Theater Latté Da

Fresh off its hit Broadway premiere, Gutenberg! The Musical! is a clever, offbeat, frequently absurd comedy that affectionately spoofs the world of musical theater. This love letter to new works is told through the lens of two aspiring writers earnestly pitching their wildly inaccurate musical about the invention of the printing press, blending infectious enthusiasm, witty songs, and irreverent historical twists. Twin Cities theater luminary Tyler Michaels King returns to Latté Da, this time wearing the (trucker) hat of Director. Equal parts satire and celebration, Gutenberg! is a fast-paced theatrical romp that revels in the art of making something out of nothing—one song and one dream at a time.

In this Latté Da-commissioned world premiere, Willa Cather’s beloved novel is envisioned as an intimate celebration of resilience and the enduring strength of women. Featuring a sweeping indie folk score by The Kilbanes and an imaginative libretto by Noah Brody, this poignant adaptation traces the immigrant experience on the Great Plains at the turn of the 20th century through the eyes of the lifelong friendship between orphan boy Jim Burden and Ántonia Shimerda, daughter of a Bohemian immigrant family. My Ántonia offers a timely celebration of the contributions of immigrants to the nation’s identity and spirit as America marks its 250th anniversary. Rooted in the land and shaped by memory, this powerful work invites us to consider how we remember our past, and whose stories we choose to tell.

Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival of New Musicals showcases three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. The creators of each Festival show culminate two weeks of workshop time with two public presentations, providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists.

Each season, we ask ourselves not only what work we are called to make, but what this moment demands of us. As artists and as a community, we carry a responsibility to respond—to listen closely, to reflect honestly, and to act with intention. At Latté Da, we believe music theater is uniquely capable of capturing the possibility as well as the needs of our time. It allows us to hold complexity, to honor contradiction, and to invite both reflection and connection. The works we gather this season are part of an ongoing conversation about who we are, what we carry, and what we are shaping together. With INDECENT, we turn to a story about artists determined to tell the truth in the face of suppression— an urgent reminder of the enduring relationship between art, censorship, and cultural memory. In ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914, we witness a moment of shared humanity that transcends division, offering a profound meditation on peace, even in the midst of conflict. LIZARD BOY invites us into a contemporary myth of identity and belonging, asking what it means to be seen—and to accept oneself—in a world that often resists difference. With the world premiere of SHE’S COME UNDONE, we embark on a deeply human journey of healing and self-reclamation, tracing one woman’s path toward acceptance, resilience, and the possibility of found family. And in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, SPRING AWAKENING provides a vital examination of young people coming of age within systems that seek to silence them—centering the urgency of listening to, and learning from, the next generation. Taken together, these works reflect a shared commitment: to engage with the present moment not by simplifying it, but by meeting it with curiosity, conviction, and care. They ask us to consider the impact of silence and voice, the necessity of empathy, and the role we each play in shaping a more just and expansive future. To gather in the theater is an act of trust. It is an opportunity to sit together in reflection, to encounter one another more deeply, and to be moved—perhaps even changed—by what we witness. We look forward to sharing that space and this season with you.