Looking for theater this weekend...?

You're in luck. As usual, there's tons of it. It's kind of heartbreaking - after all, how do you hit it all? Still, a nice problem to have...

Something you won't want to miss - review to follow - is Looking For Normal from ARTisphere and Torch Theaters at the Minneapolis Theater Garage. This one was a really welcome surprise for me. I'd heard really good things, and knew the cast was great, but I wasn't prepared for how much I was going to like it. The script is really great, and the production mines its strengths - not preachy, full of laughs, very even-handed, often poetic, and the emotions run very deep. For a play about a man's decision to get gender reassignment surgery, and its ripple effect on his family and larger community, it's remarkably... well, normal. Don't take my word for it. Go see it yourself. Even in a town with this much theater, we don't get to see productions like this nearly enough. Two more weekends. Info here and by calling 612-788-3639.

Several shows are wrapping up this weekend as well - the latest barrage of new work from The Lighthouse Group at the Illusion, including Fringe fave Noah Bremer of Live Action Set fame; the end of the holidays for Brave New Workshop; a final bow for an intriguing production of "Blue Door" from Emigrant Theater; and an area premiere for a comedy over at Theater In The Round Players.

And of course I'm torn because there are three other productions looking ahead to their closing next weekend from Pendulum, Mu and Cromulent, plus the Walker's Out There series.

And four interesting shows starting up this weekend to boot at Bedlam, History Theater, Youth Performance Company, and Workhaus (not to be confused with Workhouse - which is yet to come)

And, as if that weren't enough, about a half dozen more shows that are in the midst of their runs, not quite the beginning, not quite the end. Check the links on the front page of my website for more (the theater recommendations stuff is about half way down)

Me, I'm getting ready for a road trip starting tomorrow, down to Baton Rouge to see a little play of my own being done. Enjoy it all in my absense, folks.