Miss Julie Opens Tonight

Katie Berger, Paul Steffens, and Ana Hagedorn in Miss Julie

Miss Julie

by August Strindberg
translated/adapted by Ethan Bjelland
Commonweal Apprentice Company

The commonweal apprentice acting company opens its capstone project, the culmination of a busy year of stage and behind-the-scenes work. The play is tranlated by apprentice company member Ethan Bjelland who played the sometimes clueless college student in last season's Drawer Boy. Katie Berger, Paul Steffens, and Ana Hagedorn play Kristine, Jean, and Julie in the Strindberg classic.

Miss Julie runs March 21 - 30, with a special production during Ibsen fest.

Visit the Commonweal for schedules and tickets: Commonweal Theatre (www.commonwealtheatre.org)

Strindberg and Ibsen mix it up at the Commonweal

Commonweal’s traveling production of A Doll’s House returns to Lanesboro to find that Strindberg has commandeered it’s home stage. In late-(19^th)-Century Europe, Strindberg and Ibsen were dramatic foes; it would be an understatement to say the men didn’t like each other.

Trying to recapture the ideological battle between the two giants, Commonweal is not only allowing its apprentice company to stage Strindberg on Ibsen’s turf, it has even invited Strindberg to appear at it’s annual festival celebrating Ibsen in mid-april.

If you aren’t feeling the tension yet, The Commonweal offers this 21^st Century add campaign for the battle. Can’t you feel the love?

Visit the Commonweal for schedules and tickets and information: Commonweal Theatre (www.commonwealtheatre.org)

Homegrown Theater: Winona comes alive

My article on Winona playwrights appeared in Minnesota Playlist. Read it in the Greater Minnesota section of the magazine:

Homegrown Theater: Winona Comes Alive

Second Annual "Original Shorts" Staged Readings, May 3-5, 2013

Theatre du Mississippi will complete their second annual playwriting competition with staged readings of the four wining plays on May 3, 4, and 5. Last year’s readings displayed four compelling short plays; I find myself thinking of a couple of them frequently, nearly a year after seeing them. I expect that this year’s production will be just as intriguing.

This year’s contest restricted entries to residents in the tri-state area of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Writers from the three states submitted 60 scripts.

The four winners will be featured in the staged readings.

Winners

• “In Memory of a Russian Playwright”
  Larry Greenstein, Minneapolis, Minn.
• “Heretics”
  Richard Zinober, Moorhead, Minn.*
• “Condemned”
  Greg Freier, Norwalk, Iowa
• 
  
• “Siren” Daryl Lanz, Winona, Minn.

Receiving Honorable Mention are the following:

• “Change of Plans”
  Frances Edstrom, Winona
• “Shadows”
  Greg Freier, Norwalk, Iowa
• “Monkey Play”
  Rand Higbee,
• “Sister Thimble”
  Levi K. Smith
• “Betwixt”
  Tom Deiker

Other scripts reaching the final round of competition are:

• “Hot Potato”
  Emilio DeGrazia, Winona
• “The Meeting”
  Greg Freier
• “Cold Water Knocking”
  Kevin Drzakowski
• “Birds of Prey”
  Jacob Wrich
• “Osama High”
  Greg Abbott
• “End Around Sideways”
  Greg Freier

*“Heretics” was written with support of an individual artist grant from the Lake Region Arts Council in Fergus Falls.

For more information, visit www.theatredumississippi.org.

Ibsen Fest at the Commonweal

It’s getting to be that time of the year again. This Newsletter just came from the Commonweal:

News & Notes from Commonweal Theatre Company

March 7, 2013 Special Edition  The Commonweal Theatre in historic Lanesboro, MN is proud to announce the 16th Annual Ibsen Festival April 12-14, 2013  a A weekend of events celebrating Scandinavian theatre, visual arts, music, dance and food! Featuring a world premiere adaptation of A Doll's House!     This once-in-a-lifetime festival line up features international guests from India and Norway to share global  perspectives on the legacy of Nora...Ibsen's greatest creation. Highlights of the festival include speakers Astrid Sæther of the Centre for Ibsen Studies in Oslo; Amal Allana of the National School of Drama in Delhi, India; and Nissar Allana of the Delhi Ibsen Festival.  Other events will focus on gender and femininity in Ibsen's work, including a costume retrospective and jewelry show, sculpture exhibit at the Lanesboro Art Center, tarantella demonstration and videos celebrating 100 years since women's suffrage in Norway and a variety of perspectives on Nora and A Doll's House. PLUS... An encore performance of Miss Julie by August Strindberg!    Mark your calendar and join us April 12-14 for the only annual Ibsen Festival in the United States! Hope to see you there. For more information and a detailed schedule of events go to www.ibsenfest.org  Or call Adrienne Sweeney, Ibsen Festival Coordinator, at (507) 467-2905, ext. 208. The Ibsen festival is made possible with the generous support of The American-Scandinavian Foundation, Sons of Norway, SEMAC, local businesses and We appreciate your help spreading the word out about this exciting academic, cultural and artistic weekend!  If you know someone who may be interested in the Ibsen Festival, please forward this email. *If you can't make the festival, A Doll's House runs through June 14.   208 Parkway Ave N, Lanesboro MN 55949 800-657-7025

Commonweal Theatre Company | Lanesboro Minnesota | (800) 657-7025 | (507) 467-2525 tickets@commonwealtheatre.org