Artists rally against the marriage amendment
As the November election approaches, the debate is heating up over the state's constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Meanwhile artists, who largely want to see the amendment defeated, have been donating their talents to the cause.
Some have organized cabarets to raise funds for Minnesotans United for All Families or Minnesotans for Equality, while others are simply raising awareness of the issue.
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This past weekend Patrick's Cabaret hosted The Vote No Show and Freshwater Theatre Company is currently staging Better or Worse, a theatrical examination of the way marriage has been defined - and re-defined - through the ages.
Earlier this summer Table Salt Productions completed a run of The VOW Factor at the Bryant Lake Bowl. And Hennepin Theatre Trust staged "Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays."
But many of the events are yet to come. Here's what I know of:
Saturday, September 22
Writers United for All Families
4-6pm at the Carlyle Condos in Minneapolis
Come hear original works read by your favorite Minnesota authors about why Minnesotans from liberals to libertarians should vote NO on the marriage amendment. Including readings by Patricia Hampl, Greg Hewett, Marya Hornbacher, Kathryn Kysar, Jim Lenfestey, and Jim Moore, among others.
Tuesday, September 25
Music for Marriage Equality Benefit:
Jonatha Brooke, Chastity Brown and Keri Noble perform at the Dakota.
Mondays October 1, 8 and 15
Thirst Theater presents a series of bite-sized plays performed amongst the customers of the Eat Street Social Club.
Wednesday, October 3
AMEND THIS Cabaret, featuring music, stand up, improv, storytelling, and short plays
A production of Box Wine Theatre, held at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis at 7:30pm.
Thursday, October 4
Ten Reasons at the Ritz Theater, featuring:
John Munson and Matt Wilson of the Twilight Hours
Mixed Precipitation Picnic Operetta
2 Sugars: Shanan Custer & Carolyn Pool, and
the cast of Illusion Theatre's Love and Marriage
Saturday October 6
Making Amends at Bedlam Theater
Molly Van Avery and Harry Waters Jr each perform pieces about their personal histories at Bedlam's new space in Lowertown St. Paul.
Wednesday October 10 - October 27
Love and Marriage at the Illusion Theater in Minneapolis intersperses live performances of love songs with videotaped interviews about long-time and new-found love with notable life partners, gay, lesbian and straight.
Friday October 12
The Big Gay Comedy Show: I Do!: An Evening of Stand Up Comedy
7:30pm at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis
Friday October 12 - 28
Workhouse Theatre performs at The Warren
Eleanor and Ephram, sister and brother, are both getting married on the same day. And they're each getting married to a man. With protesters, policemen and a TV news crew outside the church, inside the couples are split over what their day and their ceremony should mean, to themselves or anyone else.
Friday October 19 - October 27
Boom! Theater presents Engaged at the Cedar Riverside People's Center:
When longtime couple Ben and Josh get involved in a campaign to raise awareness about an upcoming marriage amendment, they become entangled in more than just a political issue. Misunderstandings and insecurities surface, friends new and old are pulled into the fray, the very institution of marriage is called into question as these two men fight for the right to love who they love.