1989-90

1989-90

SEASON

STAFF
Producer & Co-Artistic Director – Lynnell Lohr
Co-Artistic Director & Playwright in Residence – Lance S. Belville
Production Manager – Timothy Wilkins
General Manager & Tour Director – Thomas H. Berger
Group Sales Coordinator – Merla McDill
Andrea Herschler Group Sales Coordinator & Box Office Assistant
Box Office Manager and Administrative Assistant – Mary S. Jones
House Manager – Glenn Morehouse
House Manager – Loretta Hitchcock
House Manager – Sue Spalding
Publicity & Marketing Director – Linda Twiss
Publicity & Marketing Intern – Katherine Nolan

A Time On Earth
September 30-October 27, 1989
By Vilhelm Moberg, translated from the Swedish by Roger McKnight & Jay Lutz

A novel that Moberg published in 1963 was adapted to this play in 1966. Moberg wrote extensively about the experiences of immigrants to America, especially those who, like Moberg, had difficulty assimilating into American culture, resulting in unhappiness and disillusionment. The play is set on Laguna Beach, California in 1962 and in Smaland, Sweden from 1911-1949.

Cast
Albert Carlson – Paul Smith
Father – Trevor Vasey
Mother – Kari Holmberg
Sigfrid – Robert Berdahl
Butcher/Assessor – John Anderson
Uncle – Rod Pierce
Jenny – Tamsen Brock
Katrin – Randi Harrington
Cousin – Lucien Grathwol
Fiddler – Mary DuShane
Understudy – John Paul Foreman

Production Staff
Director – Vicky Boone
General Manager – Thomas H. Berger
Stage Manager – Scott Herold
Dramaturg – Lance S. Belville
Production Design – Chris Johnson
Sound Design – Mark Bloom
Properties Design – Dan Smith
Master Carpenter – Trevor Vasey
Carpenters – Scott Thun, Timothy Wilkins
Costume Assistants – Susan V. Hansen, Kathleen Beintker
Light Board Operator – Warren Mosier
Sound Board Operator – Quintin Warford
Assistant Stage Manager – Therese Britts
Technical Assistants – Diane Galvin, Paul Seigel, Will Vervair, Charles Amundson, Evan Morris

The Immigrant: A Hamilton County Album
October 15-November 12, 1989
By Mark Harelik, from a concept from the author & Randal Myler

This play is an exploration of the immigrants who were our ancestors, in an effort to celebrate, sometimes dismiss and hopefully understand them. Only then can we fully understand ourselves.

Time: 1909 through today
Place: the immigrant’s journey begins in the tiny Jewish villages of Russia and ends where our play begins – in Hamilton County, Texas

Cast
Milton Perry – Mark Crowell
Ima Perry – Susan Holladay
Haskell Harelik – Michael Paul Levin
Leah Harelik – Jody Strimling

Production Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Stage Manager – Megan Riley
Assistant Stage Managers – Therese Britts, Scott Herold
Scenic & Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Frederick Rogers
Properties Designer – Dan Smith
Sound Design – Mark Bloom
Light Board Operator – Warren Mosier
Sound Board Operator – Quintin Warford
Technical Assistants – Diane Galvin, Paul Seigel, Will Vervair, Charles Amundson, Evan Morris

December Mornings
November 25-December 22, 1989
(in repertory with A Servants’ Christmas)
By Truman Capote, adapted for the stage by Peg Sheldrick

Two stories take place in Alabama and New Orleans in the 1930s. One year separates the events of Act I and Act II.

Act I – “One Christmas” – Buddy visits his father in the French Quarter, stumbles over secrets and demands ransom for his parents’ hearts.

Act II – “A Christmas Memory” – In Alabama, Buddy visits his cousin, whom he sees as the wisest person in the world, even though she’s never left home or even seen a movie. But she knows how to make and fly stupendous kites, cut a perfect Christmas tree and bake and send a fruitcake to the President!

Cast
Bud – Grant Richey
Mother – Susan V. Hansen
Father – Paul Douglas Law
Miss Sook Faulk – Sandra Bucholtz
Mother’s admirer/waiter/party guest/cop/HaHa Jones/ Billy Bob – Richard Luka
Lady Friend/exotic woman/pious aunt/sales lady – Cindy Steiner
Buddy – Tony Denman
Uncle/traveling man/taxi driver – Len Engman
Dour Aunt/lady friend/silver lady – Rose Johnson

Production Staff
Director – Lynn Musgrave
Stage Manager – warren d. mosier
Scenic & Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Frederick Rogers
Costume Design Assistant – Stefen Pritchard
Composer – Sally Ann Wright
Sound Designer – Lynn Musgrave
Properties managers – Quintin Warford, warren d. mosier
Technical Director – Trevor Vasey
Carpenter – Timothy Watkins
Technical Crew – Charles Amundson, Will Vervair, Rose Johnson, Mike Zielinski, Therese Britts, Quintin Warford

A Servants’ Christmas
December 13-24, 1989 (in repertory with December Mornings)
By John Fenn

This is a story about the Christmas celebration in a St. Paul mansion at the beginning of the last century, as seen through the eyes of a Jewish servant girl. The play is set in December at the Warner home on Summit Avenue in St. Paul during the early 1900s.

Cast
Mr. Warner – Mark D. Williams
Eric Horne – Paul Smith
Frieda – Rosalie Tenseth
Monica – Tamsen Brock
Miss Pettingill/A Visitor – Lavinia Erickson
Anne Warner – Janey Winterbauer
Richmond Warner – Matt Gabor

Artistic & Production Staff
Director – Dennis Lickteig
Stage Manager & Properties Manager – Therese Britts
Scene Stylist, based on a design by Steve Griffith – Chris Johnson
Lighting Designer – Frederick Rogers
Costume Design Assistant – Stefen Pritchard
Choreographer – Randi Harrington
Musical Coaching & Preparation – Paul A. Jacobson
Technical Director – Tim Wilkins
Technical Crew – warren d. moser, Charles Amundson, Quintin Warford

Nina! Madam to a Saintly City
February 3-February 25, 1990
By Lance S. Belville
Music & Lyrics by John Van Orman

This popular play is a musical telling of the life of Nina Clifford, operator of a St. Paul bordello from 1888-1917 on Washington Street, in the Irvine Park area of the city.

Cast
Margaret O’Dell/Evangeline – Kari Ann Shaff
Fred Dickson – Grant Richey
Nina Clifford – Jan Lee
May Hemstead – Rosalie Tenseth
Lillian Lee – Mary Chaisson
Martin Flanagan – Rod Pierce
Andrew – Christopher Eid
Customer/Monsignor – Stephen Hollenhorst
Understudies – John Paul Forman, Randi Harrington, Stephen Hollenhorst

The Musicians
Rosie (piano player) – Sally Reynolds
Gustav (accordion player) – Mark Stillman

Artistic Staff
Director – Lynn Lohr
Music Director & Arranger – Sally Reynolds
Musical number staging – Michael Ellison
General Manager – Thomas H. Berger
Stage Manager – warren d. moser
Assistant Stage Manager – Quintin Warford
Set & Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Dawn D’Hanson
Additional Costume Designer – Chris Johnson
Properties Designer – Therese Britts
Technical Director – Trevor Vasey
Assistant Technical Director – Timothy Wilkins
Followspot Operators – Ryan Julian, Joette Poehler, Therese Britts
Technical Assistants – Diane Galvin, Charles Amundson, Rose Holmes, Jim Erickson, John Ketner
Upholsterer – Jon Roberts

Musical Numbers
Act I
Nina Clifford’s Rag – Instrumental
Heart Of The Town – Nina & Company
The Boys Of St. Paul – Lillian
Heart Of The Town (reprise) – Nina
I Can Fall In Love – Lillian, Nina, May, Rosie
Delilah – Fred
Hilda The Hotdog Vendor – Andrew, Nina, May
The Dance Is Not For Me – Nina & Company

Act II
What Would Make A Woman – Margaret
A Tramp – May
Delilah (reprise) – Nina
It’s A Man’s World – Fred, Andrew, Reporter
Flanigan, Who’s The Whore – Nina & Flanigan
Lovely Lillian Lee – Andrew & Ladies
My Dear Companions – May, Lillian, Nina, Fred

Mesabi Red (World Premiere)
March 10-April 8, 1990
By Lance S. Belville
Music and Lyrics by Charlie Maguire and Jim Miller

A musical about the 1916 miner’s strike of the International Workers of the World (IWW), or “Wobblies,” in Minnesota’s Iron Range. Miners from Southern and Eastern Europe struggle with the challenges of a new life in a new land to dig the riches of “Mesabi Red” ore from Minnesota soil. The time is April through November of 1916; the places include Duluth and the towns and mining locations on the Minnesota Iron Range.

NOTE: The original run of this production was scheduled to close on April 1. The run was extended and closed on April 8. Popular demand for tickets resulted in an additional “separated extension” that ran from May 4-20, 1990.

Cast
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, an IWW union organizer & lover of Tresca – Jan Lee
Company Tough 1 – Stephen Hollenhorst
Company Tough 2 – Dave Runeborg
Company Tough 3 – Paul Smith
Marko, a young Croatian miner, new to the Iron Range – Rod Pierce
Passerby 1 – Jan Lee
Milosa Masenovich, a Montenegran ten year old – Tony Denman
Filip Masenovich, Milosa’s father & a miner – John Paul Foreman
Joe (Guiseppi) Greeni, an Italian miner – Walt Weaver
Militza Masenovich, Milosa’s mother & boardinghouse operator – Rosalie Tenth
Boarder 1 – Stephen Hollenhorst
Boarder 2 – Dave Runeborg
Boarder 3 – Grant Richey
Boarder 4 – Walt Weaver
Kiki Kolu, a Finnish girl of 12, Milosa’s pal – Anna Klemp
Miner 1 – Grant Richey
Miner 2 – Walt Weaver
Doc, the company doctor – Stephen Hollenhorst
John Kolu, a Finnish miner & IWW sympathizer – Grant Richey
Mrs. Kolu – Jan Lee
John Allar, a Slovenian miner – Paul Smith
Commissioner Board of Inquiry – Paul Smith
Mining Company Engineer – Dave Runeborg
Oliver Pay Boss – Paul Smith
Carlo Tresca – Grant Richey
Deputy Sheriff Nick Dillon – Paul Smith
Deputy Jimmy C. Myron – Dave Runeborg
Deputy Pete Wring – Stephen Hollenhorst
Judge – Paul Smith
Understudies – Len Engman, Ben Granger, Sherry Minnick, Rainer Dornemann

Mesabi Rangers
Keybords, Accordion – Severin Behnen
Fiddle, Percussion – Mary DuShane
Guitar, bottle-neck electric guitar, harmonica – Pop Wagner

Songs
Sing Ye Workers of the World¹ – Ensemble
Mesabi Red² – Company Toughs & Ensemble
The American Way¹ – Filip, Greeni, Marko, Militza & Ensemble
Swallowed By America² – Mrs. Kolu, Marko, Militza & Ensemble
The Boarding House Shuffle¹ – Militza, Milosa & Boarders
D.M. & I.R.¹ – Milosa, Marko, Kiki & Ensemble
Work To Do¹ – Marko
Contract Polka² – Company Toughs
8 Ball Eyes² – Miners & Ensemble
The Company Doctor¹ – Company Doctor & Ensemble
Cradle Of Iron² – Mrs. Kolu, Militza & Ensemble
Normal Day² – Filip, Deputies, Greeni, Militza, Mrs. Kolu & Ensemble
She’s A Woman¹ – Greeni, Flynn & Miners
Pelican & The Fisherman¹ – Flynn, Milosa & Kiki
Some Say³ – Greeni, Tresca
The Strike¹ – Milosa, Militza & Ensemble
Solidarity Forever⁴ – Ensemble
There Is No Gold/Solidarity¹ – Marko
Shoot Out² – Greeni, Deputies & Ensemble
Fantasy¹ – Kiki, Milosa & Ensemble
There Is No Gold/Lullaby¹ – Militza & Filip
She’s A Woman (reprise)¹ – Flynn & Ensemble
Diminished Expectations² – Marko
The Alphabet¹ – Milosa, Flynn, Marko
Hey Lover² – Filip, Militza, Flynn, Tresca
The American Way/The Deal¹ – Filip, Militza, Tresca, Judge & Ensemble
Requiem¹ – Filip
Farewell To Wobblies Waltz² – Tresca, Flynn, Miners
Work To Do (reprise)¹ – Marko & Ensemble
Mesabi Red¹ – Ensemble

1 – Charlie Maguire
2 – Jim Miller
3 – Italian Socialist version of “Finiculi, Finicula,” Early 20th Century
4 – Pre-WWI Wobblies’ Song, words by Ralph Chaplan (Tune: “John Brown’s Body”)

Artistic Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Music Director & Arranger – Severin Behnen
Choreographer – Michael Ellison
Scenic & Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designers – Kathy Kohl, Thomas H. Berger
Stage Manager – warren d. mosier
Assistant Stage Manager – Therese Britts
Sound Designer – John Michener
Properties Manager – Therese Britts
Technical Director – Trevor Vasey
Carpenter – Timothy Wilkins
Followspot Operators – Ryan Julian, Joette Poehler, Randie L. Kiabbenhoft
Strike banners and posters – Jay Peterson
Technical Assistants – Charles Amundson, Rose Holmes, Jim Erickson, John W.L. Kentner, Kari Holmberg, Susan Just, Pat Moran, Ryan Julian, John Michener

Comment
Lynn Lohr and Lance Belville gave me a crash course in theatre by bringing me on for Mesabi Red. I started at History Theatre the same year on that same production as Ron Peluso. He played the part of “harried Director,” while I wrote songs for the show, sometimes until midnight in an upstairs closet. Lynn and Lance threw me into the deep end and Ron and I formed a friendship that lasts to this day. After Mesabi, it was a few short years until Orphan Train with Patty Lynch and Ron. And again, we ran light on food and sleep, and heavy on imagination and creativity. I equate History Theatre as a guide to how those before us strived to live a better life and one of the highlights of my own life in the performing arts. Congratulations to all on 40 years!

– Charlie Maguire, Composer
Mesabi Red and Orphan Train

Homegrown Heroes (World Premiere)
June 7-24, 1990
By Lance S. Belville, Ta-coumba T. Aiken, Grant Richey and Lynn Nankivil

This production consists of four one-act plays about our community, our home. What are the values and issues that bind people together or draw them apart? Who rises above the all-enveloping transactions of “making a living” to make a life? What do we celebrate? For what and for whom do we grieve? What are our icons? We examine these questions and the cultural heritage that enriches us here.

Was Rosemary Clooney in Dark Shadows?
By Grant Richey

Cast
Mama – Jan Lee
Me – Grant Richey

Artistic Staff
Director – George Sand
Movement Director – Catherine Gasiorowicz

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Patch
By Lynn Nankivil

Minnesota’s “Dan Patch” was the name of one of the fastest harness-racing horses in history. His owner, Will Savage, created a marketing empire around his horse’s name and image. When Dan Patch died in 1916, the horse was joined in death within hours by his old friend and master, Will Savage. The time of the play is 1906-1916. Scenes occur in the stable area of a racetrack, Dan Patch’s private rail car, the train platform, the Red Mile at Lexington, Kentucky and at the “1:55 Horse Farm” in Savage, Minnesota.

Cast
Gimpy – Leif Berget
Thug – Sherry Minnick
Will Savage – Mark Mills
John, the publicity man/”Cobweb” – John Pancho Demmings
Harold Savage – Ben Granger
“Dan Patch” – Dennis Paton
Lily Langtry/“Mag the Rag” – Jan Lee
Lotta Crabtree – Sherry Minnick

Artistic Staff
Director – Leah Lowe

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Sister G
Written and directed by Lance S. Belville

Sister G is the Founder/Executive Director of the Guadalupe Area Project (GAP), an alternative high school where class sizes are small, which allows close teacher supervision and personalized instruction. GAP also offers teenagers another opportunity to change their lives for the better, learn self-assurance and acquire the skills needed for success. The time is the present; the place is a GAP classroom on St. Paul’s West Side.

Cast
Sister G – Rosalie Tenseth

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Golden Thunder
By Lance S. Belville and Ta-coumba T. Aiken

The play tells the story about the murals Ta-coumba Aiken painted in numerous cities, towns and villages throughout Minnesota. Golden Thunder and the characters in the play are composites of the places where Mr. Aiken has worked and the people he has met along the way.

Cast
The Artist – John Pancho Demmings
Nikolas Glood – Ben Grainger
Gretchen Glood, Nikolas’ mother & the Mayor of Golden Thunder – Mary Phifer
Otto Zweifel, owner of the grain elevator – Leif Berget
Ursula Hegstad – Sherri Minnick
Chaz Lekscheid – Grant Richey
Monika Glood, Nikolas’ sister – Jenny Apgar
Davey – Dennis Paton

The Voices
Mama, the artist’s mother – Dara Ceaser
Golden Thunder, the Winnebago Chief – Gerold Keith
Golden Thunder, the Dakota Chief – Joe Lucky
Tom Toliver – Ta-coumba T. Aiken

Artistic Staff
Director – Vance Holmes

Production Staff for all four plays in Homegrown Heroes
Stage Managers – Thomas H. Berger & Will Vervair
Scenic & Costume Designer – Thomas H. Berger
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Properties Designer – Will Vervair
Costume Assistant – Kathy Kohl
Slide Production – Gus Gustafson, Gwen Walberg & Ann Christenson
Sound Production – Thomas H. Berger & Ken Gammell
Running Crew – Paul Allshouse & Ken Gammell
Technical Assistants – Trevor Vasey, Diane Galvin, Paul Allshouse, Ryan Julian, Jim Erickson, Charlie Amundson, warren d. moser