Juan Esteban Usubillaga: The Jaguar’s Way—opens May 17, 7 to 11 pm. at the Joan of Art Gallery, 3020 E. Franklin Ave. The Gallery, featuring designs by Kimber Fiebiger, is #17 of 50 homes in the Mpls/St.Paul Home Tour Show.

Faithful Fools Street Ministry
May 1 through 12
Faithful Fools provide Street Retreats where people from all walks of life are invited to bear witness to the realities of the streets, and “discover on the streets our common humanity.” Faithful Fools will be offering four street retreats in the Twin Cities. Dates and registration information can be found at www.faithfulfools.org or by calling 415-474-0508. Faithful Fools is also bringing two one- woman plays written and directed by Martha Boesing. THE WITNESS is based on the ten Ox-herding pictures of the ancient Zen Buddhist teachings and on the testimonies of street retreatants with the Faithful Fools. It follows the journey of a young woman onto the streets, who comes to understand that she must look at the assumptions of her own mind before she can enter wholeheartedly into the community of all living beings.

SONG OF THE MAGPIE
is about a 69-year-old woman who goes out to experience the world as a homeless person by living on the streets for a week. The play portrays the dangers, hardships and unexpected humanity that is found there. THE WITNESS will be performed on: May 3 at 2 pm., First Universalist Church, 3400 Dupont Ave. S.; May 3 at 7 pm. at the First Unitarian Society of Mpls., 900 Mount Curve Ave. A reading of SONG OF THE MAGPIE will be presented on: May 6 at 7 pm.,Walker Community Church, 3104 16th Ave. S.; May 7 at 7:30 pm., Unity Unitarian Church, 732 Holly Av in St. Paul; May 8 at 7 pm., St Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 4527 3rd Ave.; May 11, at 9 am., Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center, 3336 E. 25th St.

Spring + Flowers + Pottery = Happy Mother’s Day!
May 9, 5 to 8 pm. May 10, 10am. to 6 pm.
Northern Clay Center
2424 E. Franklin Ave.
The sale will include a variety of handmade sculptures, functional ceramics and pottery. Welcome in spring with pots perfect for potted and cut flowers. Join us at the Northern Clay Center to meet artists, see our studios, enjoy refreshments, and find the perfect gift for mom!

Midtown Freewheel Bike Center Grand Opening
May 16, 4 to 7 pm.
Midtown Greenway
(29th St. S. & Chicago Ave.)
Mayor R.T. Rybak and other dignitaries will bike to the Freewheel Midtown Bike Center behind Allina Headquaters and cut the ribbon during the grand opening ceremony. Freewheel Midtown Bike Center Partners, Peace Coffee and the Midtown Global Market will provide free food, music and beverages throughout the day.

Celebration in East Phillips Park
May 17th,
11 am. to 3 pm.
E 24th S and Cedar Ave. S (near Holy Rosary Church and Little Earth.)
The East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center Design Team and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will co-host a multicultural and intergenerational event celebrating the neighborhood's diversity and anticipation of a new cultural and community center to be built on the site in the future. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union is the primary community sponsor for the event. The official program runs from 11 am. until 3 pm. with some free food and many "door prizes". Winners must be present to take gifts home. Most are donated from local businesses. A brief program at noon will include featured guest artist Tom Lane, professor of art at the University of Minnesota who will make a special memorial signed photo presentation to people on the Waite House bus during the I 35 bridge collapse. Although the event will promote some fundraising for the building, it is primarily "fun raising" and will include a community talent show (auditions at 10 am.); a decorated bike and trike parade; karaoke in Spanish and English; a "moon walk"; ethnic craft demonstrations; a variety of cultural performers on stage; traditional field games for children and youth; exhibition soccer; story- telling in numerous local languages; and perhaps a tour of police and fire department vehicles. Representatives from the Franklin Library will be available with summer reading program information.
Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and to wear clothing indicative of their cultural heritages. Community members are invited to participate as volunteers, performers, craft demonstrators and program sponsors. Additional local service providers, nonprofits, and businesses wanting to participate are also welcome. Please contact Linda Leonard at leona005@umn.edu or bpass@usinternet.com for more information.

WAMM Walk Against Weapons
May 24, 10:30 am. Meet at Alliant Techsystems (ATK) Old Corporate Headquarters, 5050 Lincoln Drive, Edina. Participate in the WAMM Walk Against Weapons, a 5.5 mile walk replacing the discontinued Headwaters Walk for Justice. The walk is a fundraiser for WAMM and is in collaboration with AlliantACTION, a local group that holds weekly vigils at ATK, the largest Minnesota based military contractor. The walk will start at ATK's old corporate headquarters and will end at ATK's new corporate headquarters. FFI: Call 612-827-5364 or visit www.worldwidewamm.org.

Spring Fiesta
June 5, 5 to 7:30 pm.
Hiawatha Community School
4201 – 42nd Ave. S.
Food, games and fun activities. Silent Auction/Raffle.

ART

The American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Ave. S.
612-871-4907
americanswedishinst
.org
Etchings by Swedish Artist Anders Zorn
Feb. 6-June 1

Art of This
3506 Nicollet Ave.
612-721-4105
artofthis.net
Chris Johanson and Jo Jackson
May 3-June 1

Christensen Center Art Gallery
Augsburg College
22nd Ave. at 7 1/2 St.
612-330-1524
augsburg.edu/galleries
Interior2 Photographs by Doug McGoldrick
May 11-July 11

Circa Gallery
210 N. 1st St.
612-332-2386
circagallery.org
Christopher Santer
Apr. 19-May 16

Flanders
3012 Lyndale Ave. S.
612-344-1700
flanders-art.com
Dinner with Judy
Apr. 24-June 14
Cheryn Prentice-Holstead
Apr. 24-June 14

The Joan of Art Gallery
3020 E. Franklin Ave.
612-338-2511
Juan Esteban Usubillaga:The Jaguar’s Way
May 17-June 30

Minneapolis College of Art and Design
2501 Stevens Ave.
612-874-3700
mcad.edu
MFA Thesis Exhibition 2008 at Soap Factory and SooVAC
Apr. 21-May 11

Minneapolis
Institute of Arts
2400 3rd Ave. S.
612-870-3131
artsmia.org
Arts of Japan: The John C. Weber
Collection
Feb. 24-May 25
In Full Bloom:
Masterworks of
Flower Illustration
Until June. 15
Metamorphosis: Maria
Sibylla Merian’s Insects
of Suriname
Until June. 15

Northern Clay
Center
2424 E. Franklin Ave.
612-339-8007
northernclaycenter.org
Architecture and Ceramics: Material, Structure, Vision
May 9-June29

The Shoebox Gallery
2948 Chicago Ave. S.
612-825-3833
From Beyond: The Undersea Watercolors of Martha Iserman
Mar.1-June 1

Susan Hensel Gallery
3441 Cedar Ave. S.
612-722-2324
The Wedding Party
May 2-May 30
Without Shadow
May 2-May 30

Vine Arts Center
2637 27th Ave. S.
612-728-5745
vineartscenter.com
The Figure and the Landscape
May 2-June 14

Walker Art Center
1750 Hennepin Ave. S.
612-375-7600
walkerart.org
Trisha Brown: So That the Audience Does Not Know Whether I Have Stopped Dancing
Apr. 18-July 20
Richard Prince: Spiritul America
Mar. 22-Sept. 14
Worlds Away: New Suburban Landscapes
Feb. 16-Aug. 17

Orchestra Hall
1111 Nicollet Mall
612-371-0838
minnesotaorchestra.
com
Schuberts Unfinished Symphony
May 8-May 10
Ravel and Mendelssohn
May 11
Voices Raised Masterwork with the Minnesota Chorale
May 15-May 17

THEATER

O&A— Three Asian Americans: a wanna-be rapper, a pothead and an intellectual are thrown into a world of speed dating and interrogations. Opens at the Mixed Blood Theater on May 22 and continues through June 8.

Bedlam Theater
1501 S. 6th St.
612-338-9817
bedlamtheater.org
Second Foundation School presents: Good bye, Berlin
May 2-May 10

Brave New
Workshop
2605 Hennepin Ave. S
612-332-6620
bravenewworkshop.com
The Brave New Workshop at 50
Old Enough to Know Better
Feb. 23-June 21
Wednesday Night Stand Up presented by The Brave New Workshop Cafe
Wednesdays

Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
810 W. Lake St.
612-825-8949
bryantlakebowl.com
Adventures in Mating
Monday’s
Sample Night Live
May 7
Godless
May 15, 22 & 29

Chanhassen Dinner & Theatres
501 W. 78th St.
952-934-1525
chanhassendt.com
42nd Street
Mar. 27-July 26

The Children’s Theatre Company
2400 3rd Ave. S.
612-874-0400
childrenstheatre.org
The Magic Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Apr. 22-June 15

The Guthrie
818 2nd Ave. S.
612-333-9202
guthrietheater.org
A Midsummers Night Dream
Apr. 12-June 22

The Jungle
Theater
2951 Lyndale Ave. S.
612-822-7063
jungletheater.com
Rabbit Hole
Mar. 28-May 11

The Minnesota Cenntenial Showboat
Harriet Island Regional Park
651-227-1100
showboat.umn.edu
The Count of Monte Cristo
June 13-Aug. 23

Mixed Blood
Theater
1501 S. 4th St.
612-338-6131
mixedblood.com
Mu Performing Arts presents: Taiko Lab
May 9-May 10
Mu Performing Arts presents: Q&A
May 22-June 8

Old Log Theater
5185 Meadville St.
952-474-5951
oldlog.com
Forever Plaid
Apr. 9-Sept. 27

Patrick’s Cabaret
3010 Minnehaha Ave. S.
612-724-6273
patrickscabaret.org
Noche Hispana Cuatro
May 9-May 10
Out Rage Us
May 27

The Southern
Theater
1420 Washington Ave. S.
612-340-1725
southerntheater.org
ARENA Dances
May. 8-May 10
Cantus Vocal Ensemble
May 16-May 18
Electric Eyes: New Music and Media Festival
May 30-June 7

Theatre in the
Round Players
245 Cedar Ave. S.
612-333-3010
theatreintheround.org
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Apr. 25-May. 18

FOOD
ASSISTANCE

Minnehaha United
Methodist Church
(3701 E. 50th St.)
The church gives away
surplus perishables, such
as produce and breads,
the fourth Saturday of
each month. The
MinneHarvest starts at
9 am. and closes at 10
am. The food shelf at
MUMC is open Tues., Wed. and Fri. from noon to 3 pm.

COMMUNITY
UPDATES

Chicago Avenue to be repaved in 2009 from 28th st to downtown. This will be a complete tear out of pavement, curbs, sidewalks, etc.

Youth of Color Apprenticeship Program
(YOCAP) is seeking business owners of color and corporations with individuals of color in leadership roles for help in securing jobs for 30 youth for summer apprenticeships for the period of June 16, through August 29. The program will pay each participant a $2,500 stipend. If you are interested in participating in the YOCAP program, email Willie Carlton at tempd01@aol.com and provide primary contact information. Ms. Carlton will arrange to meet with designated staff to assist in designing a job description appropriate to your needs as well as answer any questions.

Free Foreclosure Help
If you are currently in foreclosure,behind in your monthly payments,or currently in an adjustable rate mortgage, ACORN can help with free loan counseling. Also available is first time homebuyer assistance. Call Minnesota ACORN at 651-642-9639.

Hennepin County takes electronics free of charge, year-round, from residents at drop-off facilities in Bloomington and Brooklyn Park. Electronics accepted include TVs, computers (CPUs, monitors, laptops), computer peripherals (keyboards, printers, etc), VCRs, DVD players, stereos and more. Some quantity limits apply. These items are accepted from households only. For more information on Hennepin County’s Drop-off Facilities and how to recycle electronics, call 612-348-3777.