1996-97

1996-97

SEASON

STAFF
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Managing Director – Thomas H. Berger
Director of Education/Group Sales – Carole Marget
Public Relations Manager – Julie Michener
Box Office Manager – Chari Hall
Artistic Associates – Bob Beverage, Chuck Smith
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Stephen Pax
Stage Managers – Wayne Hendricks, Julia Cashman
House Managers/Box Office Staff – Andy Fuller, Lisa Albanese, Scott Howard, Brian Nelson, Dorothy Gherity

To Kill a Mockingbird
October 4-November 16, 1996
Adapted by Christopher Sergel

A stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s world-famous and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which takes us back to the mid-1930s, when racism, poverty and ignorance dominated the American landscape. Lawyer Atticus Finch steps up to fight bigotry, intolerance and injustice in a small Alabama town.

Cast
Jean Louis Finch/ Maudie/Atkinson – Lavinia Erickson
Scout – Brianna Kennedy-Coker & Maggie D’Ambrose
Jem – Cooper D’Ambrose & Jeff Goodell
Atticus Finch – Stephen D’Ambrose
Calpurnia – Patti Shaw
Stephanie Crawford – Ki Schultz
Mrs. Dubose – Marylyn Murray
Nathan Radley/Arthur (Boo) Radley/Mr. Gilmer – Peter Farley
Dill – Graham Ballou & Jeff Goodell
Heck Tate – Paul Smith
Reverend Sykes – Albert Durand
Mayella Ewell – Maggie Scanlan
Bob Ewell – Terry Hempleman
Walter Cunningham/Judge Taylor – Don Cosgrove
Tom Robinson – Edgar Davis
Chorus – Heather Wilson, John Harrison
Understudy (Calpurnia) – Heather Wilson
Understudy (Tom Robinson/Rev. Sykes) – John Harrison
Understudy (Atticus/Cunningham/Judge) – Fred Wagner
Understudy (Heck/Gilmer/Bob Ewell) – Don Cosgrove
Understudy (Miss Stephanie) – Michelle Francois
Understudy (Jean/Mrs. Dubose/Mayella Ewell) – Kim Schultz

L-R: Maggie D’Ambrose, Stephen D’Ambrose

Artistic Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Scenic Designer – Nayna Ramey
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Costume Designer – Linda Cameron
Properties Designer – Aimee Jillson
Original Music Composed by – Stephen Houtz
Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Assistant Stage Manager – Julia Cashman

Production Staff
Assistant to the Director – Michelle Francois
Technical Director – Roger Skophammer
Assistant Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Stephen Pax
Electrician – David Grinnell
Sound Board Operator – Stephen Pax
Light Board Operator – Erin Kasper
Sound & Light Board Swing – Ann Pax

Let Heaven & Nature Sing (World Premiere)
November 30-December 22, 1996
By Bob Beverage

In 1946, families and individuals with disabilities like epilepsy and mental challenges lived in the shadows of American society. This play addresses the conflicts between privacy and secrecy, freedom and confinement, care and control, as well as sexuality, marriage, human dignity, faith and our compassion for those who are residents and caregivers at institutions for challenged persons. Audience members are encouraged to see the gifts, humor and humanity of every person they encounter. The play begins and ends in the present, but the majority of the action takes place in Faribault at the Minnesota School for the Feeble-Minded and Colony for Epileptics between Christmas 1945 and 1946.

Cast
Joe Kollogy – Eric Wheeler
Irving – Cliff Poetz
Roy – Larry Hansen
Mary – Tinia Moulder
Mrs. Bjorklund – Merle McDill
Ralph/Senator Swanson/Reuben Lindh/Reporter #2/Barbara’s Father – Clark Cruikshank
Child/Marjorie – Elizabeth Rae Peterson
Janice/Mrs. Bradford/Patient – Janet Hanson
Mike/Mr. Bradford/Dr. George Eitel – Brad MacDonald
Dr. Jean Wilkinson/Josephine/Cyndy/Student #2 – Amy Fisher
Dr. Engberg/Pastor/Mr. Poels – Jay Hornbacher
Barbara/Student #1 – Jenner Snell
John – John Gustafson
Understudy (Men) – Jeff Nelsen
Understudy (Women) – Michelle Francois

Design Team
Co-Directors – Ron Peluso & Jeanne Calvit
Scenic Designer – Nayna Ramey
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Katherine B. Kohl
Sound Designer – Michael Crosswell
Properties Designer – Aimee Jillson
Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks

Production Staff
Producers – Ron Peluso & Tom Berger
Assistant to the Director – Michelle Francois
Technical Director – Roger Skophammer
Assistant Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Stephen Pax
Deck Manager – Karrie Vrabel
Electricians – David Grinnell, Aaron Rublein
Sound Board Operator – Ben Seifert
Light Board Operator – Stephen Pax
Sound & Light Board Swing – Ann Pax
Carpenter – Elise Skophammer
Research Intern – Christine (“Tini”) Leibing
Scenic Artist – Karen Mulhausen
Costume Stitchers – Alayne Hopkins, Tirsh Hunter, Mairi Newman, Breen Olson

Eric Wheeler and Tinia Moulder

A Servants’ Christmas
November 30-December 22, 1996
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 the Warner home on Summit Avenue in St. Paul during the early 1900s.

Cast
Mr. Warner – Jim Stowell
Eric Horne – Peter Farley
Frieda – Anita O’Sullivan
Monica – Ann Schulman
Miss Pettingill – Lavina Erickson
Anne Warner – Natalie Fursetzer
Richmond Warner – Cooper D’Ambrose
Lillian Russell – Melliss Kenworthy
Understudy (Pettingill/Lillian Russell/Frieda) – Kim Schultz
Understudy (Anne/Monica) – Michelle Francois

Design Team
Director – Michelle Francois
Production Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Scenic Designer – Nayna Ramey
Costume Designer – Katherine B. Kohl
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Properties Designer – Aimee Jillson
Original Music composer – Mark Bloom

Production Crew
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – David Grinnell
Electricians – Sue Amberg, Jenny Nilsson, Jon Froh
Carpenters – Aaron Rublein, Erik Vevang
Sound Board Operator – Erin Kasper
Light Board Operator – Julia Cashman
Sound Technician – Russell Cole

Tomboy Stone
January 30-February 30, 1997
By Roger Nieboer

This play tells the story of the remarkable Tony Stone (1921-1996), who was the first woman to play professional baseball as part of the Negro League, which fielded pro teams off and on between 1885 and 1951. After playing from age ten on teams around the Twin Cities, Tony attended Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. Tony started playing professionally in 1949, first for the San Francisco Sea Lions, then the Indianapolis Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs. She is a member of the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame and is featured in two exhibits at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cast
Young Tomboy – Brianna Kennedy-Coker
Tony Stone – Tasha Marie West
Gabby Street/Doctor/Father K/Mr. Pollack/Press C – Clyde Lund
Papa/Captain/Waiter/Player/Press A – J. Nathan Thomas
Satchel Paige/Player/Morris/Buck – Jimmy Russell
Bunny/GM/Player – Edgar L. Davis
Player/Understudy/Press B – Byron Knibb
Player/Understudy – John Harrison
Understudy – Jada Odom
Understudy – Chelsea Frazier
Announcer’s Voice – Ryan LeFebvre

Brianna Kennedy-Coker

Artistic Team
Director – Kim Hines
Production Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Assistant Director – Tyler Merchant
Scenic Designer – Dean Holzman
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Costume Designer – Katherine B. Kohl
Sound Designer – Michael Croswell
Properties Designer – Aimee Jillson
Historian/Consultant – Judy Yaeger Jones & the MN Women’s History Month Project
Technical Director – Roger Skophammer
Assistant Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Electricians – Russell Cole, Sue Amberg, Aaron Rublein
Sound Board Operator – Erin Kasper
Light Board Operator – Stephen J. Pax
Deck Manager – Jennifer Steffen
Scenic Artists – Lynn Issacson, Erin Kasper

Cuba Si (World Premiere)
January 2-26, 1997
By Jim Stowell

Cuba Si is the story of Jim Stowell’s journey in search of his father’s legacy, which took him to Cuba, where he delivered humanitarian aid and became active in an effort to break America’s trade embargo on that nation. Jim also tells the audience about other adventures, including his face-to-face meeting with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Cast
Jim – Jim Stowell

Design Team
Director – Ron Peluso
Production Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Scenic Design – Thomas H. Berger
Lighting Design/Sound Design – Stephen J. Pax
Costume Design/ Properties Design – Aimee Jillson
Technical Director – Roger Skophammer
Assistant Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Electricians – Aaron Rublein, Ben Seifert
Sound Board Operator – Stephen J. Pax
Light Board Operator/Scenic Artist – Erin Kasper
Carpenter – Elise Skophammer

O, Pioneers!
March 8-April 6, 1997
Adapted from Willa Cather’s novel by Darrah Cloud
Music Composed by Kim D. Sherman, Lyrics by Darrah Cloud

This musical stage adaptation of Ms. Cather’s novel captures the spirit and lives of Nebraska settlers during a 20-year period in the late 19th century.

Cast
Annie/Quartet – Jona Alonzo
Alexandra – Kelly Bertenshaw
Mr. Bergson/Frank – Terry Lynn Carlson
Mrs. Bergson/Mrs. Lee – Mary Alette Davis
Milly/Evangeline/Ensemble – Victoria Englemayer
Marie/Ilsa – Gregory B. Giles
Amadee/Quartet – Michael Halling
Emil/Quartet – Casey E. Lewis
Lou – Brad MacDonald
Marcel/Guard/Dream man/Quartet – Mike McGowan
Angelique/Signa/Quartet – Rachel Permann
Young Marie/Ensemble – Elizabeth Peterson
Young Emil/Ensemble – Spencer Richards
Ivar/Bishop – Paul Smith
Carl/Priest – Steve Sweere
Understudies – Jeff Nelsen, Heidi Ricks

Orchestra
Clarinet – Alan Kolderie
Horn – Vicki Wheeler, Becky Rucker
Accordion – Tammy Shockley
Violin – Elsie Jamin-Maguire
Cello – Joe Kaiser

Design Team
Director – Risa Brainin
Assistant Director – Cherie Anderson
Musical Director – Steven Houtz
Scenic Designer – Nayna Ramey
Lighting Designer – Michael Klaers
Costume Designer – Devon Painter
Properties Designer – Aimee Jillson
Production Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Assistant Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Dialect Coach – Carolyn Ward
Assistant Costume Designer – Molly Jordan Krahl

Technical Staff
Technical Director – Roger Skophammer
Assistant Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Stephen J. Pax
Electrician – Aaron Rublein
Deck Manager – Erin Kasper
Light Board Operator – Stephen J. Pax
Running Crew – John Troyer
Scenic Artists – Eric Petersen, Karen Mulhausen
Rigger – Boyce Jackson
Carpenter – Russell Cole
Soft Props – Erin Kasper, Julia Cashman
Wig Master – Ivy Loughborough
Assistant to Stage Manager – Cassandra Fly

Favorite Son: The Humphrey Perspectives (World Premiere)
April 19-May 18, 1997
By Jeffrey Hatcher, David Hawley, Kim Hines & John Olive

This play is a collaborative “tapestry” of the life of Hubert H. Humphrey from 1936 to 1978 to the present, in the form of five vignettes by four different playwrights.

The Public Man, by David Hawley, provides the “framework” for the play: a cold night outside the Senator’s Waverly home and public appearances during his political career; we return to this framework throughout the play.

Nellie, by Kim Hines, is based on interviews with Nellie Stone Johnson; all four playwrights have drawn from this material.

Carl, by John Olive, is a fantasy involving Humphrey’s spirit and a fictitious character who represents political opinions of the time.

Philadelphia 1948, by Kim Hines, shows Humphrey defending the cause of civil rights during the Democratic National Convention at that place and time.

All the Way with LBJ, by Jeffrey Hatcher, depicts a 1968 meeting between Humphrey and LBJ at the Johnson Ranch in Texas.

Cast
Hubert H. Humphrey – Julian Bailey
Reporter/Chicke Berman/Ensemble – Henry Allen
Muriel/Reporter/Ensemble – Janet Hansen
Reporter/Ensemble – Jay Reilly
Lyndon B. Johnson/Ensemble – Fred Wagner
Nellie Stone Johnson – Vernell Wilson
Carl/Ensemble – Kurt Schweickhardt

Design Team
Director – Ron Peluso
Scenic/Lighting Design – Chris Johnson
Costume Design – Linda Cameron
Sound Design – Stephen J. Pax
Properties Design – Erin Kasper
Production Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Asst. Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks

Technical Staff
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Stephen J. Pax
Electricians – Aaron Rublein, David Grinnel, John Troyer
Light Board Operator – Stephen J. Pax
Sound Board Operator – Erin Kasper
Welder – Dan Fritsche
Carpenter – Cheryl Macht