CSB alumna to direct Theater Department production

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Theater Department will perform "Clever Maids: Stories from the Brothers Grimm" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 through Tuesday, Feb.  25, with additional shows at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 and Sunday, Feb. 23, in the Colman Theater at the Benedicta Arts Center of the College of Saint Benedict.

The performance will feature original Story Theater adaptations of favorite stories like "The Golden Key," "Hansel and Gretel" and more. These tales tell of some of the women of the Brothers Grimm: the tricksters, heroines, mothers, sisters, wicked step-mothers and witches.

Story Theater features the use of shadow imagery under the supervision of New York shadow puppet master Rachel Oakes. Shadows will be designed, constructed and operated by the ensemble.

"Story Theater is an incredibly physical and intuitive form of theater that comes from adaptation of epic stories and through our findings in each and every rehearsal," said Kathy Hendrickson, director of the play.

Hendrickson is a 1987 alumna of CSB. Since graduating, Hendrickson has worked as a performer, director and teacher in Minneapolis, New York and several foreign countries. From 2002-11, she served as vice president, senior improvisation and acting faculty for the famous New Actors Workshop, a professional conservatory in New York City. In 2011, Hendrickson was the assistant director of the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman."

For Hendrickson, the timing of the play is particularly relevant.

"With CSB celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year, I thought it vital to focus on the women's journey in the stories, and we chose source material with that in mind. For me personally, these lessons of independence and empowerment that I learned as a student at Saint Ben's have supported me my entire life," Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson will also be teaching classes at CSB and SJU this semester as a guest artist.   

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students, faculty and senior citizens. They can be purchased through the BAC box office, by calling 320-363-5777 or  visiting the Theater Department's website.