Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis

Guthrie Theater is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis. It has performed in two main-stage facilities. The first building was designed by architect Ralph Rapson, included a 1,441-seat thrust stage designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch, and was operated from 1963-2006. After closing its 2005-2006 season, the theater moved to its current facility designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

In 1959 Tyrone Guthrie published a small invitation in the drama page of The New York Times soliciting communities' interest and involvement in a resident theater. Frank Whiting, the director of the University of Minnesota Theater introduced Guthrie to the arts community in the Twin Cities and helped gather support that persuaded Guthrie to locate his theater in Minneapolis. With the help of the newly founded Tyrone Guthrie Theater Foundation a fundraising effort raised over US$2 million. The new theater was completed in 1963 in time for the May 7 opening of Hamlet.

In 2002 the National Trust for Historic Preservation put the old Guthrie building on its list of the most endangered historic properties in the United States in response to plans announced by the Walker Art Center to expand on the land occupied by the theater. However, demolition started in late 2006 beginning with the common area between the old Guthrie building and the Walker. In 2006, the Guthrie finished construction of a new $125 million theater building along the Mississippi River.