Baby talk

Park Square Theatre administrator Michael-jon Pease had no sooner announced that actor Dieter Bierbrauer would not appear in last Friday's opening performance of "Ragtime: The Musical" when a stagehand walked onstage and whispered in Pease's ear. "It's a boy," Pease told the sold-out house. Bierbrauer had missed Thursday's preview on a false alarm, and then returned to the hospital Friday just in the nick of time with his wife, Anna. With impeccably dramatic flair, the 7 pound, 7 ounce lad arrived and Bierbrauer was in Saturday's performance. At midweek, his name -- Seeley Paul Bierbrauer -- was announced.. --GRAYDON ROYCE

Take a spin

"The Voice" is coming to the Mall of America. Before you start anticipating a chance to meet Adam Levine or Christina Aguilera, take a deep breath. The appearance is being made by -- drum roll -- one of the chairs. One of the swiveling seats will be wrapping up a cross-country tour Feb. 11, in front of Macy's from noon to 6 p.m. Fans can sit on it and get a video of themselves taking a spin. --NEAL JUSTIN

Surly Nation speaks

It's not like Surly Brewing needs any more accolades, but the Brooklyn Center brewery's dominance in RateBeer.com's annual "Best" list deserves some kudos. The international beer rating website (made up of user reviews) has Surly ranked as the 11th best brewery on the planet. In RateBeer's "Best by Style" categories, Surly Furious was named the No. 1 India Pale Ale in the world. Three other Surly beers ranked in the top 10 in other categories. The high placement of Surly's brews is worth a toast: More than 140,000 beers from 12,000 brewers worldwide were tallied. --TOM HORGEN

Minnesota's finest

It's hard to envy the folks on the Minnesota Book Awards committees, facing the task of narrowing hundreds of recommendations to four finalists in each of eight categories. And it's hard to argue with this year's nominees -- there's not one that doesn't belong there. But oh, there are so many others that do. Sarah Stonich's fine memoir, "Shelter," is missing. So is "Big Little Brother," the joyous collaboration between Kevin Kling and Chris Monroe. Charles Baxter's great collection, "Gryphon"; Bao Phi's debut poetry collection, "Song I Sing"; Sheila O'Connor's mysterious young-adult novel, "Sparrow Road"; Kelly Barnhill's "The Mostly True Story of Jack," to name a few. I.W. is sure you can easily come up with more. Times like these it is a blessing and a curse to live in a state with such a wealth of talent. --LAURIE HERTZEL

He really loves us

"I'm not blowing smoke," said New York singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson before he heaped praise on the Twin Cities in general, Cities 97 in particular and his Twin Cities-bred sideman, Elliott Blaufuss. E. Hutch was in town Monday to preview his April 17 sophomore album, "Moving Up, Living Down." In a brief set at the Crooked Pint for Cities 97 contest winners, Hutchinson played the Beatley "Best Days," the vaguely gospel-soul "The Basement" and the poppy, hooky single "Watching You Watch Him." The new stuff sounds blatantly Top 40, a little bubblegummy for Cities 97 and not as irresistible as his breakthrough hit "Rock and Roll." Hutchinson will return with his full band on April 21 at the Fine Line to celebrate his new CD and, we're guessing, to praise all things Minnesotan. --JON BREAM

Constructive summer

When the Hold Steady took almost five months off last year, the band's Edina-reared frontman Craig Finn said he had two goals for the break: to record his first solo album ("Clear Heart Full Eyes," which will be celebrated Saturday at the Triple Rock) and to run a half-marathon. Unlike the made-in-Texas album, the unathletic-looking indie-rocker, age 40, came home to accomplish the run in last summer's Minneapolis Half-Marathon. "I've always been a runner but never in distances, so I definitely could only do 13 miles," said the resident of New York, where he said there are no half-marathons. His official time was 2:02:15, about the length of a typical Hold Steady gig at First Ave. --CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

One book, two cities

Michele Norris' memoir "The Grace of Silence" is going to be a hard act to follow, but follow it we must. Minneapolis is now looking for its second "One Book One Minneapolis" community read. The ideal book would embrace diversity, be available in paperback, have a Minnesota author and a Minneapolis setting, and have been published some time in the past five years. Louise Erdrich's "A Plague of Doves"? Nick Hayes' "And One Fine Morning"? I.W. is thinking that John Reimringer's "Vestments" fits the bill nicely, if Minneapolis doesn't mind a book that's actually set in St. Paul. --LAURIE HERTZEL

Paul-a-palooza

There were enough musicians in the room to fill the bill for a two-day festival. But the who's who of Twin Cities players (from Curtiss A to Molly Maher) came to honor Paul Manske -- bassist, bandleader, band manager, booker, stage manager, music fan par excellence -- who died last week of a ruptured aorta. He was 57. A poem was read, and everyone joined Manske's bandmates from Hillbilly Voodoo Dolls singing "Amazing Grace." Photos, posters and videos of Manske filled the Holcomb Henry Funeral Home in St. Paul on Tuesday. But nothing said Paul Manske more vividly than a mike stand, on which was hanging his rose-decorated cowboy shirt and fedora, with his two well-worn baseball caps laid on the ground: one with the Twins logo, the other emblazoned with "LUCKY." Paul Bergen told I.W. that he and other musicians will finish a solo album that Manske had been working on. Rest in peace, Paul. --JON BREAM