Emjoy Gavino (as Callie) & Kelsey Angel Baehrens (as Sara) in Theater Mu's "Stop Kiss" at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo Credit: Rich Ryan.

We are celebrating the 10th year of Artfully Engaging with an artist Q&A with Theater Mu artist Kelsey Angel Baehrens!

Artist Interview with ​Kelsey Angel Baehrens

Mu Theater's "Blended 和 (Harmony)"about the true story of the Kim Loo Sisters

Kelsey, what is your role in Stop Kiss? Kelsey: I play Sara in Stop Kiss, a St. Louis girl who finds love, purpose, and struggle in the Big Apple! Classic. But also very not. You'll have to see. What’s been your favorite part of this collaboration so far? ​ Kelsey: Definitely the commitment to excellence that I've witnessed in my cast mates, crew, and creative team. Everyone involved in this show gives it their all, wanting to do right by the story and their characters. It's an inspiring explosion of talent in our rehearsal room. I also find this text challenging to act. Not because it's hard to access but because it is so vulnerable and real. There's nowhere to hide when you're on stage with Diana Son's play. You have to ride the rollercoaster and be present. ​ Why do you recommend seeing Stop Kiss?

Kelsey Angel Baehrens. Photo credit: Jackie Abbot

Stop Kiss Ticket & Show Information:

"Stop Kiss" promo art by Aleksandra Gurneau/KNOCK, inc.

​"In a recent data report of hate crimes tracked by the FBI, it showed an 18.1% increase of hate crimes against people due to their sexual orientation and a 4.3% increase based on gender identity from 2022 to 2023.

Theater Mu believes that by sharing our stories on stage we share the humanity that makes up the fabric of our community.” 

~ Anh Thu T. Pham, "Stop Kiss" Director and Mu co-leader 

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"In terms of costuming, I’m thinking about memories and the fluidity of memories, and how it could change.”
~ Khamphian Vang, "Stop Kiss" Costume Designer

John Mburu and Lunga Eric Hallam (and chorus) in MN Opera’s production of "The Barber of Seville." Photo credit: Cory Weaver

"The challenge for the singers in our production is to combine these corporeally specific Commedia-based performance skills with the equally demanding vocal techniques of Opera, finding the proper balance."
​
~ CHUCK HUDSON, STAGE DIRECTOR

Stefan Egerstrom in MN Opera’s production of "The Barber of Seville." Photo credit: Cory Weaver

ticket Information: ​"THE BARBER OF SEVILLE" though 5/18/25

The Minnesota Opera Chorus in the in the Minnesota Opera premiere of "Dead Man Walking." Photo: Cory Weaver.

Ticket Information: Minnesota Opera 2017-2018 Season

​What sparked the inspiration for Sunrise at Midnight? Taous: The inspiration for Sunrise at Midnight was a project I did in 2008 called The Kabyle Folktale Project. Kabyles are Berbers, the first peoples of North Africa. My father's family is Kabyle from the Algerian city of Tizi Ouzou.   In 2008 I went to the Algerian city of Bejaia and worked with a group of 7 women all in their early 20s to create a play based on 3 Kabyle folktales. We went up into the mountains and recorded stories told by old women and turned those tales into the show. While I was reading other Kabyle folktales during that project--other stories that had already been written down and recorded in French--I came across folktales that were NOT FOR KIDS! Folktales for grown-ups! Algerian audiences expect theater to be for all ages generally and I knew it needed to be a show that I created in the States if I was going to stage the sexuality and violence that these tales tackle.

Taous Claire Khazem

Mohammed Yabdri, Theo Langason, Taous Claire Khazem, Heather Bunch and Nora Montañez. Photo credit: Makeen Osman

5 Actors. Over 15 characters. #sunrise at midnight #folktales4grownups @makeenosmanphotography @heathbar04 @theolangason @mohamedyabdri @aaronagabriel A post shared by Taous Khazem (@taouskhazem) on Jul 13, 2017 at 1:27pm PDT

"Sunrise at Midnight" plays July 20-30, 2017 at Dreamland Arts in St. Paul. Photo Credit: Tony Nelson

Tickets for Sunrise at Midnight

"Aunt Raini" by Tom Smith plays at Highland Park Community Center Theater through November 20, 2016. Michael Torsch and Heidi Fellner. Photo by Sarah Whiting.

Michael Torsch and Dan Hopman. Photo by Sarah Whiting.

Ticket Information

The mission of the TCBFF is to provide a platform for independent black and multicultural films. The TCBFF also aims to facilitate the growth of filmmakers of color by providing networking opportunities with industry professionals and the business world and recognize the accomplishments of African Americans in Hollywood.

Thursday night, October 6, 2016 was the opening of the 14th annual Twin Cities Black Film  Festival (TCBFF) in Saint Paul. I attended It’s a Short Life! the screening of the short films: 22 Years, Last Supper, Wrath of Grapes, The Christmas You Don't Know, Blessed, and Westbound. After each film was screened the filmmakers had a chance to take the stage and there was a short Q&A. The discussion was a nice chance to learn more about the artistic process and engage with the artists. I especially was drawn to the quirky comedy of Wrath of Grapes, a short film  about a detective investigating a death-by-plastic-grape. And standing out on Thursday night was the beautiful cinematogrphay and compelling story of Blessed, which was a suspsence film about a cop who suffers a miscarriage.  A special thanks to TCBFF for providing me access to the film screening and for  introducing me to the community of film enthusiasts that they  have created.

Friday Night at the Minnesota History Center

Friday Night Fashion Show at Bedlam Lowertown

Saturday Films at McNally Smith College of Music

Set rendering by William Boles

David: It's been an interesting path that's led me to this program. I've lived as a professional in the Twin Cities for five years now. The first three years I sang full-time with the vocal ensemble Cantus, which is why I moved to Minnesota. After wanting to get back into opera, I joined the opera chorus, and then auditioned for the program back in 2014. I am now going into my second year as a Resident Artist, and I've been quite fortunate to be able to stay in Minnesota throughout my artistic transitions from the choral world into opera.

David Walton plays Tybalt in the Minnesota Opera's production of "Romeo and Juliet."

Costume rendering for Tybalt by Sarah Bahr.

Why are you drawn to opera as an art form? David: I'm drawn to opera because it is the combination of all art forms in one, where performers like me have the opportunity to be complete collaborators and maintain an openness to all forms of emotional expression. Do you travel a lot as an opera singer? What has been your favorite place to perform? David: I've been to many different cities and regions throughout the country. My favorite would probably be St. Louis so far. It's a great city for the arts, and there are so many fun things to do in between rehearsals and performances. If you could describe this production of Romeo and Juliet in three words, what would they be? David: Passionate, refreshing, and epic.

Ticket Information

The 12th annual celebration of Twin Cities theater, the Ivey Awards, was a memorable evening. Check out the honorees and more in the Artfully Engaging post  "And the Ivey goes to . . ."

Looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween? Artfully Engaging interviewed Erik Hoover of Combustible Company about their immersive performance of "Bluebeard's Dollhouse" at the James J. Hill House.

"The Liar" L to R: Shanan Custer, Shá Cage, India Gurley. Photo: Park Square

Ticket Information

Looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween? Artfully Engaging interviewed Erik Hoover of Combustible Company about their immersive performance of "Bluebeard's Dollhouse" at the James J. Hill House.

The 12th annual celebration of Twin Cities theater, the Ivey Awards, was a memorable evening. Check out the honorees and more in the Artfully Engaging post  "And the Ivey goes to . . ."

What's your role in Bluebeard's Dollhouse? Erik: I’m the co-artistic director of Combustible Company and I’m producing and performing in Bluebeard’s Dollhouse. How do you describe yourself as an artist? Erik: My background is in devised physically-based theater, although I’ve done everything from Shakespeare to contemporary literary-based theater, so I guess that makes me a bit of a mutt. How do you continue to grow artistically? Erik: I’m always training. I’ve been teaching Margolis Method the past couple years, but prior to that I tried to find a class whenever I was between projects—whether it was combat or improv.

Photo Credit: Dani Werner

"A really unique, physical, and captivating piece of theater." ~Cherry and Spoon, 2013
Read the full review of Kym and Erik's first collaboration, the aerial musical "Herocycle."

Red Eye’s program is a wonderful opportunity to develop an idea. They give artists three really important things: criticism, deadlines, and an audience. We decided to pack as much material as we could into the allotted 15-minute performance in order to discover as much as we possibly could about the piece. Then we had the idea to make it site-specific and set it in a Victorian house, but we needed to test the staging. Kym knows some wonderful folks in Minocqua, Wisconsin who let us use their property to put up a couple performances. Based on what we learned there, we knew we could do it as a promenade-style piece. After some searching, we landed on the James J. Hill House as the setting for this production. If you could describe this work in three words what would they be? Erik: Haunting. Intimate. Visceral.

Interior of James J. Hillhouse in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Photo: MNHS

"It’s a haunted house, but the haunting is inside the characters." -Kym Longhi
Read the full interview with Basil Considine in Twin Cities Arts Reader.

"Bluebeard's Dollhouse" was created by an ensemble of artists under the direction of Kym Longhi in 2014 during the Red Eye Theatre’s Works in Progress series. Photo: Combustible Company

Ticket Information

In the mood for some Minnesota comedy? Check out the Artfully Engaging review of "The Church Basement Ladies In Rise Up, O Men" a Musical Comedy.

There are more Artfully Engaging blogs scheduled for this month: more Halloween antics, Twin Cities theater community celebrations, and reviews of upcoming comedy and tragedy shows. Follow Artfully Engaging on Facebook for all the newest reviews and show features.

"TOT: The Untold, Yet Spectacular Story of (a Filapino) Hulk Hogan" Tot (Randy Reyes) and Mo (Hope Nordquist) Photo credit: Keri Pickett

"Our goal is to create a place for Asian American playwrights to share their voice and for our community to be more in touch with our history and to help create the canon.” ~ Randy Reyes

"I came to California when I was six-and-a-half. The experience was jarring—I didn’t have the language to communicate. Though I was born and raised in the Philippines during a period of Ferdinand Marcos’s martial law, the sepia version of my life in metro Manila had a steady stream of characters, lively parties, abundant love, and a deep and rigorous religiosity that blurred with superstition. It was a world built for me. All that changed when I landed in the Bay Area." ~ Victor Moag, The Question of Home

“Victor Maog wrote a play that I connect with in so many ways, it's scary. It's as if he wrote
it about me. Not literally, but emotionally and spiritually. This is a very rare experience for
an actor, at least for me. I think it's because the play taps into the Filipino side of my
psyche, and it's a side I hardly ever get to exercise in a theatrical setting. I've never had that
privilege so I'm very thankful, excited and a little scared for the opportunity.” ~ Randy Reyes

tot: THE UNTOLD, YET SPECTACULAR STORY OF (a filipino) HULK HOGAN

The "Complicated Fun" Band with and Chris Osgood (center) of the Suicide Commandos and Stephanie Bertumen (second from right.)

The "Complicated Fun" cast on opening night

Ticket Information: Complicated Fun

(L) H. Adam Harris and (R) Stephanie Bertukmen Photo Credit: Scott Pakudaitis More Info

History Theatre 30 10th Street E Saint Paul, MN 55101

Minnesota Opera's "The Shining" is on stage May 7 through May 15, 2016 in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Stephen King's novel The Shining has been adapted into a movie, a TV miniseries, and now into an opera! If you are lightning fast (and lucky) you might be able to see it on stage at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts because Minnesota Opera is giving this new world premiere opera four performances in Saint Paul. I've had my ticket for months now and after the spectacular productions this year, I can't wait to see how this modern English language opera (music by Paul Moravec and libretto by Mark Campbell) will conclude the Minnesota Opera's 2015-2016 season. Jeni Houser plays the role of Mrs. Grady in The Shining (also Johanna in this year's Mill City Summer Opera's production of Sweeny Todd!) answers some questions about what it's been like playing a ghost and her musical inspirations. Enjoy...

Stephen King's best-selling novel "The Shining" was first published in 1977

Jeni Hauser plays the role of Mrs. Grady (a ghost) in Minnesota Opera's "The Shining."

What's it been like working on a "horror" opera, so far? It's very exciting for me to play a ghost (Mrs. Grady, murdered by her husband), and the nuance the leads bring to their roles is going to make the living characters extremely compelling. I'm impressed with the dramatic commitment Brian Mulligan and Kelly Kaduce have shown in rehearsal, and in performance I think they will be completely captivating. Music frequently plays an important role in creating tension and suspense in film, so the idea of using music to bring a "horror" story to live performance is great. Paul Moravec's music is full of drama and intensity, so the rehearsal process has been invigorating.

Contact the Minnesota Opera for Ticket Availability

Regina Marie Williams plays musician Nina Simone. Photo credit: Tom Wallace.

"I think I was hoping to make sense of this tragedy so that I wouldn't have to do it alone." —Nina Simone from "Nina Simone: Four Women"

“Music can’t just be about the art...it has to be an expression of the good, bad, and ugly in life.” —Nina Simone from "Nina Simone: Four Women"