Balls open mic cabaret has been a late-night staple of the Minneapolis scene for over 20 years now. The midnight event, hosted by creator Leslie Ball, welcomes a wide range of participants. What audiences might see on any given evening varies wildly per week, but may include an acoustic song from an out-of-town musician, a standup set from a college student, a musical number from local actors looking to geek out, unicycle stunts, or even some anarchist poetry. Any segment has the potential to be offensive, enlightening, hysterically funny, or just plain odd. Since the show has been going on for so long, on occasion you might even see several generations of family onstage. Balls also offers an alternative to dance nights and last calls at pubs, as it is a sober event. Looking to take the stage? Though the show never censors or screens performances, everyone must attend at least one happening beforehand in order to get a feeling for what the evening is about (answer: late-night fun, of course). (Photo by Pete Thomas)
Balls is a Minneapolis-must-see for any lover of theater, vaudeville, or just simple spontaneity. Leslie Ball is a local treasure + her cabaret provides an incredibly positive + hilarious environment for artists and audiences of all kinds. In the several years I've gone, I've seen glow-in-the-dark jugglers doing routines to Weezer, I've seen couples dance while peeling root vegetables all over the stage, I've even seen Maria Bamfam and Tay Zonday! They even let me read poetry in my underwear ;-) As was noted, Balls is an uneven blend of pros+amateurs...but that's the way it should be. Never predictable and never boring. Even if there wasn't a good performance in the lot it would be worth going just to hear Ochen DJ + watch Leslie dance. P.S. -- it's been going for over 20 years! (not just 18)
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