The Southern Theater Presents HEDDA GABLER 2/11-14

Genevieve Bennett, creator of the 2008 Twin Cities Chekhov Festival and director of its sold-old production of The Seagull, has proved to be one of the Twin Cities most promising young directors. This season she takes on theatre's most complex and mesmerizing heroine with a new interpretation of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. Darkly funny, razor sharp and dangerously thrilling, Hedda Gabler examines one woman's quest for power and purpose through betrayal and revenge.

"Hedda Gabler is about our struggle to reconcile the person we are with the person we long to be," said Bennett. "It's about the difference between desire and ability, between what we want and our willingness to go out and get it."

Hedda Gabler features a cast of local favorites, including Annie Enneking (Hedda Gabler), Paul DeCordova (George Tesman), John Catron (Eilert Lovborg), Leif Jurgensen (Judge Brack), Jennifer Phillips (Thea Elvsted), and Melissa Hart (Julianna Tesman). Designers include Amber Miller (scenic), Barb Portinga (costumes) and Karin Olson (lighting).

Performances: February 11-14, 2010

Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm

Genevieve Bennett (director) is a free-lance director based in Minneapolis. Credits include Beyond the Owing (Red Eye); Bee Eater (Bryant Lake Bowl); The Good Doctor (Jon Hassler Theater); Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (Theatre Unbound); The Seagull (Twin Cities Chekhov Festival); The Bear (Bryant Lake Bowl); and Camille (Old Arizona). She received an MFA in Directing from Columbia University and a BFA with Honors in Theatre from the Experimental Theatre Wing/Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Genevieve curated and produced the Twin Cities Chekhov Festival, in a member of Red Eye Critical Core and is on the Theatre faculty at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists.

Paul de Cordova (Tesman) most recently appeared in the Minnesota Fringe Festival with his solo work You're Naked, You're Crazy and We're All Gonna Die. In New York Paul was seen at Columbia Stages as Leontes in The Winter's Tale, Keen Company's Drama Desk nominated Outward Bound, The Three Sisters (Extant Arts), The Melting Pot (Metropolitan Playhouse), Flyer (3 Graces), Harper Lee's Husband (as Truman Capote), and A Yorkshire Fairy Tale (On The Leesh). At the Guthrie Theater Paul appeared in ten productions including Midsummer Nights' Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Ah, Wilderness, and You Can't Take It With You. Paul is also and Associate Company Member at Pillsbury House Theater where he appeared in Angels in America Parts I and II. Other credits include Ping Chong's Persuasion, his first solo show WANTED, and productions with the Park Square Theater, History Theater, Jungle Theater, Frank Theater, CTC, Skewed Visions and Minnesota Festival Theater.

Leif Jurgensen (Judge Brack) moved to Minneapolis in 1991 from Milwaukee. Over the years he has performed in numerous productions at The Children's Theatre Company including A Special Trade, Esperanza Rising, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and most recently The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Other local theaters including 10,000 Things (Eurydice), 15 Head (Cheri, The Rush, Dracula), Frank Theatre (Mother Courage, The Women of Troy), Red Eye (Have You Seen Steve Stevens?), Bedlam (The Flies), and The Jon Hassler Theater (The Good Doctor). He studied Viewpoints and Suzuki at the Siti Company's Summer Intensive in Saratoga Springs. Leif is also a Teaching Artist with CTC's Neighborhood Bridges Program and Perpich Center for the Arts' ACE Theater program.

Annie Enneking (Hedda) has been a performing artist in the Twin Cities for twenty-seven years. She has acted with Workhaus Collective, Children's Theatre Company, The Guthrie, Walking Shadow Theatre, Playwrights' Center and Frank Theatre. She is a teaching artist with The Children's Theatre, the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, and an apprentice stage combat teacher with Dueling Arts International. Annie's work has been recognized by the Princess Grace Foundation, Twin Cities Kudos Award, and the Kristen Phaff Memorial Scholarship. She was a finalist for both the 2007 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant, and the 2010 Bush Fellowship. Annie was a recipient of A Very Small Arts Fund, and an Open Eye "Open Studio" grant in support of her original work, The Joans.

John Catron (Lovborg) is a multidisciplinary artist hailing from St. Paul. He holds a BA in Theatre Studies from Grinnell College. He has trained at the St. Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy (Russia), The National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center (Waterford, CT), and Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY). As a local acto,r John has worked with The Playwrights Center, Pillsbury House Theatre, The Guthrie Theatre, The History Theatre, The Illusion Theater, Theatre Mu, Park Square Theatre, Walking Shadow, and The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent, among others. Upcoming stage productions include All Is Calm with Theater Latte Da, and Othello at Park Square.

Melissa Hart (Aunt Julia) recently relocated to the Twin Cities, and has appeared in The Enemy:Time (Gremlin Theatre), By the Bog of Cats (Frank Theatre at the Dowling), and The Sound of Music (Ordway). Her Broadway credits include Georgy (for which she received a TONY Nomination), Scarlet Pimpernel, Candide, Cabaret, The Apple Tree, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Off Broadway she has performed at the York Theatre, Soho Rep, John Houseman Theatre, and the Irish Repertory Theatre. Regional performances include The Unexpected Guest, After the Fall, and Steel Magnolias all at the Alley Theatre in Houston, and Paramour at The Old Globe in San Diego. She received the Philly Award for The Dresser, the Jefferson Award for Company, and three Carbonell Awards for Annie, Pirates of Penzance, and Sweet Charity. She also performed in NINE; A Little Night Music; King of Hearts; Zorba; H.M.S. Pinafore; Hello Dolly!; Kiss of the Spider Woman; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Sweeney Todd; On the Verge; Lettice and Lovage; And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little; Gypsy; Stop the World; and Minnie's Boys.

Jennifer Phillips (Thea) is honored to be a part of this production. Recent work includes Some Girls. Robots vs. Fake Robots, Caligula, and Fat Pig with Walking Shadow Theatre; Mother Courage and her Children, Mr.Puntilla and his hired man Matti with Frank Theatre; The Left Hand Singing, The Diary of Anne Frank with Park Square Theatre; and Slag Heap, Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi with Theatre Pro Rata. Jennifer trained at AADA, Circle in the Square Theatre, and LAMDA.

Southern Theater mission and artistic statement

The Southern Theater cultivates artistic exploration by providing a vibrant home for performance, fostering a multiplicity of voices and catalyzing connections among artists and audience.

The Southern presents and produces performance characterized by innovation and originality. We value connections to the local community and celebrate artwork that holds potential for transformative exchange. On stage, we are unyielding in our commitment to the highest levels of professionalism and artistic integrity.

For more information on the Southern, please visit www.southerntheater.org or call 612.340.0155.

Opening night pre-show reception at 6:30pm sponsored by The Red Stag Supperclub and vita.mn; complimentary appetizers and beverages will be served

Single tickets: $20, pay-as-able Feb. 11

Discounts available for students, seniors and groups of 10 or more

Southern Theater box office: 612.340.1725

1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55454