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!