The Dowling decades: Highlights from his 20 years at the Guthrie

May 28, 2015 at 10:30PM
-- Guthrie production of ÏA Mid Summer Nights Dream.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

During his unprecented 20 years at the Guthrie, Joe Dowling directed more than 50 shows — more than any previous artistic director. Here are highlights of Dowling's work and other memorable productions through the years.

1996

Dowling launches his Guthrie career with a splashy reimagining of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He would return to Shakespeare's frothy comedy two more times.

"Philadelphia, Here I Come!" is the first of five plays by Brian Friel that Dowling will stage at the Guthrie. The company includes brothers Lee Mark and Kris Nelson, who become Guthrie mainstays. Dowling later stars in Friel's "Faith Healer."

1998

Keith Glover's "Thunder Knocking on the Door," directed by Marion McClinton, marks a departure from Dowling's predecessor Garland Wright, who rarely produced or collaborated with artists or theaters of color. Dowling will go on to work with Penumbra, Carlyle Brown & Company and Pillsbury House Theatre, among others.

1999

Dowling brings in a new crop of directors, including David Esbjornson, who makes his debut with a gorgeously poetic production of Tennessee Williams' classic "Summer and Smoke," headlined by Laila Robins.

Associate artistic director John Miller-Stephany stages a haunting production of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd" at the old Guthrie Lab, the first of 16 shows — mostly summer musicals — that Miller-Stephany will direct under Dowling.

Created by the team of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, "Martin Guerre" could have been the next "Les Misérables." Alas, despite the backing of uber-producer Cameron Mackintosh and a sold-out premiere in Minneapolis, it never sees Broadway.

2000

Mercedes Ruehl and Patrick Stewart bring the acerbic warring drunks in Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" to lugubrious, vivid life under director Esbjornson.

2002

"Six Degrees of Separation," John Guare's play of deception and beauty, gets a sublime production by Dowling protégé Ethan McSweeny, who stages nine shows at the Guthrie.

2003

Dowling brings to the Guthrie legendary playwright Arthur Miller, who writes "Resurrection Blues," his penultimate play. Dowling would produce Miller seven times, more than any other playwright other than Shakespeare.

2004

He directs a bright, sprightly production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance."

He takes Miller's "Death of a Salesman," starring Peter Michael Goetz, to the Dublin Theatre Festival, the first European tour of a Guthrie show.

Lisa Peterson, one of notably few women directors he invited to the Guthrie, stages Ellen McLaughlin's adaptation of "Oedipus," with Peter Macon as the disturbed king.

2005

Angela Bassett and her husband, Courtney Vance, bring star power to the Dowling-directed "His Girl Friday," adapted by John Guare from "The Front Page."

Max Stafford-Clarke's promenade-style "Macbeth" has a riveting run at the former Guthrie Lab under the banner of its WorldStage series. The theater would also bring in "Druid­Synge" and "The Great Game," among its international offerings.

2006

"Hamlet," which opened the Guthrie in 1963, also closes the original theater. Santino Fontana, who was in the first class of the Guthrie/University of Minnesota BFA program, headlines as the conflicted prince.

Nodding to Twin Cities literary history, the opening season in the $125 million big blue box includes Simon Levy's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." The Guthrie also for the first time produces a play by Neil Simon, "Lost in Yonkers."

2007

Tony winner Mark Rylance holds forth as the itinerant storyteller in Robert Bly's poetic adaptation of Ibsen's "Peer Gynt." Rylance, who first came to the Guthrie in an "original practices" production of "Twelfth Night," would return to adapt Louis Jenkins' poetry into "Nice Fish" in 2013.

2008

Melissa Gilbert headlines a sold-out run of the musical adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie," although the show does not make it to Broadway.

2009

"Caroline, or Change," a musical written by Tony Kushner with composer Jeanine Tesori, anchors the Guthrie's first festival devoted to a single playwright. Director Marcela Lorca stages a sublime production headlined by Greta Oglesby.

2010

"The Scottsboro Boys," Kander and Ebb's last musical, has its premiere in Minneapolis, selling out and introducing spectacular talent to the McGuire proscenium stage. It goes on to a short-lived run on Broadway.

The premiere of "The Master Butchers' Singing Club," adapted from Louise Erdrich's novel by Marsha Norman, does not fare well.

2012

The Guthrie's second playwright-centered festival champions Christopher Hampton, best known as a translator of plays by Yasmina Reza. But "Tales From Hollywood," "Appomattox" and "Embers" do not live up to the success of the Kushner festival, artistically or at the box office.

2013

Minneapolis-reared Vincent Kartheiser of "Mad Men" fame stars as uptight, lovelorn Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," a summer hit.

2014

Dowling draws crowds with his smart production of the classic musical "My Fair Lady."


The Guthrie Theater Joe Dowling - Artistic Director. David Hawkanson - Managing Director (Left to Right) Gar Private (Rainn Wilson) encourages his other self, Gar Public (Lee Mark Nelson), to communicate with his father S.B. O’Donnell (Donal Donnelly) on the eve of Gar’s departure to America in the Guthrie Theater production of Brian Friel’s comedy Philadelphia, Here I Come! Directed by Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling, Philadelphia H
The Guthrie Theater Joe Dowling - Artistic Director. David Hawkanson - Managing Director (Left to Right) Gar Private (Rainn Wilson) encourages his other self, Gar Public (Lee Mark Nelson), to communicate with his father S.B. O’Donnell (Donal Donnelly) on the eve of Gar’s departure to America in the Guthrie Theater production of Brian Friel’s comedy Philadelphia, Here I Come! Directed by Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling, Philadelphia Here I Come! is running from July 31 - September 22, in repertory with Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops To Conquer (July 28 - September 22). Donna Kelly (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Thunder Knocking on the Door. -- Lovette George, who plays Glory Dupree in Thunder Knocking on the Door, belts out a song during rehearsal Tuesday night.
“Thunder Knocking on the Door” Lovette George, who plays Glory Dupree in Thunder Knocking on the Door, belts out a song during rehearsal Tuesday night. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Joe Dowling - Artistic Director. David Hawkanson - Managing Director Alma Winemiller (Laila Robins, left) runs into her next-door neighbor and long-time love John Buchanan (Neil Maffin) in the Guthrie Theater’s production of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke David Esbjornson dircc s the bittersweet drama, which runs now through May 23 at the Guthrie Theater. Michal Daniel
“Summer and Smoke” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
patrick stewart and mercedes ruehl in "who's afraid of virginia woolf?"
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Minneapolis, MN., Wednesday, 2/27/2003. (left to right) Amy Van Nostrand as Ouisa, and Stephen Pelinski as Flan in a scene from the Guthrie production of "Six Degrees of Separation." Thirteen years after ``Six Degrees of Separation'' burst into the nation's consciousness with its jumble of issues American, it seems like deja vu all over again. The play, about shifting identities, liquid ethics and celebrity worship, is being revived at a time when there is a president named George Bush who is ta
Minneapolis, MN., Wednesday, 2/27/2003. (left to right) Amy Van Nostrand as Ouisa, and Stephen Pelinski as Flan in a scene from the Guthrie production of "Six Degrees of Separation." Thirteen years after ``Six Degrees of Separation'' burst into the nation's consciousness with its jumble of issues American, it seems like deja vu all over again. The play, about shifting identities, liquid ethics and celebrity worship, is being revived at a time when there is a president named George Bush who is talking about war with Iraq. The economy is in the doldrums and race relations continue to be a tense, vexing area. ``Butthe one major difference that has happened is that apartheid is gone,'' said playwright John Guare. ``The social surroundings seemto say `stasis' but I think we've moved on in some ways.'' The Minneapolis production of ``Six Degrees,'' at the Guthrie Theater, is one of the first major revivals of the show that has popularized the concept of our inter-relatedness. The Guthrie event is being staged by a talented, thirty-something director and the principal role, that of grifter Paul, is being played by Danyon Davis, a twenty-something talent entrusted with big responsibility at the Guthrie. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
** ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND JAN. 18-20 **This 2007 photo released by the Guthrie Theater shows Mark Rylance as Peer Gynt in the Guthrie production of "Peer Gynt" in Minneapolis, translated and adapted by Robert Bly from the original by Henrik Ibsen. (AP Photo/Michal Daniel) ORG XMIT: NY450
“Peer Gynt” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Melissa Gilbert (Caroline “Ma” Ingalls) in the world premiere musical LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Book by Rachel Sheinkin, music by Rachel Portman, lyrics by Donna di Novelli, based on the “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, initiated for the stage by Adrianne Lobel and Francesca Zambello. Directed by Francesca Zambello, choreography by Michele Lynch, set design by Adriann
“Little House on the Prairie” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Vincent Kartheiser (Fitzwilliam Darcy) in the Guthrie Theater's production of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, adapted by Simon Beale. Directed by Joe Dowling, set design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by Mathew LeFebvre and lighting design by Phillip S. Rosenberg. July 12, 2013 - August 31, 2013 on the Wurtele Thurst Stage at the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
Vincent Kartheiser in “Pride and Prejudice” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Jamecia Bennett (The Washing Machine), Felicia Boswell, Aurelia Williams and Lynnea Doublette (The Radio) and Greta Oglesby (Caroline Thibodeaux) in the 2009 Guthrie Theater production of the musical "Caroline, Or Change," by Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori.
“Caroline, or Change” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Star Tribune photo/Tom Wallace The Guthrie Theater is to present the American premiere of John GuareÌs adaptation of His Girl Friday under the direction of Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling. His Girl Friday begins previews July 2, 2005, and plays through July 31. Featuring Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance as former spouses Hildy Johnson and Walter Burns. Tickets for His Girl Friday go on sale June 13, 2005, through the Guthrie Theater Box Office at 612-377-2224 or toll-free 1-877-44
“His Girl Friday” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Christopher Hampton, playwright who is being feted at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN. August 31, 2012. ] JOELKOYAMA•joel.koyama@startribune.com
Hampton (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
GENERAL INFORMATION: MINNEAPOLIS - 8/9/02 - Friday was Arthur Miller Day in Minneapolis in honor of the playwright's world premiere of "Resurrection Blues, at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis Friday night. IN THIS PHOTO: After a dinner party in the Walker Sculpture Garden, Arthur Miller, center, walked to the Guthrie for the first performance of his "Resurrection Blues."
Miller (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett in "His Girl Friday"
“His Girl Friday” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Rohan Preston

Critic / Reporter

Rohan Preston covers theater for the Star Tribune.

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