BEYOND THE RAINBOW, COCO'S DIARY Included in History Theatre's 2011-12 Season

History Theatre announces its 34th season filled with epic stories: from the tumultuous life of the resilient Judy Garland, to the sweet yet seemingly daunting adventure of being thirteen year old Coco Irvine. From a war that tore our nation apart, to a year filled with unprecedented social upheaval. Returning favorites bookend the season which includes two world premieres and a Minnesota preimere.

The season launches with the talented Jody Briskey as she reprises the role of Judy Garland in Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall. Since it first premiered at History Theatre in 2005 this remarkable musical has become a crowd favorite, playing to audiences across America. History Theatre will celebrate the holidays with the Minnesota premiere of A Civil War Christmas by Paula Vogel, an epic musical about the array of characters who inhabited the White House, Washington, D.C., and the battle fields during Christmastime of 1864.

Next History Theatre will partner with the Minnesota History Center for the world premiere of 1968: The Year That Rocked the World which will play in the History Center's 3M Auditorium alongside "The 1968 Exhibit" (on view 10/14/11 - 2/20/12). Seven different playwrights take on seven of the most momentous events of the one of the most turbulent years in American history.

Coco's Diary will welcome spring with a charming look at a year in the life of 13 year-old Clotilde Irvine whose diary was recently turned into a book by Peg Meier (Through No Fault of My Own, University of Minnesota Press, 2011). And then the season will end with the return of Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. The show's premiere in 2000 was wildly popular enjoying sold out houses and an extended run.

For the 2011-2012 season History Theatre will move to a Tiered Seating price schedule for single tickets. The top price for seats in one of the three center sections on the main floor (Tier 1) will be $38. Seats in the center of the balcony and off to the sides on the main floor (Tier 2) will be $34. And seats on the extreme sides of the main floor and the balcony (Tier 3) will be $30. This is the first time in five years that History Theatre has increased the price of tickets and still remains one of the most affordable tickets for a professional theatre company in the Twin Cities.

Three different season pass options are available with complete flexibility to suit patrons' budgets and busy schedules, ranging in price from $120 (Buddy Pass) to $140 (Premium Pass) - and a new Matinee Pass for $130. More information is available by calling the History Theatre box office at 651-292-4323 or going online to www.historytheatre.com.

October 8 - November 6, 2011
Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall
by William Randall Beard
1961 The incomparable Jody Briskey returns as Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall in her legendary 1961 Comeback Concert! Garland leads audiences through a whirlwind of memories starting with her childhood days in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and on to the studios at MGM, marriages and divorces, and finally to Carnegie Hall. Featuring "Get Happy," "I Can't Give you Anything but Love," "That's Entertainment," "The Trolley Song," and of course "Over the Rainbow," and more!

November 19 - December 18, 2011
A Civil War Christmas An American Musical Celebration
by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel
1864 It is Christmastime in Washington, DC as the Civil War nears its end. This epic musical incorporates music of the era to give voice to the many characters living and working in Washington, D.C. during the final days of the Civil War. Filled with intrigue and surprise, this Christmas musical reveals a world that is simultaneously torn apart by war and held together by the hope for redemption.

January 21 - February 19, 2012
1968: The Year That Rocked the World
by members of the Playwrights' Center: Reggie Edmunds, Matt Smart, Kim Hines, Kevin Kautzman, Rhiana Yazzi, Dominic Orlando, and Christina Ham
1968 History Theatre and members of the Playwright's Center bring some of the most explosive events and personalities of 1968 to the stage: The War in Vietnam, the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy, the Mexico Olympics, Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert H. Humphrey, the election of Richard Nixon, and even the Apollo 8 mission broadcast on Christmas Eve. These events are surrounded by the unforgettable music of the era and pop culture that entertained and reflected on a world in chaos.

PRESENTED AT THE MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER alongside "The 1968 Exhibit," an ambitious multimedia exhibit that will take visitors through the relentless year of culture-shifting, life-changing, memory-stamping events. On display October 14, 2011 through February 20, 2012.

March 3 - 25, 2012
Coco's Diary Adapted from the diary of Clotilde Irvine
by Ron Peluso and Bob Beverage
1927 The trials and tribulations of a 13 year-old girl never seem to change: sibling rivalry, boys, school dances, boys, homework, and- boys! Young Clotilde "Coco" Irvine, is the daughter of a lumber baron living in a fashionable Summit Avenue mansion in 1927. Coco's Diary leads audiences on a winsome romp alongside our smart, adventurous, mischievous heroine surrounded by the beguiling music of the 1920s. It is a charming, funny and delightful entertainment for the entire family.

April 21 - May 20, 2012
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
by David Hawley with music & lyrics by Drew Jansen
1932 Crime is running rampant in St. Paul! Our fair city is the crime capital of the U.S.A. where Public Enemies like Alvin "Creepy" Karpis and the Ma Barker Gang have free reign. But when J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI enter the picture the bad guys are put on the run. It's high stakes at the Hollyhocks with great songs by Drew Jansen, dance numbers featuring G-men and Tommy guns, and a dose of dark humor as we explore the crazy days of St. Paul's infamous past.

RAW STAGES: A Festival of Works-in-Progress
October 16, 2011 • December 11, 2011 • March 11, 2012 • May 6, 2012 - All at 7:00 p.m.
During the 2011-2012 season, The RAW STAGES Series will consist of four readings performed on the History Theatre stage on four different Sunday evenings. Titles, playwrights, and directors will be announced and posted online after July 1, 2011.

 

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.