Theater Spotlight: The Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota is a nationally acclaimed venue and Tony Award winner. The theatre is a unique venue for staging plays and is the result of Sir Tyrone Guthrie's desire for a new kind of theater that would provide an atmosphere which would encourage the production of great works of literature and cultivate actors' talents away from the more commercial environment of Broadway.

The Guthrie Theater has performed in two main-stage facilities. The former building was designed by architect Ralph Rapson and was active from 1963-2006. After relocating, the Guthrie now finds its home in the work of French architect Jean Nouvel's design. It is a 255,000 square foot facility that replicates the former theater's signature thrust stage and includes a new 1,100-seat auditorium, 700-seat proscenium stage, 250-seat studio theater, new classrooms and food service.

Even with the brand new digs, the Guthrie Theatre, now at 818 South Second Street in Minneapolis, is filled with history and tradition. Along with the Guthrie's innovative production philosophy, the theater itself gained a lot of attention by the unique style.