Item World: Local news and views for 6/8

An unhappy accident

Twin Cities choreographer/dancer Deborah Jinza Thayer was one of two women injured when a car crashed into an outdoor patio at the Finnish Bistro in St. Paul on Sunday. Thayer has cracked vertebrae, fractured ribs and a partially collapsed lung and is likely to remain hospitalized for a few more days. The other woman, performing artist Rebecca Surmont, suffered an injured ankle. Thayer was preparing to premiere her solo piece "Diana Takes a Swim" at Red Eye Theater June 14-17. Now she can't perform, but Red Eye managing director Miriam Must said several choreographers and students -- including Rosy Simas and Penelope Freeh -- are pulling together to dance in her stead in a performance called "Dances for Deborah and Rebecca." Must told I.W. that "it's going to be lovely. The show must go on, and as a community we make that happen." Red Eye plans to give Thayer the performance fee she would have received. While she has health insurance, she is likely to face financial hurdles because of lost income. -CAROLINE PALMER

King of the Cabooze

After 12 years at the Fine Line Music Café -- long enough to be synonymous with the venue in the eyes of many bands and booking agents -- Kim King has left her position to become the Cabooze's new national talent buyer. She said her hiring is just one of several changes afoot at the West Bank's biggest venue, including renovations that will "make it more artist- and patron-friendly." Said King: "I feel like it's a totally underutilized space for the capacity it has, so I'm excited and up for the challenge." King, who also serves as tour manager for Soul Asylum, left the Fine Line on good terms, with last week's Lil' Kim concert being something of a fitting namesake grand finale. -CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Mad for Martin

Philip Glass played the piano. David Hockney, Chuck Close, Claes Oldenburg and Christo reminisced. And a cast of art world A-listers including Frank Stella, Cindy Sherman, Frank Gehry and John Baldessari celebrated former Walker Art Center director Martin Friedman's long and influential career at a New York gala May 31. "It was amazing," said Emily Galusha, former director of Minneapolis' Northern Clay Center, who attended with her husband, General Mills art curator Don McNeil. The event drew 300 people and raised more than $1 million for Mad. Sq. Art, a program that places contemporary art in Madison Square Park near the Flatiron Building in Manhattan. "No one has been a greater champion of the art of our time," said Glass. -MARY ABBE

An independent's day

Tony gazing

If Fargo native Jan Maxwell does not land a Tony Sunday night (7 p.m., CBS), she can comfort herself with the company she keeps. Maxwell -- nominated for best leading actress in a musical for her turn in "Follies" -- is up against Eagan native Laura Osnes (for the short-lived "Bonnie and Clyde") and Audra Macdonald (the odds-on favorite, for "Porgy and Bess"). In her 20-year Broadway career, Maxwell is a four-time Tony nominee. Interestingly, the leading contenders for best play, Jon Robin Baitz's "Other Desert Cities" and Bruce Norris' "Clybourne Park," both will be produced at the Guthrie next season. -ROHAN PRESTON

Wall of guitars

Dave Kilminster, part of the army of guitarists that it takes to present Roger Waters' "The Wall," took exception to the Star Tribune's review of that show Sunday at the X. To say " 'it took four people to handle [Pink Floyd singer/guitarist David] Gilmour's part' is so hopelessly naive and misleading," Kilminster said in an e-mail. "It really doesn't take three guitarists to play what David plays live, but (like most guitarists) when David records in the studio, he uses multiple overdubs. In fact, sometimes there can be as many as seven or eight guitar parts heard within a single song. And by the way as a little aside, did you know there's at least three other guitarists (not including Roger) on the album 'The Wall' that weren't actually credited!!!" Tune in next week for "Secrets of 'The Wall' (Part 2)." -JON BREAM

Dream weaver