Virtual entertainment picks: Huge Theater, VocalEssence, musician’s benefit
MAY 7, 2020 — 10:58AM
VocalEssence Virtual Projects
Ongoing: Leave it to ever-enterprising Philip Brunelle, founder of the Twin Cities ensemble VocalEssence, to provide some pandemic music even without his award-winning choir. Every weekday at noon, he offers a “Musical Moment” in which he highlights a composer — Friday’s program will feature Mexico’s Gerardo Cárdenas — whose work has been performed by VocalEssence, with Brunelle playing some of the composer’s pieces on piano in the solitary confines of Plymouth Congregational Church. Meanwhile, VocalEssence’s associate conductor G. Phillip Shoultz hosts two regular programs: “Take 5 With GPS” (a vocal warmup exercise) at 9 a.m. weekdays and “GPS & Friends” (with musical guests performing via the internet) at 7 p.m. Thursdays. (Facebook and archived at vocalessence.org.) Jon Bream
Toaster: An Online Improv Show
Sundays: Huge Theater is getting into the streaming comedy game, with an improv show hosted by Jill Bernard. It hit the internet last Sunday with an impressively goofy program of low-tech, high-laugh fun in the visual format of “Hollywood Squares” or “The Brady Bunch”— otherwise known as the Zoom app. For smaller scenes, the performers simply cover their laptop cameras, and it works surprisingly well to see them act “together” from their various homes. Bernard and her assembled cast of improvisers and guests return this Sunday on YouTube Live. (6 p.m. Sun. Huge Theater on YouTube or hugetheater.com.) Sheila Regan
Going Live With Love: Songs of Support for Jessa Roquet
Saturday: Another day of musical bonding — but not about the pandemic — finds a couple dozen Twin Cities singer/songwriters rallying around their peer Jessa Roquet (aka Gambler’s Daughter) and her three daughters after she was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Sarah Morris, Stacy K and Savannah Smith will kick off the day in order, followed by 15-minute virtual sets by the likes of Tina Schlieske, Adam Levy, Mother Banjo, Mary Bue, Vicky Emerson, Faith Boblett, Joyann Parker, Annie Mack and Fathom Lane’s Michael Ferrier, before Roquet herself wraps it up. Proceeds benefit her GoFundMe page. (11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Facebook.) Chris Riemenschneider
MUSIC
BACK CATALOG LISTENING PARTY: Hosts Mother Banjo and Anthony Ihrig with Dean Magraw. 4 p.m. today. Facebook.
OBOEBASS: 7 p.m. today. Facebook.
SONGS FOR FEELING BETTER: A virtual variety show. 8 p.m. today. Facebook.
FLIP PHONE: Robyn digital dance party and drag show featuring Detox. 9 p.m. today. Zoom: 819 2189 8106 and Twitch.tv/FlipPhoneEvents; Queen digital drag brunch. 1 p.m. Sat. Zoom Code: 964 9268 0354 or Twitch.tv/FlipPhoneEvents; Britney vs. Christina digital dance party and drag show. 9 p.m. Sat. Zoom: 964 9268 0354 or Twitch.tv/flipphoneevents; “A Muther’s Day Digital Drag Show,” featuring Darienne Lake, Pandora Boxx and Mrs. Kasha Davis. 4 p.m. Sun. Zoom: 637-819-7522; Twitch.tv/FlipPhoneEvents.
TED HAJNASIEWICZ: 10 a.m. Sat. Facebook.
MISTER JIM’S CONCERT FOR KIDS: 10:30 a.m. Sat.; 3 p.m. Wed. jamesschattauer.com.
MINNEAPOLIS MUSIC MOVEMENT: Virtual concert of local artists. Noon. Sat. Facebook.
KELLEY HUNT: 7 p.m. Sat. Facebook.
MICHAEL MONROE: 7 p.m. Sat. Facebook.
VIRTUAL CONCERT SERIES: Featuring a variety of local artists. 8 p.m. Sat. Facebook.
MOTHER BANJO SUNDAY SINGALONG: 11 a.m. Sun. Facebook.
ST. PAUL CIVIC SYMPHONY: Previously recorded clips from past concerts. 1 p.m. Sun. landmarkcenter.org.
JOE NICOLA: 2 p.m. Sun. Facebook.
ST. OLAF JAZZ: 3:30 p.m. Sun. YouTube.
SCHUBERT CLUB: Previously recorded performance of the Danish String Quartet. 4 p.m. Sun. schubert.org.
SUNDAY SUPPER WITH VICKY EMERSON: 5 p.m. Sun. Facebook and Instagram.
TEAGUE ALEXY: 6:30 p.m. Mon. Facebook.
LESLIE VINCENT: 7 p.m. Mon. Facebook and Instagram.
JEREMY MESSERSMITH: 8 p.m. Mon. Instagram
CURTIS AND LORETTA: 7 p.m. Tue. Facebook.
RALPH’S WORLD: Virtual family concert. 5 p.m. Thu. Ridgedale Center Facebook and Instagram pages.
JAZZ FEST LIVE: Jennifer Grimm and Joe Cruz. 7 p.m. Thu. Twin Cities Jazz Fest Facebook page and crowdcast.io/tcjazzfestival.
HIP AT HOME: A Twin Cities Early Music series of concerts recorded at home or other locations without an audience. tcearlymusic.org.
MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA: Recorded at home concerts with musicians. minnesotaorchestra.org.
ST. PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: Online catalog of previous performances. thespco.org.
ARTS
ST. CROIX VALLERY POTTERY TOUR: Artist chats, studio tours and pottery sales. Today-Sun. minnesotapotters.com.
AHNALI TRAN: Virtual opening for the exhibit “Do You Know if Wooden Birds Can Fly.” 5 p.m. today. jdgravesfoundation.org.
MU-TINI HOUR: Lily Tung Crystal hosts artistic director Snehal Desai, director Emilya Cachapero and playwright Philip Kan Gotanda. 7 p.m. today. theatermu.org.
STEVIE RAY’S COMEDY CABARET: 7 p.m. today. YouTube.
COAST TO COAST ROAST: Twin Cities comedians compete against other cities in an online comedy battle. 7:30 p.m. today; 7 p.m. Mon. heliumpresents.com.
VIRTUAL AUDIENCE OPEN MIC NIGHT: Hosted by the Comedy Corner Underground. 8 p.m. today. Facebook.
TRYLON CINEMA: Virtual screening of “Shaolin vs. Wu Tang” with live commentary from rapper RZA and Hollywood Theatre programmer Dan Halsted. 8:15 p.m. today. $10. trylon.org.
MIDWAY MIC: A variety of comedians hosted by Derek Meyers. 9 p.m. today. Instagram.
ACME COMEDY CO: Virtual show with Jackie Kashian, Mary Mack and Tim Harmston. 8 p.m. Sat. $11. acmecomedycompany.com.
BRAVE NEW WORKSHOP: A digital comedy series. 8 p.m. Sat. Facebook and YouTube.
PATRICK’S TRANSATLANTIC CABARET: 2 p.m. Sun. $15. https://tinyurl.com/TransatlanticCabaret.
DAY DRINKING WITH MOM: Virtual comedy show. 8 p.m. Sun. $10. wendymayburycomedy.com.
MICHAEL’S MONDAY MADNESS: Virtual happy hour with Michael Brindisi, artistic director of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, and actor Michelle Barber. 5 p.m. Mon. Facebook.
MISS RICHFIELD 1981 BINGO BONANZA: 7 p.m. Mon. & Thu. playbingobonanza.com.
MU MONDAYS: Virtual table readings of work by Asian playwrights. 7 p.m. Mon. theatermu.org.
HUGE THEATER: “Show X Rerun,” previously performed shows. 8 p.m. Mon. YouTube.
DINNER AND DISCUSSION: A virtual dinner and presentation with Franconia Sculpture Park fellow Tom Bierlein. 6 p.m. Tue. $10. Facebook.
VIRTUAL PAINT NITE: 7 p.m. Tue. yaymaker.com.
ALLIANCE FRANCAIS VIRTUAL GALA: 7 p.m. Wed. afmsp.org.
THEATER THURSDAY: Previous recordings of Landmark Center’s history plays. Noon. Thu. landmarkcenter.org
AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE: Online Nordic handicraft activity. 6:30 p.m. Thu. $5. Virtual tour of the exhibit “extra/ordinary.” asimn.org.
CELTIC JUNCTION: A digital exhibition of Irish works. Also story hour videos for children. celticjunction.org.
CIRCA GALLERY: “Lately.” Group exhibition. Ends May 25. artsy.net/circa
GROVELAND GALLERY: Virtual exhibition of works by Carolyn Brunelle. grovelandgallery.com.
KATHA DANCE THEATRE: Highlights from “Mother/Daughter — On the Border.” vimeo.com/415247338.
LAKEVILLE AREA ARTS CENTER: Online arts workshops and videos of art projects. lakevilleareaartscenter.com.
LANDMARK CENTER: Virtual tour of “Polish Art: Brooklyn to Minnesota” exhibition. Ends June 7. landmarkcenter.org.
THE M @HOME: An array of online engagement from the Minnesota Museum of American Art, including short videos of the current exhibition “A Choice of Weapons, Honor and Dignity: The Visions of Gordon Parks and Jamel Shabazz.” mmaa.org
MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: Four virtual cinema films. mspfilm.org.
OMNIFEST AT HOME: View films from the Science Museum of Minnesota’s annual film festival, including “Dinosaurs Alive,” “Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs” and “Wild Ocean.” smm.org.
OPEN EYE FIGURE THEATRE: A rebroadcast of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” Ends May 31. openeyetheatre.org.
MINNSKY THEATRE: “Pokeus Hoekus,” a free digital “Hocus Pocus” parody. YouTube. Ends June 14.
VIRTUAL ART OF POSSIBILITIES ART SHOW AND SALE: Juried show of works by artists with disabilities. Ends May 21. courageart.org.
WALKER AT HOME: Digital content featuring curator introduction of the museum’s “Living Collections Catalogue.”
Also online archive of dialogues, live artist talks and film retrospectives. walkerart.org.
FAMILY
ANOKA COUNTY LIBRARY STORY TIME: 10:15 a.m. weekdays. Facebook.
ST. PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY STORY TIME: 10:30 a.m. weekdays. Facebook.
WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY STORY TIME: 10:30 a.m. weekdays. washcolib.org.
DAKOTA COUNTY LIBRARY: Story time. 9:30 a.m. today, Mon. & Wed. Virtual art activities. 2 p.m. Mon.-Fri. West African Storytelling. 10 a.m. Thu. Facebook.
RAMSEY COUNTY LIBRARY STORY TIME: 10:30 a.m. today, Mon.; Baby story time. 10:30 a.m. Wed.
FAMILY EXPLORATIONS: Scrapbook costume design with Sheen Janson Kelly. 10 a.m. Saturday. theatermu.org.
SASSY LASSY TRIVIA: 7 p.m. Saturday. Facebook.
LIVE STREAMING TRIVIA WITH RAITER LIVE: 8 p.m. Sat. YouTube.
VIRTUAL FAMILY DAY: A celebration of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage month with puppetry, collage making and storytelling. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. artsmia.org.
VIRTUAL FAMILY PAINT PARTY: A free event hosted by Create Joy DIY Studio. 2 p.m. Sun. Facebook.
THREE RIVERS PARKS: Naturalist Story Time. Noon today; Nature’s Classroom. 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri.; Story Time in the Barn. 10 a.m. Mon.; Try It Tuesday. 1 p.m. Tue.; E-Co Art for Kids. 3 p.m. Tue.; Stump the Naturalist. 10:15 a.m. Wed. Facebook.
VIRTUAL PJ STORY TIME: 7 p.m. Thu. Wild Rumpus Facebook page.
VIRTUAL FARM BABIES: The Minnesota Zoo shares photos and videos of the newest residents at the Wells Fargo Family Farm. Ends May 17. mnzoo.org.
BOOKS
CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK: Wild Rumpus hosts special story times. Spanish story time. 9 a.m. today; Kelly Barnhill reads “The Thirteen Clocks.” 2 p.m. today-Tue.; live story time for preschoolers. 11 a.m. Sat. Facebook and Instagram.
VIRTUAL FOLD-ALONG: The Minnesota Center for Book Arts leads a class on making a portrait pop-out card. 11 a.m. today. Facebook.
NORA MCINERNY: “Bad Moms.” 4 p.m. Sun. $10. theparkwaytheater.com.
CURT BROWN: “Minnesota 1918.” 7 p.m. Thu. nextchapterbooksellers.com.