Past Fresh Ink Productions

1988 Wild Raspberries by Tom Poole Men Sing by Michael Robins & Gary Rue The Warrior Within by Buffy Sedlachak Kafka: A Country Doctor adapted by Ben Krielkamp Ein Hungerkunstler adapted by Michael Sommers from Kafka's The Hunger Artist 1989 Letters from Hell by Dane Stauffer Mice by Ben Kreilkamp Interview by Judy McGuire Peoria by John Klein 1990 Women Who Drink by Leslye Orr A Brother of Jackals by Alan Lindblad 1991 The Darren Cycle (Man, Dates X14) by Michael Sommers Oyster by Judy McGuire Princess Power by Carolyn Goelzer Objects in the Mirror are Closer Than They Appear by Mark Cryer & Lester Purry If We Never Meet Again by Beth Gilleland, Josette Antomarchi, Mary McDevitt, & Susan Scott 1992 River's Edge by The Women's Performance Project Confessions by Ben Kreilkamp Covers by Carolyn Goelzer Wishbone by Judy McGuire Do Not Pass Go by Kim Hines Gold by John Fleming & Louise Smith 1993 Oracle Mountain by Michael Smith Queer Thinking by Patrick Scully In the White Harvest by Laura Littleford Christopher's Shirt by Eric Anderson Enlightenments on an Enchanted Island by Marion McClinton 1994 Glory Hole by Ric Ocquita Three Viewings by Jeffrey Hatcher Questions of Abuse by Ben Kreilkamp I Believe I'll Run On...And See What the End's Gonna Be by Kim Hines Undesirable Elements - Twin Cities by Ping Chong 1995 The Velocity of Gary (Not His Real Name) by James Still The Hand of God by Cyndi James Gosset Don't Let 'Em Catch You by Kim Hines Voices in the Rain by Michael Keck Silver Tongues, Poison Lies by T. Mychael Rambo 1996 Bridge of Stones by Diane Elliot, Michael Robins, Marilyn Habermas-Scherer, David Harris, Esther Ourey, Jenna Zark, Harvey Stein & Miriam Gerberg Wake Up & Dream by Peter Rothstein & Michael Robins Forever Hold Your Piece by Djola Bernard Branner & Patrick Scully Conversation Hearts by Beth Gilleland with Mary Ellen Childs No Strings by Jeffrey Hatcher with Stephanie Lusco 1997 Hereafter by Robert Hartmann & Scott Keys Interfacing Joan by Louise Smith An Evening with Miss Richfield 1981 and Dane Stauffer by Russ King & Dane Stauffer Burning and Never Going Cold by David Harris & Eric Bentley Angelheaded Hipster: A Howl for Allen by Kent Stephens 1998 No Distance Between Us by Tonda S. Clarke Earthly Delights by Patty Lynch Leap in the Dark by Eric Anderson Fever: A Tribute to Peggy Lee by Kim Hines Miss Richfield 1981: My Very, Very, Very Best by Russ King 1999 Two Weeks with the Queen by Robert Hartmann Mrs. Mackenzie's Beginner's Guide to the Blues by Patty Lynch & Kent Stephens Miss Richfield 1981's Signed, Sealed & Richfield by Russ King, Mark Addicks, Robert Hartmann, Drew Jansen & Todd Price 2000 Good 'N' Plenty by Jeffrey Hatcher Spectrum by Peter Rothstein Punch in America by Jon Klein & Chris Jeffries 2001 Six of One by Peter Rothstein & Rob Hartmann The Naked Truth by Patrick Scully Jus' For a While by Kim Hines Donkeyskin by Louise Smith Monicam by Dale Connelly Such Tricks by Ben Kreilkamp How Come Ain't No White People in the Show? by Amy Anderson & Aimee K. Bryant Miss Richfield 1981's Live It Up! by Russ King 2002 Beheading the Rose by Beth Corning Vanishing Point by Liv Cummins & Rob Hartmann Death Valley Scotty and the Mystery Mine by Kent Stephens & Patty Lynch gRey rOADS by Carston Turner The Blouse Method by Anjanette Harper Cardboard Hat by Doug Collins Fresh Fringe 2002 Ellen's Empty Chair by Brent Doyle How Come Ain't No White People in the Show? by Amy Anderson & Aimee K. Bryant Let It Be...Jazz: Connie Evingson Sings the Beatles The Regional Jazz Trio 2003 Kuwait by Vincent Delaney Dietrich and Piaf: The Kamikaze and the Chameleon by Kirsten Frantzich & Josette Antomarchi Angels in Shadowland curated by Kent Stephens Call & Response curated by Beth Gilleland & Peter Rothstein Fresh Fringe 2003 If You Don't Really Want to Know - Then Don't Ask Me! by Kim Hines Buy Me A Mockingbird by Tod Petersen Six Steps by Brent Doyle 2004 Promise Ring by Doug Collins Pieces of Eight by Megan McClellan & Brian Sostek Whatever Happened to Alice James? by Pamela Carter Joern Fresh Fringe 2004 Murderers by Jeffrey Hatcher The Funeral Director's Wife by Kathy Douglass Good Clown/Bad Clown by Mark Ehling Famous Amos by Sha Cage Six Steps, Part Deux by Brent Doyle Boldly Going Nowhere by Tod Petersen A Girl Named Vincent by Prudence Johnson & The Millay Project 2005 Act a Lady by Jordan Harrison Autistic License by Stacey Dinner-Levin Funny Farm by Kris Strobeck Mrs. Man of God by Beth Gilleland & Donald Bazzini Fresh Fringe 2005 Phyllis: This Side Up by Phyllis Wright For the Rest of My Life by Esera Tuaolo 2006 Boldly Going Nowhere by Tod Petersen A Tribute to Gene Pitney curated by Gary Rue Amy Anderson Live by Amy Anderson Draw Two Circles by Aamera Siddiqui & Suzy Messerole American Klepto by Allison Moore 2007 Mrs. Mannerly by Jeffrey Hatcher Beauty is a Rare Thing by Marion McClinton Six Lives by Ping Chong & Sara Zatz in collaboration with Bonnie Morris & Michael Robins

Michael Robins - How do we pick the projects for the Fresh Ink Series?

Just in case you're wondering, there is no competition to get into the Fresh Ink Series. I can't tell you how many requests we get for the guidelines, the timeline and what can be done to make a better application. There are many competitions out there - all with different rules. But, as we all know, theater is subjective. My taste is my taste and it may not be yours. So, what we do is read material all year and see plays and artists’ work. Bonnie and I do this, and all of the Artistic Associate staff (Beth, Dean, Ellen, Kim and Peter), other staff members, other writers we know, directors and actors. What you see each July is a mix of careful planning, spontaneous-right place at the right time timing; serendipity, intuition and down right "I couldn't tell you why, but it feels right" decision making. We created the Fresh Ink Series as a way to bring the warehouse into the big theater we inherited in 1986. We went from a second floor room with pillars and low ceilings, clip lights and 75 seats to the palace that was at the top of the Hennepin Center for The Arts. After one year of filling that wonderful, fully equipped space with big and technically sophisticated productions, we realized we needed another kind of way to bring forward new work. So we built the audience on the stage and limited them to 80, we had limited technical support and we focused on what the artist needed to find out if his or her or their story had resonance when put in front of a paying audience. This is the 19th year of this series and we still don't know what will be in until two months before you do.