A friend in a bottle
Adam Jacobs may have starred on Broadway in "Disney's Aladdin," but it's Anthony Murphy as the Genie who steals the first "Aladdin" roadshow. He somehow manages to channel Madea, RuPaul and Luther Vandross at the same time. With a cast of dozens and only one Genie, the scene in the cave is a true showstopper. Then this colorful, briskly paced production carries on with similar verve. There's even a magic carpet that truly flies via Disney magic.
JON BREAM
1 & 6:30 p.m. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Tue.-Wed., 2 & 7:30 p.m. Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 1 p.m. next Sun. Orpheum Theatre, Mpls. $39-$179, hennepintheatretrust.org
He's not as big as Luke Bryan or as hot as Sam Hunt. But Chris Stapleton is probably the most widely respected artist in country music at the moment. He writes authentic, deeply felt songs like Hank, Willie and Waylon did. Stapleton has been winning all kinds of awards at the Grammys, CMA and other country hoedowns. He impresses with bluesy soulful tunes such as "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Nobody to Blame" without ever raising his voice very loud.
JON BREAM
7 p.m. Sat. Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul. $35.75-$149, ticketmaster.com
In a year in which the biggest song has been the Spanish/English "Despacito," there's really no need to call it crossover anymore. Music transcends language. That's what Pitbull, the force behind "I Know You Want Me" and "Timber," and Enrique Iglesias, the voice of "Bailamos" and "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)," have been proving for years. And, of course, these occasional touring partners will team up on their worldwide smash "I Like It."
JON BREAM
7:30 p.m. Fri. Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul. $29.50-$97, ticketmaster.com
With her PJ Harvey-like purr-to-wail voice and meaty guitar work, St. Louis rocker Angel Olsen jumped out of the buzz bin with impressive force last year via her third album, "My Woman," anchored by the single "Shut Up Kiss Me" and other coolly aloof or tenderly sweet tunes. She's overdue for her First Avenue debut, which precedes her new collection of mellow, lo-fi outtakes, "Phases," due Nov. 10. North Carolina's neo-twang trio Mount Moriah opens.
Chris Riemenschneider
8 p.m. Mon. First Avenue, Mpls., $25, eTix.com
Donizetti's bubbling opera "Don Pasquale" proves there is no fool like an old fool. Minnesota Opera gives the comedy a provocative makeover, updating its 19th-century setting to 1950s Hollywood. Now a faded silent movie hero, Pasquale lives in Sunset Boulevard seclusion. Bent on denying his rebellious nephew an inheritance, he fixates on marrying a younger Hollywood starlet. Cue misery for Pasquale, and merriment for those thwarting his dubious intentions.
TERRY BLAIN
Ends Oct. 15. Ordway, St. Paul. $25-$165, mnopera.org
Yellow Tree, the theater in an Osseo strip mall, is celebrating its first decade by revisiting co-founder Jessica Lind Peterson's "String," a romantic comedy co-starring her husband, Jason. It's the story of a poet who is yearning for big romance and a pizza delivery guy who flunked high school English. "String" is cleverly crafted, full of poetry, wisdom and laughter, but it's the chemistry between the Petersons that makes the musical comedy sing.
LISA BROCK
Ends Oct. 15. Yellow Tree Theatre, Osseo. $23-$27, yellowtreetheatre.com
Minnesota Orchestra associate conductor Roderick Cox cements his role as an essential part of the creative roster. His subscription concert this week pairs Rachmaninoff's powerful Symphonic Dances with Grieg's evergreen Piano Concerto and "Valentino Dances" by Dominick Argento. Cox repeats the Argento piece for "Send Me Hope," his Saturday evening program featuring the Shiloh Temple International Ministries Church Choir.
terry blain
11 a.m. Thu. and 8 p.m. Fri.; "Send Me Hope" 7 p.m. Sat.; Orchestra Hall, Mpls. $12-$96, minnesotaorchestra.org
While her harmony partner Amy Ray has been dropping solo records since the early '00s, Emily Saliers, the folkier/rootsier half of the Indigo Girls, has somehow never done one under her own name until now. She cuts loose sonically and even dabbles in some of her R&B and hip-hop influences on "Murmuration Nation." Lucy Wainwright Roche also sings on the album and is opening the show.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
7:30 p.m. Wed. Cedar Cultural Center, Mpls. $30, thecedar.org
Right about now children and even adults are planning what they will be for Halloween and the kinds of tricks they will play on friends and family members. Spooktacular Fall Harvest has treats for all ages with a bouncy house, pony rides and hay maze. Get your face painted as your favorite character, and paint a pumpkin to decorate your home. Swim through a corn pit or hunt ghastly ghouls in a paintball zombie shoot.
Melissa Walker
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-next Sun. Woodloch Stables, Hugo. $6, spooktacularfun.com
