Art Hounds: Dancing at Lughnasa, Samplicity, Zeitgeist

This week's hounds track down five Irish sisters on one stage, an arts oasis outside Lester Prairie, and new music from a renowned new music ensemble.

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Jon Skaalen works for VSA Arts of Minnesota, which makes the arts more accessible for people with disabilities. Jon gives his stamp of approval to Torch Theater's production of Dancing at Lughnasa, a play by famed Irish playwright Brian Friel. It's about five sisters trying to make a living on a little Irish farm. You can see it at the Theater Garage in Minneapolis through January 30th.

Margaret Long is a former design student and avid art collector who raises alpacas in Lester Prairie. Margaret discovered an out of the way arts haven in Glencoe called Samplicity Art Hovel. It's the store and studio of Samantha Bohnert, a multi-faceted artist who paints, sculpts, and works with wood and textiles.

Justin Busch is a St. Paul-based composer and writer. Justin raves about "In Bone Colored Light," the new CD from the internationally-known new music ensemble, "Zeitgeist," also based in St. Paul. He says the CD surprises the listener with all the unusual sounds the musicians coax from their ordinary instruments.

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