190:, Jenni Lilledahl, and Mark Bergren. Bergren left the Brave New Workshop in 1999 to pursue other interests. The name of the theater changed slightly to "The Brave New Workshop, founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958." Despite the name change, BNW continued to produce all-original sketch comedy and improvisation revues on a year-round basis. They also oversaw the Brave New Institute, a training center for improvisation. The school claimed to have the most broad-based improv curriculum of any training center in the country, with more than 300 students and specific programming for performers, non-performers, youth, seniors, and corporations.
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travelled to
Minneapolis and performed at a restaurant called Steffano’s. The Instant Theater Company then decided to stay in Minneapolis and create a performing space for themselves; "Dudley Riggs' Cafe Espresso" opened in a former garage at 18 University Avenue SE. In 1961 the venue relocated to 207 E. Hennepin Avenue, and after much planning and brainstorming, and with help from friends
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Design. Long time performers Lauren
Anderson, Taj Ruler, Denzel Belin and Jon Pumper (music director) have all returned to the writer's room and the stage. They are joined again by a more recent addition, Doug Neithercott (long time Twin Cities performer) to continue the tradition of Promiscuous Hostility and Positive Neutrality started by Riggs more than 60 years ago.
166:, this would be the beginning of the satirical comedy theatre that was known for many years as Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop. Four years later, in 1965, the theatre moved to 2605 Hennepin Avenue, a space that had been a bicycle shop, and would be home to the theatre for most of the following four decades.
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BNW, was closed by executive order in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The troupe returned to the stage as a
Hennepin Theatre Trust Resident Theatre in May 2022. Recent shows include Back to Workshop or Everything's Fine! (Summer 2022), This Show is Cheaper Than Gas - America on Empty (Fall
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Early locations for Riggs' venue were across the
Mississippi River from downtown Minneapolis, at 18 University Avenue SE and 207 East Hennepin Avenue. In 1965, Riggs moved the company to its historic location at 2605 Hennepin Avenue South, where it remained until 1998, when the BNW moved four blocks
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performers, and he regularly joked that he ran away from the circus to find a home. BNW was originally known as the “Instant
Theatre Company.” Riggs assembled and led a talented group of writers and performers intending to make people think by first making them laugh. In the late ’50s, the troupe
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The Brave New
Workshop is a Resident Theatre of the Hennepin Theatre Trust. Caleb McEwen, who has been with BNW for 26 years and part of more than 100 productions, currently serves as the artistic director. Matthew Vichlach, veteran Technical Director continues to provide Light, Sound and Video
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for five years before closing in 2006. In 1971, a satellite theater and cafe, the "ETC" ("Experimental
Theatre Company," not to be confused with The Brave New Workshop's current "Experimental Thinking Centre"), opened in the Southern Theatre at Seven Corners in the Cedar Riverside area of
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In
December 2021 the 824 Hennepin Avenue building was purchased by the Hennepin Theatre Trust. The building was renamed Dudley Riggs Theatre in November 2022 and currently houses the theater where the main stage sketch comedy shows are performed, as well as an event space.
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south to
Calhoun Square in Uptown Minneapolis. Finding the location a financial burden, the company returned to 2605 Hennepin in 2002. The Brave New Workshop also operated a satellite location in neighboring
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purchased the assets of BNW as well as the Dudley Riggs
Theatre, located at 824 Hennepin Avenue with the vision of carrying on BNW's long-standing legacy of world-class sketch comedy and improvisation.
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Minneapolis' West Bank. In 2010, previous owners John Sweeney and Jenni Lilledahl purchased the Hennepin Stages Theater at 824 Hennepin Avenue (the longtime home to productions such as
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and bills itself as the oldest ongoing satirical comedy theater in the nation. Nearly 400 original productions have been mounted on
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Hall, Carol. "Satires cutting edge; Minneapolis’ Brave New Workshop gave rise to improv and social commentary in the late ’50s".
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stages for more than three million people. Improv and sketch comedy shows can be seen on its stage nearly every weekend.
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Original Sign from 207 East Hennepin Ave Location Photo by Wells Film & Photo 2022
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theater in the US. BNW continues the tradition, of writing, producing, and performing as a Resident Theatre of
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https://www.minnpost.com/arts-culture/2020/09/the-singular-life-of-dudley-riggs/
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Brave New Workshop : Promiscuous Hostility and Laughs in the Land of Loons
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Dudley Riggs Theatre marquee (Photo by Wells Film & Photo 2022)
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for several years, and the resident comedy-writing team for
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2022), and The Best Christmas Show in Three Years (2022).
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Lady Liberty - Lobby Photo by Wells Film & Photo 2022
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BNW Actors-Holiday 2022 Photo by Wells Film & Photo
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Brave New Workshop at 50: It isn’t easy being witty
564:University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2017.
519:"Continuing the Brave New Workshop's long legacy"
505:"50 years of social satire at Brave New Workshop"
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562:Flying Funny: My Life Without a Net.
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402:"Brave New Workshop - Dudley Riggs"
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412:2013-04-11
352:References
253:Al Franken
245:Mo Collins
155:vaudeville
269:Pat Proft
249:Tom Davis
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61:Minnesota
346:John Moe
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133:History
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