"imagine a u.s. without racism" at Mixed Blood Theatre Company

Mixed Blood Theatre Company returns to indoor performance in their Minneapolis firehouse home for the final show under the leadership of founder Jack Reuler - the necessary new play imagine a u.s. without racism. What a thing to imagine, indeed, and what a perfect time to imagine it - coming out of a global pandemic and racial reckoning, a time when we're reassessing how we do everything and looking for ways to do it better. Playwright and director Seema Sueko interviewed 100 people across the U.S. with the simple and complex prompt "imagine a u.s. without racism," and has woven the responses into an 80-minute play that's both a cohesive and engaging story about this diverse group of characters, and a call to action to "create a just neighborhood."

"Roe" at Mixed Blood Theatre

I'm not sure there is a more controversial or hotly debate Supreme Court decision than the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that confirmed that the constitutional right to privacy includes a woman's right to decide whether or not to end a pregnancy. Every American has heard of this case, and every American has an opinion about it, usually a very strong one. In Lisa Loomer's brilliant new play Roe, receiving just its second production at Mixed Blood Theatre ahead of a possible Broadway premiere, she explores the life of the two women behind the case: Norma McCorvey, the originally anonymous plaintiff, and Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who successfully argued the case in front of the Supreme Court. It's a fascinating story, not just the journey to the Supreme Court, but the continuing journey since. Or rather, two intersecting journeys for these two very different but equally determined women who parted ways somewhere along the line. But this is no dry history or legal lecture, or a preachy lesson. The play is smart, funny, dynamic, and moving, telling very human and relatable stories about very real and flawed characters. The cast and creative team bring it to life flawlessly, with all elements combining in a way that makes Roe the best thing I've seen this year. It closes at the end of the month, with many performances at or near sell-out; act fast so as not to miss this important and exciting new work (click here for more info and to reserve tickets).

"Corazón Eterno (Always in My Heart)" at Mixed Blood Theatre

There's a reason Mixed Blood Theatre was the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers' pick for most accessible theater in 2016 (and best use of social media, BTW). Actually there are many reasons - their Radical Hospitality program in which all available tickets are free two hours before the show; their recent remodel which makes the building more accessible for artists and patrons of varying abilities and includes new spacious all-gender bathrooms; their commitment to hiring theater artists of all races, classes, gender identities, and abilities; and their programming, which often features people whose stories aren't usually heard. On the surface the world premiere play Corazón Eterno (Always in My Heart) isn't very revolutionary; it's a sweet, funny, simple love story, nothing we haven't heard before. But the novelty is that it's performed in both English and Spanish, with surtitle translations to Spanish and English. According to Wikipedia, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the US, and the US is the third largest Spanish speaking country in the world. It's wonderful to see that statistic, that reality of our world, represented on stage. Even more wonderful was hearing Spanish spoken among the audience on opening night, and the enthusiastic response of the audience to the sweet story told in two spoken languages, and the universal language of love.