Minnesota Public Radio Presents Back Home: A Kevin Kling & Mason Jennings Collaboration November 23-25 at the Fitzgerald Theater
Sep 21, 2012
Through a beautiful, funny, heartwarming - and sometimes surprising - collection of songs and stories, Minnesota artists Kling and Jennings create a show that portrays the notion of "coming home" -replete with all the love and anxiety that goes along with it. Watch a promotional video about the collaboration here.
Directed by Acclaim Award winner Jason Ballweber, this holiday production weaves together songs and stories that are sure to entertain family members ages 9 to 99. The program also will be recorded and broadcast on 89.3 The Current and on MPR News (91.1 in the Twin Cities and additional frequencies statewide) over the Thanksgiving weekend. Back Home has been commissioned by MPR as part of Kevin Kling's three-year-original-works-residency. As part of the residency, Kling presents original works exclusively on the Fitzgerald Theater stage, conducts storytelling workshops and provides commentaries for Minnesota Public Radio.
TICKETS: Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 25 at noon to MPR members only for $33. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Sept. 28 at noon for $35. A family discount of $5 per ticket is available with purchase of 5 or more tickets. Obstructed view tickets are $29. Tickets can be purchased by calling the MPR box office at 651-290-1200 during business hours (noon - 5 p.m., Tuesday to Friday). Visit the Fitzgerald Theater website for additional details.
WHERE: The Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul
WHEN: Friday, November 23, 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 24, 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 25, 2:00 p.m.
About the Performers Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. Kling's autobiographical tales are as enchanting as they are true to life: hopping freight trains, getting hit by lightning, performing his banned play in Czechoslovakia, growing up in Minnesota, and eating things before knowing what they are.
Mason Jennings is an American singer-songwriter. He is well known for his simple yet catchy melodies, intimate lyrics, literary and historical themes, and distinctive voice. His latest album is titled Minnesota.
Director Jason Ballweber received a B.A. in Theater from the University of Minnesota. While there he started his work with Four Humors Theater and is now the Artistic Director. Jason recently directed Sideways Stories from Wayside School at Know Theatre in 2009 for which he won an Acclaim Award for Direction. Ballweber has also worked with companies such as Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Open Eye Figure Theatre, Three Sticks, Jon Ferguson Theatre, Live Action Set, The Bedlam Theatre and the Minnesota Orchestra.
About the Fitzgerald Theater The Fitzgerald® Theater is committed to programming that reflects the audience and mission of Minnesota Public Radio®. This 1,000-seat theater acts as MPR's largest broadcast studio, with airwaves reaching millions of people tuned in to A Prairie Home Companion®. Our staged productions commission authors, artists and radio hosts to create intellectually stimulating programs that delight and enlighten our vast public radio community. The Fitzgerald Theater is St. Paul's oldest theater and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010.
About Minnesota Public Radio Minnesota Public Radio® (MPR) operates a 43-station radio network serving virtually all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states. Reaching one million listeners each week, Minnesota Public Radio produces programming for radio, Internet and face-to-face audiences, and is home to the largest and most experienced radio newsroom in the Upper Midwest. Programs produced by Minnesota Public Radio's parent company, American Public Media, reach over 17 million listeners on more than 800 radio stations nationwide each week. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be found at www.minnesotapublicradio.org. Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only.