Commonweal Theatre Company facts for kids
The Commonweal Theatre Company is a professional live theatre group located in Lanesboro, Minnesota, United States. It was started in 1989 by Eric Bunge, Scott Olson, and Scott Putman. The company performs plays from April to December each year. They choose five different plays, including classic stories, modern works, and new plays by emerging writers.
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How the Theatre Company Works
The Commonweal Theatre is run by artists. It is a special kind of organization called a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This means it focuses on art, not making money. The theatre has a "Resident Ensemble" of members who live in the Lanesboro area. These artists handle the daily artistic and business needs of the company. They are both artists and administrators. The company also hires seasonal workers, college interns, and, since 2008, an Apprentice Company.
Theatre History
The Commonweal Theatre was founded in 1989. The Lanesboro Arts Council asked Eric Lorentz Bunge, Scott Olson, and Scott Putman to start it. The first season lasted eleven weeks. Ten artists worked there and performed two plays: Crimes of the Heart and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
In 1991, the company began its student matinee program. This allowed students to see plays. In 1992, they started a high school conservatory program. This was a two-week, intense training program for high school students interested in theatre. By 1993, the company began performing plays in a rotating schedule. This means they would perform different plays on different nights. By 1994, their performance season lasted until December.
In 2008, the theatre added its first Apprentice Company. This program brought five young professional theatre artists to Lanesboro. They learned to act, direct, and understand how the company works. Currently, Hal Cropp is the company's Executive Director. Adrienne Sweeney serves as the Assistant Artistic Director.
The New Theatre Building
The current Commonweal Theatre building opened in July 2007. It has 200 seats for the audience. The theatre is located on Lanesboro's main street. The outside of the building looks like three old Lanesboro shops. This special design was created by Minnesota artist Karl Unnasch.
The inside of the theatre shows off the natural beauty and history of the area. For example, barn doors are used for bathroom stalls. Stone walls inside look like the bluffs around Lanesboro. The concrete floors remind visitors that the building used to be a cheese factory. Even the seats are special; they came from the original Guthrie Theater.
Plays Performed in 2020
The Commonweal Theatre performed these plays in its 2020 mainstage season:
- I Ought to be in Pictures by Neil Simon
- Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin
- One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean
- Doubt by John Patrick Shanley
- A Christmas Carol by Commonweal Theatre Company; based on the story by Charles Dickens
Images for kids
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An external view of the Commonweal Theatre
