2017-2018

2017-2018

SEASON

STAFF
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Artistic Associate – Anya Kremenetsky
Production Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Master Electrician – Joshua Stallings
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson

Managing Director – Karen Mueller
Fund Development Consultant – Tom Tarnow (The Mobius Group)
Development Associate – Martha West
Administrative & Marketing Associate – Ashton Schneider
Development Intern – Alexis Haley Brown
Education Manager – Paul de Cordova
Financial Consultant – The Mobius Group
IT Consultant – IT Whatever

Audience Development Director – Chari Hall
Group Sales Manager – Craig Cerrato
Box Office Manager – David Rummel
Box Office Associate – Lynae Morrison
Front of House Staff – Linda Berglund, Anne Hammel, Sophie Hendricks, Armand Hayes, Kyla Moloney, Lane Rapp Jr., Doug Tiede
Open Captioner – Sheila Bland
ASL – Linda Gil, Susan Masters
Audio Description – Elana Centor

Marketing Director – In-Fin Tuan
Graphic Designer/Web Developer – Rocketfish
Photographer – Scott Pakudaitis, Rick Spaulding
Videographer – Alan Naumann – Memoryvision

All the Way (Regional Premiere)
October 7-29, 2017
By Robert Schenkkan

John F. Kennedy’s Vice President, Lyndon Johnson, acquired the Presidency when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The nation was in shock and tensions were high. The KKK was bombing black churches, Freedom Riders were disappearing, George Wallace held a tight grip on Alabama and Bobby Kennedy posed a challenge in the upcoming Presidential election. But Johnson worked with his VP, Hubert Humphrey, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. to pass the important 1964 Civil Rights Act in a divided Congress.

Cast
Lyndon Baynes Johnson – Pearce Bunting
Lady Bird Johnson/Katharine Graham/Katharine St. George – Jennifer Blagen
Walter Jenkins/Strom Thurmond – Peter Middlecamp
Secretary/Lurleen Wallace/Muriel Humphrey – Patty Matthews
Hubert H. Humphrey/Colmer/Others – Andrew Wheeler
Richard Russell/Emanuel Celler/Price/others – Peter Thomson
J. Edgar Hoover/Robert Byrd – J.C. Cutler
Robert McNamara/James Eastland/Gov. Paul B. Johnson – Eric Knutson
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Shawn Hamilton
Ralph Abernathy/others – Rex Isom, Jr.
Stanley Levison/John McCormick/others – Bruce Abas
James Harrison/Stokely Carmichael/Chaney – Darrick Mosley
Gov. Sanders/Tailor/Goodman/Trammel/others – Song Kim
Cartha “Deke” DeLoach/Everett Dirkson/others – Jefferson Slinkard
Coretta Scott King/Fannie Lou Hamer/woman – Jamila Anderson
George Wallace/James Corman/Walter Ruether – Josh Carson
Roy Wilkins/Aaron Henry – Joe Nathan Thomas
Bob Moses/David Dennis – Ron Collier

Pearce Bunting as Lyndon Baines Johnson

Production Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Scenic Designer – Rick Polenek
Video Designer – Kathy Maxwell
Costume Designer – E. Amy Hill
Lighting Designer – Barry Browner
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Wigs Designer – Robert A. Dunn
Properties Designer – Kirby Moore
Stage Manager/Production Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Production Assistant/Dramaturg – Katie Sandvik
Assistant Stage Manager – Laurie Flanigan Hegge
Production Intern – Zoe Challenger
Master Electrician – Joshua Stallings
Board Operator – Phillip Uttech
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Scenic Artist – Dee Skogen
Stage Electricians – Phillip Uttech, Kyla Moloney, Katie Deutsch, Matt Early, Jake Otto, Malread Koehler
Carpenters – Duncan James, Justin Fowler, Lester Holmquist, Zach Morgan

All the Way is a winner of Broadway’s coveted Tony Award

Comment
Community is so much more than all of us living and working next to each other. It’s really the end result of all of our different stories living side by side. We might not know each other’s stories but we ARE them. The History Theatre’s mission has always been to discover those stories, or to draw attention to them or to coax them out of people who are afraid to share, to remind us that our stories are OUR history and knowing them brings us closer together. Ron Peluso is a great lover of community and stories.

Now let me tell you a small part of my story-

I moved to the Twin Cities in 2010 and was having a hard time meeting the theatre community. A mutual friend spoke to Ron on my behalf and told him he should call me in and he did, but not for an audition (or was it?). We sat in the theatre and talked for a while, getting to know each other, just shooting the breeze. As we said goodbye he asked me if I’d be interested in doing a workshop of a play by Garrison Keillor called Radio Man. Hmmmm… Yes, thank you. A few months later, days before we started the workshop, Ron called me up and told me I’d be playing Garrison Keillor and the real Garrison Keillor would be in the room with us all week. 3 days into the workshop, he called to tell me that History Theatre would be doing Radio Man next season and that the part was mine if I wanted it. I’m still in shock as I remember this. Next, he asked me if I’d like to dive into a newly shortened, one-act version of The Things They Carried adapted from the book by Tim O’Brien. We spent a month down in the basement rehearsal room digging deep into Tim’s epic, poetic rembrances of Vietnam. We’ve since mounted it in 3 limited runs, with hopes of bringing it to more and more audiences. Then there was LBJ in Robert Schenkkan’s All The Way. Ron called me up and said he wouldn’t want to do it without me. It turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my almost 40-year career.

But all of my roles at The History Theatre have been high points for me. And in Ron Peluso, I’ve found a friend and collaborator. Thanks to him, I’ve met so many other Minneapolis theatre artists that I’ve gone on to work with in other projects and I now feel that I’m truly part of the Twin Cities theatre community. I’m proud of the work we’ve done at The History Theatre and of all the productions I see there. Stories are brought to light, diverse audiences experience them and we begin to understand each other, to empathize and, hopefully, to take good care of each other.

– Pearce Bunting, Actor

Coco’s Diary
November 25-December 23, 2017
By Bob Beverage and Ron Peluso

Clotilde (Coco) Irvine grew up in the house her parents built at 1006 Summit Avenue in St. Paul. In 1927, Coco was age 13 and committed herself to keeping a diary for a year of her young life. The play comes from that diary; both expose us to the trials and tribulations of adolescent life: joy, heartache and angst from the people who think that Coco creates more than her share of trouble. But Coco often tells us that the source of any trouble is “no fault of my own.”
The play is set at Irvine home in 1965 & 1927. In 1965, the Irvine family donated the property to the State of Minnesota, and it was designated as the State Ceremonial Building and the Governor’s Mansion.

Cast
Young Clotilde “Coco” Irvine – Dora Dolphin, Arden Michalec
Adult Coco – Andrea Wollenberg
Tom – Jake Endres
Understudy (Tom) – David Lohman

(L-R) Dora Dolphin, Andrea Wollenberg, Jake Endres

Artistic Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Music Director – Jake Endres
Choreographer/Assistant to the Director – Regina Peluso
Scenic Designer – Rick Polenek
Lighting Designer – Pamela Kildahl
Costume Designer – Anna Hill
Properties Designer – Kirby Moore
Master Electrician/Sound Designer – Joshua Stallings
Stage Manager – Janet L. Hall
Production Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Artistic Associate – Anya Kremenetsky
Assistant Stage Manager – Haley Walsh
Wardrobe – Polly Bilski
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Stage Electricians – Phillip Uttech, Kyla Moloney, Alisha Gehrke, Jake Otto Mairead Koehler
Carpenters – James Duncan, Justin Fowler, Leste Holmquist, Zach Morgan

A Crack in the Sky (World Premiere)
February 10-March 4, 2018
By Harrison David Rivers & Ahmed Ismail Yusef

In 1984, a young Somali shepherd boy decided to leave his village and seek a better life. The play tells the epic story about the boy’s journey, the people he met and the places he visited on the long trek that brought him to Minnesota. The time is the early 1990s and today. The play takes us to many locations, including a hill in Halgaab, Somalia, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Cast
Ahmed Ismail Yusef – M. Hajji Ahmed
Mother/Maya Angelou – Ashawnti Sakina Ford
The General/Bob Schulz/Cigaal Shiidaad – Rex Isom Jr
Hassan/Malcolm X – JuCoby Johnson
Diane Zannoni/Camel – Tracey Maloney
Fred Pfeil – Rich Remedios
Zee/Owl – Mikell Sapp

M. Hajji Ahmed

Artistic & Production Staff
Director – Fay Price
Costume Designer – Aaron Chvatal
Lighting Designer – Michael Wangen
Properties Designer – Kellie Larson
Scenic Designer – Joel Sass
Scenic Artist – Dee Skogen
Sound Designer – Katharine Horowitz
Video Designer – Kathy Maxwell
Dramaturg – Wendy Weckwerth
Production Manager & Stage Manager – Wayne Hendrick
Assistant Stage Manager – Haley Walsh
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Wardrobe – Molly O’Gara
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Master Electrician – Nick Walberg
Stage Electricians – Josh Stallings, Kyra Moloney, Mairead Koehler, Jake Otto, Katie Deutsch, Jess Coi
Master Carpenter – Zach Morgan
Carpenter – James Duncan

Dance till You Drop (World Premiere)
March 24-April 15, 1918
By Carson Kreitzer
Created in collaboration with Collide Theatrical Dance Company

During the Great Depression, desperate people looked for ways to help them survive. Some were drawn to the prize money offered by the new Dance Marathon fad! In Minneapolis, two young dancers agree to set a world record and take that money home. This new work explores the psychology of the dance marathons, the spectators and the limits of the human body and spirit.

Cast
Callum & Emcee – Pearce Bunting

Cal – Patrick Jeffrey
Vonnie – Andrea Mislan
Hollywood Couple (Vera & Dave) – Heather Cadigan Brockman & Cameron Meilicke
Vaudeville Couple (Junie & Red) – Brittany Keefe & Erik Hunder
Union Couple (Shannon & Jack) – Chelsea Rose & Elander Rosser
Rube Couple (Daisy & George) – Katie Taintor & Ronin Holley
Newlywed Couple (Annie & Steven) – Nicole Riebe & Dominick Dates
Customer/Floor Judge/Gangster – Pedro Juan Fonseca
Enid/Church Lady – Brittany Parker
Betsey/Nurse – Jaclyn Juola
Swing/Understudy – Rebecca Abroe

Musicians
Music Director/Pianist – Doug Rhode
Vocalist – Katie Gearty
Drums – David DeGennaro
Bass – Matt McIntyre
Reeds – Melissa Stoudt

Artistic Team
Artistic Director – Ron Peluso
Director – Anya Kremenetsky
Choreographer – Regina Peluso
Music Director & Arranger – Doug Rohde
Scenic Designer – Rick Polenek
Lighting Designer – Merritt Rodriguez
Costume Designer – Amelia Cheever
Properties Designer – Lee Christiansen
Sound Designer/Master Electrician – Joshua Stallings
Dance Captain – Katie Taintor
Tap Choreographer – Erik Hunder
Dramaturg – Peg Meier
Production/Literary Assistant – Sophie Peyton
Dramaturgy Intern – Kate Sandvik
Stage Manager – Lisa Smith
Asst. Stage Managers – Rachael Rhoades & Janet L. Hall
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Stage Electricians – Nick Walberg, Jake Otto, Kyla Moloney, Alisha Gehrke, Nick Fetting, Courtney Schmitz
Master Carpenter – Zach Morgan
Carpenters – James Duncan, Seth Feralin
Scenic Painter – Dee Skogen
Wardrobe – Polly Bilski
Stitcher – Julie Marsh
Audio Engineer/Sound Board Operator – Nick Walberg
Spot Operators – Deirdre McQuillen, Joel Gay

Musical Numbers
Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael & Mitchell Parrish
Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima
Putting’ On the Ritz by Irving Berlin
Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin
Brother Can You Spare A Dime by Jay Gorney & Yip Harburg
Daisy Bell by Harry Dacre
Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Thomas “Fats” Waller, Andy Razaf & Harry Brooks
Stairway to the Stars by Matty Maineck, Frank Signorelli & Mitchell Parish
Everybody Eats When They Come To My House byJeanne Burns
Shaving Cream by Benny Bell
Night and Day by Cole Porter
Broadway Rag by James Scott
The Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me by Charles Mcarron, Casey Morgan & Arthur Swanstrom
Fidgety Feet by Nick LaRocca & the Original Dixieland Jazz Band
It Don’t Mean A Thing by Duke Ellington & Irving Mills
Deed I Do by Fred Rose & Walter Hirsch
Ducky New Deal by Carson Kreitzer & Doug Rohde
Happy Feet by Milton Ager & Jack Yellen
What’ll I Do by Irving Berlin
St. James Infirmary (traditional/unknown)
Ain’t We Got Fun by Richard A. Whiting, Raymond B. Egan and Gus Kahn
Dance ‘Til You Drop Theme and all incidental music composed and arranged by Doug Rohde

Lord Gordon Gordon (World Premiere)
May 5-June 3, 2018
By Jeffery Hatcher
Music and Lyrics by Chan Poling

The true and complex musical story about a British confidence man who, while charming, had “issues with the truth.” Minnesotans willingly gave him their money in return for his promise to bring tens of thousands of Scottish immigrants to Minnesota and create a new city out on the western prairie. His promise was, of course, never fulfilled. Act one takes place in 1871 in Minnesota and New York City. Act two occurs in 1872 in New York, Canada and Beyond.

Cast
Lord Gordon Gordon – Mark Benninghofen
Sarah Beldon – Jen Baldwin Peden
Valet – Adam Qualis
George Brackett/Ensemble – Gary Briggle
Loren Fletcher/Ensemble – Jim Ramlet
Col. Loomis/Jay Gould/Ensemble – Randy Schmeling
William Belden/Ensemble – Eric Morris
Amerette Fletcher/Ensemble – Katie Bradley
Anna Brackett/Ensemble – Jen Maren
Dancers – Callie Dochterman, Sedona Wissar, Andrew Didenko-Gamart, Nathaly Abraham

Orchestra
Musical Director/Pianist – Andrew Fleser
Trombone – Scott Agster
Drums – Erik Barsness
Trumpet – Sylvain Pineault
Woodwinds – Dylan Younger

Musical Numbers
ACT I
Lord Gordon Gordon/Who’s That Man – Company
Innocent – Sarah & William
Isn’t It Amazing! – Company
Lang May Sir Lum Reek – Gordon & Sarah
Sixty Thousand Scots – Company
The Truth, Mr. Gordon – Sarah & Gordon
I Don’t Want This Train To Ever Stop – Sarah
Happy – Gordon, Sarah, Greeley, William
Jay Gould! – Company
The Solitary Man – Gordon & Valet
The Opera – Company
What Kind Of A Man (Part I) – Company
The Trial of Lord Gordon Gordon – Company
Nice And Mad – Company

ACT II
Lord Gordon Gordon (reprise) – Company
Needle In A Haystack – Brackett, Fletcher & Loomis
Innocent/Do Not Follow – Sarah, William, Gordon
Everything’s Changed – Sarah
The Solitary Man (reprise) – Gordon & Valet
This Is Trouble – Gordon
I’m In A Hell Of A Fix/Going To War – Company
Happy (reprise) – Gordon & Sarah
Finale – Company

Artistic Staff
Director – Ron Peluso
Musical Arranger – Robert Elhai
Choreographer – Tamara Kangas Erickson
Musical Director – Andrew Fleser
Scene Designer – Eli Schlatter
Lighting Designer – Barry Browning
Properties Designer – Abbee Warmboe
Costume Designer – Sonya Berlovitz
Sound Designer – C. Andrew Mayer
Production Manager/Stage Manager – Wayne Hendricks
Assistant Stage Manager – Haley Walsh
Dramaturg – Peg Meier
Technical Director – Gunther Gullickson
Master Electrician – Nick Walberg
Stage Electricians – Phil Uttech, Jake Otto, Alisha Gehrke, Joel Gay, Noah Davis, Malread Koehler, Mary Montgomery-Jensen, Shannon Elliot
Master Carpenter – Zach Morgan
Carpenters – James Duncan, Seth Feralin
Scenic Change Artist – Dee Skogan
Wardrobe – Polly Bilski
Stitchers – Mary Farrell, Molly O’Gara