Arts & Entertainment

Ordway renovates its 25-year-old Main Hall stage
Leontyne Price sang from it, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater danced on it and the cast of Les Misérables performed 216 shows on it. After hosting 25 years of performances, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts retired its original stage floor and renovated it this summer. Work on the 4,500-square-foot stage floor was done by Minneapolis hardwood flooring firm Anderson Ladd. It is a traditional sprung floor ideal for dance, opera and musical theater performances. Throughout the seven-week-long construction...

Alumna offers feedback to screenwriting students
If you take a look at Melissa Brandt’s resume, one thing becomes clear: she truly believes in higher education. After receiving a B.A. in English in the 90s, Melissa returned to school at Metropolitan State University to earn a B.A. in screenwriting in 2004. From there, she enrolled in the master’s program at Mankato State University and received a M.A. in literature and creative writing in 2008. She’s now back at Metropolitan State as a community faculty member...

Theater putting a face to modern issues
Theater Underground and the theater department at Metropolitan State University have started an ambitious project that requires the participation of Metropolitan State students, faculty and active alums to succeed. The project is called Theater Du Jour and its goal is to put a human face on the issues of today. Theater Du Jour is an expansive project collecting many different and personal stories from the Metropolitan State community and putting them on stage. Gail Smogard, director of the theater program at Metropolitan State, explains why this project is so important and unique to the university, “Unlike many traditional state universities, Metropolitan State is generally a more...

Halloween fun without butchering your budget issues
Parents may have “budget” on the brain but those of trick-or-treat age have only costumes and candy on the cranium. Don’t let grown-up worries hinder their fun; with some creativity and improvisation, this year’s Halloween festivities can be as eerie as ever. Conjuring the festive spirit of Halloween begins at home; ingenuity is essential in creating haunting home décor that costs next to nothing. Let nature be your muse by bringing the outdoors in. By incorporating the warm colors and rustic textures of the season, you can easily and inexpensively create a fall-friendly feel...

Go “Out on a Limb” with your kids issues
If you have young children (or grandchildren), you know that despite busy schedules and a tight economy, time spent with them is never wasted. But if you’re looking for something new—or different—to do and share with them, then you should consider going “out on a limb” with them at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Hands on, baby...

Modern MacBeth in November
The classic story of MacBeth, by William Shakespeare, is being adapted into a modern piece at Metropolitan State University. Camille D’Ambrose will direct the play, which Gail Smogard, theater department director for Metropolitan State, said will be, “a modern Macbeth with a lot of surprises.”D’Ambrose, a theater arts faculty member, has a career of acting, directing and writing for the stage across the country. She has performed in the Twin Cities area at the Guthrie, Chanhassen Dinner Theater and the Jungle Theater.D’Ambrose says that she has rearranged scenes and put together a shorter version of Macbeth. The production will be two scenes, compared to the usual five, with one intermission...