All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Plays the Pantages 12/15-18

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, the moving production which has become a new holiday classic and an annual tradition for theatregoers, will return for six performances only, Thursday through Sunday, December 15-18, 2011 at the Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. With words and songs drawn from the era, All Is Calm recalls the remarkable, spontaneous World War I truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land over Christmas 1914. This compelling ode to peace was created by Theater Latté Da's artistic director Peter Rothstein and features Cantus, one of America's finest vocal ensembles, with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. All Is Calm is a collaboration among Cantus, Theater Latté Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 23. To purchase and for more information visit HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

All Is Calm relates an astounding moment in history when Allied and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the holiday together by trading carols, sharing food and drink, playing soccer and burying each others' dead. In some places the truce lasted only a night, in others until New Year's Day. This dramatic re-telling contains quotes and readings from thirty World War I figures brought to life by actors Matt Rein, David Roberts and Alan Sorenson. The tapestry of sound performed by the artists of Cantus ranges from patriotic tunes and trench songs to medieVal Scottish ballads and holiday carols from England, Wales, France and Germany. The production opens with a set of carols arranged by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams for his own battalion.

Rothstein, who worked five years to develop All Is Calm, said "I wanted to tell the story in their words, so I created the drama primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast. I was able to spend time along the Western Front and conduct extensive research in Brussels, Ieper, Paris and London. It was incredibly powerful to stand on the very spot where this extraordinary happening took place. For decades, the Christmas truce was considered a romantic fable, however there is no doubt thousands of courageous men took part in this remarkable event."

Said musical arranger Erick Lichte, "All Is Calm allows Cantus to sing Christmas carols that everyone knows and loves, but when set in the context of trench warfare, take on a new poignancy. Music was an important part of life in the trenches and one of the primary factors that instigated the truce."

The world premiere of All Is Calm was broadcast live on Classical Minnesota Public Radio and has since been heard around the globe through American Public Media and the European Broadcast Union. The program won the Gold World Medal at the 2010 New York Festivals and the 2010 Gabriel Award, which honors works of excellence in broadcasting that serve audiences through the positive, creative treatment of concerns to humankind. The original All Is Calm cast recording from this highly acclaimed collaboration between Cantus and Theater Latté Da is available for purchase on CD and as a download at cantussings.org.

Reaction from the Press:
"A dramatic, real-life musing about the power this season has to make us stop, reflect, and decide to operate in a mode of peace."-Lani Willis, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine
"A work of beauty...not only an outstanding piece of musical theater, but a brilliantly executed production that understands that its power comes from its simplicity."-Rob Hubbard, St. Paul Pioneer Press

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, are priced at $27.50 and $35 for adults; $25 and $15 for seniors (age 62+), military/veterans and students (ages 6-18). Prices depend on seating preference. Additional fees may apply. Tickets may be purchased in person at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, 55402), online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org, through Ticketmaster by calling 800.982.2787 or by visiting a Ticketmaster Ticket Center. Groups of 10 are eligible for discounts and should call 612.373.5665 for information and reservations. Performances are held at the Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 55403.

Performance dates and times: Thursday, Dec. 15 through Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011
Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 and 6:30 p.m.

For more information on All Is Calm and other work by Cantus and Theater Latté Da please visit cantussings.org and latteda.org.

Hennepin Theatre Trust, non-profit owner of the historic Orpheum, State, Pantages and the newly developed New Century Theatre, is devoted to enriching the vibrant cultural atmosphere of the Twin Cities. The Trust's activities include Broadway touring productions,the Broadway Confidential series, the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program for high schools, Critical View student reviewer program, the Access Program and Kids' Night.

Cantus is acclaimed as the "premier men's vocal ensemble in the United States" (Fanfare) and distinguishes itself with its remarkable musical versatility. Touring nationally and enjoying sold-out concerts in its home of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Cantus is featured this season as Artists in Residence on American Public Media's Performance Today, heard by over 1 million listeners each week

Theater Latté Da is a Twin Cities musical theater company recognized for its ability to connect artists, audiences and communities through diverse stories that are both entertaining and enlightening. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.

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