For the third iteration of #TCTheater artist Andrew Erskine Wheeler's solo piece
Whoosh! The Civil War Mythology of Michael Hickey and His Perilous Precipitation Over St. Anthony Falls, he has partnered with History Theatre. What began as a
2022 Minnesota Fringe Festival show was expanded into
an outdoor show performed very near the falls themselves, and now has been fully realized in this perfect partnership. Andrew has created several compelling solo historical Fringe shows, which are all great and succinct as they were, but it's lovely to see this one fully realized. Some Fringe shows are destined to be more -
Illusion Theater often works with Transatlantic Love Affair to produce expanded versions of their Fringe shows, and Theatre in the Round supported the creators of the fantastic new original musical
Endometriosis: The Musical as they expanded it into a full-length musical, producing it as part of their season last year.
Whoosh! is somewhat of an anomaly for History Theatre; typically they commission, develop, and produce new works, participating in every step of development. Andrew developed
Whoosh! independently, but its very Minnesotan and historical themes make it a natural fit for History Theatre, and they provided the resources and additional creative talent to help make it all that it can be. As much as I love the intimate solo storytelling nature of the original, this expanded version is just as moving and compelling, and even richer and more thrilling.
Take a trip over the falls and through the history of this great state now through February 22.
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Andrew Erskine Wheeler as Michael Hickey, with musicians
Danny Diamond and Brian Miller (photo by Rick Spaulding) |
Whoosh! tells the story of an Irish immigrant named Michael Hickey (a real person, although much of the story is imagined) who followed his brother to the logging camps of Northern Minnesota, Andrew as Michael speaking directly to the audience as he tells us what life in the logging camps was like. Shortly after arrival in this country, the Civil War started. His brother joined the 1st Minnesota Regiment in the Civil War, so Michael joined the second. After Michael returned from the war (and his brother didn't), Michael was traumatized and lost and drunk. He was given a job after the war by his sergeant (who, spoiler alert, is Andrew's ancestor), and survived a tumble over the falls, where he encountered the spirit of a Dakota woman and her son who were said to haunt the island upon which he was deposited. He was arrested, it being illegal to go over the falls, and he and his sergeant defend himself.*
Andrew personifies all of these people, with a change of accent or accessory to his period costume, over a base of red long johns. Into this story he brilliantly weaves the history of the falls, Indigenous and White people's stories and legends surrounding it, the infamous painting in the Minnesota State Capitol about Father Hennepin's "discovery" of the falls by artist Douglas Volk, and the horrors of war and its aftermath. With direction by Allison Vincent (who has been with the show since the beginning), the show seamlessly flows from one story to the next, one character to the next, and wraps back around to pick up a thread.*
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| Andrew Erskine Wheeler (photo by Rick Spaulding) |
In previous iterations Andrew used many detailed and specific props to tell the story, some of which are still in the show, but the addition of projections of historical photos, set, sound, and lighting design, bring things into sharper focus. We see archival photos of the people, places, and paintings in the story projected onto three large screens. On stage is a 19th Century Northern Minnesota camp complete with a bed under a tarp, and a glowing stove. Huge pine trees tower over the set, and logs are placed around the space. In addition to the high-tech theater magic (evocative lighting and sound design), there is still some low-tech theater magic, like the unfurling of the falls when Michael goes over. (Scenic design by Erik Paulson, props design by Kirby Moore, costume design by Mandi Johnson, lighting design by Tony Stoeri, video design by Brant Miller, sound design by Richard Graham.)
Another excellent addition to the show is music played by live musicians, which has been a part of previous versions but not in such a significant way. Music Director Brian Miller and his fellow
Northern Shores bandmate Danny Diamond don't just play traditional Irish and logging music, but also interact with Andrew in a charming way, giving him someone to play with.
This piece is such a beautiful tribute to Minnesotans and Minnesota history, and it's impossible not to see it through the lens of what's happening in our state right now. In recent weeks, people all over the world have been astounded and inspired by the strength and resiliency of the Minnesota people, but they shouldn't have been surprised. The First Minnesota Regiment were the first troops to join the Civil War and fight for the Union, and played a pivotal role in the Battle of Gettysburg. This play shares stories of the strength and resiliency of the native people who have called Minnesota home for countless generations, the Dakota and Ojibwe among others, and the immigrants who have made Minnesota what it is. Specifically in this story the Irish immigrants, but they worked alongside German and Scandinavian immigrants in the early days of the state, later joined by immigrants from Southeast Asia, Somalia, and many other places, as well as people whose ancestors were brought here against their will. From the logging camps to the battlefield to the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesotans have always been strong, as History Theater often reminds us, particularly in this piece.
