This guide is sponsored by History Theatre
History Theatre has bravely explored Minnesota’s past and the diverse American experience for over 45 years. Located in downtown St. Paul, History Theatre tells stories that celebrate joy, triumph, and resilience of people and our shared experience. Critics call the theater “a banquet of entertainment with a side order of history.” An “edu-taining” night out for the whole family to witness history come to life on stage!
The 2024 – 2025 Season at History Theatre
This Spring, attend the World Premiere of R.A. Shiomi’s Secret Warriors (March 29-April 19, 2025). Inspired by the stories of the Japanese Americans (trained at Camp Savage here in MN), who served as translators and interrogators for the U.S. Armed Forces, they are the warriors you don’t know about, who took extraordinary risks to save their fellow soldiers in the Pacific Theater during World War II. As the eyes and ears of General MacArthur, they saved countless Allied lives and shortened the war by two years. Discover their compelling personal journeys and heartfelt love stories set against the backdrop of the war and the incarceration of their families.
Closing out the 24-25 season is the World Premiere of, Josef Evan’s new musical, Whoa, Nellie! The Outlaw King of the Wild Middle West (May 17-June 8, 2025). This whirlwind tale of a fake detective (and former child performer), whose countless criminal exploits and penchant for male attire made her a Minnesota media sensation. This fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly moving new musical follows the destructive path of the enigmatic and relentless “Nellie King,” the alias by which she was best known, as her reckless disregard for the law leads to disastrous ends and a powerful emotional reckoning. Along the way, her story brings to light historical realities around gender, addiction, mental health, and celebrity that continue to resonate today.
Ticket Information: ALL TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Tickets start at $25 (discounts for Seniors and patrons under 30). All student tickets are just $10 with a valid student ID. For tickets call 651-292-4323 or visit www.historytheatre.com. To learn more about group discounts, contact Craig Cerrato (Group Sales Manager) at 651-292-4320 or email groups@historytheatre.com
Past Shows from this Season
History Theatre will open the new season with Stanley Kipper and Laura Drake’s Behind the Sun (Sept 21- Oct 13, 2024). Obie Kipper has finally found the house of his dreams, but there’s one problem: it’s 1956 and Obie’s dream for the future of his family lies outside his redlined neighborhood, in an all-white neighborhood. With help from an old friend and coworker, Obie puts in motion a sensational scheme to purchase the house. This may either land him in jail or help chart the future for his family and all of Minneapolis. Based on the lives of playwright Stan Kipper’s family, experience this story of community, family, and the lengths some had to go through to achieve the American Dream.
Stock up on your baking supplies for Cristina Luzárraga and Denise Prosek’s I Am Betty (Nov 23-Dec 29, 2024). Betty Crocker has helped shape America’s homes, kitchens, and recipes for over a century. Surprising to many, she was not a real person! As a radio and television personality, a letter-writing confidante, and a relatable icon, “Betty” has impacted multiple generations. Enjoy last season’s runaway hit, and experience this musical treat Star Tribune called, “entertainingly provocative and, well, delish.” You will be singing along and craving to bake with Betty as it examines the lives of women and society throughout the past 100 years.
Experience the story of the indomitable Dorothy Molter, the last legal non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters with The Root Beer Lady (Jan 25-Feb 23, 2025) Written and performed by Kim Schultz. The story reflects the beauty and hardships of Molter’s solitary yet satisfying life beginning in 1934. The play, funny and passionate, explores her independence, fortitude, and love of nature, and pushes back against the premise that her time in the North Woods made her the “Loneliest Woman in America,” as the Saturday Evening Post claimed in 1952. Dorothy’s story will delight all, young and old.
