Theatre du Mississippi, founded in 1997, is committed to the development and production of high-quality programs in the performing arts, particularly those that address important contemporary or historical issues. It is our aim to integrate artistic excellence and originality with a sense of community in the Winona area and beyond.
Past Event:
“JOAN OF ARC”
Theatre du Mississippi and the Winona State University Department of Theatre & Dance join forces to bring you the Nautilus Music-Theater production of JOAN OF ARC, a new operatic-meditation-musical-theater-cantata-chamber-music-performance-art-storytelling-piece by writer Laura Harrington and composer Mel Marvin!
This production has been mounted by Nautilus especially for Jennifer Baldwin Peden, who stars as Joan, the 17-year-old peasant girl who hears mysterious voices telling her to take command of the French army and drive the English out of 15th-century France. JOAN OF ARC is a powerful and intimate look at Joan as the teenager she actually was – captured by the English, tried as a heretic by the Catholic Church, and burned at the stake.
Jen electrified audiences at last year's Ivey Awards program with her performance of an excerpt from JOAN OF ARC. She'll be joined by Nautilus performers JP Fitzgibbons, Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, and Joel Liestman along with music director Sonja Thompson and cellist Randall Thompson. The production is staged by Nautilus' artistic director Ben Krywosz, with scenic and costume design by Victoria Petrovich, lighting design by Michael Wangen, and technical direction by Jon Hegge.
All performances will be presented on the campus of Winona State University, in the Dorothy B. Magnus Open Stage Theatre (the "Black Box") in the WSU Performing Arts Center. Get your tickets early, as seating is very limited for this extraordinarily intimate performance!
Nautilus' run of JOAN OF ARC in St Paul sold-out every performance. and audiences it "shockingly beautiful - visceral and gorgeous - luminous - breathtaking - words cannot describe how amazing - I was brought to tears - so full of emotions - incredible - an evening I will not ever forget - exquisitely profound and lovely!"
And critics said "Nautilus opens a can't-miss production of JOAN OF ARC - an intimate tour de force performance, played with artistry and unerring assurance by the hugely talented Jennifer Baldwin Peden - her compelling narration of the plot, resonant affinity for the character, and angelic soprano are equally and utterly riveting - majestic and girlish, charismatic and vulnerable - she beautifully conveys [Joan's] courage, spirit, doubts, and determination - powerful singing voice and magnetic acting - beautiful expressive music - soulful melodic lines and harmonic structures - uplifting - enormously entertaining and compelling - unexpected and deeply moving - fascinating and inspirational - amazing, original, challenging, creative - JOAN OF ARC is the most moving performance I've seen this year - you'd be hard pressed to find a more rewarding night of theater than this."
We are very grateful for grants received from the following foundations and institutions: |
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The Winona Foundation |
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The Slaggie Family Foundation |
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SEMAC - McKnight Emerging Artist Grant, in cooperation with the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature |
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The Winona Fine Arts Commission |
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The Elizabeth Callender King Foundation |
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As a non-profit organization, we are grateful to the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers for helping us provide community outreach, education, entertainment and, in particular, dedication to original works. We are located in the Historic Masonic Theatre in the heart of Winona, Minnesota, in the bluff country of the upper Mississippi River Valley. P.O. Box 184 |
