Ordway offers union-member discount on tickets to Sting’s ‘The Last Ship’

Union members can get steeply discounted tickets to see Sting’s Broadway musical, “The Last Ship,” at the Ordway in St. Paul next month.

“The Last Ship” tells the story of Gideon, a prodigal son returning home after 17 years at sea to find that the local shipyard his town was built around is closing, while Meg, the love he left behind, has moved on.

Tensions flare and picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White, played by Sting, rallies workers to take over the shipyard and build one last ship in the face of the gathering storm.

It’s a story about the power of collective action in the workplace, and in a nod to those who know it best, the Ordway is offering members of creative and labor unions tickets for just $49, discounted from the regular price of $90 to $155.

The discount applies to performances April 8, 14 and 15. Tickets must be purchased in advance at Ordway.org, using promo code UNION, or by calling the box office at 651-224-4222.

Union members must show a union card or other proof of membership to obtain their tickets at the box office.

“The Last Ship,” inspired by Sting’s 1991 album “The Soul Cages,” features a Tony Award-nominated original score by Sting. The performance, called “thrilling and stirring” by The Guardian newspaper, features some of Sting’s best-loved songs: “Island of Souls,” “All This Time” and “When We Dance.”

Learn more about the show, which runs April 8 to 19 on the Ordway Music Theater stage, on the Ordway’s website.

Lex-Ham Community Theater presents ‘Days to Come’

The Lex-Ham Community Theater will present Lillian Hellman’s drama “Days to Come” in six performances this month at the Wellstone Center on St. Paul’s West Side.

The play, directed by John Townsend, is set in 1930s Ohio, and it tells the story of a strike – and the discord it creates within a family-owned business, as family members try to break the strike to preserve their business and their family.

Hellman combines political themes with tales of personal struggle in “Days to Come,” as the play explores union busting, social class and questionable business practices – issues still timely today.

Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27; and 2 p.m. Oct. 21. A discussion about the state of organized labor in the Twin Cities during the 1930s will follow the Oct. 25 show.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for children, students and seniors 65 and older. See www.DaysToCome.org for more information.