Grant Sorenson To Direct SALOMÉ At Paikka
Oscar Wilde play will receive first professional Twin Cities staging.
Minneapolis-based director and theatermaker Grant Sorenson has announced a new production of SALOMÉ by Oscar Wilde, which will run from February 20 through February 28, 2026, at PAIKKA in Saint Paul. The production is presented as part of PAIKKA’s inaugural Creative Cohort for 2026.
Written in 1893 and initially banned from public performance, Salomé retells the biblical story of Salomé and John the Baptist through heightened poetic language and explores themes of obsession, power, gender, religion, and censorship. Sorenson’s staging approaches the work as an immersive theatrical experience rather than a traditional proscenium production, placing audiences in close proximity to the action.
The cast includes Kai Brewster as Issachar, Emily Gunyou Halaas as Herodias, Nathan Keepers as Herod, Stephanie Kahle as Narraboth, Logan Lang as Iokanaan, Sri Peck as Manasseh, Kashif Shakti as Naaman, and Ani Tonoyan as Salomé. Halaas and Keepers appear courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.
The creative team features Sorenson as director, Josh Oberlander as scenographer, Jacqulin Stauder as lighting designer, Matthew Espey as stage manager, Jo Holcomb as dramaturg, Helen Hatch as choreographer, and Meg Rozwadowski as production assistant. The production is produced by Jodi Richard. The design emphasizes intimacy and proximity, with Wilde’s original language preserved while removing traditional period staging conventions.
Performances will take place at PAIKKA, located at 550 Vandalia Street, Suite 165, in Saint Paul. All performances begin at 7:00 p.m., with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. for a pre-show cocktail hour. Opening night is scheduled for February 20, with performances continuing on February 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, and closing on February 28.
Ticket prices range from $35 to $85, with discounted student and industry tickets available, along with group sales options. Tickets are currently on sale through PAIKKA.
The production contains mature themes including violence, sexual content, religious imagery, and depictions of moral and psychological extremity.
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