Recent content from Rohan Preston

High-wattage London show is part of Ordway's 2025-26 season
The St. Paul venue also is nearly doubling the number of Broadway musicals in its upcoming roster.

She turns Minnesotans' love stories into song at Guthrie's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Royer Bockus has composed scores of ditties for couples at the show, adding depth and dimension to Shakespeare's popular rom-com.

Review: Real issues surface with fizzy comedy in Guthrie's fun, psycho-thriller version of 'Mousetrap'
Snowed-in guests are pressed to their limits in the theater's first-ever production of the Agatha Christie mystery.

A luxe riff on Agatha Christie's classic 'Mousetrap' comes to the Guthrie
The world's longest-running play's local take boasts glamorous design and a topnotch cast.

Review: Minnesota native electrifies as the star of the Broadway tour of 'Dear Evan Hansen'
Buffalo's Michael Fabisch captures themes of mental health and bullying with heart in the Tony-winning musical at the Ordway.

Review: Holocaust survivor rings the alarm about parallels between the past and today in 'Messenger'
Jenny Connell Davis' play at Six Points Theater offers a series of troubling testimonies.

Guthrie to reopen its third stage and produce a new Pulitzer play for 2025-26 season
The upcoming roster includes adaptations of classics like "A Doll's House," "Little Women" and "Private Lives," plus the musical "Come From Away."

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz attend 'next level' opening party for 'Giants' exhibit at Mia
Friday's buzzy preview party at the Minneapolis Institute of Art marks a milestone in Minnesota's cultural history.

Review: Tariff wars make 9/11 Broadway musical about Canada and U.S. land with urgent poignancy
In its return to the Ordway, "Come From Away" feels like a emotive embrace.

Review: Why 'Life of Pi' is the spiritual uplift we need right now
Breathtaking puppetry and deft performances in the touring Broadway show vividly evoke our animal spirits.

Five things to know about Alicia Keys & Swizz Beatz's 'Giants' show at Minneapolis Institute of Art
The exhibition includes nearly 100 works by artists of the global Black diaspora.

Review: If two people fall for each other during a clinical trial, is it love or the drugs?
"The Effect" puts that question onstage at the Jungle in a compelling fashion.

Theater Mu world premiere 'Fifty Boxes of Earth' has Dracula, puppets and an air of magic
Ankita Raturi's new drama at St. Paul's Park Square Theatre draws on the classic vampire story and lands in a heated political environment.

Minnesota actor and playwright makes history at Kennedy Center
Playwright and director Rhiana Yazzie says it's important to have a Native American voice heard at the arts organization.

Review: 'Groucho Marx Meets T.S. Eliot' is a clever contemporary production with deft performances
Jim Cunningham and John Middleton perform a game of one-upmanship in Jeffrey Hatcher's new play at Illusion Theater.
Review: Three 'Girls' on heroic journeys have us in a chokehold in new Ten Thousand Things play
Markell Kiefer's production of Finegan Kruckemeyer's contemporary fable is muscular and fun.
Review: Penumbra's 'Paradise Blue' tackles a haunted Miles Davis-like figure with exquisite power
The gorgeous production completes Dominique Morisseau's Detroit trilogy in Minnesota and is the finest production yet.

Review: A big city kid reimagines the world in new musical premiere at Children's Theatre Company
Well-scored and -acted, 'Milo Imagines the World' shows a lot of promise.

Review: A director's last show in Chanhassen is a moving testament to his heart and style
"Grease," Michael Brindisi's final production at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, sizzles.

Review: After losses in life, two unforgettable players put all their cards on the line in 'Gin Game'
Greta Oglesby and Terry Hempleman hold viewers in thrall at Park Square Theatre in D.L. Coburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Their director died, but they used his death as inspiration to make the show go on
At Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, artistic director Michael Brindisi meant the world to the cast. They honored his legacy Friday night, two days after his death.

Review: New 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' resets show's standard at the Guthrie
Joseph Haj's witty production takes its sweet, bravura time as it luxuriates in a lush world of music and magic.

'Wicked,' 'Harry Potter' and 'Phantom' dominate Hennepin Arts' touring Broadway roster for 2025-26
Regional premieres in the upcoming season also include the suffragist musical "Suffs," the cornpone-themed "Shucked," and the soulful "Wiz."

Guthrie leader reimagines 'A Midsummer Night's Midsummer' for a new generation in uncertain times
Joseph Haj has tapped musician Jack Herrick and a cast that includes Broadway actor Remy Auberjonois for his first-ever Minnesota staging of the classic rom-com.

Michael Brindisi, artistic director of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, dies: 'A total shock'
His death comes two days before the opening of "Grease," a show that was pivotal in his life and which will open as scheduled.

It's back to Rydell High: Chanhassen turns up the heat on 'Grease' with a cast of 'hotties'
Director Michael Brindisi refreshes the star-making musical that "saved" his life.

Review: Think dating horror stories are new? Come meet 'Sweet Charity' at Bloomington's Artistry
The company's charming production pays tribute to original choreographer and director Bob Fosse.

Review: Poignant and pungent, 'Parade' launches its national tour in Minneapolis
The Tony-winning revival had composer Jason Robert Brown and director Michael Arden leaning in at the Orpheum Theatre.

Beat the winter blues with these 8 must-see Twin Cities theater shows
Toe-tapping musicals, favorite comedies and showstopper dramas are on the roster.

What were the 13 best Twin Cities area theater performances of 2024?
The marathon "History Plays," Carole King musical "Beautiful," hilarious "Miz Martha Washington" and groundbreaking "Drawing Lessons" were among the shows that stood out.

Review: Poignant humor and a longing for belonging power Guthrie's must-see 'Heart Sellers'
Lloyd Suh's one-act play is about immigrant strangers who become fast friends one Thanksgiving Day.

Mark the season with a Holiday-ish 'Chocolate,' a satiric 'Carol' and Santa in the 'Twilight Zone'
Here's a round-up of other seasonal shows that you might not want to miss.

Guthrie counterprograms holiday season with a wry 'Heart Sellers' over wine and turkey
Lloyd Suh's 2023 work takes a comic but poignant look at two Asian women's immigrant experience.

Review: Her friends might have died but she's still having them over for 'Dinner'
The Jungle Theater is again staging "Dinner for One," the wryly funny show about an elegant dame who has imaginary friends over to celebrate life.

Review: Eels scoot and 'Mermaids' fly in Ordway's lush holiday musical
"Disney's The Little Mermaid" takes a while to connect emotionally but wins us over with its stunning visuals and inventive theatricality.
Review: With return of grieving star, Penumbra's 'Black Nativity' strikes a deeply personal note
Greta Oglesby helps retell the story of Jesus' birth with righteous, roof-raising conviction at the St. Paul venue.

In a coup, artworks owned by Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz are coming to Minnesota in March
Mia will host the third stop of "Giants," a groundbreaking 100-plus piece show that premiered in February at the Brooklyn Museum.

Ever had a sublime wish to fly like a fish? A reimagined 'Little Mermaid' takes to the air in St. Paul.
The Ordway has imported a splashy new version of the Disney classic for its holiday offering.

Review: History Theatre's 'I Am Betty' returns to roar (and soothe and crackle)
The musical about corporate spokesmodel Betty Crocker has returned for the second year to whip up more froth and sisterhood at the History Theatre.

Review: Ravishing new 'Cinderella' takes her shoe, and her destiny, into her own hands
Latté Da director Justin Lucero delivers a statement with his inaugural production for the company.

Review: Broadway's 'Les Misérables' finds new colors in its record 16th return to Minnesota
Inspiring and full of humor, the show continues to capture hearts and spirits.

A gutsy princess, confused prince and kind stepsister animate Theater Latté Da's 'Cinderella'
New artistic director Justin Lucero hopes that his creativity and audience's imagination will transport show into a magical realm.

Review: Guthrie's 50th anniversary 'Christmas Carol' offers a novel take on the miser
Broadway actor David Beach brings an air of prosperity and merriment to the theater's holiday staple.

Broadway actor's life, role eerily converge in 'Les Miz'
Lindsay Heather Pearce is one of the stars of the national tour of the smash musical.

Syl Jones, provocative opinion writer and pioneer in narrative medicine, dies at 72
Jones championed underdogs and the voiceless and believed that stories help everyone's understanding of themselves and others.
Minneapolis' Cameron Wright is shining on season 26 of 'The Voice'
The soulful singer is on crooner Michael Bublé's team.

Review: Grumpiest 'Grinch' yet barrels through the audience at Children's Theatre
Dean Holt's directorial debut captures the fright, mirth and joy of Dr. Seuss' classic fable even as it settles into its groove.

At 50, Guthrie's 'Christmas Carol' hits the mark. Die-hard fans cherish it as a family tradition.
The production returns with music, joy and reminders of the true spirit of the holiday season.

Woof! This actor went from playing a pooch in 'Grinch' to being the top dog.
Dean Holt will play Old Max even as he helms the storytelling in a beloved holiday tradition at Children's Theatre.

Review: Can comedy defeat Nazis? A Jewish comedian who got trolled by white supremacists tests the idea
Alex Edelman's scripted stand-up comedy, "Just for Us," gets a must-see regional premiere in St. Paul.

Review: 'The Ally,' a searing show at Mixed Blood Theatre, also is one of the year's most gripping
The ripped-from-the-headlines play gives passionate airing to many of the arguments around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Opening date for pre-Broadway premiere of 'Purple Rain' musical in Minneapolis is pushed back
The production is still slated to take place at the State Theatre but in a different season.

Review: One of 2024′s best shows, Patrick Page's 'All the Devils Are Here' puts evil at Guthrie center stage
The Broadway star entertainingly brings light to the ways Shakespeare has influenced everything from "House of Cards" to "The Sopranos."
Review: Penumbra's 'Basquiat' channels painter whose piece fetched $110 million
Roger Guenveur Smith is spellbinding in the solo show he wrote and directed.

Review: Broadway tour of 'Some Like It Hot' sizzles at Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre
The high-caliber production of this Prohibition-era story of musicians on the run teems with theatrical delights.

Broadway star Patrick Page gets under the skin of evil in 'All the Devils Are Here' at the Guthrie
The celebrated Broadway actor shares his thoughts on Shakespeare, evil and what Minnesotans can expect during his monthlong spell.

COVID-19 forces cancellations of Chanhassen's 'White Christmas' and Theater Latté Da's 'Scotland, PA'
Ticket holders are being rebooked into future performances of both shows.

Review: Tween turbulence, comics come alive in unique Children's Theatre play 'Drawing Lessons'
Playwright Michi Barall combines a graphic novel and a live play in a story about a neurodivergent adolescent coming of age in 1990s Twin Cities.

Review: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres gets an early jump on the holidays with sparkly 'White Christmas'
The company celebrates its 56th birthday with a peppy production of Irving Berlin's classic holiday musical.

In CTC's 'Drawing Lessons,' an adolescent expresses herself in graphic images
Michi Barall's play premieres at the Minneapolis children's theater as the first of 16 commissions from a $1.5 million Mellon Foundation grant.

Review: Temptations musical 'Ain't Too Proud' takes a sweet, soulful bow at St. Paul's Ordway Center
The production team injects lightness and joy into the Motown-themed show with a talented young cast.

At Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, a former Celine Dion backup dancer steps into 'White Christmas'
Andrea Mislan plays one of four principals in the company's first ever mounting of the Irving Berlin classic.

Review: Bloomington's Artistry uses 'Rent' as a relentless showcase of Minnesota talent
The loud revival of Jonathan Larson's prize-winning rock musical teems with hope and joy.

Review: It's AI through the Greeks as one woman reclaims her voice in Ten Thousand Things' 'Helen'
The theater's production of this classic play about a holographic body double feels uncannily contemporary.

Director Marcela Lorca takes a bow at Ten Thousand Things Theater with 'Helen,' but isn't bowing out
The Chilean native, who staged three inspiring female-centric shows, closes a six-year chapter with the Minnesota company.
Review: In 'Rosette' at Mixed Blood Theatre, a Palestinian teen adds a new voice to the American stage
William Nour's play introduces characters pulled both by tradition and new modernities.

After injuries force cancellation of 'Scotland, PA' at the Ritz Theater, producers plan extra performances
Officials at Theater Latté Da expect shows to resume Wednesday.

Review: Five grabbiest things about Pillsbury House Theatre's 'A Walless Church'
AriDy Nox's new living room play, subtitled "The Black Woman's Guide to Creating God," offers a series of divinations by an acting trio playing characters in high moments.

Review: Black and white best friends find clever ways to outwit hate in History Theatre's 'Behind the Sun'
The fraught play leans into human connection as it confronts 1950s racial history.

Review: 'The Reunion,' Trademark Theater's new whodunit, is like a pint-sized, contemporary 'Clue'
The production, full of plot twists, keeps you guessing about who the killer may be.

Review: Witty, punchy and profane, Latté Da musical 'Scotland PA' gets in groove at the Ritz
Influenced by '70s rock, the musical comedy has raucous numbers, a stoner chorus and lots of cheek.

Review: Guthrie Theater's three-act 'Lehman Trilogy' is an absorbing triumph
The three-and-a-half hour drama shows a family losing touch with itself even as the play attaches humans to the delphic financial system that rules our lives.

Guthrie's three-act 'Lehman Trilogy' charts one immigrant family's epic rise and catastrophic fall
Performed by just three actors and with two intermissions, the season launch gets at the mythos of America being a land of dreams.

Review: Husband-and-wife actors bring timeless love to life in 'On Golden Pond' at Minnetonka Theatre
Long-married couple Jim Cada and Susanne Egli honor the roles made famous on film by Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn.