Blog Archives

WE'RE HAVING A PAAAAARTY! by Hannah

1/26/2017

HELP US SAY GOODBYE (for now) TO SPACE IN STYLE!

We're deep in the middle of rehearsals for THE AWAKENING, we're getting ready to announce applications for Night of New Works, and we're busy, busy moving, and dreaming, and planning.

BUT DON'T WORRY! We still have time to PAAAARTY... and we want to party with you.

Savage Umbrella invites you to dance, toast, and celebrate in SPACE! Drink the rest of our wine n' beer and find out what we've got planned for the future.

Saturday, January 28th
8:00pm - Dance Party End
at Savage Umbrella's SPACE
550 Vandalia Street Studio 306
Saint Paul, MN 55114

9:00 PM: A one-night-only reunion of the Box Cats Band (from Savage Umbrella's JUNE!) featuring Savage Umbrella company members Emily Dussault and Alana Horton with KT Thompson!

10:00 PM: The sonic stylings of The Controversial New 'Skinny Pill' (a not entirely horrible solution for your Frat Rock Party Atmosphere problems, featuring Savage Umbrella company member Alana Horton on drums)

Sometime later: A booty bumping dance party and some low-budget karaoke

All night long: Cake! Popcorn! Wine! Beer! Grab bags of swag, and other surprises in SPACE.

See you under the umbrella!

Space Sale Saturday!

1/19/2017

We are getting a super big jump on spring cleaning and wanna invite you to our weird!

THIS SATURDAY!
2:00 PM - 6:00 pm on January 21, 2017
550 Vandalia St, Suite 306, St. Paul, MN 55114

Help us celebrate and say goodbye (for now) to SPACE!

Come buy our stuff... our set pieces, props, costumes, and (BONUS) original art! Help us lighten our moving load while supporting bold, vital new works of theater. (Sneak peeks of what's for sale on the Facebook Event!)

You could soon be the owner of awesome items like, the blood sink from SWEET DREAMS, ALFIE! Set dressing ceramic wash basin from RAIN FOLLOWS THE PLOW! The sexy black storage cube rehearsal blocks first seen on the THESE ARE THE MEN set! Also tons of clothes, a vintage lighting board, costumes, and MORE.

All proceeds go to help Savage Umbrella bring more awesome art to our community.

Together is better, and we're better together with you. See you Saturday!

Creative Climate: Game Shows, Mini-Golf, and Playlists by Alana

1/11/2017

It's Creative Climate time, where we shout out friends, collaborators, and inspirations who are making work in the Twin Cities, our creative home. There's so much goodness going on this week that we couldn't just contain ourselves to theater! Check out some of the awesome performances, places, and... playlists that are on our mind this week.

THE AWAKENING on Spotify!

Okay, this is cheating the Creative Climate theme a bit. However, how cool is this playlist? The cast of THE AWAKENING came in with songs that remind them of the show. Take a listen, and plunge into a sonic world when Queen meets Icona Pop meets Laura Mvula meets Bach.

Big Money
at Park Square Theater Jan 12 – 28, 2017

"America has one great mythical figure lodged deep in its heart: the Rugged Individual. We celebrate the lone wolves who buck institutions, who are faster, better, smarter than everyone else. We love the idea that a scrappy underdog can beat The System. But is it that simple – work hard and get ahead? The truth is much more complicated. In Big Money, we’ll unpack the myths, explore the truths and ask ourselves what it really means to win in America." - Sandbox Theatre

Sandbox Theatre's new show at Park Square follows the story of Michael Larson, who spent a year devoting his life to studying the Press Your Luck! game board — he quit his job, he filled his living room with televisions and video cassette recorders, he pored over thousands of hours of episodes convinced he could crack the code… And then he did. On May 19th, 1984, Michael Larson shocked American audiences by winning an unprecedented $110,000 in a single game. As a long time game show fan, I'm stoked to see how Sandbox translates this story to the stage.

Big Money
Park Square Theater
January 12-28, 2017
Tickets

Can Can Wonderland Opening
January 12th, 2017

I've been excited about Can Can Wonderland for ages, and after six years of making, creating, and waiting, the artist-created mini-golf course is opening its doors tomorrow! Located in St. Paul’s Hamline Midway neighborhood and the Creative Enterprise Zone, Can Can Wonderland combines art and play to create a one-of-a-kind arts immersive environment for people of all ages to enjoy. I personally am pretty excited about the drinks... as the Star Tribune says:

"Expect liquor-infused slushies, malts and snow cones, as well as sober varieties for underage drinkers and a list of creative housemade sodas. There are malts made by blending the drinker’s choice of cereal and another featuring Fig Newtons. There is Cheddar cheese ice cream. There is a cocktail celebrating wild rice. There is a drink that arrives with a beach scene and another that is served in a flower pot topped with edible dirt and actual carrots. Then there is the Happy Birthday cocktail, which can be ordered regardless of whether it’s one’s birthday, and a drink that mimics confetti cake that will arrive with song and a popper. And of course there are other, less adventurous concoctions, wine and beer."

Woof.

January 12, 2017
$12 – 12 years of age and up
$9 – Under 12 years of age, 62 years of age and up, Veterans
Get more information on mini-golf here

Returning to THE AWAKENING, by Alana

1/3/2017

It's the new year, and we're making a new return to an old show!

On Tuesday night, we kicked off rehearsals for Savage Umbrella's remount of THE AWAKENING, taking place at The Southern Theater March 3rd-11th. Adapted freely from Kate Chopin's 1899 novel landmark feminist novel, THE AWAKENING focuses on one woman's struggle to become her most authentic self, amidst a society unwilling to see her for who she is. Think music, waves, and sexual tension thick as the humid New Orleans air.

The first version of THE AWAKENING took place in 2010 at The Gremlin Theater in St. Paul. Though this time around, most of the performers in the room (there's 14 of them!) are new to the show, there are a few collaborators who took part in the old version. I talked to director/writer Laura Leffler-McCabe, and performers Emily Dussault, Russ Dugger, and Amber Davis about what's exciting them as they return to THE AWAKENING a second time.

"I know that this time around, we're going to execute a some of the important pieces of the play in different ways. I'm really excited to explore and create those pieces with all the new people in the room! I'm so grateful for the old cast, and also excited for the all new voices in the room. Plus, last time, we performed at the Gremlin. I think being at The Southern, which is so beautiful and large and spacious, will make it easier to explore the grandeur of the piece."
- Laura

"The Awakening is such a beautiful book. Even though the actual plot is pretty straightforward and simple, there’s so much depth to the characters and settings. I think that everyone can relate to a feeling of being trapped. Edna’s struggle, where she's trying to find freedom and not being sure what it is or looks like, is incredibly relatable."
- Emily

"I'm excited to be in another large ensemble. It’s been a while since we’ve had a huge group to play with. I'm interested in seeing the ways the script changes and what this group will bring to these characters."
-Russ

"It’s my first time performing at The Southern. I think the show will feel very cool and different there. The space has a space, breath, and air to it that the Gremlin didn’t have. It's a big contrast. I think it will give room for Edna’s head space, and mirror the things she’s going through emotionally. Hopefully we can balance that with our chorus work and movement. It's also exciting to see what new minds bring to a script."
- Amber

THE AWAKENING runs March 3 - 11, 2017, Sundays through Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM.

Get Tickets >>>

Move, make, do. by Laura

1/2/2017