WHAT WE'VE DONE
Fortune's Fool Theatre was formed in fall 2005 to produce the world premiere of Daniel Pinkerton's play, Do You Want to Know a Secret? Daniel Pinkerton and director Leah Cooper coproduced. For a long time, we were the smallest theatre in the Twin Cities -- what we like to call a "microtheatre." Yes, Secret was a multimedia extravaganza about an East German family before and after the fall of the Berlin wall. However, despite excellent reviews and a good run at Intermedia Arts, we did not produce again until 2011.
Our second show, YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty Pirate Musical (another world premiere), was a tour de force for three actresses who played over 11 roles between them, and an accordionist who constituted the entire orchestra. This bawdy, subversive romp was one of the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival's biggest hits (9th in percentage of seats sold, out of 168 shows). We successfully remounted it at Open Eye Theatre in fall 2011. Ariel Leaf coproduced along with Daniel (as well as playing several onstage roles). At the end of the revival, Daniel invited Ariel to become co-artistic director.
The first project that Ariel initiated was our third show, Stop Kiss by Diana Son. Stop Kiss is an award-winning drama about the forging of love between two women so strong that it survives the horrific beating of one of them. We received glowing reviews and drew good crowds at Nimbus Theatre in 2014.
We actually mounted a second production in the calendar year 2014—a first for us! This bill of darkly comic one-acts included Harold Pinter's little-seen A Slight Ache and the world premiere of actor Michael Ooms's In the White Room. This spare production was performed in an intimate and nontraditional theatre setting.
In fall 2015, we presented the North American premiere and first theatrical run of internationally renowned playwright Kira Obolensky's Why We Laugh: A Terezín Cabaret. It is a moving contemporary play based on a cabaret written by Jewish prisoners in the Terezin Ghetto during World War II.
In 2016, we produced another show as a part of the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival: Grand Theft Autobiography, co-artistic director Daniel Pinkerton's stories of his career as a juvenile delinquent.
In fall 2017, we will produce The Lady with a Lap Dog, the world premiere of a new musical, book and lyrics by Daniel Pinkerton, music by Robert Elhai, based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. It will be staged at Open Eye Figure Theatre, one of our favorite venues, from September 15-24. It is an intimate, nuanced story of the transformative power of love.
Below are pictures from and credits for our past productions.
Our second show, YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty Pirate Musical (another world premiere), was a tour de force for three actresses who played over 11 roles between them, and an accordionist who constituted the entire orchestra. This bawdy, subversive romp was one of the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival's biggest hits (9th in percentage of seats sold, out of 168 shows). We successfully remounted it at Open Eye Theatre in fall 2011. Ariel Leaf coproduced along with Daniel (as well as playing several onstage roles). At the end of the revival, Daniel invited Ariel to become co-artistic director.
The first project that Ariel initiated was our third show, Stop Kiss by Diana Son. Stop Kiss is an award-winning drama about the forging of love between two women so strong that it survives the horrific beating of one of them. We received glowing reviews and drew good crowds at Nimbus Theatre in 2014.
We actually mounted a second production in the calendar year 2014—a first for us! This bill of darkly comic one-acts included Harold Pinter's little-seen A Slight Ache and the world premiere of actor Michael Ooms's In the White Room. This spare production was performed in an intimate and nontraditional theatre setting.
In fall 2015, we presented the North American premiere and first theatrical run of internationally renowned playwright Kira Obolensky's Why We Laugh: A Terezín Cabaret. It is a moving contemporary play based on a cabaret written by Jewish prisoners in the Terezin Ghetto during World War II.
In 2016, we produced another show as a part of the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival: Grand Theft Autobiography, co-artistic director Daniel Pinkerton's stories of his career as a juvenile delinquent.
In fall 2017, we will produce The Lady with a Lap Dog, the world premiere of a new musical, book and lyrics by Daniel Pinkerton, music by Robert Elhai, based on the short story by Anton Chekhov. It will be staged at Open Eye Figure Theatre, one of our favorite venues, from September 15-24. It is an intimate, nuanced story of the transformative power of love.
Below are pictures from and credits for our past productions.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?
L to R: Barbara Kingsley (Karin) and Stephen D'Ambrose (Walter). Photo: Scott Pakudaitis
Do You Want to Know a Secret?
by Daniel Pinkerton
directed by Leah Cooper
videography by Matthew Foster
March 9-26, 2006, Intermedia Arts
Cast:
Stephen D'Ambrose*: Walter Berger
Maggie D'Ambrose: Erika Berger
Barbara Kingsley*: Karin Berger
Greta Grosch: Anja Hornung
Harry Baxter: Wolf Niedermann
lighting design: Ariel Pinkerton
set design: Grif Sadow
costume design: Annie Cady
stage manager/assistant director: Reid Knuttila
stage manager, sound/lighting crew, house manager: Ariel Pinkerton
by Daniel Pinkerton
directed by Leah Cooper
videography by Matthew Foster
March 9-26, 2006, Intermedia Arts
Cast:
Stephen D'Ambrose*: Walter Berger
Maggie D'Ambrose: Erika Berger
Barbara Kingsley*: Karin Berger
Greta Grosch: Anja Hornung
Harry Baxter: Wolf Niedermann
lighting design: Ariel Pinkerton
set design: Grif Sadow
costume design: Annie Cady
stage manager/assistant director: Reid Knuttila
stage manager, sound/lighting crew, house manager: Ariel Pinkerton
L to R: Maggie D'Ambrose (Erika), Barbara Kingsley (Karin), Stephen D'Ambrose (Walter).
Photo: Scott Pakudaitis
*member of Actors' Equity
This production was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
This production was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
YARRRH! THE LUSTY, BUSTY PIRATE MUSICAL
L to R: Lisa Bol, Ariel Leaf, and Dawn Brody. Photo: Minnesota Fringe Festival
YARRRH! The Lusty, Busty Pirate Musical
book and lyrics by Daniel Pinkerton
music by Chris Gennaula
directed by Melissa Hart*
August 4-14, 2011, Minnesota Fringe Festival
Cast:
Lisa Bol: Billy Silverhook, Captain Jake O'Reilly, and others
Dawn Brodey: Rosie Bustle, Governor Cyril Toadmoor, and others
Ariel Leaf: Captain Desirée LaFemme, Cecily Toadmoor, and others
Oliver Hands: Toby Bustle
Noah Strom: accordion
music direction: Chris Gennaula
fight choreographer: Annie Enneking
stage manager: Sarah Perron
costume designer: Andrea Gross
book and lyrics by Daniel Pinkerton
music by Chris Gennaula
directed by Melissa Hart*
August 4-14, 2011, Minnesota Fringe Festival
Cast:
Lisa Bol: Billy Silverhook, Captain Jake O'Reilly, and others
Dawn Brodey: Rosie Bustle, Governor Cyril Toadmoor, and others
Ariel Leaf: Captain Desirée LaFemme, Cecily Toadmoor, and others
Oliver Hands: Toby Bustle
Noah Strom: accordion
music direction: Chris Gennaula
fight choreographer: Annie Enneking
stage manager: Sarah Perron
costume designer: Andrea Gross
L to R: Ariel Leaf, Valerie Rigsbee. Photo: Scott Pakudaitis
YARRRH! was revived and ran at the Open Eye Figure Theatre from September 9-24, 2011. All personnel remained unchanged except that Valerie Rigsbee replaced Dawn Brodey as Rosie Bustle, et al, and Ariel Leaf was the lighting designer.
*member of Actors Equity
*member of Actors Equity
STOP KISS
Ariel Leaf (Callie). Photo: Scott Pakudaitis
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Katie Starks (Sara). Photo: Scott Pakudaitis
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L to R: Ariel Leaf (Callie), Katie Starks (Sara)
Stop Kiss
by Diana Son
directed by Ben Layne
January 25-February 8, 2014, Nimbus Theatre
Cast:
Ariel Leaf: Callie
Katie Starks: Sara
Linda Sue Anderson: Mrs. Winsley/Nurse
Andy Chambers: George
Michael Ooms: Peter
Joel Raney: Detective Cole
lighting design: Julia Carlis
Set design: Ursula K. Bowden
props design (and more): Corinna Knepper Troth
costume design: Jenna Graupmann
sound design: Scot Moore
stage manager: Kate O'Connoll
publicity, house manager, box office: Daniel Pinkerton
This production was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
by Diana Son
directed by Ben Layne
January 25-February 8, 2014, Nimbus Theatre
Cast:
Ariel Leaf: Callie
Katie Starks: Sara
Linda Sue Anderson: Mrs. Winsley/Nurse
Andy Chambers: George
Michael Ooms: Peter
Joel Raney: Detective Cole
lighting design: Julia Carlis
Set design: Ursula K. Bowden
props design (and more): Corinna Knepper Troth
costume design: Jenna Graupmann
sound design: Scot Moore
stage manager: Kate O'Connoll
publicity, house manager, box office: Daniel Pinkerton
This production was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
A SLIGHT ACHE / IN THE WHITE ROOM
Left to right: Ariel Leaf (Flora), Michael Ooms (Edward). Photo: Heidi Garrido
A Slight Ache
by Harold Pinter directed by Ben Layne September 13-28, 2014, Black Forest Inn Banquet Hall Michael Ooms: Edward Ariel Leaf: Flora John Leaf: Matchseller |
Left to right: Lacey Zeiler (Clerk), John Leaf (Steve). Photo: Heidi Garrido
In the White Room
written and directed by Michael Ooms September 13-28, Black Forest Inn Banquet Hall John Leaf: Steve Lacey Zeiler: Clerk |
WHY WE LAUGH
Left to right: Elise Langer, Skyler Nowinski, Ryan Lindberg. Photo: Scott Pakudaitis.
Back, left to right: Craig Harris, Ryan Lindberg, Skyler Nowinski. Front, left to right: Julie Kurtz, Elise Langer. Photo: Scott Pakudaitis.
Why We Laugh
by Kira Obolensky
music by Craig Harris
Based on “Laugh With Us” by Felix Porges, Vítězslav Horpatzky, Pavel Weisskopf and Pavel Stránský; English translation & dramaturgy by Lisa Peschel
September 12-27, 2015
CAST
Julie Kurtz: The Scholar
Elise Langer: Elly Bernstein-Porges
Ryan Lindberg: Vítězslav Horpatzky
Skyler Nowinski: Felix Porges
Craig Harris: Pianist
ARTISTIC STAFF
Hayley Finn: director
Mawrgyn Roper: stage manager, light board operator
Irve Dell: Scenery and properties designer
Ariel Leaf: lighting and lobby display designer, coproducer
A. Emily Heaney: costume designer
Daniel Pinkerton: graphic designer, publicity, coproducer
Sott Pakudaitis: photographer
This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; and by a grant from RIMON: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council, an initiative of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
by Kira Obolensky
music by Craig Harris
Based on “Laugh With Us” by Felix Porges, Vítězslav Horpatzky, Pavel Weisskopf and Pavel Stránský; English translation & dramaturgy by Lisa Peschel
September 12-27, 2015
CAST
Julie Kurtz: The Scholar
Elise Langer: Elly Bernstein-Porges
Ryan Lindberg: Vítězslav Horpatzky
Skyler Nowinski: Felix Porges
Craig Harris: Pianist
ARTISTIC STAFF
Hayley Finn: director
Mawrgyn Roper: stage manager, light board operator
Irve Dell: Scenery and properties designer
Ariel Leaf: lighting and lobby display designer, coproducer
A. Emily Heaney: costume designer
Daniel Pinkerton: graphic designer, publicity, coproducer
Sott Pakudaitis: photographer
This activity was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; and by a grant from RIMON: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council, an initiative of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
GRAND THEFT AUTBIOGRAPHY
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Grand Theft Autobiography
stories written and performed by Daniel Pinkerton Songs by Gary Rue performed live by Gary Rue and the Delinquents: Gary Rue: guitar & lead vocals Megan Mahoney: electric bass & backing vocals Kenneth Watson, Jr.: drums & backing vocals Direction & dramaturgy by Ariel Leaf Performed at the Strike Theatre, Minneapolis MN, as part of the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival. |
Gary Rue and the Delinquents. Left to right: Kenneth Watson, Jr., Megan Mahoney, and Gary Rue. Photo: Ariel Leaf.
