All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Returns
Jun 20, 2014

All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, the poignant theatre and music production which has become an annual Twin Cities' holiday classic, will return for the 100th anniversary of the original truce for seven performances only, Wednesday through Sunday, December 17-21, 2014, at the historic Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. All Is Calm recalls the remarkable and spontaneous World War I truce with words and songs drawn from the era and its participants. Now in its seventh year, this moving ode to peace was created by Theater Latte Da's acclaimed artistic director Peter Rothstein with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. It features Cantus, one of America's finest vocal ensembles, which is marking its final appearance as part of the production. All Is Calm is a collaboration among Cantus, Theater Latte Da and Hennepin Theatre Trust.

All Is Calm relives an astounding moment in history when Allied and German soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the holiday together by trading carols, sharing food and drink, playing soccer and burying the dead. In some places the truce lasted only a night, in others it endured until New Year's Day. This dramatic re-telling contains actual quotes and excerpts from letters written by thirty World War I figures brought to life by actors Matt Rein, David Roberts and Alan Sorenson; interspersed with song.

Cantus beautifully weaves a tapestry of sound, drawing from patriotic tunes, trench songs, medieval Scottish ballads and carols from England, Wales, France and Germany which take on new depths in the context of warfare. Music, an important part of life in the trenches, helped create a context that inspired the truce. Cantus sets the tone before All Is Calm begins with a set of carols arranged by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams for his own battalion.

Rothstein, one of the Twin Cities' premier directors, worked five years to develop All Is Calm. He recalls, "I wanted to tell the story in their words, so I created the drama primarily through letters, war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast. For decades, the Christmas truce was considered a romantic fable. I really wanted to give voice to this remarkable moment that had somehow been denied its place in history."

Rothstein continued, "I was able to spend time along the Western Front and conduct extensive research in Brussels, Ieper, Paris and London. It was incredibly powerful to stand

on the very spot where the truce took place. I cannot express how gratifying it has been to tell the story of these heroic men in performances across the country and around the globe."

Cantus, one of the original collaborators along with Theater Latte Da and later with Hennepin Theatre Trust, will direct its attention to additional holiday performances and other artistic activities after the 2014 tour and Pantages engagement. Says tenor Aaron Humble, "The seven years we've been a part of All Is Calm have been a joyful experience for both the ensemble and our followers. The production's brilliant blending of the musical arrangements with this amazing story has further inspired us to explore other dramatic narratives in our programming. It has been a fantastic collaboration."

Since the 2007 world premiere at Joan of Arc Catholic Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church (aired live on Classical Minnesota Public Radio), All Is Calm has enjoyed global success with broadcasts through American Public Media and the European Broadcasting Union. The program has won awards including the Gold World Medal at the 2010 New York Festivals and the 2010 Gabriel Award, which honors works of excellence in broadcasting that serve audiences through the positive, creative treatment of concerns to humankind.

All Is Calm has also earned acclaim by touring the United States for six seasons, reaching nearly 50 cities with stops at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), and upcoming 2014 performances at Cal Performances (Berkeley, CA) and the Metropolitan Museum (New York). The work is now being licensed by theater companies and choruses across the country and Canada.

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