January 23–February 14, 2010

Written by Doris Baizley
Directed by Ron Peluso

Starring Claudia Wilkens and students
from the St. Paul Conservatory
for Performing Artists

Doris Baizley’s new play is a powerful retelling of Sister Elizabeth Kenny’s battle to make her treatment of polio the standard. “Stubborn,” “feisty,” and “determined” were some of the nicer words used to describe this heroic fighter who took on the male-dominated medical establishment and changed the lives of thousands of polio survivors and their families. Had it not been for Sister Kenny's one-woman revolution, her groundbreaking therapies could not have helped thousands of polio survivors or paved the way for modern techniques of rehabilitation and physical therapy. Starring the incomparable Claudia Wilkens as Sister Kenny and students from the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, Sister Kenny’s Children will honor the Australian-born nurse who is remembered as a life-saver by thousands of Minnesota families who faced the crippling disease of polio during the epidemic of the 1940s.

Sister Kenny's Children is proudly sponsored by

In The News

"Claudia Wilkens conquered the challenge of portraying an individual whose epic life defies depiction. In Sister Kenny and her Children [sic] at History Theatre, Wilkens sketched a portrait of wonderful detail and dimension. Greatly helped by Doris Baizley's script, Wilkens' entire being shone with the vigorous glee of triumph as the medical establishment accepted Elizabeth Kenny's polio treatment. Her face and shoulders also sagged under the burden of her outsider's journey -- a performance that begged for sympathy without an ounce of sentimentality."
Theater critics: Shows that have impressed us
Star Triubne critics Graydon Royce and Rohan Preston give a quarterly report on the Twin Cties theater scene. March 27, 2010.

Read the Reviews

• "Claudia Wilkens' performance as pioneering physical therapist Sister Kenny breathes with rich dimension." - Star Tribune, 1/26/10
• "With fine acting and a savvy script, the show provides a compelling look at the outspoken Australian woman who illuminated the darkest days of the polio epidemic" - Pioneer Press, 1/25/10
• "Claudia Wilkens turns in a powerhouse of a performance as Sister Kenny in the world premiere of Doris Baizley's Sister Kenny's Children." - Twin Cities Daily Planet, 1/28/10

Tickets

• Adults: $25-30
• Seniors: $22-28
• Students: $15
• Children: $10
• Buy single tickets online
• Group rates available

Claudia Wilkens and Shelby Flannery. Photo: Scott Pakudaitis.

Family Day

February 7, 2010
12 - 1:30 p.m.
History Theatre lobby
Free and open to the public.

Audiences are invited to dive deeper into the story of Sister Kenny's Children and learn more about polio, the tools and methods used by Sister Kenny to treat her patients, and modern physical therapy, through hands-on displays and activities.
Kenny Kids Therapists from the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute will demonstrate some of the tools (and toys) used to help children with speech, occupational and physical therapy. Visitors will be able to meet Scotty the Robot, test their grip, try a handful of adaptive equipment, and speak with polio survivors and speicalists who will be on hand to answer questions.

Special Offer: $5 off Adult and Senior tickets to the 2:00 p.m. performance of Sister Kenny's Children when you mention the code: FEBFUN. Tickets can be purchased by phone 651.292.4323 or in person during regular box office hours.

For the Press

• Press release (PDF)
• High-resolution photos and additional press information

For Educators

• Play guide (PDF)