Guthrie Theater marks 60 years by giving fans behind-the-scenes access
MINNEAPOLIS – It was a big weekend at one of the Upper Midwest's most famous theaters.
The Guthrie Theater is turning 60 years old, and they invited the community inside Sunday for a behind-the-scenes look. Guests got to see directing demonstrations, take part in theater games and enjoy backstage tours.
The theater has hosted performances from actors like Jessica Tandy; Morgan Freeman; Angela Bassett; Patrick Steward; Ian McKellen; James Earl Jones; Rainn Wilson; Elizabeth Banks; Kelsey Grammer; David Hyde Pierce; and William H. Macy, just to name a few.
J'Kalein Madison, Guthrie's communications manager, says the event offers a different perspective on the typical Guthrie experience.
"Typically people, they buy the ticket, they come see the show then they go home. But now you're able to come in and see, 'Oh, that's how that dress is made,' or, 'Oh, that's how that prop came to be,' or, 'This is where they build those beautiful sets,'" Madison said. "And so it's a completely different look at the Guthrie."
WCCO News' Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield did a deep dive on the theater's history – and how it almost didn't end up in Minneapolis.