2019 #TCTheater Favorites

Happy New Year #TCTheater friends! This is the 10th year-end wrap up I have written on this blog; this summer I will mark 10 years of writing about theater in Minneapolis and St. Paul. That's a lot of theater, and a lot to love. This year I saw about 200 shows (not counting 29 Fringe shows), and I would like to share with you some of my favorite experiences of the year.

"In a Stand of Dying Trees" by Uprising Theatre Company at Off-Leash Art Box

In 2019, Uprising Theatre Company has been presenting plays around one of the most important and controversial issues in our country today - gun violence. The conclusion of this excellent and necessary series is an original play by Artistic Director Shannon TL Kearns. But In a Stand of Dying Trees, playing at Off-Leash Art Box through November 23, is not just a play about gun violence. It's also a play about transgender rights, about the conflict between urban and rural communities, about when to overlook differences in the interest of peaceful coexistence and when to have the uncomfortable conversations. It's not an easy play to watch, and doesn't offer any solutions, but what it does do, what Uprising always does with their work, is open up a conversation. Their community partners for this play are Moms Demand Action, an organization working to end gun violence, and Better Angels, which hosts workshops and conversations to depolarize America. This partnership, along with the discussions that Uprising hosts after every show, make In a Stand of Dying Trees not just a thought-provoking, timely, relevant play, but also, hopefully, a catalyst for real conversation and change.

"The Gun Show" by Uprising Theatre at off-leash area art box

Every day there is another news story about people being killed by guns - mass shootings, gang violence, accidents, police shootings, and suicides. The numbers are staggering. And the worst part is, after each horrific occurrence, nothing changes. If anything, it only makes the two opposing sides double down on their firm unchanging opinions. That's no solution. Nothing changes, and more people die, and all of us live in fear. In her play The Gun Show, playwright E.M. Lewis says something to the effect that guns are what helped to build this great country of ours, but guns were never the point. Freedom was the point. And it doesn't feel very free right now, living with the fear of gun violence every time we step outside our home (and also inside the home for many people). The play had its first reading six years ago, and sadly grows more relevant and necessary every day. It's a fitting choice, then, for Uprising Theatre Company, a newish #TCTheater company that regularly partners with local non-profits to make a real difference in the community, beyond sharing important stories. This play is the second in their 2019 season that is entirely focused on gun violence, a much needed conversation to have.

"Line of Sight" by Uprising Theatre Company at Off-Leash Art Box

"Uprising Theatre Company really, truly believes that stories can change the world." So do I. And what I love about Uprising is that they partner with local non-profits on every show that they do, increasing the power and possibility of their storytelling to change the world. Their current show Line of Sight, a new play written by founder and Artistic Director Shannon TL Kearns, deals with gun violence in schools, so they've partnered with Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. But the play is as much about the bullying of trans kids as it is about gun violence. Line of Sight is a fantastical story, but grounded in reality, about both of these problems that threaten the health and safety of our young people, performed by an appealing young cast.

"The Laramie Project" and "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later" by Uprising Theatre Company at Howard Conn Fine Arts Center

Twenty years ago last month in a small college town in Wyoming, a young gay man was brutally beaten and tied to a fence post, left to die. The name Matthew Shepard has become synonymous with gay rights and in particular with the national hate crime legislation that bears his name, passed into law 11 years after his murder. Unfortunately Matthew's story is not unique, but for some reason it capture the nation, and he became a symbol for a larger movement toward equality and justice. Much has changed for the better in the last 20 years, including the hate crime legislation and the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act. But hate crimes still happen, against members of the LGBTQ community, against Jews, against people of color, against immigrants. As demonstrated by this sad fact, along with the current White House resident's threat against the very existence of our transgender citizens, the good work being done in Matthew's name is far from over. This Tuesday offers a great opportunity to continue that work by voting for equality, for compassion, for humanity, for the environment, for justice. Thanks to Uprising Theatre Company for sharing the spirit of Matthew Shepard by presenting The Laramie Cycle at this moment in time.

"Apples in Winter" by Uprising Theatre Company at St. Peder's Lutheran Church

Uprising Theatre Company has been around for a few years now, but I saw my first Uprising show just last night. Now I'm sorry I waited so long. I completely agree with the statement on their about page: "Uprising Theatre Company really, truly believes that stories can change the world." But they don't just tell the story, and choose plays with relevant topics that need to be explored in today's world. They partner with community organizations that are actively working towards changing the world. That's pretty cool, friends. Their current production, the intimate, site-specific, intense, and heart-breaking Apples in Winter explores the issues of drug addiction, the treatment of criminals and prisoners, and the death penalty, so they've partnered with three relevant organizations: Cornerstone, Friends for a Non-Violent World, and the Twin Cities Men's Center. Each organization has a table with information in the lobby, so if you're inspired by the show, you can find out what immediate specific actions you can take. A post-show discussion follows every performance, which helps you process the show you've seen along with fellow audience members. So yeah, Uprising not only "really, truly believes that stories can change the world," they actively work towards it.