Thursday news and reviews
Here's a look at the arts stories making headlines...
Art
'Tree of Life Mural' by Spectrum Artworks unveiled at RESOURCE
- Sheila Regan, City Pages
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RESOURCE is a non-profit organization that assists people with employment, provides training to individuals with disabilities, helps those in need recover from chemical dependency, and aids others suffering from serious mental illness. On November 30, they celebrated their 50th anniversary by unveiling the Tree of Life Mural, which was created by artists in RESOURCE's Spectrum Artworks program, guided by artist Amy Rice.
- Jessica Armbruster, City Pages
Though much of J. M. Culver's artwork is inspired by childhood memories her paintings, collages, and drawings are certainly not whimsical, overly precious, or twee.
WAMarchy celebrates anarchy at the Weisman Art Museum's final blowout party
- Coco Mault, City Pages
The Weisman Art Museum on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota campus is a stunning sight in and of itself, yet the staff manages to regularly curate shows that rival Frank Gehry's abstract stainless steel exterior. As employees prepare to close the museum for an entire year in order to add five more galleries, they've planned one last party of historic proportions.
Books
'Eat, Pray, Love' author will launch 2011 Club Book season
- Mary Ann Grossman, Pioneer Press
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the popular memoir "Eat, Pray, Love" that was the basis of a film starring Julia Roberts, will launch the 2011 Club Book season in February.
Other high-profile writers who will give free readings at venues in eight metro-area library systems include Paul Harding, Mark Doty and Walter Mosley, as well as Minnesotans Cathy Wurzer, Heid Erdrich, Pete Hautman and Mary Logue and Sandra Benitez.
Dance
Paul Taylor dancers light up Northrop stage
- Caroline Palmer, Star Tribune
From the classic "Esplanade" to the new "Brief Encounters," the stellar troupe showed off distinct works by the legendary choreographer.
'Cinderfella' opens this Saturday at the Ritz Theater
- Shelby Meyers, City Pages
The 1960s gave birth to many fabulous things, from Mary Poppins to Beatlemania to beehive hairdos, our world just wouldn't be the same without them, including the 1960 film Cinderfella with Jerry Lewis. Who hasn't wondered what a fairytale like Cinderella would be like if the tables were turned?
Dancer and her husband battle cancer
Pioneer Press
Twin Cities dancer Krista Langberg, who teaches at Macalester College, is battling breast cancer, and her husband, Terry Chance, is fighting brain cancer. The arts community has put together a two-part benefit for the family on Saturday.
Movies
Minneapolis Underground Film Fest celebrates its third year this weekend
- Coco Mault, City Pages
Besides counting down to the new year, another significant countdown is the one on the Minneapolis Film Festival's website.
"Budrus": An inspirational documentary about Israel and Palestine
- Dorothy Scholtz, TC Daily Planet
If you think that Israelis and Palestinians--sometimes referred to as "the most divided people on earth"--will never resolve their differences, you need to see the inspirational documentary Budrus, playing now at the Lagoon Cinema in Uptown.
Welcome to life inside a doll village, where nothing is miniature
- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press
If a documentary filmmaker is lucky, he stumbles upon a story that surprises him while he's following it. If he's incredibly lucky, he finds one like "Marwencol," with one jaw-dropping revelation after another.
"Marwencol" and "Dogtooth": Revelation and revolution
- Jim Brunzell III, TC Daily Planet
Music
Eminem leads nominations in 53rd annual Grammy Awards
Associated Press
Eminem's "Recovery" was made complete on Wednesday night as the Recording Academy nominated the resurgent rapper for 10 awards, including the biggest prizes: album, song, and record of the year.
- Jon Bream, Star Tribune
Both are up for album of the year; Eminem leads nominations
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra reports balanced budget, thanks to cuts in expenses
- Joe Kimball, MinnPost.com
A tough economy cut into fundraising, but the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra reports this week that it achieved a balanced budget.
Jenny O.: "I don't think it's very healthy to draw from the present all the time"
- Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet
Recently I spent a couple of days listening to the (digital) pile of new music sent to the Daily Planet by artists hoping for some coverage. Most of it wafted by in an undifferentiated sea of indie-rock angst and overpolished pop, but Jenny O.'s EP Home caught my ears and kept them.
Women in jazz: A few words about that, and two to see
- Pamela Espeland, MinnPost.com
The majority of jazz artists today are male; this week brings two rising jazz stars to town, both women.
David Hanners: "I'll never use Auto-Tune, no matter what the critic in Duluth says"
- Dwight Hobbes, TC Daily Planet
There is a long line of those who'd kill to stand in St. Paul singer-songwriter David Hanners's shoes. On top of a successful music career, Hanners owns a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. He followed his acclaimed recording debut, Nothingtown, with last year's highly touted The Traveler's Burden and is now back promoting the disc.
Jayhawks reunion tour wraps at First Ave. Jan. 29
- Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press
The Jayhawks reunion continues in the new year as the local alt-country band will embark on a five-city U.S. tour that wraps up Jan. 29 at First Avenue.
Vikings DE Jared Allen to host Country Warriors Concert
Associated Press
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen hosts a country music concert Friday to raise money for his Homes 4 Wounded Warriors nonprofit.
Television
Spot On: Choice clips from the British Television Advertising Awards
- Nate Patrin, City Pages
Like a somewhat artsier bookend to the hype around Super Bowl spots a couple months later, the British Television Advertising Awards has been an early-winter staple that feels less like an extended commercial break than a quirky film festival in miniature.
Theater
Penumbra Theatre's "Black Nativity: Now's the Time" keeps family in focus
- Leslie Kruempel, TC Daily Planet
I dare you to sit through even just 15 minutes of this annual musical celebration and not feel at least a little Christmas spirit sneak into your soul.
Joking Envelope gives Christmas the retcon treatment
- Ed Huyck, City Pages
Christmas and comic-book superheroes can mix -- just ask playwright Bill Corbett and director Joseph Scrimshaw of Super-Powered Revenge Christmas #1, where a lonely writer decides that the holiday is in desperate need of a reboot.
Bunny Sparber to helm MinnesotaPlaylist
- Jessica Armbruster, City Pages
MinnesotaPlaylist, an industry publication that supports the local performance community, recently announced that man about town Max 'Bunny' Sparber will be moonlighting for three months as its guest editor-in-chief.