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Gasthaus
By TROMPE L'OEIL
Written by Kevin Bowen & Lynn Bowen
Playing at
Show Description
In this historical fictional drama set in 1952, citizens of East and West Germany navigate the tensions and complexities created within a GASTHAUS that sits on the fault line of a Cold War inner German border.
Genre and Content
Content Warnings
The creators say this show is appropriate for ages 12-15 and up
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Seat Reservations and Show Tickets
| Add to Schedule | Date | Time | Ticket Options | Quantity | Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 08/02 | 7:00 PM | ||||
| Sun 08/04 ASL | 5:30 PM | ||||
| Tue 08/06 | 8:30 PM | ||||
| Thu 08/08 | 10:00 PM | ||||
| Sun 08/11 | 2:30 PM |
Reviews
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Cast and Crew
Amanda Weis
[DIRECTOR/PRODUCER]
Amanda Weis is a Twin Cities-based mezzo-soprano, vocal instructor, stage director, and music director. Ms. Weis has worked with such companies as the History Theatre, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Duluth Playhouse, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Really Spicy Opera, Opera Reading Project, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, Journey North Opera, Eden Prairie Players, and Masquers Theatre, among others. As a soloist, Amanda recently sang in the Borealis Chamber Artists’ performances of Handel’s Messiah. Amanda's first Kevin and Lynn Bowen collaboration was directing their original musical Foshay! A New Musical at Open Window Theatre in the summer of 2023. Ms. Weis teaches private voice and piano lessons out of her home studio in Lino Lakes, where she resides with her husband (Patrick McGivern), cats (Thor & Sif), and certified therapy dogs (Lucilla & Bucky.) www.weisamanda.com
James Ruth
[ACTOR] - Private Jürgen Jung
Eleanor Koop
[ACTOR] - Jutta Reichoff
Eleanor is thrilled to be returning to the Minnesota Fringe Festival for the premiere of Gasthaus after performing as Natalie in the 2023 Fringe show Reception. She's performed onstage and in film with Open Window Theatre, Phipps Center for the Arts, CB Productions, and more. Some favorite past shows include Tuck Everlasting, Dante's Inferno, Fiddler on the Roof, Antigone, and Romeo, You Idiot. Eleanor recently graduated high school after attending the University of Northwestern St. Paul as a full-time PSEO student. She will be attending the University of Mary in the fall to pursue Media Communications and Dramatic Arts.
Roberta Gibbons
[ACTOR] - Kasia Reichoff
This is the third Fringe show for Roberta Gibbons, having previously performed in The Dwelling Place and Saree-ously Speaking? Uff-Da. Roberta's other local stage credits include Beatrice in A View from the Bridge at Theater in the Round, Attica in Sanguine Theater's Alligator Summer, Mrs. Chevely in an Ideal Husband with Classics Lost and Found, and Mrs. Dudley in The Haunting of Hill House with TheatreX.
James Lane
[ACTOR] - Captain Uwe Reichoff
Theatre: Little House on the Prairie: The Musical (Charles “Pa” Ingalls) Lakeshore Players, The Music Man (Harold Hill) Blackdirt Theatre, The Pajama Game (Max) Artistry Theatre, Noises Off (Garry) Lakeshore Players: Hands on a Hardbody (Benny) Minneapolis Musical Theatre: White Christmas (Bob Wallace) Lakeshore Players: Company (Harry) Lakeshore Players: Beauty and the Beast (Beast) Blackdirt Theatre: Wait Until Dark (Mike Talman) Lakeshore Players: Mary Poppins (George Banks) Blackdirt Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick) Blackdirt Theatre. He has a BFA in musical theatre from Sam Houston State University. He is ecstatic to debut in his first Minnesota Fringe show, and thanks the production team for the opportunity and to his wife, Aimee, son, Atticus, and Grammy Gay, for picking up the slack at home and all the love.
Jack Bonko
[ACTOR] - Corporal Werner Von Wolfram & High Flying Squirrel #3
Jack Bonko is a graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead where he earned degrees in Theater (Emphasis in Acting) and Integrated Public Relations and Advertising. Recent acting credits include: IRONBOUND (Vic) with Frank Theatre, Girl on the Train (Scott), Little Women (Brooks/Parrot/Dashwood/Laurie understudy), 9 to 5 (External Swing) with Lyric Arts, and Next to Normal (Henry) with Wildwood Theatre. Jack is a teaching artist with Park Square Theatre, Lyric Arts, SteppingStone, Ashland Productions and was a young actor supervisor at the Guthrie for Noura and A Christmas Carol (swing). Jack is also the director at North High School in North St. Paul. In 2022, he wrote a one-man show called FLEETING that was a part of the MN Fringe Festival and will be performed again this Fall, at the Hive Collaborative.
Al Fiene
[ACTOR] - Major Volker Richter, Heinrich Schmidt & High Flying Squirrel #1
Al Fiene is a stage, voiceover and screen actor based in the Twin Cities. Al has appeared in the “Harry Putter” film parodies (Prof. Bumblesnore); Lament (Victor); Karma (Hans); Max Bishop (Sergio). National stage tours include The Fantastiks (Mortimer) with Troupe America. Other favorite stage roles include Zombies from the Beyond (Major Malone) at Commonweal Theatre, Lanesboro, MN; The Big Release (Scrum Master) at MN Fringe Festival; and The Buttslasher: And Then There Were Buns (Oliver Pennington) at MN Fringe Festival. Al was most recently Max (the Club Owner) in Cabaret with Orthogonal Theatre Company at the Gremlin Theater space.
Christine Killian
[ACTOR] - Frieda Beinhof & High Flying Squirrel #2
Christine Killian (she/her) is so excited to make her debut with TROMPE L'OEIL! She has recently been seen on stage with Fortune’s Fool Theatre, Journey North Opera, Chameleon Theatre Circle, Long Lake Theatre, and Murder Mystery Co. She has an MM in Vocal Performance from UMN Twin Cities and a BM from the Peabody Institute. When not singing/acting, Christine may be teaching voice lessons, playing with her cat Cairo, or running!
Tim Colby
[ACTOR] - Major Herman Neumann
The many-hatted fellow! Tim is a local artist, stage actor, set builder and designer. As all around theater enthusiast, Tim enjoys all aspects of what it takes to stage a show. In the Spring of 2013 Tim's creativity and passion for the arts shone through in the design and building of the set for The King Of The Kosher Grocers at the JCC. He has portrayed roles such as Renfield in Dracula at the Lyric; Iggy in the film "The Body Of Real Things" due to come out this Fall; and Smokey in Christopher Street at last year's Minnesota Fringe Festival. Other projects have included one of August Wilson's very first productions--Black Bart And The Sacred Hills--at Penumbra; Mid-Summer's Nights Dream at the U OF M experimental stage; The Red Shoes for Bloomington Civic Theater to name a few. Tim's favorite line comes from Plato who said, "Remember that everyone has problems...so be kind."
KT Thompson
[ACCORDION]
KT is a pianist, organist, vocalist and accordion player based in Minneapolis. KT has previously been the audition, rehearsal and production musician for Ashland Productions, Fearless Comedy Productions, Woodbury Community Theater, New Hope Off-Broadway Musical Theater, Hardcover Theater, Only a Dim Image Theater, the Zephyr Theater, Lyric Arts, FOG Drama, and for previous Fringe Festival shows The Diamond Lens and The Dwelling Place.
Lauren Volkart
[STAGE MANAGER]
Lauren Volkart (Stage Manager) is excited to be stage managing her first show for MN Fringe. A few recent SM/ASM credits include 9 to 5 the Musical and Tuck Everlasting at the Phipps, The Seagull and The Book Club Play at Theatre in the Round, and Foshay! A New Musical (also by the Bowens), Lilies of the Field, and Our Town at Open Window Theatre.
Kevin Bowen
[WRITER/PRODUCER/SET DESIGN/MUSIC/COSTUMES]
Is a playwright and songwriter living in Eagan, Minnesota. He also works as a professional graphic designer at Bowen Design (www.kevinbowendesign.com), which he started and has operated since 1995. He is a member of the Playwright’s Center and the Minnesota Association of Songwriters. His plays and musicals have been produced and staged throughout Minnesota. This is his ninth original Minnesota Fringe Festival play. Previous Fringe Festival plays included: "The Dwelling Place" in 2019, "Bits & Bobs: An Evening of Short Plays" in 2018, “Playwrights on a Train” in 2017, co-written & co-produced with James Lundy, “The Non-Producers” in 2016, “The Oracle” in 2015, co-written & co-produced with Lynn Bowen & Sara Pillatzki-Warzeha, “Flushing New York” in 2014, co-written & co-produced with Lynn Bowen,”The Forger’s Apprentice” in 2013, co-written & co-produced with Mark Forgy, and “The Red Tureen” (musical) in 2009, a Pioneer Press “Must See” show and the 6th most popular play (based on tickets sold) out of 162 shows, co-written & co-produced with James Lundy. Including other non-Fringe productions, this marks his twelfth stage production in eleven years. Kevin is thrilled to be part of this amazing team: Director Amanda Weis, Stage Manager Lauren Volkart, our talented Cast: James Ruth, Eleanor Koop, James Lane, Roberta Gibbons, Jack Bonko, Christine Killian, Al Fiene, Tim Colby and KT Thompson as well as our composer William Brueggemann, Prop Artist MaryBeth Garrigan and of course, the wonderful folks at The Minnesota Fringe Festival. Special thanks to Open Window Theatre, The Schmidt Brewery, Dan Brabec, Michael Conroy, Joshua Meltzer, Katy Humnick, Katie Wagner, M. Scott Taulman and Baylee Stevenson. None of this would be possible without the boundless support of his wonderful wife Lynn and their two children, Erinn and Christopher. For more information about any of these completed plays or the new works, please email Kevin at: tctheater@gmail.com.
Lynn Bowen
[WRITER/PRODUCER/COSTUMES]
(Writer/Producer, Costumes) This is Lynn's fourth stint collaborating with her playwright husband, Kevin, the first being the 2014 Fringe production of "Flushing New York." Lynn would like to thank the outstanding cast and crew for their hard work and enthusiasm, her family for their encouragement, and Kevin for inviting her along on this journey.
Matthew Wilhelm
[ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER]Martha Davis
[MUSIC]
When she is not composing, Martha Davis is a sought after piano and composition teacher in Eagan, Minnesota with numerous award winning students. She also works at Macalester College as Department Coordinator for the Department of German and Russian Studies. In 2013, Martha composed the music for The Forger’s Apprentice written by Mark Forgy and Kevin Bowen. In the summer of 2011, Martha created the entire score for the full-length remount of The Red Tureen, adding additional music that was not in the original 2009 Minnesota Fringe Festival version with music by Kevin Bowen. The show, performed by The Eat Street Players had a successful run in June 2011. When she is not working, she is playing with her twelve year old and nine year old grandsons, Jack and Jason, eight year old granddaughter Elayna, and five year old granddaughter Samantha.
William Brueggemann
[MUSIC]
William Brueggemann is a Minnesota native who has written music for film, television and video-games as well as theater and concert music. Born and raised in the Twin Cities, William received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where his one act opera ‘Osseo: Son of the Evening Star’ was staged and premiered by the UMD opera studio. During his senior year, William’s music for a stage production of ‘Antigone’, was awarded “Achievement in Original Composition” at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre festival. In 2017 his choral setting of 'Reunion' by Chue Thew Yang was performed at the Ordway Center For The Performing Arts and has since been performed in schools across the Midwest. His original song "Take A Stand" was selected for the Justice Choir Songbook and has been programmed around the country at events promoting social justice. For over 12 years William has co-hosted two podcasts on media music Super Marcato Bros. and UnderScore. He earned an MFA in Music Composition For The Screen at Columbia College Chicago (voted the top film-music program in the country by The Hollywood Reporter for the last 2 years.) Upon completing his graduate degree, William moved to Los Angeles where he began working for EMMY winning composer Mark Isham ('42,' 'Miracle,' 'October Sky,' 'Once Upon A Time,' Judas and The Black Messiah'). William has worked as Isham's Composer Assistant and Score Coordinator on films like the LeBron James biopic 'Shooting Stars,' as well as the television shows 'Justified: City Primeval' and 'Godfather of Harlem.' He has also composed additional music for the recent docu-series 'Messi's World Cup: Rise of a Legend' on AppleTV+. This play marks the second collaboration between William and Kevin & Lynn Bowen, having arranged the songs and incidental music for last year's 'FOSHAY: The Musical' which debuted at the Open Window Theatre in Inver Grove Heights. William currently resides in Sherman Oaks, California with his wife and songwriting partner, Emma. Their soul/pop duo 'Ember Willow' can be found on Spotify, Bandcamp and Apple Music.
MaryBeth Garrigan
[SKETCHBOOK ART]
Saint Paul-based artist and educator MaryBeth Garrigan's paintings portray a lushly colored world of visual poetry reflecting her love of science, history, architecture, and nature. Synesthesia is experienced as her compositions evoke layered music of the mind and a narrative of Artemis, the feminine archetype as a hunter. Garrigan also hunted as a falconer with a Red-tailed Hawk for over 20 years. As well as an artist, Garrigan was the founding executive director of the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota. She graduated from the University of MN and currently her artistic practice is located in a loft at the old Schmidt Brewery called Ugly Daisy Studio where she paints and collaborates with other active members of the Schmidt Artist Lofts community in Saint Paul. In 2018 she was a recipient of a Minnesota State Board Artist in Partnership Grant where she lead as artistic director for the Mni Wiconi Project. Garrigan’s exhibitions include National Eagle Center, Wabasha, MN; Vine Center for the Arts, Mpls. MN; Landmark Gallery St Paul, MN; The Show Gallery. St Paul, MN; Can Can Wonderland, St Paul MN; Current Projects include four permanent Public Art Mosaics at Terminal 1 arrival area MSP Airport, an installation “Travel By The Lavender Moon” at the new Mother Baby Center of Hennipen County Medical Center/ 2021; Curator for the Mni Wiconi Machine installation at Can Can Wonderland. She and her collaboration artist Petra Johnita Lommen will be exhibiting their paintings of the Avian Night Sky Series on June 21st at the Schmidt Brew House Gallery through July 5th.
Chris Weis
[PROPERTIES]More Information
In 1966, my uncle visited a GASTHAUS that was the inspiration for our play. The inn was situated directly on the East-West inner German border, and was divided by a red line painted on the exterior and interior of the building. When off duty, East and West German border guards would visit the inn for drinks. There, they faced each other in a Cold War standoff and could have easily defected by crossing the red line. Our play is set in 1952 within this actual historic setting, but our characters are fictionalized. This is the 9th original Minnesota Fringe Festival play produced by TROMPE L’OEIL.
Some additional thoughts about the show written by Tim Colby:
The players have assembled and given lip and interpretation to Lynn and Kevin Bowens new play for this year's Minnesota Fringe festival. The drama takes place in post War Germany after the defeat of Nazism. Once allies in the winning of the war and the first chapter of the Nuclear age. In Missouri Winston Churchill announces the birth of the Cold war as the Soviet Union draws what he calls an Iron Curtain cut through the heart of Europe. The line of dissection would cut through towns farms, businesses, and the very lives of a traumatized Germany struggling to rebuild lives vanquished by war. Taken from actual events the play ponders what a dissected Post War world might mean to those Germans split between East and West. As the barbed wire goes up around them the drama takes up those Germans of the Gasthaus. The Gasthaus--a drinking establishment and the family who runs it may have survived the war... but how will they survive a dangerous nuclear peace that threatens to cut deep into their familial hearts and loyalties to one another?
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Graham Waltz, Jim Lundy, Roberta Gibbons, Dan Brabec, Michael Conroy, Joshua Meltzer, Katy Humnick, Katie Wagner, M. Scott Taulman, Baylee Stevenson, MaryBeth Garrigon, Sigi Leonhard, Pastor Bryan Odeen, Jeremy Stanbary, Chris Deutsch, Kayla Ninnemann, Open Window Theatre, The Schmidt Brewery, St. Peders Lutheran Church, TRP, PrintHarmony, Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter.
