-jean stories
Pillsbury House Theatre
Although it got its start as a novel, Sharon Bridgforth’s the bull-jean stories is a piece that was made for the stage. It’s a fusion of storytelling, spoken word, history, and fiction. It’s also a love story, following the titular character as she navigates Black queer life in the Deep South of the 1920s. Bridgforth is known for shows that are much more than they appear to be; Pillsbury’s 2018 production of dat Black Mermaid Man Lady/The Show was part book, part performance, part oracle deck/reading sessions, and part collaboration with Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association to mentor several artists toward homeownership. The return of Bridgforth’s work to the Pillsbury Stage, this time directed by Signe V. Harriday, is an excellent addition to the venue’s 30th season lineup. 3501 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis; pillsburyhouseandtheatre.org. October 20-November 13 –Jessica Armbruster
Georgina & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley
Jungle Theater
Jane Austen may have only written one Pride and Prejudice, but thanks to public domain and a still-active fanbase the Darcys and Bennets continue to entertain us with wacky hijinks and biting social commentary via Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s nationally lauded plays. First there was Miss Bennet, which followed bookish middle sibling Mary as she sought love and intellectual stimulation, next The Wickhams took a look at that same story via the perspectives of the servants behind the scenes. Georgina & Kitty, the final installment in the series, follows the youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters as they plan for their futures, hope for love, and deepen their friendship. 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. November 19-December 23 –Jessica Armbruster
A few other shows that caught our eye:
Qui Nguyen tells a story–not about his parents, he stresses–of two Vietnam refugees finding love and a new life in ‘70s America. Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis. September 10 – October 16
Stages Theatre collabs with Theater Mu to bring local author Bao Phi’s autobiographical children's tale to life. Stages Theatre Company, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. September 30-October 23
Communtator Collective presents this creepy tale of corporate cereal makers. The production will held at a nearly-abandoned acrylics factory in NE Minneapolis. Ticket buyers receive more details on the location after purchase. October 22-November 6
For those unfamiliar, know that the Cats movie really didn’t stray that far from the play. Also important to know: Orpheum Theatre has a bar. Just sayin’. Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. October 25-30
Two grown brothers run away from home… to their childhood home. Can they grow TF up? The Gremlin Theatre, 550 Vandalia St., Suite 177, St. Paul. November 4-27
C’mon, you know what this one is about. Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis. November 12-December 31
COMEDY
Check out our quick picks for solid comedy shows below. All blurbs here are by Jay Boller.
10,000 Laughs Festival
Various venues
This is more of a loose constellation of stellar comedy acts around town rather than a proper “festival.” Standouts include: Bobcat Goldthwait, Jackie Kashian, Mary Mack, the Sklar Bros, Ian Karmel, Michael Ian Black, Dulcé Sloan, and Kate Willett. Find more info and the complete lineup here. October 6-8
Bill Burr
Target Center
One of the greats. And, on his latest (and quite good!) Netflix special Live at Red Rocks, Burr tiptoes toward “cancel culture” without slipping into cheap reactionary mode. $54-$109. 6:30 p.m. 600 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 7
Nick Mullen
Rick Bronson's House of Comedy
The often problematic, often hilarious (former?) co-host of Cum Town. $26.95-$62.40. 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington; find more info here. October 13-15
Demetri Martin
State Theatre
The smart, silly, palindromic star of ‘00s alt-comedy can still pack a theater. $42.50. 7 p.m. 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. October 20
Charlie Berens
Ames Center
Through savvy marketing of his homespun persona, Berens has carved out a viral niche as the king of Upper Midwest comedy. $37-$47. 12600 Nicollet Ave, Burnsville; find more info here. October 20-22
David Koechner
Rick Bronson's House of Comedy
It’s Champ from Anchorman! $26.95-$61.40. 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington; find more info here. October 27-29
Whitmer Thomas
Turf Club
You know his voice from FXX's Stone Quackers; you know his standup from HBO's The Golden One. Don’t know either of those things? Check ‘em out! $18. 7 p.m. 1601 University Ave. W., St Paul; find more info here. November 2
Iliza Shlesinger
Mystic Lake Casino
A superstar comic who still commands respect from her peers slugging it out in the clubs. This one’s already mostly sold out–good luck if you want tickets! $49-$129. 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. NW, Prior Lake; find more info here. November 12
Chelsea Handler
State Theatre
Can the theater district handle this many wined-up millennial moms? $49.50-$219.50. 8 p.m. 805 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis; find more info here. November 12-13
Foil Arms & Hog
Cedar Cultural Center
How many opportunities do you get to catch a celebrated Irish sketch troupe? $41.50. 6:30 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. November 15
David Cross
7th St. Entry
Holy shit, this is a cool booking. $25. 6 p.m. N. 7th St., Minneapolis; find more info here. November 18
Ron White
Treasure Island Resort & Casino
Remember: Ron “Tater Tot Salad” White is the Blue Collar Comedy dude who's always tanked. $49-$148. 8 p.m. 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd., Welch; find more info here. November 18
Jimmy Pardo
Acme Comedy Co.
One of the pioneering princes of podcasting, and a rock-solid headliner for decades. $22-$37. 708 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here. December 3
Paula Poundstone
Fitzgerald Theater
Your Wait, Wait-loving parents would accept this as an early X-mas gift. $36.50-$57.50. 7 p.m. 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; find more info here. December 10
DANCE
Fall Forward Festival/Choreographers’ Evening
The Cowles Center/Walker Art Center
This fall, not one but two major arts venues are hosting a crash course on the local dance scene. The monthlong Fall Forward Festival at Cowles looks especially promising, offering two to three new performances each evening from an impressive array of Minnesota dancers and troupes. Participating artists include Aparna Ramaswamy from Ragamala Dance; Black Label Movement, whose Riding the Maelstrom personifies chemotherapy; Twin Cities Ballet, who mix classic works with more experimental jaunts; and HIJACK, a long-running duo who describe themselves with words like “ecofeminist,” “queer,” “sex party,” “hoarder-house,” and “pandemic garden.” Whew. Meanwhile, over at the Walker Art Center, Choreographers’ Evening is celebrating an incredible 50th anniversary. This event, typically hosted over Thanksgiving weekend, invites a guest choreographer to come in and curate an evening of up-and-coming, mid-career, and established performers. This installment will feature Alanna Morris, whose I A.M. Arts is rooted in African Caribbean dance that celebrates Black female choreographers. Morris will be joined by Judith Howard.
Fall Forward Festival
The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. October 29-November 20
Choreographers’ Evening
Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. November 25
Also coming up:
A.I.M by Kyle Abraham: Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth
Northrop, 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis. October 14
Minnesota Dance Theatre: Celebrating Women Choreographers
The Southern Theater, 1420 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis. October 14-16
CAAM Chinese Dance Theater celebrates its 30th anniversary season. O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul. October 15
Talking Dance with Brazilian Choreographers Lia Rodrigues and Mário Nascimento
Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center at Macalester College, 130 S. Macalester St., St. Paul. October 25
Northrop, University of Minnesota, 84 Church St. SE, Minneapolis. October 26
Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. October 28-29
O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul. October 29-30
The Chicago-based female and minority-led ballet company presents Baptized Imagination. Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave., Burnsville. November 4
Northrop, University of Minnesota, 84 Church St. SE, Minneapolis. November 18
O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul. November 18-19
Ballet Co.Laboratory: The Snow Queen
The Cowles Center, Goodale Theater, 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. December 2-4
