The Guthrie Announces 50th Anniversary Events

The Guthrie today announced a slate of events taking place June 22-23, 2013, commemorating the theater's 50th season with options ranging from dinner and dance parties; BEHOLD, an original one-time gala performance; and a Community Celebration Day in which the Guthrie will open its doors for free all-ages activities, classes and behind-the-scenes access to the theater's inner workings. The Guthrie also announced the appointment of Jay Cowles, Margaret Wurtele and Charlie Zelle, the children of founders John Cowles Jr., Philip Von Blon and Louis Zelle as Honorary Chairs of its 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee.

50th Season Celebration

June 22, 2013
Golden Soiree
The Golden Soiree will be a dinner open to 100+ guests, beginning with a cocktail party on the set of the Guthrie's Clybourne Park on the McGuire Proscenium Stage followed by dinner in the Dowling Studio with a five-course menu by Chef Tim McKee. Guests will also receive premium tickets to the gala performance on the Wurtele Thrust with a champagne reception and live music post-show. Guests may also attend the Dance Party in the Dowling Studio; tickets for the Golden Soiree are $5,000 per person and are on sale now.

Fête 50
Fête 50 will be a dinner party for 750 guests on Levels Four and Five and the Endless Bridge; featuring dining stations, hors d'oeuvres and small plates with signature cocktails, select wines and more. Guests will also receive tickets to the gala performance on the Wurtele Thrust, will attend the champagne reception with live music on Level Four and may also attend the Dance Party in the Dowling Studio. Tickets for Fête 50 are $500 per person and are on sale now.

BEHOLD: a Gala Performance
The focal point of the Saturday celebration will be BEHOLD, a one-night-only gala performance on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. BEHOLD will feature acclaimed actors, composers and writers with ties to the Guthrie's storied past and future. The event will feature new and classic work, as well as music performances and an array of surprises. Tickets are $150 per person for performance and post-show events only-availability is very limited, with tickets on sale in May. Additional details about the gala performance will be announced in the months to come.

June 23, 2013
FREE Community Celebration Day
The Guthrie will open its doors to the public on Sunday, with a wide range of free offerings from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for longtime theater lovers, first-time visitors, children and their parents. Activities will represent the scope of community involvement available to the public throughout the year, including:

· Sampler classes for kids on topics including physical comedy, stage combat, tap dance, singing and storytelling

· Sampler classes for grown-ups on subjects including voiceover, playwriting and presentation skills

· A behind-the-scenes backstage walking tour

· Family-friendly performance of Milly and Tillie by Minneapolis' Open Eye Figure Theatre in the Dowling Studio

· Talks on Guthrie history and an all-day retrospective 50-year slideshow in the McGuire Proscenium

· A costume promenade featuring historical pieces from the Guthrie Costume Shop

· 5K Fun Run

· Mill City Farmers Market

· AND MORE!

In a spirit of honoring the Guthrie's history, the theater appointed Honorary Chairs for the Celebration Weekend: Jay Cowles, the son of founder John Cowles, Jr.; Margaret Wurtele, the daughter of founder Philip Von Blon; and Charlie Zelle, the son of founder Louis Zelle.

To engage the community in the range of activities open to all ages and interests during the anniversary weekend, the Guthrie has appointed a 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee, including Committee Chairs Lee and Peg Skold and David Wilson and Michael Peterman. Lifetime Board Directors Martha Atwater, Karen Bachman, David Cox, Pierson Grieve, Polly Grose, Sally Pillsbury, Douglas Steenland, Mary W. Vaughan and Irv Weiser have been appointed Honorary Co-Chairs.

Details and tickets for 50th Anniversary Celebration events can be found at www.guthrietheater.org/50 or by calling 612.225.6350.

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies. www.guthrietheater.org