JUSTIN LUCERO NAMED ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THEATER LATTÉ DA

Lucero brings deep experience as an artistic leader, academic, and freelance director in the worlds of opera, theater, and musical theater

August 23, 2023

(Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) Theater Latté Da (TLD) announced today that it has chosen Justin Lucero as its next Artistic Director. Lucero will join TLD in mid-October, co-leading the organization with Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan. He joins the company from his current role at El Paso Opera in El Paso, TX, where he has worked since 2012 and served as Artistic Director for the past five seasons. He also leaves his faculty appointment as Assistant Professor and Associate Area Chair of the John Wells Directing Program at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama, where he was teaching undergraduate and graduate Directing and was a leader in the strategic advancement of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access initiatives, driving the establishment of a school-wide degree requirement in anti-racist and equitable practices in theater.

In addition to nearly a dozen works directed for El Paso Opera, Lucero enjoys a robust freelance directing career for professional and academic stages, including past work with Abingdon Theatre Company, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, City Theatre (Pittsburgh), Creede Repertory Theatre, University of Texas El Paso, UTEP Dinner Theatre, the University of Houston, and Scaffolding Theatre, of which he was also Co-Founding Artistic Director. As an assistant and associate director, he has worked with such major institutions as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Rep, and Asolo Repertory Theatre under the mentorship of industry leaders including artistic director-producer Bill Rauch, director-playwright Lisa Peterson, director-choreographer Art Manke, artistic director Michael Donald Edwards, director-choreographer Peter Amster, Olivier-winning artistic director Timothy Sheader, Tony-winning playwright-director Mark Medoff, and Tony®-winning director-playwright Frank Galati. Lucero succeeds TLD’s Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, who departed the organization at the end of June after 25 years of leadership to assume a new role as Producing Artistic Director of Asolo Repertory Theatre.

“It is with true enthusiasm that I accept this position and join this inspiring organization and vibrant community,” says Lucero. “I am absolutely committed to honoring Theater Latté Da’s rich legacy and bright future. I believe unwaveringly in the power of music-driven theater and I take very seriously the responsibilities we have as culture-makers and stewards of the artform. And I believe deeply in the talents and abilities of my new and magnificent partner, Elisa, and the exceptional TLD staff to harness that power and to take up those responsibilities along with me. I am so thrilled, eager, and grateful to begin the journey.” 

A growing voice in a new generation of arts leadership, Lucero was a 2022-23 Theatre Communications Group (TCG) Rising Leader of Color, a member of the 2023 OPERA America Leadership Intensive, a 2022 member of the artEquity BIPOC Leadership Circle, and currently serves on the TCG Next Generation Task Force. He holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from London’s East 15 Acting School, University of Essex and an undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University.

Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan says, “Justin’s extensive knowledge and obvious passion for musical theater and opera, his imaginative artistry, and his kind and collaborative leadership style are deeply aligned with the values that define Theater Latté Da and set it apart. His unique vision is a great match for who we currently are, but also for who we hope to become. I’m so excited to work with Justin to continue building TLD as a resource for our Minnesota community and a leader in bringing new and reimagined musical stories to the stage.”

“Throughout the search process with Justin, he was so consistent around being a collaborator, mentor, teacher and innovator, while expressing his commitment to upholding TLD's mission, vision and values and supporting local artists,” says Board Chair Cara Sjodin. “Our job now is to help Justin acclimate to the vibrant Twin Cities art and culture scene.”

Lucero was selected through an extensive national search led by Tiffany Vega-Gibson and Leandro Zaneti of arts search firm Evolution Management Consultants (EMC), in conjunction with Search Chair Glyn Northington and an 11-member committee including representatives from TLD’s artistic community, staff, and Board of Directors. The process also provided opportunities for the organization’s artistic community, artists of the global majority, staff, Board and patrons to provide input on the search and help identify the most important qualities for TLD’s next artistic leader. 

The new Artistic Director joins the acclaimed Twin Cities company as the organization enters its 26th season of presenting works that make new and impactful connections among story, music, artist, and audience. The new season launches September 20 with FALSETTOS (September 20-November 5, 2023), William Finn and James Lapine’s funny, poignant musical about family, chosen family, and unlikely lovers set amid the AIDS crisis of the early 1980s. The holiday production CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL (November 21-December 31, 2023), featuring the words of Dylan Thomas and Dr. Maya Angelou set to music by Cerys Matthews, Mason Neely and Chastity Brown, returns for a second season after its hit world premiere in 2022. Marie Jones’ Olivier Award-winning comedy STONES IN HIS POCKETS (January 24-February 25, 2024) opens the new year, followed by THE COLOR PURPLE (March 20-May 5, 2024), based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, presented in a co-production with New York’s Geva Theatre Center. The season closes with the world premiere of JOHNNY SKEEKY; OR, THE REMEDY FOR EVERYTHING (May 29-July 7, 2024), a reimagining of Giacomo Puccini’s comic opera Gianni Schicchi, adapted and directed by Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp. Summer 2024 will bring the 11th annual NEXT Festival of new musicals, showcasing new works in development on the Ritz Theater stage. Subscriptions are on sale now, starting at $129 for a 4-show package. Single tickets for FALSETTOS are also on sale, starting at $35. Season 26 brings the launch of the Row A for All initiative, which offers variable pay-what-you-can pricing for front-row seats at weeknight performances. Visit latteda.org or call 612.339.3003 for more information.

About Theater Latte Da

Celebrating its 26th season in 2023-24, Theater Latté Da is the only nonprofit professional theater in the Twin Cities that exclusively produces musical theater. Since its inception, TLD has presented 87 Mainstage productions, including 16 world premieres and 13 area premieres. These works have garnered substantial critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of awards, including: seven IVEY Awards for overall excellence, a Drama Desk Award, the Gabriel Award for Broadcast Excellence, and the American Theater Wing National Theater Company Award. Through its annual NEXT Festival of New Musicals and new work commissioning and development programs, TLD is adding to the canon of American musical theater with work that reflects a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. Since 2016, TLD has had a permanent presence in Northeast Minneapolis as the proud owner of the historic Ritz Theater, which houses the 248-seat Peter Rothstein Stage, administrative offices, rehearsal space, dressing rooms, and box office.

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW WORKS AS PART OF THE 2023 NEXT FESTIVAL

A public presentation of JOHNNY SKEEKY, part of Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival 2022. Photo by Chris Cartwright.

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES  FOUR NEW WORKS AS PART OF THE 2023 NEXT FESTIVAL

Presentations of three new musicals in development by creative teams Celeste Moreno, Bethany Brinton and Crystal Manich;  Andrew Wilkowske and Kelley Rourke;  and Randy Preston and Candrice Jones and a special one-night concert presentation from Kate Douglas and Shayfer James  will showcase new musical theater projects from local and national artists culminating in seven public presentations.

Readings begin July 29 and run through August 21 at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis.

$30 NEXT Festival passes, $15 Concert Pass Add-Ons, and $15 single tickets go on sale Friday, June 2 at Latteda.org or 612-339-3003. 

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da (Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Managing Director) announces the slate of artists and projects for this summer’s NEXT FESTIVAL 2023. Three dynamic new works, THE TEARS OF LA LLORONA: A BORDER ZARZUELA by Celeste Moreno, Bethany Brinton and Crystal Manich; MACBETH AND THE WEÏRD SISTERS by Andrew Wilkowske and Kelley Rourke; and LOVE THEM FIRST by Randy Preston and Candrice Jones will each receive two-week developmental workshops and public presentations beginning Saturday, July 29, with a fourth project–a special one-night concert presentation of THE NINTH HOUR by Kate Douglas and Shayfer James– to be presented Saturday, August 5. 

Past NEXT FESTIVALS have offered audiences a first look at new musicals that have gone on to full production at Theater Latté Da including C. (2015), LULLABY (2016), FIVE POINTS (2018), TO LET GO AND FALL (2019), CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL (2022), and TWELVE ANGRY MEN (2022).

“I’m thrilled to welcome these extraordinary artists and their work to the Ritz this summer.  Audiences who attend the presentations will have the thrill of seeing brand new musical theater and the opportunity to shape it through their responses and feedback to the artists,” says Elissa Adams, NEXT Festival Producer and Director of New Work at Theater Latté Da.

The first presentation of the 2023 NEXT Festival is THE TEARS OF LA LLORONA: A BORDER ZARZUELA with Songs and Libretto by Celeste Moreno, Arrangements by Bethany Brinton, Direction and Dramaturgy by Crystal Manich, and Music Direction by Sonja Thompson.

In a graveyard north of the Rio Grande, a woman is awakened from death after sixteen years.  She claws herself out of her grave.  Called by the spirit of vengeance, her past rushes back: the loss of her beloved babies and her death at the hands of her former husband. Writer/composer Celeste Moreno and arranger Bethany Brinton weave  traditional Latin American musical forms, popular music and the legend of La Llorona, the weeping woman, to create a new kind of ghost story.

Public presentation dates and times for THE TEARS OF LA LLORONA: A BORDER ZARZUELA are Saturday, July 29 at 2:00 pm and Monday, July 31 at 7:30 pm at The Ritz Theater.

The second presentation will be MACBETH AND THE WEÏRD SISTERS by Andrew Wilkowske and  Kelley Rourke, adapted from Verdi and Shakespeare, Directed by Peter Rothstein, with Music Direction by Lara Bolton.

Singer/guitarist Andrew Wilkowske and librettist Kelley Rourke’s audacious take on the Verdi opera and Shakespeare’s tragic story of ambition reimagines the score for a rock band, replacing classical strings with electric guitars and envisioning Macbeth as the front man/lead singer of “Macbeth and the Weïrd Sisters,” a 70’s and 80’s-style arena rock band.

Public presentation dates and times for MACBETH AND THE WEÏRD SISTERS will be Thursday, August 10 at 7:30 pm and Monday, August 14 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater.

The final presentation of the 2023 NEXT Festival will be LOVE THEM FIRST, with Music and Lyrics by Randy Preston, Book by Candrice Jones, Directed by Kelli Foster Warder, Music Direction by Adam Dorfman.

Based on the KARE 11 award-winning documentary film Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary. Developed in Association with Love Them First Musical LLC with special thanks to TEGNA Inc.

Adapted from Lindsey Seavert and Ben Garvin’s award-winning documentary, Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary, this new musical chronicles a year in the life of the students, staff and charismatic principal of a North Minneapolis elementary school. It's a story of inspiration, heartbreak, perseverance and the power of love.

Public presentation dates and times for LOVE THEM FIRST will be Saturday, August 19 at 2:00 pm and Monday, August 21 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater. 

The 2023 NEXT Festival lineup will also include a one-night-only special concert presentation of the rock noir musical THE NINTH HOUR: A BEOWULF FOR THE MODERN AGE, with Music and Lyrics by Kate Douglas and Shayfer James.

Inspired by one of the oldest works in the Western canon, THE NINTH HOUR explores the intricacies of mankind's relationship with power and violence.  This is a classic story of glory and ruin as told through triumphant pop anthems, heart-wrenching lullabies, heroes and monsters.

A hero, summoned to be a protector against a relentless enemy, must confront the evil within herself as a monster comes to terms with the agony of isolation at his life's end. The full album is set for release in July 2023.  To learn more visit www.ninthhourmusical.com.

The public presentation for this one-night-only event of THE NINTH HOUR will be Saturday, August 5 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater.

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  latteda.org.

2023 NEXT FESTIVAL passes are the perfect choice to see three new works with the choice of three of the six public presentations at a discounted price. This year’s festival includes a special One Night Only Concert Pass Add-On for THE NINTH HOUR. Passes offer the most flexibility and the best price to enjoy the entire festival. 

Festival Dates: July 29 - Aug 21, 2023

All public presentations will be presented at the Ritz Theater.
Tickets: $15 or purchase a 3-Show NEXT Festival pass for $30

Development of THE TEARS OF LA LLORONA: A BORDER ZARZUELA is made possible in part by the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals, a program of National Alliance for Musical Theatre - www.namt.org. The 2023 NEXT Festival is made possible through the generous support of the Nara Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts, RBC Financial, The Ruth Easton Fund, and individual contributors to Theater Latte Da’s NEXT 25x25 initiative, our campaign to develop 25 new musicals between 2021 and 2025. Learn more about NEXT 25x25 here: latteda.org/next-25x25.

TICKETS

Single tickets and festival passes on sale June 2 at 12:00 PM. 

Single Tickets: $15

Concert Pass Add-On: $15

Festival Passes: $30

Box Office: 

612-339-3003

Latteda.org

Peter Rothstein to depart as Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da

Peter Rothstein to depart as Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da

The prolific stage director and creator of new work will become the next Producing Artistic Director of Asolo Repertory Theatre.

Minneapolis, MN, January 22, 2023 —Theater Latté Da (TLD) announced today that its founding Artistic Director, Peter Rothstein, will step down to assume a new role as Producing Artistic Director of Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida, succeeding longtime Asolo Rep artistic leader Michael Edwards. Rothstein, who has led TLD since co-founding the organization with Denise Prosek in 1998, has built Theater Latté Da from an itinerant organization to a thriving company with a national reputation for innovative and impactful musical theater, a robust new works development program, and a permanent home at the historic Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.

With more than 150 Twin Cities productions to his name, Rothstein has had a profound impact on the Minnesota arts community while also maintaining a distinguished national directing career. Among the highlights of his work with Theater Latté Da are over a dozen world premieres including Christmas at the Local, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, Five Points, A Christmas Carole Petersen, Steerage Song and the New York Drama Desk Award-winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which he also created. He is also known for numerous critically acclaimed interpretations of the work of Stephen Sondheim, most recently this season’s celebrated revival of Merrily We Roll Along. Peter has been a leading voice in the community’s other major arts organizations, helming numerous productions for the Guthrie, Minnesota Opera, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, Minnesota Orchestra, Park Square and the Illusion Theater, where he was an Artistic Associate.

Rothstein was named Minnesota Artist of the Year by the Star Tribune, Theater Artist of the Year by Lavender Magazine and Best Director by City Pages. He has received more than 100 awards for artistic excellence including nine Ivey Awards for Overall Excellence. Rothstein has been deeply engaged in the larger arts community, serving on the Steering Committee for the creation of the Minnesota Theater Alliance and the Board of Directors for Alive and Kickin, the Ivey Awards, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the Playwright’s Center, the McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Rothstein says, “Theater by its very nature is collaborative. No one does it alone, and I am incredibly proud of what we have created together. Minnesota is a remarkable place to be an artist; I will be forever grateful to the artists, audiences, and generous donors who have made Theater Latté Da a reality. You have made me a better artist and a better human being.”

"As co-founder and Artistic Director, Peter has been the heart and soul of Theater Latte Da for 25 years,” said Cara Sjodin, Board Chair. “Peter’s musical storytelling is creative, real and relevant, and often amplifies voices too long ignored. His work here has improved the lives and careers of theater makers, entertained and challenged audiences, and left us with a strong organization as we begin the search to fill his very big shoes. We are truly grateful for his artistic contributions and his work growing this theater and engaging with the arts community. On behalf of the entire Board and staff, I thank him and wish him continued success. He will be missed.”

Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan says, “I am deeply grateful for Peter’s friendship and creative partnership, and for the incredible organization he has built at Theater Latté Da. It is thanks to his strategic vision and thoughtful leadership that we are well positioned to move TLD into its next chapter. While I will miss him terribly, I look forward to working with our search committee to find the next great artistic leader for our Minnesota community.”

Rothstein will continue with TLD until the end of June, allowing ample time for the selection of the 2023-2024 season and a smooth transition of leadership. A search committee composed of Board members, TLD staff and community stakeholders is in formation, and a national search to find his successor will be announced shortly. Elisa Spencer-Kaplan will remain in her role as TLD’s Managing Director, and Elissa Adams will continue as Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Work.

Rothstein will assume his role with Asolo Repertory Theatre on July 1, 2023. Asolo Repertory Theatre is the largest Equity theater in Florida and the largest repertory theatre in the Southern United States. It was established in 1959 and was a founding member of the prestigious League of Resident Theatres (LORT). Since its inception, Asolo Rep has had a robust partnership with Florida State University and the highly acclaimed FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training.

Rothstein’s final production as Artistic Director of Latté Da will be the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, playing June 7 to July 16. More information is available at www.latteda.org.

About Theater Latte Da

Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary season, Theater Latté Da is the only nonprofit professional theater in the Twin Cities that exclusively produces musical theater. Since its inception, TLD has presented 83 Mainstage productions, including 14 world premieres and 13 area premieres. These works have garnered substantial critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of awards, including: seven IVEY Awards for overall excellence, a Drama Desk Award, the Gabriel Award for Broadcast Excellence, and the American Theater Wing National Theater Company Award. Through its annual NEXT Festival of New Musicals and new work commissioning and development programs, TLD is adding to the canon of American musical theater with work that reflects a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. Since 2016, TLD has had a permanent presence in Northeast Minneapolis as the proud owner of the historic Ritz Theater, a 248-seat venue with administrative offices, rehearsal space, dressing rooms, and box office.

Contact

Elisa Spencer-Kaplan

Managing Director

elisa@latteda.org

612-605-1771

BRITTANY WALLMAN NAMED MARKETING DIRECTOR AT THEATER LATTÉ DA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2022

Contact: Chris Cartwright 

chris@latteda.org

612-225-1246 office

BRITTANY WALLMAN NAMED
MARKETING DIRECTOR AT THEATER LATTÉ DA

Wallman brings with her a diverse range of experiences in the Twin Cities’ performing arts, political and social justice communities. 

(Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) Theater Latté Da (Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Managing Director) announced today that Brittany Wallman has been selected as the theater’s next Marketing Director. She joined the Latté Da staff on October 10 in a role that emcompasses marketing and communications, as well as leadership of the theater’s box office and guest services programs. 

Wallman has been a communications consultant, marketing strategist & event organizer in the Twin Cities for over a decade. With a passion for the arts, entertainment, and environments that foster creativity, Brittany is most excited about work that centers on building connections between people and their spaces.  Before joining the Theater Latté Da team, Brittany spent time fundraising as the Director of Advancement with Minnesota’s longest-standing women’s political organization, Women Winning. Brittany has also spent time consulting with various nonprofits in Minnesota including Flip the Script Fest, Women’s Advocates, and The Ordway Center for Performing Arts. 

"Working in performance spaces and helping the teams that turn the mundane into magic has always been a passion of mine,” says Wallman. “Supporting creatives and helping artists tell their stories is a great privilege, and I am thrilled to be joining the Theater Latté Da team during their 25th year to help them do just that. As Marketing Director, I look forward to supporting the theater staff, sharing our stories, and fostering more connections to the art the Twin Cities theater and entertainment community works so hard to make."

Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan shares, “Brittany’s varied background and thoughtful, community-driven mindset made her stand out immediately as an ideal addition to Theater Latté Da’s senior staff team. I am thrilled that she has decided to join us and cannot wait to have her vision and values representing our work.”

Wallman joins Theater Latté Da in the midst of the organization’s hit season opening production of the beloved cult-classic Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along, now playing through November 6 at the company’s home at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. For information and tickets, visit latteda.org or call 612-339-3003.

About Theater Latté Da

Founded in 1998, Theater Latté Da is committed to creating new and adventurous musical theater. Since its inception, TLD has presented 80 Mainstage productions, including 12 world premieres, and 13 area premieres. Each has garnered critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of local and national awards. TLD is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the 2022-23 season.

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES NEXT 25X25, THE COMPANY’S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF ADVENTUROUS MUSICAL THEATER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2022       

T. Mychael Rambo (left) and Curtis Bannister (right) star in Theater Latté Da’s world premiere musical adaptation, TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL.

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES NEXT 25X25, THE COMPANY’S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF ADVENTUROUS MUSICAL THEATER

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da (Peter Rothstein, Founding Artistic Director and Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Managing Director) today announces NEXT 25X25, the company's commitment to cultivate 25 new musicals, or plays with music, by 2025. Under the leadership of Elissa Adams, Associate Artistic Director and Director of New Work, this initiative is rooted in the belief that it is the responsibility of the regional theater not only to speak to audiences today, but to contribute to the dramatic canon of tomorrow. Through NEXT 25X25, Theater Latté Da will invest deeply in the future of the American musical theater through world premiere productions, our annual NEXT Festival, NEXT UP development program, and the NEXT Generation Commission. 

NEXT 25X25 builds on the success of the NEXT 20/20 campaign, which supported the commissioning, development and/or premiere productions of more than 20 new musical works between 2015 and 2020, among them the theater’s current critically acclaimed production of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical. Since its founding in 1998, Theater Latté Da has always found ways to bring artists together to create new work, resulting in fifteen world premieres, including some of its most memorable and celebrated productions. World premiere productions in addition to Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical include All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, A Christmas Carole Petersen, Five Points, C., To Let Go and Fall, Knock!, Bankrupt City Ballad, Underneath the Lintel, Lullaby, Steerage Song, New York Musical Shorts, Passage of Dreams, Steerage Song, and Oh $#!% I’m Turning Into My Mother.

“Developing new musical theater is an expensive endeavor. We are grateful to the NEA, the Ruth Easton Fund of the Edelstein Family Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the Nara Fund, as well as the individual Latté Da donors who have given generously to our new works initiatives. We are proud to support living playwrights, composers and lyricists.” says Founding Artistic Director, Peter Rothstein.

“Supporting twenty five new musicals by 2025  is  a wonderfully ambitious goal, but one we’re well on our way to achieving,” says Adams. “Thanks to the many artists, based here in the Twin Cities as well as around the country,  who have chosen to make Theater Latte Da an artistic home, we are commissioning artists and workshopping new musicals on a year-round basis, and currently have more than ten projects in our pipeline including two new opera adaptations, a new holiday show, and several musical projects led by BIPOC artists and women artists. There are so many new stories to tell and such an abundance of talent in this field.  NEXT 25x25 allows Theater Latté Da to continue to play a crucial role in amplifying those voices and crafting those stories.”

Theater Latté Da will use its robust platform of new work development programs to meet the NEXT 25X25 goal of developing and/or premiering twenty-five new musicals or plays with music by 2025.  These programs  include commissions, workshops, residencies, our annual NEXT Festival  and our NEXT Generation Commission.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in the 2022-23 season, Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES 2022-2023 SEASON, A CELEBRATION OF 25 YEARS OF ADVENTUROUS MUSICAL THEATER

Regina Marie Williams stars in HELLO, DOLLY! as part of Theater Latté Da’s 25 Anniversary Season, Photo by Lucas Wells.

Highlights of the musical theater company’s 25th anniversary season include Stephen Sondheim’s cult-classic MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, the world premiere of a new holiday tradition, CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL, a re-imagining of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Regina Marie Williams, the World Premiere of Harrison David Rivers’ and Ted Shen’s WE SHALL SOMEDAY, and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL.

(MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL) Theater Latté Da (Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Managing Director) today announces its 25th Anniversary Season. The award-winning company will launch a series of productions that encompass the organization’s continued commitment to producing new and boldly re-imagined musical theater. The 2022-2023 season begins with the late Stephen Sondheim’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG; the world premiere of a new holiday tradition, CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL; a re-imagined production of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Regina Marie Williams as Dolly Levi, the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers’ and Ted Shen’s WE SHALL SOMEDAY, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, and the annual NEXT FESTIVAL, dedicated to the development of new musicals and plays-with-music.  ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 will embark on a national tour during the holiday season.

“Anniversaries are a wonderful time to pause, to celebrate our collective history, but we have chosen instead to look forward, and to celebrate our collective future: we will launch two world premieres, boldly re-imagine work from the musical theater canon, and continue our rigorous interpretation of the work of revolutionary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim,” shares founding artistic director Peter Rothstein.

“We are proud to be presenting our most ambitious season ever this year–one that will enable us to reach more audience members, employ more Minnesota theatermakers than ever before, and extend our impact both locally and nationally,” shares Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan.

A champion of the works of Stephen Sondheim, Theater Latté Da opens the season with the the late musical theater giant’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (September 21 - October 30, 2022), with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by George Furth and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. This production marks Latte Da’s tenth production of Sondheim’s work, and will be directed by Peter Rothstein with music direction by Jason Hansen. 

This innovative musical about a group of friends spans three decades, spooling backwards from their present-day lives to the optimistic beginning of their friendship. The cult classic blends the excitement and humor of a backstage musical with the poignancy of regrets and reconciliations – featuring some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs including “Not a Day Goes By” and “Our Time.” The production stars  Vie Boheme, Reese Britts, Dylan Frederick, Becca Hart and Britta Ollmann. 

During the holiday season, Theater Latté Da brings the World Premiere of CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL (November 29 – Jan 1, 2023) to the Ritz Theater. Developed as part of NEXT,  TLD’s new works program, the piece features Dylan Thomas’ beloved poem A Child’s Christmas in Wales about his snow-filled, boyhood memories with music by Celtic composers Cerys Matthews and Mason Neely, as well as “The Longing for Amazing Peace” with music by Chastity Brown and lyrics by Dr. Maya Angelou. The production will be directed by Larissa Kokernot and Peter Rothstein with music direction by Jason Hansen. 

On a cold winter’s night, a group of locals gather to raise a glass and play a tune, calling forth the spirit of the holidays through story and song. Voices blend, memories are rekindled, and a bit of mystery hangs in the air. Theater Latté Da stages the world premiere of this rollicking new celebration of the season. The production stars Phinehas Bynum, Joy Dolo, and Bradley Greenwald.

In January, a boldly re-imagined staging of the Broadway classic HELLO, DOLLY! (February 1 - March 19, 2023) will explode onto the Ritz Theater stage. This beloved Tony Award-winning musical comedy with book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder stars Regina Maria Williams as Dolly Levi. Directed and choreographed by Kelli Foster Warder. Music direction by Sanford Moore. Starring Regina Marie Williams, Reed Sigmund and Sally Wingert.

Business woman and matchmaker extraordinaire Dolly Levi is determined to make everyone’s lives richer and happier–including her own! Regina Marie Williams stars as Dolly in Kelli Foster Warder’s bold re-imagining of this beloved musical comedy, featuring some of the American musical theater’s most memorable songs. 

In the spring, Theater Latté Da will stage the WORLD PREMIERE of WE SHALL SOMEDAY (April 19 - May 14, 2023). This new musical with book and lyrics by Harrison David Rivers (Five Points, To Let Go and Fall) and music and additional lyrics by Ted Shen will be directed by Kelli Foster Warder.

The roots of resistance and resilience run deep in three generations of a Black family grappling with inequality, violence and oppression. This intimate new musical, featuring three actors in tour de force performances, asks us to contemplate the cycle of racism in America and how we might commit to creating real change.

“I am excited to work with and feature some fantastic Minnesota artists this season–Regina Marie Williams in HELLO, DOLLY! and Harrison David Rivers’ WE SHALL SOMEDAY. I’m looking forward to exploring both a classic musical re-imagined and a new work–both with themes important for today,” shares Associate Artistic Director & Director of Impact Kelli Foster Warder.

Season 25 concludes with the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, (June 7 - July 16, 2023) music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. Peter Rothstein directs with music direction by Jason Hansen. The production will be choreographed by Kyle Weiler, who recently completed a four-year run in the National and Broadway companies of HAMILTON.

A family determined to balance sanity and happiness against the gale force winds of mental illness finds strength in their commitment to love each other through their pain. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for drama, this groundbreaking musical is an insightful and deeply moving look at a modern family, and raises the rafters with its Tony Award-winning score. Starring Erin Capello, Audrey Mojica, and Matt Riehle.

Theater Latté Da continues its robust commitment to new work with their NEXT FESTIVAL in Summer 2023. The festival showcases three new works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling, where audience members are invited into the ground floor of the creative process. 

ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 will embark on a national tour in November 2022. Created and directed by Peter Rothstein, with vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, this moving ode to peace has become a modern holiday classic. Visit alliscalm.org for tour dates and locations. 

Season tickets are currently on sale; packages start at $150. Call the box office at 612-339-3003 or purchase online at Latteda.org. 

SEASON 25 

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Starring Vie Boheme, Reese Britts, Dylan Frederick, Becca Hart and Britta Ollmann

September 21 - October 30, 2022

CHRISTMAS AT THE LOCAL (World Premiere)
Featuring Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales
Composed by Cerys Matthews and Mason Neely 
and “The Longing for Amazing Peace”*
Music by Chastity Brown and Lyrics by Dr. Maya Angelou

Directed by Larissa Kokernot and Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Starring Phinehas Bynum, Joy Dolo and Bradley Greenwald

November 29, 2022 - January 1, 2023

HELLO, DOLLY!

Book by Michael Stewart
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder

Directed and Choreographed by Kelli Foster Warder 
Music Direction by Sanford Moore
Starring Reed Sigmund, Regina Marie Williams and Sally Wingert

February 1 - March 19, 2023

WE SHALL SOMEDAY (World Premiere)
Book and Lyrics by Harrison David Rivers
Music and Additional Lyrics by Ted Shen

Directed by Kelli Foster Warder
Starring Ronnie Allen

April 19 - May 14, 2023

NEXT TO NORMAL

Music by Tom Kitt
Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Choreography by Kyle Weiler

Starring Erin Capello, Audrey Mojica and Matt Riehle 

June 7 - July 16, 2023

NEXT FESTIVAL 2023 (Season Add-on)
Summer 2023

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO NEW MUSICAL THEATER, ANNOUNCING A SLATE OF THREE NEW WORKS AS PART OF THE 2022 NEXT FESTIVAL

A public presentation of TWELVE ANGRY MEN, part of Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival 2019 will have its world premiere this month in Minneapolis. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2022

THEATER LATTÉ DA CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO NEW MUSICAL THEATER, ANNOUNCING A SLATE OF THREE NEW WORKS AS PART OF THE 2022 NEXT FESTIVAL

Three dynamic new works from Adam Gwon and Michael Mitnick, Natalie Nowytski and Amy Wheeler, Steven Epp and Bradley Greenwald showcasing diverse voices and stretching the boundaries of musical storytelling, will receive workshops culminating in six public presentations.

Readings begin July 12  and run through August 8 at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis.
$30 NEXT FESTIVAL passes and $15 single tickets go on sale June 1at Latteda.org or 612-339-3003. 

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da (TLD) announces the slate of artists and projects for this summer’s NEXT FESTIVAL. Three dynamic new works, SCOTLAND, PA by Adam Gwon and Michael Mitnick, presented in association with Hal Luftig, THE LAST BABUSHKA by Natalie Nowytski and Amy Wheeler, and JOHNNY SCHICCHI by Steven Epp and Bradley Greenwald will each receive workshops and public presentations beginning Tuesday, July 12. The NEXT FESTIVAL is part of NEXT, TLD’s robust new work initiative committed to commissioning and developing new musicals or plays-with-music and shepherding many of them to full production. Past NEXT FESTIVALS have offered audiences a first look at new musicals that have gone on to full production including C. (2015), LULLABY (2016), FIVE POINTS (2018) and TO LET GO AND FALL (2019) and TWELVE ANGRY MEN (2022).

The first piece in the festival is SCOTLAND, PA with book by Michael Mitnick and music and lyrics by Adam Gwon. 

In a sleepy Pennsylvania town, a burger-joint manager and his wife cook up a plan to super-size their lives. As their ambitions grow and bodies fall, the couple finds out just how far they'll go for a taste of the tempting American dream. Based on the 1990’s cult film of the same name and that Scottish play by William Shakespeare.

SCOTLAND, PA  will be directed by Lonny Price with music direction by Andrew Resnick

Public presentations of SCOTLAND, PA are Tuesday, July 12 and Monday, July 18 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater.

SCOTLAND, PA is presented in association with Hal Luftig and was originally produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company in October 2019.

The second public presentation in the festival is THE LAST BABUSHKA with book and lyrics by Amy Wheeler and music and lyrics by Natalie Nowytski

A young woman at loose ends finds herself drawn deep into the world of the Babushkas, elder women living illegally in villages inside Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone, a radioactive territory that is also a thriving green world. Inspired by Holly Morris' award-winning story and documentary film, The Babushkas of Chernobyl.

THE LAST BABUSHKA will be directed by Larissa Kokernot with music direction by Jason Hansen

Public presentations of THE LAST BABUSHKA are Saturday, July 30 and Monday, August 1 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater.

The final presentation of the festival is JOHNNY SCHICCHI. 

Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp’s English language adaptation of Giacomo Puccini’s one-act comic opera, Gianni Schicchi. A farce where greed and hypocrisy face off against first love and old friendship set on the deck of a tricked-out yacht anchored off the coast of Miami.

JOHNNY SCHICCHI will be directed by Steven Epp with music direction by Mary Jo Gothmann.

Public presentations of JOHNNY SCHICCHI are Saturday, August 6 at 2:00 pm and Monday, August 8 at 7:30 pm at the Ritz Theater.

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  latteda.org.

NEXT FESTIVAL passes are the perfect choice to see all three new works with the choice of three of the six public presentations at a discount price. Passes offer the most flexibility and the best price to enjoy the entire festival. 

Festival Dates: July 12 - Aug 8, 2022

All public presentations will be presented at the Ritz Theater.Tickets: $15 or purchase a 3-Show NEXT FESTIVAL pass for $30

FACT SHEET
Performance Dates, Venues and Times:

SCOTLAND, PA
Presented in association with Hal Luftig
Book by Michael Mitnick
Music and Lyrics by Adam Gwon
Based on the film by Billy Morrissette
Inspired by The Tragedy of Macbeth by Bill Shakespeare

Originally produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company in October 2019

Workshop:  July 5 - 18th
Presentations: Tuesday, July 12 at 7:30pm and Monday, July 18 at 7:30pm 

THE LAST BABUSHKA
Book and  Lyrics by Amy Wheeler
Music and Lyrics by Natalie Nowytski
Based on the documentary The Babushkas of Chernobyl by Holly Morris

Workshop: June 20 - 24th and July 25 - August 1st
Presentations: Saturday, July 30 at 4:30pm and Monday, August 1 at 7:30pm

 JOHNNY SCHICCHI
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Words by Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp

Workshop:  July 25 - August 8th
Presentations: Saturday, August 6 at 2:00pm and Monday, August 8 at 7:30pm 

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE CAST FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL

Contact: Andrew Leshovsky 
andrew@latteda.org
612-767-5646 office

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE CAST FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL

Peter Rothstein directs the world premiere musical adaptation of one of America’s greatest dramas.The production opens at the intimate Ritz Theater, June 11. Tickets are on sale now at Latteda.org or by calling the Box Office at 612-339-3003.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL features Sasha Andreev, Curtis Bannister, Reese Britts, Charlie Clark, James Detmar, Bradley Greenwald, Brian Kim, Riley McNutt, T. Mychael Rambo, Matt Riehle, Wariboko Semenitari, and Adan M. Varela.

Performances begin June 8 and run thru July 17, 2022 at the Ritz Theater.
Opening Night is June 11, 2022.

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da today announced the cast of TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL, based on one of America’s greatest dramas. The world premiere production adapted from the teleplay by Reginald Rose features a jazz score with music and lyrics by composer Michael Holland and book by David Simpatico.   The production is directed by Theater Latté Da Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein with Music Direction by Theater Latté Da Co-founder Denise Prosek and choreography by Associate Artistic Director/ Director of Impact Kelli Foster Warder. Rothstein directs a cast starring Curtis Bannister, celebrated tenor of film, theater, and opera, and Twin Cities favorites including T. Mychael Rambo, James Detmar and Bradley Greenwald.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL will run June 8 - July 17, 2022 at the Ritz Theater. Preview performances are June 8 - June 10. Single tickets start at $35. Group, student, and other discounts are available. Tickets are on sale now through the box office at 612.339.3003 or online at Latteda.org. Post-show discussions and access services (ASL/AD performances) are available on select dates and by request. 

In a small New York City jury room, on "the hottest day of the year," twelve men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father. “In form, TWELVE ANGRY MEN is a courtroom drama; in purpose, it's a crash course in those passages of the U.S. Constitution that promise defendants a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.” (Roger Ebert). 

Twelve Angry Men was written by Reginald Rose as a teleplay, broadcast in 1954 and adapted for the stage the following year. Rose’s 1957 film adaptation, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda and Lee J.Cobb, was nominated for four Academy Awards and is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time.

In 2019, the Reginald Rose Estate granted Theater Latté Da the rights to develop and premiere the first musical adaptation of Twelve Angry Men, music and lyrics by Michael Holland (You’re Gonna Hate This, Hurricane) and book by David Simpatico (Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing). It was programmed in Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival in 2019. “Musicalizing this brilliant play affords an additional level of insight into the hearts and minds of the jurors and allows its themes and insights to shine even more brightly,” says Elissa Adams, Director New Work at Theater Latté Da. “We are so grateful to Reginald Rose’s family for entrusting TWELVE ANGRY MEN to us for this first-ever musical adaptation.” 

Founding Artistic Director, Peter Rothstein says, “Working on the musical to prepare it for its world premiere, we have been reminded of the acuity and compassion of Reginald Rose’s original script and amazed by how relevant his depiction of racial prejudice within the criminal justice system remains.”

The cast of TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL features Sasha Andreev (All is Calm (Off-Broadway), Ragtime, Steerage Song); Curtis Bannister making his Theater Latté Da debut, Reese Britts (NEXT Festival, Jelly’s Last Jam); Charlie Clark (NEXT Festival); James Detmar (Spring Awakening, Cabaret, Assassins); Bradley Greenwald (La Bohéme, A Little Night Music, Steerage Song, Oliver!, C. Candide); Brian Kim (NEXT Festival); Riley McNutt (All is Calm (Off-Broadway), Six Degrees of Separation, Ragtime); T. Mychael Rambo (Five Points); Matt Riehle (Assassins, Once, NEXT); Wariboko Semenitari and Adan M. Varela, both making their Theater Latté Da debuts.

The creative team for TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL includes Peter Rothstein (director), Denise Prosek (music director), Kelli Foster Warder (choreographer), Elissa Adams (dramaturg), Benjamin Olsen (scenic designer), Mathew LeFebvre (costume designer), Paul Whitaker (lighting designer), Abbee Warmboe (properties designer), and Z Makila (stage manager).

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

FACT SHEET: 

TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL Adapted from the play by Reginald Rose Music and Lyrics by Michael Holland Book by David Simpatico 

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Denise Prosek
Choreography by Kelli Foster Warder

In a small New York City jury room, on "the hottest day of the year," twelve men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father. In form, TWELVE ANGRY MEN is a courtroom drama; in purpose, it's a crash course in those passages of the U.S. Constitution that promise defendants a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.

Theater Latté Da is thrilled to develop and produce the world premiere of this new American musical adapted from one of America’s greatest dramas.Featuring Sasha Andreev, Curtis Bannister, Reese Britts, Charlie Clark, James Detmar, Bradley Greenwald, Brian Kim, Riley McNutt, T. Mychael Rambo, Matt Riehle, Wariboko Semenitari, and Adan M. Varela.

Dates: Wednesday, June 8 – Sunday, July 17, 2022
Venue: Ritz Theater, 345 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis MN 55413

Tickets start at $35 and are on sale now.
Group, student, and other discounts are available.

Performance Dates:
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 7:30PM - Preview
Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 7:30pm - Preview
Friday, June 10, 2022 at 7:30pm - Preview
Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 7:30pm - Opening Night
Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 17, 2022 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 2:00pm
Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 24, 2022 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 2:00pm
Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 7:30pm
Friday, July 1, 2022 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 2:00pm
Saturday, July 2, 2020 at 7:30pm
Sunday, July 3, 2022 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 7:30pm
Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 7:30pm
Friday, July 8, 2022 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 2:00pm
Saturday, July 9, 2022 at 7:30pm
Sunday, July 10, 2022 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 7:30pm
Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 2:00pm
Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 7:30pm
Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 2:00pm
Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 7:00pm

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA AWARDS $20,000 NEXT GENERATION COMMISSION TO SUPPORT NEW MUSICAL THEATRE BY WOMEN ARTISTS AND BIPOC ARTISTS

Crystal Manich (left), Celeste Moreno (center) and Bethany Brinton (right).

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da today announces Bethany Brinton, Crystal Manich and Celeste Moreno as the recipients of the NEXT Generation Commission in 2022, furthering Theater Latté Da’s commitment to providing opportunities for women artists and BIPOC artists. The NEXT Generation Commission supports the creation and development of new musical theatre projects whose creative teams are at least 50% women artists or BIPOC artists. The creative team will share the $20,000 commission. While under commission, the team will work on a project currently titled The Legend of La Llorona - A Zarzuela of La Frontera: A Border Story in Music. Imagined as a gothic music-theater ghost story, it is based on the Mexican myth of La Llorona, The Weeping Woman,  re-envisioned through the lens of personal family history. The project will receive creative and developmental support over an 18-month period, including two developmental workshops and future inclusion in Latté Da’s annual NEXT Festival.  They join a vibrant list of artists currently under commission to create new musicals at Theater Latté Da including Jessie Austrian, Noah Brody, Steven Epp, Bradley Greenwald, Maria Isa, JuCoby Johnson,The Kilbanes, Meghan Kreidler and Michael Anderson of Kiss the Tiger, Harrison David Rivers, Kelley Rourke, Ted Shen, Andrew Wilkowske and Sally Wingert.

Throughout its history, Theater Latté Da has found ways to bring artists together to create new work, resulting in some of its most memorable and beloved productions from All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 and A Christmas Carole Petersen to Five Points and Twelve Angry Men.

“As we embrace the return to live theater, this investment in new work ensures that we have new stories to tell. Emerging from a time when artists saw income and opportunities evaporate, it feels especially good to be putting money directly into the hands of artists. We are grateful to the NEA, the Ruth Easton Fund, and the NaraFund as well as the Latté Da donors who have given generously to our slate of new works initiatives. They help make opportunities like these commissions possible,” says Founding Artistic Director, Peter Rothstein.

“I’m delighted to begin our relationship with this amazing group of women and to support a new theatre piece steeped in Latinx myths and music. We look forward to nurturing their unique theatrical talents at Theater Latté Da and providing opportunities for them to engage with our extraordinary community of artists in the Twin Cities,” says Associate Artistic Director, Elissa Adams, who oversees Theater Latté  Da’s new work initiatives. “All of the artists who have chosen to make us a part of their creative lives are exploring new ways to connect story and music for our audiences. It’s on mission for Theater Latté Da and for what the field of musical theater needs as well.”

The NEXT Generation Commissioned-Artists

Composer/Librettist Celeste Moreno is the lead character designer on Central Park, Apple TV's animated  musical comedy. A songwriter for television, including Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, she was Emmy nomination shortlisted for the song, “Taking A Stroll," on Milo Murphy’s Law. She has written and directed animation shorts for Anonymous Productions, HBO, and Cartoon Network. Her short “Inconvenient Ruth," premiered during the environmental benefit concert, Live Earth hosted by Al  Gore, and was featured in the Tribeca Film  Festival. 

Puerto Rican director Crystal Manich has directed over seventy productions in opera, plays, musical theatre, and flm across the United States, Argentina, and Australia. She recently directed the world premiere opera The Copper Queen as a western thriller feature film for Arizona Opera as well as her first production of West Side Story for Opera San José. Passionate about the Spanish language and stories about the Latiné experience, she directed two Spanish operas by Daniel Catán, one for which she received a 2021 Chicago Emmy nomination. She has also directed the world premiere play for young audiences Return to Sender by Marisela Orta at Nashville Children’s Theatre as well as Michael John LaChiusa’s musical Bernarda Alba for Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis to critical acclaim. Crystal was the Co-Founding Artistic Director of Opera Omnia and toured with Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam in Brazil as Assistant Artistic Director. She also served as Artistic Director for Mill City Summer Opera in Minneapolis. Crystal holds a BFA in Drama-Directing and a Master’s in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Composer/Arranger Bethany Brinton is a Los Angeles-based composer whose music can be heard in award winning projects of all mediums, including  songs for Amazon’s Pete The Cat, Disney’s Milo Murphy’s Law, and the main titles for James May: Our Man in Japan. She composes for highly awarded films included in the San Diego International Film Festival, Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival, Independent  Shorts Awards, and has won an Audience Award in the Dances With Films Festival. In her imaginary spare time, she’s watching movies.

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA AND CROONERS SUPPER CLUB COME TOGETHER TO HONOR STEPHEN SONDHEIM

INDUSTRY ADVISORY
Contact: Beck Lee 516-641-3986

TWO-PART CONCERT EXPERIENCE “CELEBRATING SONDHEIM” FEATURES 15 TOP-NAME LOCAL ACTOR-SINGERS AND IS DIRECTED BY PETER ROTHSTEIN

ACT 1 IS ON MARCH 4 & 5, ACT 2 ON MAY 6 & 7

(January 27, 2022) 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. Featured in the concerts are a who’s-who of notable Twin Cities stage favorites, most of whom have appeared in celebrated Theater Latté Da Sondheim productions.

With an entirely different cast in each part, Act I -- premiering on Friday and Saturday March 4 at 7:30pm and March 5 at 4:30pm and 7:30pm -- features Sasha Andreev, Michelle Barber, Phinehas Bynum, Liz Hawkinson, Britta Ollmann, Tod Petersen, and Janely Rodriguez. Act II – premiering Friday and Saturday May 6 at 7:30pm and May 7 at 4:30pm and 7:30pm – features Kate Beahen, Mark Benninghofen, David Darrow, Bradley Greenwald, Anna Hashizume, Rodolfo Nieto, Greta Oglesby, and Sally Wingert. Music direction is by Barbara Brooks (Act I) and Jason Hansen (Act II). “Celebrating Sondheim” is staged in The MainStage at Crooners. For tickets, which are $45 and $50, visit www.croonersmn.com

Sondheim, who died on November 26, 2021 at the age of 91, was the composer and lyricist of 19 major theater works, many of which are credited with re-defining and re-inventing the American musical. Theater Latté Da, founded in 1998, is the most prolific producer of Sondheim musicals in the Twin Cities, having staged a total of nine shows, starting with “Sunday in the Park with George” in 2003, up to “Assassins” (2018) -- named Best Theater Production of the Decade by the StarTribune – and “A Little Night Music” (2019), which made The Star Tribune’s “Top 10 Best Theater Productions” list of 2019. Other notable productions include “Sweeney Todd” (2015); “Into the Woods” (2015); “Gypsy” (2006 and 2016), and “Company” (2012).

Theater Latté Da SONDHEIM PRODUCTION PHOTOS

Rothstein says, “We’ve brought together this incredible cast, deeply conversant in the art and genius of Sondheim, to highlight work from 15 of his groundbreaking shows. The concerts will feature familiar songs, as well as rarities that capture Sondheim’s eclectic intelligence, profound wit and singular aesthetic.”

As Elaine Stritch marvels in “Shoot Me,” the documentary that captured her tackling Sondheim in what would be her last produced show, “I ask myself how does he know that? How does he know what I’m thinking? How does he know what I’m fighting in life? How does he know it?!”

“Celebrating Sondheim” Act I and Act II tickets – $45 and $50 -- are now on sale via www.croonersmn.com

For information and updates visit www.croonersmn.com or call 763-760-0062. Crooners is located at 6161 Highway 65 NE, just north of Minneapolis and 694 in Fridley.

ELISA SPENCER-KAPLAN NAMED MANAGING DIRECTOR AT THEATER LATTÉ DA

Spencer-Kaplan brings with her 20 years experience in theater management in New York City, Chicago
and central Florida. 

(Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) Theater Latté Da (TLD) announced today that it has chosen Elisa Spencer-Kaplan as its next Managing Director, co-leading the organization with Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. Spencer-Kaplan served five years as Executive Director of The Acting Company in New York City. The Tony Award-winning repertory theater presents national tours as well as Off-Broadway repertory seasons in New York City and Shakespeare tours in New York City schools, while focused on new play development, a reading series, and K-12 education programs serving students in economically disadvantaged communities, both locally and nationally. Prior to joining The Acting Company, she worked in administrative, finance and planning roles at Second Stage Theatre, York Theatre and CAP21 Conservatory and Theatre Company, all in New York City.  Her career also includes work with the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and Shattered Globe Theatre in Chicago. Spencer-Kaplan most recently served as Managing Director at Garden Theatre in Winter Garden, FL. 

"I couldn’t be more excited to be joining Theater Latté Da as its next Managing Director. As a proud Minnesotan, I have watched with great admiration over the years as Latté Da has grown to become a distinctive, impactful contributor to American musical theater that extends the Twin Cities' legacy of artistic excellence. I'm honored to have the opportunity to work alongside Peter Rothstein to lead this important organization forward." 

A native of Minnesota and graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, MN, Spencer-Kaplan holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale School of Drama. She brings proven leadership, management, development and fundraising experience to her new role at Theater Latté Da, as well as a passion for musical theater and a deep commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. 

Founding artistic director Peter Rothstein shares, “Elisa is a dynamic arts leader. Her vast experience in New York theater, outreach and education, and her focus on musical theater in particular, make her the ideal leader for Theater Latté Da at this time.”

“Elisa’s experience, passion for musical theater, and thoughtful leadership style is such a compliment to Peter’s talents,” shares Theater Latté Da’s board chair, Kevin Winge. Together, they will make a powerful team to co-lead Theater Latté Da through the next exciting chapter of our history. We’re excited to welcome Elisa back to the Twin Cities.”

About Theater Latté Da

Founded in 1998, Theater Latté Da is committed to creating new and adventurous musical theater. Since its inception, TLD has presented 78 Mainstage productions, including 12 world premieres, and 13 area premieres. Each has garnered critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of local and national awards.

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE CAST FOR THE RE-IMAGINED STAGING OF THE BELOVED OPERA LA BOHÈME

Tony Potts and Corissa Bussian in LA BOHÈME, Photo by Dan Norman

Peter Rothstein’s award-winning production of Puccini’s beloved opera will enjoy its opening night in the intimate Ritz Theater, Jan 22. Tickets are on sale now at Latteda.org or by calling the Box Office at 612-339-3003.

LA BOHÈME stars Siena Forest and Corissa Bussian who will share the role of Mimi, Benjamin Dutcher and David Walton share the role of Rodolfo, Bergen Baker and Katherine Henly share the role of Musetta, Tony Potts as Marcello, with Bradley Greenwald as Benoît. 

Performances begin Jan 19 and run thru February 27, 2022 at the Ritz Theater
Opening Night January 22, 2022

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da today announced the cast of LA BOHÈME, the beloved Puccini opera re-imagined by Peter Rothstein with new orchestration by Joseph Schlefke. The production brings together rising stars in the opera world along with favorite performers from the Twin Cities music scene. Among the top 5 operas performed around the globe, LA BOHÈME features music by Giacomo Puccini and libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The production is directed by Theater Latté Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein with Music Direction by Sonja Thompson and features a new orchestration by Joseph Schlefke. 

LA BOHÈME will run January 22 - February 27, 2022 at the Ritz Theater. Preview performances are January 19 - 21. Single tickets start at $35. Group, student, and other discounts are available. Tickets are on sale now through the box office at 612-339-3003 or online at Latteda.org. Post-show discussions and access services (ASL/AD performances) are available on select dates and by request. 

This passionate, timeless tale of love among young artists in Paris, can stake its claim as the world’s most popular opera, and inspired the long-running Broadway box office smash hit, RENT. Theater Latté Da brings Peter Rothstein’s innovative, award-winning staging to the intimate Ritz Theater for the first time. LA BOHÈME premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy, on February 1, 1896. A group of friends are living a bohemian life in Paris and trying to make their livings creating art. Despite a tragic ending, the story celebrates love in the face of adversity.

Initially set in Paris during the 1830s, Rothstein’s production moves the action roughly 100 years later during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Rothstein states, “When I began to think about re-imagining LA BOHÈME, I quickly decided that moving the story out of Paris would be sacrilege, but there is very little in the libretto that is specific to time. Moving the action roughly a century later provided a specificity for me and my collaborators, making the story about a group of struggling artists all the more tangible, emotional and poignant.”

First presented to Twin Cities audiences in 2005 with a celebrated run at the Loring Playhouse, the production featured a new orchestration by Joseph Schlefke, capturing the sound of a Paris café or street band. The instrumentation includes accordion, guitar, piano, violin, clarinet and flute. Audiences and critics praised the production as “moving” and “exquisite” resulting in an Ivey Award win, the first for Theater Latté Da in the award ceremony’s inaugural year. The production was remounted in 2007 with a sold-out run at the Southern Theater. On March 13, 2020, Theater Latté Da’s production of La Boheme was shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, just before it would celebrate an opening night.

Peter Rothstein directs LA BOHÈME and shares, “I am thrilled to return to my favorite opera and the unique opportunity to tell this particular story in an intimate space such as the Ritz Theater.” 

The cast of LA BOHÈME features Siena Forest and Corissa Bussian making their Latté Da debut in the role of Mimi, Benjamin Dutcher (Latté Da: All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 (2015-Present), Assassins, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, Master Class) and David Walton (making his Latté Da debut) are Rodolfo, Bergen Baker and Katherine Henly make their Latté Da debut in the role of Musetta, Tony Potts makes his Latté Da debut in the role of Marcello, Justin Spenner makes his Latté Da debut as Schaunard, Rodolfo Nieto (Latté Da: All is Calm, A Little Night Music, Assassins, Man of La Mancha) is Colline, Bradley Greenwald (Latté Da: Candide, A Little Night Music, C.) is Benoît. Andrew Nalley makes his Latté Da debut as Alcindoro. The ensemble also includes Amy Wolf, Anna Hashizume, Noah Scharback and Morrow Piper, all make their Latté Da debuts.

The creative team for LA BOHÈME includes Peter Rothstein (director), Sonja Thompson (music director), Michael Hoover (scenic designer), Rich Hamson (costume designer), Paul Toni (hair and makeup designer) Grant E. Merges (lighting designer), Abbee Warmboe (properties design), Elissa Adams (dramaturg), and Shelby Reddig (production stage manager).

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

FACT SHEET: 

LA BOHÈME

Music by Giacomo Puccini 
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
New orchestration by Joseph Schlefke  

Directed by Peter Rothstein 
Music Direction by Sonja Thompson

This passionate, timeless, and indelible story of love among young artists in Paris, can stake its claim as the world’s most popular opera. Theater Latté Da brings Peter Rothstein’s innovative, award-winning staging to the intimate Ritz Theater. Lyrical and touchingly beautiful, La Bohème is the definitive depiction of the joys and sorrows of love and loss, and a celebration of art in the face of adversity.

Featuring Siena Forest and Corissa Bussian as Mimi, Benjamin Dutcher and David Walton as Rodolfo, Bergen Baker and Katherine Henly as Musetta, Tony Potts as Marcello, along with Justin Spenner, Rodoflo Nieto, Bradley Greenwald, Amy Wolf, Anna Hashizume, Andrew Nalley, Noah Scharback, and Morrow Piper.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles projected above the stage.
Dates: Wednesday, January 19 – Sunday, February 27, 2022
Venue: Ritz Theater, 345 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis MN 55413

Tickets start at $35 and are on sale now.
Group, student, and other discounts are available.

THEATER LATTÉ DA NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE $20,000 NEXT GENERATION COMMISSION TO SUPPORT NEW MUSICAL THEATRE BY BIPOC AND WOMEN ARTISTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct 11, 2021
Contact: Andrew Leshovsky
andrew@latteda.org
612-767-5646 office

The $20,000 commission supports the creation and development of new musical theatre projects and helps to create a canon of musical theatre that reflects the multiplicity of voices and diversity of our country. 

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da today announces it is accepting applications through December 15th for its NEXT Generation Commission, an opportunity for BIPOC and women artists that supports the creation and development of new musical theatre projects. In addition to the $20,000 commission awarded to the individual artist or creative team, the project will receive creative and developmental support over an 18-month period, including two developmental workshops totaling a minimum of 50 hours.  

“It’s clear to us that if it is our goal to create musical theatre that is reflective of our communities, we need to create more pathways for BIPOC artists and women artists,” shares Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. “The NEXT Generation Commission is designed to seek out those voices and provide them with the support necessary for their talents to be recognized and nurtured and their stories to be told.” 

The NEXT Generation Commission builds on Theater Latté Da’s celebrated commitment to nurturing new work. 

Since its founding in 1998 by Artistic Director, Peter Rothstein and Music Director, Denise Prosek, creating and premiering new work has been a part of Theater Latté Da’s DNA. Theater Latté Da has premiered 12 new musicals and 12 area premieres. Each has garnered critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of awards, including: the 2019 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience awarded to the Off-Broadway production of its original production All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. It also supports the development of new musical theater through its annual NEXT Festival. New musicals supported in the NEXT Festival include: Five Points by Harrison David Rivers, Douglas Lyons and Ethan Pakchar (NEXT 2017); Goddess by Saheem Ali, Jocelyn Bioh and Michael Thurber (NEXT 2017), Gun and Powder by Angelica Cheri and Ross Baum (NEXT 2018) and Half the Sky by Isabella Dawis and Tidtaya Sinutoke (NEXT 2019)

Artists interested in applying for the NEXT Generation Commission should visit www.latteda.org/next generation-commission for complete submission details. The application deadline is December 15, 2021. 

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and storyto illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create newconnections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musicaltheater. www.latteda.org

Theater Latte Da Announces 2021-2022 Season, Celebrating Re-imagined Classics and Impactful New Work

Siena Forest (Mimi) and Darrius Morton (Rodolfo) reprise their roles in La Bohème. Photo by Dan Norman.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2021

Contact: Andrew Leshovsky
andrew@latteda.org
612-767-5646 office

Season 24 kicks off with a Re-Opening Concert followed by the Drama Desk Award-winning docu-musical ALL IS CALM, the highly-anticipated return of Peter Rothstein’s innovative staging of LA BOHÈME, the area premiere of the Tony Award-winning and electrifying musical JELLY’S LAST JAM, and the world premiere musical adaptation of the American courtroom drama TWELVE ANGRY MEN.

(MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL) Theater Latté Da (Peter Rothstein, Artistic Director) today announces its 2021-2022 season. The highly-celebrated company will launch a series of productions that celebrates a continued commitment to presenting original and re-imagined musical theater beginning with a re-opening concert PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ, featuring show-stopping performances by some of the Twin Cities top talent; the return of the Latté Da original docu-musical ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914; the highly-anticipated return of Peter Rothstein’s award-winning staging of Puccini's beloved opera LA BOHÈME; the area premiere of JELLY’S LAST JAM based on the life and music of Jelly Roll Morton; the world premiere musical adaptation of the American courtroom drama TWELVE ANGRY MEN, and continued robust commitment to the development of new musicals and plays-with-music in the company’s annual NEXT FESTIVAL.

“After a difficult year and a half and with so much pain and uncertainty, one thing is clear,” shares Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, “there is great power in coming together, in the communal experience of live performance.  I believe more than ever that the theater can be a vital force to create change; it can celebrate both our similarities and our differences.  It can illuminate truth, instigate hope and spark joy. 

The season kicks off with PUTTIN' UP THE RITZ (November 13 & 14, 2021), the re-opening concerts offering audiences the opportunity to raise a glass to celebrate a return to the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis filled with show-stopping performances from the upcoming season, an insiders look into new works in development during the company’s intensive new works laboratory, NEXT Up, as well as favorites from award-winning Latté Da productions.

ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 (November 26 – January 2, 2022), the poignant docu-musical about the World War I Christmas truce, will celebrate a return engagement following a National Broadcast on PBS in 2020. This moving ode to peace is written and directed by Peter Rothstein with vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. The production will feature the talents of the Minneapolis-based cast who starred in the national broadcast and the highly-lauded Off-Broadway run, which earned the 2018 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. The production will be available as a season ticket add-on.

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story told in the words and songs of the men who lived it. A Theater Latté Da original, this a capella production has become an annual holiday classic and is brought to life by a cast of 11 actor/singers, beautifully blending iconic WWI patriotic tunes, trench songs, medieval ballads and Christmas carols. 

In the winter, Theater Latté Da presents the highly-anticipated return of Peter Rothstein’s innovative, award-winning staging of Puccini’s LA BOHÈME (January 20 - February 27, 2022) to the intimate Ritz Theater. The production features orchestrations for Parisian street instruments (accordion, piano, guitar, violin, and clarinet) by Joseph Schlefke. Performed in Italian with English titles projected above the stage. Peter Rothstein directs with music direction by Sonja Thompson. Featuring Corissa Bussian, Siena Forest, Darrius Morton, and David Walton.

Puccini’s LA BOHÈME, the passionate, timeless, and indelible story of love among young artists in Paris, can stake its claim as the world’s most popular opera. Lyrical and touchingly beautiful, LA BOHÈME is the definitive depiction of the joys and sorrows of love and loss and meaning of life in the face of adversity. Rothstein’s production moves the action forward 100 years to the Nazi occupation of Paris.

In the spring, audiences are invited to experience the birth of jazz as we take a journey through the life of legendary musician Jelly Roll Morton in JELLY’S LAST JAM, (March 30 - May 8, 2022). This multiple Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical with book by George C. Wolfe with music by Jelly Roll Morton and additional music and musical adaptation by Luther Hendersen and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead will be directed and choreographed by Theater Latte Da’s Associate Artistic Director Kelli Foster Warder and Music Supervisor Sanford Moore. Featuring Andre Shoals.

Born to a Creole family in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, Jelly Roll Morton was a classically trained pianist who was fascinated by the ragtime, blues and jazz sounds happening around him. From the back alleys of New Orleans to the dance halls of Chicago and the clubs of New York, the Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning JELLY'S LAST JAM tells the troubled story of the self-proclaimed inventor of jazz with spectacular dance breaks and a smokin’ jazz score.

Season 24 concludes with the world premiere of TWELVE ANGRY MEN, (June 8 - July 17, 2022) book by David Simpatico (Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing) music and lyrics by Michael Holland (You’re Gonna Hate This, Hurricane) based on the teleplay “Twelve Angry Men,” by Reginald Rose. Peter Rothstein directs, with music direction by Denise Prosek and choreography by Kelli Foster Warder. Featuring Charlie Clark, Bradley Greenwald, T. Mychael Rambo, and Jon-Michael Reese.

In a small New York City jury room, on "the hottest day of the year," twelve men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father. In form, TWELVE ANGRY MEN is a courtroom drama; in purpose, it's a crash course in those passages of the U.S. Constitution that promises defendants a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. Theater Latté Da is thrilled to develop and produce the world premiere of this new American musical adapted from one of America’s greatest dramas. 

Theater Latté Da continues its robust commitment to new work with their NEXT FESTIVAL in Summer 2022. Produced by Elissa Adams, Associate Artistic Director/Director of New Works, the summer festival showcases new works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling, where audience members are invited into the ground floor of the creative process. Festival passes are available as a season add-on.

Season tickets are currently on sale; 3-show packages start at $90. Renewing and current season ticket holders may purchase season tickets beginning July 20. Season tickets go on sale to the general public Aug 9. Call the box office at 612-339-3003 or purchase online at Latteda.org. 

SEASON 24 

PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ: A RE-OPENING CELEBRATION (Season Add-on)
November 13, 2021 at 7:30PM
November 14, 2021 at 7:00PM

Curated by Elissa Adams, Kelli Foster Warder, and Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Denise Prosek

ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 (Season Add-on)

By Peter Rothstein
Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach
Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Erick Lichte

November 26 – January 2, 2022

LA BOHÈME
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Guiseppe Giacosa

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Sonja Thompson
New Orchestration by Joseph Schlefke

Featuring Corissa Bussian, Siena Forest, Darius Morton, and David Walton

January 20 - February 27, 2022

JELLY’S LAST JAM (Area Premiere)
Book by George C. Wolfe
Music by Jelly Roll Morton
Additional music and musical adaptation by Luther Henderson
Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead

Directed and Choreographed by Kelli Foster Warder
Music Supervisor Sanford Moore

Featuring Andre Shoals

March 30 – May 8, 2022

TWELVE ANGRY MEN (World Premiere)
Adapted from the play by Reginald Rose
Music and lyrics by Michael Holland
Book by David Simpatico

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music direction by Denise Prosek
Choreography by Kelli Foster Warder

Featuring Charlie Clark, Bradley Greenwald, T. Mychael Rambo, and Jon-Michael Reese

June 8 – July 17, 2022

NEXT FESTIVAL 2022 (Season Add-on)
Summer 2022

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE GHOSTLIGHT SERIES, FIVE VIRTUAL CABARET PERFORMANCES LAUNCHING JAN 2021

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE GHOSTLIGHT SERIES,
FIVE VIRTUAL CABARET PERFORMANCES LAUNCHING JAN 2021

The cabaret series will feature more than 40 Minnesota artists.
Tickets are on sale now at Latteda.org/ghostlight-series

(MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL) Theater Latté Da announces today THE GHOSTLIGHT SERIES, five virtual cabarets launching January 2021. Produced by Associate Artistic Director Kelli Foster Warder, and curated by Foster Warder as well as Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, Regina Marie Williams, and Q Brothers Collective. The virtual cabaret series will feature more than 40 Minnesota artists showcasing stories and songs delivered monthly beginning January and running through July 2021. The series begins with TWELVE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I LIVE, featuring Regina Marie Williams and showcasing images of Minneapolis 2020 captured through her own camera lens. RE-CAST invites some TLD favorite actors to perform roles they never got to play. HEROIC ACTS OF MUSIC sheds a light on performances throughout history when musicians chose melody and beauty over violence and oppression. Award-winning and internationally acclaimed theater artists, Q Brothers Collective, presents THE RAP PACK, a hip hop cabaret developed as part of NEXT UP—Theater Latté Da’s new works initiative, launched earlier this year. Finally, MUSIC TO OUR EYES: DESIGNERS SING OUT puts Twin Cities theater designers center stage. For years audiences have seen their artistry, but it’s high time to hear their stories. 

“We are excited to engage our audiences in a way that meets this moment, by sharing not just the skill and passion of these Minnesota artists but the stories and heart that propels them,” shares Foster Warder. “As difficult as these times are, there is also beauty and opportunity. We hope this series brings encouragement and connection for our audiences and our artists in a time when we need both.”

On May 25 2020, Regina Marie Williams began to capture moments of pain and promise at the intersection of 38th and Chicago. TWELVE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I LIVE features photos and songs attempting to capture a profound Minneapolis moment that catapulted a national movement. Curated by Kelli Foster Warder and Regina Marie Williams with music direction by Sanford Moore. Featuring performances by Regina Marie Williams and Sanford Moore. 

In RE-CAST, some of the Twin Cities most treasured actors are invited to perform the roles they never got to play. Every actor is plagued by the word “typecast”; so we asked them to remove those barriers, those expectations, and sing the songs they’ve longed to sing. It will be an evening filled with passion, joy and surprise. Curated by Kelli Foster Warder with music direction by Jason Hansen.

HEROIC ACTS OF MUSIC celebrates courageous moments in history when artists chose to make music in the face of violence or oppression. A cellist plays an Adagio during the seige of Sarajevo; teenagers defy Hitler’s order and dance to American Swing music in Nazi Germany; and in 1939, a Black opera singer denied a stage sings for a nation on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Curated by Peter Rothstein.

THE RAP PACK is an experimental hip hop cabaret developed by the four members of Q Brothers Collective.  It is an anachronistic smash-up of the old variety show, Vegas-style showbiz, and contemporary experimental hip hop—blending singing, rapping, dancing, sketch comedy, and theater. Created by Q Brothers Collective.

Finally, you’ve seen the beautiful work of designers who’ve worked on Theater Latté Da’s stage for years. Their clothes define a character; their lights figuratively and literally illuminate the story; their scenery creates the world of a play. Now it’s time to hear their stories. MUSIC TO OUR EYES: DESIGNERS SING OUT shifts the spotlight to our designers, who will share the events that have shaped their lives and the inspirations behind their choice to become a theater artist. Curated by Kelli Foster Warder and Peter Rothstein with music direction by Denise Prosek.

The series features over 40 Minnesota artists including Rush Benson, Paul Bigot, Renee Guittar, Rich Hamson, John Jamison, Nora Montañez, Sarah Ochs, Greta Oglesby, Britta Ollmann, Tod Peterson, Dan Piering, Regina Marie Williams, Evan Tyler Wilson and Abbee Warmboe.

THE GHOSTLIGHT SERIES passes are on sale now. Series passes are $75 per household and includes access to all five virtual cabarets. Visit Latteda.org or call the Box Office at 612-339-3003. 

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

FACT SHEET

THE GHOSTLIGHT SERIES
Stories and songs in the meantime
JAN - JUL 2021

TWELVE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I LIVE
Curated by Kelli Foster Warder and Regina Marie Williams
Photography by Regina Marie Williams
Music Direction by Sanford Moore

January 2021

RE-CAST

Curated by Kelli Foster Warder
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
March 2021

HEROIC ACTS OF MUSIC

Curated by Peter Rothstein

April 2021

THE RAP PACK
Created by Q Brothers Collective

June 2021

MUSIC TO OUR EYES: DESIGNERS SING OUT
Curated by Kelli Foster Warder and Peter Rothstein

Music Direction by Denise Prosek

July 2021

THEATER LATTÉ DA’S HOLIDAY HIT A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN BRINGS JOY TO THE AIRWAVES AS A RADIO SHOW & PODCAST THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

THEATER LATTÉ DA’S HOLIDAY HIT A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN BRINGS JOY TO THE AIRWAVES AS A RADIO SHOW & PODCAST THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Carole decks the halls (and the studio) this holiday season in the homegrown holiday favorite featuring
Tod Petersen.   

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da’s highly-celebrated original work A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN will broadcast into homes, hearts, and AirPods this holiday season. Carole returns for the homegrown holiday comedy, written by Tod Petersen and Theater Latté Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein.  A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN has been hailed “a stunning triumph,” “a yuletide must,” and “laugh-out-loud funny.” Petersen and Rothstein have adapted the piece for radio along with pianist Denise Prosek. Tune in to myTalk 107.1 each night from Dec 21-24 at 7PM CST for the radio broadcast and myTalk1071.com beginning Dec 15 to find the Podcast. 

Carole returns…and she’s ready to deck the halls!  There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Acclaimed storyteller Tod Petersen reflects on the yuletide season with his family in Mankato, Minnesota, and pays particular tribute to the show’s namesake—his mother Carole. 

Dan Seeman, VP/Region Manager, Hubbard Radio Minnesota and Theater Latté Da Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein were searching for new and creative ways to bring theater productions to audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN felt like the perfect partnership for a holiday radio broadcast, a beloved Twin Cities theater tradition that first premiered in 2000. 

“As long-standing supporters of live theater in Minnesota we at myTalk 107.1 miss seeing our friends on stage,” shares Seeman.  “When Peter, Tod, Program Director Amy Daniels and I discussed the possibility of re-imagining A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN as a radio program and podcast we jumped at the chance. I can’t wait to hear the brilliant Tod Petersen bring his mom, Carole, and all of the Christmas Carole Petersen characters to life on audio-only platforms.”   

“Peter and I wrote this show 20 years ago and the fact that it has become a holiday tradition for so many people is one of my greatest joys,” shares Tod Petersen. “I am thrilled for this opportunity to reimagine the show and hopefully bring some laughs, nostalgia and heart to the Twin Cities audiences during this challenging time.”

Tune in to myTalk 107.1 on Dec 21-24 at 7PM CST for the radio broadcast of A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN and visit mytalk1071.com to find the Podcast, available Dec 15th on Apple Podcast or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. 

myTalk 107.1 is an award-winning and 5-time Marconi nominated “Talk Station of the Year” that combines humor and light-hearted opinion to bring Twin Cities talk radio audiences the latest in entertainment news and pop-culture. The station has won eleven national Gracie Awards from American Women in Media and two national Crystal Awards for public service from the NAB.

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  latteda.org

FACT SHEET

A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN
Written by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein
Directed by Peter Rothstein
Denise Prosek, Piano

Featuring Tod Petersen

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Acclaimed storyteller Tod Petersen reflects on the yuletide season with his family in Mankato, Minnesota, and pays particular tribute to the show’s namesake—his mother Carole. Filled with over a dozen holiday song favorites, join us for another year of this hilarious and heartwarming Latté Da original!

Broadcast dates/times on myTalk 107.1
Dec 21 at 7PM
Dec 22 at 7PM
Dec 23 at 7PM
Dec 24 at 7PM

Visit mytalk1071.com to access the A CHRISTMAS CAROLE PETERSEN Podcast, on Apple Podcast, and wherever you get your podcasts.

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES KELLI FOSTER WARDER AS ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/DIRECTOR OF IMPACT

Kelli Foster Warder, Photo by Tommy Sar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept 10, 2020

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da announces today that Kelli Foster Warder will be joining the company as Associate Artistic Director/Director of Impact. An artist and educator based in the Twin Cities, Foster Warder has been a teacher and an arts administrator for over 25 years. Her work as a choreographer and director has been seen across stages in the Twin Cities and across the country including Theater Latté Da, The Ordway, Children's Theatre Company, The 5th Avenue in Seattle, Washington, Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida and the ZACH Theatre in Austin, Texas. She has directed and choreographed internationally in both La Paz, Bolivia and Panama City, Panama. As Associate Artistic Director/Director of Impact she will become a strong voice in artistic planning, deepen the company’s community engagement, and advance initiatives in inclusion, diversity, equity and access. 

Foster Warder’s relationship began as Assistant Choreographer for Theater Latté Da’s production of AIDA in 2013. Since that time she has collaborated with Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, serving as Choreographer and/or Associate Director on 11 productions including Cabaret, Oliver, Our Town, Steerage Song, Ragtime, Five Points, Once, Chicago, and Bernarda Alba. 

“Collaborating with Kelli Foster Warder has made me a better artist and a better human being, shares Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. “Since our first collaboration I have looked for opportunities to work together and to include her in the Latté Da family. She brings a palpable wisdom, passion and commitment to the art form, and believes the performing arts can be a vital force in creating a more just world.”

Foster Warder’s 25 plus years of experience as a teacher and program director in educational and performance settings has meant a career of creating opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds of all ages to maximize their growth and depth as people and artists. In her roles at Hennepin Theater Trust and the Ordway, she developed, created and implemented education and community engagement programs serving musical theater programs across the state, providing for thousands of students a year to participate in matinee programs, and serving as a speaker and facilitator across the country. Her work has brought students, artists and the community together to foster deeper understanding, develop lifelong skills and a love for the arts. As a performer and an educator, Foster Warder has had a clear focus on diversity and inclusion, helping to write the first district-wide diversity plan for the 4th largest school district in Minnesota. Her passion for justice and the arts has combined to allow her to create programming and experiences to stretch both students and educators alike, working tirelessly to open up spaces for more diverse voices to be seen and heard. She resides in the Twin Cities with her husband and three children. 

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

###

THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES ONLINE BENEFIT IN SUPPORT OF ARTISTS

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da announces its first online benefit, Thursday, October 1 at 7PM CDT. 100% of the funds raised will go directly into the hands of theater artists. The event raises crucial funds to support NEXT Up, Theater Latté Da’s intensive new works laboratory launched in May 2020. The online event is free to watch, though registration is required. Tickets are also on sale now to become a Benefit Producer. For more information and to register for the event, visit www.latteda.org/benefit. 

The benefit will feature special appearances by Theater Latté Da artists including special appearances by Sasha Andreev, Greg Angel, Corissa Bussian, Cat Brindisi, Dorian Brooke, David Darrow, Jay Owen Eisenberg, Jendeen Forberg, Jason Hansen, Michelle de Joya, Ryan Lee, Ann Michels, Nora Montañez, Sara Ochs, Tod Petersen, Dan Piering, T. Mychael Rambo, Jon-Michael Reese, Matthew Riehle, Maureen Sherman-Mendez, Andre Shoals, Martín Solá, Elly Stahlke, Jessica Staples, Sonja Thompson, Alejandro Vega, Regina Marie Williams, and Sally Wingert. The event is produced by the creative team of Peter Rothstein, Denise Prosek, and Kelli Foster Warder. The video production is by Michael Hanisch of Mind the Mind Productions and Lucas Wells of Wells Film and Photo.

“Our virtual benefit is key to ensuring that we are able to cultivate the future of new musical theatre, by investing in its creators,” shares Founding Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. “100% of the funds generated from our virtual benefit will go to playwrights, composers, lyricists, actors, musicians, directors, music directors, designers and choreographers. Writing is one of the few things theater artists can do safely during this time; we want to build a pipeline of new musicals and plays with music to share with Minnesota audiences when we can all safely gather again.”

In March 2020, Theater Latté Da closed the Ritz Theater to the public before the opening night performance of LA BOHÈME. The company launched NEXT Up, an intensive new works laboratory investing in the future of new musical theater. The initiative is providing a way for the company to meet this moment in the face of a pandemic which has financially crippled the performing arts community. NEXT Up provides writers with the resources and funds to develop new stories, new music, that will help us navigate and find meaning in our rapidly changing world--a world grappling with unprecedented health challenges and confronting racial injustice. 

New work has always been a part of the Theater Latté Da’s DNA. Since 2012, the company has further prioritized the support of new musicals and plays with music through its NEXT program including commissions, workshops, the NEXT Festival, and world premieres. In lieu of a 2020-2021 production season, the company is commiting its resources to supporting playwrights, composers and lyricists. 

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artist, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.  www.latteda.org

THEATER LATTÉ DA ONLINE BENEFIT 2020

Thursday, October 1, 2020, 7PM CDT

Produced by the creative team of Peter Rothstein, Denise Prosek, and Kelli Foster Warder

Special appearances by Sasha Andreev, Greg Angel, Corissa Bussian, Cat Brindisi, Dorian Brooke, David Darrow, Jay Owen Eisenberg, Jendeen Forberg, Jason Hansen, Michelle de Joya, Ryan Lee, Ann Michels, Nora Montañez, Sara Ochs, Tod Petersen, Dan Piering, T. Mychael Rambo, Jon-Michael Reese, Matthew Riehle, Maureen Sherman-Mendez, Andre Shoals, Martín Solá, Elly Stahlke, Jessica Staples, Sonja Thompson, Alejandro Vega, Regina Marie Williams, and Sally Wingert.

Tickets and information at www.latteda.org/benefit

ABBEE WARMBOE AWARDED 2020-2021 MCKNIGHT FELLOWSHIP

Abbee Warmboe, Properties Master

Theater Latté Da recognizes Abbee Warmboe, who was recently awarded a 2020-2021 McKnight Theater Artist Fellowship. You've seen Abbee's beautiful Properties Design work in the Twin Cities including many of Theater Latté Da's productions, including the detailed transformation of the Ritz Theater into a 1920s Speakeasy in CHICAGO, and the towering wall of suitcases in UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL, among many others.

We caught up with Abbee about her career as an in-demand Properties Master in the Twin Cities.

Q: Do you remember the moment (or the day or the show) when you realized "Yes--this is it. Props are my thing!”

A: I feel like there wasn’t actually a moment. I went to school and focused on scenic design and painting.  But once I graduated and settled back in the cities I noticed there was a need for some more freelance props people and thought that I had enough of the skills needed for that area. As the years went on I realized I had forgotten about ever wanting to be a scenic designer and was like, well I think I am a props designer now! 

Q: Any stories about a particular prop?  One that you especially loved? Or had a crazy time finding? Or that stole the show?

A: I needed a Chinese dragon head for a show.  We knew someone who knew someone who said they had one we could use free of charge.  Great, cross that off the list and move on.  As tech approached, I went to pick it up, and disaster….it wasn’t a dragon’s head, it was a lion’s head.  Not the same thing!!!  There were only a few days before opening. We had no budget.  I was, to put it lightly, panicked. That night,  I drank a bunch of iced coffee, told my fiancé to go to bed and I’d figure it out. The way he tells the story,  he woke up the next morning and there on the dining room table was a perfect dragon head! I had been able to make a dragon armature out of cardboard, pool noodles, wire, LOTS of hot glue and paper mache. Obviously not what would have been the process in a perfectly planned out scenario, but it all worked out.  When I get through moments like these I am so thankful for the skill sets my career has helped me craft.

Q: Do you have a favorite show you've worked on at Latté Da?  Or a particularly strong memory or experience of working on a Latté Da show?

A: I think my favorite show to date was Gypsy, the very first show I did, back in 2016.  It was my first time working with a lot of the creative team and the start of some really wonderful relationships.  I have been lucky enough to continue to collaborate with most of them on a regular basis at Latte Da and other venues across the Twin Cities.  It was also one of my first times working at a union house and I had the greatest props crew who were patient and taught me a lot.  I’ve enjoyed each time we get to run into each other since then! There were so many firsts and a lot of things I’ve been able to carry with me as my career has progressed. 

To read the press release announcement for the 2020-2021 McKnight Fellows, click to read here.
From all of us at Theater Latté Da, Congratulations, Abbee!

Donation Drive hosted at the Ritz Theater July 11 from 1-4PM

DONATION DRIVE HOSTED AT THE RITZ THEATER
Saturday, July 11 from 1PM-4PM

The Ritz Theater and Theater Latté Da will continue hosting a donation drive this Saturday, July 11th from 1PM-4PM. The Ritz Theater lobby is acting as a storage and distribution space for area food shelters to support the community's current needs.

Please bring the following items of greatest need to the Ritz Theater where you'll be greeted by volunteers who can safely accept your donated items on the sidewalk. Additional dates may be announced, as needed. 

Thank you for your support!
Theater Latté Da