9 cultural things to experience this week

As October gives way to November, the Twin Cities lean into transformation — through ritual, remembrance and a little rock ‘n’ roll. From the fiery puppetry of Barebones to the haunting harmonies of “Carmina Burana” at the Fitzgerald, it’s a week where art and afterlife mingle freely.

‘Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular Tour’ at the Orpheum — Oct. 31

Half a century later, and the fishnets still fit. The cult classic returns to the Orpheum for a raucous screening featuring three original cast members, a live shadow cast (costumed performers acting along with the movie) and plenty of audience call-backs. Prop bags are provided — so yes, you’ll have everything you need to throw, shout and dance the “Time Warp” properly.

‘Così fan tutte’ at the Ordway Music Theater — Nov. 1–9

Mozart’s mischievous opera turns fidelity into a dare, then watches the fallout with a smirk. Two couples test devotion in a swirl of temptation and disguise, all set to some of the composer’s most luminous music. At the Minnesota Opera, it’s romance and role-play at their most human — and their most entertaining.

‘Up in Smoke’ at Powderhorn Park — Oct. 30–Nov. 2

Barebones Puppet Theatre’s annual Halloween ritual rises again with "Up in Smoke," a firelit pageant of resistance, grief and rebirth. Expect towering puppets, live music, stilts and the familiar chill of Powderhorn Park at night. Now in its 32nd year, the show continues to evolve — but the expressive puppetry remains at its heart. ASL and audio description on Nov. 1.

David Huckfelt performs at the Turf Club in St. Paul on Sept. 12, 2024. The former frontman of The Pines returns Nov. 1 to The Cedar with his band The Unarmed Forces, previewing songs from his forthcoming 2026 album — a night of poetic folk, political spirit and surprise collaborations.

Liam James Doyle for MPR News

David Huckfelt & The Unarmed Forces with Nona Invie at the Cedar Cultural Center — Nov. 1

The Cedar in Minneapolis hosts a rare glimpse into what’s next from the former Pines frontman. Huckfelt previews songs from his forthcoming 2026 album alongside a powerhouse band featuring. Expect folk mysticism, political poetry and a few unannounced guests — plus an opening set from the ever-haunting Nona Invie.

‘Gales of November’ at The O’Shaughnessy — Nov. 1

Fifty years after the Edmund Fitzgerald vanished into Lake Superior, "Gales of November" revisits the storm that still haunts the Great Lakes. This touring concert adaptation of Steven Dietz’s "Ten November" brings together Minnesota legends Kevin Kling, Prudence Johnson, Ruth MacKenzie and Claudia Schmidt at The O’Shaughnessy, weaving songs by Eric Peltoniemi with haunting tales of loss, myth and memory.

Festival De Las Calaveras at the Hook and Ladder — Nov. 1

This 13th annual gathering celebrates Día de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead — not to be confused with Halloween. It’s a vibrant homage to life, memory and community through music, food trucks and art. The lowriders will roll in, too, bringing that iconic (and perpetually cool) side of Latino culture to the Hook and Ladder’s lot.

'Carmina Burana' at the Fitzgerald Theater — Nov. 1–2

Twin Cities Ballet revives Loyce Houlton’s choreography for Carl Orff’s "Carmina Burana," a work that still feels as raw and sensuous as the day it premiered. At the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, dance, live orchestra and the Minnesota Chorale collide in a full-bodied collaboration about love, lust and fate.

'Those Who Remain Turn the Pages' at Theatre in the Round — Nov. 1–9

Theatre in the Round hands its stage to the next generation with "Those Who Remain Turn the Pages," a new triptych by Del Martin performed by students from the FAIR School for the Arts. Mixing zombies, vampire-like beings and moral gray zones, the show turns the audience into judge and jury, asking who the real monster is when survival’s on the line.

65th Arrowhead Regional Biennial at the Duluth Art Institute — Through Dec. 19

At 65 years and counting, the Duluth Art Institute’s biennial is one of the country’s longest-running juried shows. This year’s exhibition brings together more than 90 artists from across the upper Midwest and Ontario, all working within the past five years -- and none with AI. Juried by artist Wendy Savage of the Fond du Lac Band, the show awarded first place to Minnesota printmaker Nancy Ariza for "De Hilo a Hilo 1 (From Thread to Thread 1)," a geometric print inspired by Mexican embroidery and made during her residency at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis.

The veil may be thin, but the calendar’s thick.