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Past
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Blue Umbrella |
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Home |
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Come and Knock on Our Door! |
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Whatever happened to television theme songs? Gone are the days when a show's entire premise was summarized in song before every episode. TV themes are dead--and you're invited to join the bereaved as we pay tribute to the dearly departed tunes from the tube. A colorful cast of TV fanatics sings five decades' worth of small screen favorites in an unforgettable memorial service that puts the FUN in funeral!
From the creators of Flops! and DreamBoys, Those Were the Days is an irreverent retro-fest of musical memories. |
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Watch video clips from a live performance of Those Were the Days |
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The plot device is a funeral service for the television theme song that turns into a 45-minute medley surfing on a warm wave of nostalgia. Seven earnest belters give a loving treatment to the opening tunes of kid shows, sitcoms and dramas, plus a batch of ad jingles for good measure. --St. Paul Pioneer Press |
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Written by Suzanna Winter and Paul Whittemore
Music Direction and Arrangements by Kahlil Queen
Featuring John Bennett, Windy Bowlsby, Steve Garrigan, Gretchen Grunzke, Kathleen A. Hardy, Paul Whittemore, and Suzanna Winter
with Brian Keenan, Accompanist |
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Minneapolis Theatre Garage
711 W. Franklin Ave.
For tickets visit fringefestival.org
or call (866) 811-4111 |
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Saturday, August 6, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 7, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, August 8, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, August 12, 4:00 p.m. ASL Interpretation
Sunday, August 14, 4:00 p.m. |
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Visit the Blue Umbrella Blog, or The Flog, for the latest updates and insights from the
cast and crew, behind-the-scenes photos and video, giveaways, and more!
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter |
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The Cast |
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John Bennett is an avid Twin Cities theater-goer and ecstatic to be performing in the Fringe Festival. The son of a high school football star and a former lawyer his path to musical theater was paved in bear scat and recycled soda pop cans. On a more serious note, John would like to thank the Minnesota Twins for giving him a perfect excuse to get off the couch and go outside this summer. |
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Windy Bowlsby has been seen onstage repeatedly at Bloomington Civic Theater, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, and of course Blue Umbrella Productions, among others. She's also choreographed for Ashland Productions, Starting Gate, Northwestern College, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, and Heritage Community Theater. Lately, she's been playing roller derby with the NorthStar RollerGirls and grading English essays, when she's not watching Go, Diego, Go! with her daughter or Castle with her husband. |
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Growing up in Sicilian and Irish extended families, good food, camaraderie, and a great deal of drama were all a part of daily living for tenor Steve Garrigan. Mom had a beautiful voice, Dad was a dancer, and Steve has sung for most of his life. Over the years, he's been a teacher, a priest, and a psychologist; after a long absence from public performance, "I am ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille." His ultimate dream is to play Mama Rose - and does a better Ethel Merman than Ethel herself!
My part in this show is "Dedicated to the One I Love," Jeff Goodson, my partner of 20 years! |
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Gretchen Grunzke was lured to the Midwest to tour with Climb Theatre last fall. She is enjoying the nice folks and exploring the vibrant theatre scene here in the Twin Cities! Gretchen recently earned her BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, where she performed with the American Globe Conservatory, Queens Players, and Cherub Improv, to name a few. She is also appearing in The Folly of Crowds, another fabulous Fringe play. Enjoy the show! |
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Kathleen A. Hardy is an actress, singer, voice and commercial talent. She's performed with several groups including, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Illusion Theater, Theatre in the Round, Starting Gate, Troupe America, The John Hassler Theatre, Gremlin Theater and Skylark Opera. Kathleen appeared in her first Fringe Festival show, The Mistress Cycle, in 2008. As the soloist and storyteller for The Minnesota Sinfonia, she performs for thousands of Twin Cities children, each year. She attended Macalester College and graduate school at the University of Minnesota. |
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Paul Whittemore is a founding member of Blue Umbrella Productions. He appeared in their inaugural revue, Jungle Mary Bang Bang: The Music of the Sherman Brothers, and their two most recent productions, DreamBoys and Flops! Paul co-created, produced, and appeared in the critically acclaimed musical revue Unexpected Songs, parts one and two--both sell-out productions at the Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater. His other stage credits include The Robber Bridegroom, Summer of '42 (Pete), Jerry Springer: The Opera (Steve Wilkos), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Applause (Danny), Candide (Maximilian), When Pigs Fly, and The Rocky Horror Show (Rocky) with Minneapolis Musical Theatre; Cabaret (Cliff) with Paul Bunyan Playhouse; Side Show (Roustabout, Terry u/s) with Park Square Theatre; La Belle Helene (Achilles) with North Star Opera; Working (Mike) at St. Paul's Landmark Center; A Chorus Line (Zach), Broadway My Way, And the World Goes 'Round with Bloomington Civic Theatre; Man of La Mancha with Theatre in the Round; Two by Two (Japheth) with Heritage Theatre; and many others. Recordings: Suzanna Winter, Souvenirs. Film: The Like Girl. |
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Suzanna Winter made her stage debut at Theatre in the Round Players in 1984 in Thieves' Carnival, and returned to TRP to play Eva in Kindertransport, Mary Warren in The Crucible, and Jennie Mae in The Diviners, among other roles. She has also performed with the Great American History Theatre, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, and La Comedia Dinner Theatre, and her favorite credits include Maria in West Side Story, Lili in Carnival, Elma Duckworth in Bus Stop, and Chava in Fiddler on the Roof. She also played Darlene in the long-running musical How to Talk Minnesotan at the Plymouth Playhouse. Suzanna has been involved with Blue Umbrella Productions since its inception--most recently in the cast of last summer's Flops! A New Musical Revue--and she's very excited to be back on stage in Those Were the Days. Much love and many thanks to Greg, Mom, and the entire Days team. |
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The Production Team |
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Brian Keenan (Accompanist) has a degree in composition from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has been a featured performer at ragtime festivals in Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado and California. He has also been accompanist for several Twin Cities community theatres, and in the 2010 Minnesota Fringe Festival he accompanied and played Khaos in Oedipus Rocks! for New Breath Productions. His solo piano CD releases include Solo Piano, Hidden Falls, River Bluffs, and Traditions. He has also issued two sheet music folios of original works, River Country Piano Solos Vol. 1 and 2. |
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Kahlil Queen (Music Director/Arranger) |
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Carolann Winther (Costume Designer) is a member of the Technical Advisory Board at Theatre in the Round where her credits include Uncle Vanya, You Never Can Tell, Ghosts, The Mikado, She Loves Me, The Ice Fishing Play, Much Ado about Nothing, Quartermaine's Terms and Hamlet. Blue Umbrella Productions credits include Where the Girls Are, DreamBoys, and Flops! Carolann enjoys supporting new and innovative local theatre companies. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with Blue Umbrella again. |
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