Theater
Long Day’s Journey into Night • Helen Carey and Peter Michael Goetz star in Eugene O’Neill’s aggressively honest classic (winner of a Pulitzer, Tony Award, and most critics’ vote for O’Neill’s best play). Never staged in the Guthrie’s first 50 years, the story of family, addiction, love, and loss is as universal as when O’Neill penned it for his wife in 1940. • 1/12–2/23, guthrietheater.org
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
Aida • Theater Latté Da’s take on Elton John and Tim Rice’s take on Verdi’s opera. • 1/3–27, theaterlatteda.com
Priscilla Queen of the Desert • The Broadway hit begins its national tour at the Orpheum. • 1/8–13, hennepintheatretrust.org
Pinocchio • Four performers bring the classic tale to life in this world premiere. • 1/15–2/24, childrenstheatre.org
Music
Peter Asher: A Musical Memoir of the ’60s and Beyond • To hear him tell it, Asher (of Peter and Gordon fame) was the Forrest Gump of the British Invasion, introducing Mick Jagger to Marianne Faithful, showing Yoko Ono’s art, and nearly becoming Paul McCartney’s brother-in-law. Now you can, in two nights of prime raconteuring at the Dakota. • 1/29–30, dakotacooks.com
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
Tony Bennett • Had a No. 1 album at 85. Will be 86 when he plays the State. • 1/20, hennepintheatretrust.org
Vicky Emerson/Mother Banjo • New releases at the Dakota from two local Americana acts. • 1/25, dakotacooks.com
Pert Near Sandstone’s Winter Stringband Gathering • Two nights of foot-stomping bluegrass at the Cedar. • 1/18–19, thecedar.org
Film
A Celebration of Still Dots: The Third Man • The Walker has spent the past year analyzing this cinematic masterpiece the same way we fell in love with it—frame-by-frame, moment-by-moment. This 51-week, internationally renowned project culminates with a free screening of what’s generally regarded as the best British film of the 20th century. • 1/17, walkerart.org
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
The Frozen River Film Festival • Entertainment meets the environment at Winona’s doc fest. • 1/23–27, frff.org
Cindy Sherman Selects: Seconds • What inspired her art of disguise? Movies like these. • 1/3, walkerart.org
Community Cinema: Soul Food Junkies • Can something so good be so bad? PBS’s national film initiative visits St. Paul to find out. • 1/14, pbs.org
Dance
(M)imosa—Twenty Looks or Paris Is Burning at the Judson Church (M) • French performance artists and a Cape Verdean dancer star in this ostensible mash-up of the influential Judson and voguing scenes of the 1960s. But really it’s a dance party free-for-all, with soul music, acrobatics, and a drag take on Prince’s “Darling Nikki.” • 1/24–26, walkerart.org
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
Magnificence: A Splendid Voyage • The best of CAAM Chinese Dance Theater’s 20-year run, in three acts. • 1/26–27, oshaughnessy.stkate.edu
B-Boy J-Sun • The abstract breakdance king blows up the Cowles. • 1/18–19, thecowlescenter.org
Ballet Tuesdays • A free peek at the Saint Paul City Ballet’s new work, at the Landmark Center. • 1/15, spcballet.org
Visual Arts
Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Convention • Still the subject of parental nightmares, tattoos are permanently etched in American culture (maybe even your lower back). The artists behind some of the freshest ink in the Twin Cities display their handiwork for anyone looking to walk on the wild side or gawk at how the form has evolved. • 1/11–13, villainarts.com
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
Underwater/Superimposter • David Bowen and Brett Smith work with computer imagery and illusions in the MIA’s MAEP Gallery. • 1/18–3/31, artsmia.org
3 Jerome Artists • Three visionaries of ceramics at the Northern Clay Center. • 1/18–3/3, jeromefdn.org
Stellar • Feel free to judge these space-themed books by their covers. • 1/25–5/5, mnbookarts.org
Events
Saint Paul Winter Carnival • Last year’s winter carnival was an inadvertent celebration of global warming. This year, weather permitting, it starts with the Moon Glow parade, ice-carving competition, and Red Bull Crashed Ice show (higher, longer, insaner), and ends with a Judy Garland Contest and the Vulcanus Rex Torchlight Parade. Party your cold butts off. • 1/24–2/3, winter-carnival.com
[THE RUNNERS-UP]
Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life • The most popular exhibit ever at the Science Museum returns with new “plastinated” people. • 1/18, smm.org
Second City • Shenanigans from Chicago at Mystic Lake. Spot the next Tina Fey. • 1/19, mysticlake.com
Icebox Days • The über-Minnesota festival (turkey bowling!) in the “icebox” of America. • 1/16–20, rainylake.org
