Our Community
Community engagement
Theater is for everyone, which is why we build mutually beneficial relationships with diverse groups across the Twin Cities. By investing in local partners and collaborating with them to create relevant programs and events, we strive to bring the community and the Guthrie together both on and off the stage.
Our work with Native community members
The Twin Cities is home to many Dakota and Anishinaabe Peoples as well as other Native communities. We honor their heritage, stewardship and relationship to this place by collaborating with Turtle Theater Collective and Indigenous Direction to create accurate work about, for and with Indigenous peoples.
Together with Indigenous Direction co-founders Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota) and Ty Defoe (Haudenosaunee, Six Nations/Anishinaabe Nation), we’ve produced Water Is Sacred, Stories From the Drum and For the People on our stages, which engaged and featured members of the Native community.
Acting for Indigenous Performers
Saturdays, November 23 – December 21 | 10 a.m. – noon (no class on November 30)
The Guthrie Theater is offering a free acting class that is open to Native communities! We welcome Native communities of all backgrounds and experiences to attend a free four-week exploration of acting from a Native perspective. Depending on the interests of the group, participants will dig into scene work, monologues, warmups and community building — all in an environment created by, for and with Native voices. All experience levels welcome. No prerequisite. Age range: High school or older. Capacity: 14 participants.
Ernest Briggs is a proud Anishinaabe professional actor and director from the Twin Cities who has worked in film, TV, stage and commercial work for over 15+ years. Ernest has been seen onstage at the Guthrie Theater, Park Square Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Teatro del Pueblo, Pangea World Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Nimbus Theatre, Wanderlust Productions, Turtle Theater Collective, Artistry, Sidekick Theatre, History Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Tilted Windmills Theatricals, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater and Native Voices at the Autry, to name a few. He has also played supporting roles in independent feature films, including Unholy Communion; Sony’s Downtown Owl; and Sold Out and Nina of the Woods, both currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Ernest was Director/Assistant Director at the History Theatre (Christmas of Swing, Beyond the Rainbow), Great River Shakespeare Festival (The Thanksgiving Play); Nimbus Theatre (The Brontide, The River Becomes Sea, Redemption) and was a Directing Consultant on Nimbus Theatre’s Greenwood. Ernest received his M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Florida and attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He also studied improv at Brave New Workshop and Upright Citizens Brigade. Ernest was a 2022 Warner Brothers Discovery Access Early Career Bootcamp Fellow. www.ernestbriggs.com.
There is limited space; selected attendees will receive an email confirmation. Please contact blossom.johnson@guthrietheater.org with any questions. We hope you'll join us!
Become a community partner
How it works
We strive to grow mutually beneficial partnerships that are as diverse and wide-ranging as our programming and community. Our partners offer real-world insight to our artists through valuable conversation, research or field trips. The Guthrie can help amplify a partner’s work by inviting them to participate in post-play discussions or showcasing their work in production-related materials.
Our goal is that everyone benefits from the experience of working together on these highly invested collaborations and that we build lasting relationships.
Start a conversation
To explore the idea of becoming a community partner, contact Amanda White at amanda.white@guthrietheater.org.
Current partners
All Square, The Advocates for Human Rights, The Aliveness Project, Beauty Lounge Minneapolis, CAIR-MN, Curl Power Salon, East Side Freedom Library, Flip Phone Events, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project, Juxtaposition Arts, Legacy Arts Group, members of the Twin Cities Indigenous community, Partnership Resources, Inc., United Theological Seminary
Past events
Hair Salon, in conjunction with Steel Magnolias, featuring Sasha Cassadine in partnership with Flip Phone Events. Photo by Rebecca Jean Lawrence.
Happening: A Response to Islamophobia, in partnership with CAIR-MN. Photo by Nathan Dale Studios.
An Immigrants’ Cabaret, featuring Greg Angel (bass), Denise Prosek (piano), Darius Jordan Lee, Mia Pinero, Tyler Michaels King and Lamar Jefferson. Photo by Nathan Dale Studios.
Water Is Sacred, featuring Emma Geyer (Manitou Rapids Anishinaabe), Sharon Day (Ojibwe), Eileen Hudon (Anishinaabe, White Earth, Crane Clan) and Bridget Saice-Childs. Photo by Rich Ryan.
Happening: A Purple Celebration. Photo by Brandon Werth.
Luminous Current, a light-based art installation created by teen artists D’Angelo Raymond and Temesgen Besha in partnership with Juxtaposition Arts. Photo by Riché Effinger.
Happening: The Art of Surviving, featuring Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay. Photo by Dan Norman.
A workshop of For the People, written by Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota) and Ty Defoe (Oneida and Ojibwe Nations) in collaboration with members of the Twin Cities Native community, was recently held at the Minneapolis American Indian Center with a talented group of local Native artists.
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