Theater Latté Da
in partnership with Minnesota Public Radio presents
by
Peter Rothstein and Dan Chouinard
Mike Wangen
Elizabeth R. MacNally
Rick Polenek
Michael Hanisch
Lighting Designer
Stage Manager
Prop Designer
Video Designer
Dan Chouinard
Music Director
Peter Rothstein*
Director
Opening Night: Thursday, June 2, 2011
* Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Theater Latté Da gratefully acknowledges the generous support of
This presentation of Steerage Song is supported in part by
the National Fund of New Musicals, a program of the
National Alliance for Musical Theatre – www.namt.org
This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the
Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by
the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the
National Endowment for the Arts.
the Ensemble
Sasha Andreev
Braxton Baker
John Bitterman
Erin Capello
Dennis Curley
Dylan Fresco
Jennifer Grimm
Jay Hornbacher
Jake Ingbar
Natalie Nowytski
Amy Stockhaus
the Musicians
Dan Chouinard........................................................................ Accordion, Piano and Tuba
Dirk Freymuth.................................................................................... Guitar and Bouzouki
Laura MacKenzie................................................................. Flutes, Pipes and Concertina
Dale Mendenhall. ............................................................................................... Clarinet
Peter Ostroushko..............................................................................Violin and Mandolin
.
the Texts
Broughton Brandenburg, Imported Americans, 1903
Dr. John L. Elliott, speech before Conference of the National Association of Music School Societies,
New York, 1912
Steven Graham, With Poor Immigrants to America, 1914
Illustrated London News, 1850
Wallace Irwin, “Ellis Island’s Problems,” New York Globe, 1904 Frances Kellor, Out of Work: A Study of Unemployment, 1915
Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus,” 1883
New York Telegraph, 1911
New York Times, 1888-1921
New York World, 1905, 1910
Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., ship manifest, SS Rhynland, 1893
Edward Steiner, On the Trail of the Immigrant, 1906
Wiley & Putnam’s Emigrant Guide, Comprised of Advice and Instruction in
Every Stage of the Voyage to America, 1845
Steerage Song will be performed with one intermission.
ASL-Interpreted and Audio-Described Performance is Friday, June 3.
Post-Show Discussions will be held Friday, June 3; Saturday, June 4; and Sunday, June 5.
As a courtesy to the performers and other patrons, please check to see that all cell phones, pagers,
watches, and other noise-making devices are turned off.
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
Theater Latté Da
1
the Songs
Part One: The Call
Uncle Sam’s Farm (United States)
By the Hutchinson Family
To the West, To the West! (England)
Words by Charles Mackay, L.L.D., Music by Henry Russell
Oleana (Norway)
By Ditmar Meidell
Part Two: Bidding Farewell
Shikt A Tiket – Send a Ticket ~ Jewish
Mamma Mia, Dammi Cento Lire – Mama, Please Give Me a Hundred Lire ~ Italy
Zrobił Góral Krzyz. Na Czole – The Mountaineer Crossed Himself ~ Poland
Elmegyek, Elmegyek – I Am Leaving ~ Hungary
Fevgho Glikia – I’m Leaving Now ~ Greece
The Shores of Amerikay ~ Ireland
Reisaavaisen Laulu Ameriikan – Song of a Wanderer to America ~ Finland
Part Three: The Voyage
Sailor’s Farewell Hymn
Dall’Italia Noi Siamo Partiti – When From Italy We Did Take Our Leave ~ Italy
Havre Ist Ein Schönes Städtchen – Havre Is a Pretty City ~ Switzerland
Dutaich Nan Craobh – The Land of the Trees ~ Scotland
The Emigrant’s Letter
~ Ireland
Tarantella Di Mirto ~ Italy
Danici – To the Morning Star ~ Slovenia
By Gustav Ipavec
Havre Ist Ein Schönes Städtchen – Havre Is a Pretty City Reprise ~ Switzerland
Tikai Viena Dziesma – Only One Song
~ Latvia
Rozhinkes Mit Mandeln – Raisins with Almonds ~ Jewish
By Abraham Goldfaden
Hälsa Dem Därhemma – Greet them at Home ~ Sweden
By Elith Worsing
2 Steerage Song
Part Four: A Sonnet in the Harbor
Beautiful Isle of Somewhere ~ United States
Words by Jessie Brown Pounds, Music by John S. Fearis
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor ~ United States
Words by Emma Lazarus, Music by Irving Berlin
Intermission
Part Five: Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
Uncle Sam’s Farm Reprise ~ United States
By the Hutchinson Family
Elis Ayland – Ellis Island
~ Jewish
Heil Dir, Columbus – Hail to the Columbus ~ Germany
Di Grine Kuzine – The Greenhorn Cousin ~ Jewish
Words by Hyman Prizant, Music by Abe Schwartz
Part Six: The Lower East Side
Dall’Italia Noi Siamo Partiti – When From Italy We Did Take Our Leave ~ Italy
McNally’s Row of Flats
~ United States
By Edward Harrigan and David Braham
Wintergarden Quadrille and Castle Jig
~ Ireland
Moyi Mamtsia Doma – My Mother Is at Home ~ Ukraine (Lemko)
Aja Lejber Man – I’m a Labor Man ~ Slovakia
Bog Da Bie Kaj Prv Pojde – God Smite Him Who Goes First ~ Macedonia
Amerika-Rossiya – America-Russia ~ Russia
By Anatoly Mogilevsky
Rose of the Volga ~ United States
By Gus Kahn
Gee, But This Is a Lonely Town ~ United States
By Billy Gaston
Yes, We Have No Bananas ~ United States
By Frank Silver and Irving Cohn
Sweet Italian Love ~ United States
Words by Irving Berlin, Music by Ted Snyder
That Little German Band ~ United States
Words by Joe McCarthy and Joe Goodwin, Music by Fred Fischer
‘Twas Only An Irishman’s Dream ~ United States
Words by John J. O’Brien and Al Dubin, Music by Rennie Cormack
Beautiful Isle of Somewhere Reprise ~ United States
Words by Jessie Brown Pounds, Music by John S. Fearis
Theater Latté Da
3
Creating Steerage Song
It’s hard to pinpoint where ideas come from. Maybe the idea for Steerage Song came to me
on a trip to Ellis Island. I found myself astounded with the enormity of the place and the
enormity of the choices made by the millions who passed through its gates. Or perhaps the
idea came from my frustration with our current immigration system and its lack of compassion
and integrity. I desperately want this land of promise to exercise its promise. But most likely
the idea came from my mother and her love of Irish song. For me, where you come from has
always been linked to music, and I thank my mother for that. This Song’s for her.
~ Peter Rothstein
As one who counts among his favorite roles those of saloon piano player and European street
accordionist, I felt no hesitation when Peter Rothstein suggested many months ago that we
write a show together based on immigrant folk songs and immigrant-associated Tin Pan Alley
tunes. Music was my point of entry to this research-and-writing project, but beyond the music
was history and a world I knew only on its surface, from the depleted and politically unstable
landscape of late-1800s Europe on through the profiteering transatlantic steamship lines and
the robust squalor of New York’s Lower East Side. After walking those streets, scrolling
through the miles of microfilm and shuffling the piles of music, I’m grateful to be here with
you and with this cast, offering a bit of what we’ve learned.
~ Dan Chouinard
special thanks
We would like to thank our language consultants for their valuable contribution to the
creative process: Agata Dittfurth (Polish), Elina Kala (Finnish), Eva Kish (Hungarian), Goran Alachki
(Macedonian), Judith Eisner & Yiddish Theater Group, Minneapolis JCC (Yiddish), Ksenija Rener Sitar
(Slovenian), Mark Sedio (Slovak), Myrianthi Aristodemou Salovich (Greek), Nancy Stenson (Scots Gaelic),
Natalie Nowytski (Ukrainian), Tiziana Bales (Italian).
We would also like to thank these generous individuals and impressive institutions for their
research assistance: Barry Moreno and the Ellis Island Archives; Dunbrody Famine Ship Museum, New Ross,
Ireland; Ellis Island Immigration Museum; Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship Museum, Dublin Ireland; Library of
Congress Performing Arts Reading Room, Washington, DC; Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts,
New York; Linnea Anderson and the Social Welfare History Archives at the University of Minnesota;
Mersey Maritime Museum, Liverpool, England; Museum of the City of New York; New York Public Library;
The Queenstown Story, Cobh, Ireland; Stevie Beck,The Tenement Museum, New York
We would also like to thank: The Children’s Theatre Company, Chelsea Dammen at the McNally Smith
College of Music, Dudley Voigt, Todd Mulloy, Abby Harkness, Kelsey Peterjohn, Omar Guevara Soto,
Jennifer Patti, and Kevin Reuther
The danger that we have most to fear is that we, too, will grow old as a nation,
and that this constantly inflowing tide of new blood will be diverted to the ancient
lands becoming young again. ~ Arthur Henry, Among the Immigrants, Scribner’s Magazine, 1901
4 Steerage Song
a Chronology
United states immigration from 1840–1924
1840
1846
Cunard Line is founded, beginning
the era of steamship lines especially
designed for the transportation of
passengers between Europe and the
United States.
Crop failures in Germany and
Holland send thousands of
dispossessed to the United States.
1846-47
Irish potato famine causes mass
emigration of all classes of the Irish
population to the United States.
1855 Castle Garden immigrant depot
opens in New York City to process
mass immigration.
1861-65
Large numbers of immigrants
serve on both sides of the American
Civil War.
1882
First federal immigration law bars
lunatics, idiots, convicts and those
likely to become public charges.
1882
Outbreak of anti-Semitism in Russia
triggers a surge in Jewish migration
to the United States.
1882
Chinese Exclusion Act is adopted;
the first time a group of people is
barred from the US solely based on
their national identity.
1886
Statue of Liberty is dedicated in
New York Harbor.
1891
Congress adds medical status to
immigration restrictions.
1891
Violent pogroms swell the
continued exodus of Jews
from Russia.
1892
Ellis Island replaces Castle
Garden as a processing center
for immigrants.
1894
Immigration Restriction League
organized to spearhead the
restrictionist movement for the next
25 years.
1914-18
World War I brings an end to the
period of mass migration to the
United States.
1916-18 Thousands of immigrants return to
Europe as soldiers for the United
States Army.
1917
Literacy test for immigrants finally
adopted after being defeated by
Congress for more than twenty
years.
1921 Emergency Immigration Act
introduces a quota system, heavily
favoring natives of Northern and
Western Europe and restricting
those from Southern and Eastern
Europe.
1923
Ku Klux Klan’s anti-immigration
movement reaches peak strength.
1924 National Origins Act is adopted,
setting a ceiling on the total number
of immigrants and establishing
discriminatory national-racial
quotas, effectively closing the door
on immigration.
Theater Latté Da
5
The Art of Musical Theater
Our Mission
Theater Latté Da seeks to create new connections between story, music, artist,
and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.
Our Vision
Theater Latté Da is recognized locally and nationally as a beacon for advancing the art
of musical storytelling through emotional, visceral, intellectual, and ultimately
transformative performances that resonate with our current world.
Our Values
We believe in work that is BOLD, COLLABORATIVE, and ultimately
TRANSFORMATIVE; we act with INTEGRITY and GRATITUDE.
Our Board of Directors
Lisa M. Hoene, President
Bill Underwood, Vice President
Charla Eccles, Secretary
Marilyn C. Nevin, Treasurer
Travis L. Barkve, Margaret Nelson Brinkhaus, Jeffery Brockmann, Dan Caldwell,
Peter Carlson, Ogden Confer, Timothy P. Dordell, Mary Beidler Gearen,
Elizabeth Mannion Gibba, John Kundtz, Kimberly Motes, James P. Quinn,
Peter Rothstein, Lorri Steffen, Jean Storlie, John Thew
Our Community Advisory Board
Joseph Andrews, Scott Benson, Carol and Kim Culp, Patricia Spencer Faunce,
Charles Ferrell, Gregory Foster, Steve Froeschl, Christopher Hermann, Nancy Jones,
Kate Kerfoot, Steven Loucks, Scott Mayer, Teresa McFarland, Mary Meighan,
Marti Morfitt, Jim Payne, John Sullivan, Bill Venne, Jay Waldera,
Ruth and David Waterbury, Mike Wenzel, Carol Windfeldt, David Wilson
Theater Latté Da
1170 15th Avenue SE, Suite 203 • Minneapolis, MN 55414
612.339.3003 • www.LatteDa.org
Find Theater Latté Da on Facebook,Twitter and Vimeo.
6 Steerage Song
our Staff
Peter Rothstein. ................................................................................ Artistic Director
Denise Prosek....................................................................... Resident Music Director
John Thew............................................................................................. Managing Director
Abby Zimmer........................................................................................... Office Manager
Tiffany K. Orr............................................................................Production Manager
Michael Hefty................................................................................Graphic Designer
Michael Hanisch. ...............................................................................Videographer
Jenna Zark............................................................................ Development Consultant
Jennifer Gamberg. ..................................................................................Accountant
Michael Matthew Ferrell.................................................Resident Choreographer
Tod Petersen. .................................................................................. Artistic Associate
Matt Cerar and Elizabeth Tammen......................................................... Interns
Production Staff
Dylan Frederick. ............................................................................ Assistant Director
Sonja Thorson..................................................................... Assistant Stage Manager
Tim Gross........................................................................................ Technical Director
Michal Daniel. ................................................................... Production Photographer
George Byron Griffiths. ................................................. Promotional Photographer
Laurie Pape Hadley....................................................................... Audio Describer
Paul Deeming and Elly Carpenter. ........................................... ASL Interpreters
Scenery Constructed by Penumbra Theatre Scenic Studio.
Public Relations provided by McFarland Cahill Communications.
Legal Counsel provided by Alexander Rosenstein, Fredrikson & Bryon, P.A.
Fiscal Management Consulting by Cleary Consulting Group.
There she lies, the great Melting Pot! Celt and Latin, Slav and Teuton,
Greek and Syrian, black and yellow, Jew and Gentile—yes, East and
West, and North and South—how the great Alchemist melts and fuses them
with his purging flame! Here they shall all unite to build the Republic of
Man and the Kingdom of God.
~ Israel Zangwill, The Melting-Pot, First produced at Columbia Theatre, Washington, DC, 1908
Theater Latté Da
7
the MaidenVoyage Manifest
Steerage Song is made possible due to the extraordinary generosity of the following individuals, who invested
in our artistic journey. Thank you for being the wind in our sails.
Pursers ($10,000+)
Culp Family Foundation in honor of all courageous immigrants
Admirals ($5,000–$9,999)
David Wilson and Michael Peterman
Captains ($1,000–$4,999)
Ward and Kathy Armstrong
James P. and Mary Beidler Gearen in honor of Patrick Gearen arrived 7/4/1856
Ch arla and Jeffrey Eccles in honor of Patt Meisel
Nancy Jones
John Kundtz and Thomas Amon
Steven Loucks
Barbara Norrgard in memory of Bernice Freund
Lorri Steffen and Paul Zenner
John Sullivan in memory of Nellie V. Sullivan, arrived at age 5 from Ireland
First Mates ($500–$999)
Leslie Bendtsen in honor of Ben O. Bendtsen
Priscilla Brewster in honor of John Lander
Jane and Ogden Confer in honor of Catherine Smith McElhenny
Ch arlie and Anne Ferrell
Cathie Hartnett and John Monto in honor of John Montoleoni
James P. Quinn in honor of Chris Zhang
Carol and Tom Windfeldt in honor of our parents and grandparents
Julie and Ch arles Zelle in honor of Mary Belzman (Julie’s Great Grandmother) and Charles A. Zelle (Charlie’s Great Grandfather)
Skippers ($250–$499)
Dorothy A. Akin
Travis L.Barkve
Ryan Boekelheide and Corey Isaak
Jeffery Brockmann and Shane Swanson
Scott Cabalka
Jean and Jim Hartman in honor of Michael G. Cipala - Grandfather of Jean Hartman
Jason Howard and Ch ad Keast in honor of Jacob Hoefti (Switzerland) and Agnetta Lokken (Norway)
Sandi and Jim Jensen
Jim Newstrom
Jim Payne in honor of Josef Zamecnik
John Sweet and Erik Brendtro in honor of Jonetta Schjødt (1903) and John Bostwick (1632)
Bill Underwood and Ch ris Everett in honor of Lilian Mae Reed
Bill Venne and Douglas Kline
Sailing from
St. Paul, Minnesota 06/02/2011
Seafarers ($100–$249)
Tor and Kristine Aasheim
Elizabeth Andrews and Jeffrey Rank
Annemarie Bossert and Thomas Lovett in honor of John Lovett
Patricia Brewer
Candy and Thomas Carlson
James Collins in honor of James and Margaret Rainey
Steve Fischer and Mark Schultz
Madeleine Gibba in honor of Jim Mannion
Sue Gillman in honor of Georgia Ireland
Joan Anderson Growe in honor of Arthur Anderson
Lisa and Dan Hoene in honor of their music-loving mothers, Mary and Rose Mary
Jim and Mary Holland in memory of mothers Irene Holland Smith and Lily Comstock
Brian E. Jones in memory of Haydn E. and Dorothy K. Jones
Mary Irey and Stefano Loverso
Gerald Kollodge
Candy Kuehn and Craig Harris in honor of George Gill, Lillian Melin, Bella Fronman
David Lozinski
Marilyn C. Nevin in honor of Mary Bobich - arrived at 13 from Yugoslavia for an arranged marriage
Eve O’ Gary
Ronald G. Perrier
Pat and Gene Radecki in honor of Walter Radecki
Kelly, Tom & Jack in honor of Sandy Ryan
Karon Sandberg in honor of Patt Meisel
James D. Smith
Jean Storlie and Jay Harkness
Brad Wagner and Jay Miller
Ruth and David Waterbury
Catherine and Steven Webster
Martha and Jim Williams in honor of Jean Rothstein
Jane Zilch
Stewards ($50–$99)
Tim Dordell and Kirk Ballard
Aiden Kundtz in honor of his Nana and Grandma!
Bonnie Lee and Dan Foss
Tiffany K. Orr in honor of Randy and Shirley Orr
Chuck and Jo Parsons in honor of Elizabeth Russell and Grace Parsons
Jennifer Patti in honor of Joan DeNunzio Patti
Arturo Steely
John Thew in honor of Theresa Gugino’s ancestors
in honor of Mrs. Priscilla Johnson Dordell and her Norwegian ancestors from the Vang Valley
and Haugesund in Norway and in honor of Mrs. Nancy Doughan Ballard and her ancestors from Ireland.
the Company
Dan Chouinard (Co-Creator and Music Director) is a Twin Cities musician who
plays, tours and records regularly with a broad range of musicians and writers. He is also
regularly called upon to write and host programs that blend history, memoir and music, most
recently for Minnesota Public Radio and the Minnesota Historical Society. Cafe Europa
(2005, 2008) and Mambo Italiano (2006, 2009) aired on Twin Cities public television
and were broadcast statewide on MPR. Recently he’s been touring around the state with
Prudence Johnson (The Golden Age of Radio) and Ann Reed (Heroes). He’ll be back at
the Fitzgerald Theater in mid-June with the Rose Ensemble in Songs of Temperance and Temptation. Until
2007, he was assistant director of music at St. Joan of Arc Church in Minneapolis, where he continues as
music advisor and co-producer of the SJA Concert Series. In 1994 he created the acclaimed weekly radio
series The Singer’s Voice, broadcast live Sunday nights from the Dakota Jazz Club, then in St. Paul, hosting
song-spiked conversation from the piano with a different singer each week, some 200 in the six years of the
show’s tenure. Dan grew up in a musical family, attended St. John’s University in Collegeville MN (1985)
and spent four years as a teacher of French and Italian at the University of Minnesota. DanChouinard.com
Peter Rothstein (Co-Creator and Director) has directed 44 mainstage productions,
including 29 area and world premieres, for Theater Latté Da. Other recent collaborations
include the M. Butterfly with Guthrie Theater, Annie with The Children’s Theatre
Company, Doubt with Ten Thousand Things and Guys and Dolls with Seattle’s 5th Avenue
Theatre. He is the creator of All Is Calm :The Christmas Truce of 1914, which premiered in a
live broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio. Peter has been named one of Minnesota’s Artists
of the Year by the Star Tribune, Theater Artist of the Year by Lavender Magazine, and the
Best Director in the Twin Cities by City Pages. He has been awarded grants from the National Endowment
for the Arts, Theater Communications Group, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the McKnight
Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Theater from St. John’s University and a
Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from University of Wisconsin – Madison. Peter-Rothstein.com
Sasha Andreev has been performing in the Twin Cities for the last five years, most
recently in Next Fall at the Jungle Theater. Other credits include the Guthrie Theater, Park
Square Theatre, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Mixed Blood
Theatre, Hennepin Stages, MN Orchestra, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and the
MN Fringe Festival. On television, Sasha has been seen as host of HGTV’s Curb Appeal,
ShopNBC, and numerous commercials. Films include Lumpy, Ghost From the Machine,
and How You Look to Me. Sasha is a graduate of Vassar College.
Braxton Baker was most recently seen in Little Eyes, a Workhaus Collective production
at the Guthrie Theater. Other stage appearances include the title role in The 500 Hats of
Bartholomew Cubbins at The Children’s Theatre Company, S. Gunter Klaus and the
Story Before with Jon Ferguson Theater, and productions of The Secret Garden, Beauty and
the Beast, and The Full Monty at the Duluth Playhouse.
John Bitterman is debuting with Theater Latté Da in Steerage Song. He performs in
theater, opera, and oratorio in the Twin Cities and beyond. For seven seasons, John sang with
the Rose Ensemble, touring the country and performing in Europe. John is the founder and
artistic director of Silver Swan, a chamber ensemble of solo singers who perform music from
the 14th to the 21st centuries.
10 Steerage Song
Erin Capello is very excited to be performing once again with Theater Latté Da. She was
also seen in Evita and in a number of cabarets, including Prosody and Latté Da in the Park.
Erin has also performed with History Theatre, Stages Theatre Company, Gilbert & Sullivan Very
Light Opera Company, Minnesota Opera and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Her favorite roles
include Laura in Swing! at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha
at Normandale Community College. Erin has also performed with The Minnesota Orchestra at
Orchestra Hall. Her next production is with Cardinal Theatricals at The Lab Theater, performing
Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Show.
Dennis Curley was delighted to appear in one incarnation of Theater Latté Da’s
A Christmas Carole Petersen. He has composed music for Vampires! Horror!, Love After
Hours, Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping, and Whistling Past the Graveyard.
Dennis is the arranger of Schoolhouse Rock Live! and Schoolhouse Rock Live Too! (both
published by MTI). He recently performed in Power Balladz (Lab Theater), Hot ‘n’ Cole
(Ordway Center), My Way (Ordway Center), Orphan Train (History Theatre), and
Warm Beer, Cold Women (Guthrie Theater). Dennis is a co-founder and executive producer
of Table Salt Productions (TableSaltProductions.com).
Dylan Fresco last appeared at the Fitzgerald Theater as part of MPR’s Song for Minnesota
concert with Ann Reed. He has performed with Penumbra Theatre, The Children’s Theatre
Company, Ten Thousand Things Theatre, and Skylark Opera, among others. As an entertainer,
he spins tales, sings songs, and plays ukulele at many a venue. Dylan is a graduate of Carleton
College and the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater. At the Minnesota Fringe
Festival this summer, he’ll premiere Welcoming the Stranger, a solo piece about his family’s
emigration to America. DylanFresco.com
Jennifer Grimm appeared in Theater Latté Da’s very first production, Lost In Boston, as
well as in A Christmas Carole Petersen. She has most recently been more heard than seen as she
has been doing voice over work for OfficeMax, Target, Health Partners and others while also
having her original work used on NBC’s Sing Off and Parenthood and other shows on FOX
and TLC. While she continues to write and produce for stage, studio and television, she is glad to
be always performing with her friends and family in the Twin Cities area, New York City and
on the occasional tour across the U.S. Jay Hornbacher returns to the stage for the first time since the late 1990’s, having spent
the last dozen years working as a lay minister in two Episcopal churches. During the 1980’s and
1990’s, Jay appeared with the Guthrie Theater, Jungle Theater, Old Log Theater, Park Square
Theatre, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, and Sell the Cow Theatre. He lists as his
favorite roles Davies in Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker, Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank,
and Macheath in The Threepenny Opera. He is thrilled to be making his first appearance with
Theater Latté Da in Steerage Song.
Jake Ingbar appeared in Theater Latté Da’s Gypsy and The Full Monty. He was most
recently seen in The Master Butchers Singing Club at the Guthrie Theater. He has also
performed for Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Illusion Theater, Ordway Center, La Musica
Lyrica, Minnesota Opera, and Walking Shadow Theatre Company. Other credits include
instrumental and vocal performances with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Exultate Choir
and Orchestra, and the Enso Quartet as well as concerts with La Musica Lyrica in Italy. This
summer Jake will be attending Tanglewood Music Festival as a Young Performing Artist.
Theater Latté Da
11
the Company
Natalie Nowytski (vocalist) is the winner of the 2011-2012 McKnight Artist
Fellowships for Performing Musicians administered by MacPhail Center for Music.
A classically trained musician and performer since childhood, Natalie has been an
active teacher, director and student of international folk music since 1996, specializing
in traditional vocal styling of Eastern Europe. She sings in more than 50 languages—
including her native Ukrainian—and in over 20 distinct vocal styles. She has performed
with Peter Ostroushko, Ruth MacKenzie, Joe Chvala and the Flying Foot Forum,
Orkestar Bez Ime, Ethnic Dance Theatre, Mila Vocal Ensemble, and other folk luminaries across the
US, Bulgaria, France and Czech Republic and has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion. This is her
first production with Theater Latté Da. NatalieN.com
Amy Stockhaus is delighted to be debuting with Theater Latté Da in Steerage Song.
Amy is currently studying as a BFA Music Theater major at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Most recently she was seen in Trojan Women at Illinois Wesleyan. She has also performed
locally with Stages Theatre Company and The Children’s Theatre Company. Dirk Freymuth has appeared on dozens of recordings as a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist
and has produced more than 50 records in a wide variety of genres. He has composed music for
film, television and radio in addition to writing new music for the various groups of which he
was a member. Also a specialist of historical stringed instruments, he holds a doctorate in Early
Music Performance from the University of Southern California and was professor of lute and
baroque guitar at Claremont Graduate University in Los Angeles from 2005-2008. This fall he
will be leaving Minnesota for Oregon to lead a new Audio Production program at Western
Oregon University.
Laura MacKenzie performs and teaches music from Scotland, Ireland, Nova Scotia,
England, Central France and Galicia on an array of traditional wind-powered instruments,
including flutes, whistles, pipes, concertina, gemshorn and voice. She has received numerous
performing arts honors and awards, including a Bush Artists Fellowship in 2009. In collaboration
with guest director Doug Hughes, Laura arranged and performed on stage the music for She
Stoops to Conquer at the Guthrie Theater during Joe Dowling’s inaugural season. Laura has
produced and performed in several Twin Cities shows of traditional music and dance, including
Gaelfest! at The O’Shaughnessy and A Charladies Christmas at the Lowry Theater. With author/actor Frank
McCourt, Laura performed in the one man, two musician run of Irish Stew, based on Angela’s Ashes. Currently,
Laura performs solo, with Gary Rue, and in the duos Ross & MacKenzie, Sproule & MacKenzie and Willow Brae
(with harpist Andrea Stern). LauraMackenzie.com
Dale Mendenhall has over 35 years of professional music experience. As a freelance
musician, Dale has performed at Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra, Guthrie Theater,
Ordway Center, The Children’s Theatre Company, State and Orpheum Theatre, backing up
such artists as Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, David Letterman, Jay Leno, and
many more. He toured Japan with Ben Sidran and the Paris singer Clementine. He has toured
Russia with the University of Minnesota concert band. His sound was heard on the #1 pop hit
Funkytown. Dale also plays various jazz festivals around the country with the Orlando Florida
based Bill Allred Classic Jazz Orchestra.
12 Steerage Song
Peter Ostroushko is one of today’s most highly regarded fiddle and mandolin
players. He is also one of Minnesota’s most accomplished and acclaimed composers.
Growing up in the Ukrainian commuity of Northeast Minneapolis, Peter was steeped in
the sounds of mandolin, balalaika and bandura music. PeterOstroushko.com
John Thew (Managing Director) is the former Director of Development and former Director
of Public Relations for New York’s Tony Award-winning Second Stage Theatre. Throughout his
tenure at the Second Stage, he led all aspects of the company’s fundraising and public relations
efforts resulting in six consecutive years of growth. John is also a former Production Manager
for Twin Cities Public Television and has an extensive background advising Minnesota-based
corporations in the areas of sales, leadership, and customer service.
Michael Wangen (Lighting Designer) is very happy to be working on his first Theater Latté Da
production. He is a longtime area lighting designer and recent work includes: In the Red and Brown Water and
Broke-ology with Pillsbury House Theatre; Adrift on the Mississippi with History Theatre, Three Viewings with
Illusion Theater, and Glyph with Workhaus Collective. His work has been seen throughout the Twin Cities,
including the Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Theater Mu, The Children’s Theatre
Company, and Pangea World Theater. Michael Hanisch (Video Designer) is a freelance video editor who works often with theaters to create
promotional videos as well as video for the stage. Michael has worked with Theater Latté Da, the Jungle Theater,
Park Square Theatre, Penumbra Theatre and others.
Rick Polenek (Prop Designer) has been active in the Twin Cities’ theatre and design communities for over
35 years. Rick has designed major exhibitions for the Minnesota Historical Society, the Science Museum of MN
and the Weisman Art Museum. As a commercial art director, Rick designed projects for Northwest Airlines,
Target Corp, NBA, Sesame Street Live! and Sesame Place Tokyo. Rick’s scenic and prop designs have appeared at
numerous professional, educational and community theatres in Minnesota. He was profiled in the Star Tribune
for notable design work on Twin Cities’ stages. Upcoming projects include Spelling Bee for Theater Latté Da and
Ragtime at Park Square. Rick is currently on the technical theatre faculty at Normandale College.
Elizabeth R. MacNally (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working with Theater Latté Da for the first time.
She has been stage managing in the Twin Cities for the last ten years. Some of her favorite shows include Main
Street and Hiding in the Open at the History Theatre; Recent Tragic Events and Two for the Seesaw at the
Jungle Theater; Bug and Vigil at Pillsbury House Theatre; and 9 Parts of Desire and Delicate Balance at the
Guthrie Theater. Elizabeth holds a BFA from Rockford College in Rockford, IL.
Famous Musician Immigrants of Ellis Island
Enzio Pinza, tenor, Italy 1893
Bob Hope (Leslie Hape), entertainer, England 1908
Irving Berlin (Israel Beilin), composer/lyricist, Russia 1893
Jule Styne, composer/lyricist, England 1912
Al Jolson (Asa Yoelson), singer/songwriter, Lithuania 1894
Xavier Cugat, bandleader, Spain and Cuba 1915
Al Dubin, lyricist, Switzerland 1896
John McCormack, tenor, Ireland 1917
Enrico Caruso, tenor, Italy 1904
The Von Trapp Family Singers, Austria 1938
Arthur Tracey, entertainer, Russia 1906
Henny Youngman (Henry Junggman), entertainer,
England 1906
Theater Latté Da
13
our Donors
The Board of Directors and staff of Theater Latté Da are grateful to the following companies, foundations, and individuals who have invested
in the artistic and educational programs that further our mission. Contributors as of May 20, 2011. If you have been listed incorrectly or
omitted, we sincerely apologize and ask that you call 612.339.3003 in order for us to correct your listing for future programs.
institutional Support
Matching Support
Ameriprise Financial
Blandin Foundation
Brookfield Properties
General Mills Foundation
Halleland, Lewis, Nilan & Johnson P.A.
Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd.
Ryan Companies
Securian Foundation
Thrivent Financial Foundation
UnitedHealth Group
US Bancorp Foundation
Xcel Energy Foundation
Verizon Foundation
Lisa M. and Dan Hoene
Bruce and Jean Johnson
John Kundtz and Thomas Amon
Marti Morfitt and Patrick Weber
James P. Quinn
Paul and Kathleen Rothstein
Lorri Steffen and Paul Zenner
The Walter and Mary Tuohy Foundation
David Wilson and Michael Peterman
Steve Froeschl
Katherine and Robert Goodale
Cathie Hartnett and John Monto
Nancy Jones
Steven Loucks
Kim and David Motes
Stan and Margaret Nelson Brinkhaus
Marilyn C. Nevin
Barbara Norrgard
Robert and Rebecca Pohlad
Ken and Nina Rothchild
The Ryan Family
Jean Storlie and Jay Harkness
John Sullivan
Bill Underwood and Chris Everett
Bill Venne and Douglas Kline
Jay Waldera
Carol and Tom Windfeldt
James and Jodi Young
Peter Carlson and Bradley Betlach
Ingrid and Chris Culp
Fran Davis
Terrance R. Dolan
Jeffrey Duffin
Sharon Engel
Charlie and Anne Ferrell
Paul Froeschl
Paul Hanson and Steve Riendl
Jean and Jim Hartman
Joel Hoekstra and Eric Jensen
David and Jake Ingbar and Mary
Meighan
Paul Kaminski and Rich Bonnin
Kathleen Lamb
Robert Lenz and Thomas Paul
Burton and Patsy Meisel
Jim Newstrom
Jim Payne
Denise Prosek and Milton Ferris
Peter Rothstein
Colleen Ryan
Francis Ryan
Paul, Judy and Thomas Speltz
Ann and Tom Stanley
Jeffrey Velch
Julie and Charles Zelle
The Coffee Club
Latté ($2,500+)
James P. and Mary Beidler Gearen
Carol and Kim Culp
Charla and Jeffrey Eccles
Mocha ($1,000–$2,499)
Ward and Kathleen Armstrong
Jeffery Brockmann and Shane Swanson
Nancy and John Burbidge
Jane and Ogden Confer
Lisa and Pat Denzer
Tim Dordell and Kirk Ballard
Joe Dowling and Siobhan Cleary
Cappuccino ($500–$999)
Dorothy A. Akin
Andrew Alberts
Mary Alberts
Travis L. Barkve
Les Bendtsen
David and Shari Boehnen
Priscilla Brewster
Scott Cabalka
Dan Caldwell and Matt Clark
Espresso ($250–$499)
Joe Andrews and Scott Benson
Linda Andrews
Daniel Avchen and David Johnson
Kevin and Sharon Bach Kimes
Karen Bachman
MaryAnn and Ron Baenninger
Ryan Boekelheide and Corey Isaak
Dianne Brennan
Michael Brown
Candy and Thomas Carlson
Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll
Kerry and Michael D’Amato
14 Steerage Song
Meg DeLapp
Karla Ekdahl and Peter Hutchinson
Gregory Foster and David Benrud
Ray Goettl
Sarah Harris and David Holmgren
Randy Hartten and Ron Lotz
Michelle Hayward and Jeremy Anderson
Margaret and Tom Hebig
Christopher Hermann
Ann Marie Hirsch and Eugene Link
Tom Hoch
Jim and Mary Holland
Jason Howard and Chad Keast
Sandi and Jim Jensen
Joy and Sidney Kaplan
Tom Knabel and Kent Allin
Janet and Rodney Larson
Mark Manion and Thomas Senn
Michael and Elizabeth Mannion Gibba
Shirley Moore
Nancy and John Moynihan
Philip Oxman and Harvey Zuckman
David Pote and Linda Tapsak
Todd Price and Gordon Sween
Mary J. Safar
Richard Schooley
Robert Shepherd and Larry Sonsthagen
John Sweet and Erik Brendtro
Aaron Tidball
Allan Valgemae and Robert Harding
Ruth and David Waterbury
John and Kelly Wheaton
Peter Zenner
Au Lait ($100–$249)
Anonymous (3)
Kristine and Tor Aasheim
Elissa Adams
Thomas Akin
Gretchen Alberts
Chris Andersen
Joan Anderson Growe
Amy and Matt Anderson
Dr. Kevin and Katy Anderson
Elizabeth Andrews and Jeffrey Rank
John Apitz and Mary Magnuson
Jennifer and Joseph Armitage
Dan and Haley Armstrong
Gary Bennett and Mike Olafson
Kristin Benson and Erik Lindseth
Marjorie Bierbrauer
Raye Birk and Candace Barrett Birk
Michael Bisping
Tiffany and Dianne Blofield
Bain Boehlke
Annemarie Bossert and Thomas Lovett
Patricia Brewer
Shawn Bryant and Michael Grouws
Stephen J. Bubul
Ann Cadwallader and Eric Bowen
Jeffery and Mary Carson
Melissa Chappell and David Kirby
John Christiansen
James Collins
Tomie and Jim Conaway
Ann and Doug Cooley
Stacie and Perry Cowen
Rachel and Ian Craig
Gretchen Crary
Peggy and George Crolick
Barbara Davis
Paul and Becky Diekmann
Rob Dingmann and Brian Miller
Philip and Barbara Dunlay
Robert Englund
Marie and Robert Feely
Nicole and Mark Fenstad
Steve Fischer
Deborah Fletcher in honor of the 10/1/10
marriage in Iowa of Timothy P. Dordell
and Kirk D. Ballard
Melissa Fors
Fred and Marie Friswold
Andrew Furman
Igor and Ellisa Furman
Madeleine Gibba
Michelle Gierke
Sue Gillman
David Goldstein and Don Pastor
Mike Goleski
Kelly Gowan Allman
Brian Graham
Jon and Cynthia Graves
Charlie Greenman and Bonnie Mulligan
Bradley Greenwald and John Novak
David Griffin
Christine and Bill Griffith
Greta Grosch
Erin Harney
John Heckert
Barbara Hestness
Sheila Hickey-Burke and Timothy Burke
Tom Higgins and Julie Wissinger
Joan Higinbotham
Joanne and Allen Hinderaker
Keith Horvath
Anne Huntley
Jeanne Innerbichler
Mary Irey and Stefano Loverso
Christina Jansa
Tom Jermann
Diana Johnson
Mark Johnson
Patricia Johnson and Kai Bjerkness
Brian E. Jones
Keith Jones
Lora and Raj Joshi
Clint and Mary Ann Jurgens
Paula Karjalahti
Pamela and Jeremiah Kearney
Kevin and Jenny Kelley
Phyllis and Donald Kerr
Keith Kirkendall
Gerald Kollodge
Jean and Loren Kramer-Johnson
Candy Kuehen and Craig Harris
Kristina Lang and Bryan Woelfel
Christine Ledbetter and Dean Skylar
Bonnie Lee and Dan Foss
Joyce and Jerry Lillquist
Susan and David Lima
Catherine J. Little
David Lozinski
Dave and Peggy Lucas
John Lunseth
Dolores and Thomas Lyman
Mary and Mark Maher
Anne Mahle and David McCarthy
Emily Maltz
Brian Marquis and Fred Retzloff
Scott Mayer and John Zeches
Steve Mayeron and Carole Specktor
Bonnie and Lee McGrath
Barb and Greg Melsen
Douglas and Cindy Merrigan
Mary Moos and Bob Weil
Adam and Natasha Morris
Thomas Murphy and Timothy Murray
Catherine and Towle Neu
Glyn Northington and Stan Kolden
Gary Nygaard
Eve O’Gary
Dana Offerman
Donald Ofstedal and Jerald Lee
Jennifer Okerlund
Jane and David Olson
Sarah Lynn Oquist
Vaughn Ormseth
Jana and Bryan Ott
Mary Jane and Bruce Pappas
Roger Paquin and Jayna Mathieu Paquin
Jennifer Patti
Jill Pearson
Ronald G. Perrier
Carol Peterson
Pat Peterson
Laura Pfeiffer and Taylor Phelps
Daniel Pinkerton and Jane Johnston
Katharine Priedeman and Tom Holl
Pat and Gene Radecki
Jeff Rank
Kevin Reuther and Gerry Tyrrell
Jay and Babs Robitshek
Jaime Roman
John and Rose Rothstein
Cal and Claudia Ryan Mosley
Patricia Ryan
Lica and Theodore Sanborn
Karon and Ray Sandberg
Thomas and Sheva Sanders
Jill Schafer
Noel Schenker
Vicki and Randy Schmeling
Betty Schweizer
Trish and Ralph Scorpio
Christopher and Sonya Seidl
Carole Senty and Richard Miller
Gale Sharpe
Terri Simard and Craig Futterer
James and Cindy Smart
James D. Smith
Corey Smith
Anthony Sofie
Wendy Sommer
Mary Stanley
Arturo Steely
John Stefany and David Odenbach
Jim Stolz
Keiko Sugisaka and Stephen Webb
Linda Svitik and David Feroe
Axel Theimer
Ty Tonander
Jeffrey Turner
Lisa Tyler-Hammock and Zack Hammock
Brad Wagner
Jean Waldera
Walter Weaver
Catherine and Steven Webster
Kate and Brian Wenger
Barbara and Monte White
Jim and Martha Williams
Kevin Winge and Kevin Shores
Jean and Terry Wright
Ann Wynia
Julia Yager
Jane Young
Jane Zilch
Timothy Zuel and William Sternberg
Paul and Jane Cashin
Ana Chilingarishvili
David Clark and Jason Conrad
Jeffrey Cloninger
Alexandra Clyde and Tom Meskan
Paul R. Coate
Doug and Doreen Cody
Jeanne and Mitch Cook
Jeanne and David Cornish
Cynthia Coughlin
Nathan Croner
Mark Dahlberg and Robert Grones
Mary and Thomas Darnall
Emily and Justin Davis
Frederick Dawe
Wanda and David DeRemer
William Dinon
Kathy Dodge and Steve Downing
Maureen and Art Dollase
Liliya and Nicholas Donovan
Peter Douglas and Anne Strasser
Mark Durkop
Ernest Edwards
Brad Eggen
Sarah Ehlinger and Eric Hayes
Jan Elftmann and David Lewis
Peter and Tamara Erickson
Patricia S. Faunce
Stephanie Fay
Ed Fisher and Paul Petrella
Tom Flaherty
Todd Fliginger
Thomas Flock
Amy and Miles Fiterman
Nancy Fushan
Camille Gage and Patrick Mulligan
Gayle Gaskill
Katy Gaynor
Amy and Andrew Gazzola
Chris Getchell and Christina Meier
Getchell
Manon Gimlett and Thaxter Cunio
Paula and Paul Gleeson
Beverly Goldfine
Becky Goldstrand Hollenkamp
and Brant Hollenkamp
Lisa Goodman
Pat Griffin
Esther Gross in honor of Steve Loucks
Becca Koch and Andrew Gunter
Patricia Haarman
Michael and Nancy Hagerty
Barbara Hanson and James Deger
James Hanson
Brenda and Jim Hardy
Janice Hardy
Leah Harvey
Alan Heider
Michelle Hensley
Margaret Hobday and Tony Bacigalupi
Lois Holzemer
Bridget and Duke Hust
Carol Jackson
Julie Jackson
Mathew Janczewski
MaryEllen Jaspers
Dianne Jelle and Eric Torgerson
Janine Jerde
Ardes Johnson
Brad A. Johnson
Keith Jones
Bruce Jones and D’Arlyn Marks
Kate and Cory Kalanick
Robert Kalman
Roberta Kalman
Ronald and Pamela Kaufman
Karen Kingsley
Sarah Kinney
Kenneth Kiser
Tracy and James Kochendorfer
Mary T. Kokernot
Harriette Krasnoff
René Kraus and Frank Summers
Matthew Krueger
Mark Krug
Michael Kuczkowski
Joe Kuznik
Christina Lamont
Christopher and Lyn Larson
David Larson
Java ($1–$99)
Anonymous (5)
Nikki Aden
Kirsten F. Allen
Rebecca Anderson
Meredith Kaye Arkin
Rick and Danna Atherton
Patricia and John Bartholow
Katie Baldwin Eng
Keri Barney Grafing
Janette Battles
Barbara Bearman
William Beeman
Maria Benson
Anna and Douglas Bethune
Ann M. Biggar
Joseph Bilski
Mark Bisignani
Mark and Jane Borden
Rosanne Borscheid
Eric and Tracy Botten
Kimberly Bow-Sundy and Robert Sundy
Arnold and Judith Brier
Barbara Brin
Mary Ellen and Michael Brooks
Kris and Neil Brown
Molly Brown
Barbara Bryan
Thomas Burke
Cindy Carpenter
Kathryn Carver and Michael Lininger
Theater Latté Da
15
our Donors
Java ($1–$99)
Jimmy LeDuc
Katherine and Marshall Lichty
Vickie Lind
James Loeffler
Mary Sue Lovett
Danilo Lovinaria
Cynthia Lund and Curtis Blandin
Laurie and Luke Mahowald
Maureen and Lance Maly
Willenne Mangham
William Margolis
Toby and Dorothy Markowitz
Jennifer Marshall and Matthew Haines
Jeff Masco
Mary McCarten and Steve Doyle
Jane McGrath
L. David Mech
Benjamin Meents
Harold and Peggye Mezile
Margaret Michaelson
David Miller and Mary Dew
Kathryn Mitchell Ramstad
Peter Moore
Nicholas Naumann
Todd Nelson
Wendy Nelson
David and Mary Nickel
Patricia Nieman
Jean Nitchals
Judith Olsson
Tiffany K. Orr
Bonnie Ostlund
Carol Ottoson
Ted Page
Stanley and Felicia Palmer
Agneta Parr
Chuck and Jo Parsons
Jeffery Perkey and Robert Spikings
Scott R. Perreault
Larry Pfarr
Ann and Felix Phillips
Daniel Poorman
Thomas Proehl
Cynthia Prosek
Doris Rausch
Robert Reitz
Erin Repesh
Paul Reyburn
Donna Rickard
M. Ricketts
Audrey Riddle
John and Michelle Ristad
Michael Robins
James Rocco
Larry Roupe
Bob and Lynn Rudell
Edmund Rydell
Richard A. Scarlett
William Schlichting and Stephen Lenius
Sarah Schreiber Prince
Bob and Peg Schwob
Dan and Cyndy Seeman
Micaela Severson
Heather Sexton
Mary and Robert Shaffer
Anne Shainline
Hank Shea
Andrew Slothower and Molly Rice
Nicholaus Smasal
Dennis and Barbara Smith
Glenn and Nancy Solie
Robert Sorensen
A. A. Sorenson
Gwen Stanley
Geralda and Anthony Stanton
Erich Steinbergs
Jeffry Stevenson
Marcia and John Stout
Bob and Celia Stretmater
Lisa Stromquist
Timothy and Amanda Sullivan
Elizabeth Swanson
Donna Lou Swenson
Jeffrey Tang
Michelle Taylor
Mildred Theis
John Thew
Kory and Heather Thomas
Geoff and Angie Thompson
Kristie Tigges
Ruth and Paul Tillquist
Joyce Vincent
Nancy Walton
Mark Webb
Tammie Weinfurtner
Kristine Weir
Tom Wesely
Tanya Wessels
Claudia Wiebold
Kathy and David Wiemer
Susan Williams and Bob Lothenbach
Lori-Anne Williams
Jenna Zark and Pete Budd
Chris Zhang
Theater Latté Da would like to thank The Ruth Easton Fund for supporting the development of Steerage Song.
Actress Ruth Easton (nee Edelstein) was born in North Branch, Minnesota and graduated from North Branch High
School. She attended the University of Minnesota for one year and the following year attended Macalester College before
finishing her collegiate career at Cumnock School in Los Angeles. She went on to New York where she studied acting
with Oliver Morosco. Mr. Morosco opened a stock theater company in upstate New York where Ms. Easton starred in
several plays. After performing with other stock theater companies she returned to New York City where she appeared in
five Broadway plays over a period of seven years. They included Exceedingly Small, Privilege Car, Town Bay, Buckaroo,
and Charlie Chan. Exceedingly Small was directed by Ethel Barrymore and Easton played opposite Eric Dressler. New York
critics praised her performance as “thoroughly touching” and “highly spirited and excellent.” She starred in radio dramas
on the Rudy Vallee Hour and the Fleischmann’s Yeast Hour opposite such actors as Walter Huston, Judith Anderson
and Lionel Barrymore. She also appeared with Clark Gable, Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson during the course of her career.
Ms. Easton’s legacy, her commitment to theater and the development of new works continues through the charitable gifts
distributed through the Ruth Easton Fund of the Edelstein Family Foundation.
16 Steerage Song
The Immigrant as Citizen
by Dr.John Elliott
Excerpts from “The Immigrant as a Citizen,” a speech given by Dr. John L. Elliott, before
Conference of the National Association of Music School Societies, New York, 1912
We have all seen the eager and intensely serious faces of the people who lean over the
rail of the incoming steamers looking out, sometimes with a joke on their lips, but with
a terrible earnestness on their faces in the new country. With what pathetic and serious
hopes they come, looking for the chance to earn a comfortable living, hoping for
freedom! And what do we offer them? What have we to give them?
Now, here we have this Eighteenth Century Declaration of Independence, this
academic statement, which we offer to the immigrants with their serious faces and
earnest, eager hopes. It does not mean anything to them; they get it all mixed up.
They demand of us the citizenship of living conditions, and the chance to work for
them. And this is part of the very real value to us of the immigrant citizen—the eternal
demand for growth and change that they make upon our ideas of citizenship.
We have not grappled with the situation. We have set back and imagined that our
forefathers knew what independence was. They did not know it all. They had not got
hold of these ideas with which we are confronted. The complete and final constitution
of a republic has never been made. It cannot be. It has to be lived ... There is always the
tendency in orthodoxy to hold the thing that is. But there has always to be change and
constant growth in a moral and democratic state, and we have got to learn from
immigration to become alive to the ever-growing meaning of citizenship.
I would like the spirit of democracy to meet the immigrant as he steps off the ship.
It cannot be by teaching him out of little books in the schools what democracy is,
because they do no know. He should learn it in the life of the streets, and in the
blessed places like this, where it is taught so really and concretely.
Art helps to draw the world together by interpreting truth and democracy, and making
it possible for us to be brothers as we could never have been otherwise. To work for this
tremendous thing we call citizenship, we must co-operate with the immigrant, not with
the idea of teaching it to him, but with the purpose of working with him toward a better
point than we have ever attained before; not with the idea of purifying and uplifting the
scum of the earth which has drifted tour shores from all Europe, but with the expectation
of co-operating with these newest citizens of a great country until they and we shall
have gained a very different idea of democracy such as the Puritan of New England
never had. And in the common effort to gain this higher and broader meaning of
citizenship, the mind and genius of every nation shall combine and unite in the bond
of brotherhood.