ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS

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