Item World: 'Pride & Prejudice' exposed at Guthrie; Michael Starrbury nominated; Jeanne Arland Peterson reviews

When Minnesota music matriarch Jeanne Arland Peterson was fading in and out of consciousness near the end of her nearly 92-year life, daughter Patty Peterson had a conversation with her. At Jeanne's funeral Monday in Richfield, Patty, one of five professional musicians born to musicians Jeanne and Willard Peterson, related the exchange. Jeanne was seeing herself with the angels in heaven. Patty: Is Dad there? Jeanne: "Yes, he's cute and he likes me." How old are you? "16." Are the angels singing? "Yes, but some of the angels don't sing very well." What about Dad? "He doesn't sing very well, either."

Jon Bream

Brooklyn Park screenwriter Michael Starrbury (of the Alicia Keys-produced Sundance hit "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete") is in heady company as a finalist for this year's 39th annual Humanitas Prize screenwriting award. The $95,000 prize was created to honor TV and film writers for telling stories that "truly and deeply explore the human experience in a way that both entertains and enlightens," according to the organization. The contenders in the 38-year-old Starrbury's division, the feature film category, are Quentin Tarantino (for his Oscar-winning "Django Unchained" script), David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook"), John Gatins ("Flight"), Jeff Nichols ("Mud") and Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station.") The Humanitas prize will be awarded in Beverly Hills Sept. 20.

Colin Covert

Actress Christine Weber got more than a proposal as Jane in "Pride and Prejudice" at the Guthrie on Sunday. She got an eyeful. As Hugh Kennedy, who plays Mr. Bingley, got down on down on one knee to propose, his pants ripped in the front. "It was a loud, tearing sound," said retired federal judge James Rosenbaum, a theater devotee who was in the audience. "He tried to cover up with his hat but then some of the other actors lost it. I thought it was a part of the act at first, but knew that it wasn't when it stopped the show. Regardless, it was hilarious."

Rohan Preston

Who goes to a church party and whips out a Black Sabbath cover? Grace Potter and the Nocturnals tore through "War Pigs" for their encore at the Basilica Block Party last weekend. That's after Potter tenderly dedicated her keep-your-chin-up ballad "Stars" to Lilly McLean, 12-year-old daughter of late block party promoter Sue McLean. While Potter impressed us with her headbanger capabilities, soul-pop lightweight Mayer Hawthorne proved laughingly unconvincing with his "rock" song "The Stars Are Ours," which he introduced by mentioning his love for AC/DC, Nirvana and Sabbath. At least Hawthorne's a good sport, though. Responding to our slam that the song sounded "Billy Joel-edgy at best," he tweeted back, "It's still rock 'n' roll to me."

How to sell a summer stage show? Park Square Theatre has struck gold three times now with Sherlock Holmes and the production that closed on Sunday was the hottest of them all. The St. Paul company said this week that "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club" by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher was the highest-grossing summer show ($223,098) in the company's history and the best-attended (7,974) at the theater. Actor Steve Hendrickson should drive a hard bargain if he's asked to play Sherlock again.

Graydon Royce

After laying low for all of 2013, England's favorite Minneapolis band, Howler, went to great heights to unveil new songs and a new drummer Wednesday afternoon. The chop-poppy punk band played an invite-only party on the 12th-floor rooftop patio above primo ad agency Carmichael Lynch in downtown Minneapolis. Howler did a good job selling the new tunes. However, singer Jordan Gatesmith didn't fare so well warming up to the advertising set. Introducing the new song, "Yacht Boys," he said, "It's about all of you," and proceeded to refer to attendees as "wearing boat shoes." For the record, it was mostly a hipster crowd in Converse and Toms footwear.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Franklin Art Works plans to sell its building and move rather than repair the former movie theater it has occupied for 13 years on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. The nonprofit organization wants a site with more street life and expansion space for its programs and solo shows of mostly young artists. No buyer has signed on yet, but the organization plans to close temporarily when its current show ends Aug. 10. "We either had to put another $750,000 into this building or move somewhere else," said director Tim Peterson. Stay tuned.