When Damien Sheridan was growing up in Northfield, he fell in love with theater.

Now, at 40, he’s actively involved in the Twin Cities theater scene and has a piece he scribed slated to be a part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival, set to start Aug. 5.

Sheridan recently took time to speak with the Northfield News about his work.


What is “The Collectors” about?

“The Collectors” is an original musical comedy with an allegorical theme. It's about a third-party credit card collections firm that takes on a client that they can’t afford. The action centers upon the struggle one man faces between himself and the devil inside — and the devil outside for that matter. Thrive Financial Reclamation Corporation is hired by the devil’s attorney to help her client collect on deadbeat debtors. The main character is a newly hired employee of Thrive who is caught between his desire to prove himself as a good employee to his new firm, and his deep reservations about the nature of the business he seems to have stumbled into.

Where did you get the idea?

I worked for about a month as a third-party credit card collection agent about 15 years ago. I felt a little like a member of the devil’s brute squad. It was not for me. “The Collectors” ... kind of grew out of that.

Why a musical?

I have never written a musical before. It seemed like the time. Quite a bit of the action, especially the characters’ internal dialogue, is expressed with original songs written for the show. I wrote the lyrics for the songs and then I hummed or sang most of the tunes into a tape recorder.  After that, my musical collaborator, Gabe Heller, transposed my tinny warbling into original melodies for the show.

How does it feel to have your work be part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival?

I love working with the Fringe Festival. I have volunteered as an usher with the Minnesota Fringe Festival starting right around 2000-2001. I wrote and produced my first show for the Minnesota Fringe Festival back in 2004. It was a dark comedy called "The Judas Cradle.” This year is my first musical though, as well as my largest cast, so that has added a bevy of new challenges.

What’s next for you?

I am presently working on further development for “The Collectors.” In addition, I am doing preliminary study for a play, possibly a musical, about one of the earliest serial killers in the United States.  A man who operated around the Chicago World’s Fair. In addition, I think I need to showcase one of my actor’s singular talents by developing a show for him about a live-action muppet looking for personal relevance.

— Corey Butler Jr. covers arts, culture and youth issues for the Northfield News. Reach him at 645-1114.

SHOWING SHERIDAN
Age: 40
Family: Wife: wife, Holly, parents: Daniel and Susan, sister: Thadra
Education:  Some post-secondary option classes at St. Olaf College while still attending Northfield Senior High School; University of Minnesota, Duluth, and later  University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and  The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.
Resides in: Minneapolis



IF YOU GO
WHAT: “The Collectors”
WHEN: 10 p.m. Aug. 5, 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7, 7 p.m. Aug. 10, 4 p.m. Aug. 14, 1 p.m. Aug. 15
WHERE: The Gremlin Theater, 2400 University Ave. W., St. Paul
COST: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for children
For more information, visit fringefestival.org

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