Through April 13
Theater
Sohrab and Rustum. Don’t think I am being facetious when I declare that it is about time this Zoroastrian epic poem reached the Twin Cities stages, because, as far as I am concerned, theater such as this is due and past due. One of theater’s better functions, too rarely explored, is to dramatize histories and cultures alien to a mainstream audience. Zoroastrianism, with a scant 200,000 followers worldwide, is probably unknown to most Twin Cities theatergoers, and we can thank Center for Independent Artists cofounder Zaraawar Mistry for casting light on this ancient religion. Specifically, Mistry is Parsi, a branch of Zoroastrians that fled Persia to India, and the story he tells here is from that history. Mistry is a first-rate storyteller, and here he looks at a classical Parsi story in which two warriors, father and son, battle each other to the death. Mistry parallels this with a contemporary story of familial strife, and his story weaves back and forward in time, generated by a simple gesture or shift in vocal tone by Mistry. We live in a world of great stories, and if it were not for storytellers such as Mistry, some of the greatest would go untold. $6-$12. Call Ticketworks for reservations and showtimes at (612) 343-3390. ASL performance on April 13. Center For Independent Artists, 4137 Bloomington Ave S, Mpls.; (612) 343-3390
Through April 21
Theater
Someplace Soft to Fall. The Penumbra Theatre ends this season with a dark comedy centering on the experiences of family tragedy. Three family members die during the play, and the entire performance focuses on one character’s emotional reactions as she interacts with the rest of her family. Her memories are jagged and her concept of time shifts, making for unexpected dialog. Elayn J. Taylor plays the protagonist’s serious, bewildered personality with the heavy influence of cynicism. Penumbra Theatre, 270 Kent St., St. Paul; (651) 224-31801`.
Ongoing
Cabaret
Balls. Every week Leslie Ball asks who has come to her midnight cabaret for the first time, and every week she gets a small showing of hands. Thus, every week Ball explains that if ever she sees no hands, she will close down the cabaret. So far she has managed to find new audiences for a decade; let’s keep her late-night, wide-open cabaret going for at least another 10 years. $5. Midnight at the Southern Theatre, 1420 Washington Ave S (Seven Corners area), Mpls.; (612) 340-1725
