Kathleen Spehar Hansen Appointed New Director of O'Shaughnessy

Kathleen Spehar Hansen, Managing Director of the History Theatre, has accepted a position as Director of the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium on the campus of St. Catherine University in St. Paul. Spehar has been the Managing Director of History Theatre since the fall of 2007. During her tenure at History Theatre she successfully helped the company with many cornerstone projects including hosting "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" during the Republican National Convention, production collaborations with the Minnesota Historical Society, University of Minnesota, and Concordia University, and a successful Turnaround Plan that stabilized the company's financial and programmatic work.

"I am extremely grateful to the History Theatre for the opportunity to lead its operations over the last few years," said Spehar. "Along with Artistic Director Ron Peluso, the Board of Directors, staff and artists, I I have been privileged to be a member of a dynamic team that helped the theatre become strong, stable, and successful. It has been thrilling, exciting work, and I look forward to a continued collaboration with History Theatre in my new role as O'Shaughnessy's Director."

The President of History Theatre's Board of Directors, Jeff Peterson said, "I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with Kathleen. She elevated an excellent organization making it stronger and building a base for an even greater future." And History Theatre's Artistic Director Ron Peluso said, "With Kathleen's passion for performing arts, her instinct for community collaborations, and her keen business sense, the O'Shaughnessy will definitely be in good hands and History Theatre will miss her."

Spehar leaves History Theatre as a very healthy organization with positive net assets, strong and stable relationships with individual, corporate, and community supporters, and excellent momentum going into the 2011-2012 season. Season tickets for the upcoming season have surpassed revenue goals, and single ticket sales are already going strong with a month to go before the opening of the first show of the season: Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, October 8.

History Theatre's 2011-2012 Season:

October 8 - November 6, 2011
Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall
by William Randall Beard • Music arranged by David Lohman
1961 The incomparable Jody Briskey returns as Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall in her legendary 1961 Comeback Concert! Garland leads audiences through a whirlwind of memories starting with her childhood days in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and on to the studios at MGM, marriages and divorces, and finally to Carnegie Hall. Featuring "Get Happy," "I Can't Give you Anything but Love," "That's Entertainment," "The Trolley Song," and of course "Over the Rainbow," and more!

November 19 - December 18, 2011
A Civil War Christmas An American Musical Celebration
by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel • Music by Daryl Waters
1864 It is Christmastime in Washington, DC as the Civil War nears its end. This epic musical incorporates music of the era to give voIce To the many characters living and working in Washington, D.C. during the final days of the Civil War. Filled with intrigue and surprise, this Christmas musical reveals a world that is simultaneously torn apart by war and held together by the hope for redemption.

January 21 - February 19, 2012
1968: The Year That Rocked the World
by members of the Playwrights' Center: Reggie Edmunds, Matt Smart, Kim Hines, Kevin Kautzman, Rhiana Yazzi, Dominic Orlando, and Christina Ham • Music arranged by Gary Rue
1968 History Theatre and members of the Playwright's Center bring some of the most explosive events and personalities of 1968 to the stage: The War in Vietnam, the assassinations of DR. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy, the Mexico Olympics, Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert H. Humphrey, the election of Richard Nixon, and even the Apollo 8 mission broadcast on Christmas Eve. These events are surrounded by the unforgettable music of the era and pop culture that entertained and reflected on a world in chaos.
PRESENTED AT THE MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER alongside The 1968 Exhibit, an ambitious multimedia exhibit that will take visitors through the relentless year of culture-shifting, life-changing, memory-stamping events. On display October 14, 2011 through February 20, 2012.

March 3 - 25, 2012
Coco's Diary Adapted from the diary of Clotilde Irvine
by Ron Peluso and Bob Beverage • Music selection by Bob Beverage
1927 The trials and tribulations of a 13 year-old girl never seem to change: sibling rivalry, boys, school dances, boys, homework, and- boys! Young Clotilde "Coco" Irvine, is the daughter of a lumber baron living in a fashionable Summit Avenue mansion in 1927. Coco's Diary leads audiences on a winsome romp alongside our smart, adventurous, mischievous heroine surrounded by the beguiling music of the 1920s. It is a charming, funny and delightful entertainment for the entire family.

April 21 - May 20, 2012
Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical
by David Hawley • Music & lyrics by Drew Jansen
1932 Crime is running rampant in St. Paul! Our fair city is the crime capital of the U.S.A. where Public Enemies like Alvin "Creepy" Karpis and the Ma Barker Gang have free reign. But when J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI enter the picture the bad guys are put on the run. It's high stakes at the Hollyhocks with great songs by Drew Jansen, dance numbers featuring G-men and Tommy guns, and a dose of dark humor as we explore the crazy days of St. Paul's infamous past.

RAW STAGES: A Series of Works-in-Progress
• October 16, 2011 - Nellie by Kim Hines
• December 11, 2011 - Cheers! by Lily Baber Coyle
• March 11, 2012 - [TBD]
• May 6, 2012 - U.S. - Dakota War by Rob Thomas
All at 7:00 p.m.
During the 2011-2012 season, The RAW STAGES Series will consist of four readings performed on the History Theatre stage on four different Sunday evenings. Directors and performers will be announced and posted prior to each reading.