Photo by Dani Werner courtesy of Hennepin Theatre Trust
Brave New Workshop
The Brave New Workshop comedy theater is returning for the first time since 2020, this time under the helm of the Hennepin Theatre Trust (HTT). The new show, Back to Workshop, or Everything’s Fine! is the theater's debut production after HTT purchased Brave New Workshop and its building in 2021.
Now, it’s back to work(shop) for the longest running improv comedy theater in the nation with their new show running through Saturday, August 6 at 824 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. Tickets range from $20 to $40.
Brave New Workshop often tackles topics we constantly try to avoid. The show takes a look at the “coming out of covid era” (is it too soon to poke fun at?)—the shift from forgetting we’re on mute to forgetting how to socialize at work—to the reawakening of downtown and the new role that comedy plays in the world now. The brilliant cast is made up of Lauren Anderson, Denzel Belin, Doug Neithercott and Taj Ruler. Their trademark brand of unapologetic and unwavering sketch comedy promises something new every night.
“There are a lot of cliches I could throw around about ‘unprecedented times’ and the value of live theater, but the truth is I’m just grateful we get to make people laugh again,” said BNW artistic director Caleb McEwen in a statement. “The Workshop has been a place for people to have a good laugh at the world around them for more than 60 years. Now is the perfect time for people to come back or discover us for the first time.”
The show is part of the kick-off and celebration of the Hennepin Theatre District Centennial with HTT honoring the historic venues of the Orpheum, State and Pantages theatres and the newer 824 Hennepin and The Hennepin event center. It's a legacy that has made the district the heart of Hennepin for 100 years as well as a tribute to the community and history, and looking ahead to the future of the arts, the Trust and downtown Minneapolis.
