Take Two For Christmas

Dramatis personae

The production runs 125 minutes including one intermission.

This show contains flashing lights and loud sound effects

Is this show appropriate for children?
Sure, if your kids are into parody! It’s pretty PG - a couple of swears, and of course some romance. It is a Christmas show, after all. Supposedly.

Biographies

Ursula K Bowden (she/her) is a freelance set and properties designer and scenic charge in the Upper Midwest. A BFA Technical Theater and Theatrical Design degree holder from Drake University, Bowden has done about ~30 shows with nimbus. Her work has also been seen in various incarnations on the stages of History Theatre, Park Square Theater, Theatre Pro Rata, Swandive Theatre, Open Door Community Theatre, Freshwater Theatre, Theatre Unbound, Frank Theatre, Theatre Latte Da, the Guthrie Theater, among others. She also works as the properties coordinator for the University of Minnesota here in the Twin Cities, putting props in the mainstage shows and teaching Intro to Properties. Ursula’s eye for detail was featured in American Theatre Magazine in 2014 for her scenic design for Swandive Theatre’s An Outopia for Pigeons. She loves Northern Light hunting and making costumes with her kids.

After having counted up to Christmas in Wanacutatree, and Eel-ectrified Snowflake Falls, Grits Crabcake - whoops- Derek Dirlam (he/him), is thrilled to be retuning again to nimbus and The Crane! Along with nimbus, Derek has performed with various Twin Cities theater companies including Park Square, Lakeshore Players, Theater in the Round, Green T, and Lex-Ham. You can catch Derek this spring in Night Fire  Theatre’s remount of  The Crucible, performing at Living Spirit United Methodist Church. Apart from acting, Derek also directs and manages Conundrum Collective, which specializes in producing radio theater. You can find some of their shows online at: https://conundrumcollective.bandcamp.com

Jacob M. Davis (he/him) is a freelance sound designer and engineer based in Minneapolis. His recent sound designs include: The Minotaur, Up: The Man in the Flying Chair (Theatre Pro Rata); A Very Electric Christmas, A Count Up to Christmas (nimbus); Henry and Alice: Into the Wild, Nina Simone: Four Women, Flower Drum Song, The Soul of Gershwin (Park Square Theater); Sweeney Todd (Theatre Latté Da). His regional and international work includes companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Mark Taper Forum, Universal Studios, Ahmanson Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, Goodman Theater. Jacob holds a MFA in Sound Design from the California Institute of the Arts and a BFA in Theatre Design from the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association and United Scenic Artists. He is also a member of the Theatre Pro Rata Artistic Company.

Jeffery Goodson (he/him) has performed on stages in the Twin Cities including several shows at nimbus (The Balcony, Babel, In The Age of Paint and Bone, A Count Up to Christmas, A Very Electric Christmas) and at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, The Brave New Workshop, Park Square and Lyric Arts. Some of his favorite roles: Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, Brad in Rocky Horror Show, Arthur P in Superior Donuts, Cromwell in A Man For All Seasons and his time as an improver-writer-cast member of the Brave New Workshop. He has a published play - Shakespeare Ate My Brain, writes and records his own songs and has co-created a science fiction storytelling podcast called “Space Croutons” which is in it’s third season. Find out more about him at jefferygoodson.com

Jane Hammill (she/her) first graced the nimbus stage in 2012, as Eileen in The Cripple of Inishmaan. She has three movies currently in post production, with more to come. When not starring on stage or screen, Jane is retired and enjoying life. She hopes you enjoy this little nugget we had a great time creating.

Christy Johnson (she/her) is freelance sound designer, producer, actor, and singer living in Minneapolis, MN. She is excited to return to the heartland! Christy has appeared at many theaters across the Twin Cities, including the Guthrie, Minnesota Opera, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, History Theatre, Theatre Pro Rata, Frank Theatre, Teatro Del Pueblo, Lakeshore Players, Lyric Arts, and Theatre Unbound, among others. She would like to thank her husband, family, and friends for all their support and love.

Jon Kirchhofer (he/him) is a human and a lighting designer.

Tara Lucchino (she/her) is a theatre artist, vocalist and musician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tara graduated from Penn State University with a theatre degree and after various gigs found her way to the Twin Cities in 2009. This is Tara’s 7th production with nimbus and she’s thrilled to be back. Other local theatre credits include Sheep Theater, Special When Lit, Freshwater Theatre, 20% Theatre Company, Theatre Unbound, Theatre in the Round and Chameleon Theatre Circle. As a company member of Sheep Theater, Tara was a recipient of City Pages’ 2018 “Best Theater Troupe,” and has participated in many Fringe Festival productions and Twin Cities Horror Festival productions in recent years. Tara cannot believe that we’re already at the end of 2024 and wishes everyone a very happy holiday season and happy New Year. Look out for future announcements for Tara’s next project coming up in 2025.

Jenny Moeller (she/her) is a props and lighting designer, theater artist, and writer working in the Twin Cities who is excited to be returning to nimbus! She is currently Technical Director of the Twin Cities Horror Festival, serves on the board for Arts Nest, and is the former Artistic Director of Raw Sugar. She has worked as technical director, designer, and builder for many theaters, including the Minnesota Opera, Southern Theater, Off Lease Art Box, Theatre Pro Rata, Theatre Unbound, and Six Points Theater.

Liz Neerland (she/her) is a native of Minneapolis and a graduate of Grinnell College. Since 2002, she has had a hand in writing, directing, designing, or producing every nimbus show. In addition to her co-Artistic Director Duties, she also serves as the company's Managing Director. In her "spare time" she enjoys reading, cooking, motorcycling, spending time on the North Shore, and managing her dog’s Instagram account.

Drew Pannebecker (he/him) is making his nimbus debut. He is a graduate of Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, located in Blue Lake, California. In 2016 and 2017, he performed throughout the Pacific Northwest with a company dedicated to combating sex trafficking in the region. Since relocating to Minneapolis in 2018, he has performed in the Minnesota Fringe, directed and performed with Open Eye Theatre's Driveway Tour, and understudied at Children's Theatre Company. He plays sax with his band Jeremiah and the Non-Prophets and is the technical director at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. He likes visiting the Boundary Waters and would love to hear your restaurant recommendations.

Rubble&Ash is the name that captures the collaborative design and production work of Andrea M Gross and Barb Portinga. For the past dozen years they have challenged and supported one another as costume designers, pattern makers, and storytellers. As Rubble&Ash, their work has been seen at nimbus in The Brontide, A Very Electric Christmas, Nimbus Presents: A Count Up to Christmas, The Red and the Bright, A Life of Days, The Pathetic Life and Remarkable Afterlife of Elmer McCurdy the Worst Robber in the West, The River Becomes Sea, and The Kalevala; at Park Square Theatre in Jefferson Township Sparkling Junior Talent Pageant; at Interact Theater in We're Still Here and Hell is Empty and All the Devils are here…Again!; and the History Theater with Superman Becomes Lois Lane and The Boy Wonder.

Barb and Andrea are founding members of The Costume Collective in Northeast Minneapolis; a costume rental house supporting artists across the state and country with costumes compiled from some of the largest stocks in the Twin Cities. Three company is founded in the values of resource conservation, accessibility and inclusion. Rubble&Ash melds pieces from existing stocks of costumes; thrift, antique, and fabric stores; and purpose builds garments to combine elements in unexpected ways. The intention is always to support the story and creation of character with collaboration, skill and ingenuity.

Alyssa Thompson (she/her) has been working as a Stage Manager in and around the Twin Cities for over a decade. She is the Company Stage Manager for nimbus, and along with her trusty ASD (Assistant Stage Dog) Moose loves the devising process and creating new work with this team. Her stage management credits outside of nimbus include Pioneer Suite and Mrs. Charles among others with Freshwater Theatre and four years as a technician with the Minnesota Fringe Festival. She also fosters dogs through No Dog Left Behind Rescue.

Emmanuel L. Woods (he/him) is excited to be joining nimbus again! When he was just 13 years old he performed for the first time. Previous roles include The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, CODE YOU (Exposed Brick Theatre), Ragtime The Musical (Morris Park Players), To Kill a Mockingbird (Guthrie Theatre), Christmas of Swing (History Theatre), The League (Sparkle Theatricals), and The Incarceration Play Project (Wonderlust Productions), Christmas With the Campbells (Smartmouth Comedy). With nimbus he appeared in The Burning of Greenwood and A Very Electric Christmas. He is also completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care Administration. He is inspired by his mother, who always tells him to "never stop doing what you love and give it your all...100%"

Special thanks

Caden Wessner, The Costume Collective, Twelve Windows, Russel Roberts, Bowden Roberts, Justin Holinka

About nimbus

nim-bus, n.

1. a : A bright cloud, or cloudlike splendor, imagined as investing deities when they appeared on earth.
b : a cloud or atmosphere about a person or thing

2 : A bright or golden disk surrounding the head of a drawn or sculptured divinity, saint, or sovereign

3 : a rain cloud

nimbus has been creating original theater in the Twin Cities since 2001. Their unique process for the creation of playwright-led collaborative work combined with their passion for creating bold, eclectic theater has been dazzling audiences for over 20 years. A company founded and led by playwrights and run by the artists themselves, we are dedicated to creating theatre that crosses boundaries, promotes imagination, and ignites new conversations.

How we create our work

All of our work is created collaboratively using a process we have been refining since 2001. Our casts and design teams work with a director, dramaturg, and playwright to create original theater together. Often starting with a simple idea or concept, the entire team participates in researching and discussing the ideas, characters, and locations the play will focus on.

After several weeks of intensive research, the team enters a period we call ‘script work.’ During this time, the cast and director improvise and work with text provided by the playwright. Over time, a script takes form. After a staged reading as well as editing and finishing work by the playwright, rehearsal begins.

Unlike traditional American theater, our process allows the design concepts, characters, and narrative to develop together. Although our process is new, it is not extremely different from the way that Shakespeare or Moliere created their work. Our methods are always evolving and changing, and we welcome your input in improving it.

The nimbus Company

Artistic Directors
Josh Cragun, Mitchell Frazier, Liz Neerland

Company Members
Andrea Gross, Brian Hesser, Jill Hoeft, Alex Meyer, Alyssa Thompson

We are looking for dedicated nimbus fans who would be interested in serving on our Board of Directors. For more info email Josh Cragun.

Thank you to all of our financial contributors:

FY 2025 DONORS

As of December 7, 2024

Anonymous
Cora Mae Berg
Josh Cragun & liz Neerland
Delta Giordano
Jill Hoeft & Alex Meyer
Michael Koch
Tanya Lobao
Laura Mays
Kathy Minkler
Mark Oyaas
Daniel Pinkerton
Ariel Pinkerton
James Rustad
Andrew & Corinna Troth

FY 2024 DONORS

3M
Elizabeth Andrus
Cora Mae Berg
Boston Scientific
Ray & Mary Ann Campbell
Brook D. Carl
Doug Carlson
Patty Connelly
Jim Conway
Josh Cragun & Liz Neerland
Penny Cragun
Karen Crouch
Catherine Dooley
Walter Duffy
Doran Edwards
Nancy Eustis
Matthew Everett
Nancy Feldman
David & Mary Grace Flannery
Meri Golden
Doug & Susan Greenberg
Andrea Gross & Liam McNerney
Dr. Daniel C. Hartnett Family Foundation
Patty & Ken Hepburn
Lucie Holzemer & Wally Mattson
Shell Jiang
Pam Kaufman & Dennis Keierleber
Tom Kelly
Gordon Kepner
Warren & Carolyn Kime
Kristi & Jerry Klukas
Julie & Maury Landsman
Maryia Mamantava
Mary & Ronald Mattson
Kathy Minkler
Dave & Mary Moehring
Jane & Michael Murphy
Chuck Neerland & Maureen Kelly Neerland
Jay & Mary B Newcomb
Scott Pakudaitis
Bonnie Palmquist
Jim Rustad and Kay Thomas
Kathryn Thomas & James Rustad
Peter & Mary Sandberg
Dave & Mary Sandberg
Jill Schafer
I-Ming Shih
Meredith Smith
Mary Ann Souers
Bill & Sara Stout
Scott Strand
Tammy & Mike Thompson
Alyssa Thompson
Andrew Troth
Suzanne & John Ursu
Marsha Wagner
Donovan & Rachel Walsh
Laurelea Williams