The annual History Play returns this fall with Alvin Karpis: The Last Public Enemy #1. Alvin “Creepy” Karpis was the last 1930’s gangster to be named Public Enemy #1 by the FBI; the last major gangster to be captured; the only person ever arrested by J. Edgar Hoover and the only gangster chained to a radiator “like an animal” in Landmark Center. In 1931, Karpis and his best friend Fred Barker formed the Barker-Karpis gang which committed bank robberies all over the Midwest before moving on to the high-profile kidnappings in St. Paul of brewer William Hamm Jr. and banker Edward Bremer. The play explores the life of Alvin Karpis, how corruption in St. Paul helped his gang to be so successful, and how he was finally brought to face justice in the Federal Courthouse in St. Paul.
This year’s play is directed by Chad Snyder and was written by Cynthia Schreiner Smith with portions based on the 2008 Landmark Center production The Trial of Alvin ‘Creepy’ Karpis by J. P. Barone and Steve Peterson.
Performances will be held on October 6th and 7th at 7 pm and October 9th at 2 pm. Tickets are $10 and are available now at landmarkcenter.org/history-play or by calling 651.292.3063.