1983-84

1983-84

SEASON

STAFF
Artistic Director – Lynnell Lohr
Playwright in Residence – Lance S. Belville
Office Manager – Wendy Amundson
Intern – Julie Lewandowski

Homesick (World Premiere)
October 7-November 6, 1983
By Lance S. Belville

This play tells stories about the ghosts that have haunted and continue to haunt beautiful old Twin Cities mansions. It is 1946 at various sites in St. Paul.

Cast
Katie Kindem – Eleanor St. Regis|
Jerry Overmoe – Jim Cunningham
E.E. – Patrick Carey
Andrea – Charlanne Karapetlan
Gelazzo – Mark Snowden
Henri – Mic Wolcek

Production Staff
Director – Larry Whiteley
Set Designer – Tom Fletcher
Lighting Designer – Jeff Stroman
Costume & Puppet Designer – Lynn Farrington
Puppet Consultant – Charlanne Karapetlan
Puppet Head Construction – Bich Hamson
Magic Consultant – Dan Witkowski
Illusion Engineer – Todd Anderson
Music Arranger – Gary Hansberger
Pianist – Anne Vogelweide
Properties – Sharon Selberg
Stage Manager – Beth Batassa
Asst. Stage Manager – Scott Murray
Spotlight Operators – Eric Scheurle, Mike Mickelson
Sound Technician – Randy Seitz

This production was presented at the Weyerhaeuser Auditorium in the
Landmark Center of downtown St. Paul

Mr. L.N. Scott’s All New Grand Holiday Bill of Fare
(World Premiere)
November 25-December 23, 1983
By John Orlock

This play celebrates a time when live theatre was at the center of America’s entertainment industry and when stage actors were the equivalent of our television and movie stars. In St. Paul, theatre mogul L.N. Scott was the heart of the city’s business elite. The action occurs at the Metropolitan Opera House, just one of three theatres Mr. Scott owned and operated in the Twin Cities area. The time is December, 1897.

CAST
Bert Randolph – Timothy Thomas
Louis N. Scott – Jay Nickerson
Cornelia Nash – Carole Jean Anderson
Lizzie – Kathryn O’Malley
Lorenzo Mascanini/Mark Klaw – Paul R. Smith
Rodney Baxter-Hunt – Bill Scharpen
Sarah Bernhardt – Laura Clark

Musicians
Piano – Marya Hart
Violin – Greg Allen

Production Staff
Director – John Orlock
Musical Director – Marya Hart
Choreographer – Randy Winkler
Set Designer – Joan Rothfuss
Costume Designer – Lynn Farrington
Lighting Designer – Doug Pipan
Properties – Lisa Bennett
Technical Director – Dick Morrison
Stitcher – Rich Hamson
Stage Manager – Debra Keith
Assistant Stage Manager – Tom Berger
Light Board Operator – Randall E. Seitz

This production was presented at the Weyerhaeuser Auditorium of the
Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul

The Man Who Bought Minneapolis
February 17-March 18, 1984
By Lance S. Belville

This is a one-man show about James J. Hill, told at two Christmas times in Hill’s life: one when he was 48 years old (1887) and at the start of his railroad career, the other at age 77 (1915), when he was at the height of his wealth and power. Hill’s detractors called him a ruthless “Plunderer of the Prairie” and history labeled him “The Empire Builder.” The play reveals both the public and private lives of the controversial railroad tycoon, whose presence and vision dominated the Northwest’s most important years of settlement and growth. Act I of the play is set at the executive offices of the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad; Act II is set at the Hill home on Summit Avenue.

Cast
James J. Hill – Tom Hegg

Artistic Staff
Executive Producer – Lynnell Lohr
Director – Michael Brindisi
Set Designer – Joan Rothfuss
Costume Designer – Lynn Farrington
Lighting Designer – Randall E. Seitz
Technical Director – Jay Ganz
Stage Manager – Thomas H. Berger
Assistant Stage Manager – Kristine Hadrits
Properties – Sharon Selberg

Tom Hegg as James J. Hill

This production was presented in the Weyerhaeuser Auditorium
of the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul

Down to Earth (World Premiere)
April 6-May 6, 1984
By Lance S. Belville
Music & Lyrics by Eric Peltoniemi

This production offers songs and stories about farm families who triumph over the challenges of the Great Depression – not who survived, but how they survived. Neighbors helped neighbors, families pulled together and communities invented ingenious ways to combine thrift and entertainment. The play takes place in and around a small farm in Western Minnesota between 1930 and 1940. All music and lyrics are by the composer with the exceptions of the music in the fourth dance number, known as “Life In The Finnish Woods” and the melody to “Lead On, Oh Franklin Roosevelt,” which was composed by Henry Smart.

Cast
Ursula Baumgartner/Teacher/County Relief Worker – Cheryl Brown
Greta Baumgartner/A Solting Child – Laura Clark
M.C. – Marya Hart
Otto Baumgartner – Joel Hatch
Toivo/A Solting Child – James Gaulke
Senator Shipstead/Levi/Sheriff Ed/Auctioneer/Carny/Roman Makiniki – Bill Hinkley
M.C./Small Town Journalist/Maureen/Levi’s Wife – Judy Larson
Renee Baumgartner/Anna Solting/A Farmer/Emma Faulkenburg – Ruth MacKenzie
Toivo’s Brother/Lauri/Hobo/Oskar Solting/A Solting Child – John Tsafoyannis

Cheryl Brown, Laura Clark

The Band
Piano – Marya Hart
Guitar, Mandolin, Violin – Bill Hinkley
Guitar, Mandolin – Judy Larson

Production Staff
Director – Lynn Lohr
Music Director – Marya Hart
Musical Number Staging – John Tsafoyannis
Set and Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Nayna Ramey
Properties Designer – Jon Roberts
Technical Director – David Radtke
Stage Manager – Kristine Hadrits
Assistant Stage Manager – Lisa Anderson
Light Board Operator – Randy E. Seitz
Technical Crew – James Dinsmore, Todd Hughes

THE SONGS
Act One
FDR – Cast
Down to Earth – Cast
Grasshopper Drone – Band
The Hopper Song (Hop Hoppity Hopper) – Judy Larson, Cheryl Brown, Ruth MacKenzie
The Morals of the Farmer – Cheryl Brown, Bill Hinkley
Rautavaaren Jenkka – Cast
Poorhouse – Joel Hatch
Lutheran Eyes – Cast
Hands on the Handle – Ruth MacKenzie, Cast

Act Two
Shining – Ruth MacKenzie
Quit Foolin’ Around – Bill Hinkley
Lead On, O Franklin Roosevelt * – Cast
Love to a Farmer – Judy Larson
New Country Waltz – Laura Clark
Little Tragedies – Bill Hinkley, Ruth MacKenzie
Down to Earth (reprise) – Cast

Note: All lyrics and music by Eric Peltoniemi

This play was presented in the Weyerhaeuser Auditorium at the
Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul