A list of the cities’ top to-dos
happening this weekend.
Friday, January 7
James Dean Is Back
WHAT: Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
WHERE: Theatre in the Round, Minneapolis
WHEN: 8 p.m.
A sassy Southern comedy about a Texas town recalling the time when James Dean came there to film Giant. Learn more at theatreintheround.org
Friday, January 7
Charming Billy
WHAT: Billy Elliot: The Musical
WHERE: Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis
WHEN: 8 p.m.
This is your last weekend to catch the year’s hottest touring Broadway show, Billy Elliot: The Musical, which the New York Times’ Ben Brantley called “one of the most inspiring shows I’ve seen in years.” Learn more at hennepintheatretrust.org
Saturday, January 8
Embrace Winter
WHAT: Snowshoe Open House
WHERE: Maplewood Nature Center
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For $5, you’ll get snowshoes (metal or old-school wooden ones), sleds for pulling the really little kids, free hot chocolate, and all the instruction you need to start tromping through the woods around the pastoral Maplewood Nature Center. Learn more at ci.maplewood.mn.us/nc
Saturday, January 8
A Play in a Day
WHAT: 24-hour Play Project
WHERE: Anne Simley Theatre, St. Paul
WHEN: 8 to 10 p.m.
Teams of playwrights and actors are given 24 hours to come up a play, a half-dozen winning scripts are chosen, and tonight you can watch the results. Learn more at theatreunbound.com
Sunday, January 9
The First American Art
WHAT: Art of the Native Americans: The Thaw Collection
WHERE: Minneapolis Institute of Arts
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See this extraordinary show before it closes this weekend. It’s an extensive collection of artifacts from Native American tribes across the country—some hundreds of years old, some contemporary—that were collected for their sheer beauty and craftsmanship. Learn more at artsmia.org
Sunday, January 9
A Winter’s Laugh
WHAT: The Comedy of Errors
WHERE: Guthrie Theater
WHEN: 7 p.m.
The Acting Company returns to the Guthrie for a third year to stage Shakespeare, including his classic comedy of mistaken identities (running in repertory with Romeo & Juliet). The cast is largely comprised of the young, spirited students from the Guthrie’s acting training programs. Learn more at guthrietheater.org
