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Posts about Awards

Twin Cities-connected stars get Tony nominations

Posted by: Rohan Preston Updated: April 30, 2013 - 3:09 PM

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Twin Cities-connected actors Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana are going to theater's biggest ball.

Each has been nominated for a Tony Award, announced Tuesday.

Osnes, an Eagan High School graduate, was nominated for best actress in a musical for her performance of the title role in "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella," which received nine nominations, including one for best revival.

It was the second nomination for Osnes. Last year also was nominated for her lead role in "Bonnie & Clyde."

Osnes has a history of performing in the Twin Cities, including playing Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" at the Children's Theatre ten years ago, and starring in "Grease" at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.

In "Cinderella," Osnes sings and dances opposite Seattle native Fontana, who is a graduate of the inaugural class of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA program. He plays the prince.

The Tonys will be announced on June 9 from Radio City Music Hall.

 

Boston's Huntington Theatre wins the regional Tony Award

Posted by: Rohan Preston Updated: April 26, 2013 - 5:54 PM

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Boston's Huntington Theatre Company, a champion of new plays, has won the 2013 regional Tony Award, the Tonys have announced.

The company, which was founded at Boston University in 1982, has hosted the premieres of such plays as Lydia Diamond's "Stick Fly," which transferred to Broadway last year, and Stephen Karam's "Sons of the Prophet," which became a Pulitzer finalist.

"Stick Fly" is in rehearsals at Park Square Theatre, where it is being directed by Marion McClinton, who has previously directed the works of August Wilson at the Huntington.

"Sons" does not yet have an announced Twin Cities production.

The regional Tonys are chosen by the American Theatre Critics Association. The ceremony will be held June 9 at New York's Radio City Music Hall and broadcast on CBS.

Minnesota woman to make a splash on "Today" show

Posted by: Neal Justin Updated: March 20, 2013 - 3:53 PM

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Kailey Gonzalez is blowin' in the wind at pool party/ photo by Kelly Anderson

 

Word has it that one day in the future, Minnesotans won't have to wear seven layers of clothing just to check the mail. When that day comes, you may want to get a hold of Spicer's Kelly Anderson who throws one heck of a retro pool party. In fact, the bash that she and her husband threw last summer in Arizona for her kids was so epic, she's a finalist for "Best Parties in America," a contest being sponsored by the "Today" show. Anderson and two others will be featured on Tuesday morning's episode when the winner will be crowned.

And what comes with being crowned champion?

"A trophy," said Anderson, a photographer by trade. "Oh, and bragging rights."

Jerome Foundation arts grants total $794,000

Posted by: Claude Peck Updated: March 14, 2013 - 1:15 PM

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Dancer Vanessa Voskuil was among Minnesotans who won grants this week from Jerome Foundation. Star Tribune photo by Tom Wallace.

The St. Paul-based American Composers Forum was the single biggest recipient in a recent round of grantmaking by the Jerome Foundation. It received $100,000 in support of the Jerome Fund for New Music and the Minnesota Emerging Composers Award program.

The Jerome made 32 grants totaling $794,000 to New York and Minnesota arts groups.

Other Minnesota arts groups winning Jerome grants are:

Pangea World Theater, $36,000

Pillsbury United Communities/Pillsbury House Theatre, two grants totalling $46,500

Rochester Art Center, $18,000

The Soap Factory, $24,000

Springboard for the Arts, $64,000

Vanessa Voskuil (via Springboard for the Arts), $20,000

Kathy McTavish (via Springboard for the Arts), $9,000

American Composers Forum, $100,000

Coffee House Press, $26,000

Red Eye theater, $31,500

Giant art cloud will reflect Minneapolis's changing moods

Posted by: Kristin Tillotson Updated: March 11, 2013 - 10:12 AM

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A rendering of MIMMI, the winning public-art project for the Minneapolis Convention Center's first Creative CIty Challenge.

Chicago's Millenium Park has The Bean, a giant silver sculpture that begs people to touch and play with it. In June, Minneapolis will one-up that with  MIMMI,  "The Minneapolis Interactive Macro Mood Installation," a giant fabric balloon, anchored by a metal framework, that will float 35 feet above the ground on the convention-center plaza and reflect the community's collective sad-mad-gladness like a giant mood ring. Its light displays changing color with the intensity of the emotion it "feels." If the Twins lose in a squeaker, it might glow red. If it's a rainy Monday morning, it might be blue. And there are microphones at the base if you want to try to influence things. It will also periodically drop mist onto people below it, just for added kicks.

A team including two young local architects (Jack Cochran and Carl Koepcke)  and the Cambridge, Mass-.based firm Invivia created the concept that beat out four other finalists in an online Facebook public vote. They will get $50,000 to create, install, and take down the artwork.

How can it possibly work? By using technology to combine the "virtual and physical layers" of the city to detect some sort of aggregate mood. Still confused?  Me, too, but the judges, inclduing City Council Member Lisa Goodman and U of M design-school dean Tom Fisher, were wowed enough by a demo to vote it in. 

What will be done in November, when the team has to take it down? "They're thinking of recycling it by making raincoats," said Gulgun Kayim, director of arts, culture and creative economy for the city.

 

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