For 40 seasons, the History Theatre has entertained, educated, and engaged audiences by commissioning and developing plays which celebrate our common heritage and linking Minnesota’s past to the present. The History Theatre’s creative team has consistently demonstrated its commitment to selecting plays which showcase diverse voices and viewpoints. These diverse productions, as well as the History Theatre’s practices of employing local artists and ensuring accessibility to all interested patrons, have drawn the support of The Olseth Family Foundation for nearly a decade.

As the History Theatre seeks a “new normal” post pandemic, The Olseth Family Foundation is dedicated to assisting with the rebuilding of educational partnerships and reinstituting in-school residencies. The relaunch of “neighbors,” a traveling play funded by The Olseth Family Foundation which was developed for elementary school aged children, is especially exciting. The play highlights the similarities of four immigrant stories (Somalia, Norway, Myanmar, and Guatemala), while simultaneously exploring the uniqueness of cultural diversity and introducing youth to live theatre.

In addition, “Senior Cabaret” residencies, the Living Through History program, Raw Stages, and 3-5 Seats to Stage playwriting residencies have resumed, ensuring a broad menu of offerings for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to better understand their place and role in the great Minnesotan story.