Curtains Closing for Two Significant Figures at Duluth Playhouse

DULUTH, Minn.– When you see a production at the Norshor Theater stage, you can’t help but take it all in.

The artistic decisions lie within the directors, and costume managers alike.

And pretty soon, the Playhouse will be saying goodbye to two of those employees.

“They flew me out December 2019 right after a giant blizzard. And I remember getting picked up at the airport. And the drive here to the north shore I felt like I was in a snow globe. I was like ‘Woah, this is like Christmas magic'” said Philip Fazio, the Artistic Director at the Duluth Playhouse.  “And then Christine Seitz, my predecessor brought me into the ‘Norshor Theater’, this beautiful building we’re in right now. And I was just awestruck that this gorgeous gem of a theater is right here in the heart of downtown Duluth.”

Shortly after he was hired, he was immediately tasked with driving the Playhouse through one of the most challenging situations no one could’ve predicted.

He had to adapt the art of theater in a brand-new way.

“I started right here immediately, during the height of the pandemic, and it was really just kind of, you know, hit the ground running every single day, trying to work out how we’re able to make virtual programming work, how we’re able to do safe in person classes or virtual classes work,” said Fazio

Overtime, he has made his mark. He directed shows such as ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Kinky Boots’.

Fazio said, that with the help of others, they conquered the impossible.

“Eventually we were able to return to doing in person live performances here at the Norshor Theater under safe circumstances. And I will never forget the first night we had a live audience here. It was about a year after I started. And it just felt like all of that hard work was worth it,” said Fazio.

“Duluth Playhouse has bounced back stronger than ever. We’ve seen our audience sizes grow compared to pre-pandemic numbers. And the future is just looking so bright for the playhouse,” said Fazio.

One of their most recent shows ‘Cinderella’, saw an impressive 10,000 guests.

He also hand in hand with what the Playhouse considers the ‘one man band’ of the costume department.

Peg Ferguson also trailblazed the theater in her own way, spending 11 years and 26 shows at the Duluth Playhouse

“When Peg started with us, Peg was assisting wardrobe managing, working backstage, and the time came for transition and Peg was ready to kind of take the charge,” said Evan Kelly, the Production Manager at Duluth Playhouse. “Peg took over running the costume shop, pulled in a massive number of volunteers that help us build every one of our shows. Built an exceptional team, organized the costume shops.”

And with the more technically challenging shows such as ‘Cinderella’ Ferguson was faced with her own set of difficulties to overcome.

“We had a series of trick dresses that had to transform from a normal everyday dress into ball gowns. And every time we do that; there’s an extra layer of ‘What could go wrong?’ And Peg and her team do an excellent job as we’re working through the tech process, and we’re getting into costume, figuring out what works,” said Kelly.

The Production Manager Evan Kelly said Peg has an eye for setting the scene with her costume design.

“I think Peg does an excellent job of pulling together all the color, all the looks, that just blend right on stage. Without everything looking exactly like each other. It feels like it fits the picture.
Peg is as dedicated as they come. Peg spends every extra minute that she has making sure her shows look perfect. And they do. And it shows. We’re really going to miss Peg and all of the vision that she’s brought to the company. We look forward to where we can go here in the future as we start to expand the costume program,” said Kelly.

For both Phillip and Peg, they will be assisting with one last show.

“I’m so excited that my last show here is going to be the light in the piazza. It’s a show I saw on Broadway twenty years ago that I fell in love with, and I’ve been dying to direct it. And I’ve never had the opportunity until now,” beamed Fazio.

‘Light in the Piazza’ takes place in Italy around the 1960s. Where a young American woman falls in love with a local man, despite a family secret.

This show will open its doors Friday March 14th, and runs until Saturday March 30th.

Where the curtains will close for two very special members of the Duluth Playhouse.