Best theater director: Lou Bellamy - Best of MN 2016

There probably is no finer interpreter of the work of August Wilson than Penumbra Theatre founder Lou Bellamy, who has been framing, interrogating and honoring African-American literature onstage for more than 40 years. A master storyteller who creates richly evocative stage pictures, Bellamy approaches scripts with an artistic eye, deep psychological inquiry and musicality. Bellamy's recent production of Amiri Baraka's "Dutchman" was an eruptive irrigation of what lurks in the souls of two characters. It was a reminder of his keen eye, his depth of knowledge, and his ability to meet great works at their level. penumbratheatre.org.

Best of Minnesota 2016