The History Theatre's Virtual New Works Festival "Raw Stages," Fall 2020

Every January, the History Theatre hosts a new works festival called "Raw Stages." Most of their programming is original works, so they rely on these annual workshops and readings as part of the development process. Faced with a long closure of the theater space due to the current and seemingly never-ending pandemic, they decided to hold another "Raw Stages" festival this year - virtually. Workshops and readings are done over Zoom, with the each of five recorded readings available for streaming for a week, spread out about a month apart. I missed the first one, Not In Our Neighborhood (which was supposed to premiere in the spring of 2020), but I've watched the other four. The most recent and currently streaming is the delightful Betty Crocker Musical, with a live talk-back on Friday. Read on for details of all five new works and how you can watch them.

The History Theatre's New Works Festival "Raw Stages" 2020

January may be the depths of winter in Minnesota, but it also brings one of my favorite theater events of the year. History Theatre, or HERstory Theatre as it's currently known, holds workshops and a public reading of four new works of theater in what they call their "Raw Stages" festival. For a theater that produces as many world premieres as History Theatre (something like 70% of their work is new), this is an important part of their season. This is my seventh year attending Raw Stages, and it's super fun to see a reading of an exciting new work, typically about a true Minnesota story, and then watch it continue to develop and often receive a full production a season or two later. In fact History Theatre's next three productions this year were part of last year's Raw Stages - Superman Becomes Lois Lane, Not for Sale, and Runestone! A Rock Musical. I only missed one of this year's readings (thanks, winter), and they're all really exciting work that I hope to see more of. A post-show discussion follows every reading, which is often the most moving part as people who lived and remember the story share their experiences. It's a powerful experience in and of itself, and also provides a glimpse behind the scenes. What follows is a short description of each play and my thoughts.

Fringe Festival 2015: "A Woman in Berlin"

Day: 5

Show: 23

Title: A Woman in Berlin

Category: Drama

By: Dirt Road Daughter

Created by: Eva Barr

Location: Nimbus Theatre

Summary: A one-woman show based on the book A Woman in Berlin, written by an anonymous woman about her experience in 1945 Berlin when it was taken by the Russians.

Highlights: This story is absolutely devastating and difficult to hear, but unfortunately it's not a unique story. Throughout history women have always been the spoils of war, but women have also always been survivors. So too this anonymous woman in the beautiful and beleaguered city of Berlin, one of many who was repeatedly raped by Russian soldiers at the end of WWII. She figures out a way to survive in this new world in which the old rules and morals no longer apply, living with one officer as a protector to keep the other soldiers away. Eva Barr has adapted the book and portrays the woman with such raw honesty that by the end I believed she was this woman. Chain-smoking (or rather pretending to, people can't chain-smoke on stage in 2015), shuffling papers, and nervously pacing as she reads her memoir to be recorded, she brings the audience right there to the terrors of wartime that are particular to women. It's unthinkable. But Eva Barr helps us to face the truth by so beautifully and devastatingly telling this anonymous brave woman's story.