Wednesday news and reviews

Lots of news to peruse this morning - enjoy!

Art

All My Relations Gallery, showcase for Native art, to reopen on Franklin Avenue

All My Relations Arts (AMR) opens the doors of its new gallery space on January 21 after a fast-paced 11 months of the American Indian community pulling together to make it happen. The opening exhibition, called Frank Big Bear Paintings: From the Rez to the Hood to the Lake, marks the start for AMR after it left Ancient Traders Gallery (run by Great Neighborhoods) in 2009.

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- Sheila Regan, TC Daily Planet

Depth of field: MN musicians salute photographer Ann Marsden

A parade of Minnesota musicians - plus wordsmith Kevin Kling - took to the stage Monday night at the packed Dakota to honor photographer-to-the-local-stars Ann Marsden.

- Jon Bream, Star Tribune

Books

Somerville's stories ponder the absurdity of life

Amid a variety of absurdities both silly and serious, the characters in this offbeat short-story collection wonder what it all means.

- Kim Hedges, Star Tribune

Minnesotan edits award-winning reference book

"Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion," edited by Minnesotan Joanne B. Eicher, has won the 2011 Dartmouth Medal.

- Mary Ann Grossman, Pioneer Press

General

Wanted: Individual to take over arts group

Some of the best known arts groups in the Twin Cities face life without their longtime leaders. It's a prospect they find challenging and scary.

- GRAYDON ROYCE, Star Tribune

A good time for zombies, a bad time for witches

- Max Sparber, MinnPost.com

Funereal tattoos, ghoulish British history, and European puppets

- Max Sparber, MinnPost.com

Movies

Derek Cianfrance's "Blue Valentine" is intense but rewarding

After waiting months to get its Twin Cities release, Blue Valentine finally opens this Friday at a few local theaters (Lagoon, Eden Prairie, Showplace Icon, Southdale) and you should rush to one of these theaters to see it...unless you've recently had a bad breakup.

Jim Brunzell III, TC Daily Planet

Music

Wang wows audience, but may not have moved them

Yuja Wang wants to knock your socks off. Or at least that's the way it seems. The program that the 23-year-old pianist chose for Tuesday night's Schubert Club recital appeared drawn up for maximum sock knocking, with plenty of keyboard-busting fireworks and eye-popping displays of digital athleticism.

- Rob Hubbard, Pioneer PRess

Beatles expert Jim Berkenstadt is a rock 'n' roll detective

The band hired him to piece together their story

- Will McClain, City Pages

M.anifest and Justin Schell reflect on their trip to Ghana and forthcoming documentaryThe pair have returned refreshed with a more focused plan for Schell's forthcoming documentary, We Rock Long Distance (which will also feature Maria Isa and Tou SaiKo Lee).

- Rebecca McDonald, City Pages

Stage

Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross at Minneapolis Theatre Garage

Actors thrive in David Mamet's legendary tale

- Ed Huyck, City Pages

Macbeth: Rehearsing

Through the centuries actors, directors, and producers have felt the urge to fiddle with the Bard, often to their detriment.

- Ed Huyck, City Pages

No joke! Brave New Workshop seeks to buy Hennepin Stages

If Minneapolis City Council approves deal, the workshop would open a second space in theater that once hosted "Tony n' Tina's Wedding."

- Graydon Royce, Star Tribune

Skewed Visions rally support for Belarus Free Theatre

Local theater artists from Skewed Visions have initiated a national series of readings and performances to show solidarity with the Belarus Free Theatre, a group who has been in hiding following massive government crackdowns in the Republic of Belarus.

- Sheila Regan, City Pages

Theatre Terra Firma debuts 'Wash My Sin Away'Tackling a play about the Yugoslavian civil wars by a playwright based in Slovenia carries plenty of challenges, but technology helped in their preparation.

- Ed Huyck, City Pages

Television

Teen quads in Buffalo, Minn., to star on national reality TV show

Identical quads from Buffalo, Minn., are the teenage stars of a reality television show that premieres next month.

- Paul Walsh, Star Tribune