About the Production

An Enemy of the People Performed in 16 locations from 2017-2019.  It was an outdoor/indoor immersive experience that took place in City Halls, outdoor parks and courthouses all over Minnesota.  The classic play was reimagined into a bluegrass musical and often took place on the shores of community lakes and rivers. Communities were selected based on the history of challenges and successes faced by each community in connection to their water quality issues. Each performance was followed by a talk back led by Sod House cast members or water experts from the state of Minnesota.  These conversations focused on how important clean water is for our state and the politics and science involved with keeping it clean. 

Locations Performed: Bemidji, Granite Falls, Battle Lake, Fergus Falls, Mankato, Blue Earth, Hallock, Taylor’s Falls, Fairmont, Red Wing, Lake Benton, Pipestone, Virginia, Ely, Hastings and Crookston

Why this Subject Matter is Important:

An Enemy of the People examined how a community responds when a local doctor threatens to expose that the water it relies upon for tourism is poisoned. If the doctor reveals that the water is poisoned, the town will be financially ruined and everyone’s way of life will be over. If the doctor keeps the contaminated water a secret, visitors who use the water for healing and renewal, may die. The play questions how far a community will go to protect their town’s secret in order to avoid financial ruin. 

Actors and Musicians

Joy Dolo, Darcey Engen, Ashley Hanson, Alex Hathaway, Brian Laidlaw, Del Logeais, Dario Tangleson, Luverne Seifert, Suzanne Warmanen, Joe Nathan, Sarah Agnew, Mo Perry, Dora Lanier, Judy Carpenter, Lowell Carpenter, Hannah Ekelund, Rebecca Ecklund, Alyse Fielder, Gibson Fleischauer, Abby Kocher, Buddy Kohlmier, Rick Schara, Roger McBride, Paula Nemes, Ben Schierer, Country Dove Schierer, Deb Wallwork, Bob Johnson, Gary Rozman, Abby Kocher, Nancy Colligan, Wendy Greenberg, Kathryn Gonzales, Carolyn Jacobs, Finn Eggerling, Emily Kivi, Tilly Shipley, Addie Dauner, Shannon Murray, Carolyn Jacobs, Tracy Johnson, Scott Tedrick, Alex Sina, Jessica Gorman, Jim Lee, Mary Kelly, Jerry Ostensie, Phil Kelley, Betsy Pardick, Daryl Hrdlicka, Noelle Lawton, Catherine Bartels, Avery Lawton, Ron Affolter, Rebecca Novak, Christian Hanel, Sydney Johnson, Marshall Quick, Jenny Kelly, Kevin Kelly, Peter Skjervold, Rob Hubbard, Kaylie Snider, Jessica Scheerer, Helen Olson-Reed, Bonnie Schock, Peter Amendolar, Hattie Mathers, Lyndon Johnson, Mykayla Kissinger, Lora Gatheridge, Connie Nelson, Morgan Bergeron, Megan Hylton, David Kaul, Justin Pietruszewski, Blain Asman, Maggie Iten, Molly Iten, Katelyn Gatheridge, Josephine Wade, Lisa Anderson, Madeline Row, Hannah Dyson, Carrie Enberg, Sariah Cheadle, Taylor Engel, Mary Jean Smith, Channa McCaray, Linda Peterson, Mark Wilmes, Pete Pellinen, Kaija Pellinen, Tucker Kuhn, Emily Hynes, Mike Ellingson, Brian Roverud, Jessica Loken, JoAnne Rehling, Carol Justice, Shawn Shoen, Bennet Peterson, Izzy Munsch, Chloe Johnson, Dani Logan, Halle Pauling, Ellie Norvitch, Melissa Rickman, Kelsey Norvitch, Hannah Dagel, Joseph Dagel, Hattie Mathers, Aaron Frier, Ali Kirkpatrick, Steve Beal, Meghan Knapp, Tia Tanzer, Maddie Sundheim, Ellory Kurtz, Shelly KJ, Jeremy Sundheim, Libby Wasylik, Mike Kelly, Kari McCord, Katherine McCord, Kathy Henry, Kelli Tatum, Megan Hanks, Gabrionna Kurtz, Sean Jones, Suellen Weber, Marty Weber, Megan Scott, Lynne Mullins, Sue Meyer, Cindy Fahser, Gaye Wick, Callie Boucher, Beth Carlson, George French, Raye French, Georgie French, Logan Johnson, Phyllis Hagen, Elena Middleton, Izzie Lamb.

Co-Creators/Music Composition

Ashley Hanson and Brian Laidlaw

Co-Creators/Directors

Darcey Engen and Luverne Seifert