Jeff Bartlett in hospital after fall

News
Jeff Bartlett, beloved local lighting designer and Dance Community Liaison at the new Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, is in the intensive care unit of Hennepin County Medical Center after a fall at Burnsville Performing Arts Center. Jeff was focusing lights up in a Genie lift yesterday when the lift fell over. According to an email from Jan Wernig, Jeff's partner, "He has multiple fractures in eight ribs on his left side, a broken right shoulder blade, broken left arm, collapsed left lung,superficial fractures in his right ribs, and three fractured vertebrae which they say are not serious breaks and will not affect the use of his limbs. They inserted a chest tube to support the collapsed lung, and since he was not breathing well on his own have him on a CPAP and oxygen. They may intubate him tomorrow if his lung functions don't improve. As they say, 'He's not out of the woods yet.' They all say he is very very lucky to be alive."
Headshot of Leah Cooper
Leah Cooper

Leah Cooper is a freelance stage director, nonprofit administration consultant, co-founder of this here Web site, co-artistic director of Wonderlust Productions, and the Executive Director of the Minnesota Theater Alliance. She is also on the board of directors for Live Action Set and the California Institute of Contemporary Arts. From 2001 to 2006, she led the Minnesota Fringe Festival to annual attendance increases and financial stability. Up next, she is directing Shooting Star at Park Square Theatre and writing a play for Wonderlust's Adoption Play Project.