An Update About Our 2020–2021 Season

As you may have read in the news over the weekend, our 2020–2021 Season will look dramatically different than the one we announced eight weeks ago. After careful consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to present a modest lineup of three plays, running from March to August on the Wurtele Thrust Stage, including Lynn Nottage’s Sweat and Noël Coward’s Private Lives. A third production is yet to be determined.

For the last two months, we worked to find a path that would allow us to produce a more typical Guthrie season. In the end, we determined the many scenarios we discussed were not feasible. With long timelines to build productions, expenses so heavily front-loaded and revenue only secure when performances happen, we would be putting the organization at great risk should we have to postpone or cancel multiple productions in the fall or early winter. If circumstances allow us to add programming back into the schedule and we can guarantee the health and safety of our staff, artists and patrons, we will make every effort to do so.

As I shared with staff last week, I am reminded that the Guthrie’s first season was four shows, from May to September 1963, and from those four shows we grew. We will grow again and we will thrive again. But, for a time, we will necessarily be a smaller organization. We remain focused on our mission, vision and values and are taking steps to ensure that we will come back in a way that allows us to grow and continue to serve the extraordinary community that has supported us for nearly 60 years.

Thank you for your continued support.

Joseph Haj

Artistic Director

As of May 12, 2020.