"Star Keeper" by Emily Michaels King at Red Eye Theater

How do I describe Star Keeper, the latest of Emily Michaels King's very personal shows that combine theater, storytelling, spoken word, movement, dance, sound and lighting effects, and perfectly chosen nostalgic props? Simply one of the most raw, vulnerable, heart-breaking, and moving performances I've ever seen. Emily is the most fearless performer I know, sharing her deepest wounds with the audience, baring her heart, soul, and body. In this piece she explicitly works through the childhood trauma she's alluded to in previous works, and it's astonishing. At times difficult to watch (there was a moment when I, and probably everyone in the audience, wanted to rush the stage and stop what she was doing to comfort her, as she was causing real physical pain to her body in attempt to rid herself of the emotional pain of the trauma), at times esoteric (taxidermy?), but in the end one of the most moving experiences I've had at the theater. If you're looking for theater that's a little different, a little outside the box (we might call it "performance art"), and incredibly gutsy and risk-taking, head to Red Eye Theater to see one of the five remaining performances of Star Keeper.

Broadway Tour of "Oklahoma!" at the Orpheum Theatre

The 2019 Tony winner for best revival of a musical begins its National tour right here in Minneapolis. But this Oklahoma! is more total reimagining than revival. So many revivals are really just a retread of the original production, with a few tweaks here or there. But with this show, it's as if director Daniel Fish were handed the script and score for a new show in 2015 (the first year he directed the show) and created this piece with no knowledge of any production that had ever come before. This production takes wild risks and pushes the edges in every direction. The result is an Oklahoma! that is dark, sexy, urgent, vibrant, modern, stripped-down, and speaks directly to current American by examining its violent* past. Pretty remarkable feat for a nearly 80-year old musical. But it's only in town through Sunday, before heading off across the nation (click here for info and tickets).

2019 NYC Trip: "Oklahoma!" at Circle in the Square

Show*: 6

Title: Oklahoma!

Location: Circle in the Square

Written By: Rodgers and Hammerstein

Summary: Director Daniel Fish brings urgent new life to this American musical theater classic for a complex look at life on the frontier then and now.

"Rodgers and Hammerstein at the Movies" at Orchestra Hall

From "the hills are alive with the sound of music" to "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain," composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II have given us some of the most memorable and beloved melodies and lyrics in all of musical theater. Most of their creations were made into movies several years after the stage success, allowing even more people to fall in love with them. This weekend the Minnesota Orchestra is presenting a concert of excerpts from seven of their big hits, with clips from the movies shown on a big screen. As a former band geek who's normally too busy attending theater to listen to the orchestra, I revel in the chance to get my orchestra fix in when they do something theater related. It's an absolute thrill to hear this huge full gorgeous orchestra playing selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein's incredible and prolific partnership.