2012-2013

2012-2013

SEASON

STAFF
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Associate Artistic Director – Austene Van
Production Manager – Janet L. Hall
Master Electrician – Matthew Earley
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Hooper
Artistic Associates – Bob Beverage, Michelle Hutchinson, Jan Puffer, Sue Scott, Richard D. Thompson

Managing Director – Karen Mueller
Development Associate – Doug Tiede
Financial Consultant – Megan Tarnow
IT Consultant – Kurt Buller

Audience Development Director – Chari Hall
Group Sales Manager – Jill Vaughn
Box Office Assistant Manager – David Hopkins-Hile
Box Office Associate – Bailey Anderson
Front of House Staff – Daniel Baltz, Nic Delcambre, Anne Hammel, Marj Hammer, Jodi Larson, Megan O’Brien, Ben Thompson, Travis Thorp
ASL Interpreters – Byron Behm, Bill Ross
Audio Describer – Rick Jacobson

Marketing Director – Rachel Flynn
Graphic Designer/Web Developer – Matthew Foster
Videographers – Joe Filipas, Sugo Media, Alan Naumann, Memoryvision

Lombardi
October 6-November 4, 2012
By Eric Simonson
Based on the book, When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss

This play tells the story of Vince Lombardi, famous football coach of the Green Bay Packers. Lombardi was a coach of players, but he was also a coach of coaches. Passionate and spirited, he demanded discipline from those he trained, and he would not tolerate racial, ethnic or sexual prejudice. He passed his values on to thousands of people during his career, and those thousands influenced thousands more, both on and off the field. So here we see Lombardi as a powerful, dynamic man; though he was also hardly perfect, he made a difference in the lives of countless Americans. The action of the play occurs in November of 1958, 1959, 1964 and 1965 in New Jersey, Green Bay and various locations.

Cast
Vince Lombardi – James Detmar
Marie Lombardi – Norah Long
Michael McCormick – Peter Middlecamp
Paul Hornung – Sam Bardwell
Jim Taylor – Eric Knutson
Dave Robinson – Darius Dotch

James Detmar

Artistic Team
Director – Ron Peluso
Scenic Designer – Michael Hoover
Lighting Designer – Chris Johnson
Costume Designer – Lynn Farrington
Video & Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Property Designer – Kirby Moore
Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Production Assistant/Deck Manager – Rory Mitchell
Master Electrician – Matthew Earley
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Hooper

Christmas Of Swing
November, 2012
By Bob Beverage, in collaboration with Ron Peluso, Jan Puffer & David Lohman

A story about the extraordinary efforts on the part of the popular, prolific and Minnesota-born Andrews Sisters to bring their music to service personnel all over the world during WWII. They were the sweethearts of America’s Armed Forces Radio Service during that period, and they worked tirelessly to bring some R&R (rest and relaxation) to soldiers. The play is set in a New York City Rehearsal Space on December 24, 1944.

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

Musical Numbers
ACT I
Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling – Andrews Sisters
I’ve Got A Guy In Kalamazoo – Andrews Sisters
Merry Christmas at Grandmother’s – Andrews Sisters & Danny Kay
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow – Andrews Sisters
Daddy (Hey, Santa) – Andrews Sisters & Lou Costello
Sleigh Ride – Andrews Sisters & Lou Costello
Winter Wonderland – Andrews Sisters
Christmas in Killarney – Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
Mele Kalikimaka – Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning – Bud Abbott & Lou Costello
Christmas Candles – Andrews Sisters
Christmas Tree Angel – Andrews Sisters
Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers – Andrews Sisters & Danny Kaye
Oh, Holy Night – Maxene Andrews
Strip Polka – Andrews Sisters & Danny Kaye

ACT II
Beat Me/Bounce Me/Scrub Me (Medley) – Andrews Sisters
I’d Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus – Andrews Sisters & Lou Levy
Poppa Santa Claus – Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Andrews Sisters
Here Comes Santa Claus – Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
I’ll Never Smile Again – Andrews Sisters
Shoo-Shoo Baby – Andrews Sisters
Der Fuehrer’s Face – Two G.I.’s
Pistol Packin’ Mama – Andrews Sisters|
Hot Time In The Old Town – Andrews Sisters
You’re All I Want For Christmas – LaVerne Andrews & G.I.
Traditional Christmas Carol Medley – Andrews Sisters
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – Andrews Sisters

Nellie (World Premiere)
January 26-February 17, 2013
By Kim Hines

Nellie Stone Johnson was a businesswoman and activist for civil rights and workers’ rights in Minnesota. Dedicated to education as a means for improving workers’ lives, she began working in politics and in civil rights organizations in the 1930s. She continued that work, receiving recognition for her groundbreaking efforts, from groups across Minnesota and the nation until her death in 2002. The story is set in Minneapolis; the action of the play is drawn from Nellie’s memories in the 1920s and 1930s.

Cast
Nellie Stone Johnson – Greta Oglesby
Nellie Allen – Sha Cage
Clyde/Herman/Black Minister – Ron Collier
Mama/Aunt Della/Mary-Lou – Lynnea Monique Doublette
Father/Captain Crowder – James Craven
Mrs. Solenberg/Grandma/Ruthie – Jen Maren
Fred/Swan/Frank/Paulie – Charles Fraser
Bill/George/Karl/Rabbi Minda – Tom Winner

Sha Cage & Greta Oglesby

Artistic Team
Director – Richard D. Thompson
Scenic Designer – Michael Hoover
Costume Designer – Sonya Berlovitz
Lighting Designer – Michael Wangen
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Properties Designer – Kirby Moore
Stage Manager – Janet L. Hall
Master Electrician – Matthew Earley
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Hooper
Production Assistant/Deck Manager – Nadege Kokoe Quevi

This production was supported in part by an award from the
National Endowment for the Arts

Courting Harry (World Premiere)
March 2-24, 2013
By Lee Blessing
Adapted from the book Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse

This production follows Minnesota natives Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger and Justice Harry Blackmun, lifelong friends whose strong bonds are tested by the momentous decisions before them, including Roe v. Wade. Burger and Blackmun were best friends growing up in the same St. Paul neighborhood, and remained close despite their differing career paths, not to mention their often conflicting personal and political ideologies. But when Richard Nixon appointed them both to the highest court in America, they found themselves at odds over some of the most controversial legal cases in American history.

Cast
Justice Harry Blackmun – Clyde Lund
Chief Justice Warren Burger – Nathaniel Fuller
Ensemble – Jamila Anderson
Ensemble – Charlotte Calvert
Ensemble – Sam Pearson
Ensemble/Nixon/Clinton – E.J. Subkoviak

Clyde Lund as Harry Blackmun

Artistic Team
Director/Scenic Designer – Joel Sass
Costume Designer – Cole Bylander
Lighting Designer – Marcus Dilliard
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Properties Designer – Kirby Moore
Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Master Electrician – Matthew Earley
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Hooper
Carpenter – Zach Morgan
Painter – Dee Skogan

Comment
The play [Courting Harry] wasn’t commissioned by History Theatre, but by a New York producer. That commission sort of drifted away when the producer suddenly passed away a year or so later.

Still I completed the project anyway, revising it several times, since I liked the script & it was on a subject involving Minnesota, my home state.

I had the play read publicly at the Playwrights’ Center [in Minneapolis], and that’s how Ron Peluso first encountered it. He offered to produce the play at History Theatre, & that led to our extremely rewarding world premiere there.

Ron didn’t like the play’s title, so I came up with its current title, which he loved.

Joel Sass directed the play brilliantly with an excellent cast, & frankly I couldn’t have been happier with the result. I’m very fond of the play, & I treasure the chance it gave me finally to work with History Theatre.

Ron’s been a joy to work with as a producer. I felt incredibly well supported throughout the production.

I’m happiest that In choosing Courting Harry, Ron prevented a play that I was very proud of from being overlooked. It had become an orphan to an extent, with the death of the initial producer—a fate it didn’t deserve. The strong critical response to the play at History Theatre is testimony to that fact.

– Lee Blessing, Playwright

This Side of Paradise
April 20-May 19, 2013
By Nancy Harrow & Will Pomerantz
Music & Lyrics by Nancy Harrow

This musical tells us about the turbulent lives of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, a talented couple who acquired fame and wealth in their early 20s during a time of great change in American society. Their fast-paced and tumultuous rush toward happiness was sidelined by alcohol, jealousy and emotional instability. The play is set in 1940. The place is a sanatorium and in Zelda’s memory.

Cast
Zelda Fitzgerald – Norah Long
Doctor Cassell – Alan Sorenson
Scott Fitzgerald – Bradley Beahen
Young Zelda – Kendall Anne Thompson
Hemingway – Eric Knutson
Callahan – Joel Liestman
Teenage Scottie/Ensemble – Emily Scinto
Maxwell Perkins/Ensemble – James Kennedy
Young Scottie – Dora Dolphin
Ensemble – Elyse Barnard, Shana Berg, Brad Kallhoff

Norah Long, Kendall Anne Thompson

Artistic Team
Director – Ron Peluso
Music Director – Andrew Fleser
Choreographer – Regina Peluso
Scenic Designer – Rick Polenek
Costume Designer – Kathy Kohl
Lighting Designer – Marcus Dilliard
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Properties Designer – Kirby Moore
Stage Manager – Janet L. Hall
Assistant Stage Manager – Tamara K. Heeschen
Assistant to the Director – Jen Rand
Master Electrician – Matthew Earley
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Hooper
Assistant Lighting Designer – Kathy Maxwell
Carpenters – Ronnell Buchanan, Zach Morgan
Painter – Dee Skogan
Stitchers – Mary Farrell, Emily Heany, Carol Michaels

Band
Pianist – Andrew Fleser
Percussion – Peter Suttman
Bass – Ryan Janssen
Sax/Flute/Clarinet – Dana Mathewson

Musical Numbers
ACT I
If I Want To – Zelda
Belle of the Ball – Young Zelda & Ensemble
Belle of the Ball (reprise) – Young Zelda & Scott
You’ll Never Get To East Egg – Young Zelda, Scott & Zelda
Winter Dreams – Young Zelda, Scott, Zelda & Doctor
This Side Of Paradise – Scott, Young Zelda & Ensemble
Oh God, I’m Sophisticated – Young Zelda & Scott
The Old Pro – Hemingway, Scott, Callahan & Ensemble
The Old Pro (reprise) – Scott
My Lost City – Scott

ACT II
Lost Lady – Zelda, Doctor & Ensemble
My Swan – Young Zelda & Scott
Starting Over – Ensemble
If I Want To (reprise) – Zelda
Dear Max – Scott & Ensemble
Until It Comes Up Love – Scottie, Young Zelda & Scott
The Extra Mile – Young Zelda & Scott
Until It Comes Up Love (reprise) – Zelda, Young Zelda & Scottie