Four ways to warm up your weekend

Ah there's a chill in the air, and while I love summer as much as the next person, I can't help but smile. Why? Because this is the time when weather encourages Minnesotans to huddle together and find warmth in places like theaters and galleries. And in the process, we are transported to other worlds. This weekend there are ample opportunities to find warmth and inspiration - read on...

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Frank Theatre presents Ajax in Iraq at The Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis

Are we repeating tragedies of old on the battlefield? Frank Theatre presents "Ajax in Iraq," a mash-up of Sophocles' classic play AJAX and stories from today's newspaper. Parallel narratives follow Ajaz, a Greek warrior, and A.J., a contemporary female soldier on duty in Iraq, both of whom are undone by the betrayal of a commanding officer. Performances run through November 27 at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis.

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Tradition and culture meets contemporary innovation in Mni Sota: Reflections of Time and Place. The show features the work of Native American artists from the region - some embedded in the more traditional practices of their culture, others embracing new media. The opening reception is Friday night at All My Relations gallery; the show runs through December 16 before it goes on tour around the state.

For those of us who find Art-A-Whirl a bit overwhelming, there's Art Attack. The weekend long art festival confines itself to the Northrup King building in Northeast Minneapolis, with "just" 200 artists working in painting and drawing, sculpture, photography, architecture, custom furniture, fiber arts, metal, ceramics, glass, hand-crafted and custom jewelry, mixed media, mosaics, textiles, and more.

Being a professional dancer is like being a professional athlete - your careers tend to be shorter than other folks because your body eventually gives out. Local choreographer Myron Johnson presents "Songs for a Swan," a one man performance that takes advantage of Johnson's years of experience before his years get the best of him.

So what are you doing this weekend?