A Highly Caffeinated History
Early in 1995, Bill Arnold, Michael Pearce Donley, and Bob Stromberg, three successful
solo performers who admired each other's work, gathered over coffee, never knowing the
full impact the caffeinated brew would have on their future.
They decided to write something they could perform as a trio. Something fun, something
unusual, something that would make people laugh so hard they’d snort and embarrass
themselves. With that idea—and nothing on paper—they booked a performance for six
weeks later at a local church.
Using Arnold’s magic and comedy, Donley's original music, and Stromberg's physical
humor the three put together a show with elements of slapstick, vaudeville, and a touch of
audience involvement. They used original songs, parodies and their unique chemistry to
build a performance that they hoped would give audiences a night at the theater unlike
any they had experienced before.
After its first performance, the trio contacted Bill Partlan, the Artistic Director of the
Cricket Theatre in Minneapolis. Partlan saw the show and immediately booked it for the
upcoming season at the Cricket. With a little polishing, Triple Espresso opened in 1996,
and became the biggest hit in the theater’s 26-year history.
Somewhere in one of those packed houses was Dennis Babcock, an independent theater
producer and former General Manager of the Guthrie Theater. He had been invited to
attend, and was impressed with the performance. He asked about future plans for the
show and was told, “Well, we thought you might have some ideas.” Dennis signed on as
producer, Triple Espresso, LLC was formed, and its first production opened to rave
reviews and packed houses at the Music Box Theatre in Minneapolis in the spring of
1997.
It soon became clear that the show had the potential to go far beyond one theater in
Minneapolis. They dreamed of Triple Espresso playing in several cities simultaneously.
But the parts were written to specifically complement the specialized skills of the authors,
so they couldn’t easily be filled by other performers. After searching through their
collective network of showbiz friends, in 1998, they identified three multitalented men
and put them through a long, arduous—and often hilarious—training process. Since then,
over thirty accomplished actors have been hand-picked and trained in the art of being
Buzz Maxwell, Hugh Butternut or Bobby Bean.
Triple Espresso is continuously honed by the authors to make it funnier, smarter, and
more entertaining than ever. The show has carved out a distinctive niche in the
entertainment spectrum: its irresistible humor crosses generations, and it's as funny the
fifth time as the first.
In the past eleven years, Triple Espresso has entertained over 1.5 million people in 40
cities in 6 countries. With productions continually running in Minneapolis and San
Diego, the show has also played in Chicago, Seattle, Milwaukee, Dublin, London,
Denver, Cleveland, St. Louis, Tulsa and several regional theaters throughout the U.S.
Recently, the show was translated into Flemish and German and opened in Gent,
Belgium and Munich, Germany.
It’s amazing what a few cups of coffee can do.
If you have questions or would like to discuss booking opportunities, please contact
Dennis Babcock at 612-874-1100 x.107 or email dennis@tripleespresso.com.