THE LAST WORD

Opening: Raye Birk, the well-known and excellent Twin Cites actor, portrays an 80-year-old Viennese man who fled Europe during World War II and became a successful New York advertising executive. Skyler Nowinksi plays a student who interviews for a job with the old man. Both men want to become playwrights. Oren Safdie wrote this comedy, which has its Twin Cities premiere at Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company. Haley Finn, who staged "The Gospel According to Jerry" last year at MJTC, directs. -GRAYDON ROYCE

  • 8 p.m. Sat., 1 & 7 p.m. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thu.
  • Hillcrest Center Theater, 1978 Ford Pkwy., St. Paul
  • $18-$26
  • 651-647-4315
  • www.mnjewishtheatre.org

SNOW WHITE BALLET

Friday-Saturday: Snow White is quite the popular character these days. The "fairest of them all" the star of two feature films and the subject of a contemporary dance work, "Blanche Neige," by France's Ballet Preljocaj. Artistic director Angelin Preljocaj uses the Brothers Grimm version, reshaped through his own choreographic and psychological interpretations, as the basis for a full-length story ballet set to music of Gustav Mahler. Fashionistas will appreciate the costumes by the legendary, and sometimes controversial, Jean Paul Gaultier. Free pre-performance discussions with representatives of Ballet Preljocaj will be held at Solera each evening, starting at 6:45. -CAROLINE PALMER