1997-98
SEASON
STAFF
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Managing Director – Thomas H. Berger
Artistic Associates – Bob Beverage, Sarah Gioia
Director of Education & Group Sales Manager – Carole Marget
Box Office Manager – Chari Hall
Public Relations Manager – Julie Michener
Assistant to the Managing Director – Alisa Pritchett
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Stage Managers – Wayne Hendricks, Julia Cashman
House Managers & Box Office Staff – Dorothy Gherity, Brian Nelson, Eric Herr, Tracy Czech
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Anna Marie Ettel, President | John F. Apitz, Vice President | David Byrd, Treasurer | Marie Ohman, Corresponding Secretary | Susan Rublein, Recording Secretary
Bo Chae | Carolyn Cochrane | Jackie Cooper | Dick Gould | Susan Hawken | Jill Hemphill | Frank Marzitelli | Peter Rachleff | Janet Watson (emeritus member)
Tailgatin’
October 8-November 9, 1997
By Dan Rowles & Guy Green, with contributions by the Company
This series of stories is a social comedy with its basis in history. We ask our audiences to consider the misplaced priority that our society places on the world of sport, while remembering the days of the old Metropolitan Stadium and the fans who celebrated in the parking lot. The play is set in and around the old Metropolitan Stadium, including the Press Box, the Bleachers and the Parking Lot.
Cast
The Ghost – Stephen D’Ambrose
Mary Boyer/Helen Gunderson/ Cayenne – Nancy Bagshaw-Reasoner
Bob Boyer/Eugene Smith/Bud Grant/Hub Meads – Fred Wagner
Lance Boyer (young)/Very Cold Fan – Cooper D’Ambrose
Fan/Clyde Borchardt/Jim Finks/Lance Boyer (adult)/George Gillespie – Michael Lee
Fan/Kenny Gunderson/Tiny Parcels/Quiet Fan/St. Paul Reporter/Cameraman/Dewey Sanderson/Burt/Ghost’s Informant/Rich Lewis – Michael Paul Levin
Parking Lot Drunk/Randy Merriman/Minneapolis Reporter/Jack Whitaker – Jeff Gadbois
Frances Borchardt/Kari Peterson/Reporter/Sandy Canby/Linda Luby/Waitress/Babette – Laura Park
and Richard Nixon as Himself
Act I
Scene 1 1961 “The Birth of Tailgatin”
Scene 2 1965 “The Scramble for Success”
Scene 3 1969 “The Dawn of Purple Civilization”
Act II
Scene 1 1970 “The Road to the Super Bowl”
Scene 2 1972 “Strivings”
Scene 3 1974 “19 Minutes of Infamy”
Scene 4 1976 “The Storm Before the Calm”
Scene 5 1981 “Stuck Inside the Humpdome with the Football Blues Again”
Artistic Staff
Directors – Sarah Gioia & Ron Peluso
Scenic Designer – Dean Holzman
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Costume Designer – Susan Fick
Properties Designer – Eric Cheever
Sound Designer – Michael Croswell
Stage Managers – Julia Cashman, Bob Beverage
Assistant Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Michael Horejsi
Electricians – Aaron Rublein, Brooke Busse, Christian Gaylord, Andy Kedl
Light Board Operator – Christine Spiritwolf
Sound Board Operator – Curt Mahoney
Deck Manager – Kelly Campion
Orphan Train (World Premiere)
November 19-December 28, 1997
By Patty Lynch
Music & Lyrics by Charlie Maguire
In story and song, this is the tale of children from the slums of New York City who were transported to farm families in Midwestern locations from Texas to Alaska between 1858 and 1929. The play’s events are set in 1889.
Cast
Miss Grimstad/Mrs. Humboldt – Carole Jean Anderson
Mr. Louis/New Yorker – Julian Bailey
Franz – Graham Ballou
Fredrick/Chorus – Cooper D’Ambrose
Mrs. Stanley – Lavinia Erickson
Andy Hawkins – Terry Hempleman
Photographer/Townsperson – Blayn Lemke
Sally Ann – Jennifer Paige
Clarissa – Elizabeth Peterson
Carl – Josh Peterson
Aloysius – John Riedlinger
Katrin – Hannah Milligan Shaeffer
Amanda – Hadija Steen-Omari & Clarice Y. Mays
Mr. Studt /Rev. Brace – Steve Sweere
Mrs. Studt/New Yorker – Renee Sugrue
Fireman/John Lincoln Jones – J. Nathan Thomas
Orphans & Townies – Amara Antilla, Samantha Biegler, Dylan Dawson, Edward Charles Hampe, Ari Hopstock, Elsie Jamin-Maguire, James Jamin-Maguire, Shannon Nelson, Sam Olstein, Caitlin Sheaffer, Suzy Wagner
Orphan children in, on and in front of the train that carried them West
Orchestra
Piano – Lawrence Siegel
Guitar/ Mandolin – Erik Peterson
Bass – Gordon Abel & Amy Sandeen
Violin – Tim Reese
Artistic/Production Team
Director – Ron Peluso
Music Director/Arranger – Lawrence Siegel
Choreographer – Catherine Gasiorowicz
Assistant to the Director – Maggie Scanlan
Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Assistant Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Scenic Designer – Robin McIntyre
Scenic Artist – Sasha Thayer
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Amelia Breuer
Properties Designer – Eric Cheever
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Andrew C. Kedl
Electricians – Stephanie Brehe, Christian Gaylord, Jon Goldman, Matt Tucker
Followspot Operators – Trevor Hartman, Curt Maroney, Devlon Rhode, Christian Gaylord
Carpenters – Eric Cheever, Trevor Hartman
Deck Manager – Kelly Campion
MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT I
Rockabye – The Figure
Family – Aloysius, Shopkeeper, Orphans
Get Up – Katrin, Franz, Orphans
Orphan Rider – Fireman, Orphans
Dare You – Aloysius, Sally Ann
Orphan Rider (Reprise) – Fireman, Miss Grimstad, Orphans
ACT II
Dog – Franz, Sally Ann, Orphans, Townies
I Love Him – Sally Ann
Shooting Star – Katrin & Miss Grimstad
I Remember Love – John Lincoln Jones, Amanda, Ensemble
Rockabye (Reprise) – The Figure
Orphan Boy – Sally Ann & Aloysius
America – Ensemble
All songs copyright 1997 by Charlie Maguire & Mello-Jamin Music BMI.
Three Rivers Meeting (World Premiere)
January 3-11, 1998
By Jim Stowell
This new play is part of a month-long celebration of playwright and actor Jim Stowell’s 30 years in the theatre. Three Rivers Meeting joins two films, a brief run of another play and a celebrity reading of his book. Three Rivers Meeting tells us about the author’s search to discover the meaning of “home.”
Cast
Jim – Jim Stowell
Jim Stowell
Production Staff
Co-Directors – Sarah Gioia & Ron Peluso
Production Stage Manager – Julia Cashman
Assistant Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Scenic Design – Thomas H. Berger
Lighting Design – Pamela Kildahl
Sound Design – Bob Beverage
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Andrew Kedl
Electricians – Stephanie Brehe, Christian Gaylord
Carpenter – Trevor Hartman
Light Board Operator – Rebecca Long
Avenue X
February 4-March 7, 1998
Book & Lyrics by John Jiler
Music & additional lyrics by Ray Leslee
This play is set in 1963 at Gravesend, a racially mixed neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. The show is a new a capella musical that celebrates the vibrant rhythms of doo-wop, gospel, blues and jazz. Although there is great racial tension in America, Avenue X tells a story about a group of young people who begin to see each other as fellow human beings and move into the light of tolerance, understanding and acceptance.
Cast
Pasquale – Joseph St. James
Ubazz – Darrin Grimm
Chuck – Peter Provost
Barbara – Norah Long
Milton – Kevin Kirkendahl
Roscoe – Jimmy Russell
Julia – Jasmine Jones
Winston – Patrick D. Moore
Emcee of the Brooklyn Fox – Alan Frechtman
Understudies – Trevor Hartman, Jada Odom, Rachael Palmer, Willie Wesley
Production Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Musical Director – Joel Spineti
Choreographer – Jana Odom
Set Designer – Thomas H. Berger
Mural Artist – Ta-Coumba Aiken
Costume Designer – Devon Painter
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Properties Designer – Eric Cheever
Sound Designer – Mark Bloom
Production Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Assistant Stage Manager – Julianna Cashman
Master Electrician – Andrew C. Kedl
Electricians – Stephanie Brehe, Matthew Taylor, Tony Nordby, Jon Goldman
Carpenters – George Grubb, Trevor Hartman, Emily Tepe, Tom Scroggins, Herb Lindorff, Aaron Rublein
Sound Board Operators – Curt Maroney, Andy Mayer
Followspot Operators – Traci Czech, Trevor Hartman, Rebecca Long, Ben Zimmerman
Musical Numbers
ACT I
Prologue – Chorus
A Thousand Summer Nights – Chuck, Pasquale, Ubazz & Chorus
Scat – Pasquale, Milton
Serves You Right – Pasquale, Milton
Waitin’ – Roscoe, Julia
Io Sono Cosi Tanco – Ubazz, Barbara
Woman Of The World – Barbara, Pasquale, Milton, Ubazz
Where Are You Tonight? – Chuck, Pasquale, Ubazz, Winston, Milton
Big Lucy – Roscoe, Milton, Winston, Pasquale & Men
Why? – Milton & Men
Follow Me – Milton, Pasquale & Chorus
Follow Me (Reprise) – Milton & Chorus
ACT II
Santa Cecilia – Chorus
Palermo – Chuck
Command Me – Roscoe, Three Roscettes
Gloria – Chorus without Pasquale
Africa – Winston, Milton & Chorus
Go There – Julia & Chorus
Where Is Love – Milton, Pasquale
Epilogue, Where Is Love – Chorus
Conversations About Hannah
March 13-April 5, 1998
By Ann Schulman
The play is a beautiful love story about a St. Paul family. A young woman in search of her grandmother journeys back in time and uncovers the unrevealed truths of her family’s past. Set in a Jewish home on St. Paul’s West Side, the story moves like a dream into their world of the 1930s.
Cast
Janie – Melinda Kordich
Rose – Nancy Gormley
Ben – Sheldon Goldstein
Young Ben – Adam Whisner
Hannah – Terry Sommer
Bessie – Claudia Wilkens
Hymie – John Gustafson
Understudy – John Troyer
L-R: John Gustafson, Nancy Gormley, Melinda Kordich
Production Staff
Director – Carolyn Levy
Set Designer – Nayna Ramey
Costume Designer – Linda Cameron
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Properties Designer – Eric Cheever
Sound Designer & Composer – Mark Bloom
Production Stage Manager – Julianna Cashman
Assistant Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Dialect Coach – Ester Shore
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Andrew C. Kedl
Electricians – Stephanie Brehe, Matthew Tucker, Tony Nordby
Carpenters – Dave Schultz, Aaron Rublein
Light Board Operator – Tony Nordby
Sound Board Operators – Curt Maroney, Andy Mayer
Deck Manager – Traci Czech
Changeover Crew – Dorothy Gherity, George Grubb, Trevor Hartman, Mike Horejsi, Becca Long, Tom Scoggins, Melissa Skluzacek, Amy Spiegelberg, Melinda Kordich
Song Catcher (World Premiere)
April 15-May 10, 1998
By Marcie Rendon
Song Catcher was inspired by Stephen Smith’s MPR documentary by the same name, which presents the Native American perspective on Frances Densmore’s work in preserving Native American music and culture, and also examines the profound struggle for self-identity and cultural authority. The play version was proposed and researched by Alisa Pritchard. The time is the present and the turn of the 20th century; the place is Minnesota.
Cast
Mrs. Densmore/Lizzie – Virginia S. Burke
SpiritWoman – Dorene Day
Old Man Spirit – Raymond Vincent Moniz, Jr.
Bill/Windgrow/Mr. Williams – Bruce Murray
Frances Densmore – Alisa Pritchard
Jack/Geronimo/Maingans – Jay Red Hawk
Chris Maingains’ Wife – Jeanine Standing Bear
Winona/Gladys/Mide woman – Jeany Park
Maggie – Eliza Fearn Wright
Understudies – Sharn M. Day, Raymond Vincent Moniz, Jr., Lasha Tilson, Tom LaBlanc
Front to back: Jay Red Hawk, Alisa Pritchard, Dorene Day
Artistic Team
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Director – Casey Stangl
Stage Managers – Wayne Hendricks, Julia Cashman
Scenic Design – Dean Holzman
Costume Designer – Matt LeFebvre
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Properties Designer – Eric Cheever
Technical Director – Erin Kasper
Master Electrician – Andrew C. Kedl
Electricians – Stephen Brehe, Matthew Tucker, Christian Gaylord
Carpenters – Melissa Skluzacek, George Grubb, Erik Peterson
Light Board Operator – Rebecca Long
Sound Board Operator – Jon Goldman
Changeover crew – Traci Czech, Dorothy Gherity, Herb Lindorff, Aaron Rublein
