State of the Arts Blog

Sunday news and reviews

Here's a look at the arts stories making headlines...

Theater

Jungle Theater's 'Fully Committed' is still a ball - Dominic P. Papatola, Pioneer Press

Winter's coming and we're staring down the black gullet of another electoral recount. If there was ever a time that local theater audiences needed some fluffy escapism, this is it.

Hitchcock's '39 Steps' at the Guthrie needs a few more edits- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press

The actors in the Guthrie Theater's "The 39 Steps" will do anything for a laugh, and that includes sabotaging the play they're in.

Music

Craig Minowa of Cloud Cult on "Light Chasers," Pink Floyd, the limits of solar power, and his t-shirt secret - Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

Motion City Soundtrack and Next aside, the national music acts who emerge from Minnesota tend to be somewhat different than the average stars. Take Cloud Cult: they've driven around the country in a van with solar panels on its roof, their live shows feature two painters creating art on stage, and they're unafraid to use rock 'n' roll to address life's Big Questions.

Art

Dogs and other celebrities - Mary Abbe, Star Tribune

Photographer Elliott Erwitt talks about his favorite things at his new Weinstein Gallery show.

Movies

"A Community Vision": Documentary highlights Latino artists in Minnesota

Sheila Regan, TC Daily Planet

A new documentary about the Latino arts in Minnesota had its first screening on Thursday, October 28 at Neighborhood House on St. Paul's West Side. Latino Arts: A Community Vision, written by Lorena Duarte and Lisa Blackstone, highlights the work of 12 different Latino artists from different disciplines discussing their work and how it relates to heritage, arts and culture, language, multigenerational relationships, and education.

Books

A shared experience - Carl Rollyson, Star Tribune

Biographer Susan Cheever can relate to Louisa May Alcott's relationship with her father, but she repeats her subject's mistake.

'Mr. Toppit' a fun and darkly comic read - Jane Ciabattari, Star Tribune

The death of an obscure author of children's books sets off interest in his books - for good and bad.

For such a meaty topic, history of spy agency reads dry - Curt Schleier, Star Tribune

A nearly comprehensive look at the early years of British intelligence.

African idol - Frank Bures, Star Tribune

An examination of the collision of established religious beliefs in Africa and the modern world.

Family dynamics in a time of change - Kevin Canfield, Star Tribune

A young man returns to New York City to face his estranged family.