Mariénne Kreitlow

 

Mariénne Kreitlow is a songwriter, composer, performer, poet and playwright. A long time solo artist, she has released ten albums of original music to positive acclaim: “An Unassuming Gem” -Boston Globe, “Joyfully Sensuous” -Dirty Linen, “Beguiling” -Minneapolis City Pages.  Mariénne enjoys juggling genres, so her writings and renditions range from contemporary folk to art song, inspirational to blues to Broadway, and songs about garlic.

 

This Minnesota native received a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Minnesota and lived in California and Massachusetts where she spent several years performing as a busker and club musician. After marrying and moving to Texas in 1990 she discovered her passion for theatre where her husband was technical director and designer for Theatre San Jacinto. This kindled new works and rewarding collaborations with other artists in theatre, music, dance, and the visual arts. Her original music for Lysistrata and book and score for Earl Tracy were both award-winning entries in the American College Theatre Festival.

 

Upon returning to Minnesota, Mariénne was commissioned by Great River Educational Arts Theatre in St. Cloud to create The Brothers Grimm: A Musical Adventure, produced in 2011. New musicals include Yours, Thrognog, co-written with Kitty Karn, and Excelsius. (marienne.com/musical-theatre)

 

In 2015 Mariénne received the McKnight Foundation Individual Artist Award for poetry, and in both 214 and 2017, she was awarded McKnight Foundation Career Development grants, which are administered through the Central Minnesota Arts Board.

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As “Keeper of Hearth and Home” on her fourth-generation farm, Mariénne’s works often reflect a strong sense of place and commitment to honoring the land.