Guthrie Theater In Minneapolis - New Guthrie Theater
Theater played a very important role in promoting social issues that may have remained hidden in the closets of high society. It still does. And when it involves theater productions, it must have involved the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis as it is a favorite venue for stage plays.
The Guthrie Theater was named after Sir Tyrone Guthrie, a lover of everything related to the theater. He was known as a stage director who was passionate about bringing theater people together to stage great works of literature at the highest artistic level possible.
Its doors were opened to the public in May 7, 1963 with Hamlet, directed by no other than Sir Guthrie himself, as its initial production. The $2 million raised by the Tyrone Guthrie Theater Foundation went to the construction of the new Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis which was finished 1963. From its first Hamlet production until two years before his death, Sir Guthrie has been very active in producing and in directing stage plays for the Guthrie Theater,
Among the productions staged at the Guthrie Theater are Henry V, The House of Atreus, A Streetcar Named Desire, Oedipus the King, Three Sisters and St. Joan. Its production of The House of Atreus was so notable it went on a national tour in 1968.
For most of its existence, the theater’s artistic directors were all protégés and colleagues of its founder Sir Guthrie until 1977 when American Alvin Epstein was named Artistic Director.
The new Guthrie Theater, estimated at $125 million, is one among the three great structures that has made Minneapolis famous. The new theater, which sits on a 250 thousand square foot of land, now overlooks the Mississippi River.
Just like the smaller and older theater, the new Guthrie Theater can accommodate 1,100 people but this time there will be more legroom and very good sightlines for visitors. It will also have a proscenium theater with as much as 700 seats and a studio with 250 seats for new productions.
The new Guthrie Theater is expected to be a better venue for stage plays, with a greater capacity for hosting more than three times the number of plays or concerts originally hosted by the old theater. Aside from the theaters, the Guthrie Theater also boasts of restaurants and bookstores for its clients.
Despite improvements and the seemingly good intentions of the people behind the completion of the new Guthrie Theater, there are sectors that are not happy with the demolition of the old Guthrie Theater and the building of the Theater overlooking the Mississippi River.
Protesting sectors claim that the destruction of the old Guthrie Theater is tantamount to the destruction of the most historic piece of art in the area and that is the auditorium which was earlier designed by Ralph Rapson according to the specifications of Sir Guthrie himself.
Those who oppose the new Guthrie Theater said the demolition of the old theater is a betrayal of the old philosophy espoused by Sir Guthrie and that is to have a theater that joined all sectors of society, without bias for those who can and cannot afford expensive seats with better view of the stage.
Among the notable performers that have staged their appearances at the old Guthrie Theater are Duke Ellington in 1965, Ella Fitzgerald in 1966, Janis Joplin and Judy Collins in 1968, Led Zeppelin, B.B. King and Joe Cocker in 1969, James Taylor and Elton John in 1970, Neil Young, the Beach Boys and Cat Stevens in 1971, Boz Scaggs and Bill Withers in 1972, the Pointer Sisters in 1973, the Boss himself Bruce Springsteen in 1975, Al Jarreau and Patti Smith in 1976, Chuck Mangione in 1977 and a lot of old and new artists.
Even Bruce Springsteen supported the move to save the old Guthrie Theater from being demolished, saying that old buildings build the culture of any place. It is almost sacrilegious to replace old and historical buildings with more comfortable and newer architectural designs.
The Guthrie Theater has moved to its new location and new building. Whether or not this is favorable to the Mississippi culture and history is something that will be judged by the next generations.
