Guthrie Theater

A misanthrope's cynical exercise in crowd manipulation. Its half-clever boxy homage to its venerable Mill District neighbors notwithstanding, the Guthrie's purported respect for its surroundings is belied by its preposterously blue exterior, resembling a grim-faced, pixelated robot with a probe ominously extended. The interior public spaces are cold and insultingly contrived--a cross between an airport terminal and a tube-and-ladder hamster cage. Towering ghosts of dead heroes, like fading Soviet billboards, occupy bleak surfaces. The lighting is harsh and isolating, invasively illuminating the scalps of thin-haired patrons in the least flattering way. While the allowed views are picturesque, looking through the sparse and awkwardly-arranged neck-level strips of windows in the cantilevered bridge, one gets the feeling one is being jerked around. You can almost feel the contempt of the totalitarian urban planner in the sky as he watches you ""doing it wrong."" The final zoological insult, as the crowd exits the theater and files somberly onto the claustrophobicly long and narrow meat conveyer down to ground level, is the overwhelmingly uncomfortable, ghostly reflection of the crowd that confronts patrons, force-feeding them the dehumanizing vision of themselves as mere heaving stock animals. Other than that? Performances? Parking? Actually, not bad more

My partner and I frequently attend productions at the Guthrie-- most recently Jane Eyre (which we had seen last fall and HAD to come back for it's back by popular demand run). The building is beautiful, the theater was amazing, and the cast was simply fantastic. We stopped by Cue after the show for their late-night happy hour and were delighted to be sharing the bar with members of the cast! Pros: Everything! more

After about 7 shows this year, I have to say I have so enjoyed regular show going, particularly in this new location - beautiful. The actors are wonderful and seasoned and the variety of show types is better than historically. Pros: Acting, Ambience, view. More variety of shows this season. Cons: Long lines for a drink or snack. Dump the Cue. more

Am a long time season ticket subscriber and love the Guthrie performers and stages. Now the rants: Performances run in the 3+ hour range - too long - and could easily be shortened by 1/2 hour. And about that new facility....obviously much thought went into designing the exterior. However the interior has the feel of an airport concourse. The doors to enjoy the river view allow passage by only one person at a time (feels like a fire trap)...and why is the main parking ramp not directly accessible? Not only do you send the patrons into the cold but you force traffic tie-ups for people leaving the ramp...And why is their a main restroom in the middle of the dining area, where some were eating and other milling about...And many elderly were having difficulty navigating the steep balcony stairs. Pros: Shows, stages Cons: User un-friendly facility, parking more

I have seen many plays at the Guthrie and can't say enough good things about it. You can see a show for $14 in the rush line!! more

The Guthrie is a theater-goers dream come true. The thrust stage brings so much more to performances; while it makes viewing easier and makes every seat in the Guthrie a great one, it makes directors and actors work a little harder. Immersion into the scene makes for exciting theater! Plus, for those of us paying-off those student loans, being able to show up with 15 minutes to curtain and getting $65 seats for $15 is the sweetest deal in town. We went the 2nd night of Resurrection Blues and got 5th row center at that price...BEAT THAT BLOCK E!!!! Pros: Unique, Great Shows more