Don’t Expect Indifference: A Twin Cities Theater Cabaret Resources and Lineup
An artistic response to the adjusted NEA requirements and the current landscape of fiscal censorship
Excerpt of Where We Belong by Madeline Sayet, & a reading of poem “A Map to the Next World” by Jo Harjo
Isabella Star LaBlanc | Jungle Theater
Between Riverside and Crazy: Act One, Scene Three;
Emil Herrera, Laura Esping, Terry Hempleman | Park Square Theatre
“A Song of Hope” from THE WINNER, Libretto by Joe Sutton, Music by Lewis Flinn;
Eric Morris; Brenda Varda | Nautilus Music-Theater
Excerpt from Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertso;
Thomasina Petrus, Thom West | Yellow Tree Theatre
“What Makes a Man” from Allegiance, music and lyrics by Jay Kuo;
Wesley Mouri; Bradley Beahen | Theater Mu
MR. PLUCKETT’S BUCKET LIST;
Created & performed by Jim Lichtscheidl, Music by Victor Zupanc | Mixed Blood Theatre
“Changing My Major” by Jeanine Tesori from the musical Fun Home;
Monty Hays, Emma Schuld; Jason Hanson - Music Director & Pianist | Theater Latté Da
“Spinning” from THE OSTENTATIOUS OUTLAWS OF NEEHAI VALLEY, by Keith Hovis;
Em Adam Rosenberg, Armando Ronconi, Kiko Laureano; Keith Hovis | Trademark Theater
La Loba
with Paulina Aparicio-Rosales, Javari Mytaé Horne, Wasima Farah; music by Vladimir Garrido | Teatro del Pueblo
A message from Sarah Fossen of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
“Somewhere (There’s a Place for Us)” from West Side Story -- Singalong;
Isa Condo-Olvera; Jared Mikach | An Opera Theater
There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us, somewhere.
There's a time for us,
Some day a time for us,
Time together with time to spare,
Time to learn, time to care.
Some day,
Somewhere,
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving.
Somewhere . . .
There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Some day,
Somewhere!
Signe V. Harriday, Pillsbury House Theatre Emcee
Kathy Maxwell Production Manager
John Novak Stage Manager
Charlie Holm Run Crew
Aaron Newman Sound Engineer
Shannon Elliott Lighting Designer
SPECIAL THANKS
Peter Morrow, Jared Mikach, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Darin Kamnetz
Background:
The arts are feeling the effects of the current administration in many ways, including how it affects funding. In early February, the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) released new restrictions for grant applications for arts organizations. The guidelines included the requirements:
The applicant will not operate any programs promoting “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws, in accordance with Executive Order No. 14173.
The applicant understands that federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology, pursuant to Executive Order No. 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
On February 21, 2025, TCG (Theater Communications Group), Rhode Island Latino Arts, National Queer Theater, and The Theater Offensive filed a suit that argues the new certification requirements and funding prohibition violates the Administrative Procedure Act, the First Amendment, and the Fifth Amendment.
How you can make a difference:
Show up for the theater community and see shows -- Go patronize all these amazing theaters and their works. Being a part of a community means showing up, otherwise you will risk losing these opportunities all together.
Contact your representatives -- Call, write or email the Minnesota State Legislature to encourage them to protect arts funding. Learn more about finding and contacting your representatives online here.
Living in Minneapolis? Use these addresses below to write to our reps:U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
425 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510U.S. Senator Tina Smith
720 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar
1730 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Donate to live theater in Minneapolis! -- Want to give today? Check out the GiveMN campaign to donate to all theaters that participated in today’s show.
A message from our partners:
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
Take Action to Protect the Arts in Minnesota
In the face of renewed threats to arts and cultural funding at the national level, it's never been more important to stand up for the arts—right here in Minnesota. Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) is the statewide nonprofit that led the campaign to pass the Legacy Amendment, securing long-term arts and cultural funding through state sales tax—and we continue to protect and defend it every day for artists and arts organizations across the state.
If your organization has ever received funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board or a Regional Arts Council, MCA played a critical role in making that possible. Our advocacy at the Capitol ensures those funds continue to reach the creative community.
Now, we need you.
By becoming a member or signing up to take action, you become part of the only statewide arts lobbying organization in Minnesota. This is the single most impactful way you can support arts funding at both the state and federal levels.
Join the movement. Defend the arts. Be an advocate.
Theatre Communications Group (TCG)
Dear Twin Cities Friends:
We greatly appreciate your artistic response to the current state of our country. We wish we could be there with you in-person, but please know we’re sending positive thoughts for the evening!
Theatre has always been about connection—bringing people together to share stories and imagine new possibilities. Right now, that purpose is being challenged.
The restriction imposed on NEA funding threatens artistic expression and limits the stories so many theatres can tell. It forces applicants to agree that they will not “promote” what is being referred to as “gender ideology” in order to receive federal funding. This restriction undermines the rights of theatres to tell stories that reflect our diverse communities.
That’s why, TCG joined the lawsuit filed on March 6 led by the ACLU, alongside National Queer Theater, Rhode Island Latino Arts, and The Theater Offensive, to challenge this restriction through the power of collective action. Theatres should not have to choose between funding and artistic freedom.
Shortly after our filing, the NEA began an internal process to determine how they will respond to the Executive Orders. The NEA is expected to announce their implementation plan on April 30.
On April 3, the federal judge hearing our case denied the request for preliminary relief in our ACLU-led lawsuit. However, despite the denial, we don’t see this as a loss. Per our ACLU legal team, the Court is taking an unusual approach and agreed that barring NEA funding for projects that promote “gender ideology” would likely violate the First Amendment. At the same time, the judge concluded that since the NEA is currently in the process of determining whether to reimpose that ban, the court could not get in the way of the agency’s decision making process.
We’re hopeful more positive news will come shortly with the ultimate goal of rolling back all restrictions put in place by the federal actions.
TCG’s mission is “to lead for a just and thriving theatre ecology.” There is no better way for us to live our mission than to stand in solidarity with artists and theatres facing threats. TCG serves the national not-for-profit theatre community composed of theatres, individuals, universities/colleges and other affiliates. We are a membership organization but our programs and services embrace and serve the entire theatre ecology - from productions in the smallest black box venues to after-school student workshops in cafetoriums to storefront theatres to the largest houses with 1000+ seats. We embrace and serve those working in our theatres whose identities are not monolithic but all genders, races & ethnicities, ages, religions, immigrants and those US born. All of them deserve to be recognized, celebrated and supported.
We’ll be in the Twin Cities next week and soon will share specifics about an in-person Happy Hour Mixer on Tuesday, April 30, venue TBA. We hope you’ll join us!
Until then, Ever Onward!
Theatre Communication Group’s (TCG) Co-Executive Directors - Emilya Cachapero, Co-ED of National and Global Programming with Theatre Communications Group; LaTeshia Ellerson, Co-ED of National Engagement; and Alisha Tonsic, Co-ED of National Operations and Business Development