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Happy Friday! The new year brings promise of a fresh slate -- a chance for regeneration and growth for everyone, and we at Savage Umbrella are taking it all very seriously. Along with all our resolutions for better work life balance, reminding ourselves to bring our best selves to our work, and reinvigorating our outreach efforts to diverse communities, we also are snapping up the chance to expand our company with some glorious new people. We are excited to introduce the eight SU newbies…
They’ll be joining the work of present company members Emily Dussault, Meghan Gunderson, Meagan Kedrowski, Kathryn Fumie, Michael Ooms, Allison Witham, and Nick Wolf, and core company members Megan Clark, Hannah K. Holman, Alana Horton, and Laura Leffler, in creating and collaborating to continue to bring our audiences and community thought-provoking and beautiful work. We couldn’t be more excited to add these fresh voices to SU’s cadre of artists. We’re feeling empowered, elated, and ready to tackle this new year with a dedication to new work, community, and vital story-telling.  You can join us February 9-March 3 for THE RAVAGERS and April 23-24 for the WOLF SONG Workshop to get a taste for the expanded breadth and depth these amazing artists will help to bring to SU.
Stay tuned for awesome <3 For the final show in Savage Umbrella’s tenth anniversary season, we are reimagining our 2011 production of THE RAVAGERS. With a whole new cast and space to work with, the 2018 performance will be shining a new light on this story while further exploring the complex world of Danaus and his fifty (that's right, five-zero!) daughters.  Photo by Anna Schultz \\ Editing by Alana Horton Here are some thoughts about how this year’s performance will be different from SU artistic director and co-writer of THE RAVAGERS, Laura Leffler: “I'm actually the only hold over from the cast, so the show is entirely different this time around. The fresh eyes and voices of the new cast members are challenging and engaging with the text in new and exciting ways. So much of the show is physical - from the site specific location to the movement and rhythm of the show - and all of that is being created anew by this group of performers. Also, we were never 100% happy with the show's ending, and so we threw out the last 20 pages and reworked and rewrote and re-conceived characters. I'm very excited about the clearer and concise path we're going this time. I think this 2018 version retains all of what made the original production wonderful and just expands on that.”  Photo by Anna Schultz \\ Editing by Hannah K. Holman 50 daughters. 50 sons. And a wedding night to remember. Loosely based on the ancient Greek play THE SUPPLIANTS by Aeschylus, THE RAVAGERS explores what happens when one daughter discovers herself at the precipice between obedience and resistance. This site-specific production weaves together themes of family strength and political power with the true stories of forbidden love under oppressive regimes. Lavender Magazine called the 2011 production, “ingenious and hauntingly evocative.” $15 - $25, pick you own price \\ www.savageumbrella.org Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available at the door for every performance, as space allows. Seating is very limited, so reserve your ticket today! THE RAVAGERS Performed at The X Lab at Can Can Wonderland February 9 – March 3, 2018* Purchase tickets at: ravagers.brownpapertickets.com *ASL/Deaf Interpreted Performances February 23 & March 1, 2018, with invited conversations to follow. More information about interpreted activities here.
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 Give to the Max Day, Minnesota!
Our tenth-anniversary season featured a chorus of well-loved projects including: SWEET DREAMS, ALFIE (a “harrowing, immersive ride” into the dark corners of our mind), THE AWAKENING (the "truly lovely and moving story" of Edna Pontellier), Night of New Works (new works-in-progress incubation program featuring squids, swindlers, and secret bathrooms), VELVET SWING Workshop ("A promising new play about a devastating old star" - Evelyn Nesbit), and EX-GAYS: NOT A STR8 REMOUNT ("a moving protest piece" about the dangers of pray-the-gay-away.) This March, we'll wrap up our anniversary season with THE RAVAGERS (a site-specific and haunting version of Aeschylus’ THE SUPPLIANTS). All of these works open up conversations of who we are, how we are, and how we all exist together in this complicated, messy, beautiful thing called life. After a decade of making-making-making, we are looking forward to a bright future of even more exciting adventures. Our next chapter will focus on deepening our partnerships around Minnesota, moving forward with our "accessibility as an attitude" initiative, strengthening our commitment to equity and safety in the rehearsal room, and continuing to focus our mission on LGBTQIA+ and women-centric stories. We're ready for the next ten years! We are so grateful to have the ongoing support of our community year-round! Our brilliant and fearless collaborators share their time, talents, and creative hearts with us in the new work process. They ask us to dig deeper and consistently challenge us to be bolder. Our audiences always keep us on our toes with their ideas, stories, and questions. We believe that theater is a critical vehicle for sparking change, fostering compassion, and highlighting important stories that have been pushed to the margins. Thank you for your commitment to bold, new work and conversation. Today, you can support Savage Umbrella in a number of ways:
Of course, there are so many other deserving organizations and artists to support today, as well. Some of our favorites include Springboard for the Arts (supporting artists making a living and a life!), Minnesota Theater Alliance (connecting and strengthening theaters across the state!), and all the other fearless new work and small budget theater makers making it happen every day. As we always say, together is better, and we're better together with you. Thanks for joining us under the umbrella! xoxo, Hannah & the SU Crew We're so excited to finally announce the ensemble for THE RAVAGERS coming up in February and March 2018! Drumroll please.......... 
THE RAVAGERSFebruary 9 - March 3, 2018
Written by Laura Leffler-McCabe and Blake E. Bolan Directed by Hannah K. Holman Created with Savage Umbrella and the ensembles 50 daughters. 50 sons. And a wedding night to remember. THE RAVAGERS is loosely based on the ancient Greek play THE SUPPLIANTS by Aeschylus. Danaus is tyrant of Argos and has 50 daughters who are set to marry their 50 Egyptian cousins. To avoid giving up power to his future sons-in-law, Danaus tells his daughters to murder their new husbands on their wedding night. All do, except for one. THE RAVAGERS explores what happens when one daughter discovers herself at the precipice between obedience and resistance. Lavender called the 2011 production, “ingenious and hauntingly evocative.” Together is better. Get under the umbrella. Hey, campers! We're just about to head into our second weekend of Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount and here's what the crowds are saying: Fittingly for a show staged in a church, Ex-Gays is a little miracle. It works as a comedy, it works as a drama. It also works as an act of protest against not just the extreme (though very real) sites of "conversion therapy," but against more common microaggressions and exclusionary assumptions. It's a polished production that hits a raw nerve, and it's a powerful experience. - Jay Gabler, City Pages I don’t think I’ve ever started a review by stating that a play is too good at what it does. [...] From the time you enter Springhouse Ministry Center and grab your tickets you are sucked into the campiest of camps, Camp Str8-N-Arrow, and treated to one of the most solid casts I’ve seen in a long time. - Cassandra Snow, The Column Potent - hilarious - breathtaking in its forthright honesty on the brutality of 'conversion therapy.' Congratulations to cast & creative team. - Audience Member  [The] Savage Umbrella ensemble is defiantly enjoying themselves. And that's important. Especially when this piece reminds us that one of most subversive things someone can tell you is that you're worthy just as you are. - Rachel Teagle, Minnesota Playlist We came to the show on Saturday evening and enjoyed it so much, we convinced some of our friends to join us this coming Sunday afternoon! Can't wait to see it again! - Audience Member Thank you for using this platform to engage in such an important conversation! - Audience Member  ... but you don't have to take their words for it. You can see for yourself! We have 7 performances left, including tonight: Thursday, September 21 at 7:30 PM Friday, September 22 at 7:30 PM (ASL) Saturday, September 23 at 7:30 PM (ASL) Sunday, September 24 at 2:00 PM Thursday, September 28 at 7:30 PM Friday, September 29 at 7:30 PM (ASL) Saturday, September 30 at 7:30 PM (ASL) At SpringHouse Ministry Center, Minneapolis, MN Tickets: $15 - $25, Pick Your Own Price No one turned away for lack of funds at the door. ***** Space is limited, so reserve your tickets today! ***** It's CAMP. It's SATIRE. It's a CAMP SATIRE. Set in fictional Camp Str8-N-Arrow, Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount follows Pastor Brian and the rest of the camp staff as they help campers turn off their homosexual feelings and turn on their love of the heterosexual life. Through the lens of satire, Savage Umbrella takes a humorous and thoughtful look at the devastating effects of homophobia and religious zealotry. CONTENT WARNING: Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount is satire. While Camp Str8-N-Arrow is not real, many of the themes discussed during the show are very real. And very harmful. These themes include homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and religious zealotry. The production also contains frank sexual language. Also, cake. Recommended for audiences 16+. Also, check out our Indiegogo campaign to support the show! (And many more new works in the future!) *Special Note: Camp Str8-N-Arrow is camp in the way that Richard Simmons is camp. Hey, cuties! We're getting ready to birth this little baby called Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount so, so soon. (omg, so sorry for that terrible joke -- wait, no, sorry not sorry.) In case you haven't heard, we've got a cute little Indiegogo campaign rolling right now and we could use your help THIS WEEK with a social media share or a few dollars to support this complicated, campy, queer creature. This week, as part of our ongoing blog series to answer the big questions: Why this? Why now?, cast member Alyssa Davis shares some thoughts on her journey to Ex-Gays: Three summers ago I sat in a Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) meeting as a paid community organizer. During introductions, to explain what brought each of us to this Unitarian Universalist church on a Wednesday evening in July, I stumbled over my reason for coming. Some garbled form of “Oh, you know, I’m not g-g-gay... BUT I support people who are” came out of my mouth in front of the circle of smiling middle-aged North Carolinians. It was odd that I felt embarrassed articulating what I was or how I identified in a space that was designed for the purpose of reflection and inclusion. I realized then that regardless of my gung-ho solidarity with and for LGBTQIA rights in North Carolina, I still couldn’t verbalize my identity without shame in the mix. Although I strongly opposed Amendment One (that's the NC gay marriage ban, for you life-long Minnesotans) my first year in school, and often voiced my support for same-sex marriage, when it came down to expressly identifying as queer or gay or lesbian, I froze. Some force stopped me — was it internalized shame? Fear of what my family would say? Fear that maybe I wasn’t gay enough to own any of those terms?
Two summers ago I moved back home after college. Settling into the suburban landscape of Dallas, Texas, I quickly recalled what it was like to grow up in the conservative South. Hearing “ma’am” and “honey” every other interaction, being patronized for my politics, and generally feeling suffocated by good ol’ boy politics (guns, football, and anti-immigrant sentiment) that permeated most public spaces. My privilege as a straight-passing person made it easier for me to live and work at home, but consequently left me without much of a social scene. I longed for my last months in college, when I felt most fully aligned with my sexuality and sexual identity; when I flew with the queer femme crowd and we flocked periodically to the only lesbian bar in Durham. But alas, I was in Texas, deflecting questions from my family about what boys I thought were cute at work.  The cuties of Camp Str8-N-Arrow! Photo by Nissa Nordland One summer ago I journeyed up I-35 from Texas to Minneapolis, passing the “fly-over” part of the country unknown to me. Before leaving for Minneapolis, I conducted thorough LGBT research on the Twin Cities (thanks, Autostraddle!), excited for the opportunity to participate in a fully fleshed out “gay scene” for the first time. The expectations I envisioned for my future social life grew wildly out of control and included, but were not limited to: me dancing at the most hip lesbian bars every weekend, me starting a drag career, and me drinking espresso from overtly queer-populated cafes like “The Planet” in the L-Word. While that fantasy quickly unraveled, I have carved out a semblance of a queer community in the Twin Cities, one that luckily keeps expanding. A big part of that community has emerged in the form of Savage Umbrella and the people who cross the theater company’s path. All of this has led to this summer and my first official (re: paid; thank you!!!) theater role as Camp Counselor Virginia in Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount. I’m grateful that I get to work with Savage Umbrella on this project. I’m grateful for the amazing queer actors and crew members I get to collaborate with at every rehearsal. I’m grateful that what once used to be a source of shame, is now something I get to celebrate. On stage. With the word “CAMP” blazing across my chest in rainbow print. While I still have phases of doubt and my family is still waiting for me to come home with that “cute boy,” I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to explore and uplift queer identities and voices with Savage Umbrella. With that being said, please support Savage Umbrella's production of Ex-Gays and their future work for LGBTQIA-identified people.  The cast of EX-GAYS spells out CAMP! Photo by Carl Atiya Swanson EX-GAYS: NOT A STR8 REMOUNTSeptember 14 - 30, 2017 at SpringHouse Ministry Center 610 West 28th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 Written by Eric F. Avery Directed by Laura Leffler Created with Savage Umbrella and the ensembles It's CAMP. It's SATIRE. It's a CAMP SATIRE. Tickets: $15 - $25, Pick Your Own Price
***** Space is limited, so reserve your tickets today! ***** The Velvet Swing Workshop Presentation is just around the corner (Monday and Tuesday!), and we asked the ensemble what most excites them about the work:
 VELVET SWING WORKSHOP PRESENTATION August 28 & 29, 2017 7:30 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM) at Bryant-Lake Bowl & Theater 810 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408 Tickets are sliding scale $5 - $20 in advance and at the door. Food and bev available for purchase! Full menu in the theater! Conceived by Alana Horton
Written and Directed by Alana Horton and Megan Clark Created with Savage Umbrella and the ensemble: Nayely Becerra, Antonia Perez, Jessie Scarborough-Ghent, Mickaylee Shaughnessy, and Leslie Vincent See you under the umbrella! Hey, friends. How's that Fringe afterglow treating you? We're feeling (maybe surprisingly?) energized as we roll full steam ahead into EX-GAYS: NOT A STR8 REMOUNT. Last night, we were even on the radio chatting about the show's history, what's changed, and how excited we are to be creating and performing at SpringHouse Ministry Center. (Check it out on KFAI - Fresh Fruit about 34 minutes in on the Aug 17 episode!) Whenever Savage Umbrella embarks on a new project, we ask ourselves: Why this? Why now? We're always seeking to tease out the most engaging and timely conversations swirling around in our heads and hearts, and that requires constant checking in about where we're at and where we want to go. Over the next few weeks, we'll start to answer these questions with a few voices from the Creative Team, but we encourage you to come check out the show in September and tell us what this work means to you. We'll kick things off with our fearless director (and Savage Umbrella Artistic Director) Laura Leffler... From Laura: Amber Davis & Laura Leffler getting ready for performance at Duluth-Superior PRIDE in 2011. I'm having this really funny relationship with revisiting this project. When we did the show the first time around, it was so early in SU history. It felt as though we were still defining ourselves. And it was hugely instrumental (maybe because we produced three different versions of it that summer of 2011 at the Matthews' Park Rec Center, at the MN Fringe, and at Duluth-Superior Pride) in solidifying our identity as a company.  Rachel Nelson as "Camp Counselor Virginia" at Matthews Park and Rec Center in 2011. Plus, it was just so fun. I have strong memories of walks to Franklin Freeze, hanging with Amber at Bayfront Park in Duluth at PRIDE, Rachel riding on top of the folded-up lunch table, Tanner's impeccable comedic timing, Hannah's first SU show, Carl and Russ being so dang cute. We were goofballs. We worked to solidify our rehearsal methodology. And seriously, so much Franklin Freeze.  Carl Atiya Swanson as "Pastor Brian" and Russ Dugger as "Camp Intern Ricky" in 2011. Just wee babes! What I don't remember is the apprehension I'm currently feeling. This time around, I feel much differently when listening to the homophobic lines spewing out of the character's mouths. It's still funny, but there's something else there... something that feels like a punch in the gut. Something that, if I'm being 100% honest, scares me. What's changed? What's different? Maybe it's just that six years have passed. Maybe it's just being a little older and wiser. Maybe it's just being on this side of my own coming out journey. Maybe it's just that on the first day of the new administration back in January the White House's webpage on LGBTQ rights was deleted. Maybe it's just that the POTUS is tweeting about banning trans people from serving in the military. The last thing that civil right's activist Heather Heyer posted on Facebook before being murdered by a white supremacist, domestic terrorist was, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." Maybe it's just that last time, I wasn't paying attention.  The 2017 cast getting ready for their great adventure at SpringHouse Ministry Center! Photo: Carl Atiya Swanson I can't believe that a production - even one this funny and campy! - can be a solution to problems. But I do believe it can be a salve to the open-hearts who come to see it. I do believe it can be a good conversation starter. And that's one small thing that we at SU can do; we can start important conversations, and maybe those conversations in a performance space can lead to action out in the streets. And then maybe we can all pay a little more attention. EX-GAYS: NOT A STR8 REMOUNTSeptember 14 - 30, 2017 at SpringHouse Ministry Center 610 West 28th Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 Written by Eric F. Avery Directed by Laura Leffler Created with Savage Umbrella and the ensembles It's CAMP. It's SATIRE. It's a CAMP SATIRE. Tickets: $15 - $25, Pick Your Own Price ***** Space is limited, so reserve your tickets today! *****  Hey kiddos! Are y'all feeling FRINGEY this week? We're so excited that so many people are out supporting, enjoying, and talking about new work. Even though we're not in the Fringe Festival this year, it's been a busy few weeks under the umbrella!  On Monday, we launched our Indiegogo campaign for Ex-Gays: Not a Str8 Remount! We're inviting you under the umbrella to help bring this little baby back to life. Head over to igg.me/at/exgays to find out more about the 2017 version, the sweet perks, and why this show is so important to us right now.  Yesterday, we announced a call for collaborators for the 2017-2018 season. Auditions will be held on Saturday, August 26 at SpringHouse Ministry Center. Come show us what you're made of and tell us why you're excited about making new work. Spots are limited, so sign up, cuties!  ... And today, we want to give you a sneak peek into the upcoming workshop presentation of Velvet Swing! Here's a little behind-the-scenes from Savage Umbrella for company member Megan Clark: Savage Umbrella and the ensemble of smart-strong-sexy-awesome-ladies have been in the "work shop" developing Velvet Swing - a play focusing on the Crime-Of-the-(Last)Century and the life of model and vaudeville star Evelyn Nesbit. Our work has been focused on exploring specific biographical instances in Evelyn's life through melodrama and comedy and then re-telling the same story from the opposite angle, through an intimate, multi-faceted and movement-driven perspective.  R to L: Antonia Perez, Mickaylee Shaughnessy, Leslie Vincent  R to L: Antonia Perez, Mickaylee Shaughnessy, Leslie Vincent We want to understand the ins and outs of the woman who can be described both as an angel-child and a snake-charming vixen. Her story can be used as a bed-time cautionary tale to keep a Victorian Lady in her place or as a rags-to-riches parable encouraging young girls to boot-strap their way to the top. Swinging between these outrageous perspectives, the ensemble is exploring modern femininity and how it feels to be the "It-Girl".  R to L: Mickaylee Shaughnessy, Antonia Perez, Leslie Vincent, Megan Clark VELVET SWING |
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