2013 Minnesota Spring Theater Preview

Look to this spring for rollicking fun and solid entertainment. Five great theater performances are coming that will delight people of all ages and interests.

"Bye Bye Birdie" has a "theme of parents and teens that will still resonate with today's audiences," says Resident Artistic Director Michael Brindisi. The 1960 award-winning Broadway production followed by a 1963 movie is a fond replay of earlier days put to music and dance. The storyline and catchy tunes such as "Put on a Happy Face" will bring back many memories of events from the 1950s.

'Twelfth Night'
Guthrie Theater
818 S. 2nd St.
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 377-2224
www.guthrietheater.org

Dates: Feb. 27 through April 5

Clear speech, sharp language and fresh comedy are the hallmarks of English theater director Edward Hall's internationally acclaimed production. As it was in early England, the twelfth night of Christmas was celebrated with riotous disorganization and with everything turned upside down. Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" was originally produced with an all-male theater company. The storyline features a female protagonist who disguises herself as a male, complicating identities and heightening intrigue. Casting a male in that role only enriches the comedy.

Related: Best Theatre Gems In The Twin Cities

Broadway Songbook: The Words and Music of Cole Porter
Ordway Center
345 Washington St.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 224-4222
www.ordway.orgDates: April 19 through April 28

Cole Porter's effervescent tunes, sophisticated lyrics and clever rhymes belied his earlier classical training and defined Broadway in the 1920s and 1930s. From Indiana to Paris to a tragic horseback riding accident, Cole Porter continued to treat the public with style and class. Hits such as "You're The Top," "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "So In Love," "Another Opening, Another Show," "Night and Day" and "True Love" will thrill the audience.

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash
Plymouth Playhouse
2705 Annapolis Lane N.
Plymouth, MN 55441
(763) 553-1600
www.plymouthplayhouse.com

Dates: Now through May 26

This is more than a jukebox musical about Johnny Cash. It is an attempt by two who knew Cash personally to touch the heart, mind and soul of anyone who watches. Upon giving permission to write this musical, Cash requested to never be impersonated. Richard Maltby, Jr. and William Meade instead created an intimate experience of the singer's storied life through more than 35 of his hit songs. His style spanned from gospel to folk, rock to blues and country. Some of the many songs are "I Walk the Line," "Jackson," "If I Were A Carpenter," "I've Been Everywhere," "Folsom Prison Blues," "A Boy Named Sue," his final hit, "Daddy Sang Bass" and "Ring of Fire."

'Owl Moon'
Stages Theatre Company
1111 Mainstreet
Hopkins, MN 55343
(952) 979-1111
www.stagestheatre.orgDates: March 8 through March 24

"It was late one winter night, long past my bedtime. There was no wind. The trees stood still." In a magical tale told by a daughter reminiscing with her father, Escalate Dance and Theatre Studio interprets the 1988 Caldecott Medal book in music and ballet. This world premier is destined to delight all ages.

Related: Best Summertime Theatre Activities For Kids In Minnesota