Swede Hollow Ghost Sonata

An outdoor, immersive performance experience using theater, dance, movement, and original music to explore the continuing histories of immigration to St. Paul’s Swede Hollow neighborhood.

ALL PERFORMANCES FREE TO THE PUBLIC
(Suggested donations welcome)

Join us this September in St. Paul’s Swede Hollow Park for our latest imaginative collaboration. Audiences will set off on an immersive, theatrical promenade through Swede Hollow Park, stopping along the way to experience moving vignettes inspired by the histories of immigration to the area beginning in the 1850s. Witness a kaleidoscopic performance, brought to life by an incredible cast of local multidisciplinary artists, evoking the struggles, joys, stories, and ghosts of the myriad communities that have called this land home. Working closely with local businesses and organizations, this project also includes additional community events designed to spark conversations about the rich history of this incredible neighborhood.

Sod House Theater (SHT) and Black Label Movement (BLM) have a long history of multidisciplinary collaboration, creating space for public dialogue and action, and examining and engaging the human condition to inspire vivid lives. This production features the performing talents of Sarah Agnew, Hannah Albers, Chloe Armao, Isabelle Blank, Alexandra Bodnarchuk, Brighid Burkhalter, Tessa Dahlgren, Sabrina Diehl, Kaitlyn Hawkins, Sara Heckadon, Wesley Hortenbeck, Patrick Jeffrey, Nathan Keepers, Ryan-Olivia McCoy, Sarah McCullough, Robert McGrady, Mirabai Miller, Rachel Miller, Bennett Petersen, Joey Weaver, and Cheng Xiong. Directed by Darcey Engen, Carl Flink, and Luverne Seifert. Music and composition by Daniel Nass, costumes by Rhiannon Fiskradatz, and set design by Dietrich Poppen..

TICKETING INFORMATION:

All performances free to the public with suggested donations welcome. Online ticket reservations recommended/

DIRECTIONS TO PERFORMANCES:

FREE PARKING in the lot at Hope Community Academy, 720 Payne Ave, St Paul, MN 55130.

Meet outside the Park at the Drewery St. Pedestrian Tunnel at the intersection of Drewery Ln and Beaumont St.

Comfortable shoes and clothes highly recommended for promendade. Golf carts available for patrons with mobility concerns.

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Honoring Space and Place: What Does the Site Now Called Swede Hollow Mean to You?
*FREE EVENT – RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED*
Sunday, September 15th
4:00-5:00 pm (pre-show)
Indigenous Roots Cultural Center – 788 E 7th St, St Paul, MN 55106

Panelists will discuss the area now known as Swede Hollow; its histories, the cultural communities connected to the land, and its continuing significance in the life of the city.. After the panel, attendees can explore shops and restaurants in the area before making their way to that evening’s performance only a few blocks away.

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Walking History Tour of Swede Hollow Park
*TICKETED EVENT – RESERVATIONS REQUIRED*
Saturday, September 21st
3:30-5:00 pm (pre-show)
Begins at East Side Freedom Library – 1105 Greenbrier St, St Paul, MN 55106

Led by the East Side Freedom Library’s co-executive director Peter Rachleff, tours start at ESFL and use Payne Avenue as a spine along which to follow the experiences of such 19th century immigrants as Swedes, Irish, Germans, and Italians, to those of our contemporary neighbors, such as Hmong, Somali, Mexican, and Karen. After the tour, attendees can explore shops and restaurants in the area before making their way to that evening’s performance in the park.

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Stories of Immigration on St. Paul’s East Side
*FREE EVENT – RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED*
Sunday, September 22nd
4:00-5:00 pm (pre-show)
Co-presented by and at the East Side Freedom Library
1105 Greenbrier St, St Paul, MN 55106

Panelists will share personal, historical, and contemporary stories of immigration to St. Paul’s East Side. Following the event, attendees can explore shops and restaurants in the area before making their way to that evening’s performance only a few blocks away.

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Resonances and Reverberations: Contemporary Immigration Issues in Minnesota and Beyond
*FREE EVENT – RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED*
Saturday, September 28th
8:00-9:00 pm (post-show)
St. Paul Brewing – 688 Minnehaha Ave E, St Paul, MN 55106

After the performance, patrons and guests are invited join us at St. Paul Brewing for our panelist conversation exploring contemporary issues surrounding immigration to the state and the country. How do the histories of immigration to Swede Hollow speak to the challenges that current migrants face as they move across borders and boundaries? Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, and all are welcome.

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This activity is made possible in part by the Knight Foundation, the David and Leni Moore Family Foundation, the City of Saint Paul Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization, and by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.