Mark Benninghofen

Stephen Sondheim, a Titanic force in the modern musical theatre, will be celebrated by Theater Latté Da and Crooners Supper Club with a unique concert experience in two parts, “Celebrating Sondheim,” curated and directed by Theater Latté Da's founding artistic director Peter Rothstein.  

Theater Latte Da announces the cast for award-winning playwright Harrison David Rivers' (Five Points) latest play, To Let Go and Fall. This newest play-with-music by Rivers marks his eighth produced work. New York-based director Sherri Eden Barber helms the production in the Twin Cities with original music composed by Minneapolis-based Jelloslave cellists Jacqueline Ultan and Michelle Kinney. Performances begin May 29 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.

Theater Latte Da announces extended performances through March 10th for Stephen Sondheim's romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a book by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Heidi Spesard-Noble. Performances run now through March 10 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.

Theater Latte Da's well-cast production of Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is gorgeous to look at and sweet on the ear. Like many great musicals, it depends on the master narrative of romance, but in Sondheim's hands that narrative gets a wider treatment than usual: not only are some of the lovers well beyond their ingenue years, but the characters are also by turns cynical, nostalgic, randy, anguished, manipulative, ecstatic, and resigned.

Theater Latte Da presents Stephen Sondheim's romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a book by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Heidi Spesard-Noble. Performances begin January 23 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets and season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.

Rehearsal are underway for Stephen Sondheim's romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a book by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Theater Latte Da announces the cast for Stephen Sondheim's romantic comedy A Little Night Music. Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a book by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Heidi Spesard-Noble.

Theater Latte Da hosts the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT)'s New Work Roundtable from Thursday, July 19 - Friday, July 20 as part of this year's NEXT Festival.

The History Theatre is having fun this month, with a world premiere by the popular writing duo known as 'Hatchling': Jeffrey Hatcher (book) and Chan Poling (music and lyrics). LORD GORDON GORDON is a romp of a musical in the tradition of con man stories like THE MUSIC MAN. It's based on little known true events in Minnesota and New York in the 1870s-events that eventually led to the fleecing of a bunch of investors (including the wealthy robber baron Jay Gould) and a Minnesota militia marching on Canada.

The popular Ruth Easton New Play Series features free public readings of new plays by Playwrights' Center Core Writers.

The Playwrights' Center's 45th anniversary season kicks off October 17 with PlayLabs, a week-long new play festival featuring Core Writers Christina Ham ('West of Central'), Susan Soon He Stanton ('we, the invisibles') and Ken Urban ('The Remains'). Tickets are free and can be reserved at pwcenter.org/playlabs.

Since its founding in 1971, the Playwrights' Center has been imagining theater forward. For decades it has been one of the nation's most important organizations for developing new plays and launching the careers of playwrights.

Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company (MJTC) has announced its Twenty-First Anniversary Benefit, taking place on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis MN 55403.

Hennepin Theatre Trust today announced the 2016-2017 Broadway on Hennepin Season, featuring the best of Broadway with five Minnesota premieres and five returning favorites. Making their Minneapolis premieres are Fun Home, winner of five 2015 Tony Awards including Best Musical; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, the 2015 Tony Award-winning Best Play; and Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I, the critically acclaimed 2015 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical.

Mark Benninghofen is known to many from years of performances at the Guthrie, on screen and in the ad world but not so much in musicals. Learn more about the man and this musical and get to Latte Da to see it pronto.

Friends, Theater Latte Da has done it again. They've created a music-theater production that is so stirring and chilling, it's nothing short of brilliant. After the delightfully innovative and stripped-down INTO THE WOODS this spring, they return to Sondheim with a similarly innovative and stripped-down SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. But where INTO THE WOODS was a fun and slightly sinister mish-mash of classic fairy tales, SWEENEY is all darkness and death, albeit with a bit of dark humor. Director Peter Rothstein again cast just ten actors in the show, many playing multiple roles and all perfect for the parts, and Denise Prosek leads a pared down orchestra of just four, that still somehow sounds musically full on this gorgeous and disturbing score. With a couple of actors not known for their singing leading this talented cast, and a cohesive look to the set, costumes, and theater space that is well used, this SWEENEYis completely engaging and all-consuming, and brilliantly shows what Latte Da can do with not musical theater, but theater musically.

Dark & Stormy Productions today announces the producers, venue, and partners for its upcoming production of Extremities by William Mastrosimone. Previously, Dark & Stormy has presented Outside Providence by Edward Allan Baker, Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet, The Receptionist by Adam Bock, The Drunken City by Adam Bock, and The Hothouse by Harold Pinter. Extremities will be the first production of Dark & Stormy's 2015 season.

Dark & Stormy Productions today announces the producers, venue, and partners for its upcoming production of Extremities by William Mastrosimone. Previously, Dark & Stormy has presented Outside Providence by Edward Allan Baker, Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet, The Receptionist by Adam Bock, The Drunken City by Adam Bock, and The Hothouse by Harold Pinter. Extremities will be the first production of Dark & Stormy's 2015 season.

I don't know if you've noticed, but there's something exciting going on in downtown St. Paul. In what's usually regarded as the sleepier of the Twin Cities, Park Square Theatre has recently opened a second stage in the Historic Hamm Building on lovely 7th Place. This extra space has allowed them to do some great things in the last few months, including producing regional premieres, partnering with local theater companies (look for shows by Sandbox Theatre, Theatre Pro Rata, and Girl Friday Productions this spring and summer), an increased focus on diversity, and continuing their commitment to students. They currently have three fantastic shows playing on the two stages, including student matinees of an effectively condensed ROMEO AND JULIET. But for us grown-ups, the two stages offer two very different but both excellent choices: the bittersweet comedy SHOOTING STAR on the Proscenium Stage, and the emotional drama THE OTHER PLACE on the new Boss Stage. Read on to make your choice, but hurry, both shows close on April 19.