Minnesota New Theater Conference

he Birth Play Project exists to place birth in public memory by developing representational practices for staging birth stories in community. These practices refer to process (the experience of the artists) and presentation (the experience of the audience), both of which work towards: 1) Connections to somatic memory; 2) Means of marking reproductive grief, joy, and rage; 3) The development of individual and collective philosophies of birthing; and 4) Reproductive justice. The Project began as a site of artistic research for director Madeline Wall and has grown into a company of ten artists as of January 1, 2024. For more about the company’s work, see @birthplayproject on Instagram.

Off-Leash Area  was founded in Minneapolis in 1999 and creates original interdisciplinary performance work. ​Named after the public parks where dogs run untethered, OLA’s creative approach is likewise playful, crosses boundaries, and takes risks. The company is led by co-artistic directors Paul Herwig, visual and theater artist, and Jennifer Ilse, director and dance artist.

nimbus has been creating original theater in the Twin Cities since 2001. Their unique process for the creation of playwright-led collaborative work combined with their passion for creating bold, eclectic theater has been dazzling audiences for over 20 years. A company founded and led by playwrights and run by the artists themselves, we are dedicated to creating theatre that crosses boundaries, promotes imagination, and ignites new conversations.

Pangea World Theater builds bridges across multiple cultures and creates sacred and intersectional spaces. We create authentic spaces for real conversations across race, class and gender. Through a nuanced exploration of privilege, our own and others, we craft ensemble-based processes with a global perspective. Through art, theater and creative organizing we strive for a just world where people treat each other with honor and respect. We believe that artists are seers giving voice and language to the world we envision.

Sandbox is a collective of ten multidisciplinary artists who, along with an ever-expanding circle of artistic associates, are driven by the collaborative spirit to create new plays from scratch, and to lift up our communities by creating the worlds we want to see.

Transatlantic Love Affair is a physical theatre ensemble specializing in collaboratively created original work and theatrical storytelling. Founded in 2010, they are the creators of eleven original works: Ballad of the Pale Fisherman, Red Resurrected, Ash Land, These Old Shoes, Solitaire, Emilie/Eurydice, 105 Proof; or, The Killing of Mack "The Silencer" Klein, Promise Land, The Privateer, The Devout, and After the Fires. All productions have been recognized for their exceptional quality, establishing Transatlantic Love Affair as a force to be reckoned with in the vibrant Twin Cities theatre community and beyond.

Wonderlust Productions is a company of artists, writers, learners, performers, and storytellers. They work alongside a variety of Minnesota communities, helping to tell their stories. Because they work with a vast range of people, those stories come to life in different ways. Often, they create theater. Other times, they make a web series. Or a podcast. Or a graphic novel. Or something else entirely.