Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical: READING

Overview

One Night Only!

When Saint Paul city architect Clarence “Cap” Wigington is tasked with designing a glorious ice palace for the Winter Carnival, he and his wife Viola get much more than they bargained for when the magic of the Carnival enters their lives. With a gust of icy wind, Viola and Cap are whisked away into the realm of King Boreas and find themselves at the center of the epic myth that drives the festival. In this magical land of the North Wind, historical figures from the Carnival’s long and storied history are seeking a new King to bring back the magic and see in Cap’s brilliance the leader they’ve been hoping for. Meanwhile, jealous Fire Lord Vulcanus and his right-hand woman Klondike Kate see in Viola an opportunity to disrupt the winter king and end the festival once and for all. In a journey through both myth and history, they meet Minnesota figures from 19th-century amateur poets to champion snowmobile racers, all of whom helped make the Winter Carnival a lasting and marvelous tradition. As the realm discovers the magic in creativity and community, Cap and Viola melt the ice that has formed between them, and the power of the Winter Carnival is ignited once again.

In this brand-new musical comedy adventure, playwright Rachel Teagle and composer Keith Hovis explore the strange and wonderful world of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and the resilience, imagination, and heart that make Minnesota such a wonderful place, especially in the snow.