Theater in the Round

In this famous Jazz Age story, Nick Carraway, a young man from Minnesota, moves to New York in the summer of 1922. As he navigates the unfamiliar social scene, he is invited to a lavish party thrown by the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby, who is trying to rekindle a relationship with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. This faithful adaptation of the novel uses theatricality to capture the lyric and poetic nature of Fitzgerald’s prose. With themes of greed, love, disillusionment, and inequality, this Great American Classic feels both mythic and familiar in a new century.

Edward Tulane is an expensive toy rabbit made of china. He is loved by a little girl named Abilene, but Edward doesn’t care. He has no interest in anyone other than himself. On an ocean voyage, Edward is accidentally thrown overboard and sinks to the bottom of the sea. So begins his journey—a journey over which he has no control, for he is a toy rabbit. Through this miraculous journey, Edward learns what it is to love, what it is to lose that love, and how to find the courage to love again. Based on Kate DiCamillo’s beautiful novel of the same name, this is a short and accessible adaptation for young audiences and their families.

Tony Wendice married his wife for her money; now he plans to murder her for it. Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of the classic suspense thriller is a smart, compelling update of Knott’s tale of jealousy, deception and homicide. Tony is convinced that his wife Margot has been cheating on him. Now it seems that the affair is over, but in his jealousy Tony spins a web of suspicion and deception that will tighten around them and ensnare them both in danger, recrimination and murder. A new version of the celebrated murder mystery that inspired Hitchcock’s masterpiece!

Leah Sexton–Betsy–Detective Mark Albertson–Gloria–Alex –Joan–Doris –Archie –Brian –Police Operator –

Stories of Art and Belonging: a Co-Production with the American School of Storytelling

On November 10, 1975, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm in Lake Superior, taking with it 30 men. Inspired by the Gordon Lightfoot song “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald,” this docudrama is a compelling inquiry into the unanswered questions about that real tragedy through historical research, theatrical exploration, and achingly beautiful folk music. Capturing the emotion of a community in collective mourning,Ten Novemberis a powerful reflection of those left behind after astronomical loss.

Sharpen your sword, brandish your wits and step with us into a realm of fantasy and adventure where fate is decided by the roll of a 20-sided die. In this improvised fantasy campaign, The Bearded Company will tell you a tale you won’t soon forget. Each show will be an epic story in the lives of legendary adventurers. Dragons will be slain, dungeons will be explored and, nerd or not, there’s something for everyone.

Romance isn’t only for the unwrinkled. 68-year-old rock legend Zee has been living a secluded life in the Twin Cities ever since her bass player, Mitch, broke her heart. Her long, confusing friendship with her old high school boyfriend, Griff, is the closest thing to romance she allows herself. When music journalist Huck interviews Zee for a New York Times Magazine article on has-been rock stars who aren’t dead yet, he sparks a tumultuous reunion between long-separated Zee and Mitch. Featuring references to the historic West Bank music scene,Quantumly Entangledis a celebration of love and rock and roll across generations.

It’s 1821 in New York, and two productions of Shakespeare’sRichard IIIare vying for audiences. William Henry Brown, a free Black American and leader of the African Company, is encouraged by the growing popularity of his downtown theatre troupe with both Black and white audiences. Threatened by their success, white Uptown producer, Stephen Price will stop at nothing to shut them down. Written by celebrated Minnesota playwright, Carlyle Brown, this true story straight from American theater history explores the fight for artistic expression with joy, anger, laughter, and passion.

In this sparkling supernatural comedy, novelist Charles Condomine invites a medium to conduct a séance—but instead of inspiration, he accidentally conjures his late (and mischievous) first wife, Elvira. As Elvira wreaks ghostly havoc on Charles and his current marriage, things go from strange to absolutely otherworldly. With razor-sharp wit, eccentric characters, and Coward’s signature charm,Blithe Spiritis a delightfully witty reminder that the past has a way of lingering… especially when it’s not quite ready to leave.

Sharpen your sword, brandish your wits and step with us into a realm of fantasy and adventure where fate is decided by the roll of a 20-sided die. In this improvised fantasy campaign, The Bearded Company will tell you a tale you won’t soon forget. Each show will be an epic story in the lives of legendary adventurers. Dragons will be slain, dungeons will be explored and, nerd or not, there’s something for everyone.

Join a band of storytellers in the not-so-distant-future, as they tell the story of Bilbo Baggins in this inventive adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale. Our storytellers follow Bilboon a journey beyond the borders of the familiar, as he is swept into a quest with Gandalf and a band of determined dwarves, facing trolls, goblins, riddles, and a dragon named Smaug—with bravery he never knew he had. Told with an ensemble of actors, imaginative staging, and boundless heart,The Hobbitexplores how stories bring us courage in the darkest times and reminds us that even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman elected in Maine, and was the first woman the state elected to the Senate. And in 1950, she became the first senator to stand on the Senate floor and publicly call out Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, who lied to gain power and exploit anti-Communist hysteria, ruining the lives of those who opposed him. Senator Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience” speech was a public act of defiance at a time when both Democrats and Republicans were cowed into silence for fear of retribution. After standing up for what she believed in, Margaret Chase Smith was shunned by her colleagues, challenged in a primary, and threatened by McCarthy. CONSCIENCE is the story of a remarkable, yet forgotten, woman who stood up for what was right and refused to back down during a pivotal time in our country’s history.

When Della, a Southern baker with strong Christian values, is asked to bake a wedding cake for her late best friend’s daughter—who’s marrying another woman—her world is turned upside down. What follows is a tender, funny, and complicated reckoning between faith and friendship, love and tradition. Written by Bekah Brunstetter (This is Us),this warm and poignant comedy invites us to the kitchen table to explore what happens when our hearts and beliefs collide—and reminds us that sometimes the sweetest acts of courage are also the most human.