Blog Posts

What's the deal with workshops?

8/17/2018

Night of New Works is coming up next month! You might be wondering: what’s it gonna be like?

Here under the umbrella, we believe together is better, and we live out this value in every step of our process — with our artists and with our audiences. We truly believe that our audience members are our valued collaborators. That’s why we invite you in to experience the messy parts of new play making — the first drafts, the unfinished movement sequences, the big ideas. We want to show you something before it’s finished because we want you to have a voice in the process.

We know that when you see a play — whether it’s a brand new work or an adaptation of Shakespeare on-the-moon-recited-in-pig-latin — you walk out the door with all sorts of questions, thoughts, and ideas. Well this time... we don’t want you to walk out the door with them! We want to know what they are. (No, seriously, we’re really going to listen to your ideas!)

Our audience conversations are not your usual talkback. It’s not about talking to the actors, creators, or directors — though there is always time afterwards for that kind of thing! We want to know what you think, so we ask you the questions to get those wheels turning:

What moments were most memorable to you?
Which characters or themes resonated most with you?
What are you excited to see more of?
What are you interested in seeing differently?
Were there elements that surprised you?

The goal is to invite the most interesting, resonant, delightful, and/or important elements to bubble to the surface to help us shape the next steps of the piece. (AND... something you suggest might make its way into a full production of the play — who knows!) Your answers also give us a lot to think about as we continue to make work that inspires vital conversation in the future.

We also want to stress that our audience conversations are extrovert and introvert-friendly. We invite you to participate in whatever ways are most comfortable to you. We always start out by saying silence is okay because thinking and processing time are important. If speaking up in a group of people is totally not your thing, we welcome you to listen and provide feedback on the surveys we provide. You can also always email us at hello@umbrellaco.org if you have another burning question or brilliant thought after you leave the workshop!

You might be thinking — but, I won’t have any good ideas! To that we say: #1. we think you’re wrong and you have lots of very creative questions and ideas, and #2. we think even the most “Minnesotan” audience member will be surprised by their own courage to share. Join us and see for yourself!

All of this is to say that when you attend any evening of Night of New Works in September, you’ll be treated to three brand new works-in-progress that need your creativity and support. They will be fresh, raw, and rough-around-the-edges by design, and we can’t wait to add your voice to the mix.

As Rachel Teagle of MN Playlist said last year:

“If making a play is like cooking a meal, the Night of New Works was like having the chef offer you a tasting spoon. Some flavors aren’t fully developed, maybe something could use a bit more mixing, but you really get a sense of what these works could be when they’re done simmering. And I’m hungry for more."

Come hungry for some new work and conversation. See you under the umbrella!

NIGHT OF NEW WORKS

Experience three new works created by Beth Ann Powers, Ricardo Beaird, Suzanne Cross, Jex Arzayus, Sabrina Crews, and Steven Michael Hall. All three pieces performed each night.

September 10 - 12, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater
810 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Sliding Scale Tickets: $5 - $20

GET TICKETS > > >

August under the umbrella

8/7/2018

It's August! and that means it's Minnesota Fringe Festival time for Umbrella Collective members and the Minnesota theater community. We asked our Collective members to tell us a little about their show(s) and what they 'pair best with'. If Fringe is not your thing, you can catch Umbrella Collective members singing, dancing, and drumming all over the Twin Cities. Here's a list of where you can find Umbrella Collective this August:

2018 Minnesota Fringe Festival

You can catch Emily Dussault in two fringe shows, Blood Nocturne and Couple Fight: The Musical

Tell us about your shows?
Blood Nocturne is a play with music about the infamous Countess Elizabeth Bathory. You may know her as the noblewoman who bathed in the blood of virgins. Pairs well with a bold red wine and a deep sense of injustice about how women's stories are told throughout history.

Couple Fight: The Musical is a hilarious, musical romp through the world of... fights that couples have. This cast has some of the most incredible comedic performers in the Twin Cities (including my scene partner and fellow Umbrella Collective company member, Allison Witham. And I get to play her girlfriend, and fellow Collective member, and one of my besties: Leslie Vincent). Its going to be SO CUTE. And funny. And musical! Pairs well with pancakes and the ability to laugh in the face of deep frustration.

Anything else in August?
Shoot! You just missed Emily singing at Musical Mondays (Lush at 7pm on Monday, August 6th), but you should subscribe to the Champagne Drops' YouTube channel -- if you haven't already!

You can find Allison Witham in Justice League of Their Own and Couple Fight: The Musical

Tell us why we should catch these shows?
'Justice League' will be funny, topical, an homage to a great movie, and has an amazing cast. 'Couple Fight' is so funny and heartwarming. Amazing cast, and Keith Hovis is a phenom. I think they'd both pair well with a 2 rosé pregame.

Anything else in August?
Speaking of Keith Hovis, Collective member Leslie Vincent is doing a reading of his musical, Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant, directed by the incredible Laura Leffler. I'm really excited to see that and watch as it progresses to a full length show next summer at Park Square from its smash hit status of the 2017 Fringe.

Drumming By Alana

You have a few gigs coming up, can you tell us about them?
My band The Controversial New 'Skinny Pill" is playing along with one of my FAVORITE national DIY groups, Sloppy Jane at the Turf Club - August 18th. They're a 8-to-11 piece music project whose live show includes: laughter, choir vocals, xylophone, saxophone, kazoo, television, slide whistle, vomiting blue dye, a naked body, a rotting suit, guitar, bass, drums, tambourine, ruby red slippers, violent shifts in genre and speed, a make-believe maestro, and a set that does not stop moving once it has started.

My other band, Bella Yaga, just had an album release at Open Eye on August 4th. Bella Yaga was joined by opener Eric Mayson, as well as a special roster of video artists, dancers, musicians, clowns, and puppeteers contributing performance and projections to the show, including Ari Newman, Emma Barber, Jay Owen Eisenberg, Katie Kaufmann, Kristi Ternes, and Tony Williams. You can now listen to the album on your favorite streaming service!

Beehive: the 60's Musical
at Old Log Theatre

Beehive is the ultimate celebration of 1960’s female empowerment. Featuring such timeless classics as “My Boyfriend’s Back”, “Be My Baby”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, and “Me and Bobby McGee”, Beehive nostalgically recalls the days of miniskirts, transistor radios and flower power. Leslie Vincent belts her way through the classics all summer long.

June 29th - Oct 13th 2018
Old Log Theatre, Excelsior MN
$30 | Tickets

Legally Blonde
at Artistry

Whip-smart sorority sister Elle Woods blasts beyond expectations in this fast-paced, energetic musical based on the hit 2001 movie. Antonia Perez brings her extraordinary dancing skills to this fast selling show!

July 21st - August 19th 2018
Artistry, Bloomington MN
$15 - 46 | Tickets

Kathryn's WEST BANK FRINGE EATS

It's important to make sure your Fringe includes delicious food and drink. (You definitely don't want to get hangry during a marathon binge of daring, heartwarming, and sometimes super weird theater!) So, if you find yourself around Mixed Blood, Augsburg, Rarig, The Southern Theater, or Theatre in the Round ... West Bank lover Kathryn Fumie wants to share some of her favorite food establishments with you. Hopefully, once you try them out, they'll be your favorites too.

Keefer Court - close to Mixed Blood - Chinese - treat yourself to the steamed buns - for $1.75 you can have one filled with korean bbq pork or beef curry. Take a couple to-go and stand in line for the show.

Malabari Kitchen - next to the Cedar Cultural Center - delicious Southwestern Indian food (flavors not often represented at many of our Indian restaurants) - curries and sandwiches and vegetarian options. I would order ahead, as sometimes there is only one person working and the orders take a little longer.

The Wienery - only open during the day - tiny TINY tiny diner with a compact and thorough menu of sandwiches and hot dogs (6 different dog options, including vegetarian sausage). When you order their homemade fries, they ask you if you want one potato or two, and drop it into the hot oil.

Jambo! - African and other flavors - MISSION: "Beyond our culinary mission is a deeper mission to make positive social impact in our community; 50% of our profits are reinvested into community lending, financial education, youth development programs, and other efforts to economically empower disenfranchised communities with an emphasis our home - Cedar-Riverside." Gyro, rice dishes, stirfries - they have nice to-go containers, if you need to eat and wait in line.

The West Bank is rich in flavors, international fare, and history. Dive in! Happy eating! or, I mean... happy Fringing!

See you under the umbrella!

We Still Smell As Sweet By Laura

7/25/2018

As we celebrate our eleventh anniversary as a company this season, we are excited to announce we will be changing our name. Our 2018 - 2019 season will kick off as we embrace our new moniker: Umbrella Collective.

We have had a lot of adventures over our eleven illustrious years. We’ve created over 20 original productions and numerous works-in-progress in the Twin Cities, as well as across the country and world—including Duluth, Minnesota; Calgary, Canada; Kansas City, Missouri; and Seoul, South Korea. We have had over a hundred artists under the umbrella at one time or the other (no really, we have a list!) and we’ve performed at many incredible venues around town – some that still thrive, some that have closed. There’s a lot of theatrical life under our belt.

As someone famous once asked, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Which is to say, what does it even matter what we call ourselves? Perhaps, ultimately it doesn’t. “Savage” was always supposed to be a contrast to Umbrella, a hard term with a soft, which we thought reflected some inherent embrace of dissonance. But it brought up a lot that we are happy to leave behind – a lot of confusion and assumptions that we never much liked.

No, we are not nor have we ever been located in Savage, MN. I’m sure it’s a great town, but we’ve never even been. No, we never liked our name shortened to “savages” – we always called ourselves SU or SUers. But it happened. Often. And the leap in logic to call us “savages” led to other negative assumptions around the way that term is associated with violence—especially toward Indigenous Peoples—and we certainly don’t want to perpetuate that.

“So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title,” that famous girl reasoned.

I don’t know that I’d say that we are perfect, or even striving for perfection. We are the same new work, beautiful aesthetic, important conversation folks we’ve always been. And now the name feels like it fits in a way that it hasn’t in a while. We are honoring our past while springboarding into our bright, shared future.

As we have grown, our work and aesthetic has become more honed and sophisticated. We’re less tongue-in-cheek and more focused than ever on supporting artists and processes. We are less ragtag and more refined, less young and more established. But above it all, we are still fully committed to our values of pushing the boundaries of form and content while fostering important conversation on relevant topics for our artists and audiences alike.

The biggest change is that we are more ourselves. And we are embracing that fully.

Stay under the umbrella with us, the Umbrella Collective.

Website: www.UmbrellaCo.org
Email: hello@UmbrellaCo.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GetUnderTheUmbrella
Instagram: @GetUnderTheUmbrella
Twitter: @UmbrellaCo_

You can find our more about our 2018 - 2019 season here!

Meet the 2018 Night of New Works Participants

6/27/2018

We're proud and excited to announce the participants of our Night of New Works project development series:

Jex Arzayus, Sabrina Crews & Steven Michael Hall: FOILED
Suzanne Victoria Cross & Ricardo Beaird: SPOOK
Beth Ann Powers: FRIGID

More about the projects will be posted soon. In the meantime, get to the know artists:

Jex Arzayus

Jex Arzayus made their debut playing brother Einhart in “Pope Joan the First Transgender Pope,” and is proud to be back at the Fringe working with Womyn's Mysteries this year. Jex was most recently seen as Damis in “Tart” by The BAND Group at Bryant Lake Bowl and will be playing the judge in “American Terror The Trials of Jeffrey Dahmer” this fall at the Crane Theater. Born and raised in New Jersey, Jex has called Minneapolis home for the past 11 years. Jex is a middle school/high school art teacher in Maple Grove and recently opened a bike powered vegan food cart. Jex takes improv classes at Huge Theater, is a martial artist and a new crossfitter. Jex found their passion for acting less than a year ago and is hooked.

Sabrina Crews

Sabrina Crews grew up on the Twin Cities stage, performing in a range of venues from Children’s Theatre Company to the Southern Theater to Hennepin Center for the Arts. At ages nine and ten, she toured 11 states and Canada as a full-time actor with Troupe America, which ignited her love for travel and marathon road trips. Now she’s a full-time content writer for the Center for Victims of Torture, an international nonprofit headquartered in Minnesota that provides mental health care to refugees and asylum seekers. She’s ecstatic about fusing her theatrical experience and writing background for Savage Umbrella’s Night of New Works!

Steven Michael Hall

Steven Michael Hall is a St. Paul-based writer who has dedicated his personal and professional life to advancing the missions of nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities by fostering lasting partnerships, deepening community connections, and generating sustainable funding. Steven previously worked at the International Education Center and the Center for Victims of Torture, both serving the Minnesota immigrant and refugee community. Today, Steven manages corporate and foundation relations and seeks funding in support of exhibitions and programs at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. You will not remember Steven from his bit parts in dozens of suburban community theater productions in the mid-late 1990s. Savage Umbrella’s Night of New Works marks Steven’s triumphant return to the world of theater.

Suzanne Victoria Cross

Suzanne Victoria Cross was born and raised in North Minneapolis, graduated from St. Cloud State University with a BA in Theater and Community Psychology. Suzanne is a local actor and teaching artist in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area. She has worked with many local theater companies including touring with CLIMB Theatre as an Actor-Educator, Penumbra Theatre Company’s Education and Outreach Program, Lyric Arts Academy, Southern Theater, and Teatro del Pueblo. Suzanne is currently the Local Coordinator and Resident Stage Manager for Pangea World Theater.

Ricardo Beaird

Ricardo Beaird is an actor, director, playwright, and teaching artist. He relocated to the Twin Cities from Nashville, TN to work as an Actor-Educator with CLIMB Theatre. He is a company member of GTC Dramatic Dialogues, an interactive workshop collective that facilitates conversations around Date Rape, Diversity, and Substance Abuse on college campuses. Ricardo has performed and taught with several theatre companies around town including Pangea World Theater, Theater Latte Da, Penumbra Theatre, Park Square Theater, Red Eye Theater, and Yellow Tree Theater.

Beth Ann Powers

Beth Ann Powers is a Playwright, Performer, and Theater Artist based in the Twin Cities. Beth Ann received a degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota in 2017. She co-founded Slap Happy Studios, a local production company for which she has served as the artistic director since 2015. Beth Ann’s work as a playwright has been presented by the University of Minnesota, The Playwrights Center, Phoenix Theater, Theater Unbound, Raw Sugar, and Little Life Boats. She has also worked around the Twin Cities as a performer with such companies as The Band Group, 20% Theater Company, Wildwood Theater, and Classical Actors Ensemble. As an artist Beth Ann considers her work to be largely collaborative and focuses on social justice, equity, representation, and inclusion.

Want to be part of the play-making magic?
Join us for auditions July 5 or July 7!

LEARN MORE > > >

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Mark your calendars for September 10 - 12, 2018 to see these fresh new works-in-progress.
See you under the umbrella!

June Under The Umbrella

6/14/2018

Summertime is here! Time for sunshine, cold drinks, and kicking back. Or that's what we've been told. We're a little busy over here because we're planning A Surprise Birthday Party. Save that date, you're not going to want to miss it - did you read about the free drink, and the cake? Don't worry, there will be surprises too and also plenty of... surprises. You're invited!

Buy Your Tickets Here >>>>

And after you've penned that into your digital calendar, check out these other projects the company is involved in this summer. What better way to escape the heat and humidity than to see a show, or binge a new podcast or take a class or two. Here's the roundup of radical summertime events that the company is cooking up around town:

LEGACY
WEBSERIES

Legacy is a webseries following Carson, a college student, who is about to find out that they're a god, and just exactly what that means. It features Eli Purdom as Theo. He says 'It's hella queer and all original'.

Subscribe to Legacy on YouTube.

The Monster Science Ensemble:
Loveliest Of All Was The Unicorn

Some of the Twin Cities’ finest performers present poem, songs, dances and stories about the prettiest, most magical, and prettiest again of all the fantastic beasts of European legend (and their counterparts in other places)! The multi-talented Nissa Nordland will make her ukulele playing debut!

June 25th, 2018 at 7:00pm
Phoenix Theatre, Uptown Minneapolis
Free | Info

The Hypotheticast
Podcast

Three best buds. On a mission. To ask all the questions, and get ALL the answers. Weekly thoughtful comedy podcast about any / all hypothetical questions, including Would You Rathers and other mind-benders. We love it. We love you. Come listen. It'll be great. Featuring the inquisitive Emily Dussault.

Listen to the Hypotheticast.

Beehive: the 60's Musical
at Old Log Theatre

Foster Johns
a Summertime Update

Recently, Foster provided voice and speech support Joanne Akalaitis’ Bad News, a site-specific performance of messenger speeches from Greek tragedies at the Guthrie. Currently, he’s concocting workshops for the Fall that focus on widening vocal expression, approaching accent work, and exploring aspects of everyday speech (details forthcoming on www.fosterjohns.com). He’s also goin’ to summer shin digs and playfully puttin’ on other people’s hats....soooo....keep an eye on your hat.

See you under the umbrella!

Pride, Party, New Works And Sex Ed

6/6/2018

Happy June, cuties! Guess what?... it’s Pride month!

If you’re a research nerd like many of us, you might be interested in some of the history behind all things “Pride”. One of the sparks for the gay liberation movement, as well as the modern fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in America, can be traced to the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969.

The events broke out when the Stonewall Inn — a NYC bar that was a welcoming place for the LGBTQIA+ community — was raided violently by police in the middle of the night. Raids like this were not uncommon — and you may remember us talking about them during our 2016 production of JUNE; however, this time patrons of the bar, including incredible transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson, said enough is enough. They risked their lives, just as many others have done throughout history, to stand up against injustice.

The first Pride march occurred the year after the riots in 1970, and the parades and festivities that continue today celebrate how far we’ve come and remind us how far we still have to go to ensure safety and fundamental rights for all. People participate in Pride month in many different ways, so get out there to celebrate with radical joy, protest for safety, support the community, and be kind to one another.

Speaking of radical joy, we invite you to join us under the umbrella for some exciting events this summer:

Save the date for our Surprise Birthday Party on Saturday, July 21, 2018. Okay, okay, we know that it's happening... but it will be full of other surprises just for you! Official season announcements, delicious treats and bevs, super special news, and all kinds of goodies and fun. Seriously, you don't want to miss this.

There will be cake and a full bar... your first round is on us!

Saturday, July 21, 2018 | 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM (or when your party heart desires)
Nomad World Pub (501 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454; 21+ Event)

You'll need to reserve your ticket to get the secret password for entry to the super-secret-surprise party location! Pick your own price!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW > > >

Savage Umbrella is turning 11 this year! We planned to have a big ol’ bash for the big 1-0 last year, but an unexpected hospital trip for Founding Artistic Director Laura Leffler (she’s doing great now!) meant postponing for a year. So, please join us in raising a glass to 10+1 years of new work and conversation!

Hurry! Only a few days left to get those applications in for Night of New Works. Do you have an idea that needs a little collaborative push and support? Three projects will be chosen to engage in an exploratory and collaborative rehearsal process culminating in a public final presentation of works-in-progress at Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater in Uptown Minneapolis, MN (September 10-12).

Application deadline is 11:59 PM on Friday, June 8, 2018
More information available at http://www.savageumbrella.org/nnw-application
Email hello@savageumbrella.org with any questions.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Happy PRIDE, everyone! We’re kicking off our month by taking over the Phoenix Theater stage with What’s Next Productions for their monthly sex ed comedy improv show:

Sex is fun! Sex ed should be, too. How many of us sat through an awkward health class that everyone giggled through or didn't even get the birds and the bees talk? Probably most of us, right? We're teaming up with What’s Next Productions to put those giggles to good use for their sex ed comedy show (18+ event). Join us for Sex Ed: a sexprov PRIDE edition:

Friday, June 8, 2018 | 10:30 PM
at Phoenix Theater (2605 Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis)

Tickets are only $10! Save your spot today.

BONUS: Phoenix Theater will be hosting a happy hour before the show. Purchase a ticket online or at the door and receive $1 OFF drinks from 9:00 - 10:00 PM at the theater bar.

See you under the umbrella!

xoxo

Sneak Peek: WOLF SONG Workshop

4/17/2018

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! The weather is a frozen hell-scape, but we can warm your week up a bit with a little love from the WOLF SONG Workshop cast! Here’s a tiny peek inside some of the process and a photo collage (ooh! ah!):

Pictured, clockwise: Laura Leffler (Brynhildr) and Foster Johns (Gunnar), Emily Dussault (Signy) and Nick Wolf (Eirik), Antonia Perez (Gudrun) and Eli Purdom (Sigmund), and Alana Horton (co-director/creator) and Morgen Chang (The Stranger).

So, what's the play about?

Emily Dussault ("Signy"): Men take action to prove their power and strength. They use marriages, swords, traps, revenge, fire, and heroic acts. Women feel powerless and trapped. They use dreams, prophecies, sorcery, potions, and secrets.

Eli Purdom ("Sigmund"): Wolf Song is about the cyclical nature of violence and lies. Drawing on themes of destiny, loyalty, and family honor, the story follows the Volsung line from prophecies of devastation to the eventual fallout of their actions as they and those around them careen into fires – literally!

What's your character like?

Foster Johns ("Gunnar"): Musky, emasculated, and willing.

Nick Wolf ("Eirik"): Benevolent King, desperately trying to hold it together.

Antonia Perez ("Gudrun"): Gudrun is the old dress you used to wear that doesn't really fit anymore so you don't wear it but, you can't bring yourself to throw it away either.

Morgen Chang ("The Stranger"): Unexpected, ephemeral, circumstance.

Emily: Stuck, angry, self-righteous.

What's the world of the play like?

Emily: The men in this story are like dogs doing tricks. The women are like cornered, angry snakes.

Eli: The first part of the story is a swirling, dark wild looking at the edge of every moment, the second part brings the wild outside into the home, like a tornado in a shoebox.

Nick: It's like a sitcom without a laugh track.

Morgen: This world is like a viewfinder with three slides stacked over each other. Signy tries to elude her premonitions by carrying an umbrella into a swimming pool.

Laura Leffler ("Brynhildr"): The end is like a carousel you can't get off of.

What’s the process been like?

Emily: I love taking an incredibly complex plot and figuring out the psychology behind it. There are obvious choices, more "traditional" ways of seeing the story... But we are finding different ways of understanding the characters. It is exciting and funny and weird... It is an adventure!

Foster: I love how we find what's redeeming in unlikable characters/gross about likable characters and really just tackling something huge in an open and exploratory manner.

Antonia: We are changing this male-driven, male-centered, male-glorifying tale into a story that makes you care about everyone.

Laura: It's amazing the work that can happen with really talented people in the room. We had an open rehearsal and invited in a bunch of outside guests to come and play and the idea explosion that came from that work was awesome.

Why should people see this presentation?

Eli: People should come see this show because always support new work, but also because this show has a lot of themes that people will be able to identify in their world around them - the tribalism and loyalty to an idea over a person.

Morgen: It's a unique chance to shape how a story, a piece of theatre, will speak to you personally. The saga is historic, but not sacrosanct. As an audience member in this process, you become a teller, and can help the characters find their new meanings.

Nick: You won't believe the shit these people do to each other.

Foster: We take the epic and the operatic and we playfully unpick it. Folks who see this will find new ways of relating to the folklore that underpins our culture.

Laura: Savage Umbrella always asks the audience what they like and what they want to see more of in our workshops. Then as the final script and production is put together we use audience input. So, we want - and need - audience to come help us make this play.

What is a "Workshop Presentation"?

Savage Umbrella believes the audience (that’s you!) is a vital part of the creation process. That’s why we invite you into the messy parts, the unfinished work.

Together, we are so much more, and we can create art that reflects pieces of ourselves: our joys, our fears, our stories. After the work-in-progress showing, we invite you to lend your voice to the new play making process through our signature audience conversations.

All audience members are invited to participate in the conversation, or just listen and write down thoughts on the surveys we provide! If post-show conversations aren't your thing... that's okay, too! We welcome feedback in whatever way is most comfortable to you.

Don’t forget, mark your calendars for the WOLF SONG Workshop Presentation on April 23 & 24, 2018 - in fact, you can get your tickets right now, so just go ahead and do that. And then you should probably put on some snow pants and play in this April sun. ;-)

GET YOUR TICKETS > > >

April Under the Umbrella

3/30/2018

Happy Friday! We've been so busy creating characters, building worlds, and exploring poison words for the upcoming WOLF SONG Workshop Presentation that we haven't had a chance to write a blog post in the few weeks! Don't worry, we'll let you in on some behind the scenes secrets before the work-in-progress showings on April 23 & 24 (mark your calendar! UPDATE: Tickets on sale now!), but for now... we're taking a moment to look forward!

After this weirdly-weathered March, you might need some fun/weird/wonderful things to do to get your spring sprung. Here's a roundup of awesome art that involves Savage Umbrella company members this April:

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'S
OFF BOOK

Half-scripted, full speed ahead. It is every actor’s nightmare: getting thrown on stage to perform a play you’ve never read. That’s also the premise of Off Book. HUGE Improv Theater has an actor memorize a script, then send them on stage with an improviser who has no idea what’s going on. Watch Nissa Nordland make the magic happen:

March 31, 2018 at 8:00pm
HUGE Improv Theater, Uptown Minneapolis
$10 in advance, $12 at the door | Tickets

ILLUSION THEATER'S
PINK UNICORN

In this award-winning solo piece, Ivey Award-winning Kate Guentzel plays Trisha, a Christian widow, who must choose sides in her conservative Texas town after her teenage child identifies as "gender queer" and starts a chapter of the Gay Straight Alliance at the local high school. This is the story of this Mom standing up and becoming an advocate for her child against the Church, the School, her own Mother, and all kinds of hate speech. Our own Foster Johns is the dialect coach for the show!

April 5 - 21, 2018
Illusion Theater, Downtown Minneapolis
$20 - $35 | Tickets
$15 preview performance: April 5, 2018

Brave New Workshop'S
The (Almost) Complete and (Mostly) Accurate History of Alcohol

Brave New Workshop alumni Josh Carson and Andy Rocco Kraft, creators of the (smash) comedy hits “The Wright Stuff, or You’ll Believe They Can Fly,” “A Very Die Hard Christmas” and “Our American Assassin or You Can’t Handle the Booth” are (entirely) thrilled to bring you their next production: “The (Almost) Complete and (Mostly) Accurate History of Alcohol,” a comedic tour-de-force through society’s fascination with alcohol from ancient Greece, to prohibition, to your uncle at Thanksgiving. Allison Witham and Leslie Vincent will delight you!

April 6 - 28, 2018 (Fridays & Saturdays)
Brave New Workshop ETC Theatre, Downtown Minneapolis
$20 | Tickets

RAW SUGAR THEATRE's
WTF Comedy Festival

Raw Sugar Theatre and Theatre Unbound present WTF: The Women/Trans/Femme Playwriting Festival. Company Member Antonia Perez will perform in ACE: the story of a young asexual finding her way in a world of middle school crushes, make-out sessions, and sex on TV, with the help of her ace super powers and one confused clone. Also there's music!

April 7 - 15, 2018
Crane Theater, Northeast Minneapolis
$15 for a single show, $25 for two shows, $30 for all three shows. | Tickets

FORTUNE'S FOOL THEATRE'S
THE SKRIKER

Fortune's Fool Theatre will produce the regional premiere of Caryl Churchill's masterpiece THE SKRIKER. This 1994 play, produced professionally only twice in North America, will feature immersive staging, a cast of 17, and original music by Twin Cities composer (and friend of SU!) Keith Hovis. See Nissa Nordland as "The Hag / Nellie Long Arms":

April 7 - 22, 2018
Crane Theater, Northeast Minneapolis
$18 - $20 | Tickets
Pay as Able performance: April 12, 2018

Photo by Phen Grant

CABERNET CABARET:
EMILY IN THE SPRINGTIME

Emily Dussault is back at Troubadour for a night of songs and stories. Come ready for some pop, some soul, some Judy, some Fiona, some songs that will make you feel alive again after a long winter. Accompanied by the lovely KT Thompson on keys!

(ICYMI: Emily & Leslie Vincent recently released a music video for The Champagne Drops ... check it out!)

April 9, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Troubadour Wine Bar, Uptown Minneapolis
No cover; just wine. | Facebook event

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'S
RATED G

Rated G is an improvised family-friendly musical romp in the style of all the fairytale classics you grew up with! You can catch company member Mark Sweeney in the following upcoming performances:

April 21 & 28, 2018 at 6:30 PM
HUGE Improv Theater, Uptown Minneapolis
$5 - $8 | Tickets

Public Transformation
Gallery Exhibition

Public Transformation, is a cross-county documentary art project highlighting how rural-based artists and arts organizations make their communities a more vibrant, healthy, connected place to live. This exhibition will feature images and objects from the Public Transformation journey, and work from it’s mobile artists-in-residence, alongside talks and workshops with participants and community partners. If you're around Des Moines, Iowa in the next month, you can see Hannah K. Holman's work on display! (You can also find her traveling all around the state during April with The Minnesota Theater Alliance.)

March 30 - May 4, 2018
Rush Hall at Wilkins, Des Moines, Iowa
Free | More Info

See you under the umbrella!

20 Reasons to Catch CLOSING WEEKEND of THE RAVAGERS

3/1/2018

This weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30pm!) is your last chance to catch THE RAVAGERS. Seating is limited, and it looks like all you procrastinators are making your reservations! If you haven't yet, get those tickets before it's too late...

GET YOUR TICKETS > > >

We've been featuring our incredible cast all month on "the Facebooks," but in case you missed it... here are 20 fierce, talented, and ridiculously good looking reasons to join us closing weekend:

Erin Nicole Farsté

Where did you call home growing up?
Home for me is Kansas City, Missouri!

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
This is my first time being apart of devised work and the process in itself is really exciting. I love how collaborative everything is, as well actually being heard and listened to during the rehearsal process. With so many different backgrounds coming together to create such a special story, THE RAVAGERS has been just an amazing experience!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Secrecy, Devotion, Betrayal

MICHAEL JOHNSON

Where did you call home growing up?
Woodinville, WA

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
The trust. The trust the actors have in the process, and the trust Hannah and the rest of the creative team has in the choices we're making. Trust creates the conditions to allow risk, and all great art is founded on tremendous, daring risk, so I am appreciative of the abundance of trust in this process.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Bloody. Dang. Murder.

NATAVIA LEWIS

Where did you call home growing up?
I was born in Chicago, but grew up in East St. Paul.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
There are many things I find enjoyable about the work we are currently doing. Collaborative pieces like this always excite me; coming together to collectively create a story is a rewarding process. Ensemble work is something that has always surprised and delighted me, especially when working on a piece like this. It has been wonderful exploring the world of THE RAVAGERS and its many characters and themes.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Innocent. Piercing. Loving.

ERIC MARINUS

Where did you call home growing up?
Louisville (that's LOO-uh-vull), Kentucky

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
Working with a fun ensemble, digging into the complexities of Danaus.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
comic, tragic, hopeful

NICK WOLF

Where did you call home growing up?
Saint Paul, MN

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I love the experience of playing a scene multiple times. That whole sequence I’m looking forward to an audience seeing. *

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Sisters, brides, murders

* Nick's talking about a sequence during the show where the audience gets to "choose your own adventure"! Ushers will guide you around the space to see a series of scenes in any order you want. Don't worry, there's no audience participation. ;-)

DANIEL SAKAMOTO-WENGEL

Where did you call home growing up?
Baltimore, Maryland

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
It's always refreshing when you team up with fearless collaborators who have a breathing ensemble spirit and whose authenticity makes this ancient story new and accessible. This fantastic adaptation by company members Blake E. Bolan and Laura Leffler is like Black Mirror meets Game of Thrones. I can't wait for audiences to immerse themselves in the eerie world of THE RAVAGERS that will challenge their ideas of love, family, and home. I am very thankful to Savage Umbrella for their generosity, patience, and humor.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Thrilling. Raw. Human.

CAMERON REEVES

Where did you call home growing up?
Chicago area--more specifically McHenry, IL.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
What excites me about the work is collaborating across all different kinds of lived experiences. Being able to devise a play with 20 actors, all from different walks of life, has been a really rewarding challenge. I feel as though acting with this group has made me a better team member, and a better actor!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Exhilarating. Passionate. Diverse.

FERNANDA BADEO

Where did you call home growing up?
The city of Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I love the rhythm of this piece! Both the text and the work of the ensemble make it flow and unfold. The story is not just interesting, it carries you with it.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Fear, knowledge, and the world!

ELI PURDOM

Where did you call home growing up?
I grew up in Independence, MO - a suburb of KC.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I love Greek and classical theatre, and adapting that work is always exciting.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Earnestly discomforting murder.

EMILY CARLSON

Where did you call home growing up?
10 miles south of the Canadian border in Roseau, MN.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
Walking into the warehouse performance space feels like you’re actually entering into the deteriorating environment of the show. It’s an eerie, but incredible feeling every time we walk on!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Bizarre, uncertain, and heartbreakinggggg!

MORGEN CHANG

Where did you call home growing up?
Honolulu, Hawaii

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
The first time I read the script I felt a buzz...the sparseness of the text and the strictly designed world of the play, marching inevitably to this horrible, chaotic event. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Ambiguous. Haunting. Stripped.

PATRICK WEBSTER

Where did you call home growing up?
Hastings, Minnesota

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
The focus on ritual (befitting for an adaptation of a Greek tragedy)

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Can-Can Athens land

PEYTON DIXON

Where did you call home growing up?
North and Southside of Minneapolis.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
What I'm really excited about is performing on a unconventional theatre stage. The space really helps give life to this production and gives this amazingly talented cast many different ways to play and use our surroundings to enhance the experience for the audience.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Dark. Blinded. Envy.

ANTONIA PEREZ

Where did you call home growing up?
Minnesota Hockey Capital-Roseau Minnesota

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I love the juxtaposition of the innocence and the extreme discipline of the daughters. It's been challenging to find the balance. And it's always good to be challenged.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Violent. Tragic. Hopeful.

LAURA LEFFLER

Where did you call home growing up?
Kansas City, on the Kansas side, which is the correct side (ooh, burn ;-) Eli Purdom)

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
You know in the movie Happy Feet, where all the penguins sing their heart song? I feel like this play is that for me. I get to revisit this boss interpretation of an ancient text that I wrote with one of my all-time favorite collaborators, Blake E. Bolan. I get to wear a costume Sonya Berlovitz designed, play with Abbee Warmboe's ever-inspired props, and you guys, Jim Eischen's LIGHTS. I have such dreamy fellow actors, and owe so much gratitude to my fellow sass-master, Eli Purdom (I will not break, I will not break, I will not break). I get to high five Meghan Gunderson every day, and feel overwhelmingly grateful for the steady hands and open hearts of Hannah Holman and Helena Mueller. Oh, man! And those postcards that Alana Horton designed! Heart. Song.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Beauty. Key. Choice.

GRACIE ANDERSON

Where did you call home growing up?
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
This play doesn’t hold back in it’s truthful and visceral exploration of the infinite capabilities of women, especially when their strength and resilience is tested/manipulated by nefarious power hungry dudes. It’s timely and timeless and super creepy and also heartbreaking.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Brutal, feminine, rising.

MATTHEW ENGLUND

Where did you call home growing up?
My home was my parents' house in Lakeville, Minnesota.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
What excites me about this project is that we have all been able to collaborate to create something new and engaging!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Questions Family Danger

lauren diesch

Where did you call home growing up?
Pittsburgh, PA

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
This cast is amazingly talented, passionate, and funny! I genuinely enjoy working with each person and greatly admire the creativity they bring to each rehearsal and performance!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Provocative, Tones, Sisterhood

david coral

Where did you call home growing up?
I grew up in Dover, MA, a small, bedroom community about 45 minutes drive southwest of Boston, by Wellesly.

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I like the re-imagining of the Greek tragedy. I like the notion of consequences being wrought on people when they blindly follow someone instead of thinking for themselves. It took this terrible tragedy for the sisters to open up a new world for themselves. They never can go back.

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Provocative, Ensemble, Tragedy

courtney stirn

Where did you call home growing up?
Hales Corners (Milwaukee), Wisconsin

What excites you most about THE RAVAGERS?
I’m excited about the collaborative aspect of the ritual process, and how in tune we have to be as a cast to pull it off!

How would you describe THE RAVAGERS in 3 words?
Ritual, disruption, murder

THE RAVAGERS
Performed at The X Lab at Can Can Wonderland
February 9 – March 3, 2018*

$15 - $25, pick you own price \\ www.savageumbrella.org
Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available at the door for every performance, only as space allows.

Seating is very limited, so reserve your ticket today!

*ASL/Deaf Interpreted Performance March 1, 2018, with invited conversation to follow.
More information about interpreted activities here.

See you under the umbrella!

"THE RAVAGERS is a play you won't soon forget"

2/15/2018

The reviews are in! Audiences and critics are "entranced" by THE RAVAGERS:

If you’re at Can Can Wonderland this month, you might find yourself waiting in a bathroom line with several people wearing simple, slightly worn white clothes. You might wonder if it’s a cult, or a protest. As it happens, The Ravagers is a little of both. [...] The Ravagers is a play you won’t soon forget. // Jay Gabler, City Pages

Here's what audience members had to say, but you can join us this weekend (Thursday through Monday!) to see this intimate and epic story for yourself:

[...] a tragic, hopeful, piercing, beautiful piece of theatre.

Funny, real, heart-wrenching.

Engaging and bittersweet.

It will rattle you - a sharp and visceral update that brings new light to its characters' humanity. Please put it on your calendar. There is way too much talent in this space.

Took myself on a date to see Savage Umbrella's The Ravagers last night and it was absolutely stunning. Can Can Wonderland’s space is gorgeous and the soundscape created by Nissa was to die for.

In case that's not enough for you, here's a sneak peek of this "stunning" story (epic photography by Anna Schultz!):

THE RAVAGERS

Performed at The X Lab at Can Can Wonderland
February 9 – March 3, 2018*

$15 - $25, pick you own price \\ www.savageumbrella.org
Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available at the door for every performance, only as space allows.

Seating is very limited, so reserve your ticket today!

*ASL/Deaf Interpreted Performances February 23 & March 1, 2018, with invited conversations to follow. More information about interpreted activities here.

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2018 Minnesota Fringe Festival

Drumming By Alana

Beehive: the 60's Musicalat Old Log Theatre

Legally Blondeat Artistry

Kathryn's WEST BANK FRINGE EATS

LEGACY WEBSERIES

The Monster Science Ensemble: Loveliest Of All Was The Unicorn

The Hypotheticast Podcast

Beehive: the 60's Musicalat Old Log Theatre

Foster Johns a Summertime Update

So, what's the play about?

What's your character like?

What's the world of the play like?

​What’s the process been like?

Why should people see this presentation?

What is a "Workshop Presentation"?

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'SOFF BOOK

ILLUSION THEATER'S​PINK UNICORN

Brave New Workshop'SThe (Almost) Complete and (Mostly) Accurate History of Alcohol​

RAW SUGAR THEATRE's​WTF Comedy Festival

FORTUNE'S FOOL THEATRE'S​THE SKRIKER

CABERNET CABARET:EMILY IN THE SPRINGTIME

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'S​RATED G

Public Transformation​Gallery Exhibition

Erin Nicole Farsté

MICHAEL JOHNSON

NATAVIA LEWIS

ERIC MARINUS

NICK WOLF

DANIEL SAKAMOTO-WENGEL

CAMERON REEVES

FERNANDA BADEO

ELI PURDOM

EMILY CARLSON

MORGEN CHANG

PATRICK WEBSTER

PEYTON DIXON

ANTONIA PEREZ

LAURA LEFFLER

GRACIE ANDERSON

MATTHEW ENGLUND

lauren diesch

david coral

courtney stirn

THE RAVAGERS

Archives

Beehive: the 60's Musical
at Old Log Theatre

Legally Blonde
at Artistry

LEGACY
WEBSERIES

The Monster Science Ensemble:
Loveliest Of All Was The Unicorn

The Hypotheticast
Podcast

Beehive: the 60's Musical
at Old Log Theatre

Foster Johns
a Summertime Update

What’s the process been like?

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'S
OFF BOOK

ILLUSION THEATER'S
PINK UNICORN

Brave New Workshop'S
The (Almost) Complete and (Mostly) Accurate History of Alcohol

RAW SUGAR THEATRE's
WTF Comedy Festival

FORTUNE'S FOOL THEATRE'S
THE SKRIKER

CABERNET CABARET:
EMILY IN THE SPRINGTIME

HUGE IMPROV THEATER'S
RATED G

Public Transformation
Gallery Exhibition