Festival Season is Upon Us!

Here's what's coming up:

	The 19th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival takes place June 22-24 with three days of free music in and around Mears Park in Lowertown, Saint Paul. Headliners this year include include John Coltrane Quartet pianist McCoy Tyner performing with Joshua Redman; Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard; Anat Cohen with Choro Aventuroso; and keyboardist, organist, and Minnesota-native Bobby Lyle. Ride to the festival for free with a downloadable MetroTransit bus and lightrail pass. Gear up for the weekend with pre-festival events at the Saint Paul Libraries and Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis.
	Also the weekend of June 22 - 25, One Voice Mixed Chorus is bringing the Pride celebration to Saint Paul with a special production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Piarates of Penzance on Raspberry Island. In collaboration with Nautilus Theater, this topsy-turvy, gender-bending musical adventure for the whole family is sure to be unlike anything the Twin Cities has ever seen. The show is free, though reservations are recommended.
	This weekend, Nero Wolfe returns to Park Square Theatre with a new, world premiere commission of Might As Well Be Dead: A Nero Wolfe Mystery, playing through July 30. Whether your style is NCIS or Miss Marple, this is a delicious chance to discover or share one of the great detectives with your family and friends. Then, later this month, Girl Friday Productions, one of Park Square's Theatres in Residence, presents Idiot's Delight on the Andy Boss Thrsut Stage, June 29 - July 23. Single tickets and season packages are now on sale for Park Square's 2017-2018 Season.
	Then, next month, the Lowertown Blues and Funk Festival returns to Mears Park with a night of soul and funk on Friday, July 21, followed by a day of blues on Saturday, July 21. The lineup for the Twin Cities' largest, free blues and funk festival includes a salute to the music of Prince by Chase & Ovation, as well as performances by Average White Band, Shannon Curfman, Tomy Castro & the Painkillers, and more.

'Tis the Season

The holiday season is in full swing! If you're looking for an escape from some of the season's chaos--or if you're in the mood for some great, toe-tapping music, don't miss The Soul of Gershwin: The Musical Journey of an American Klezmer, playing through Dec. 31 at Park Square Theatre.

And, the holiday season means the new year is right around the corrner! We're already busy gearing up for 2017 which is promising to be a great year for the Twin Cities theatre, music, and arts scenes. Here's's what's happening in January:

At Park Square Theatre, the Andy Boss Thrust Stage will feature Big Money, a new play presented and created by Sandbox Theatre, a Theatre in Residence, from Jan. 12 - 28. Then, from Jan. 20 - Feb. 19 on the Proscenium Stage, Park Square Theatre and Mu Performing Arts present a co-production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song.

Then, over MLK weekend at the Ordway Concert Hall in downtown Saint Paul, One Voice Mixed Chorus kicks off the new year with the Out of the Shadows, featuring the world premiere of their largest commission ever, "The Man Behind the Dream," honoring the life and work of openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.

Upcoming Events: Winter 2014

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Park Square Theatre
November 14 - 16, 2014
The course of true love never did run smooth, but who expected fairies and magic potions? Shakespeare’s most magical tale returns to Park Square for one weekend of public performances! More information...

Mendelssohn: Saint Paul presented by Oratorio Society of Minnesota
Saturday, November 15, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
The dramatic story of the patron saint of Minnesota’s capital city, Saint Paul was the first of Mendelssohn’s oratorios. Now rarely performed, this monumental masterwork was one of the most popular pieces of the 19th century. More information...

The Music of Little Big Bands presented by JazzMN Orchestra
Saturday, November 22, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
Little big bands - groups larger than a combo but not a full big band - have existed throughout jazz history, but due to the mid-size and often unorthodox instrumentation, these great charts haven't been played nearly enough--something JazzMN will look to remedy come November. More information...

2 Pianos 4 Hands at Park Square Theatre
November 28 - December 28, 2014
Ted and Richard have spent their lives preparing for careers as concert pianists. Now, just as they should be reaching their peak, these old friends have to face their potential – and each other. More information...

4000 Miles at Park Square Theatre
December 5 - 21, 2014
At the end of a grueling cross-country bike trip, restless 21-year-old Leo seeks refuge and a hot shower in his elderly grandmother’s New York apartment. This finalist for the Pulitzer Prize is a stirring reminder of what separates generations and what has the power to bring them together. More information...

Katie McMahon's Celtic Christmas at The O'Shaughnessy
Friday, December 12, 2014 - 7:30pm - A Women of Substance Event
Dubbed Minnesota’s own “Celtic Woman,” Katie McMahon is best known as the original voice of Riverdance. Her ode to the holidays, Celtic Christmas celebrates the season through a family-friendly program of traditional Christmas carols, stories and lively Irish dance. More information...

A Downton Abby Christmas presented by Oratorio Society of Minnesota
Saturday, December 13, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
Inspired by the overwhelming popularity of last season’s Music of Downton Abbey concert and anticipating Season 5 of the PBS television drama, Oratorio Society return to the Gothic splendor of St. Mark’s Cathedral for a program of post-Edwardian English choral and orchestral music for Christmas. More information...