We're thrilled to announce our...
MinneFest of
New Musicals 2021!
Five readings of three original musicals, each written by a local playwright, and featuring a woman director and composer.
MinneFest Readings
A House Divided:
An Intimate Musical of the Lincoln Presidency
September 17 at 7pm
Beard's Plaisance, MPLS
September 19 at 3pm
Minnesota History Center, St. Paul
Water From Snow
October 3 at 2pm (subject to change)
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, MPLS
October 4 at 7pm (subject to change)
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, MPLS
The Allen Street Yiddish Theatre Palace Presents: Cinderesther
October 10 at 2pm
Jewish Community Center (JCC) theatre, St. Paul
While ticket reservations are not required, those who reserve tickets are guaranteed a seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MinneFest of New Musicals 2021 a festival?
Yes! The MinneFest of New Musicals 2021 includes five readings of three original musicals over the course of a three week period, each tackling a unique social justice topic and featuring women both as composers and directors.
Readings:
A House Divided: An Intimate Musical of the Lincoln Presidency: A play with music that traces Lincoln's development in office from conciliator who would tolerate slavery in the South to save the Union, to leader who issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It includes the perspective, and draws from the autobiography of, Elizabeth Keckley -- the formerly enslaved seamstress and entrepreneur who became Mary Lincoln's close friend.
Water from Snow: Set in rural Minnesota, this contemporary musical tells the story of a single mom struggling to come to terms with her past, reconnect with old friends, and prove to herself that she deserves true love and peace in her soul at last.
The Allen Street Yiddish Theatre Palace Presents: Cinderesther: This musical uses the style and form of Yiddish Theatre to tell the tale of the hardships and triumphs of Jewish immigrants in New York's Lower East Side in the early 20th century.
Can I go to just one reading within the MinneFest?
Are tickets free?
Do I need to reserve tickets ahead of time?
Can I walk-in to a performance?
What are the MinneFest readings about?
A House Divided: An Intimate Musical of the Lincoln Presidency: A play with music that traces Lincoln's development in office from conciliator who would tolerate slavery in the South to save the Union, to leader who issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It includes the perspective, and draws from the autobiography of, Elizabeth Keckley -- the formerly enslaved seamstress and entrepreneur who became Mary Lincoln's close friend.
Water from Snow: Set in rural Minnesota, this contemporary musical tells the story of a single mom struggling to come to terms with her past, reconnect with old friends, and prove to herself that she deserves true love and peace in her soul at last.
The Allen Street Yiddish Theatre Palace Presents: Cinderesther: This musical uses the style and form of Yiddish Theatre to tell the tale of the hardships and triumphs of Jewish immigrants in New York's Lower East Side in the early 20th century.
I have more questions about the MinneFest. What should I do?
Where can I find updates about the MinneFest?
What is New Musical Theatre Exchange (NMTE)?
Click here to learn more about NMTE and our workshop process!
Why does the MinneFest feature "readings" and not "performances"?
New Musical Theatre Exchange provides a place to develop musicals for serious-minded local musical theatre writers. This means that The MinneFest of New Musicals 2021 is an opportunity to showcase and develop new work being developed in our workshops, not full-production performances. To learn more about what we do, click here.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.