By: Spencer Doar

Sonja picked her out the moment she opened her mouth. Her soft, but powerful, croon stood out amid a field of tested musicians.

That was the simple, right-place, right-time meeting of bassist Sonja Glass and vocalist Valeska Steiner, who would quickly form the duo Boy.

“We complete each other somehow, musically,” Glass said. “She was so special to me.”

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By: Tom Johnson

In the all-ages world of bird watching, the Birdchick strives for a PG-13 rating.

At birding conferences, you may see her cracking a smile at the mention of the blue-footed tit or the master cock.

“I don’t know why ornithologists always seem to come up with such dirty names for things,” she said. “I feel like I’m 13 years old sometimes.”

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By: Callie Sacarelos

Even if you’re the most boring person on earth, you have a story to tell. In fact, being the most boring person on earth has the makings of a great story.

That’s why Mimi Nguyen started Story Club Minneapolis, one of the more recent shows to pop up on the Twin Cities’ “live lit” scene.

“If someone said to me, ‘I don't think that I have a story to tell,’ I would say, ‘Well, that in itself is a story. … That's interesting and sad. Let's talk about it," she said.

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By: Emily Eveland

Joshua Tillman, otherwise known as Father John Misty, is a guitar-playing wordsmith and former Fleet Foxes drummer, notorious for his usage of hallucinogenic mushrooms and his departure from a devout Christian upbringing — but he’s sick of talking about it.

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By: Tom Johnson

The Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul is a story of African American experience. Since its founding on the wave of the Black Arts Movement, the artistic arm of Black Power, the Penumbra has staged more than 150 performances of African American drama and guided the narrative of Afro thought in American theater.

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By: Thom Q. Johnson

STUFF TO DO

Friday

What: Neil Hamburger

Where: The Turf Club; 1601 University Ave., St. Paul

When: Doors at 9 p.m.

Price: $12

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By: Joe Kellen

1955 and 2013. Two eras that don’t jive, unless you’re in Frank Theater’s production of “Maple and Vine.”

Jordan Harrison’s play deals with a couple dissatisfied by the fast-paced modern world. With hopes for a less complicated life, the two decide to join a cult whose goal is to recreate 1955 for eternity.

Director Wendy Knox’s assistant, Chris Garza, said they took pains to make sure that the fifties and the present become difficult to separate.

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By: Alexander Brodsky

Have Dinkytown's eateries left you penniless? Tricked you into spending $14 on a hamburger you didn’t really need in the first place? Enticed you into getting a “quick bite” after class?

From time to time, we’ve all been overcome by the food options the Dink tempts us with. Don't let it take your money and hang you out to dry.

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By: Joe Kellen

“World” is something of a theater buzzword. Every play is supposed to create a unique one, but it’s rare for an audience to see something truly distinctive.

For director Steve Busa, “Ich, Kürbisgeist” presented an opportunity to make that rarity happen.

“All of the preconditions that you bring into the theater with you are really challenged. It doesn’t follow the linear order of things,” he said.

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By: Emily Eveland

Tucked behind a Sears Outlet Center and a tall chain link fence sits Mu Performing Arts, the only pan-Asian theater company in Minnesota, marked by an unassuming square sign hanging near the driveway. It’s easy for first-time visitors to question whether they’re in the right place.

Beyond the front door, a dark carpeted hallway awaits, revealing a room piled from floor to ceiling with props. Visitors must then follow signs dangling from overhead beams that lead them through the maze of warehouse hallways to the hidden wonder that is Mu’s theater studio.

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