The Underground

Did you write and then subsequently lose a 20-page, spiteful, and hateful breakup letter written to your recent ex-girlfriend? Either way, Jonathan Manchester, a Playhouse veteran, will be performing all 20-pages of it with original songs from Brian Ring.

This Valentine’s Day, you may find yourself in a relationship. If so, you can take comfort knowing there is no way your relationship will end as terribly as this one. Though if you find yourself single, you can come to watch this show and see a relationship burn to the ground.

Brian and Jonathan found a black notebook on the sidewalk outside their apartment here in Duluth. While reading it aloud in the living room that night, they knew they found artistic gold. Within a few months, it had a successful run only a few blocks away from where it was dropped, before touring to the Twin Cities to perform at the MN Fringe Festival and comedy clubs.

• Tickets: $12
• Recommended for ages 16+ and contains adult language and sexual content

The Duluth Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF), marking its 14th year in 2019, is northern Minnesota’s only short film festival.

See the #SSFF2019 Finalists here!

Stick around after all the short films have been viewed while the audience votes are being tallied and enjoy complimentary snacks provided by Pizza Luce.

Operated by The Underground, a satellite theatre of The Duluth Playhouse, this annual celebration of short cinema debuts 10-12 short films out of more than 100+ film submissions and welcomes local, national, and international filmmakers of all kinds.

• Tickets to the Festival: $15

Join the Duluth Dolls at the Underground Theatre for their sixth annual Cold Days, Hot Nights show.

Winter is cold, dark, and sometimes sad, so light up your night with some sass and class. And, for an extra special treat, our newest Doll’s will make their show debut! *swoon*

The Duluth Dolls bring heat to cold winter nights, sauce to summer barbecues, and enchantment to the unsuspecting viewer.

• Tickets: $15

In the depths of winter, you are going to feel it. Deep down in your bones, you are going to ache for it. To Dance. To Party. To Heat Things Up.

You are going to want to MELT HARD!

Tall Rocks Media Design controlled by the Duluth Dolls; The Duluth Dolls controlled by the music; The music controlled by DJ Kitten Kite; And the whole damn thing controlled by the crowd.

• $5 donations (or more if you can) at the door
• All proceeds go to The Underground
• Cash Bar
• Dress like you mean it
• Yes, you may bring your friends
• Hosted by Dan & Christine Stocke

The celebration of original one-acts returns for its third year!

Written by women all over the world and directed by women from across the Twin Ports, this series of short plays highlights women voices and everything they have to say.

• Standard Ticket: $20

Book by Tom Jones
Music by Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics by Tom Jones
Based on Les Romanesques by Edmond Rostand

“Try To Remember” a time when this romantic charmer wasn’t enchanting audiences around the world.

The Fantasticks is a funny and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. The narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo’s words that, “without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”

• Directed by Christine Winkler Johnson
• Standard Ticket – $20

Written by Sarah Ruhl
Based on the Greek tale of Orpheus and Eurydice

In Eurydice, playwright Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine.

Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her soulmate whom she left behind. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

• Directed by Robert Lee
• Tickets: Standard – $20

Written by Neil Simon

Playwright Neil Simon got his first big break in the early ‘50s as a staff writer on Sid Caesar’s fabled television series Your Show of Shows, and this comedy takes a fictionalized look at the backstage chaos that went into producing one of the landmarks of television’s golden age.

People everywhere gather around the TV each week to watch their favorite comedian Max Prince. He’s loud, brash and larger than life. His temper tantrums and one-liners have the power to make careers – or make misery for the writers working around him. The network censors want to change the show to make it more “advertiser-friendly.” But messing with Max can only mean the jokes and jabs will get funnier and wilder in an uncertain future, as the world of television heads for a change.

• Directed by Nathan Carlblom
• Tickets: Standard – $20

This rock-musical comedy follows the beautifully tragic life story of transgender East German-born Hansel Schmidt.

After suffering a botched sexual reassignment surgery, Hedwig tours the world attempting to conquer the demons of her past. This hilarious and powerful production will speak to those who understand what it’s like to desperately be searching for your other half.

Written by Ken Ludwig
Based on the book ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ by Arthur Conan Doyle

Comedic genius Ken Ludwig transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of the Baskervilles into a murderously funny adventure.

READ THE REVIEW

Sherlock Holmes is on the case. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Holmes and Watson must brave the desolate moors before a family curse dooms its newest heir.

Watch as our intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises, and deceit. Does a wild hellhound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be.

• Directed by Justin Peck
• Presenting Sponsor Audio Visual Resources (AVR)

Written by Joe Paley
Composed by Marvin Laird

Ruthless! The Musical tells the story of the beautiful and talented 8-year-old Tina Denmark who will do anything to play the lead in her school play… ANYTHING!

READ THE REVIEW

Tina knows she was born to play Pippi Longstocking, and she will do absolutely anything to win the part in her school musical…including murder!

A very funny, fast-paced and wickedly twisted musical comedy, this aggressively outrageous hit garnered rave reviews during its long Off-Broadway run.

• Directed by Rob Hadaway