'Godspell' marks Artistry theater's comeback on a prayer

For Artistry theater in Bloomington, "Godspell" is not just a high-spirited retelling of the gospel of Matthew. Its production of the Stephen Schwartz musical, which opens Saturday, is a symbol of its own miraculous cheating of death.

Short on income and saddled with more than $700,000 in debt, Artistry took drastic steps last fall to save itself. It laid off most of its 17 full- and part-time employees and postponed or scotched shows. It also went to lenders and others it owed, including artists, about its state of affairs.

Today, it's breathing easier. After testing the waters in April with a production of "The Pajama Game" that drew 4,200 patrons, the company is now on better footing with "Godspell," its most painful postponement.

"We're glad we're able to honor all the original cast and crew of this show and bring them back," said executive artistic director Kelli Foster Warder, who first came on as a consultant. "We're not out of the woods yet — the business model is precarious — but we're thankful to our stakeholders for the support that has brought us thus far."

The comeback news at Artistry contrasts with what's happening nationally. From Los Angeles to New York, Chicago to Dallas, theaters are canceling shows and seasons and laying off staff, attributing their straits to effects of the pandemic. Artistry was a bellwether, not an outlier, for what has befallen the field, Foster Warder said.

But the company, which annually drew about 80,000 to theater, visual arts offerings and summer camps, also had poor management. Now, working with an attentive board, the leaders have put in place a set of best practices.

"We're focusing on financial literacy, stability and transparency," Foster Warder said. "We've had great partners who believed in us in the past and are invested in our future."

One of those key partners is the city of Bloomington, which gave the company a $250,000 grant. Artistry also got a $50,000 loan from Propel Nonprofit, a lifesaver for many a nonprofit whose funds come with educational and capacity-building opportunities.

As the crisis unfolded, the company found out about the goodwill it has built up in the community. Both individuals and organizations to whom it owed money forgave significant amounts. A private citizen who was owed $40,000 forgave all of it, Foster Warder said.

Today, Artistry has renegotiated or paid down 72% of its debt, Foster Warder said. Of the 60-plus organizations and people who were part of the debtors' list, all save four have been made whole. "And the remainders are longer term loans," she added.

Artistry now owes roughly $200,000 and is building back.

The company has five employees, all of whom are doing double duty. Coproducing artistic director Ben Bakken also deals with engagement and marketing. His fellow coproducing artistic director, Allyson Richert, also is in charge of education.

"We're being responsible and fiscally conservative so we can sustain ourselves and keep operating," Bakken said.

What it's all for

The art, which brings people together and helps to create a sense of community and belonging, is what it's all about, Artistry leaders said.

And "Godspell" is a fitting show. It is being directed by Vanessa Brooke Agnes and choreographed by Kyle Weiler who acted in "Hamilton" on Broadway. The cast is headlined by John Jamison II as Jesus and Jordan Leggett, fresh from "The Defeat of Jesse James" at the History Theatre, as Judas.

"We were just days away from starting rehearsal when we postponed the show," said Brooke Agnes. "So it's sweet to be back in the room again doing it."

She has given a modern gloss to the show, setting it in an abandoned housing project in 2023.

"We're infusing it with this industrial world and an ethereal spiritual realm," Brooke Agnes said. "This is a story about big themes — forming community, and preaching compassion and kindness."

"Godspell" also is about a dissolute group of people coming together with purpose and clarity after being inspired by a leader. Artistry hopes that people will continue to connect with the theater, and its artists, as they continue on the journey.

After all, one of the biggest numbers in the show is "Beautiful City," sung by Jesus.

"What John Jamison does with it is not just great art but also our dream," said Foster Warder. "We want to be part of the building of a beautiful city where people can experience the arts, feel welcomed and find joy."

'Godspell'
By: Stephen Schwartz. Directed by Vanessa Brooke Agnes.
Where: Artistry, Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington.
When: July 20-Aug. 13. (Previews are July 20 & 21.) 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. with a 7:30 p.m. pay-what-you-can performance July 31.
Tickets: $26–$56. 952-563-8575 or artistrymn.org.