Open Window Theatre

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Address: Salem Square Center, Suite 400, 5300 South Robert Trail, Inver Grove Heights, MN, 55077
Upcoming Events: Jump to Open Window Theatre Events

Website: Open Window Theatre
Phone: (612) 615-1515

Founded in 2011, Open Window Theatre is a Christian theatre company that was created with a goal of presenting “multigenerational professional theater with a redemptive vision” to Twin Cities audiences. All Open Window Theatre productions are suitable for ages 13 and up. Children ages 4+ are welcome at all shows, but parents should know that some shows may not be suitable for younger audiences due to mature themes. However, on-site childcare is offered at all Saturday matinee performances.

After a rough few years, Open Window found a permanent home in Inver Grove Heights in 2020.

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The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

About Open Window Theatre

With a plethora of theatres and acting companies, the Twin Cities is a vibrant setting for stagecraft. That’s all well and fine except as busy caretakers of 1 or 2 or handfuls of children, what good does it do us? We are so busy with our kids that we can’t even read the paper, let alone plan to get to the theatre.

I want to suggest a different perspective. While not everything is child-friendly, there are plenty of theatre experiences that are suitable for families, so why not make enjoying the theatre a family affair?

You know some of our favorites: Children’s Theatre Company, Stages Theatre, Steppingstone Theatre, Old Gem Theater.  There are theatre companies that aren’t known for being children-friendly  but do feature a child-inspired show once or twice throughout the season.  But today, I want to tell you about a different theatre company.

Open Window Theatre is a fairly new and  “swanky” (their word) black box theatre to hit the Minneapolis stage scene.  A black box theatre is a simple space that is square room with black walls (or in the case of OWT, black curtains) and a flat floor.  Any large space can be transformed into a stage:  including open warehouses or other empty commercial buildings.  OWT does just that and makes its home in the Metropolis Minneapolis building on Chestnut Street.  Though not far from the heart of the Minneapolis theatre scene, you find OWT off the beaten path which makes it even more enduring.

Open Window Theatre’s Mission Statement

Jeremy and Sarah Stanbary founded Open Window Theatre in 2011 as a non-profit organization with the mission to provide “EVERYONE–the average, the not-so-average, and the connoisseur alike– to enjoy great plays and great art and to breathe easy while you do so.”  (taken from their website)  As a parent I appreciate their seven points of their misison statement.

  1. We believe that theater should not only entertain, but should also educate and inspire.
  2. We believe that good art should challenge people to be better.
  3. We believe that we don’t have to be vulgar in order to produce good theater and that some things are better left to the imagination.
  4. We believe that good art – in exploring the problems of the human condition – should possess a redemptive value and should always respect the dignity of the human person.
  5. We believe that religious faith is something to celebrate, not denigrate, through art.
  6. We believe in creating an intimate theater-going experience that’s engaging and interactive.
  7. We believe in producing top quality theater that’s accessible to everyone and won’t break your budget.

Kids and Open Window Theatre

While OWT recommends their work to be appropriate for ages 4 and older, they believe everyone should be able to enjoy theatrical art and welcomes all ages. All that is asked of those attending is to be considerate of other theatre-goers and remove disruptions to the main lobby–whether a noisy child or an incessant cough, etc.

While the play I attended (see below) was not designed for children, I would be very comfortable bringing mine. Tender, innocent ears did not need to be covered due to excessive cursing (or any at all for that matter) or guileless eyes shielded from inappropriate images. Though the message was deep and maybe moved a bit slower for my fast-paced kids, I am sure both my 9 and 7 year olds would have enjoyed the show.

Originally Published by Gianna Kordatsky in May 2014

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Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.

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