The Theater Scene in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a theater town. We boast over 30 venues with a variety that even New Yorkers would notice. There are the magnificent musicals that play on the State, Orpheum, and Pantages stages. Many are Broadway productions which touch down in Minneapolis on their country-wide tours. Cats, The Lion KIng, and Chorus Line are a few examples of productions that have played here.

The king of theaters would be The Guthrie Theater which plays the classics including works by heavyweights Shakespeare, Shaw, and Chekov. An occasional musical or world premier from a contemporary playwright will also find its way to production at this theater. The Guthrie has just built a new and exciting three stage theater in downtown Minneapolis on the Mississippi River and will begin showing plays in 2006. Known for top acting, great staging, and direction, The Guthrie should not be missed by anyone interested in Minneapolis Theater.

There would be several queen theaters including The Jungle Theater known for its taste and staging of less popular works but riveting in emotional appeal. Theater-in-the-Round would also be one of the queens. The plays are rendered on a stage that is surrounded by the audience which creates a dynamic nothing else like it can do. The Children’s’ Theater offers plays designed to entertain and educate the youth.

For the off-beat and weird theater, Minneapolis has Theater-le-Jeune which by the way recently won a Tony Award. Between them and Brave New Workshop you can see something just about as far out as you’d care for.

Minneapolis Theater would be sparse without its heavy lending of small independent productions. You can see a Tennessee Williams play perhaps or a play by an emerging playwright who is home grown. These intimate productions offer a visceral experience that leaves you thinking that you’re in the play yourself at times.

In addition to the on-going theaters, Minneapolis has a Fringe Festival each August where, for 11 days where over 150 performing groups and artists play almost a thousand productions in over 20 venues. From wacky to highly sensitive, you’ll see it all at the Fringe.

Who fuels all this theater? It would be remiss not to mention the Playwright Center where careers are launched in guided steps from this Minneapolis institution. Most notably, August Wilson, started here.