'The Beauty Queen of Leenane'
Opens Friday: This darkly comic drama brought immediate attention to young Irish playwright Martin McDonagh two decades ago. Eye of the Storm Theatre introduced it to Twin Cities audiences in 2000 with a bristling production that starred Claudia Wilkens as a bitter old woman who is suffocating the freedom of her spinster daughter. Guthrie veteran Sally Wingert will portray the harridan for Theatre Pro Rata in a new production on the Boss Stage at Park Square Theatre. Carin Bratlie Wethern directs a cast that includes Amber Bjork as the stifled daughter, Grant Henderson and Taylor Evans. (Previews 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thu. Opens 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. next Sun. $38-$60; previews are pay what you can. Ends Jan. 24. Park Square, 20 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul. 651-291-7005, theatreprorata.org.)
