THE ROOT BEER LADY to Open at History Theatre in January

History Theatre will kick off the new year with the one-woman show, The Root Beer Lady. Written and performed by Kim Schultz and directed by Jess Yates (Based on original direction by Addie Gorlin-Han), The Root Beer Lady is the story of the indomitable Dorothy Molter. The play, funny and passionate, explores her independence, fortitude, and love of nature and pushes back against the premise that her time in the North Woods made her the "Loneliest Woman in America," as the Saturday Evening Post claimed in 1952. The Root Beer Lady runs January 25-February 23, 2025- tickets on sale now!

Molter was an independent woman from Chicago who fell in love with the beauty of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). Going against the social norms of the 30's and 40's, and her father's wishes, she moved into a small cabin and made northern Minnesota her home. While Molter may have become a legend for her rugged and independent life, it was the root beer she brewed with lake water and served to thirsty paddlers, that established her fame as "The Root Beer Lady." Opening January 25, come witness the beauty and hardships of Molter's solitary-yet-satisfying life as the last legal non-indigenous resident of the BWCA. Her story will delight all, young and old.

"I love telling this story that so many Minnesotans recognize. Almost everyone has a "Dorothy" story. She touched so many lives. It is such a joy to bring her back to life for audiences. And if you haven't seen it yet now is your chance! It's a lot of fun!" said Schultz about the return of THE ROOT BEER LADY. "I hope audiences walk away feeling they had a really good laugh and maybe shed a tear or two, learned something about a real Minnesota legend and spent some time in community with folks, which I think is really important for our spirits right now, both individually and collectively. I also hope it makes people think, reflecting on their own lives and choices and that it gives them something to talk about at drinks or dinner after the show, because that's one of the purposes of theater I believe - to connect us both in the moment and after."

The team includes Kim Schultz* (Playwright and Performer), Jen Maren* (Understudy), Jess Yates (Director), Addie Gorlin-Han (Original Direction), Chelsea M Warren# (Scenic Designer), Abbee Warmboe (Props Designer), Sarah Bahr# (Costume Designer), Chris Johnson (Lighting Designer), Katherine Horowitz (Sound Designer), Leslie Ritenour (Video Designer), Lee Johnson* (Stage Manager), Gianna Haseman (Asst. Stage Manager), Gunther Gullickson (Technical Director), Eva Sima (Lead Carpenter), Nick Walberg (Master Electrician), and Meghan Kent (Costume Assistant).

* Member AEA # Member USA 829

Kim Schultz (Playwright and Performer): Originally from Minneapolis, Kim Schultz is a Chicago-based actor, writer, solo show artist and storyteller. Select theatrical credits include: A Christmas Carol at The Goodman Theatre, In the Garden at Lookingglass Theatre (u/s), No Place Called Home at The Kennedy Center, Silk Road Rising and 3LD, Yang Zen Froggs at Theatre de la Jeune Lune and King Lear at Ten Thousand Things, The Comedy of Errors at New England Shakespeare and The F Trip at The Zipper Factory. As an improviser and writer, she has worked at The Brave New Workshop, Disney Cruise Line, Chicago Improv Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and on an HBO Comedy Showcase. This is Kim's third solo show. Previous solo work includes The F Trip and No Place Called Home. Kim also authored the memoir, Three Days in Damascus (Palewell Press, 2016) about her experience meeting Iraqi refugees in the Middle East. Her television work includes Sex in the City, Chicago Fire, as well as several national/regional commercials. In addition, Kim is a corporate improvisation trainer and occasionally runs artist residencies in Mexico. www.kimschultz.net

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