Guthrie Theater cancels rest of its 2019-20 season

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis has canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season, including upcoming productions of "Emma," Lynn Nottage's "Sweat" and the theater's big summer musical, "Cabaret."

The news, announced Thursday, comes as theaters across the region and the nation continue to reel from the shutdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

That means the Guthrie, which used to be open seven days a week and is often used by photographers shooting weddings and proms, will remain closed until further notice. The theater expects that its next production will be in mid-September, when it will launch the 2020-21 season with the Noël Coward comedy "Private Lives."

The Guthrie earlier trimmed worker hours and salaries and cut short productions of "Twelfth Night" and "The Bacchae."

"Like so many organizations, the Guthrie has been forced to make incredibly difficult decisions in the wake of the current pandemic, and after weighing countless scenarios, we've determined this is the only viable and responsible path forward," artistic director Joseph Haj said in a statement.

The Ordway recently laid off 90% of its staff following its postponement of shows such as "The Color Purple" and the Sting musical "The Last Ship." Productions were also iced at the Children's Theatre and Theatre Latte Da, both of which cut shows and laid off staff.

Other theaters across the Twin Cities and the nation have canceled their seasons in the face of the pandemic. Penumbra Theatre, Theater Mu, the Jungle and Pillsbury House Theatre have all scotched shows. Nationally, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival delayed its season until the fall.

Guthrie ticket holders can get a refund, credit the value of their tickets toward a future production, or donate their tickets to help the theater.

"As stages sit empty around the world, my belief in the value of theater to illuminate our common humanity has only grown," Haj said. "I look forward to the day when we can gather together again as a community and share in stories that ... open the mind, stir the heart and ignite the imagination."

Rohan Preston • 612-673-4390

@rohanpreston