Opened in 2006, the new Guthrie Theatre was reimagined by artistic director Joe Dowling and architect Jean Nouvel as a gathering place for the community. Minnesotans who have yet to sample the Guthrie’s eclectic offerings (it’s not every theater that has an Arthur Miller play, a new musical version of Little House on the Prairie, and a Dar Williams concert in the space of a couple days) can still tell you about fine dining at the Cue or enthuse over the Mississippi River views from the Guthrie’s Endless Bridge lobby. The public is encouraged to enjoy the building’s restaurants, lounge, and atmosphere—folks are even welcome to hang out in one of the lobbies and take advantage of the free wi-fi.

The theater hosts regular “In Conversation” Q&As with thespians like Patrick Stewart and Neil Simon, and annually brings in a special speaker for the Global Voice forum (Chilean writer Isabel Allende, Irish poet Seamus Heaney, and Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov are past guests).

The place is also rife with educational programs: Shakespeare Classic introduces kids ages 8–15 to the Bard through performances and events; $15 Sampler Classes allow adults to try out a class in writing or even tap dancing. The Guthrie even teaches corporate professionals how they can use performance skills to enhance their working life and helps attorneys meet continuing education requirements with custom CLE programs that are actually enjoyable.

Guthrie Theater Information