Commonweal Company
ERIC BUNGE, Managing Director, grew up on a small farm within sight of nearby Preston. After receiving a B.A. from Luther College (Decorah, IA) and studying at the University of Oslo (Norway), he received his M.F.A. from the National Theatre Conservatory (NTC) in Denver, Colorado. In 1989, together with NTC classmates Scott Putman and Scott Olson, he founded the Commonweal. Eric has acted and directed many times for Commonweal—most recently in Harvey, Man of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol, The Odd Couple, and The 1940’s Radio Hour.
STELA BURDT is celebrating her eleventh season with the Commonweal. Theatregoers may remember her from roles in Crimes of the Heart, Bus Stop, Zombies from the Beyond, A Midnight Dreary (written by her husband, Scott Dixon), Harvey, and Man of La Mancha. When not on stage, she proudly serves as Director of Administration and Artistic Director of “Over the Back Fence,” Commonweal’s summer radio show. A freelance vocalist, pianist, and music director, Stela earned her B.A. in Theatre/Dance at Luther College and now makes her home in Lanesboro.
HAL CROPP, Artistic Director, is now in his 19th season with the Commonweal where favorite roles include: Groucho, Shylock, Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, Botvinnik in A Walk in the Woods, and Peck in How I Learned to Drive. Company directing credits include The Cmplt Wks of Wm Shakespeare (abridged), Heartland Portrait, The Wild Duck, Ghosts, Peer Gynt, Man of La Mancha, Hedda Gabler, and A Midnight Dreary. He holds a B.A. in Theatre from Brown, an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University, an M.F.A. in acting from the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver and was the 2006 Sally Irvine Award winner for Initiative.
LAURA DEPTA is delighted to be making her Commonweal debut. Laura is a MN native and recent transplant from Charlotte, NC where she was co-founder and Artistic Director of Epic Arts Rep, which she developed with her husband, Stan Peal. Charlotte credits include world premieres of Southern Rapture and Peal’s original works, The Friar & The Nurse and Goddess & The Magdalene. She has performed in New York at the International Fringe Festival and in the former USSR at the Moscow Art Theatre. Laura holds a B.F.A. from the North Carolina School of the Arts.
STEF DICKENS is in her lucky number eighth season at the Commonweal where she also works as the company’s Director of Development. Recent stage credits include Ginger in The 1940’s Radio Hour, Frances in A Midnight Dreary, and Thea Elvsted in Hedda Gabler. Other personal favorites include Meg in Crimes of the Heart and Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Stef has also appeared on stage at the New Theatre in Nottingham, England as Tracy Lord in High Society. She earned her B.A. in Theatre/Dance from Luther College and also spends a joyous part of her life as a doula.
SCOTT DIXON is now in his tenth season at Commonweal where some of his favorite onstage work has included The Wild Duck, The Rainmaker,
The Mystery of Irma Vep, Wait Until Dark, and How I Learned to Drive. As a playwright, he is the author of two plays which have premiered at Commonweal—The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann novella) and A Midnight Dreary, about the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. Scott earned his M.F.A. in Acting from Wayne State University in Detroit and now makes his home in Lanesboro with his wife, Stela Burdt.
IRENE ERKENBRACK received her B.A. in Theatre/Dance from Luther College and her M.A. with Distinction in Acting Musical Theatre from the Central School of Speech and Drama, part of the University of London. Now in her fourth season with the Commonweal, Irene serves as Box Office Manager and has been seen onstage in The Wild Duck, Peer Gynt, The Odd Couple, and The 1940’s Radio Hour. She’s also worked with Missoula Children’s Theatre, National Theatre for Children, Navy Pier Entertainment, Metropolis Performing Arts Center, and Moving Dock Theatre Company.
SARAH KATHRYN HAWKINS is thrilled to return to the Commonweal Theatre for this fantastic season! Sarah was a part of the Commonweal’s inaugural Apprentice Company in 2008 during which she performed in Ice Maidens and Private Eyes. A native Hoosier, Sarah has a B.A. in Theatre from Gustavus Adolphus College. She studied at the London Dramatic Academy and UCLA Film School, and she has performed with CLIMB Theatre Company and Creede Repertory Theatre. Sarah is eternally grateful for the love and support of her family and fiancé, David.
DAVID HENNESSEY is on the Commonweal’s Development Team and has performed in 29 shows over 12 seasons, including The 1940’s Radio Hour, A Midnight Dreary, The Rainmaker, and The Odd Couple. Other favorite shows include Peer Gynt, Ghosts, A Christmas Carol, A Doll’s House, and Bus Stop. He also designed costumes for Ice Maidens and A Streetcar Named Desire. Other credits include Park Square and the Jungle Theatre in the Twin Cities and American Players Theatre in Wisconsin. He lives in Preston with Linda, his favorite scene partner of 36 years.
BRENNAN KELLEHER is delighted to be a part of the Commonweal family. A recent graduate of U.C. Santa Barbara’s Actor Training Program, his stage credits include: Plumfield, Iraq, Idiot’s Delight, Woyzeck, Angels in America, and A Night of Evening Theatre. While in Los Angeles, Brennan appeared in Property Rites through The Pretenders Theatre Company, Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead, and bobrauschenbergamerica with The Theatricians, plus various short films.
CLAIRE KENNING received her M.A. in Acting Musical Theatre from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London after having completed her B.A. in Theatre and Performance at the University of Warwick. Previous productions in the UK include The Decision, Putting it Together, A Chorus Line, The Hot Mikado, and Merrily We Roll Along. Claire also works as a freelance singer and is the Artistic Director of her own theatre company, Kenspeck Productions. She is delighted to be making it across the Pond to join the Commonweal this year.
STAN PEAL returns to the Commonweal after appearances in A Midnight Dreary and The 1940’s Radio Hour and sound designs for the 2009 season. His original play Ice Maidens debuted at Commonweal in 2008. Stan studied at Carroll College in Wisconsin before moving to Minneapolis to work with The Refreshment Committee, Bald Alice, 50 Foot Penguin, and Park Square. With his wife, Laura Depta, he founded Epic Arts Repertory Theatre in Charlotte, NC, developing several original plays, three of which were also produced in New York. More info at www.stanpeal.com.
TIM SAILER returns to the Commonweal after a successful apprenticeship. During that time, he appeared in The Rainmaker, The 1940s Radio Hour, and Death and the Ploughman. He has also performed at Theatre L’Homme Dieu in Hay Fever, My Emperor’s New Clothes and Pinocchio. Tim received a B.A. in Theatre and English from Concordia University, St. Paul, where his credits include Amadeus, The Comedy of Errors, Dames at Sea, Into the Woods, and Seascape.
JESSIE SHERMAN received her B.F.A. in Acting from U.C. Santa Barbara. After moving to LA, she appeared in the major motion picture, Fame, and in several independent shorts and features as well as the groundbreaking web series Carefree Lifestyle. In addition, Jessie is a member of the LA-based Push to Talk Theater Company. Previous productions include Angels In America, Woyzeck, and Independence. She originated roles in two world premiere productions as part of the SB New Plays Festival. Her one woman show Still Life, was recently featured at the SB Primavera Arts Festival.
DANIEL LOUDEN STOCK, originally from Cannon Falls, MN, earned his B.S. in Theatre and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Superior where he directed Land of the Dead and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot. Acting credits include Creon in Antigone and Anthony in The House of Yes. He toured the Midwest with Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre where he co-wrote and composed music for their newest musical, Sleeping Beauty. After touring, he moved to Chicago where he worked for American Eagle Productions, Chicago Dell’arte and Prologue Theatre.
ADRIENNE SWEENEY is in her tenth season with the Commonweal, serving as the Marketing Director and Ibsen Festival Coordinator in addition to her artistic roles. Originally from Philadelphia, she has an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Arizona and has performed at a variety of theatres in Arizona and the Twin Cities. Favorite roles at the Commonweal include Lizzie in The Rainmaker, Veta Louise in Harvey, and Susy in Wait Until Dark. Her voiceover work airs on the radio and television regionally and nationally.
JASON UNDERFERTH, the Production Manager and Resident Lighting Designer for the Commonweal, has been lighting shows professionally throughout the Midwest for ten years. His designs have been seen at the Chinese Dance Theatre, MN Conservatory for the Arts, Minnetonka Arts Center, St. Mary’s University of MN, St. Olaf College, and the University of MN. Favorite Commonweal designs include Man of La Mancha and A Midnight Dreary, in which he also designed the multimedia projections. More info at his website: www.UnderferthDesign.com
MICHAEL VAN SCHOICK recently graduated from Florida State University, receiving his B.F.A. in Acting. While in college, Michael studied in London under such notables as Anna Calder-Marshall, and Patsy Rodenburg. At
F.S.U. he performed the roles of Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer, Sagot in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Rick in Six Degrees of Separation. Michael is an apprentice actor for the Commonweal Theatre this year and proud to be a new addition to our theatre family.
JEROME YORKE is happy to start the 2010 season as a resident ensemble member. First appearing in Crimes of the Heart, the last show to close in the St. Mane, Jerome has since been seen in the title role of Peer Gynt, as Lovborg in Hedda Gabler, Starbuck in The Rainmaker, and E.A. Poe in the world premiere of A Midnight Dreary. Twin Cities productions include work at The MN Opera, Park Square, Emigrant Theatre, Theatre Pro Rata and Gremlin Theatre. Jerome would like to thank all who are passionately involved in the arts for the greater good through work, play, and inspiration.
