A Guthrie Experience
From the program director
I am honored to carry the torch of this legendary program which has influenced so many lives and artistic careers.
A Guthrie Experience is designed for M.F.A. actors and theatermakers to engage in a deep dive during the summer before their final year. Our purpose is to inspire a culture of collaboration and artistic excellence among early career professionals.
Maija García
Director of Professional Training
Who
M.F.A. actors with music theater/singing experience and M.F.A. theatermakers with expertise in design (scenic/prop, costume, lighting, projection, sound), production or stage management are encouraged to apply before their final year of graduate school.
What
A seven-week summer intensive for M.F.A. actors and theatermakers designed to cultivate future leaders of the American theater. Curriculum includes workshops with master teachers, professional mentorship, the opportunity to develop a new work in the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio and a cultural immersion in the vibrant Twin Cities theater scene.
Where
The Guthrie’s state-of-the art facility on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis.
Contact us
If you have questions about the program, please contact Maija García at maijag@guthrietheater.org.
Ernest Bentley (GEx 2017) in Incurable: A Fool’s Tale. Photo by Nick Fay.
Ben Graney and Krystel Lucas (GEx 2007) in Postcards From Earth. Photo by George Byron Griffiths.
Beverly Sotelo (GEx 2006) in Confluence. Photo by George Byron Griffiths
Bret Calo, Kimberly Monks and Tia Jemison in Incurable: A Fool’s Tale. Photo by Nick Fay.
Darien Battle and Jamie Rezanour in Going Live! Photo by Heidi Bohnenkamp.
Kimberly Monks, Oscar Fabela, Katie Rich and Tia Jemison in Incurable: A Fool’s Tale. Photo by Nick Fay.
Jude Sandy, Richard Sloniker, Rebecca Hirota and Alex Teicheira in Caviar on Credit. Photo by George Byron Griffiths.
Arielle Yoder, Stephanie Lane, Salome Mergia, Nicole Davis, Christian Henley, Rudy Roushdi and Israel Lopez (GEx 2015) in Concrete Orange. Photo by Dan Norman.
June Patterson (GEx 2006) in Confluence. Photo by George Byron Griffiths.
Frequently asked questions
History and alumni
Launched in 1997 under the leadership of Kenneth Washington and Marcela Lorca, A Guthrie Experience was designed to introduce emerging actors to a preeminent American theater at the center of the Twin Cities vibrant arts community, building a bridge between training and profession.
For more than 20 years, A Guthrie Experience alumni have developed successful careers onstage and on screen, garnered numerous awards and returned to perform on the Guthrie’s stages. Notable alumni include Mahershala Ali, Morena Baccarin, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Sterling K. Brown, Dion Flynn, Cassandra Freeman, Miriam Hyman, Josh Radnor, Corey Stoll and Emily Swallow, among others.
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Classes & Workshops for Adults
Experiences for all skill levels
Explore Productions Past
From Shakespeare to summer musicals, see our history of classic and contemporary plays