It’s usually fun to go somewhere you’ve never been before. And if that somewhere is a theater (and especially one you’ve never even heard of ) . . . well, that’s even better. Add bonus FunPoints™ when that theater surprises you with its professional-quality production and unique vibe.
I saw a post by a FaceBookFriend about the Open Window Theater in the outer Twin City suburb of Inver Grove Heights. I’d only met “FBF” Craig R. Johnson once in person before, but he’s a quite well-known theater director and actor in Minnesota. We know of him as the director of some plays at the Commonweal Theater in Lanesboro, Minnesota. (Turns out, he also lives in in our neighborhood!) He posted that he was in a production of ‘Our Town’ at the Open Window Theater, and I said to Karen (in my best Minnesota accent), “What the heck — let’s go see it, Hon.” So we called our friends John and Maureen Trepp, and off we went to the ‘burbs to see live theater.
The Open Window Theater is “atypical”. (Karen’s word) The first thing you notice is that it’s located in what used to be a store in a strip mall in suburbia. When you enter, you notice that the space is big, but also kind of a blank slate — no interesting architecture or ornamental decor here.
But the second thing you notice is that the lobby area is filled with cool stuff — stuff to look at, to buy, to eat, lots of art on the walls, books to read, funky furniture to sit on, but most “atypically”, there are a bunch of game tables that invite you to have some fun before the show. There are board games, a pool table, chess table, foosball table, and a table for playing cards.
There’s something else about this place that sets it apart from most theaters. There’s a religious air about it that gradually becomes apparent as you move around the lobby. The candles, the alter-like tops of cabinets . . . the paintings of Popes (?!?). Turns out, it DOES have religious undertone, and in particular, a Catholic one. The season lineup, posters of past plays, the sponsorship section in the programs, all point to a heavy Roman Catholic influence. But I was surprised at how it didn’t creep me out a bit because I was having fun and the production of “Our Town” was so good.
The theater auditorium is also a large, plain room. Like the lobby, it has been made to feel more cozy and intimate when the lights go down. Even though ‘Our Town’ has played on virtually every stage in America, it was the first time we’d seen it. This production was very good — acting, staging, lighting — all receiving high marks from our group.
Most of the actors came out to the lobby and mingled with the audience after the show, which was very nice. I asked (FBF) Craig about this theater and told him I’d never heard of it before. His response surprised us when he said with a laugh, “Neither had I until I got this part”. I don’t pretend to be a theater expert, but I thought I at least knew about most theater companies in the Twin Cities area that were of this quality.
Pope (and Saint) Jean-Paul II smiled down on our 3 of our 4 foosball players — although now it seems he was looking at me. Yikes!
Craig was terrific in the role of Dr. Gibbs. Here’s an excerpt about his performance in a regional review from the website Talkin’ Broadway. “Craig Johnson offers an excellent portrayal of Doctor Gibbs as a trustworthy and sensitive man. When he conveys his disappointment to George for not doing his part to help his hard-working mother with household chores, he does so with an authority based on love, not on force. It is one of many deeply moving scenes in Wilder's play, and superbly acted.” (Read the full review of Open Window’s ‘OUR TOWN’ HERE.)
The Open Window Theater has been around for about a dozen years. (Again - who knew?) Jeremy Stanbary is the Executive Artistic Director, Vice President of the Board of Directors, and played the part of the Stage Manager (i.e. narrator) in this production. He is the driving force behind this faith-based professional theater company. The theater’s mission statement begins with, “Open Window Theatre was founded in May 2011 for the purpose of bringing multigenerational professional theater with a redemptive vision to the Twin Cities. We focus on telling relevant stories of faith, hope, and reconciliation in an intimate and immersive environment.”
Let’s hope Jeremy and the rest of the Open Window company continue to stage these meaningful, important stories in such a wonderful way and provide audiences with these memorable theater experiences.
Jeremy Stanbary speaks to the audience after the show.