History Theatre 2023-2024 Season Single Tickets Now On Sale

Single tickets for all History Theatre 2023-2024 Season productions are now on sale at Historytheatre.com. The 2023-2024 Season features five world premieres telling stories that explore the human condition from entertainment, politics, and the contributions of individuals in their communities.

"I am most interested in stories of joy, triumph, and determination that appreciate and celebrate the human experience", said Artistic Director Richard D. Thompson. "The expansive season examines over 100 years of history from the 1920s through today. All the stories are relevant to today's world, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the theatre to experience them."

History Theatre will open the new season with Keith Hovis' The Boy Wonder, a musical about Minnesota's own youngest governor, Harold Stassen. Hovis will premiere this very modern musical to explore a time in our history that is strikingly similar to the present and asks the question, "Who will stand up for our democracy?"

Get your baking supplies ready for I Am Betty this holiday season from Cristina Luzárraga and Denise Prosek. "Betty Crocker" was originally created as a marketing gimmick, but it has changed generations of families and kitchens. This new musical treat will have you singing along and itching to bake with Betty as it examines the lives of women and society throughout the past 100 years.

Discover the "indelible" skills of one of the Twin Cities' most well-known theater performers in Greta Oglesby's Handprints as this actress and singer reveals tales of her colorful background and life in Chicago and the Twin Cities. This expanded version, which is based on her book and features pianist, composer, and arranger Sanford Moore is inspired by her own life and family's adventures through storytelling, puppetry, and song. Everyone has a story, and this is hers.

As we follow the lives of two individuals in the years following the riot at Ole Miss in 1962, get ready for Harrison David Rivers' A Unique Assignment. Two men - Henry Gallagher, white, and James Meredith, Black - are thrust into each other's lives in the aftermath of the Ole Miss Riot. Meredith was the first African American admitted to the University of Mississippi in 1962. Gallagher, a young second lieutenant in the army who was born and raised in Minnesota, is placed in charge of Meredith's on-campus security detail. Through the voices and viewpoints of each man on their shared experience, explore this important turning point in Civil Rights history.

Closing the season is a co-production with Theater Mu, Blended 和 (Harmony): The Kim Loo Sisters, a brand-new musical by Jessica Huang and Jacinth Greywoode. The Kim Loo Sisters began their theatrical careers in their hometown of Minneapolis during the Jazz Age, went on perform in vaudeville during the Great Depression and lit up the Broadway stage and Hollywood screen during WWII. Their personal and professional lives act as a prism throwing light on issues like race, immigration, cultural identity, and universal themes like family and sisterhood.

Contact Erica Skarohlid (eskarohlid@historytheatre.com or 651-461-4329) with any requests for interviews, additional bios, or past production photos.

THE SEASON LINE-UP

The Boy Wonder

• WORLD PREMIERE
• Book, music, and lyrics by Keith Hovis
• Directed by Laura Leffler
• October 7-29, 2023

Dubbed the "boy wonder" after being elected the youngest governor of Minnesota in 1938, Harold Stassen was a popular and progressive leader with a vision to unify America. A contemporary musical exploring Stassen's relationship with his loving and supportive wife, the birth of the United Nations, and the impact he made here in Minnesota and beyond. Examining a time in our history and reflecting on where we are today, it is a story of perseverance, unity, and love for his family and country.

I Am Betty

• WORLD PREMIERE
• Book and lyrics by Cristina Luzárraga 
• Music and lyrics by Denise Prosek
• Directed by Maija García
• Nov 25-Dec 23, 2023

Just "Add an Egg" this holiday season!

Betty Crocker has helped shape America's homes, kitchens, and recipes for over a century. Surprising to many, she was not a real person. As a radio and television personality, a letter-writing confidante, and a relatable icon, "Betty" has impacted multiple generations as society has grappled with questions of women's role in American society. You will be humming the catchy music from this world premiere musical and inspired to go home to bake something new!

Handprints

• WORLD PREMIERE
• Written and performed by Greta Oglesby
• Music Direction by Sanford Moore
• Directed by Richard D. Thompson
• Jan 27-Feb 18, 2024

A powerful and vibrant autobiographical story written and performed by one of the Twin Cities' most renowned theater artists, Greta Oglesby. Based on her book titled "Mama 'n 'Nem, Handprints on My Life," this production is a love letter to the ordinary, yet extraordinary people who shaped her life. Experience the gift of Greta's story with unique storytelling including the gorgeous music that has inspired the person she is today.

A Unique Assignment

• WORLD PREMIERE
• by Harrison David Rivers
• Directed by Richard D. Thompson
• March 16-April 7, 2024

Two men - Henry Gallagher, white, and James Meredith, Black - are thrust into each other's lives in the aftermath of the Ole Miss Riot. Meredith was the first African American admitted to the University of Mississippi in 1962. Gallagher, a young second lieutenant in the army who was born and raised in Minnesota, is placed in charge of Meredith's on-campus security detail. As they navigate the political and social rollercoaster of desegregation, a tenuous relationship is forged - one that, for Gallagher, leads to eventual revelation. Explore this milestone moment in Civil Rights history through Gallagher and Meredith's own words and perspectives on their shared experience.

Special Thanks to Frechette Family Foundation for their support of this project.

Blended 和 (Harmony): The Kim Loo Sisters

• WORLD PREMIERE
• Co-production with Theater Mu and History Theatre
• By Jessica Huang
• Music by Jacinth Greywoode
• Directed by Lily Tung Crystal
• May 4-26, 2024

Making their way from Minneapolis to the flashing lights of Broadway in the 1930s, experience the story of the remarkable Kim Loo Sisters. Starting at a young age this quartet gained popularity during the swing era and performed across the country, on the silver screen of Hollywood, and overseas at USO shows. This new musical is an homage to family, love, their Chinese Polish American heritage, and the bond of these talented sisters through their lives on and off the stage.

Ticket Information

All single and group tickets on sale now. Subscriptions available through November 1, 2023. Discounts available for students, seniors, patrons under 30, and groups of 10 or more.

Learn more here: https://www.historytheatre.com/2023-24-season

History Theatre entertains, educates, and engages through creating, developing, and producing new and existing works that explore Minnesota's past and the diverse American experience. Its work provides a unique lens which links our past to the present, explores our common heritage, and illuminates our understanding of what it means to be American. www.historytheatre.com

Theater Mu (pronounced MOO) is one of the largest Asian American theater companies in the nation and the largest in the Midwest. Founded in 1992, Mu tells stories from the heart of the Asian American experience. Theater Mu's continuing goal of celebrating and empowering the Asian American community is achieved through mainstage productions, emerging artist support, and educational outreach programs. Theater Mu is a member of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists as well as a member of the Twin Cities Theatres of Color Coalition, proudly standing alongside New Native Theatre, Pangea World Theater, Penumbra Theatre, and Teatro Del Pueblo. theatermu.org

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