The History Theatre has announced the schedule for its 44th season, and with it came the news that it will be artistic director’s Ron Peluso’s final season with the theater.
“For 27 years, I’ve had the honor to commission nearly 100 new plays and musicals and many of you have been with me along the way,” said Peluso in a press release. “This year’s line-up will be my last, a new generation of History Theatre makers will take us into the next decade and beyond. These are, indeed, exciting times for us.”
The original and exciting 2022-2023 season is packed with an array of performances, from blockbuster musical favorites to provocative reflections of social justice and inclusion through original works.
Check out the 2022-2023 schedule here:
- Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story, (October 1-30, 2022), written by Alan James and directed by Ron Peluso: Nick Freeman returns as Buddy in this part-bio-musical, part rock n’ roll concert, and part celebration of the music of Buddy Holly. Set in 1959, this young singer from Lubbock, Texas had a meteoric rise to fame as he crossed racial barriers and rose to the top of the chart in four short years. Holly performed in Minnesota as part of the Winter Dance Party tour that brought him to Duluth and St. Paul shortly before his final performance in Clear Lake, Iowa.
- A Servants’ Christmas, (November 19 – December 18, 2022), based on the book by John Fenn, Directed by Ron Peluso: It’s December of 1899 on Summit Ave. in St. Paul when Monica, a young immigrant, is hired by the Warner family to serve as a “Second Girl.” Mr. Warner, a strict Christian, has recently lost his wife and mother of his two children, making this holiday season particularly difficult for everyone. Monica, who is Jewish, fears that if her Jewish heritage is revealed, she may be dismissed from the job she so desperately means. A story of love, acceptance, and understanding that will surely put you in the Christmas spirit.
- Raw Stages: New Works Festival, (January 18 – 22, 2023): Get an inside look at what’s coming down the pipeline to the main stage at History Theatre. Playwrights and composers have the opportunity to present their works in progress with a cast of professional actors in front of a live audience and gather valuable feedback during the early development stages. Check out The Kim Loo Sisters by Jessica Hunag, The Boy Wonder, by Keith Hovis, The Betty Crocker Musical, by Cristina Luzzarraga, and The James Meredith Project by Harrison David Rivers.
- The Root Beer Lady, (January 29 – February 19, 2023), written and performed by Kim Schultz, directed by Addie Gorlin-Han: The story of the indomitable Doroth Molter, played by Kim Schultz, the last legal non-Indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters. Set in 1986, the story reflects the beauty and hardships of Molter’s solitary yet satisfying life beginning in 1934 and explores her independence, fortitude and love of nature.
- Diesel Heart, (March 11 – April 2, 2023), based on the book by Melvin Carter Jr, written by Brian Grandison, Directed by Warren C. Bowles: Born and raised in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, the story of Melvin Carter Jr. begins at a time of racial tension in the 1950s and 60s. During this time, Melvin Carter Jr. struggles in school, questions his worth and turns to fighting and trouble in the neighborhood. Inspired by Melvin Carter Jr.’s book, Diesel Heart, Melvin’s story reminds us that the journey we take to finding our voice is never clean or straightforward.
- The Defeat of Jesse James, (April 29 – May 28, 2023), book by Jeffrey Hatcher, music and lyrics by Chan Polling: A story of heroic sacrifice and small-town grit from the creators of “Glensheen”. Every year, the town of Northfield reenacts the events that took place on September 7,1876, when The James Gang attempted to rob the FIrst National Bank and the townspeople said “No!”. But this year, volunteer Finn Dahlberg finds himself in a reenactment with a twist: it actually is September 7, 1876! The robbers are real and so are the bullets, and Finn is transformed into Joseph Heywood, the bank cashier who gave up his life rather than open the safe.