History Theatre

About the Theatre

History Theatre entertains, educates, and engages through creating, developing, and producing new and existing works that explore Minnesota's past and the diverse American experience. Its work provides a unique lens which links our past to the present, explores our common heritage, and illuminates our understanding of what it means to be American. Since its founding in 1978 by Lynn Lohr and Lance Belville, the company has staged more than 100 world premieres, working with nationally recognized playwrights including Jeffrey Hatcher, Eric Simonson, Kevin Kling, Craig Wright, Frank McCourt, Doris Baizley, Melanie Marnich, Kim Hines, John Olive, and Kira Obolensky. From a harrowing slave journey to St. Paul in Adrift on the Mississippi to an urban musical celebration of the Twin Cities in Snapshots: Life in the City, from the rock 'n' roll biography Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story to the dark, complex A Piece of the Rope about Minnesota's first public execution, History Theatre has moved audiences to rediscover, relive, and respect every piece of their history.

Review: INDECENT at Theater Latté Da

by Joe Sarafolean · September 20, 2026

Emotions are running deep at Theatre Latté Da as they opening their 2026-2027 season with a passionate and moving production of Paula Vogel’s Indecent.…

Review: WAITING FOR GODOT at Guthrie Theater

by Joe Sarafolean · September 19, 2026

The Guthrie's Waiting For Godot brings the laughs but also the emotion.…

Review: THE LOST YOUR 2026 at Grand Casino Arena

by Jared Fessler · September 18, 2026

Phoebe Bridgers returned to the Twin Cities Thursday night, September 17, for a stop on The Lost Tour at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.…

Review: COME BACK at Lakeshore Players Theatre

by Jared Fessler · September 17, 2026

The play follows Sky as she takes a road trip to carry out a friend's final wish. What starts out as a pretty straightforward trip turns into something much more as she meets people and has experiences she wasn't expecting.…

Review: LILY ALLEN WEST END GIRL TOUR 2026 at The Armory

by Jared Fessler · September 17, 2026

Lily Allen brought her West End Girl tour to the Armory on Wednesday night, and it was such a fun and memorable way to experience her music. The show felt different from a typical concert, but in the best possible way.…

Review: LIL WAYNE 20 YEARS OF CARTER CLASSICS at Mystic Lake Amphitheatre

by Jared Fessler · September 16, 2026

What did our critic think of LIL WAYNE 20 YEARS OF CARTER CLASSICS at Mystic Lake Amphitheatre? From the moment Wayne hit the stage, it was clear that a good portion of the crowd had been listening to his music for years. This was a show built for longtime fans, with music stretching across differen…

Review: ERIC CLAPTON at Grand Casino Arena

by Jared Fessler · September 16, 2026

Eric Clapton returned to Saint Paul on September 15 for a night at Grand Casino Arena that kept the focus exactly where you would expect it to be: on the music.…

Review: MAMMA MIA! at Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis

by Jared Fessler · September 16, 2026

Mamma Mia! is back in Minneapolis at the Orpheum Theatre, bringing with it a night filled with ABBA music, laughs and a lot of fun.…

Review: BALL: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO MY LOST TESTICLE at Artistry

by Jared Fessler · September 15, 2026

With a title like Ball: A Musical Tribute to My Lost Testicle, you probably have some idea of what you are getting yourself into. What you might not expect is just how funny, touching, and personal the show becomes.…

Review: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Lyric Arts

by Jared Fessler · September 14, 2026

Lyric Arts Company of Anoka is taking on Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along, running through October 4.…

The Great Society

Oct 6 – Oct 28, 2018

1965. 1966. 1967. 1968. LBJ has just been elected to a second term. Dr. King’s “March on Selma” is at the forefront as LBJ battles to pass historic legislation on health care, education, poverty – and then, there’s the growing spector of Vietnam as the election of 1968 grows...

*FREE* HAIRSPRAY !

Apr 17 – Apr 19, 2015

*FREE* Click here for FREE Tickets! McNally Smith College of Music Presents: "Hairspray! The Musical" April 17th, 7:30pm & April 19th @ 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm. History Theatre @ 30 10th St E, St Paul, MN 55101 *FREE* (Pay What You Can) You are not required to pay anything to receive...

This Side of Paradise

Apr 18 – May 19, 2013

History Theatre: - Nancy Harrow, Will Pomerantz; lyrics: Nancy Harrow; music: Nancy Harrow; dir: Andrew Fleser, Ron Peluso.

This Side of Paradise

Apr 20 – May 19, 2013

St. Paul's original "IT" couple — F. Scott Fitzgerald and his muse Zelda — were glittering emblems of the Jazz Age, living a life filled with parties, fashion, and tabloid headlines. This new jazz musical, which premiered Off-Broadway, tells the tale of these storied lovers...

Courting Harry

Mar 1 – Mar 24, 2013

Two best friends who grew up in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood in St. Paul, both went on to become Supreme Court Justices and presided over some of the most influential and controversial cases of modern American history. This brilliant new play by Lee Blessing explores the...

Courting Harry

Mar 2 – Mar 24, 2013

Two best friends who grew up in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood in St. Paul, both went on to become Supreme Court Justices and presided over some of the most influential and controversial cases of modern American history. This brilliant new play by Lee Blessing explores the...

Nellie

Jan 24 – Feb 17, 2013

Civil rights and labor activist Nellie Stone Johnson was a Minnesota hero. Her feisty spirit and drive to succeed made her a political force to be reckoned with on issues of social justice, labor rights, and equality. Renowned playwright Kim Hines tells the remarkable story of a...

Nellie

Jan 26 – Feb 17, 2013

Civil rights and labor activist Nellie Stone Johnson was a Minnesota hero. Her feisty spirit and drive to succeed made her a political force to be reckoned with on issues of social justice, labor rights, and equality. Renowned playwright Kim Hines tells the remarkable story of a...

Capital Crimes: The St. Paul Gangster Musical

Apr 21 – May 20, 2012

1932 Crime is running rampant and St. Paul is the crime capital of the U.S.A.! Public Enemies like Alvin “Creepy” Karpis and the Ma Barker Gang have free reign thanks to a few shady deals and a truce of sorts between the cops and the criminals. But when J. Edgar Hoover and the...

Coco's Diary

Mar 3 – Mar 25, 2012

1927 The trials and tribulations of a 13-year-old girl never seem to change: sibling rivalry, boys, school dances, boys, homework, and... boys! Young Clotilde “Coco” Irvine, is the daughter of a lumber baron living in a fashionable Summit Avenue mansion in 1927. For her birthday...