Are there some favorite roles you wish to have mention?
Some favorite roles include Bluebeard (Bluebeard's Dollhouse), Leonardo Da Vinci (Flying & Falling), Van Helsing (Dracula), Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mr. Peachum (The Threepenny Opera), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), and Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream). Here at Festival I've loved all my roles, but Sancho Panza (Man of La Mancha) is my favorite so far! 

Are there any aspects of your training in the theatre arts that you wish to share?
My first official training the theatre arts that was legitimately lifechanging came from the absolutely incredible Kym Longhi, as she shared a physical acting methodology known as Margolis Method with me my sophomore year in college. It's this incredible style that focuses on the energy between actors, objects, audiences, and everything. Anybody who has the slightest interest in theatre work would do well to look into Margolis Method workshops held in Minneapolis by the wonderful Combustible Company! The UMN - Twin Cities BA program was wonderfully eclectic and extremely helpful in learning about many different forms of theatre-making and their faculty is full of incredible artists and people that also happen to put their all into helping their students succeed.

Festival Theatre is so lucky that you've joined the full time staff! What are you most looking forward to about your new job?
Festival has been so vital to my own growth as a professional performing artist. Not only is the work incredibly high quality, but the culture of Festival Theatre is warm, inviting, and vibrant. It's an honor to be a part of that culture, and as marketing director, I am delighted to find the best ways to invite this community to share in that. Festival first shared it with me and it was lifechanging, and I can't wait to share it with the community at large as best as I can!

      Festival Theatre was lucky to get to chat a little with Colleen Raye this week about her upcoming show (That'll Be the Day: The Music of Gene Pitney, Linda Rondstadt, and Roy Orbison) showing only this Friday, and some of her experiences in the life of a performing artist/musician! Check out some of her great insights in this quick Q&A!

Festival Theatre - What was the creative spark or genesis of "That'll Be the Day"? How does putting a show like this together look?
Colleen Raye - For this particular show, Wayne Luchau had been singing Roy Orbison/Gene Pitney for years and wanted to collaborate to book more shows. I decided to write a show around that music, add a female singer, and write the dialogue between songs. I wrote the show, paced it out. You know, when you create a show, it’s different than just going song to song, you want to be uptempo for one, say something funny between, a little bit of comedy, find the right time for ballads, having a closer that’s meaningful. There’s more to building a show like this than what people might think.

Festival Theatre - As a performing artist/musician, with lots of shows under your belt, do you have any interesting or funny anecdotes or experiences recently in your performance work? Any cool or crazy venues?
Colleen Raye - I’ve performed for hundreds of shows professionally, so I’ve been everywhere from the nightclubs of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, Philadelphia, all over the nation in some of the biggest showrooms, television, etc. So I’ve had some very embarrassing stage moments! What do you do? You just laugh it off! Everything from falling flat on my face walking on stage, to hairpieces flying off, in some of the biggest places like Las Vegas! You just gotta laugh it off! By this time, I’ve gone through almost anything, and you learn you gotta roll with it. That’s live entertainment. You know, what’s funny, when that does happen, and you’re not embarrassed about it, people are with you. They love it! They love when you make fun of yourself, because you feel connected!

Festival Theatre - You wrote this show, as well as many of your other shows (such as Sirens of the 60's and the upcoming Christmas Show). Is there something in your shows that audiences might be able to see as an artistic handprint of yours if they're looking?  
Colleen Raye - All of my shows have this; first of all, high quality musicians and singers. The big thing I want is I want to reach the audience with the music, with our personalities. Because I really do believe that when you’re up on the stage, you’re not just performing for the people, you’re connecting with the audience. After each show, we love going out to the lobby, and connecting more with the audience after. We have a little bit of sing along, a little comedy, some touching moments, and also the way they’re paced, they move very smoothly. It’s not “oh hey, what’s the next song” with dead time, it moves very smoothly and professionally. You walk out of there feeling like you had a good time, were involved, and you had an experience.
​
Don't Miss "That'll Be the Day": A Colleen Raye Production:
Wayne Luchau, Colleen Raye,Debbie O’Keefe and The Echoes Rock and Roll Band performing the dynamic music of Roy Orbison, Linda Ronstadt, and Gene Pitney.  You’ll hear your favorites including Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman”, “You Got It,”  “Crying,” Gene Pitney’s “Town Without Pity,” “24 Hours From Tulsa,” “Liberty Valence,” and Linda Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou,” “That’ll Be The Day” and “Desperado.”  Filled with stories and humor as well as masterful musicianship and impressive vocals, the show will take you on an emotional, energetic and nostalgic journey you won’t forget.

"That'll Be the Day" shows only on Friday, September 28th at Alliance Church of the Valley in St. Croix Falls, WI!
Reserve your tickets at the link below today!
​https://festivaltheatre.secure.force.com/ticket#sections_a0F2A00000TYbVEUA1

Festival Theatre is thrilled to welcome new Arts Education Director and Artistic Associate Brooke Smith! Brooke is joining the Festival Theatre staff after completing her summer apprenticeship. Audiences will remember Brooke from her roles in The Fantasticks and Elephant's Graveyard. ​

Where did you grow up and what were your earliest performance art activities?
I grew up in Bristol, TN, which shares a border with Bristol, VA. It’s home to the “World’s Fastest ½ Mile,” the Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR track. My earliest performance art activity was the 3rd grade Christmas play at my elementary school. It was about a school putting on a Christmas play, and I had a big solo that talked about how I was going to take over the production and be a terrible tyrant, which has been a common thread in many of my other performance art activities since then.

Where did you study and/or earn your degree (special awards, etc.)
I received a B.A. in Theatre from the University of South Carolina where I performed in 15 productions over 4 years. I was a recipient of the Helen Hayes Undergraduate Outstanding Contribution Scholarship, as well as the Columbia Free Times Personal Favorite Performer of 2016.

What were you up to before joining us this summer?
This past year I have been living back in Tennessee with my family and working as an Instructional Assistant at a middle school while preparing to (hopefully) return to school for an MFA in Acting in the near future.

Are there some favorite roles you wish to have mention?
I was recently Olivia in Twelfth Night, which was definitely a favorite. While in college, I was also in a one-woman show called Grounded about a female fighter pilot who switches over to piloting drones, which was very challenging and powerful. I also loved both of my roles in our summer season here as Bellomy in The Fantasticks and the Tour Manager in Elephant’s Graveyard!

Are there any aspects of your training in the theatre arts that you wish to share?
While at the University of South Carolina, most of my training was focused specifically on performance, however, I was also a student employee of the Lab Theatre, our campus’ smaller, black box space, so I have a little bit of experience on the technical side of things, including house management and box office work, as well as set and prop building. In school, I was also very lucky to get to work on two premiere performances of shows with the playwrights themselves, one of which has gone on to publication: Herculine and Lola by Dipika Guha in the Center for Performance Experiment and Player King by Ryan Stevens in the Lab Theatre.

If you could use one word to describe your apprenticeship with Festival Theatre, what would it be?
Great-experience! (I’m cheating)

Festival Theatre is so lucky that, after a successful apprenticeship, you’ve decided to stay! What are you most looking forward to about your new job?
I’m most looking forward to really getting integrated into the community. I’ve met so many wonderful people during my time here so far, and I’m so excited to get to become a part of their world while getting to continue to make art. I couldn’t imagine anything better.

What are you most looking forward to artistically at Festival Theatre?
We have our Youth and Family series production of Cinderella coming up which is SO EXCITING. I’ve gotten to sit in on several of their rehearsals and the work that the actors and Jackie, the director, have put into it is so beautiful. So, I’m super excited to get to see that one go up as my first Y&F show as Arts Education Director. We also have our production of Little Women coming in the fall, which has a beautifully written script and a youth-led cast! I’ll be in that one, so I’m super excited to get to work with all of the actors and tell such a beautiful story. Then, to finish up our Fall/Winter Season, we have Miracle on 34th Street. There will be several guest artists coming in for that one, and it’s sure to be full of Christmas cheer and holiday spirit! I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

What is one fun fact about Brooke Smith?
Like the previous Arts Education Director, Rachel Kuhnle, I also have a twin sister! Her name is Jordan, and she’s a 6th grade English and Social Studies teacher.

Do you have a favorite quote?
Yes! It’s from Harry Potter. I think about it all the time, and I made my sister put it up as a part of the decorations in her classroom. “It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” There’s also a quote from The Great Gatsby that I’ve started to think about a lot as I’ve gotten older that sort of follows the same vein. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”

What do you like to do for fun?
I like to read and do a little free writing, as well as play volleyball, swim, and play with my dogs. Also, I recently visited Franconia Sculpture Park for the first time, which was super fun, so I foresee myself doing that a lot more in the very near future!

What is most important to you as a theatre artist? What is a value you hold as a theatre artist?
The most important thing to me as a theatre artist is accessibility. To me, this means making theatre available for as many people as possible, as well as creating and producing works in which people are able to see characters like themselves. This goes along with a value that I hold as a theatre artist, which is authenticity. Even if we’re doing the strangest, most surreal play, there still has to be something authentic about it to reach people. And, theatre can’t be truly authentic in our world without showcasing a diverse group of people and their experiences.

If you were on a desert island and could only have 3 things, what would they be?
I would have my fully charged iPod and then probably two books. Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which a friend gave me and I am right in the middle of finishing, and then maybe an old favorite like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, or maybe I’d just cop out and take a Harry Potter book.

If you could have a super power, but you had to choose between either flying or the ability to become invisible, which would you choose?
Flying! I’m very afraid of flying in airplanes, but if I could just fly on my own I think I’d love it. And, I’d be able to travel to places much faster.

As the summer season comes to an end, Festival Theatre says goodbye to Arts Education Director Rachel Kuhnle and Marketing Director Josiah Laubenstein, resident married couple and staff members since January 2017. 

Josiah and Rachel have accepted positions at the Commonweal Theatre Company in Lanesboro, Minnesota - a small professional theatre located about 50 minutes southeast of Rochester. Josiah first performed with Festival Theatre in 2010 in Is He Dead? and A Christmas Carol. Rachel came to Festival in the 2015 season performing in Little Shop of Horrors and A Streetcar Named Desire and directing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged].

Since arriving on staff in 2017, Josiah and Rachel have directed or acted in nearly every production of the past two seasons. It’s been a busy, but productive and rewarding two years for the both of them and they are very grateful to the community and staff for their love and support. 

What are some of your favorite performances on the Festival Theatre stage?

Josiah: Too many to count, honestly. They’ve all been fun and artistically rewarding. I will always have a deep love for my first performance out here, Is He Dead? - many of the cast members of that show have remained dear friends in my life. Recently I’ve been very proud of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, and The Amish Project which I was able to direct (Rachel acted in it and it’s special and wonderful to collaborate on something artistic with a loved one.) And also Leading Ladies in which I got to work with some of my best friends (many of whom were in the cast of Is He Dead? 8 years ago - 8 years?!?! Really?!?! Time flies when you’re having fun!) and my mother was able to come see me in a dress. 

Rachel: It was really special for me to perform the one woman play The Amish Project. I’m really grateful to everyone who was able to see the show. Other than that, I loved working with Josiah, Jackie and Steven in A Streetcar Named Desire with director Mark Baer back in 2015 and I feel so lucky to have gotten to be a part of the 2017 all-female production of 1776! I still can’t believe we pulled that off - kudos to director Seth Kaltwasser. Overall, though… the most fun I’ve had performing a role was definitely as Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. Shout out to my Audrey II squad!

What will you miss most about Festival Theatre?

Josiah: The people. It’s rare to find a group of people so dedicated to improving the arts in a small community. Festival Theatre has brought me in contact with so many wonderful people, many of whom I keep in contact with today. It’s a blessing to have spent time in such a beautiful place. I honestly can say it’s been one of the most impactful places artistically and personally. It’s like a second home.

Rachel: I will miss all the awesome theatre artists I have met and had the chance to collaborate with through Festival Theatre - the theatre has been able to attract some really quality people! But I will miss directing for the Youth & Family series most of all. I am really proud of both youth shows that I was privileged enough to direct (Children of Mystery River and Peter Pan.) Festival Theatre is so lucky to have some wonderful youth actors and such supportive families in our community. It always meant so much to me personally and artistically to see our young actors connecting with the themes of the plays and relating them to their lives. My hope for them all is to keep pushing themselves as actors, but to also explore all aspects of theatre including directing, designing, and writing! And remember - you don’t have to sit around, waiting to be cast. You can always make your own theatre!

What will you miss the most about the St. Croix valley?

Rachel: I loved living in Taylors Falls and being able to walk down by the river whenever I wanted to. I’ll miss riding my bike through Interstate Park. I’ll miss Franconia. I’ll miss getting root beer floats from the Drive In. I’ll miss Loggers.

Josiah: Can I say the people again? It’s hard to not pick that for pretty much every question. I have a soft spot in my heart for the trails around here. Interstate Park is a great park (both sides, but I like the WI side better) and the Ice Age Trail and Wert Nature Preserve have provided me countless hours of walking pleasure. Also The Vegetarian, bar none, the best Indian food I’ve had. 

Do you have a single memory that sums up your time here? 

Josiah: It’s hard to pick one, amidst all the joy and love. I don’t know that I can say. But I will say that whenever autumn rolls around I will think of this place and wish I was here. 

Rachel: Directing Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound in the black box was one of the most rewarding and challenging things I’ve ever done. Memories from that time will always be close to my heart. I feel so lucky to have gotten so many wonderful directing opportunities at Festival Theatre.

Tell us more about where you’re going. What are you looking forward to? 

Josiah: The Commonweal Theatre is in Lanesboro, MN, about 3 hours south of here. I’ll be a Marketing Associate down there as well as an actor in the company. Similar to here, they produce year-round theatre. It’s located on the Root River. There’s actually a lot of similarities to here. And I am looking forward to new experiences. As actors we have a strange chance to travel and move around for work. It’s tiring at times, but always renewing. 

Rachel: I will be the new Company Manager and part of the resident ensemble. I am looking forward to playing on a whole new playground! Do be sure to come visit!

Any parting words? 

Josiah: This is a unique thing, Festival Theatre. Cherish it. Don’t take it for granted. It occupies a special place for many artists and audience members alike. Cherish it. Did I already say that? Cherish it. 

Rachel: “Remember me, in light.” (Henry, The Fantasticks)

ABOUT THE SHOW: A holiday classic for all ages, Miracle on 34th Street asks us all, "Do you believe in Santa Claus?"  It's the trial of the century when Kris Kringle takes on the skeptics in this time-honored, holiday show - one that is sure to have you believing in miracles.
A PRE-AUDITION WORKSHOP There will be no pre-audition workshop for this audition.
WHO: We are looking for 4-5 youth actors. We have a strong need for a few actors between the ages 7-12. A couple of the roles could be for any youth actor between the ages 7-18.
PERFORMANCES:
Miracle on 34th Street                    
2:00pm:     11/25, 11/27, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23
7:30pm: 11/24, 11/29, 11/30, 12/1, 12/2, 12/6, 12/7, 12/8, 12/13, 12/14, 12/15, 12/20, 12/21, 12/22
**Additional yet-to-be scheduled student matinee dates not included

REHEARSALS for Miracle on 34th Street will begin approximately Oct 29.  To aid us in creating a successful rehearsal calendar, please be as accurate and detailed as possible with known and potential conflicts on audition registration form. A complete rehearsal schedule will be made available to cast members at the first rehearsal.
​
What is needed for the AUDITION?

• PLEASE REGISTER in advance by e-mail (preferred) or telephone for a specific audition time slot.
  
• TO REGISTER: e-mail or call the box office to register for the audition. Hours: T-F, 10 am - 3 pm
  

festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com OR  715-483-3387

• A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM with all scheduling conflicts during the listed rehearsal and performance schedules.  Registration forms can be received via e-mail or picked up at Festival Theatre.
  

• A RECENT PHOTO (headshot preferred – school photo is fine) and a list of any performance experiences, classes, or performance camps. Please staple the photos and list to the registration form.  Photos will not be returned.
  
• PERFORM A MEMORIZED MONOLOGUE (30-45 seconds only – not longer).  Choose a piece from a play, a poem, very short story, part of a story, or even a joke.
  
• ARRIVE FIVE TO TEN MINUTES EARLY FOR A PROMPT START. Late arrivals will be rescheduled if space allows. Arrive well-rested, dressed comfortably for movement, with a ready attitude for small group activities.
  

Can parents/guardians watch the auditions?
In order to provide a safe and distraction-free environment for all participating youth, we ask that youth NOT have their adults along in the audition space.  However, if it seems essential to be present, one parent/guardian may request to be present at the back of the theatre and must be completely quiet. Siblings or friends who are not auditioning may NOT attend.  Requests must be made at least six hours in advance of audition.

Our Arts Education mission at Festival Theatre is to make quality professional theatre financially accessible to students and educators. A 2014 study published in Science Daily concluded that "field trips to live theater enhance literary knowledge, tolerance and empathy among students." Click here to read more.

Each production features youth actors from our community in prominent roles including students from the school districts of St. Croix Falls, Grantsburg, Osceola, Unity, Luck, Center City, Hudson, and more.

Cinderella
Adapted by Jaclyn Johnson and Jonathan Levine
The popular story of Cinderella told by our local youth actors. Come remember the annoying stepsisters, the wicked stepmother, the charming prince, the enchanted evening and transformation. A classic fairy tale with a fun, contemporary twist. 
Available student matinee dates:
Monday September 10, Tuesday September 11*, Wednesday September 12, Thursday September 13, Friday September 14*

* Indicates some seats pending

Little Women
Adapted by Marissa Chamberlain from the book by Louisa May Alcott
A beautiful staging of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic coming-of-age story, Chamberlain’s adaptation focuses on the year 1864 - a pivotal time for the March sisters at the height of the American Civil War.  Meg, the beauty, Jo, the strong-willed, Beth, the peacemaker, and Amy, the youngest, laugh, love and learn through poverty, illness and sibling-rivalry as they mature into the women they are meant to be.
Available student matinee dates:
Tuesdays: 10/9, 10/16, 10/23
Wednesdays: 10/10, 10/17, 10/24
Thursdays: 10/11, 10/18, 10/25*

* Indicates some seats pending

Miracle On 34th Street
A holiday classic for all ages, Miracle on 34th Street asks us all, “Do you believe in Santa Claus?” It’s the trial of the century when Kris Kringle takes on the skeptics in this time-honored, holiday show - one that is sure to have you believing in miracles.
Available student matinee dates:
Tuesdays: 11/27, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18*
Wednesdays: 11/28, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19
Thursdays: 11/29, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20
Fridays: 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21

* Indicates some seats pending

St. Croix Festival Theatre student matinees are typically scheduled for 9:30 am. Tickets are just $5.00 for students, $10.00 for adults attending school matinees, with a free adult chaperon ticket for every 25 youth (negotiable.)

A Talk-Back session will be held immediately following each matinee performance. A pdf student resource guide will also be available as an aid to classroom discussion about the performance.

School matinee groups must include at least ten seats and must be purchased at least ten days in advance of the performance date. For details, contact the box office at 715-483-3387 or by emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com.

Attached is the above information in a few easily consumable flyers. 

We hope you'll join us!

ABOUT THE SHOW: A beautiful staging of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic coming-of-age story, Chamberlain’s adaptation focuses on the year 1864 - a pivotal time for the March sisters at the height of the American Civil War. Meg, the beauty, Jo, the strong-willed, Beth, the peacemaker, and Amy, the youngest, laugh, love and learn through poverty, illness and sibling-rivalry as they mature into the women they are meant to be.

A PRE-AUDITION WORKSHOP will be held Saturday, April 28 at 10 am. The audition workshop will take approximately 45 mins and will provide some basic audition coaching. Youth will receive an introduction to the stage area, a few vocal & physical exercises, and a “pep talk” for how to prepare for their audition. Youth should dress comfortably and be well-rested.  If you have never auditioned for Festival Theatre, we highly encourage you to attend this workshop!  Parents are urged to attend as well. Please register in advance for this workshop at the Festival Theatre Box Office by e-mail or telephone (see box office information below).

WHO: We are looking for between 2 and 6 actors ages 13+. Two to four girls for the roles of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. And one boy for the role of Laurie.

PERFORMANCES:
Little Women                    
2:00pm: 10/7, 10/14, 10/21
7:30pm: 10/6, 10/11, 10/13, 10/18, 10/20, 10/25, 10/27
**Additional yet-to-be scheduled student matinee dates not included

​REHEARSALS for Little Women  will begin approximately the week of September 3rd. To aid us in creating a successful rehearsal calendar, please be as accurate and detailed as possible with known and potential conflicts on audition registration form. A complete rehearsal schedule will be made available to cast members at the first rehearsal.

What is needed for the AUDITION?

• PLEASE REGISTER in advance by e-mail (preferred) or telephone for a specific audition time slot.
• TO REGISTER: e-mail or call the box office to register for the audition. Hours: T, TR, F, 10 am - 3 pm

festivaltheatreboxoffice@gmail.com OR  715-483-3387

• A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM with all scheduling conflicts during the listed rehearsal and performance schedules.  Registration forms can be received via e-mail or picked up at Festival Theatre. A physical copy of the registration form will be accepted at time of audition, not before. ​

• A RECENT PHOTO (headshot preferred – school photo is fine) and a list of any performance experiences, classes, or performance camps. Please attach the photos and list to the registration form.  Photos will not be returned.
• PERFORM A MEMORIZED MONOLOGUE (30-45 seconds only – not longer).  Choose a piece from a play, a poem, very short story, part of a story, or even a joke.
• ARRIVE FIVE TO TEN MINUTES EARLY FOR A PROMPT START. Late arrivals will be rescheduled if space allows. Arrive well-rested, dressed comfortably for movement, with a ready attitude for small group activities.

Can parents/guardians watch the auditions?
In order to provide a safe and distraction-free environment for all participating youth, we ask that youth NOT have their adults along in the audition space.  However, if it seems essential to be present, one parent/guardian may request to be present at the back of the theatre and must be completely quiet. Siblings or friends who are not auditioning may NOT attend.  Requests must be made at least six hours in advance of audition.

Arts Education Director Rachel Kuhnle sat down with Festival Theatre Executive Artistic Director Jason Richard to discuss the first full production of the 2018 season, Lone Star Spirits, directed by Richards and including Rachel Kuhnle, Josiah Laubenstein, Erika Kuhn, Jon Peterson and Rod Kleiss in the cast. This interview has been edited for clarity.

FESTIVAL THEATRE: So first of all, you've now been the Executive Artistic Director for about 8 months now - how would you describe your experience so far in one word?

JASON RICHARDS: (Laughs.) One word? If it's just one word... I think the best word that really encapsulates [my time here] is "adventurous." To me, that's positive. If you say "busy," that can be like...is that good or bad. But adventurous encapsulates busy but also "fun" and "see-what's-next."

FT: Nice. So you have worked as an actor, a director, playwright, teacher, administrator... Which do you sort of see yourself as first? Can you speak a little to your director philosophy?

JR: Originally I saw myself as an actor, but now I really do consider myself a theatre artist - sort of encompassing all those things. My directing journey started in undergrad when I got a degree in Directing and Design from Baylor University in Waco Texas. I did [a] directing [degree] over acting really just because I connected with those teachers better. The first thing I ever directed was a ten minute play that I'd written, it was an assignment in my directing class. Next I directed one third of the David Mamet play The Water Engine - I got to direct the final third, which I thought was pretty cool. Some years later, I directed the full show. As a director, I want to ask questions... more than make statements. Sometimes I ask a question trying to lead an actor to a certain point, but other times I ask a question that I don't know the answer to. The director creates a world that all these characters can exist in, you have designers who design the set, and lights and props and costume and all that creates a world that was started in the playwrights mind. I've really enjoyed this cast, it's been a collaborative effort. I like that as a director, that we are all telling this story together. We all have to bring our ideas to the table to get the most of the story and I feel like we've done that. It takes courage to collaborate.

FT: Your first full production as a director at Festival Theatre is set in Texas, where you are from. Was that intentional? 

JR: No, it wasn't! (Laughs.)This play was already in place when I got here, the powers-at-be had already selected this play. It was a weird coincidence, it turned out to be a strength. I think I know this part of the country, I know these characters well. I grew up with them. I connect with Marley's complicated relationship with her past, her hometown, her former friends. The Jess and Marley friendship... When I was in high school, I had a lot of friends. Since then, about three of those were life long friends. Even though today we don't have a lot in common because our lives diverted, at any moment I can call them and say "do this" and they would do it. If my friend called and said "I needed a kidney," I'd give him a kidney. ... I also really like that personally some of my items have made it onto the stage, because I'm from Texas. A pair of boots, a belt buckle, the refrigerator magnets... 

FT: So Josh Tobiessen is not a native Texan, if fact he only lived in the state a few years. As an Texan yourself, is there anything he got totally right, anything he got totally wrong? 

JR: To his credit, he has created universal characters that are very relatable to anyone no matter where they are. But as a Texan... I grew up with all of those people. When I read the play, I knew who those characters were. That being said... Texas is BIG, Texas is almost five states in one. Where I grew up in East Texas and where these characters are from in West Texas... [Geographically] it's as if I grew up in Minneapolis, and these characters grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska - Texas is that big - like we'd be 600 miles apart. But something he really did get right is how important football is, that [in the play] this Spartan football team won the championship and how it shaped a certain time period in this town, and the young men's lives. How people don't want that time to fade. When I lived in Kilgore, TX, in 2001, they won the championship. There was a huge billboard erected and that billboard stayed up for years - is probably still up today. So that's, what, seventeen years?

FT: So there's nothing about being a Texan he got wrong? It's all flawless?

JR: Well...if you're going to twist my arm. I guess there is one thing... ONE thing... At the end of act one, Marley says her dad Walter "lost his car," but it would have been a truck. Walt would have NEVER had a car. No male from Texas would have a car. Or not most men. But a man like Walt? Never. 

FT: (Laughs.) That's amazing! Okay, one more question. So what do you hope audiences take away from the show?

JR: I hope they have fun, cause it's a comedy. I hope they laugh and enjoy themselves. I hope they can see themselves in the characters and laugh at themselves. [Having an] opportunity to come together and laugh is important and healing.

Lone Star Spirits opens Friday, April 13 at 7:30 pm at the Franklin Square Black Box. Get tickets online or by calling the Festival Theatre Box Office at 715.483.3387.

​Lone Star Spirits at Festival Theatre opens this Friday at 7:30 (with an opening party featuring Lone Star Beer and tex mex style chips and salsa!) Marketing Director and actor playing the role of "Drew" interviewed playwright Josh Tobiessen via phone last Friday.

Originally from Schenectady, NY, Josh used an undergrad degree in philosophy and training from the Improv Olympic in Chicago to start writing plays in Ireland with a theatre company he co-founded called 'Catastrophe.' After having several plays - many of them site-specific productions - performed at such venues as the Galway Arts Festival and the Dublin Fringe Festival, he returned to the States to get a playwriting MFA at the University of California, San Diego. Now living in Minneapolis with his wife, Jungle Theatre Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and their son, Tobiessen also occasionally teaches playwriting classes at the Guthrie. 

From the Lone Star Spirits book jacket: "Marley is hoping for a quick trip home to the dwindling Texas town where she grew up, but she and her hipster fiancé, Ben, are in for more than they bargained for. Upon entering her estranged father’s liquor store, she’s immediately set upon by Drew, her football hero ex-boyfriend, who’s looking to relight a romance with the only girl he’s never cheated on. Then there’s Jessica, the former classmate and current single mom looking to drag Marley into a two-woman bachelorette party. By the time Marley finally manages to reveal to her father the real reason for her visit, things are further complicated by the ghost of the bear-wrestling pioneer who used to live in the store and who Marley’s father and Drew speak to on a daily basis. Lone Star Spirits is a fast-paced comedy with hairpin turns that takes a hilarious and sympathetic look at family, spirituality, those who stay and those who leave their hometowns, and the ghosts that haunt us either way."

​FESTIVAL THEATRE: So first off, Lone Star Spirits been a real fun show to work on. I know there was a production in New York, and then a production about this time last year at the Jungle...

JOSH TOBIESSEN: I just recently found out there was something in Duluth (Renegade Theatre Company) so I think you’re the third or the fourth--

FT: Let’s say we’re third - we’ll take third! (Laughs)

JT: You were third when I found out about the other one. (Laughs)

FT: Awesome. So, let’s just jump in, if that’s cool. Where did the idea of this play come from? Are you from Texas?

JT: No, but I was living in Texas at the time because my wife (Sarah Rasmussen, Artistic Director of The Jungle Theatre in Minneapolis) got a job at the University of Texas at Austin. We had been living in Texas for three years, so at the time that I wrote this I thought I was going to be in Texas for here-on-out, so I decided to set the play, you know, down in Texas. Texas is a fun place storytelling wise because it is, in a sense, a real Americana kind of place. America turned up to eleven. I lived in Ireland for a while and since I've been back, I think I have a slightly different perspective, a little bit of an outsider point of view. So I’m always trying to write plays about our country and the American dream and whatever kind of philosophy is going on at the time... I mean,  there’s a definite mood going on in our country right now... (Laughs.) A lot of people in our country understand Texas. When I write, I compare myself to (an Irish playwright and screenwriter - his script Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was nominated for a 2018 Academy Award) I mean… (Laughs.) There’s other playwrights I could compare myself to.People across the country can identify and understand Texas. The way he writes about Ireland as being kind of a heightened version of what Ireland is like I think Texas is like that or our country. But also in Texas, the dichotomy that the play works with, the rural versus urban - like urban dwellers and the people who never left their hometown. Wisconsin as well! When we were doing the show at the Jungle, a lot of the people working on the show were originally from a small town and I think that really resonates. 

FT: Being in a small town, we definitely identify with the characters, like I know that person! Are you an urban person or more small town person?

JT: I’m probably more urban, my wife is from a very small town and I’ve spent a bunch of time in small towns in my life. As well as big cities, I’ve lived in New York City as well as towns as small as 1,000 people so yeah, I hope I’m able to relate to both sides of the story. Whenever I write a play, I’m always all of the characters in the play, I relate to all of them in a personal way. When writing the play, I think I most related to the father - Walter - I wrote the play while we were about to have our first son worrying about being a dad, if I’m a failure in life will I still be able to connect with my kids - you want your kids to be successful, but not so much so that you can’t relate to them. (Laughs.) The Ben and Drew characters are like two different sides of me as well. Drew is the side of me that had success early on and wants to hold on to it and live in that moment as opposed to moving on. Ben and I definitely have more of a similar background. Even Jessica, as a parent when she says things like “I have a babysitter tonight, I want to go nuts!” I definitely relate to those feelings.

FT: So Lone Star Spirits is a homecoming story centered around a father/daughter relationship, Walter and Marley. As a male writer, is your process any different writing for a female lead protagonist?

JT: I don’t really think about the gender of the character too much, I just try to write a strong character, [focus on] what they’re dealing with, different personality. Sometimes it’s more challenging than others. As a playwright, you try to put yourself in someone else's shoes - if you can identify with what they want honestly, it works out. A large part of her personality is shaped by her going home and seeing her friends who haven’t left - that’s something I can identify with. I visit home and I still have friends there. I think a lot of times people talk about how writing for the opposite gender is so different but it’s not, unless you buy into stereotypes. We all want the same thing. I’m not saying we’re exactly the same, But I do think there are accessible aspects of people’s personalities we can all relate to that can help transcend gender. And because theatre is such a collaborative art, there’s definitely stuff I've changed for some of the female characters based on their feedback, to help round out the characters. [But] even if the script doesn’t literally change, the female actors bring so much of their perspective and who they are [to their performance] - as a playwright, I feel I have more help than a novelist, you know?

FT: So as a playwright, how do you know when a play you're working on is done?

JT: Well, this play is done because it’s published. (Laughs.) There definitely comes a time when you need to start working on your next play. But when you’re writing a new play, you’re never done till the production is up and running. I had a play in New York that I was rewriting through previews, you know, audiences were seeing different shows because it kept changing. That’s part of what I like about writing plays, you’re alone so much of the time but then it becomes this very social thing… So you don’t be a hermit, you know? 

FT: Is it ever stressful seeing your plays go up? Do you ever cringe and think “oh, shouldn’t have done that…”

JT: No, I’m always just grateful that someone’s doing them. It’s great fun to see someone else do your show, they always do things differently than you'd imagined. When I’m writing a play, I’m dealing with a question and try to deal with the question through the characters. Not trying to answer it, just trying to look at it from all sides. So when you see different versions of it, you see the different sides, the different perspectives [of that question.]

FT: It keeps the conversation going.

JT: Exactly. It’s never really about the answer, when you write a play, it’s more ‘I want you to think about this, too.’ You write a play and it starts off with you alone in a room, but then you give it to the director and it becomes their play, you give it to the actors and it becomes their play, and then the actors give it to the audience - you have to look at the audience as being a part of it, too. From the playwright to the audience, the audience plays their role as well. Asking them to look at this, think about it. The play is going to be different things to different people and that’s all part of the fun. 

FT: You start with a question alone in a room - is that daunting?

JT: Not really, cause that’s when you’re just writing whatever you feel like writing, that’s when you’re playing, writing whatever you want. It’s when it’s time to share a draft with people, that’s when it gets a bit scarier. 

FT: Okay, I have one final question for you... and it's a pretty important one.. Do you believe in ghosts?

JT: I’m not gonna answer that question! (Laughs.) Like I said, I’m not looking to change anyone’s mind, people come out of this production believing different things. It’s not about do ghosts exist... 

FT: (Laughs.) Okay, fine. Well, thanks for talking with me, Josh. We can't wait to open the show!

Get your tickets now for Lone Star Spirits at St. Croix Festival Theatre by visiting us online at www.festivaltheatre.org or calling the box office at 715.483.3387.​