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Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens

Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens Artwork

Area Premiere - One Night Only All Star Benefit Performance
Monday, November 3, 2004
Historic Pantages Theatre - Hennepin Theatre District
Special guest appearance by Bill Russell

Book and Lyrics - Bill Russell
Music - Janet Hood

Experience the celebration of life, hope and love that is Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, a one-night-only benefit performance presented by the Minneapolis Musical Theatre in cooperation with the Minnesota AIDS Project.  Elegies introduces us, through a series of free-verse monologues, to a diverse community - mothers, sons, daughters, and partners - who have lived with and died from AIDS.  As counterpoint, friends and loved ones left behind offer songs of celebration to raise our spirits and touch our hearts.  Inspired by the Names Project AIDS Quilt, this rarely seen work of musical theater moves us with stories that are touching, heartwarming and often surprisingly humorous.  Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens teaches us how to let loved ones go while continuing to commemorate and celebrate the lives of those who have changed us all forever.

Director - Steven Meerdink
Musical Director - Kevin Hansen

Cast

"ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS"
   Prudence Johnson

   PATRICK - Peter Couture
   BILLY - Kevin Hansen
   MITCH - Andy Ansell
   JOSH - Dan Nycklemoe

"I'M HOLDING ON TO YOU"
   William Gilness
   Leslie Ball
   Randy Schmeling
   Allison Peterson

   TIM - Paul Nawrocki
   TRACEY - Tina Miller
   CHARLOTTE - Nancy Lyons
   FRANCIS - Phil Losacker
   RAY - Antay Bilgutay

"AND THE RAIN KEEPS FALLING DOWN"
   Christopher Hopkins

   PACO - Jevon Sacarelos
   SALLY - Angela Mannella
   ORVILLE - Paul Reyburn
   NICK - Brian Zimmer

"I DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE"
   Dennis Spears
   Esera Tuaolo

   CHRISTOPHER - Aaron Gabriel
   DWIGHT - Ryan Quale
   REBECCA - Michelle Cassioppi
   CLAUDIA - Greta Grosch

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HELP YOU"
   Cookie Coleman
  
  
ROSCOE - Edward McNulty
   HELEN - Lavina Erickson
   WALTER - Gregg Peterson

 "CELEBRATE"
   Stacey Lindell
   Sheridan Zuther

   LAMAR - Xavier Rice
   RAFAELA - Jen Santoro Rotty
   NANCY - Joyce Norman
   KHADIJA - Tatiana Mabin

"HEROES ALL AROUND"
   Eric Mark Olson
   Kevin Hansen
   Lori Barrett-Pagano
   Suzanne Reyburn

   PAUL - Alan Sorenson
   NAT - Richard Ooms
   JOANNE - Crystal Manik

"SPEND IT WHILE YOU CAN"
   Nicole Stefanik
   Lori Barrett-Pagano
   Suzanne Reyburn
   Kevin Hansen
   Eric Mark Olson

   BERTHA - Kathleen Hardy
   BUD - Patrick Bailey

"MY BROTHER LIVED IN SAN FRANCISCO"
   Mary Jane Alm

   JOE - Eric Johnson
   GRACE - Beth Gilleland
   MILES - Scott Blackburn

"LEARNING TO LET GO"
   Esera Tuaolo
   Ensemble