"FLEX" at Penumbra Theatre Company

The new play FLEX, about a high school girls basketball team in the mid-90s, is receiving its area premiere at Penumbra Theatre Company. Like The Wolves (about a high school girls soccer team, which the Jungle produced twice a few years ago), it's about so much more than sports. It's about friendship, teamwork, betrayal and what it's like to be a teenage girl. It's a little lighter than what I remember The Wolves to be. While there is tragedy and difficult issues that the girls are dealing with, in the end it's a feel-good story about camaraderie and the triumph of a group when everyone works together. See it at Penumbra in St. Paul's historic Rondo neighborhood through May 19.

"Much Ado About Nothing" by Classical Actors Ensemble at Tony Schmidt Regional Park

It's not summer in Minnesota without Classical Actors Ensemble (CAE) doing Shakespeare in a park near you! This year they're bringing us the rom-com Much Ado About Nothing, and as per usual they do it in a playful and accessible style. Performances are free and no reservations required (but recommended); you just show up with your picnic blanket, camp chair, and snacks to enjoy the show. And when you happen to get a lovely evening like I did, when the heat of the day has subsided and there's plenty of shade and even a gentle breeze, it truly is the most pleasant way to experience Shakespeare. Performances continue in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs through July 16, so find one near you and go enjoy Shakespeare the way it was intended - fun, playful, outdoors, and with the whole community in attendance.