HELL ON WHEELS: The Winter Strike of 1934

Solidarity Forever

Such a great show to learn about the rich history of Minneapolis and unions. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t taught this in the twin cities school system! How convenient! Never too late to learn. Although set in 1934, the themes are applicable to today’s political, socioeconomic climate. Workers’ solidarity forever!

A surprise

This show was very well written, produced, and performed. I was a little astonished to see such a professional show but it compared favorably with the last Guthrie production I saw. The story and script were clean and polished, the acting had a lot of life in it, and the transitions and ensemble movements were tight and well-rehearsed. The dialogue between characters was a little bit modern but I thought it was a great choice, making these characters and their plight in the depression more accessible and relatable without being too anachronistic. I was originally a little judgy about two male characters (troubadours) starting the show while a female character looked on approvingly but there was such thoughtful treatment of the roles of women in the rest of the play that I was mollified. My only criticism is that the ending was not as polished or as satisfying as the rest of the script, which is hardly surprising considering that the writer is actually working on a longer form show with all of the 1934 strikes. Certainly, the very last line of the show brought tears to my eyes as I thought about all that Minnesotans had just done to protect families like mine in the ICE occupation. Apparently it's a legacy from 1934. I am grateful.

Worth the hype (and MUSIC?!)

"You must know history to make history" Masterful movement, a lovely pair of musicians and a set of powerful actors. This show expertly conveys the stakes and the power of unionizing in an ensemble piece that will leave you wanting more!

Solid Solidarity

I have to admit I’m a sucker for history plays. In a play with this topic certain tropes are inevitable. The challenge is to supersede them and give the audience something unexpected. This show doesn’t succeed in doing this as much as I would have wished. It might have been interesting to catch a glimpse of the evil bosses and police, though that was not necessary. However, there was a bit at the end that surprised me. I would have liked just a little more detail. But these are all quibbles regarding an overall very enjoyable show. The performances were solid and heartfelt (in a good way). This was a near sellout opening night.

Excellent Show!

A roaring good time with laughter, music, and touching moments. All the performers were great and in lock-step with one another to make this a strong ensemble production. The music was incredible and added a folksy flair to the piece. It was fun to learn more about a different moment in Minnesota history and see how we are still relearning the same lessons almost 100 years later. Well done!

Hell of a Show

Great show! Tons of music, like way more than I expected. Satisfying drama and humor throughout. Teamsters forever and solidarity forever!

Earnest and convincing

First show there was a standing ovation in an almost sold out crowd. I went in cold, because I think you should always go to something you know nothing about on the first night in Fringe. My gamble paid off. I also had a conversation about the history of unions in Minnesota with a guy in line, and I think this show might be tapped in to a movement.

Must see

Full disclosure: My wife is in the cast. One daughter directed, and another daughter designed costumes. I may be a little biased. Despite having family members involved, I had not read the script or seen any rehearsals. I've been around theater long enough to know that the alternating discouragement and euphoria of cast members are not a reliable guide to the quality of the production. I was blown away. The performance was tight and well acted. I marveled at how, with just a few set pieces, the cast conjured kitchens, meeting halls, a coal truck, and even a remarkable street scene involving two trucks. I plan to see it again.

Historic story telling with accordian!

Creativity 5; Production Value 5; Interest (subjective) 5 Top rate in every dimension: I was aware we had an organizing history here, but HELL ON WHEELS really makes the story personal, sharing the impact on individual coal worker families. And as a bonus, some of my favorite things: an accordian and well sung organizing music.

Fantastic Story and Well Delivered.

Really great show! I learned more about Minnesota and experienced a moving story. Good characterization all around (which is hard in just an hour), high-quality acting, writing, and production, and some good music as well, which was a surprise! Watch it! oh there's an accordian too!

Then as Now

Watching these workers in their homes,at their meetings and in the streets was stirring. A couple of tears fell. There were great laughs. Remarkable music. More action than I expected in the setting.I hope with all my heart that this production lives on to reach many more audiences.History's lessons point the way.Then as Now.

A Sell Out for Good Reason

The buzz is true! Powerful story, well told. Go see it before closing weekend, or otherwise reserve tickets. Saturday 8/8 was nearly a sell out and a robust standing ovation.

Solidarity forever!

From the opening troubadours (who played over the usual fringe message?! a first?? - or are they not doing it this year) to the inspiring final notes, this gripping union story succeeded on every level for us. The cast was exemplary in their performances, had us crying throughout (though we are admittedly extremely sympathetic to the cause). I’ll also give a nod to the ingenious practical effects and musical transitions. See this play, comrades! The day isn’t lost yet! Solidarity forever.

Great Title, Great Show

The inclusion of music from the time brought the storytelling to a new level. The audience started singing along. A piece of Minnesota history that resonates with recent events.

Wonderful combination of gravity and humor

A wonderful show about the importance of labor unions, the struggles to form them, the politics within them, and the neverending struggle for the rights of workers; all shown through the lens of 1934 history. The cast was brilliant and energetic. The first show ran with barely a hitch or stumbled word. Music, blocking, script, scenery - all masterfully done. And fun bits of humor to keep things moving along and keep the audience engaged. Heads up - two benches are available on stage for those folks in the audience (like me) who would like a small audience participation role near the end of the performance. If you volunteer, note that you will be called upon to act the part of audience members listening to a union organizing speach.

WOW

Meaningful, relevant, and inspiring without being preachy. Possibly, the best Fringe Show I’ve ever seen—certainly the best post pandemic closings. Well done!!!

Solid!

This is an incredible production and portrayal of a pivotal moment in MN! I am so thankful that such a passionate cast and crew has brought this history to life. My great grandfather was Vincent Raymond Dunne and it was so special to experience this show!

An Unexpected Decision

I wasn’t expecting to see this show – with a fringe schedule filled with high-quality productions, this was an, “eh, local history, maybe if I have time…”, but then I had a lovely talk with a member of the production team as we stood in the restroom and I decided, “Why not? He seems nice - I’ll see the show.” I am overjoyed to have made this decision. The work is incredible – the performances are all powerfully honest, the music adds a beautiful accent to the work and never overpowers, the script is superb and seems meticulously researched, and the staging…this might be the best stage movement and scene sculpting I have ever seen. The stage comes alive in this production, changing from a dining room to a car to an office with magical fluidity and meticulously exact blocking – yet this phenomenal movement never dominates the scene. And the script is fast but clear and beautifully poetic at moments while never falling into unnaturally forced poetry, honest to the source material while clearly pointing to themes of oppression and abuse that history teaches. And we’ve hardly touched on the splendid performances, or the humble folk music that paints scene transitions, or the radio…I can’t say more without giving away a surprise, but the radio is brilliant! And my praise could continue. This is a show you should use as a cornerstone in your fringe scheduling.

So glad I attended!

I am familiar with the important history the play depicts. It was thrilling to see it come to life. Really enjoyed it. Well done everyone involved!

Goosebumps

This made me proud to be a minnesotan.

covered history i hadn't previously read about

i knew I'd want to see this one when history was my college major and my favorite era to study was the Depression, the era that this show covers. the character i liked the most was the one calling herself 'Mrs. Claus' as she was the most convincing to me, by being the most persuasive. the one i liked the least was the accordion player, but not due to musical talents. it was when this man took a turn as a speaker at a union meeting and laughed at his own jokes. as a stage performer i am not impressed by anyone who does this. a little odd to see some characters with their back turned to the crowd when not speaking, i figured they'd just be completely offstage. but overall, i liked this show as it covered some history i hadn't previously read about. i had read about other strikes from this era, but not this one.

Sharp history lesson

I didn't expect to love this so much. Well-told story that weaves the real situation from almost 100 years ago in a taut frame. Loved several scenes for their realism and the sparks between the actors, and there are a few wonderfully inventive moments (the protagonist jumping across a 5-foot space to commandeer a truck is delightful!). By the end, everyone sings Solidarity Forever!

Fanfrickintastic

I LOVED this play!! The cast was superb, the story was moving, the writing was compelling but not preachy , the pacing was great, the balance of heaviness and lightness, singing and speech was spot on.

Substantial Show, Required for Leftists

This is a show I deem as a must see! If you what to learn labor history and understand worker's rights start at this show. The battle for fair wages shown realistically. We live in a time were a wealthy, organized elite maintain their power and privilege much like they did in the 1930's so this show isn't just for history buffs but for modern activists. A personal sidenote: there is a chest of drawers in this production as a prop. At one point a prop baby is discreetly place in it for storage. My child reality was my neighbors were often too poor for cribs so an open drawer was where a real baby slept.

Good performance, interesting subject matter

Add it to your list!

Minnesota is so cool

This play did what it was supposed to do: spark an interest in something that I admittedly knew nothing about. That said, there is A LOT in that history that is jammed into a fringe-length show and I'd love to have seen a couple more perspectives or some more nuance even on how the characters are thinking to really, really get the struggle. That doesn't take away that there are some very lovely performances (and some great humor) and I was very very happy to have on stage live music for preshow to really get us in the mood to see this production.

Great Performance

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Great job of storytelling. The staging and performances were brilliant. Definitely worth seeing.

Timeless, a story that needs to be told

I’m so impressed with this entire production. From the costuming, art design, choreography, music, it is essential to include in your Fringe plans. The performers feel the show in their bones and bare their souls to the audience - their connection and devotion to the subject matter is without question. The movement and blocking feels natural and balanced. Wholesome, detailed, well-researched, and entertaining. With the occupation Minneapolis saw this past winter, there is no better time to understand the history like you’re living it. Go see this play. Suitable for all ages.

More clear-eyed tales of worker organizing!

"Hell on Wheels" was solidly produced and directed, so I was glad to witness it also be as lucid about the challenges to worker organizing (both internal and external to unions, class dynamics between genders, union members/bosses, businesses/govts vs workers) that did not get cast aside for a more romantic "revolution washing" of such organizing. Love seeing such lucid, lefty shows like these pop up more and more at Fringe.

As a Union Activist, This Show Touched the Heart

I knew the SUMMER of '34 Trucking Strike history in Minneapolis, but this impetus for those strikes, in the winter of '34, blew me away. So, I'd like to start by thanking Theo Ebarb for his script, and I'm trying to think of how the Minneapolis Regional Retiree Council or the State AFL-CIO Retiree Council can connect with Local 574 to bring the show back to present to these union retiree groups, maybe even as a fundraising mechanism. The ensemble cast was excellent. The Burkitt family should be proud of Belinda's portrayal, but where would show be without the costuming and tight direction? In the two lead female roles, Samantha and Talia were excellent, but Bjorn, Moses and Nick were very good in their key roles, as well. Finally, I think this was one of the smartest set designs at Fringe this year - congratulations, Margaret Lindahl.

History I didn't know, timely.

I barely got in! There's a LOT I don't know about union history, and I never learned about this history before. I enjoyed how this show had live music with classic union songs (many of which I'm unfamiliar with cuz I'm new to all this). I also enjoyed their realistic exploration of class dynamics, gender dynamics in working-class movements, in-union collaborators with bosses, mutual aid, religion as a pacifying force, etc. I also liked how the Swedish character had a Swedish accent. Additionally, I enjoyed the sound effects made by the cast, though some were more effective than others. There were a few times when music parts were a tad mistimed, but one could argue it added to the realism of how "breaking into song" works IRL. Also, the part low-key roasting Hamm's beer was pretty funny. My main criticisms: 1) the rhythm & transitions in the plot (some parts were a tad awkward), and 2) the main protagonist could have been given more space to feel uncertainty & fear of retribution, poverty, etc. without being so easily convinced to join the cause. The thing I appreciated the most was the groundedness, including local references, as well as the imperfection of the demands that were met. Certainly, this play is worth the hype.