After the state of New York, Minnesota boasts the most robust theater scene in the U.S. Visitors to the Twin Cities alone will find approximately 100 theater companies to choose from. But even many of the state's smaller towns, from Anoka to Winona, provide opportunities for an evening of dramatic entertainment.
Best of the Best
Although it's far from Broadway in miles, several of Minnesota's theaters are Tony Award-winners. All in Minneapolis, these top-notch companies are the Guthrie Theater, The Children's Theatre Company, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune.
Since founder Sir Tyrone Guthrie opened the Guthrie Theater in 1963, it has become one of the most prestigious theaters in the nation. Guthrie wanted to create a theater free of the burdens of Broadway, where shows must be immediate hits to justify the enormous expenses of mounting productions. Eschewing Broadway commercialism, the Guthrie Theater focused on classic plays performed by a resident acting company, rotating in repertory. Its efforts won the Guthrie the Regional Theatre Award at the Tonys in 1982. Today, the theater occupies a contemporary complex which opened in 2006. It includes three theaters, a restaurant, a café, a lounge for drinks and snacks, and a gift shop. In addition to its own productions, the Guthrie also presents co-productions with international theater groups, like the Royal Shakespeare Company. Classics still find a place on its playbill, along with works by contemporary playwrights. Some of the Guthrie's shows also tour throughout the region.
Founded in 1965, The Children's Theatre Company won its Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2003. The theater produces plays for kids and teenagers, such as Disney's High School Musical and A Year With Frog and Toad. Plays run year-round on its two stages, and a touring production brings children's theater to other areas. The theater also offers classes, workshops, and residencies to students who want to learn about theater. The Children's Theatre Company is now one of the three largest professional children's theater companies in the world.
In 2005, Theatre de la Jeune Lune won the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Originally formed in France in 1978, the company performed in both France and the U.S. for its first seven seasons. It made Minneapolis its permanent home in 1985, moving into its current performance space in 1992. In addition to performing on its own stages, the company also appears at other renowned theaters across the country, such as the La Jolla Playhouse and the Yale Repertory Theater. Theatre de la Jeune Lune has built its stellar reputation by using old theater traditions such as commedia dell'arte, farce, and vaudeville in fresh, new ways to update classic works.
Theatrical Variety
While the three theaters above may be the most-hailed in the state, many others entertain audiences with a wide variety of shows. From professional companies to community theater and from opera to improv, every type of theater happens here.
In the Twin Cities, your problem won't be finding a theater, it'll be which one to attend. A few options include the avant-garde Bedlam Theatre, the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company, the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, the Acme Comedy Company, and Mixed Blood Theatre, which produces multi-racial plays with social themes. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul houses the renowned Minnesota Opera, while providing a venue for numerous other theater, dance, and music performances.
Outside the Twin Cities, a number of professional theaters can be found. One of the best-known is the Commonweal Theatre Company in Lanesboro. It produces about six shows each season, with one always being an Ibsen play. The company also works with playwrights to develop one new play premiere per season. Every February, it holds an Ibsen festival to celebrate Scandinavian performing arts and culture. Other professional theaters include the John Hassler Theater in Plainview, Old Log Theater in Excelsior, Duluth Festival Opera, Pioneer Place on Fifth in St. Cloud, Rochester Repertory Theater Company, and the Hodge-Podge Theatre Company in Roseville. Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins presents professional children's theater year-round, as well as offering classes for young ones.
For dinner theater, you can't beat Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. It's been going strong since 1968, and its three stages have made it the largest professional dinner theater in the country. Visitors can choose from a range of productions, such as Les Misérables or the one-man show The Wonder Bread Years. In Duluth, Bennett's on the Lake restaurant serves up mysteries, musicals, and more through Bennett's Dinner Theater. And The Mystery Café in the Twin Cities area aims to tickle your funny bone as well as fill your belly.
Many areas in Minnesota support community theaters. While some community groups perform in venues like high school auditoriums, others have built themselves up enough to occupy their own buildings and hire paid staff members. In Willmar, The Barn Theatre boasts its own theater and a full-time director. Similarly, the Bloomington Civic Theatre is housed at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, where it employs several technical and creative staff members. Plenty of other community theater groups put on shows around the state.
A number of general performing arts venues across Minnesota provide good places to see both local and touring theater productions. The Northfield Arts Guild includes six plays per season among its offerings, and the historic Paramount Theatre in Austin presents theater as well as concerts, films, and dance. College theater departments often offer theater, too. For instance, Minnesota State University at Mankato produces an especially robust theater calendar, with mainstage shows, a studio season, and summer theater.
In fact, summer is a great time for theater, with summer stock companies and festivals adding to Minnesota's packed theatrical roster. A few places where you'll find summer stock include the Paul Bunyan Playhouse in Bemidji, Long Lake Theater in Hubbard, and Theatre L'Homme Dieu in Alexandria. There's also outdoor repertory theater, presented by Shakespeare & Company in White Bear Lake. For more of the Bard, head to Winona for the Great River Shakespeare Festival, held in June and July. Those in search of bold, innovative works should check out the Minnesota Fringe Festival. This 11-day performing and visual arts festival takes place around the beginning of August each year, held in various venues in the Minneapolis area. Playwrights from all over the country vie to take part in PlayLabs, a two-week conference in July where selected playwrights work with other theater artists to develop new works. During the last weekend, staged readings at the Waring Jones Theater in the Playwrights' Center give the public the opportunity to experience these works-in-progress for the first time. Many of these works continue on to full productions in theaters nationwide.
Travelers who'd like to act out themselves can attend mystery dinners where they don costumes and become one of the characters. Thayer's Historic B&B Mystery Dinners in Annandale have been voted number three in the U.S., and participants don't need to stay overnight. At the Viking Inn, a medieval bed and breakfast, guests can participate in a Viking feast full of Viking mythology, or play a historical character in a Viking dinner mystery. In addition, the Spicer Castle offers guests the chance to star in whodunits while enjoying a five-course meal.
Whether you prefer to be part of the drama or sit in the audience, you'll find more than enough theater to satisfy in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. From world-class theaters to small town productions, Minnesota's theater scene will earn your applause.
