Have a seat"The Office" made Rainn Wilson a star, but what he really wants to do is direct. That seemed to be the case last Sunday during an "In Conversation" at the Guthrie Theater, where Wilson cut his dramatic teeth. From almost the first minute of the session, Wilson started pointing out audience members who were sitting on the sidelines and reseated them so they would have a better view. "Not only is he a wonderful actor, but he's a terrific stage manager," said a bemused Joe Dowling, who conducted the free-ranging interview.Wilson said it was hard for him to plan a return to the stage, due to the sitcom's shooting schedule, but when he does, he'd love to tackle "Peer Gynt," "Richard II," "Richard III" or "Mistakes Were Made," a relatively new play by former Minnesotan Craig Wright.
NEAL JUSTIN
Fleeting frenzyFleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold started it. Before his band played a precious note Sunday at the sold-out State Theatre, he started talking, something about sensing a connection between the Pacific Northwest (where his group is from) and the Upper Midwest, sort of "a Scandinavian underground railroad." Then fans began shouting out questions and he responded. With Pecknold having opened the door, one dude, after the fourth song, groused loudly and profanely about the sound mix. Later, both Pecknold and drummer Joshua Tillman complained about how the complainer had ruined the vibe of the concert. But I.W. thinks the heckler was right -- except for the expletives he should have deleted -- because the sound mix was off and the shout-out resulted in a correction. Pecknold's proposal on how to address it next time: Walk up to the sound engineer at the mixing console and wave your hands. (Right, and get tossed by security.) Pecknold should have been scolding his sound engineer, not his fans.
JON BREAM
Plucked from the crowdAudience interaction was more constructive at Wednesday's harmonious concert by bluegrassy songwriting great Gillian Welch and her permanent pickin' partner David Rawlings at the Fitzgerald Theater, where the sound mix was perfect but the air conditioning fell short (no wonder Garrison Keillor often takes his show on the road come summer). When cheers came up for the first banjo-fueled song of the set, "Rock of Ages," Welch said, "We always seem to get more banjo fans in the balconies. Why is that?" One guy responded from high up, "It's because we're poor." There were more banjo quips later in the show when Welch added a harmonica on top of her plucking, two instruments that Rawlings begrudged for "never really playing in tune." However, he added, "Together, they create what we call old-timey music."
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
The art of inedible cupcakesMore than 600 potters, patrons and Seward neighbors showed up Saturday to celebrate the Northern Clay Center's 20th anniversary, lured by free picnic food, a jazzy exhibit of funky ceramics and kid-friendly games like plate toss and "Pin the Handle on the Pot." Warren MacKenzie and Joan Mondale were among the ceramics celebrities sighted. The center's Claymobile was on hand, and the ceramics studios were open so partygoers could make pots (with their feet) and decorate dozens of (ceramic) cupcakes. After they're fired, five of the "most likely to be eaten" cupcakes will go into the anniversary show, up through Aug. 28.
MARY ABBE
