Productions 2024 to 2020
2024
2023
2022
2021
In March 2021 Colleen Carey of the Cornerstone Group invited Illusion to program the Amphitheater at Lyndale Gardens. From July through September the Amphitheater was filled with performances from Kevin Kling, Dan Chouinard, T Mychael Rambo, Beth Gilleland, Open Eye Figure Theater, Malamanya, and Theater Mu. It was the first time since COVID that many members of the audience had seen live theater, it was also the first time the performers had performed since the theaters were shuttered. It was JOY.
Tree O’Halloran, who had worked with Illusion on Kevin Kling’s Lloyd’s Prayer and the tour of Autistic License, joined us as Associate Producer to make it all happen.
2020
In March 2020 COVID shuttered theaters world-wide. Illusion’s planned production of Carlyle Brown’s A Play by Barb and Carl is done as a Zoom virtual reading for one night, featuring Kate Guentzel, Garvin Lawrence, and Laura Esping. The play is postponed until 2022.
The focus of the 2020 Fresh Ink Series was directed into In This Moment - a three -week series dedicated to works that are a response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. African- American Artists who share their works In This Moment include Peter Macon, Katie Robinson, Michael Keck, Regina Marie Williams, Lester Purry, Kimberly Elise, T Mychael Rambo, Brtittany Delaney, Carlyle Brown, Keno Evol, Lester A. Batiste, Sarah Ogutu, Donte Collins, and Antonio Duke.
In September 2020 Illusion presents a Zoom performance of Five Minutes of Heaven by Michael Egan., a new theatrical adaptation of the screenplay by Guy Hibbert. Taking advantage of the opportunity to include actors from Ireland and London in this Zoom performance, Illusion’s presentation includes XXXXXX and XXXXXX as well as a live Zoom Discussion with Michael Egan and London based Guy Hibbert.
Down in Mississippi by Carlyle Brown is streamed on Zoom for the month prior to the 2020 national election. Illusion presented this play to bring attention to the young workers who in 1966 went to Mississippi to register people to vote.
Miss Richfield 1981 streams her Holiday Pro’grum to anyone who tunes in — spreading her unique holiday joy, especially needed this year when we are COVID isolated and alone.
Between November 2020 and September 2021, the Illusion Theater moved from our home of 40 years in the Hennepin Center for the Arts to the newly renovated Center for the Performing Arts in South Minneapolis. The chore of packing 40 years and two floors worth of props, costumes, tools, tech equipment, furniture, office supplies, script and artist archives, posters, photos, memorabilia, concessions, name tags(!!), and much, much, more was daunting and emotional. “Will we need this?” “Can I let this go?” “That's where it was!” Laughs and tears were shared, memories celebrated as we learned to let go while we created our new home.
