SCOTLAND, PA

Sep 18 - Oct 27 I The Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sep 21

Book by Michael Mitnick
Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon
Based on a film written by Billy Morrissette and produced by Richard Shepard, Jon Stern, Abandon Pictures

Directed by Lonny Price & Matt Cowart
Choreography by Lorin Latarro & Travis Waldschmidt
Music Direction by Joshua Zecher-Ross

Starring Tara Borman, Deidre Cochran, Will Dusek, Katherine Fried, Emily Gunyou Halaas, Kim Kivens, Eric Morris, Tom Reed, Joshua Row, Carl Swanson, and Timothy Thomas, with understudies Caleb Cabiness and Lisa Vogel.

Stifled by the limitations of their lives in ’70s small-town Pennsylvania, Mac and Pat are burger joint employees with ambition. As their hunger for power grows–and the body count rises–the couple cooks up a plan to supersize their serving of the American Dream. Under the direction of Broadway legend Lonny Price, Gwon’s tasty rock score and Mitnick’s sizzling script are the perfect recipe for a bloody good time.

Falsettos

Sep 20 - Nov 5 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sep 23

Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Book by William Finn and James Lapine

Directed by Meredith McDonough
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Choreography by Emily Michaels King

Starring Sasha Andreev, Serena Brook, Sheena Janson Kelley, Sam Mandell, Sara Masterson, Eric Morris and Max Wojtanowicz.

Uniquely hilarious and heartbreaking, FALSETTOS is a contemporary musical set at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic about family, relationships, baseball and bar mitzvahs. When Marvin leaves his wife, Trina, and son, Jason, to be with his lover, Whizzer, confusion is unleashed, but so is the power and possibility of chosen family and choosing to love.

Christmas at the Local

Nov 21 - Dec 31 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Nov 24

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 Text by Dr. Maya Angelou

Production by Peter Rothstein and Larissa Kokernot
Directed by Larissa Kokernot
Music Direction and Orchestrations 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 in the return of Theater Latté Da's rousing celebration of the season.

Starring Phinehas Bynum, Spencer Chandler, Joy Dolo, Bradley Greenwald, Jason Hansen, Elizabeth Reese, Matt Riehle, and Quinn Shadko.

*Copyright © 2022 Caged Bird Legacy (ASCAP)

Stones in His Pockets

Jan 24 - Feb 25 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jan 27

by Marie Jones
Directed by Marcela Lorca
Music Direction and Compositions by Jason Hansen

A rural Irish village is turned upside down by the arrival of an American film crew. When Charlie and Jake are cast as extras in the movie, they discover that Hollywood’s romanticized Ireland stands in stark contrast to the reality of their daily lives. This Olivier Award-winning comedy is a rollicking, poignant tale brought to life by two actors portraying a colorful cast of over a dozen.

Starring Tom Reed and Reed Sigmund.

The Color Purple

Mar 20 - May 5 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Mar 23

by Alice Walker
Book by Marsha Norman
Music and Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray

Directed by Daniel J. Bryant
Choreographed by Heather Beal
Music Direction by Sanford Moore

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Marsha Norman, this stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope, to discover her own unique voice and place in the world.

Starring Ronnie Allen, Carnetha Anthony, Zola Dee, Lynnea Doublette, Lamar Jefferson, Dwight Xaveir Leslie, Heather McElrath, Nubia Monks, David L. Murray, Nambi Mwassa, Dennis W. Spears, Angela Stewart, and Angela Wildflower. 

A Co-Production with Geva Theatre Center.

Johnny Skeeky; or, The Remedy for Everything

May 29 - Jul 7 I Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jun 1

Libretto by Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Orchestrations by Robert Elhai

Directed by Steven Epp and Bradley Greenwald
Music Direction by Sonja Thompson

First love and old friendship face off against greed and hypocrisy aboard a tricked-out yacht anchored off the coast of Miami in Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp’s witty, contemporary libretto, sung to Puccini’s glorious score.

Featuring Jay Albright, Erin Capello, Benjamin Dutcher, Steven Epp, Bradley Greenwald, Anna Hashizume, Elizabeth Hawkinson, Norah Long, James Ramlet and Felix Aguilar Tomlinson.

NEXT Festival 2024

Jul 26 - Aug 12 | Ritz Theater

Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling, providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

Merrily We Roll Along

Sep 21 - Nov 6, 2022 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sep 24

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

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen

Featuring Ronnie Allen, Vie Boheme, Reese Britts, Camryn Buelow, Charlie Clark, Dylan Frederick, Becca Hart, Kim Kivens, Ryan London Levin, Britta Ollmann, and Tod Petersen

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. This 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.”

Christmas At The Local

Nov 29, 2022 - Jan 1, 2023 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Dec 2

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 Text by Dr. Maya Angelou

Directed by Larissa Kokernot and Peter Rothstein
Music Direction and Orchestrations by Jason Hansen

Featuring Phinehas Bynum, Spencer Chandler, Joy Dolo, Bradley Greenwald, Jason Hansen, Elizabeth Reese, Matt Riehle, and Quinn Shadko

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, featuring the words of Dylan Thomas and Dr. Maya Angelou, with music by local singer-songwriter Chastity Brown, and Welsh artists Cerys Matthews and Mason Neely

Hello, Dolly!

Feb 1 - Mar 26 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Feb 4

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

Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Gower Champion Produced for the Broadway stage by David Merrick and Champion Five, Inc.

Directed & Choreographed by Kelli Foster Warder
Music Direction by Sanford Moore

Featuring China Brickey, Anna Hashizume, Jordan M. Leggett, Brian Kim McCormick, Riley McNutt, Chris Owusu, T. Mychael Rambo, Janely Rodriguez, Reed Sigmund, Elly Stahlke, Regina Marie Williams, 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 new production of this beloved musical comedy, featuring some of American musical theater’s most memorable songs including “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” and “Hello, Dolly!”

We Shall Someday

Apr 19 - May 14 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Apr 24

Book & Lyrics by Harrison David Rivers
Music & Additional Lyrics by Ted Shen

Directed by Kelli Foster Warder
Music Direction by Denise Prosek

Featuring Ronnie Allen, Erin Nicole Farsté, Roland Hawkins II, and Bradley Johnson

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, performed by four 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.

A muliti-media stage experience, We Shall Someday is set against the backdrop of everyday Black America and the historical events that echo the conversations surrounding civil rights today. From Freedom Riders to Rodney King, this story explores the bonds of family ties that hold us in our most uncertain times, the opportunities and pitfalls of living under oppressive systems, and the decisions we make when given the choice to stand in solidarity with our loved ones - and ourselves.

Next to Normal

Jun 7 - Jul 23 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jun 7

Music by Tom Kitt
Book & Lyrics by Brian Yorkey

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

Starring Erin Capello, Sayer Keeley, Riley McNutt, Audrey Mojica, Matt Riehle, and Kyle Weiler

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, this groundbreaking musical is an insightful and deeply moving look at a modern family, and raises the rafters with its Tony Award-winning score.

NEXT Festival 2023

Jul 29 - Aug 21, 2023 | Ritz Theater

The NEXT Festival is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public presentations providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

Puttin’ On The Ritz

Nov 13 - 15, 2021 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Nov 13

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

Featuring: Erin Capello, Bradley Greenwald, Jennifer Grimm, Jason Hansen, Anna Hashizume, John Jamison, Rodolfo Nieto, Britta Ollmann, Jay Owen Eisenberg, T Mychael Rambo, and Matt Riehle

We kick-off our 24th season off with a celebratory re-opening concert, PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ. Raise a glass and celebrate our return to live performances at the Ritz Theater! An evening filled with show-stopping numbers from an extraordinary group of actors, singers and musicians.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

Nov 26, 2021 - Jan 2, 2022 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Nov 26

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

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Erick Lichte

Featuring Sasha Andreev, Phinehas Bynum, David Darrow, Nicholas Davis, Benjamin Dutcher, Ben Johnson, Riley McNutt, Rodolfo Nieto, James Ramlet, Andrew Wilkowske, and Evan Tyler Wilson

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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. The production features 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 and will celebrate a return engagement following a National Broadcast on PBS in 2020.

La Bohème

Jan 20, 2022 - Feb 27, 2022 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jan 22

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

Featuring Corissa Bussian, Siena Forest, Benjamin Dutcher and David Walton

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.

Celebrating Sondheim

March 4 & 5 - May 6 & 7, 2022 | Crooners Supper Club

Curated and Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Barbara Brooks

Featuring Sasha Andreev, Michelle Barber, Phinehas Bynum, Liz Hawkinson, Britta Ollmann, Tod Petersen, and Janely Rodriguez

Jelly’s Last Jam

Mar 30, 2022 - May 14, 2022 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: April 2

Book by George C. Wolfe
Music by Jelly Roll Morton
Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead
Additional music and musical adaptation by Luther Henderson

Directed and Choreographed by Kelli Foster Warder
Music Supervision by Sanford Moore

Featuring Reese Britts and 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.

Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical

Jun 8, 2022 - Jul 24, 2022 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jun 11

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 Sasha Andreev, Curtis Bannister, Reese Britts, Charlie Clark, James Detmar, Bradley Greenwald, Brian Kim McCormick, Riley McNutt, T. Mychael Rambo, Matt Riehle, Wariboko Semenitari, and Adan Varela.

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: A NEW MUSICAL 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.

NEXT Festival 2022

Jul 12 - August 9, 2022 | Ritz Theater

The NEXT Festival is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public presentations providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

The Ghostlight Series

January 2021 - August 2021 | Virtual

A series of five virtual cabarets beginning with TWELVE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I LIVE featuring Regina Marie Williams and showcasing images of Minneapolis captured through her own camera lens. RE-CAST invites some of your favorite Latte Da actors to perform roles they never get to play. HEROIC ACTS OF MUSIC sheds a light on performances throughout history when musicians chose melody and beauty over violence and oppression. Introducing the award-winning Q Brothers Collective with THE RAP PACK, a hip hop cabaret developed as part of NEXT UP—our robust new works initiative. Finally, MUSIC TO OUR EYES: DESIGNERS SING OUT puts our designers centerstage; you’ve seen their beautiful work now hear their moving stories.

The Ghostlight Series features more than 40 Minnesota artists including:
Rush Benson, Paul Bigot, Cat Brindisi-Darrow, Aimee K. Bryant, David Darrow, Francesca Dawis, Jay Owen Eisenberg, Renee Guittar, Rich Hamson, John Jamison, Nora Montañez, Sara Ochs, Greta Oglesby, Sanford Moore, Britta Ollmann, Tod Petersen, Thomasina Petrus, Dan Piering, Jon-Michael Reese, Regina Marie Williams, Evan Tyler Wilson, Abbee Warmboe, and more.

NEXT Up

Launched May 2020 | Ongoing

Theater Latté Da launches NEXT UP, an intensive laboratory investing in the future of new musical theater. New work has always been a part of our DNA. Over the past eight years the we have further prioritized the support of new musicals and plays with music through the NEXT program including commissions, workshops, the NEXT Festival, and of course world premieres. NEXT UP is a promise to our artists and patrons that we will be here through this challenging time, spending the coming months supporting playwrights, composers and lyricists. 

The NEXT UP laboratory will include Terrence McNally’s last play IMMORTAL LONGINGS and an exciting lineup of projects by playwright Harrison David Rivers, composer Ted Shen, musicians Kate Kilbane and Dan Moses of The Kilbanes, Jessie Austrian and Noah Brody of Fiasco Theater, Mexican playwright Joserra Zúñiga, scenic designer Kate Sutton-Johnson, local writer-performers Bradley Greenwald and Steven Epp, actress Sally Wingert, and hip hop theater artists The Q Brothers.

Chicago

Sep 18 - Nov 17, 2019 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sep 21, 2019

Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins
Script adaptation by David Thompson

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

Featuring Robert O. Berdahl, Dorian Brooke, Fernando Collado, Michelle de Joya, Jaclyn Juola, Joey Miller, Britta Ollmann, Dylan Rugh, Maureen Sherman-Mendez, Reed Sigmund, Elly Stahlke, Jessica Staples, and Regina Marie Williams 

Set in Chicago during the roaring 1920s and based on real-life murders and trials, CHICAGO follows Roxie Hart, a wannabe vaudevillian star who murders her secret lover. In the Cook County Jail, Roxie meets her hero, the famed double-murderess and nightclub performer Velma Kelly. Tensions come to a head as the two murderesses vie for the ultimate spotlight. Broadway’s longest-running American musical, CHICAGO is a female-driven powerhouse. It’s a dazzling and satirical look at fame, justice, and the American media machine set to one of Broadway’s greatest scores.

All Is Calm

Nov 27 - Dec 29, 2019 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Nov 27, 2019

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

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Erick Lichte

Featuring Sasha Andreev, Paul Coate, Benjamin Dutcher, Andrew Hey, Ben Johnson, Riley McNutt, Rodolfo Nieto, James Ramlet, Andrew Wilkowske, and Evan Tyler Wilson

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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. All Is Calm celebrates its homecoming after a highly successful Off-Broadway run in 2018, for which it won a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience.

Bernarda Alba

Jan 15 - Feb 16, 2020 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Jan 18, 2020

Words and music by Michael John LaChiusa 
Based on the play The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca  

Directed by Crystal Manich 
Music Direction by Jason Hansen 
Choreography by Kelli Foster Warder

Starring Regina Marie Williams as Bernarda Alba, featuring Kate Beahen, Stephanie Bertumen, Aimee Bryant, Haley Haupt, Kim Kivens, Meghan Kreidler, Nora Montañez, Sara Ochs, and Britta Ollmann 

Bernarda Alba is a powerful matriarch, who imposes a strict rule on her household following her second husband’s funeral. Bernarda’s five daughters, however, struggle with her cold regime. The girls’ dreams, desires, and the lure of the outside world begin to permeate their isolated existence. Theater Latté Da’s production features a cast of ten of the Twin Cities’ finest women actor-singers.

Once

Sept 12 - Oct 27, 2018 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sept 15, 2018

Book by Enda Walsh
Music & Lyrics by Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová
Based on the Motion Picture Written and Directed by John Carney

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Choreography by Kelli Foster Warder

Starring Ben Bakken and Britta Ollmann

On the streets of Dublin, an Irish songwriter and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, propelled by emotionally charged music. Winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once is an artistic triumph about the power of music to connect us all.

All is Calm

Nov 1 - 4, 2018 | Ritz Theater
Nov 9 - Dec 30, 2018 | The Sheen Center - New York, NY

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

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Erick Lichte

Featuring Sasha Andreev, David Darrow, Benjamin Dutcher, Ben Johnson, Mike McGowan, Tom McNichols, Riley McNutt, Rodolfo Nieto, James Ramlet, and Evan Tyler Wilson

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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. All Is Calm celebrates its homecoming after a highly successful Off-Broadway run in 2018, for which it won a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience.

A Little Night Music

January 23 - March 10, 2019 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: January 26, 2019

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Suggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman
Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Choreography by Heidi Spesard-Noble
Starring Sally Wingert and Mark Benninghofen

Features an all-star cast including Grace Chermak, Bradley Greenwald, Elizabeth Hawkinson, Susan Hofflander, Riley McNutt, Rodolfo Nieto, Britta Ollmann, and Mabel Weismann.

Part comedy of manners, part battle of the sexes, this funny, elegant work inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s period film Smiles of a Summer Night explores the tangled web of affairs centered around leading actress Desirée Armfeldt. Winner of multiple Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music features a romantic score, set entirely in 3/4 time signatures, including Sondheim’s most popular song “Send in the Clowns.”

Candide

March 20 - 24, 2019 | Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts
Presented in partnership with VocalEssence

The Royal National Theatre Version
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler
In a New Version by John Caird
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur
Additional Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, and Leonard Bernstein

Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Philip Brunelle
Starring Phinehas Bynum, Bradley Greenwald, Liv Redpath, Michael Fairbairn, Liz Hawkinson, G. Phillip Shoultz, III, Susan Hofflander, and Rodolfo Nieto.

VocalEssence Ensemble Singers
VocalEssence Chamber Chorus
Chamber Orchestra

A tale exploding with star-crossed lovers, melodramatic villains, broad comedy, and a beautiful score, Candide combines the power of opera with the delights of musical theatre. Wrapped in irony, this musical follows the optimistic young Candide in search of “the best of all possible worlds" on an extraordinary journey to reunite with his soulmate. An all-star cast will be joined by a full orchestra and a chorus of sixty--the perfect way to savor the epic beauty of Bernstein's remarkable score.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

March 27 - May 5, 2019 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: March 30, 2019

Text by John Cameron Mitchell
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask

Directed by Annie Enneking and Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen
Starring Tyler Michaels King as Hedwig and Jay Owen Eisenberg as Yitzhak
Jendeen Forberg, Jason Hansen, Mayda Miller, and Jakob Smith are the Angry Inch Band

“Groundbreaking and undoubtedly ahead of its time,” says Entertainment Weekly, this genre-bending, fourth-wall-smashing musical sensation, with a pulsing rock score and electrifying performances, tells the story of one of the most unique characters to ever hit the musical stage. Winner of the 2014 Tony award for Best Musical Revival, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is an inspiration to anyone who has felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile.

To Let Go And Fall

May 29 - June 30 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: June 1, 2019

Written by Harrison David Rivers
Original music by Jelloslave cellists Jacqueline Ultan and Michelle Kinney

Directed by Sherri Eden Barber
Choreography by Penelope Freeh
Starring Mark Benninghofen, Austen Fisher, JuCoby Johnson, Tyler Michaels King, André Shoals, and Jon-Michael Reese with Conner Horak and Da’Rius Malone.

Todd and Arthur are two former ballet dancers who reunite at New York’s Lincoln Center Plaza having not seen each other for more than 25 years. This beautifully-told story takes us through the lives of both men, their choices, regrets, and coming to terms with age, illness and sexual identity. Harrison David Rivers’ (Five Points) world premiere play features original music by Minneapolis-based Jelloslave cellists Jacqueline Ultan and Michelle Kinney.

NEXT Festival 2019

July 6 - 22, 2019 | Ritz Theater

The NEXT Festival is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing new works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public performances providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

Man of La Mancha

Sept 13 – Oct 22, 2017 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sept 16, 2017

Written by Dale Wasserman  •  Lyrics by Joe Darion  •   Music by Mitch Leigh
Original Production Staged by Albert Marre
Originally Produced by Albert W. Seldon and Hal James

Directed by Peter Rothstein  •  Music Direction by Denise Prosek

Featuring: Martín Solá, Meghan Kreidler, and Zachary Garcia

One of the most honored musicals of the American theater, Man of La Mancha was inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th Century masterpiece Don Quixote. It received five Tony Awards, including one for best musical play, as well as the Drama Critics Circle Award for best musical. Powerful, brutal, funny, and heartbreaking, Man of La Mancha celebrates the perseverance of one man who refuses to relinquish his ideals, and who is determined to see life “not as it is, but as it ought to be.”

A Christmas Carole Petersen

Nov 29 – Dec 30, 2017 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: December 2, 2017

Written by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein
Directed by Peter Rothstein
Musical Arrangements and Direction by Denise Prosek

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!

Assassins

Feb 7 – March 18, 2018 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Feb 10, 2018

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by John Weidman
Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Jason Hansen

Featuring: Dieter Bierbrauer, Shinah Brashears, James Detmar, Benjamin Dutcher, Mario Esteb, Tyler Michaels, Eric Morris, Rodolfo Nieto, Sara Ochs, Matt Riehle, and Evan Tyler Wilson

A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines Stephen Sondheim’s signature blend of intelligent lyrics and stunning music with a panoramic story of our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. The musical provides a glimpse into the psychology of America’s four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing, and alarmingly funny, Assassins has been called “the most controversial musical ever written.”

Five Points

Apr 4 - May 6, 2018 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: April 7, 2018

Book by Harrison David Rivers  
Music by Ethan D. Pakchar & Douglas Lyons
Lyrics by Douglas Lyons

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

Featuring: Ben Bakken, Dieter Bierbrauer, Shinah Brashears, Ivory Doublette, Daniel Greco, John Jamison, Lamar Jefferson, Ann Michels, Thomasina Petrus, T. Mychael Rambo, Matt Riehle, Kendall Anne Thompson, Evan Tyler Wilson, and Alejandro Vega

New York City. 1863. Set amidst the tumult of the Civil War, Five Points chronicles the journeys of Willie Lane, a young African American performer at the famed Almack’s Dance Hall, and John Diamond, an Irish immigrant and former jig champion. Inspired by the confluence of African American and Irish cultures, and the birth of American tap dance, Five Points tells the story of two men who risk everything for the chance to be a part of the American Dream.

Underneath the Lintel

May 30 – July 1, 2018 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: June 2, 2018

By Glen Berger
Original Music by Frank London
Directed by Peter Rothstein
Music Direction by Dan Chouinard

Starring Sally Wingert

A Dutch librarian embarks on a quest to find out who anonymously returned a library book; a travel guide that is 113 years overdue. A clue scribbled in the margin of the book and an unclaimed dry-cleaning ticket then take her on a mysterious adventure that spans the globe and the ages. The librarian, who has never left her native town of Hoofddorp, grows determined to track down the offender. As she travels around the world on her obsessive search, she finds herself on a journey that not only unlocks ancient mysteries, but also moves her to new revelations about her place in the universe.

NEXT Festival 2018

July 15-28, 2018 | Ritz Theater

The NEXT Festival is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing new works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public performances providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

Ragtime

Sept 21 – Oct 23, 2016 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Sept 24, 2016

Book by Terrence McNally • Music by Stephen Flaherty • Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens • Based on the novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Kelli Foster Warder

Featuring Sasha Andreev, David Murray, Britta Ollmann, and Traci Allen Shannon

It's the turn-of-the-century, everything is changing and anything is possible. Based on E.L. Doctorow's landmark novel, Ragtime is set in the volatile melting pot of New York City. Three distinct American stories are woven together—a determined Jewish immigrant, a daring Harlem musician, and a stifled woman of privilege united by their courage, compassion and belief in a better tomorrow. Together they confront what it means to be an American at the dawn of a new century. With a compelling book by Terrence McNally and a glorious score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Ragtime was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and was awarded Best Book and Best Score.

A Christmas Carole Petersen

Nov 30 – Dec 23, 2016 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Dec. 3, 2016

Written by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek

Featuring Tod Petersen

Carole's back... and she's ready to deck the halls!  The celebrated holiday comedy returns after an eight-year hiatus. 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. Join us for the long-awaited return of this hilarious and heartwarming Latté Da original.

All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

Dec 15 –  Dec 18, 2016 | Pantages Theatre
Opening Night: December 15, 2016

Written by Peter Rothstein • Musical Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Erick Lichte

Don't miss the tenth anniversary of this award-winning, Theater Latté Da original that has been seen and heard around the globe. This moving work captures an astounding moment in history when Allied and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the holiday together by trading carols, sharing food and drink, playing soccer and burying the dead. Poetry, diary entries, official war documents and letters home are woven together with iconic World War I songs, patriotic tunes and European Christmas carols to create a truly unique and profound theatrical event.

Peter and the Starcatcher

Feb 1 – Feb 26, 2017 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: Feb. 4, 2017

Written by Rick Elice • Based on the Novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson • Music by Wayne Barker • Directed by Joel Sass • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Carl Flink

Featuring Megan Burns and Tyler Michaels

Let your imagination soar in this swashbuckling Peter Pan prequel for grown-ups. Based on the bestselling novel, this fantastical comedy explores how a Victorian street urchin (Tyler Michaels) ultimately becomes The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. Follow the nameless orphan and his ambitious friend Molly (Megan Burns) as they protect the world from a greedy band of pirates. Winner of five Tony Awards, Peter and the Starcatcher is a theatrical tour de force! Award-winning director and Scenic Designer Joel Sass helms this wildly imaginative story of unbreakable friendship that places child-like wonder at the heart of grown-up theater.

Six Degrees of Separation

March 8- April 15, 2017 | Ritz Theater
Opening Night: March 11, 2017

Written by John Guare • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Featuring: Mark Benninghofen, Sally Wingert, and JuCoby Johnson

Inspired by the real-life con artist David Hampton, this witty and sincere social commentary wrestles with the human desire for meaningful connection. Paul, a young black man, convinces wealthy white New York couple Ouisa and Flan Kittredge that he is the son of Sidney Poitier. Enraptured by his intellect and charm, the couple invite him to stay the night. However, Paul's ruse is soon undone leading to discoveries which leave them all forever changed. Nominated for four Tony awards, Six Degrees of Separation is a singular tragicomedy on race, class, and manners. Peter Rothstein directs a stellar cast of actors and musicians who inhabit and underscore John Guare’s riveting drama. This production contains full-frontal male nudity, strong language, and adult situations.

NEXT Festival 2017

Summer 2017  |  Ritz Theater and The Playwright’s Center

NEXT is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public performances providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

September 23 - Nov 1, 2015 | Ritz Theater

Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim  •  Book by Hugh Wheeler • From an adaptation by Christopher Bond  •  Directed by Peter Rothstein •  Music Direction by Denise Prosek   •  Featuring Sally Wingert as Mrs. Lovett, Tyler Michaels as Tobias Ragg and Mark Benninghofen as Sweeney Todd

"He shaved the faces of gentlemen, who never thereafter were heard of again."

Stephen Sondheim’s bloody, worldwide success, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is the story of an unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking vengeance. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop. Together they plot a delicious plan with deadly consequences. Don’t miss this tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat that has simultaneously shocked and delighted audiences across the world. Winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Sweeney Todd is Sondheim at his very best.

All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 16 - 20, 2015  |  Pantages Theatre

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

“What would happen I wonder, if the armies suddenly and simultaneously went on strike?”

The Western Front. Christmas. 1914. Out of the violence comes a silence, then a song. A German solider steps into No Man’s Land Singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music and peace. This moving piece recreates an astounding moment in history when Allied and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the holiday together by trading carols, sharing food and drink, playing soccer and burying the dead. In some places the truce lasted only a night, in others it endured until New Year’s Day. This dramatic re-telling contains poetry, diary entries, war documents and letters written by thirty World War I figures brought to life by 12 actors and singers. The historic documents are interspersed with iconic World War I songs and European carols.

A co-production with Hennepin Theatre Trust

Lullaby

January 13 - February 7, 2016 | Ritz Theater

A play with music by Michael Elyanow  • Featuring Music and Lyrics by Garrison Starr, Chris Dallman, Curt Schneider and Michael Elyanow  •  Directed by Jeremy B. Cohen •  Music Direction by Peter Morrow  •  Featuring Adelin Phelps, Annie Enneking, David Darrow and James Eckhouse

"I can't have my boy growing up thinking that when someone you love dies, they take the music with them."

In hopes of learning to play lullabies for her infant son, a widowed young mother seeks guitar lessons from a once almost-famous rocker. As the two very different women bond over tricky chords and haunted pasts, a hilarious and moving story of friendship and forgiveness emerges. Lullaby is a new play with alternative rock music that’s powerful and absolutely beautiful. In addition to original music from Michael Elyanow, the production features the music of national recording artists Garrison Starr and Chris Dallman.

GYPSY

February 13 - March 13, 2016 | Pantages Theatre

Book by Arthur Laurents • Music by Jule Styne • Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim •  Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek •  Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell   •  Featuring Michelle Barber, Cat Brindisi, Tyler Michaels and Tod Petersen
Suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee

Strippers! Showstoppers! Stage Mothers! Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust return for the fourth year of Broadway Re-Imagined with the great American musical Gypsy. Set during the collapse of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, Gypsy is the story of famed burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and Momma Rose, the stage mother who steamrolls everyone in her way, propelling her daughters to stardom. Gypsy features an incredible score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, including the legendary songs “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” “Let Me Entertain You” and of course, “Rose’s Turn.”

A co-production with Hennepin Theatre Trust

C.

March 30 – May 1, 2016  | Ritz Theater

Book & Lyrics by Bradley Greenwald • Music by Robert Elhai • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Musical Direction by Jason Hansen • Adapted from the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand •  Featuring David Darrow, Bradley Greenwald, and Kendall Anne Thompson

“Let your song be known. May the melody be beautiful, and the poetry always your own.”

We conclude our mainstage season with the world premiere of the new musical C. Cyrano is a brash, strong-willed man of many talents. He’s a remarkable poet and a consummate musician who is deeply in love with the beautiful and intellectual Roxane. However, he is plagued with persisting self-doubt because of his extremely prominent proboscis. Bradley Greenwald and Robert Elhai’s new musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s great play, Cyrano de Bergerac, reminds us of the power of language and gives new voice to one of its greatest champions.

NEXT Festival 2016

May 5 - May 23, 2016

NEXT is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing three pieces that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each piece in the Festival receives three public performances providing audience members the opportunity to “get in on the ground floor” of the creative process. Click "Explore" to see the pieces in the 2016 NEXT Festival.

Master Class

October 8 - November 9, 2014  |  MacPhail Center for Music

By Terrence McNally • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Featuring Sally Wingert• Music Direction by Andrew Bourgoin

Master Class is a fictionalized account of the series of classes the glamorous and commanding Maria Callas, the most influential vocal artist of the 20th century, instructed on the art of performing opera. In these classes Callas coaches the students while sharing recollections about the glories and struggles of her own life and career, including stories about her affair with the formidable Aristotle Onassis. Through a partnership with the MacPhail Center for Music, Master Class will be staged in MacPhail’s Antonello Hall.

All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 17 - 21, 2014  |  Pantages Theatre

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

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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 of the men who lived it.

OLIVER!

February 4 - March 1, 2015  |  Pantages Theatre

Book, Music and Lyrics by Lionel Bart • Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell • Featuring Bradley Greenwald

A co-production of Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

In this poignant, extraordinary tale with a twist, Director Peter Rothstein brings Charles Dickens’ vivid characters to life with iconic songs like “Consider Yourself,” “Food, Glorious Food” and “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two.”

Into the Woods

March 4 - March 29, 2015  |  Ritz Theater

Book by James Lapine • Music and Lyrics by Sondheim • Directed by Peter Rothstein •
Music Direction by Jason Hansen • Featuring Greta Oglesby and David Darrow

Into the Woods is an epic musical that incorporates the classic Brothers Grimm fairytales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel—all tied together by an original story involving a baker, his wife and the witch who has cursed them. In this contemporary twist on the beloved classics, Director Peter Rothstein sets Sondheim's fairytale mashup in a Bavarian beer garden with ten actors who take on more than two-dozen characters in this highly theatrical tour-de-force!

NEXT Festival 2015

April 30 - May 16, 2015   | Ritz Theater

NEXT: New Musicals in the Making—is our new work series that showcases three new musicals in various stages of development. Each of the three workshops will culminate in three public performances followed by a post-show discussion. These discussions provide audience members the opportunity to give immediate feedback and “get in on the ground floor” of the creative process.

This year’s series includes workshop readings of the musicals Lullaby with book by Michael Elyanow and music & lyrics by Jonatha Brooke & Michael Elyanow, The Last Queen of Canaan with book by Harrison David Rivers, music by Jacob Yandura, lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik and directed by Theater Latté Da's Peter Rothstein. The final musical, Stu for Silverton, is written by Peter Duchan, with music & lyrics by Breedlove and direction by Andrew Russell.

Steerage Song

September 25 - October 20, 2013  |  The Lab Theater

By Peter Rothstein and Dan Chouinard • Music Direction by Dan Chouinard • Directed byPeter Rothstein

Ellis Island was the gateway to America — a land of opportunity for some, a land of exclusion for others. 5,000 immigrants a day passed through this “Island of Hope, Island of Tears.” Packed into the steerage of steamships, they left their homelands with few possessions but a wealth of hope, promise and music. Steerage Song is a musical kaleidoscope of their journey to America. Steerage Song premiered in concert form at the Fitzgerald Theater in 2011; creators Peter Rothstein and Dan Chouinard have continued to develop the docu-musical, blending the songs of 20 countries of Old Europe and the rhythms of Tin Pan Alley into a moving, fully-staged, new musical.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 19-22, 2013 | Pantages Theatre

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

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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 of the men who lived it.

Cabaret

January 15 – February 9, 2014 | Pantages Theatre

Book by Joe Masteroff • Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood • Music by John Kander • Lyrics by Fred Ebb • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A co-production of Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

There was a Cabaret and there was a Master-of-Ceremonies and there was a city called Berlin in a country called Germany and it was the end of the world... Broadway Re-Imagined returns to the Pantages Theatre with a dynamic and provocative staging of Kander & Ebb’s groundbreaking musical, CABARET. Produced by Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust, CABARET is directed by the nationally acclaimed Peter Rothstein and features Sally Wingert as Fräulein Schneider, Jim Detmar as Herr Schultz, Kira Lace Hawkins as Sally Bowles, Sean Dooley as Cliff Bradshaw and Tyler Michaels as the Emcee. Classic songs like "Willkommen," "Maybe This Time," "Money" and, of course, "Cabaret" take you inside the heart of 1930s Berlin to experience the free-spirited decadence and heartbreaking desire that is CABARET!

Our Town

March 12 – April 6, 2014 | The Lab Theater

By Thornton Wilder • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

For 75 years Thornton Wilder’s masterpiece has played a profound role in American culture. Theater Latté Da will honor the play’s 75th anniversary with a unique production. A multi-cultural cast of actor musicians become the citizens of Grover’s Corners as they fall in love, marry, confront mortality and all the while make music. Wilder's profound look at ordinary people living ordinary lives has never been more extraordinary. Theater Latte Da's production will include musical interludes by American masters of popular song such as Irving Berlin, Scott Joplin, Stephen Foster and Charles Ives.

NEXT Festival 2014

May 1 - 18, 2014

NEXT: New Musicals in the Making—is our new work series that showcases three new musicals in various stages of development. Each of the three workshops will culminate in three public performances followed by a post-show discussion. These discussions provide audience members the opportunity to give immediate feedback and “get in on the ground floor” of the creative process.

This year’s series includes workshop readings of the musicals The End of September by Minneapolis-based writer Aaron Gabriel, Horizon by New York-based writers Chip Klose and Michael Holland, and a musical comedy improv Some Assembly Required featuring local artists from Comedy Sportz and Huge Improv. Theater Latté Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein will direct both The End of September and Horizon with Music Direction by Barbara Brooks and Denise Prosek, respectively.

Company

October 25 - November 18, 2012 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim  •  Book by George Furth  •  Music Direction by Jerry Rubino •  Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell  •  Directed by Peter Rothstein

Company showcases Sondheim at his brilliant, witty best, including the songs Another Hundred People, Side by Side, The Ladies Who Lunch and Being Alive. The original Broadway production won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 19-22, 2012 | Pantages Theatre

By Peter Rothstein • With Musical Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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.

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida

January 3-27, 2013 | Pantages Theatre

Music by Elton John • Lyrics by Tim Rice • Book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang • Music Direction by Jason Hansen • Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A co-production of Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

Aida is a contemporary spin on Giuseppe Verdi’s grand opera about love and hate, slavery and freedom, war and peace. Featuring one of the most compelling scores of the Broadway stage by the legendary Elton John (Billy Elliot, The Lion King) and Tim Rice (Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat), Aida won four Tony Awards and the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.

The Light in the Piazza

March 14 - April 7, 2013 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

Book by Craig Lucas • Music & Lyrics by Adam Guettel • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

The Light in the Piazza is a romantic tale that revolves around Margaret Johnson, a wealthy Southern woman, and her curiously innocent daughter, Clara, who spend the summer of 1953 in Florence, Italy. When Clara falls in love with Fabrizio, a young Italian man, Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara’s future, but her own deep seated hopes and regrets as well. Based on a novella by Elizabeth Spencer, The Light in the Piazza won six Tony Awards in 2005 and is perhaps the most celebrated score of the past decade.

NEXT: New Musicals in the Making

April 12-28, 2013 | The Lab Theater

Theater Latté Da capped its 15th Anniversary Season by launching a major new works initiative NEXT. The inaugural season featured three new musicals in various stages of development at The Lab Theater in Minneapolis’ historic warehouse district. NEXT will provide Twin Cities audiences the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process and witness new musicals in the making.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

October 6-30, 2011 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

Music and lyrics by William Finn • Book by Rachel Scheinkin • Conceived by Rebecca Feldman • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed and Choreographed by Michael Matthew Ferrell and Peter Rothstein

This Tony Award-winning show is the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time. At first blush, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee seems like a lighthearted spoof about nine students competing for the title of spelling bee champion. Look beneath the surface, however, and you will see the pains and heartaches today's students experience as they strive for academic success.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 15-18, 2011 | Pantages Theatre

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

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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 of the men who lived it.

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust

Beautiful Thing

February 24 - March 18, 2012 | The Lab Theater

By Jonathan Harvey • With Music of the Mamas and Papas • Directed by Jeremy B. Cohen

The emotionally charged story of two teenage boys who unexpectedly fall in love. This moving drama was a hit on London's West End before inspiring the international award-winning film of the same title.

Theater Latte Da infused the production with music of the Mamas and Papas with local favorite Erin Schwab singing Mama Cass. The stellar cast included Steven Lee Johnson, David Darrow, Jennifer Blagen, Dan Hopman, and Anna Sundberg. Jeremy B. Cohen, producing artistic director of The Playwrights' Center, made his local directing debut with Beautiful Thing as Theater Latté Da's first guest director.

Spring Awakening

April 12 - May 6, 2012 | Rarig Center Stoll Thrust Theatre

Book and lyrics by Steven Sater • Music by Duncan Sheik • Based on the play by Frank Wedekind • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Carl Flink • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A dynamic rock adaptation of Frank Wedekind's expressionist play about a group of teenagers coming of age in an uncomprehending world. Banned when the play first premiered in 1891, the contemporary musical is still provocative in its uncompromising gaze at the trials, tears, and exhilaration of the teen years.

Winner of eight Tony Awards and hailed as Best Musical of the year by The New York Times, New York Post, Star Ledger, Journal News, New York Observer and USA Today, Spring Awakening is a celebration of the rebellious imperatives of youth.

Presented in partnership with the University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance

Evita

September 30 - November 14, 2010 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

Lyrics by Tim Rice • Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell • Directed by Peter Rothstein

First Lady of Argentina Eva Perón was a legend in her time. An illegitimate country girl, she rose to become the most powerful woman Latin America had ever seen — a potent symbol of hope and change. Theater Latté Da takes its innovative approach to this powerhouse telling of her brief and fascinating life.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 16-19, 2010 | Pantages Theatre

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

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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 of the men who lived it.

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust

Song of Extinction

February 25 - March 20, 2011 | Guthrie Theater, Dowling Studio

by E.M. Lewis • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Max, a musically gifted high school student, is falling off the edge of the world—and his biology teacher is the only one who’s noticed. A new play about the science of life and loss, the relationships between fathers and sons, Cambodian fields, Bolivian rainforests and redemption. Winner of the prestigious Steinberg New Play Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Award for Outstanding New Play, Theater Latté Da brings the regional premiere to the Twin Cities.

Steerage Song

June 2-5, 2011 | Fitzgerald Theatre

By Peter Rothstein and Dan Chouinard • Music Direction by Dan Chouinard • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Ellis Island was the gateway to America — a land of opportunity for some, a land of exclusion for others. 5,000 immigrants a day passed through this “Island of Hope, Island of Tears.” Packed into the steerage of steamships, they left their homelands with few possessions but a wealth of hope, promise and music. Steerage Song is a musical kaleidoscope of their journey to America. Peter Rothstein and Dan Chouinard have woven together a rich tapestry of immigrant songs, patriotic tunes, and the melodies of Tin Pan Alley, a tribute to the voices that created the sound of America.

Presented in partnership with Minnesota Public Radio

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 17-20, 2009 | Pantages Theatre

By Peter Rothstein • With Musical Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach • Directed by Peter Rothstein

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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. Based on a remarkable true story, this world premiere features the highly acclaimed vocal ensemble Cantus.

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust 

Violet

February 26 – March 21, 2010 | Guthrie Theater, Dowling Studio

Music by Jeanine Tesori • Lyrics and Book by Brian Crawley • Based on The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Set against the backdrop of the Deep South in the early days of the civil rights movement, Violet is an uplifting musical about a young white woman who is physically and emotionally scarred. She sets out on a journey to find a cure and along the way meets a young black solider who teaches her about beauty, courage and what it means to be an outsider. 

Old Wicked Songs

September 12 – October 5, 2008 | Guthrie Theater, Dowling Studio

by Jon Marans • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Vienna, 1986. A young American piano sensation has lost his spark; he travels to the Old World determined to reignite his passion for music. His aging tutor is the irreverent and irresistible force determined to do so. Schumann’s poignant song cycle, the Dichterliebe, inspires this combustible duo to find common ground. An emotional journey through joy and sadness, anger and redemption, Old Wicked Songs explores the unique connection found between two cultures and two generations of musicians.

A Christmas Carole Petersen

November 28 – December 21, 2008 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular the show’s namesake — his mother Carole.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 18-21, 2008 | Pantages Theatre

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

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes 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. Based on a remarkable true story, this world premiere features the highly acclaimed vocal ensemble Cantus.

A co-production of Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust

Passage of Dreams

March 19 – April 5, 2009 | Southern Theater

Book and Lyrics by Katie Baldwin Eng • Music by Jeff Tang • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Theater Latté Da takes musical theater to new heights—literally—presenting the world premiere of three one-act aerial musicals. A quirky, compelling, luscious feast for eyes and ears, combining the art of musical theater with the physical artistry of trapeze and aerial choreography.

La Bohème

October 25 – November 18, 2007 | Southern Theater

Music by Giacomo Puccini • Libretto by Luigi Illica and Guiseppe Giacosa • Orchestration by Joseph Schlefke • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A return engagement of Theater Latté Da’s innovative, award-winning staging of one of the world’s best-loved operas. La Bohème is a timeless story about a group of young artists who find love, laughter and meaning in the face of adversity. Featuring the new orchestration for Parisian street instruments by Joseph Schlefke.

Performed in Italian with English subtitles

A Christmas Carole Petersen

December 7-29, 2007 | Ordway McKnight Theatre

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular the show’s namesake — his mother Carole.

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914

December 21, 2007 | Westminster Presbyterian Church December 22, 2007 | Mount Calvary Lutheran Church December 23, 2007 | St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church

By Peter Rothstein • With Musical Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach • Directed by Peter Rothstein

The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing Stille Nacht. Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, of music, of peace. Based on a remarkable true story, this world premiere features the highly acclaimed vocal ensemble Cantus.

A co-production with Cantus

Parade

February 21 – March 16, 2008 | History Theatre

Book by Alfred Uhry • Co-conceived by Harold Prince • Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Atlanta, 1913. The true story of Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-born Jew accused of murdering Mary Phagan, a 13-year employee in his pencil factory. Innovative. Daring. Powerful. The Tony Award-winning musical explores the volatile relationship between racism, sensationalism, and the truth.

A co-production with Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company

Gypsy

October 4 – November 5, 2006 | Loring Playhouse

Book by Arthur Laurents • Music by Jule Styne • Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Gypsy, a crowning achievement of 20th century musical theater, has seen several star-studded Broadway revivals, but you’ve never seen Gypsy like this — Theater Latté Da reinvents the show with a delicious, raunchy vaudevillian twist. Starring Jody Briskey as Mama Rose.

A Christmas Carole Petersen

November 24 – December 30, 2006 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular the show’s namesake — his mother Carole.

Susannah

February 1 – March 4, 2007 | Loring Playhouse

by Carlisle Floyd • Orchestration and Music Direction by Joseph Schlefke • Choreography by Mathew Janczewski • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Susannah transposes the biblical story of Susannah and the Elders to the valleys of Tennessee in the 1950s — a time of McCarthyism, the cold war, and religious paranoia. Starring Meghan Schmidt and premiering a new Appalachian-inspired orchestration by Joseph Schlefke.

Bankrupt City Ballad

September 16-25, 2005 | Southern Theater

Created by Mathew Janczewski and Peter Rothstein • Original Text by Kira Obolensky • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Mathew Janczewski • Directed by Peter Rothstein

This fall Theater Latté Da will make its debut at the Southern Theater with this truly unique piece of dance-theater. The gaiety, the spectacle, the desperation. The Great Depression. The Great Dance Marathons. Ok, America, who’s gonna be the last one on their feet?

A co-production with ARENA Dances and the Southern Theater

A Christmas Carole Petersen

November 26 – December 31, 2005 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular the show’s namesake — his mother Carole.

KNOCK!

January 14 – February 19, 2006 | Loring Playhouse

Created by Jim Lichtscheidl • Directed by Jim Lichtscheidl and Peter Rothstein

Last year’s smash hit of the Fringe Festival is back — new and expanded! Laugh with 12-year-old Toehead and his nosy family as we peek into his imagination, his future and his bedroom. But KNOCK first!

Floyd Collins

April 15 – May 21, 2006 | Loring Playhouse

Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel • Book by Tina Landau • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Floyd Collins was a caver, a visionary, whose descent beneath the ground stirred the first media circus in America. True events which occurred in Kentucky in 1925 inspired this groundbreaking and moving score by Adam Guettel, winner of the 2005 Tony Award.

KNOCK!

August 8-15, 2004 | Minnesota Fringe Festival

Created by Jim Lichtscheidl • Directed by Jim Lichtscheidl and Peter Rothstein

Laugh with 12-year-old Toehead and his nosy family as we peek into his imagination, his future and his bedroom. But KNOCK first!

A Christmas Carole Petersen

December 2, 2004 – January 2, 2005 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular, the show’s namesake—his mother Carole. Enjoy Christmas kitsch, nostalgia and music, presented by an ensemble of the Twin Cities’ finest performers, as a Minnesota son struggles to rediscover the magic of the holidays.

La Bohème

February 12 – March 13, 2005 | Loring Playhouse

Music by Giacomo Puccini • Libretto by Luigi Illica and Guiseppe Giacosa • Orchestration by Joseph Schlefke • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Theater Latté Da presents an original staging of one of the world’s best-loved operas. Re-set in 1930s Paris, this is the story of a group of starving artists who find love, laughter and meaning in the face of adversity and change. A new orchestration for Parisian street instruments and the intimacy of the Loring Playhouse brings an authentic Bohemian feel to Puccini’s masterpiece.

Performed in Italian with English subtitles

King of Hearts

April 30 – May 22, 2005 | Loring Playhouse

Book by Steve Tesich • Lyrics by Jacob Brackman • Music by Peter Link • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

It’s the final days of World War I, and in the face of the oncoming combat, a small French village is abandoned by its residents only to be repopulated by the freed inmates of the nearby insane asylum. When a lone American soldier arrives, he gradually realizes that something is amiss in this gentle community. This whimsical story asks us to contemplate how we look at war, patriotism and sanity itself while celebrating the innocence and wisdom of the marginalized.

A co-production with Interact Theatre

Burning Patience

September 26 – October 19, 2003 | Loring Playhouse

by Antonio Skármeta • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

A beautiful story of adolescent love set against the struggles of Chile’s political past. In a small fishing village where almost everyone is illiterate, postman Mario Jiménez’s only customer is Latin America’s greatest poet, Pablo Neruda. Burning Patience is about the power of poetry in everyday life. It’s about the power others have to destroy poets and postmen alike, but not the words they have let loose in the world. Burning Patience was the source behind the award-winning film Il Postino.

A Christmas Carole Petersen

2003 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular, the show’s namesake—his mother Carole. Enjoy Christmas kitsch, nostalgia and music, presented by an ensemble of the Twin Cities’ finest performers, as a Minnesota son struggles to rediscover the magic of the holidays.

A Man of No Importance

March 19 – April 17, 2004 | Loring Playhouse

Book by Terrence McNally • Music by Stephen Flaherty • Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

From the Tony-Award winning creators of Ragtime comes a funny, heartfelt new musical about a delightful troupe of amateur actors who dedicate themselves wholly and unabashedly to Art. At the center is Alfie, a Dublin bus conductor who reads poetry to his passengers, directs plays by Oscar Wilde in a church basement, and embraces all that life has to offer — well, almost all. Alfie’s journey of self-discovery and “the love that dare not speak its name” is set against the simple beauty of Ireland and the painful rigidity of the 1960s Catholic Church.

Oh S#!%, I’m Turning Into My Mother

May 9, 2004 | Illusion Theater

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Outrageous and affectionate reflections on motherhood

Wings

October 4-26, 2002 | Loring Playhouse

Music by Jeffrey Lunden • Book and Lyrics by Arthur Perlman • From the play Wings by Arthur Kopit

A magnificent adventure into the mind that reveals the strength and mystery of the human spirit

A Christmas Carole Petersen

2002 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular, the show’s namesake — his mother Carole. Enjoy Christmas kitsch, nostalgia and music, presented by an ensemble of the Twin Cities’ finest performers, as a Minnesota son struggles to rediscover the magic of the holidays.

Sunday in the Park with George

February 14 – March 9, 2003 | Loring Playhouse

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim • Book by James Lapine • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Theater Latté Da presents the professional area premiere of this Pulitzer Prize-winning musical masterpiece, which is as revolutionary in its vision as that of the artist who inspired its story. Considered his most personal and passionate work, Sondheim brings to life, with his unique musical palette, the colorful characters of George Seurat’s enchanting painting.

The Rink

September 29 – October 21, 2001 | Loring Playhouse

Book by Terrence McNally • Music by John Kander • Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Directed by Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Choreography by Michael Matthew Ferrell

A Christmas Carole Petersen

December 1 – 23, 2001 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular, the show’s namesake — his mother Carole. Enjoy Christmas kitsch, nostalgia and music, presented by an ensemble of the Twin Cities’ finest performers, as a Minnesota son struggles to rediscover the magic of the holidays.

New York Musical Shorts

March 28 – April 21, 2002 | Loring Playhouse

Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

An electric evening of new works by emerging writers from the Big Apple

A Christmas Carole Petersen

December 2000 | Loring Playhouse

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

There’s no denying the power of the holidays to bring out the best and worst in all of us. Tod Petersen, acclaimed for this hilarious and moving performance, reflects on the yuletide season with his family and in particular, the show’s namesake — his mother Carole. Enjoy Christmas kitsch, nostalgia and music, presented by an ensemble of the Twin Cities’ finest performers, as a Minnesota son struggles to rediscover the magic of the holidays.

The Death of Bessie Smith

February 3-25, 2001 | Loring Playhouse

by Edward Albee • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Theater Latté Da creates an all-new production blending the provocative music of Bessie Smith with Edward Albee’s riveting drama.

Oh S#!%, I’m Turning Into My Mother

1999 | Acadia Café

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Outrageous and affectionate reflections on motherhood

Songs for a New World

2000 | Bryant Lake Bowl

Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein 

Oh S#!%, I’m Turning Into My Mother

May 11-28, 2000 | Bryant Lake Bowl

by Tod Petersen and Peter Rothstein • Music Direction by Denise Prosek • Directed by Peter Rothstein

Outrageous and affectionate reflections on motherhood