Opera Riff-Raff, 7-Shot Symphony, A Naughty Basement Party, and 2 Gingers Whiskey

Photo by Bunny

MY WEEKENDS SEEM TO BE STARTING earlier and earlier each week -- Wednesdays lately. But I'm nursing a cold, so this week I started hopping-to on Thursday. From the amount of people downtown later in the week, Thursday has been the new Friday for some time now anyway.

If I may, I'd like to comment on the state of Downtown Minneapolis -- specifically the southeast corner of the infamous Block E. This location has been home to many entities, Hopscotch Grill being the most recent failed business. Now that Hopscotch Grill is closed, opera music plays on exterior speakers outside of the dark windows, presumably to dissuade any ne'er do-wells from loitering on the corner. Each time I pass by this corner I'm a bit sad that the top-hat-and-tails crowd hasn't claimed the territory as their own. I think I would quite enjoy some opera riff-raff.

This weekend was a busy one for Bunny and me.

Thursday we headed over to the Loring Theater for The 7-Shot Symphony performed by local physical theater troupe Live Action Set. Aside from an energetic live band and a few wardrobe pieces -- mostly hats and duster-style longcoats -- the stage is just about as barren as the dusty plains on which these stories are set. When members of the cast aren't acting as characters, they themselves become the set pieces by making shwooshing wind noises and moving their hands like tumble weed, for instance, or the swinging doors of a saloon. Though this show is a Western, the characters are characters from classic myths. Between the old-style western shoot-out scenes, there are plenty of tender moments and the members of Live Action Set transition swiftly between the multiple storylines. See it if you have the chance.

Friday night was exciting, as it was the world debut of Basement Porn Party, a play written by Bunny and I. We're fans of chaos and have been experimenting making Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control theater and I am happy to report that Basement Porn Party certainly delivers. Scott Pakudaitis found and directed a wonderful and willing cast and, most importantly, provided his very own basement in which to stage the play. This show's audience is very limited in number and is restricted to invite-only. On a personal note, let me extend my apologies to the after-party and cast for leaving a little earlier than expected. My cold was acting up and I had to go home to circle bed and cling to a hot cup of whiskey-spiked tea.

Kieran and 2 Gingers

Bunny and I took a brisk late-morning walk Saturday to meet with Kieran Folliard, owner of The Local, The Liffey, Cooper's, and Kieran's Irish Pub. He'll be debuting yet another business venture -- not a new pub, but something to drink at his pubs: whiskey. Let there be no mistake -- there is no shortage of whiskey in any of Folliard's pubs. (For those of you who don't know it, The Local sells the most Jameson in the world.) With the help of Cooly, the last remaining independent distillery in Ireland, Folliard took great care in creating something worth sipping: 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey. "I wanted something that could stand on its own two feet," Folliard said. And, after having a healthy-sized sample (Bunny and I brought home a bottle), I would agree that it's good to have whiskey that can stand on its own -- even if, after a few generous tastes, you cannot.

2 Gingers is undoubtedly distinct from all of the other brands of whiskey I've tried. It is smooth and, as Folliard says, "It has an edge to it." But it's a savory edge that is soon subtly overtaken with a sweetness that isn't too sweet. I definitely took pause before my next sips to enjoy the aftertaste. This is a great whiskey to drink on the rocks, but it also mixes well with ginger ale to create the Big Ginger, The Local's signature drink. 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey will be available at all of Folliard's Irish pubs beginning March 16.

The pounding of hard-shoe Irish dancing filled the rotunda of St. Paul's Landmark Center on Sunday for The Day of Irish Dance. Various rooms were dedicated to musical performances, readings, and even a small Irish marketplace, but the main rotunda was dedicated to the many local students of Irish dancing. Ranging from toddlers to 20 year olds, girls topped with tightly curled wigs and dressed in colorful dresses embroidered with Celtic knot patterns took the stage throughout the day to perform. Finished with their set, some of the girls, still donning their hard-soled dance shoes, climbed the marble steps of the Landmark Center with such force that it sounded like a herd of horses had figured out how to use hammers during a stampede. Feeding my delight for chaos, I thought this was perhaps the best part of the festival.

Photo by Bunny

My weekend concluded Sunday evening at the Guthrie Theater. David Hyde Pierce spoke on stage in conversation with Joe Dowling, the theater's Artistic Director. Pierce shared stories from his college years at Yale, where at first he trained as a concert pianist. Dowling asked how that lead to an acting career. "Well, what was key," Pierce said, "was that I wasn't a very good concert pianist."

He shared several stories from the beginning of his career as a theater actor, to his transition into television and film, and then back into theater. He told a few anecdotes from his time working on the television show Frasier, as well. Influenced by his fellow actors, he learned how to be a wine drinker. "I was never a wine drinker because I so thoroughly love alcohol," Pierce said. After hearing that, I found it funny that he didn't immediately know he wanted to be an actor.

It's almost Wednesday, and Thursday, of course, is St. Pat's. There is certainly a wild adventure or two lurking in the coming days. Stay tuned.