McKnight Theater Artist Fellows present WORKS IN PROGRESS 6/26

17 McKnight Theater Artist Fellows Sonya Berlovitz (costume design), Thomasina Petrus (actor) and Kimberly Richardson (actor) will present selections from theatrical works in progress on Monday, June 26, 2017 at 7 p.m. at Mixed Blood Theatre. This free event is presented by the Playwrights' Center, which is taking reservations at pwcenter.org, info@pwcenter.org or 612-332-7481. Mixed Blood Theatre is located at 1501 South 4th Street in Minneapolis.

The McKnight Theater Artist Fellowships at the Playwrights' Center recognize Minnesota theater artists other than playwrights whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit. In addition to the $25,000 fellowship, the McKnight Foundation provides up to $7,000 in development funds to McKnight Theater Artist Fellows, allowing them to build new theatrical works with collaborators they choose. The showing on June 26 will share the following works in progress:

"Familie," a work in progress by Sonya Berlovitz
A multi-disciplinary, semi-autobiographical glimpse of life's stages and relationships told in a sometimes humorous, provocative, and poetic fashion.

Choreographer: Laurie Van Wieren
Performers: Barbra, Sonya, and Jennie Berlovitz
Sound designer: Sean Healy

"Pulling a GROIN," a work in progress by Thomasina Petrus
On an impulse two sisters discover a hilarious, pain-free guide to getting rid of dead weight and chipped dreams, and discover the value and similarity of their emotional and physical junk!

Written and performed by: Thomasina Petrus* and George Keller*
Additional performers include: Antonio Duke
Sound designer: Kai Alexander

"Follies," a work in progress by Kimberly Richardson
Made in collaboration with Ryan Patrick, Follies is a performance art cabaret based on Ziegfeld's Follies. Featuring song, dance, comedy and the world's smallest chorus line Follies aims to-as Ziegfeld would say-delight and surprise.

Created and performed by: Kimberly Richardson* and Ryan Patrick

The production manager of the event is Elizabeth MacNally*, assistant stage manager is Katie Deutsch, and lighting designer is Mike Wangen. *Member of Actors' Equity

About the 2016-17 McKnight Theater Artist Fellows:

Between 1980 and 2008 Sonya Berlovitz designed costumes for over 50 productions at Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Since then she has worked on numerous shows with The Moving Company, touring with them to South Coast Repertory, Playmakers Repertory Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Productions elsewhere have included Children's Theatre Company, the Guthrie Theater, American Repertory Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, The Jungle Theater, Theater Latté Da and Ten Thousand Things. Grants and awards have included The Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle ("The Green Bird," 2000), Bay Area Theatre Award ("Tartuffe," 2016), Minnesota State Arts Board Initiative Grant (2005, 2013) and a McKnight Theater Artist Fellowship (1998, 2016). www.sonyaberlovitz.com

Thomasina Petrus is a 25-year equity actor and vocalist and company member at Penumbra Theatre and Mixed Blood Theatre. Her company, Thomasina Productions, has produced a number of works for music and theater including six separate stagings of "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" by Lanie Robertson and original productions "Lady Days," "Etta James...Dreams to Remember," "Hot Chocolate" and her newest endeavor, "The Sound Effects." All of Thomasina's upcoming productions and performances can be found on her website, thomasinaproductions.com. A successful departure from performing, Thomasina has also creaTEd Thomasina's Cashew Brittle, available at a number of locations: thomasinascashewbrittle.com

Kimberly Richardson is a physical theater performer. A member of Ten Thousand Things Artist Core, Kimberly has appeared frequently with the company since 2008, in productions including "Othello," "Music Man," "As You Like It" and "Dirt Sticks." Also a regular at Open Eye Figure Theatre, Kimberly performed/co-created "My Life as a Fairytale" and "The Clumsy Man" with Michael Sommers and played Ed Norton in Sommers' "To the Moon." Other credits include: Workhaus Collective, Children's Theatre Company, Jungle Theater, TigerLion Arts, Interact Center and actor-driven collaborations with Sodhouse Theater, Live Action Set, Jon Ferguson and Sara Richardson. Kimberly was awarded a 2006 Sage Award for dance performance.

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