Amy Adams: Photo courtesy Chanhassen Dinner TheatresBy Unsie Zuege

If you build it, they will come.

Forty years ago, Herb and Carol Bloomberg’s “Field of Dreams” was a Chanhassen farm. The Bloombergs wanted to bring musical dinner theatre to the village of Chanhassen. Conventional wisdom said “No one would drive all the way out to Chanhassen for a dinner and a show,” followed by, “Where IS Chanhassen?”

We all know what happened. Forty years after the CDT opened its doors on Oct. 11, 1968 with the Broadway hit musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” the CDT is not only a Midwestern landmark but has earned a reputation for being one of the nation’s premier professional dinner theatres.

Although the CDT is taking a low-key approach to its 40-year milestone —“We have done big blowout anniversary parties in the past, for our 10th and our 25th,” said Kris Howland, public relations director — the theatre is instead celebrating by giving a variety of special promotions to its guests. That includes selling tickets at 1968 prices, and in November, offering 40 percent off dinner and show tickets.

While there won’t be a CDT reunion of cast and crew, we imagined a virtual one. We contacted some current cast/staff and alumnus for their memories at the dinner theatre.

Pour yourself a nice celebratory beverage and imagine that you’re eavesdropping as some of our virtual partygoers reminisce.

“In 1971, I came to bravely support two actors with whom I had just worked at the Guthrie. The poor things were reduced to working at a dinner theatre. After one look at the place I put in my resume and have been there as a designer, actor and stage manager ever since.”
—Susan Magnuson, production stage manager

“Years ago I came to Minneapolis to visit a friend. During my visit, I auditioned for Gary Gisselman’s production of ‘Man of La Mancha.’  I moved my life to Minneapolis where I found a great community of actors and, of course, everyone at Chanhassen. My time in Minnesota was the happiest time of my life and Chanhassen was a great part of it. It was a golden time to me.
—Don Amendolia, actor

“Michael Brindisi graciously let me audition for “Grease: You’re The One That I Want” (a TV reality show) during my run as Sandy at Chan... I left Chan’s production early to compete in the show. If he had said NO, the whole TV and Broadway experience never would have happened. It was so hard to leave Chan and pursue this dream that had no guarantee of a positive outcome but I would not be where I am right now, if it weren’t for Michael.”
—Laura Osnes, actress
Osnes finished her run as Sandy in “Grease” on July 20 this year, then did “Broadway: Three Generations,” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Now she is in a workshop for a musical version of “Pride and Prejudice” that may go to Broadway in November 2009.  

“One of my favorite stories is the guy who made a reservation for him and his paramour to see, of all things, ‘I Do! I Do!’ He left his home phone number (not the brightest penny in the drawer) and when the ticket office called to confirm, his wife first said he would be out of town on that date, then said to confirm the date anyway. The date came, the couple sat down for dinner, the wife walked in, a fight ensued and everyone stormed out. It took some doing to get the audience settled down to enjoy a show extolling the virtues of married life.
—David Anders, co-starred with his wife Susan Goeppinger in CDT’s record breaking run of “I Do, I Do!”

“I heard about Chanhassen from a friend of mine whose family came to see the shows. We grew up together in Des Moines, Iowa. We would produce our own dinner theater in his garage. We served spaghetti with a salad, and cake for dessert. His sister served, another friend cooked, then we would all perform in the shows.
After college, the first place I wanted to work was Chanhassen. I auditioned, and auditioned, and auditioned! Could not get hired! I went in for ‘West Side Story.’ The choreographer said I was too skinny. So my next audition, I padded myself. I wore shoulder pads, two sweatshirts, two pairs of sweatpants, legwarmers...I nearly passed out at the dance call! However, I did get the show!
—Tony Vierling, actor

“I learned of the CDT from my wife Dena, who is a born and raised Minnesotan. Our home was destroyed by the 1994 Northridge quake in California so we decided to leave. Dena and I were on the road doing ‘Phantom.’ When we visited her parents, Chanhassen was doing ‘Phantom.’ So I auditioned just in case they needed a replacement. Within a week I was learning the part and then went on.”
—Keith Rice, actor

“Michael and I met at Chanhassen 28 years ago. He was doing ‘What the Butler Saw’ in the Courtyard Theatre; I was doing ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ in the Mainstage. He would pass through our hallway every night as his show was done earlier than ours. I thought he was so cute and would stand outside the dressing room door to say hello; lovely, I’m sure, in my cowgirl outfit and holster.
One night he stopped and said ‘You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’ And that was that.
(I did two shows before Michael’s time as artistic director so no more talk, people, about sleeping with the director, please!)
Now, when we’re in rehearsal and we ‘differ’ on a scene, I remind him that I’m the most beautiful etc., etc., and he claims I must have dreamed the whole thing.
—Michelle Barber, actress who is married to Michael Brindisi

“We were doing a play called ‘Loot,’ about two boys who stole money, and ran into a funeral home. They dumped the body in a closet and stashed the loot in a casket. Well, during the show, someone seated in the first row died. I remember the EMTs laying out the person on the stage, next to the casket.
“And once we had an electrical blackout during ‘Camelot.’ We made an announcement—please stay in your seats, and actors remain on the stage. Well, we heard this terrible noise. King Arthur didn’t listen. He walked across the stage and fell into the orchestra pit on top of the tympani. He was a great King Arthur but a terrible listener.”
—Michael Brindisi, Artistic Director