Britta Ollmann News

Theater Latte Da announces extended performances through October 27th for the regional premiere of Once. Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once features a book by Enda Walsh with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

To open their 2018-2019 season, Theater Latte Da presents the multi Tony Award winning musical ONCE at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.  Adapted by Edna Walsh with worlds and lyrics written or composed by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, ONCE recalls the story of a guy and girl who meet through fate for six days in Dublin, Ireland. The Girl, a Czech immigrant ready to begin a new life, intersects at a train station with an Irishmen who repairs Hoovers while pondering on abandoning his musical career. Together, in an old Dublin shop where pianos are sold, Girl plays her accompaniment to Guy's lyrics. The two indeed "make beautiful music together," while Latte Da's production keeps the musical drama and their audiencenes, as a song from the musical quotes, "walking on moonbeams." 

Theater Latte Da offers a first look at the regional premiere of Once. Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once features a book by Enda Walsh with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Kelli Foster Warder.

Rehearsals for Theater Latte Da's Once are underway. Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once features a book by Enda Walsh with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Theater Latte Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen and choreography by Kelli Foster Warder. Performances begin September 12 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.

Asolo Rep continues its 2017-18 season with the celebrated American musical RAGTIME. Directed by Peter Rothstein, founding artistic director of Theater Latte Da in Minneapolis, RAGTIME features a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, who all garnered Tony Awards for the production. The original Broadway production was directed by Frank Galati, who received a Tony nomination for his work and is an Associate Artist at Asolo Rep. A collaboration with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, RAGTIME previews May 1 - 3, opens May 4 and runs through May 27 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. 

The Guthrie Theater has announced casting for the theater's summer musical, Sunday in the Park with George. Leading the cast will be Randy Harrison (Guthrie: The Glass Menagerie) who will play French pointillist painter George Seurat, a role originated by Mandy Patinkin in the 1984 Broadway production, and Erin Mackey (Guthrie: South Pacific) who will play Seurat's lover and model, Dot, a role originated by Bernadette Peters.

freeFall Theatre Company presents the Florida regional premiere of RED VELVET by Lolita Chakrabarti. RED VELVET plays freeFall February 25 through March 26. Jose Rufino (freeFall's RIP.TIED and MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM) returns to St. Petersburg as Ira Aldridge. The play also features Joe Lauck (freeFall's hit premiere THE BUFFALO KINGS), Britta Ollmann, Megan Therese Rippey, Edward French, Douglas Hall, Amy Dawn Rufino and Matt Lunsford.

freeFall Theatre Company presents the Florida regional premiere of RED VELVET by Lolita Chakrabarti. RED VELVET plays freeFall February 25 through March 26. Jose Rufino (freeFall's RIP.TIED and MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM) returns to St. Petersburg as Ira Aldridge. The play also features Joe Lauck (freeFall's hit premiere THE BUFFALO KINGS), Britta Ollmann, Megan Therese Rippey, Edward French, Douglas Hall, Amy Dawn Rufino and Matt Lunsford.

Conflicts due to race, immigration and gender... you would think this turn-of-the-century story would seem like ancient history but instead it feels fresh and relevant as today's headlines. RAGTIME plays through Oct. 23 at Theater Latte Da and stars a new local actor, David L. Murray, Jr., whom we get to know in 6 Questions & a Plug.

I first saw the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical fairy tale mash up INTO THE WOODS four years ago, and have seen it several times since then, including the recent star-studded movie. Every time I see it I like it more. I think Sondheim is like Shakespeare in that it has a very specific rhythm and cadence to it that takes a minute to get used to, but the more time you spend with it, the richer and deeper it becomes. Such has been my experience with INTO THE WOODS, so I was primed to love my favorite theater company Theater Latte Da's production of it. But it has exceeded my expectations, and even Sondheim newbies will be enthralled by this brilliant staging of a brilliantly written musical. Latte Da has pared down this big Broadway musical to something that feels intimate and innovative, using a small cast and orchestra, and inventive and thoughtful choices in every detail of the production. This, my friends, is Broadway re-imagined, or at least how I would like to see Broadway re-imagined. Simply put, it's sublime.

Voting is now underway for Minneapolis! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Minneapolis! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Minneapolis! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Minneapolis! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Voting is now underway for Minneapolis! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.

Under the direction of Theater Latté Da artistic director Peter Rothstein, the production features a score by Tony Award nominee Jeanine Tesori, the composer whose music brought Tony Kushner's book and lyrics for Caroline, or Change to life.

Theater Latté Da today announced casting for Violet, the rarely-produced musical which it will present in the Dowling Studio at the Guthrie, February 26 - March 21, 2010. Under the direction of Theater Latté Da artistic director Peter Rothstein, the production features a score by Tony Award nominee Jeanine Tesori, the composer whose music brought Tony Kushner's book and lyrics for Caroline, or Change to life. Britta Ollmann - a childhood star of the Children's Theatre Company who originated title roles in Pippi Longstocking, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz - will play the title role. Ollman recently returned to the Twin Cities after completing her studies at New York University and appearing in the Broadway premiere of A Catered Affair.

Theater Latté Da today announced that Azudi Onyejekwe will join the cast of Violet in the role of Flick, the young black soldier who teaches Violet (played by Children's Theatre Company childhood star Britta Ollmann) about beauty, courage and what it means to be an outsider. A recent graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Onyejekwe makes his Twin Cities theater debut in the production, directed by Peter Rothstein and featuring a score by Tony Award nominee Jeanine Tesori, the composer whose music brought Tony Kushner's book and lyrics for Caroline, or Change to life. Onyejekwe's musical credits also include Pippin, Into the Woods, Jesus Christ Superstar and, most recently, Once On This Island at the Cortland Repertory Theatre in upstate New York.

Theater Latté Da today announced casting for Violet, the rarely-produced musical which it will present in the Dowling Studio at the Guthrie, February 26 - March 21, 2010. Under the direction of Theater Latté Da artistic director Peter Rothstein, the production features a score by Tony Award nominee Jeanine Tesori, the composer whose music brought Tony Kushner's book and lyrics for Caroline, or Change to life. Britta Ollmann - a childhood star of the Children's Theatre Company who originated title roles in Pippi Longstocking, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz - will play the title role. Ollman recently returned to the Twin Cities after completing her studies at New York University and appearing in the Broadway premiere of A Catered Affair.

Some of New York's finest up-and-coming talents will appear in 'Save Our Song!' to support the Society of Singers Chapter East on November 14 at 6PM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.