This + that: DreamHaven Books on the move

June 8, 2008 at 3:36AM

The longtime sci-fi, fantasy and comic book retailer is leaving its W. Lake Street home but not south Minneapolis. The shop is in the process of relocating to smaller quarters at 38th Street and 23rd Avenue S. The plan is to have the new store open by the end of August, said DreamHaven owner Greg Ketter. The Highpoint Center for Printmaking bought the old location and plans to renovate it before reopening in 2009.

Ketter received Highpoint's offer before he had even thought about moving. He had more of a neighborhood location in mind as he looked at 200-plus buildings before buying a former video store.

The move won't be the only change for DreamHaven. Ketter plans to stock more used books and more general reading titles, including mysteries and Westerns, and curtail the comics. Readings will continue.

VINCE TUSS

Moving on up Minneapolis Musical Theatre is headed upstairs. The small but sturdy troupe that specializes in quirky musicals announced a move to the Illusion Theater for the 2008-09 season.

Illusion's stage is on the eighth floor of the Hennepin Center for the Arts, 528 Hennepin Av. S. MMT has spent the past five years at Hennepin Stages, just a few blocks down the street.

MMT had a nomadic first five years, then blossomed at the tiny Bryant- Lake Bowl. The Hennepin Stages move was aggressive, but fortuitous, coming right after Hey City Stage moved out.

Illusion offers twice the number of seats as well as better sight lines, technical capacities, backstage flexibility, you name it. Managing director Jim Pounds said MMT's one-year deal is strictly rental.

MMT's season opens Oct. 10 with the area premiere of "Bright Lights, Big City." Next winter, "The Secret Garden" runs March 13-29, and the season concludes with "Zanna, Don't!" June 5-21, 2009.

GRAYDON ROYCE

No-show Lynne Alt-country darling Shelby Lynne has scrapped her tour this month, including a June 23 gig at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. She will return to the road in July and possibly to the Twin Cities in the fall. Meanwhile, refunds for the Guthrie show are available at place of purchase.

JON BREAM

McKnighted dancers Three Twin Cities dancers and three choreographers just got a little richer with $25,000 McKnight Artist Fellowships for 2008. The choreographers are Carl Flink, Paula Mann and Laurie Van Wieren; dancer recipients Mary Ann Bradley, Kats Fukasawa and Roxane Wallace also receive money to commission a new solo dance piece from a choreographer of her choice. Those works will be seen in a program at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis in the 2009-10 season.

CLAUDE PECK

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