Producing Personnel
Dennis Babcock, Executive Producer for Triple Espresso, LLC is also President
of PalmTree Productions, Inc., and Producer for Mr. Wonder Boy. He began his
professional career in 1973 as an actor at The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis
under the direction of Michael Langham. In 1978, as the Guthrie’s Special Events
Producer, he created the Live at the Guthrie series to bring a variety of theatrical
and musical artists to the Twin Cities. These included such celebrities as Princess
Grace of Monaco, Henry Fonda, James Whitmore, Joel Grey, Julie Harris, Hume
Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Neil Sedaka, Melissa Manchester and Sir Cliff Richard.
Dennis was the Managing Director of the Pittsburgh Public Theater from 19821984 and returned to the Guthrie Theater to serve as General Manager from 19841986. In 1987 he created his own company, PalmTree Productions, Inc. He has
created and produced such acclaimed shows as Vincent, with Leonard Nimoy,
Grandma Moses — An American Primitive, with Cloris Leachman, and he
worked with John Astin in the creation and original production of Edgar Allan
Poe- Once Upon A Midnight. Since 1996, Dennis has produced Triple Espresso in
42 cities in the United States, six foreign countries and overseen the translation
and producing of the show into German and Flemish. For five years, he served as
President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Christmas Carol, Inc., which
produced Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in theaters across America, with
stars such as Wilford Brimley and John Astin in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. For
seven years he served as Chairman of the Board of Media Fellowship
International, Inc., a Christian ministry, which serves professionals in the media
and entertainment industries.
Dennis is an avid runner and averages two to three marathons a year, including
one on six of the seven continents. Yes, he has run a marathon in Antarctica and
only has Australia to complete to become a member of the “Seven Continents
Club.” He served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Medtronic Twin
Cities Marathon. He and his lovely wife, Diana Pierce— veteran news anchor for
NBC television KARE-11—live in Minneapolis and are parents to daughter,
Chelsea, and to Bri and Brooke, Dennis’ children; as well as growing numbers of
grand children.
Rosalie Miller, Associate Producer for Triple Espresso, LLC and Vice
President for PalmTree Productions, Inc. came to theater by way of radio,
where she worked for eight years on the original production of Garrison
Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. While working with Mr. Keillor, she
produced the recording Prairie Home Comedy, and the Grammy-nominated
More News From Lake Wobegon. In 1990, she began producing the awardwinning regional cable television variety show, The Cedar Social, and in 1991
she joined the staff of the Dale Warland Singers, serving as Personnel
Coordinator and Road Manager, and later as Interim Executive Director.
Rosalie began working with Mr. Babcock and Donald Schoenbaum in 1994,
when she became Group Sales and Merchandising Manager for Christmas
Carol, Inc.’s touring production of A Christmas Carol. She later authored A
Christmas Carol Study Guide and toured with the show as Company Manager.
Since 1997, she has worked closely with the Executive Producer, Artistic
Director, playwrights, designers, actors, crew and staff of Triple Espresso,
ensuring that everyone is communicating, schedules are meshing, and all
unwanted fires are being promptly extinguished.
Donald Schoenbaum, Associate Producer for Triple Espresso, and Vice
President of PalmTree Productions, Inc., is a pioneer in the regional theater
movement. He has been involved in more than 300 plays as producer, director
and actor.
In 1963, with Adrian Hall, he started Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence,
Rhode Island. In 1966, he became Associate Manager of the Guthrie Theater
and took over as Managing Director three years later. During his twenty-one
year tenure, the Guthrie grew from a five-play, twenty-five week seasonal
operation to a year-round theatrical enterprise. In 1982, under Don’s
management, the Guthrie received the prestigious Antoinette Perry Award
(The Tony) for theatrical excellence.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of Theatre Communications
Group (TCG), served as Chairman of the Theater Policy and Grants Panels of
the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and was a founder and
Executive Committee Member of the American Arts Alliance (AAA). From
1977 to 1981, he served as President of the League of Resident Theaters
(LORT). Don has been a Director of the Office of Advanced Drama Research
(OADR), a Director of KTCA television, a consultant to the National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Minnesota State Arts Board, National
Research Center, Foundation for the Extension and Development for the
American Professional Theater (FEDAPT), Ford Foundation, Rockefeller
Foundation, McKnight Foundation and Bush Foundation. He has been the
recipient of two Ford Foundation fellowships and in 1985; he received the
nationally recognized Arts Management Magazine Award as the Arts
Executive of the Year.
Though now retired from the daily functions of running a theater, Mr.
Schoenbaum continues to provide the benefit of his expertise to Triple
Espresso and to PalmTree Productions, Inc.