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Submitted by admin on March 30, 2012 - 4:19pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2012
Contact: Rachel Flynn, 651.292.4323 x106, pr@historytheatre.com
“If you're looking for where your next of kin are,
try looking for where the jazz and gin and sin are!”
—Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
History Theatre invites audiences into the seedy world of the
SAINT PAUL, MN – History Theatre returns to the crime-ridden streets of St. Paul in the early 1930s with the return of a play written by David Hawley with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen, Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. This new production is directed by Noah Bremer (artistic director and co-founder of Live Action Set) who is working with the design team to create a world full of bright colors and the idolized ambiance of a speakeasy as juxtaposition the harsh – and often bloody – reality of the stories being told. Hawley, a former writer for the Pioneer Press himself, uses the voice of Nate Bomberg a St. Paul reporter who covered the police for 52 of the 69 years he lived, to tell the tales of murder, mayhem, kidnappings, and shady deals. The lines between good guys and bad guys get crossed and double-crossed by everybody including gangsters, lawmen, the media and even innocent bystanders all to the playfully sinister and clever tunes of Drew Jansen.
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
Opens: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Through: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 p.m. • Saturdays & Sundays @ 2:00 p.m.
Audio Described performance on 4/29/12 at 2:00 p.m.
ASL interpreted performance on 5/6/12 at 2:00 p.m.
Performing at History Theatre, 30 East Tenth Street | St. Paul, MN 55101
For directions and parking information visit: http://www.historytheatre.com/map-and-parking
TICKETS: Tier 1 $38; Tier 2 $34; Tier 3 $30
Seniors (60+ years old) get $2 off regular ticket prices
Students (5 to 18 years old): $15
Discount rates are available for groups of 15 or more.
History Theatre Box Office at 651.292.4323 or www.historytheatre.com/tickets/
Photos will be posted after 4/19/12
***
About the Play
In the spring of 2000, The Gangster Musical premiered on History Theatre’s stage. The show written by David Hawley with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen was a huge hit. Twelve years later, Hawley and Jansen have revisited the script, tuned up a couple of the songs, and tweaked the title. History Theatre’s artistic director Ron Peluso has enlisted director Noah Bremer to head this new production of Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. Bremer, who is a co-founder and the artistic director of the IVEY Award-winning company Live Action Set, is bringing his unique and playful aesthetic to the project and working with the creative team to create an entirely new theatrical experience. “Noah and Erica [Zaffarano, set designer] are setting the show in a St. Paul speakeasy, and inviting audiences into the world of the play as soon as they enter the theater,” said Peluso. “It should be a fun night of theatre!”
This new production of Capital Crimes will shine a spotlight on the dark and sinister underbelly of St. Paul in the early 1930s, using bright colors, upbeat tunes, and dead-clever lyrics to illustrate the double-edged sword of idolizing such a dangerous world. “The gangster era in some ways was the signature myth of St. Paul and a piece of the city’s history that people want to remember as romantic, fanciful, sordid and nifty,” said playwright David Hawley. “The reality was quite a bloody awful mess with little regard for human life.” Hawley, a former Pioneer Press reporter, drew on the experience of his predecessor at the paper: Nate Bomberg. Bomberg was an “old school” newsman who covered the police beat for the Pioneer Press 52 of his 69 years of life. Bomberg was such a rich source of stories and information that Hawley decided to make him a character in the show.
Composer, lyricist and music director Drew Jansen very excited to revisit the show. This new production is an opportunity to take another crack at a couple of the songs now that he’s 12 years older and wiser. “With that much time comes perspective,” said Jansen. “Being able to pull an original number that I was never quite satisfied with and replace it with something more appropriate is a composer/lyricist’s dream! Also, having a completely different team this time around casts the show in a completely different and exciting light. Each person is injecting new color and energy to the project, and I find that immensely thrilling!”
At the head of that new energy is director Noah Bremer (no relation to Edward Bremer who was abducted by the Karpis-Barker gang and held for ransom in 1934). “I couldn't be more excited to be working on this project,” says Bremer. “Turn almost any page of history concerning 1931-35 and you'll find the intriguing world of gangsters with celebrity status and an unhealthy connection to St. Paul. We are bringing this idolized world to life in vibrant colors juxtaposed with the harsh reality of a life of crime. The script is action-packed, the music and lyrics are full of witty and irresistibly hummable tunes, the design team's set, lights and costumes are jaw dropping, and the all-star cast is going to turn out gritty, tender performances sure to entertain and impress History Theatre patrons!”
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical was written by David Hawley, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen. (It premiered at History Theatre in 2000 under the title The Gangster Musical.) It is directed by Noah Bremer, with music direction by Drew Jansen, scenic design by Erica Zaffarano, costume design by E. Amy Hill, lighting design by Daniel Ellis, properties design by Abbee Warmboe, and stage managed by Janet L. Hall. Featuring Jake Endres, Matt Erkel, Cathleen Fuller, Josiah Gulden, Eric Knutson, Kimberly Richardson, Anna Reichert, and E.J. Subkoviak.
Car chases, kidnappings, crooks, the women who love them, and the G-men sent to bring them to justice.
***
Complete performance schedule is included on page 5 of the PDF)
***
Special Offer
Social Six-Pack
Friday, April 27
Gather your gang and make a night of it! One price includes six drink tickets to use at the concessions stand and six tickets to the 8:00 p.m. performance of Capital Crimes.
$210 for Tier 1 / $180 for Tier 2
***
Special Events
A Speakeasy Dinner Party
Saturday, April 21 at 6:00 p.m.
Before the opening performance of Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical, join History Theatre for a good old fashioned speakeasy party including pre-show entertainment, dinner catered by Trattoria da Vinci, drinks, and games.
$100 per person (includes dinner, a ticket to the opening performance of Capital Crimes, and a $50 tax-deductible donation to History Theatre)
Gangster Tour
Saturday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m.
Find out about the Saintly City when it wasn't so Saintly!
Hop on the bus with a costumed character from the Wabasha Street Caves who will guide you on a 2-hour bus tour around some of St. Paul’s most infamous sights of murder and mayhem. The package includes a ticket to see Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical either before the tour at 2p or after the tour at 8p. All tours will begin and end at the History Theatre.
Space is limited, reservations are required.
$45 for Tier 1 / $40 for Tier 2 or Tier 3
Pizza and a Play
Friday, May 18 at 6:45 p.m.
Transition from the hectic workday into an evening of fun with happy hour drink prices, and delicious pizza and salad from Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza before seeing the 8:00 p.m. performance of Capital Crimes. Test your trivia knowledge about Prohibition, gangster life, and St. Paul’s infamous past to compete for prizes!
$45 for Tier 1 / $40 for Tier 2 or Tier 3
Afterthoughts Discussion Series
Sundays: 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20 at 4:00 p.m.
Patrons are invited to join a discussion series that will immediately follow Sunday matinees. Afterthoughts will feature guest speakers to talk about topics related to Capital Crimes as well as the artists who brought the show to life on the stage. Guests will include author Paul MacCabbee (Dillinger Slept Here), playwright David Hawley, composer and lyricist Drew Jansen, historians from the Wabasha Street Caves, and more. Check www.HistoryTheatre.com for a schedule and details about special guests and topics.
FREE to ticketed patrons
***
About History Theatre
For 34 years, the History Theatre Experience has created:Inspiration. The History Theater Experience brings real stories about real people to the stage in an immediate experience that touches our lives.
111 world premiere performances, more than any other theater in the Twin Cities. The History Theatre is one of the country’s most impressive new play development homes – bringing to full production new work by Jeffrey Hatcher, Melanie Marnich, Craig Wright, Kim Hines, Dorie Baizley, John Olive, Kira Obolensky, and more.
Brave, entertaining explorations of all the histories that make up our diverse community. From Farm Boys to Snapshots: Life in the City, from the celebratory Wellstone! to the dark, complex Piece of the Rope about Minnesota’s first public execution, HT has moved Minnesotans to rediscover, relive, and respect every piece of their history. More than 200,000 students have connected with history through performances at HT.
ACCESSIBLITY
History Theatre is equipped with an FM hearing enhancement system. We offer ASL interpreted and Audio Described performances. We have complimentary wheelchairs for those patrons who need extra assistance into the building. The handicap-accessible entrance is on Cedar St. Just inside the entrance is an elevator that will take patrons to the theatre level. Patrons are asked to indicate any special needs that when ordering tickets.
Document type:
Press release
Production:
PDF file:
Contact: Rachel Flynn, 651.292.4323 x106, pr@historytheatre.com
“If you're looking for where your next of kin are,
try looking for where the jazz and gin and sin are!”
—Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
History Theatre invites audiences into the seedy world of the
Saintly City’s infamous past with a new production of
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical.
SAINT PAUL, MN – History Theatre returns to the crime-ridden streets of St. Paul in the early 1930s with the return of a play written by David Hawley with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen, Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. This new production is directed by Noah Bremer (artistic director and co-founder of Live Action Set) who is working with the design team to create a world full of bright colors and the idolized ambiance of a speakeasy as juxtaposition the harsh – and often bloody – reality of the stories being told. Hawley, a former writer for the Pioneer Press himself, uses the voice of Nate Bomberg a St. Paul reporter who covered the police for 52 of the 69 years he lived, to tell the tales of murder, mayhem, kidnappings, and shady deals. The lines between good guys and bad guys get crossed and double-crossed by everybody including gangsters, lawmen, the media and even innocent bystanders all to the playfully sinister and clever tunes of Drew Jansen.
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
Opens: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Through: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 p.m. • Saturdays & Sundays @ 2:00 p.m.
Audio Described performance on 4/29/12 at 2:00 p.m.
ASL interpreted performance on 5/6/12 at 2:00 p.m.
Performing at History Theatre, 30 East Tenth Street | St. Paul, MN 55101
For directions and parking information visit: http://www.historytheatre.com/map-and-parking
TICKETS: Tier 1 $38; Tier 2 $34; Tier 3 $30
Seniors (60+ years old) get $2 off regular ticket prices
Students (5 to 18 years old): $15
Discount rates are available for groups of 15 or more.
History Theatre Box Office at 651.292.4323 or www.historytheatre.com/tickets/
Photos will be posted after 4/19/12
***
About the Play
In the spring of 2000, The Gangster Musical premiered on History Theatre’s stage. The show written by David Hawley with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen was a huge hit. Twelve years later, Hawley and Jansen have revisited the script, tuned up a couple of the songs, and tweaked the title. History Theatre’s artistic director Ron Peluso has enlisted director Noah Bremer to head this new production of Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical. Bremer, who is a co-founder and the artistic director of the IVEY Award-winning company Live Action Set, is bringing his unique and playful aesthetic to the project and working with the creative team to create an entirely new theatrical experience. “Noah and Erica [Zaffarano, set designer] are setting the show in a St. Paul speakeasy, and inviting audiences into the world of the play as soon as they enter the theater,” said Peluso. “It should be a fun night of theatre!”
This new production of Capital Crimes will shine a spotlight on the dark and sinister underbelly of St. Paul in the early 1930s, using bright colors, upbeat tunes, and dead-clever lyrics to illustrate the double-edged sword of idolizing such a dangerous world. “The gangster era in some ways was the signature myth of St. Paul and a piece of the city’s history that people want to remember as romantic, fanciful, sordid and nifty,” said playwright David Hawley. “The reality was quite a bloody awful mess with little regard for human life.” Hawley, a former Pioneer Press reporter, drew on the experience of his predecessor at the paper: Nate Bomberg. Bomberg was an “old school” newsman who covered the police beat for the Pioneer Press 52 of his 69 years of life. Bomberg was such a rich source of stories and information that Hawley decided to make him a character in the show.
Composer, lyricist and music director Drew Jansen very excited to revisit the show. This new production is an opportunity to take another crack at a couple of the songs now that he’s 12 years older and wiser. “With that much time comes perspective,” said Jansen. “Being able to pull an original number that I was never quite satisfied with and replace it with something more appropriate is a composer/lyricist’s dream! Also, having a completely different team this time around casts the show in a completely different and exciting light. Each person is injecting new color and energy to the project, and I find that immensely thrilling!”
At the head of that new energy is director Noah Bremer (no relation to Edward Bremer who was abducted by the Karpis-Barker gang and held for ransom in 1934). “I couldn't be more excited to be working on this project,” says Bremer. “Turn almost any page of history concerning 1931-35 and you'll find the intriguing world of gangsters with celebrity status and an unhealthy connection to St. Paul. We are bringing this idolized world to life in vibrant colors juxtaposed with the harsh reality of a life of crime. The script is action-packed, the music and lyrics are full of witty and irresistibly hummable tunes, the design team's set, lights and costumes are jaw dropping, and the all-star cast is going to turn out gritty, tender performances sure to entertain and impress History Theatre patrons!”
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical was written by David Hawley, with music and lyrics by Drew Jansen. (It premiered at History Theatre in 2000 under the title The Gangster Musical.) It is directed by Noah Bremer, with music direction by Drew Jansen, scenic design by Erica Zaffarano, costume design by E. Amy Hill, lighting design by Daniel Ellis, properties design by Abbee Warmboe, and stage managed by Janet L. Hall. Featuring Jake Endres, Matt Erkel, Cathleen Fuller, Josiah Gulden, Eric Knutson, Kimberly Richardson, Anna Reichert, and E.J. Subkoviak.
Car chases, kidnappings, crooks, the women who love them, and the G-men sent to bring them to justice.
***
Complete performance schedule is included on page 5 of the PDF)
***
Special Offer
Social Six-Pack
Friday, April 27
Gather your gang and make a night of it! One price includes six drink tickets to use at the concessions stand and six tickets to the 8:00 p.m. performance of Capital Crimes.
$210 for Tier 1 / $180 for Tier 2
***
Special Events
A Speakeasy Dinner Party
Saturday, April 21 at 6:00 p.m.
Before the opening performance of Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical, join History Theatre for a good old fashioned speakeasy party including pre-show entertainment, dinner catered by Trattoria da Vinci, drinks, and games.
$100 per person (includes dinner, a ticket to the opening performance of Capital Crimes, and a $50 tax-deductible donation to History Theatre)
Gangster Tour
Saturday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m.
Find out about the Saintly City when it wasn't so Saintly!
Hop on the bus with a costumed character from the Wabasha Street Caves who will guide you on a 2-hour bus tour around some of St. Paul’s most infamous sights of murder and mayhem. The package includes a ticket to see Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical either before the tour at 2p or after the tour at 8p. All tours will begin and end at the History Theatre.
Space is limited, reservations are required.
$45 for Tier 1 / $40 for Tier 2 or Tier 3
Pizza and a Play
Friday, May 18 at 6:45 p.m.
Transition from the hectic workday into an evening of fun with happy hour drink prices, and delicious pizza and salad from Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza before seeing the 8:00 p.m. performance of Capital Crimes. Test your trivia knowledge about Prohibition, gangster life, and St. Paul’s infamous past to compete for prizes!
$45 for Tier 1 / $40 for Tier 2 or Tier 3
Afterthoughts Discussion Series
Sundays: 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20 at 4:00 p.m.
Patrons are invited to join a discussion series that will immediately follow Sunday matinees. Afterthoughts will feature guest speakers to talk about topics related to Capital Crimes as well as the artists who brought the show to life on the stage. Guests will include author Paul MacCabbee (Dillinger Slept Here), playwright David Hawley, composer and lyricist Drew Jansen, historians from the Wabasha Street Caves, and more. Check www.HistoryTheatre.com for a schedule and details about special guests and topics.
FREE to ticketed patrons
***
About History Theatre
For 34 years, the History Theatre Experience has created:
ACCESSIBLITY
History Theatre is equipped with an FM hearing enhancement system. We offer ASL interpreted and Audio Described performances. We have complimentary wheelchairs for those patrons who need extra assistance into the building. The handicap-accessible entrance is on Cedar St. Just inside the entrance is an elevator that will take patrons to the theatre level. Patrons are asked to indicate any special needs that when ordering tickets.
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