The 1990’s

The 1990’s were marked by higher production values, flourishing work, and increasingly daring approaches to theatre.  King of the Kosher Grocers, produced in a converted grocery store on Minneapolis’ Northside, ran for four months and was produced across the country.  The True History of Coca-Cola in Mexico was another original work that had a national presence after its Mixed Blood premiere.  Four more shows were added to the touring repertoire, which peaked in 1997. EnterTRaining became the fourth major component of Mixed Blood programming.

* denotes world premiere

** denotes regional premiere

^ denotes touring production

1990

Wall of Water* by Sherri Kramer

I Don’t Need No Stinking Badges by Luis Valdez

Other People’s Money by Jerry Sterner

A…My Name Is Alice by Julie Boyd

Mixed Blood is presented with Actors’ Equity Association’s first Rosetta LeNoire Award for “celebrating the universality of the human experience on the American stage.”

Daughters of Africa* by Syl Jones becomes Mixed Blood’s fifth show in its touring repertoire.

Mixed Blood co-produces The Mystery of Irma Vep with The Attic Theater in Detroit.

1991

La Nona by Roberto Cossa

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (adapted by Frank Galati)

Throwing Bones* by Michael Erickson

A…My Name Is Alice by Julie Boyd

Daughters of Africa^ by Syl Jones

Jack Reuler is named Macalester College’s “Distinguished Citizen”.

Mixed Blood co-produces A…My Name Is Alice and The Grapes of Wrath with The Ordway, with Don Cheadle as Tom Joad.

Mixed Blood tours Three-Part Harmony to Jacksonville, Phoenix, and Rochester, sponsored by the Mayo Clinic.

1992

Cincinnati Man* by Syl Jones

Black Belts* by Jevetta Steele and Jack Reuler

King of the Kosher Grocers* by Joe Minjares

Road To Nirvana by Arthur Kopit

The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin

Eastern Parade*^ by Rick Shiomi

Jack Reuler receives the Minneapolis Award from the Minneapolis City Council.

King of the Kosher Grocers is produced in an abandoned supermarket at Broadway and Penn in North Minneapolis.

Eastern Parade becomes the sixth show in Mixed Blood’s touring repertoire.

Don Cheadle directs Cincinnati Man. 

1993

Snowflake Avalanche by Y York

A…My Name Is Still Alice by Julie Boyd

GunPlay* by Syl Jones

Jack Reuler receives the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award from Minneapolis Community College.

A…My Name Is Still Alice runs for nine months.

1994

Hundreds of Sisters and One Big Brother* by Deb Swisher

Oleanna by David Mamet

Keely and Du by Jane Martin

Black Belts, Too* by Jevetta Steele and Jack Reuler

Minnecanos becomes Mixed Blood’s eighth show in its touring repertoire

1995

They’re Coming To Make It Brighter by Kent Broadhurst

True History of Coca-Cola in Mexico* by Aldo Velasco and Patrick Scott

Fires In The Mirror by Anna Deveare Smith

Mixed Blood is awarded Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission’s award for outstanding achievement in human rights. 

1996

¡Ayuda!*  by Michael Weller

Santos y Santos by Octavio Solis

Colorblind* by Robert Jones

Black Belts Again* by Jevetta Steele and Jack Reuler

Mixed Blood receives Minneapolis Foundation’s Diversity Award

1997

Birth of the Boom by Thomas Jones II

Good News About Third World Shoes* by Aldo Velasco and Patrick Scott

Radio Mambo by Culture Clash

Minnecanos* by Joe Minjares

Mixed Blood receives Dream Keeper Award from Minnesota Council on Black Minnesotans

Mixed Blood co-produces Birth of the Boom with City Theatre (Pittsburgh).

1998

Gene Pool by Christi Stewart-Brown

Maria!MariaMariaMaria!* by Lisa Loomer

Black No More* by Syl Jones

Mixed Blood becomes a founding member of the National New Plays Network.

Mixed Blood co-produces of the World Premiere of Syl Jones’ Black No More with the Guthrie Theater and Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.)

Playwright-In-Residence Syl Jones wins Roger Stevens Award.

1999

La Verdadera Historia de Coca-Cola en México by Aldo Velasco and Patrick Scott

Vices* by Everett Bradley & Ilene Reid

Boy by Diana Son

Black Eagle*^ by Warren Bowles