2006-2007

2006-2007

SEASON

STAFF
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Managing Director – Virginia Nugent
Development Director – Connie Fullmer
Director of Individual Giving – Jennifer Patti
Marketing Director – Janelle LaCoursiere
Audience Services Director – Chari Hall
Education & Group Sales Manager – Dan Adolphson
New Works Associate – Steve Moulds
Technical Director – Dave Pust
Company Manager – Janet Hall
Company Stage Manager – Kara Schuette
Audience Services Associate – Jill Vaughn
Graphic Designer – Brandon Kuehn
Box Office – Marj Hammer, Katie O’Rourke, Anne Hammel, Andrew Edwards, Beth Cashman, Jodi Larson, Trevor Skaar
Artistic Associates – Steve Barberio, Sue Scott, Jan Puffer, Rick Thompson

Wellstone! (World Premiere)
October 7-November 5, 2006
By Mark Rosenwinkel

Once a college professor, Paul Wellstone was elected as one of the US Senators from Minnesota. Much admired, this son of immigrant parents made common-sense politics a way to stand up for the common man. His tragic death in an airplane crash has not diminished his appeal for many of his followers, who continue to espouse his political and personal philosophies to this day.

Cast
Paul Wellstone – Kris L. Nelson
Sheila Wellstone & other women – Amy McDonald
Multiple Men – Philip Callen
The Musician – Teresa Chandler
Understudies – Chris Carlson (Multiple Men)

Artistic Team
Director – Steve Barberio
Songwriter – Larry Long
Dramaturg – Buffy Sedlachek
Scenic & Lighting Designer – Marcus Dilliard
Costume Designer – Lori Opsal
Sound Designer – Michael Croswell
Stage Manager – Kara Schuette
Deck Manager – Sten Wall
Master Electrician – Dave Woychek
Master Carpenter – Matt Erkel
Technical Director – Dave Pust
Properties Designer – Sara Schmidt Boldon
Light Board Operator – Jeff Johnson
Sound Board Operator – Mike Pledl

Songs
Be The Change
Pope County Blues
Agent Orange: My Country Tis to Thee
Let Us Rise Up & Sing
On The Bus
Hard Times Coming Our Way
My Father’s Eyes Are Looking Down On Me
Lay Me Down Easy

For his acting in this production,
Kris L. Nelson earned the coveted Ivey Award in 2007

Lutefisk Champ & Other Frozen Holiday Tales
November 25-December 31, 2006
By David Mann, Craig Johnson, Joseph Scrimshew (Head Writers) &
Sheri Wilner, Laurie Flanigan, Greta Grosch, David Hawley, Gary Rayppy
(Contributing Writers)
Music & Lyrics by Drew Jansen

This musical pulls together the talents of many creative people and is designed to be a treat for all ages – a celebration that is all about family, friends and traditions. It is a wild weave of the historical and the hysterical, and a curious mix of the personal and the universal.

Cast
Christiana Clark Laurie Flanigan Craig Johnson David Mann

Artistic Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Dramaturg – Steve Moulds
Scenic Designer – Kate Sutton-Johnson
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Costume Designer – Lisa Rae Windloss
Sound Designer & Technician – Michael Pledl
Properties Designer – Sara Schmidt Boldon

Production Staff
Technical Director – Dave Pust
Master Electrician – Dave Woychek
Master Carpenter – Matt Erkel
Stage Manager – Janet L. Hall
Deck Manager – Sten Wall

AD Interpreter – Mari Griffin
ASL Interpreters – Rachelle Cooper Armstrong, Susan Nelson

Café Accordion Orchestra
Accordion, Vocal – Dan Newton
Mandolin, Violin, Vocal – Eric Mohring
Guitars, Banjo, Vocal – Brian Barnes
Bass – Erik Lillestol
Percussion – Joe Steinger

Musical Numbers
ACT I
Yohnny B. Goode – C. Berry & D. Newton
The Lutefisk Champ: Appetizers – Craig Johnson
Talkin’ On A Tiny Telephone – F. Bernard & D. Newton
Home for the Holidays: The Origins of Christmas – Craig Johnson & Joseph Scrimshaw
Santa’s Coming to Minnesota – Dan Newton
24th: Episode One – David Mann
To Dad From Laurie – Laurie Flanigan
Anna Ramsey: A Territorial Christmas – Joseph Scrimshaw
Christmas Alphabet – Traditional & D. Newton
24th: Episode Two – David Mann
Daddy’s Gift – Evelyn Fairbanks, adapted by David Mann
Mary Had a Baby – Traditional

ACT II
The Lutefisk Champ: Entrée – Craig Johnson
O Lutefisk – Red Strangeland
A Good Man is Hard to Find – Eddie Green
Eventually… – Joseph Scrimshaw
Jingle Bells – J. Pierpont, arranged by D. Newton
24th: The Season Finale – David Mann
Deck The Halls – Traditional
The Christmas Tapes of 1970 – David Mann
Shotgun Shells on a Christmas Tree – Robin & Linda Williams
The First Night of Chanukah – Sheri Wilner
Home for the Holidays: The Present That Got Away – Joseph Scrimshaw, Greta Gresch, David Hawley & Gary Rayppy

100 Men’s Wife (World Premiere)
January 20-February 10, 2007
By Jeany Park

This play paints a dark and violent picture of the sex trade industry, one that has not changed in over 100 years. The playwright’s research on May Seen’s history is at the center of the play, but her writing is a brilliant and painful examination of a problem that the world continues to bury in the shadows. That problem is topical and relevant, and no one is immune. Ultimately, the play offers hope, triumph, faith and friendship, all of which and more are necessary to eliminate this evil practice.

Cast
Young May Seen – Eliza Rasheed
Liang May Seen – Sun Mee Chomet
Highbinder – Kurt Kwan
Margaret Culbertson – Charity Jones
Patrick O’Brien – Sean Michael Dooley
Sung Tao – Rose Le Tran
Spirit Woman – Rose Le Tran
Woo Yee Sing – Sherwin Resurreccion
Woo Du Sing – Kurt Kwan
Clare Prendergast – Charity Jones
Chin Mei Lei – Rose Le Tran
Howard – Eliza Rasheed

Sun Me Chomet, Sherwin Resurreccion

Artistic Team
Director – Suzy Messerole
Dramaturg – Sarah Gioia
Scenic Designer – Nayna Ramey
Lighting Designer – Michael Wangen
Costume Designer – Juli Acton
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Properties Designer – Sara Schmidt Boldon
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Technical Director – Dave Pust
Master Electrician – Dave Woychek
Stage Manager – Kara Schuette
Company Manager – Janet L. Hall

AD Interpreter – Mari Griffin
ASL Interpreters – Rachelle Cooper Armstrong, Susan Nelson

Orphan Train
February, 2007
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.

The limited information about this play’s performances is based upon advance marketing, advertising material, photographs and newspaper articles in our archives. Unfortunately, a program for this production, our primary source of data, could not be located.

Cast
Aloysius – Randy Schmeling
Sally Ann – Lauren Asheim

Lauren Asheim and Randy Schmeling

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

The Baron (World Premiere)
April 14-May 20, 2007
By Cory McLeod in collaboration with Jim & Karl Raschke

The Baron takes us back to the olden days of “professional” wrestling, with its colorful costumes and character nicknames, where “bad guys” were as much beloved and intensely watched as “good guys” by millions across America. The play focuses on the career of “Baron” von Raschke, whose signature move, the infamous “Claw”, was feared by all. The time and place is here and now, and during the golden era of Professional Wrestlin’!

Cast
Baron von Raschke & Himself – Jim “The Baron” Raschke
Marty O’Neill/Mother Claw/Bonnie Raschke/Heidi Raschke/Others – Michelle “Ain’t She Too Much” Hutchinson
Ring Announcer/Gas station attendant/Pete Peterson/Howard Cosell/Others – Joseph “Rabid Squirrel” Scrimshaw
Young Jim/Shoie “Giant” Baba/BobbyHennen/Others – Fred “The Gasser” Wagner
“Mad Dog” Vachon/Reggie “The Crusher” Lisowski/Verne Gagne/Others – Joe “Snot of Puke n’ Snot” Kudla

Production Staff
Directors – Ron Peluso & Steve Moulds
Scenic Design – Erik Paulson
Lighting Design – Chris Johnson
Costume Design – Shannon O’Black
Properties – Sarah Schmidt Bolden
Sound Design – C. Andrew Mayer
Technical Direction – Cara Ullrich
Production Manager – Janet Hall
Stage Manager – Kara Schuette
Videographer – Cory McLeod
Dramaturg – Steve Moulds
Sound Board Operator – Mike Pledl
Light Board Operator – Ian Commins

AD Interpreter – Mari Griffin
ASL Interpreters – Susan Nelson, Rachelle Cooper