Courtesy of Theatre Elision
Elision Playhouse
The Minnie theatre scene has a new baby out in the ‘burbs: Elision Playhouse. Theatre Elision, a performance arts company that highlights female stories, bought and renovated an old textile building in Crystal to become the home of the new space.
Don’t worry about missing the venue while you’re driving. The vast mural on the front side of the building will be sure to let you know you’re in the right place. An art nouveau inspired portrait of a woman surrounded by bold, beautiful flowers is just what was needed to represent Theatre Elision, says Christine Wade, the theatre's vocal director. The performing arts company contacted local muralist Lili Payne via Instagram after admiring her work.
“Our theatre company is really focused on women and the arts. We try to highlight female stories . . . we wanted to have something that represented us,” says Wade. “So, to have the side of the building that just has this beautifully artistic woman depicted that. [Payne] mocked that up for us and we felt like this is exactly what we do.”
Wade mentions that while they weren’t sure where they would land while hunting for a space, Crystal ended up being the perfect place to settle.
With the local theater scene so heavily concentrated in the metro, there are fewer venues scattered outside of the downtown area. Wade thought setting up shop in Crystal might be a good way to fill in that gap.
“We've got these pockets. But the Crystal-Robbinsdale area, it didn't have very much,” says Wade. “We also felt like, maybe this is the perfect spot. And we said, let's look at it as an opportunity. So thankfully, I mean we have people walking in every day going, I can't believe there's a theater here.”
Elision Playhouse not only wants to offer its community the chance to experience the performing arts with Elision Playhouse, but to be a part of it as well. Wade notes that it’s important to get the community involved, because without that connection, their vision wouldn’t work.
“We have a cabaret space lobby in the front where we found that people come in a half hour to an hour early just to hang out, play games and get a drink,” Wade says. “We tried to build something that would support [our vision] and make people feel welcome.”
Elision Playhouse offers youth and adult acting programs, and hosts plays from other performing arts companies and cabaret classes. Wade also notes that the space is particularly available for small arts groups that may have had trouble finding or affording a venue.
And while Elision Playhouse keeps their prices affordable, they still offer their best equipment to make the space accessible for smaller arts companies–giving them the tools to put on higher quality productions.
Elision Playhouse just closed out their summer season with a production of Ruthless, but they’ll be starting their fall season this September with If the Spirit Moves. So, take a break this fall from the hustle and bustle of the busy metro theaters, and grab a coffee in the cabaret lobby as you wait to experience one of their shows.
Elision Playhouse, 6105 42nd Avenue N, Crystal, elisionplayhouse.com
