MNfusion: Illusion Theater Opens 42nd Season With 'Finding Fish'

No stranger to hosting original works, the Illusion Theater will begin its 42nd season with such a show.

"Finding Fish," Carlyle Brown & Company's latest show, will begin the new season on Saturday evening.

Seated in the theater on the 8th floor of the Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, audience members will be transported to the East Coast years into the future.

The play focuses on the issue of food sustainability in the future, and the relationship between fishermen, scientists and government regulators on the Gulf of Maine.

When the story begins, audience members learn that fish have nearly been depleted from the oceans. However, one local fisherman is able to keep bringing in a catch.

As the story unravels, the source of his luck comes into question and his family ties are tested.

Brown uses his 20-years' experience as a captain of a 19th century sailing vessel, where he witnessed the degradation of the world's oceans, to form his work.

"Although I was never a fisherman, I witnessed the savage depletion of the fisheries first hand. As this planet comes to a critical moment in the human impact on its environmental evolution, I felt compelled to give voice to this particular perspective. I have no doubt that the issue of sustainability, especially regarding water and fishing, will resonate with Minnesota audiences," Brown said in a recent press release.

The show is directed by Noel Raymond, and features Jennifer Blagen, Paul de Cordova, Steve Hendrickson and Bill McCallum on stage. The creative team includes Clare Brach, Dean Holzman, C. Andrew Mayer and Mike Wangen.

This is the world premiere of Brown's show.

"Finding Fish" opens on Oct. 8 at the Illusion Theater. It runs through Oct. 29. Tickets cost between $25 and $30. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Illusion Theater online.