Guthrie Theater Celebrates 2009 With A Year in Pictures

The Guthrie Theater has been a hub of non-stop activity over the past 12 months, with a lineup of 18 memorable productions entertaining audiences from all corners of the globe. As the year comes to a close, the Guthrie looks back on the remarkable accomplishments of its artists, crew, staff and volunteers, as it prepares to begin another bright (and busy) year of bringing artistically gratifying experiences to audiences from Minneapolis and around the country.

To check out the slideshow click here: http://www.guthrietheater.org/yir09

The year will be most remembered for the Guthrie's unprecedented theatrical celebration of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner, who reigned in Minneapolis during the early part of 2009. Met with stunning artistic and box office success, the Kushner Celebration welcomed ticket buyers from all 50 states, as well as Canada, Europe, and Japan, for critically-acclaimed productions of Caroline, or Change, a collection of five short plays dubbed Tiny Kushner and the world premiere commission The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures. In the mainstream media, blogs and social networking sites; in coffee shops, restaurants and gatherings throughout the Twin Cities; and in the Guthrie's lobbies, bars and box office lines, everyone was talking Kushner!

Another notable mark on the year was the unveiling of Sea Change, the theater's new full-service restaurant from star chef Tim McKee. With a core menu focused on sustainable seafood, highlighting fisheries using environmentally responsible methods of gathering and farming seafood, Sea Change has been a welcomed addition to the theater-going experience, earning high marks from food critics and diners alike.

From the starry world premieres to intimate studio engagements, the Guthrie again welcomed artists and audiences from around the globe to our world-class facility. In addition to the 12 Guthrie productions of 2009, the theater is proud to have presented the work of six local theater companies -- Penumbra Theatre, Frank Theatre, Live Action Set, John Ferguson Theater, Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, and Interact Theater -- fulfilling its promise to be a kind of town hall for theater in the Twin Cities. In these difficult economic times, the Guthrie is proud to have had a hand in maintaining the vibrancy of the Twin Cities' theater community.

About the Guthrie
The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Guthrie is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. Led by Director Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie opened its new three-theater home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in June 2006.

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