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March 1959
Sir Tyrone Guthrie begins a series of conversations with his colleagues Oliver Rea and Peter Zeisler about starting a resident theater.
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September 1959
Their idea is introduced in a New York Times ad that invites cities across the country to make their case for being the location of the first resident theater.
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May 1960
After visiting seven cities, Rea announces that Minneapolis has been chosen.
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May 7, 1963
The Guthrie Theater opens with a production of Hamlet, directed by Sir Tyrone Guthrie.
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1975
The Guthrie begins its annual tradition of presenting Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol during the holidays.
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1982
The Guthrie receives a Tony Award for its outstanding contribution to the American theater.
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1988
Former Artistic Director Garland Wright creates the Guthrie Lab in the Minneapolis Warehouse District to provide a space for developing new work.
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September 2003
Construction begins on our current facility, which was designed by award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel.
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May 7, 2006
The original Guthrie on Vineland Place closes with a production of Hamlet directed by former Artistic Director Joe Dowling.
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June 25, 2006
The new Guthrie opens to the public.
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June 2013
The Guthrie turns 50 and celebrates its anniversary with a weekend of special events.
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April 2016
Under Joseph Haj’s leadership, the Guthrie receives a $1 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a groundbreaking theater initiative on Level Nine.
Our Story
From Broadway to the mighty Mississippi
The Guthrie Theater opened on May 7, 1963, with a production of Hamlet directed by Sir Tyrone Guthrie, the theater’s founder. The idea for a different kind of theater sparked in 1959 during a series of conversations among Guthrie, an acclaimed theater director, and his two colleagues, Oliver Rea and Peter Zeisler, who were all disenchanted with Broadway. They envisioned a resident theater that would draw world-class artists to perform the classics with the highest professional standards.
What began as a summer season of four productions supported by a minimal staff is now a complex organization that serves nearly 350,000 patrons and the Twin Cities community year-round.
Read the full story here.

Miracle in Minnesota
LIFE magazine called the Guthrie “a miracle.” Newsweek said it was “conceivably the most important theater opening of a generation.” The New York Times declared the theater “a cause for celebration.” Step back in time with this series of historical footage from 1963.
Photos
Key moments in Guthrie history
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Classes & Workshops for Adults
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Explore Productions Past
From Shakespeare to summer musicals, see our history of classic and contemporary plays