Day: 1
Show: 2
Title: Arrest Me: A Musical Drama
Category: Musical Theater
Directed by: Ricardo Beaird
Location: Minneapolis Theatre Garage
Summary: A series of vignettes (including music, dramatic scenes, comedy, and spoken word) centered around the theme of Black Lives Matter.
Highlights: Written by K.D. Howells and featuring a cast of six singer/actors and four musicians, Arrest Me doesn't provide a single narrative, but rather several short narratives or explorations of themes around racism and what it means to be black in America today. Some scenes are better than others, highlighted by the gorgeous vocals of Katie Carney and Roland Hawkins (and a stirring spoken word performance by the latter), as well as some thoughtful monologues and scenes from different perspectives. The piece doesn't attempt to offer easy answers (because there are none), but does stress the need to listen to each other, truly see each other, and work together towards peace and equality. Despite some unevenness, overall it's a very powerful and moving experience.