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Illusion Theater is an independent theater company based in the [[Hennepin Center for the Arts]], in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]]. Founded in 1974 by Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris, the mission of Illusion Theater is to illuminate the illusions, myths and realities of our times and to catalyze personal and social change. <ref name=Orlando></ref> Their work on social issues has brought national acclaim, and their support of new playwrights has launched numerous careers.<ref name=Petrie></ref>
== History ==
Bonnie Morris and Michael Robins founded Illusion Theater in 1974, to create silent plays. Morris had studied improvisation, and Robins had studied mime in France. For two years, they explored that medium exclusively, then began to branch out. Their first departure from silent work was their production of ''Orlando, Orlando,'' adapted from [[Virginia Woolf]]'s novel ''Orlando''. To create their production of ''Orlando'' and incorporate the elements of music, mime and physical movement, the six members engaged in readings and improvisation, and then in 1979 toured around Minnesota and elsewhere - continuing their improvisation along the way - and including dialogues with the audience as well.<ref name=Orlando/> They continued to support new playwrights every season.
In the late 1970's and early 1980's Illusion Theater's 'applied theater program' was created. It included programming designed to address specific social ills. Sexual abuse was addressed with groundbreaking work around 'Good Touch, Bad Touch' created by Cordelia Anderson (then Kent) in collaboration with [[Hennepin County]], to help reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse. They presented the play called ''Touch'' - which broke new ground in helping children identify harmful actions - to thousands of people starting in 1982, around Minnesota and the U.S.<ref name=Hudson></ref><ref name=Prevention ></ref><ref name=Anderson>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref><ref name=Britton>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>. Their initial name was The Illusion Theater and School, and works created for performance at schools was a primary activity. The [[Bush Foundation]], the [[McKnight Foundation]], the St. Paul Foundation, [[United Way]], the [[Gannett Foundation]] and others provided partial funding for those activities, helping to make the Twin Cities an internationally-recognized center of programming by and for children.<ref name=Education ></ref><ref name=Prevention/><ref name=Video></ref><ref name=UnitedWay></ref><ref name=Arthur></ref><ref name=Team/><ref name=Batson ></ref>
Another thrust of Illlusion Theater's applied theater program directed at teenagers began with a production in the early 1980's called ''No Easy Answers'' that was performed around the state.<ref name=Team></ref> In the 2000's they pioneered a peer-education program for high school students, funded in part by the [[National Endowment for the Arts]].<ref name=Abbe></ref>
In the mid 1980's, Illusion moved from a warehouse space on Washington Avenue downtown [[Minneapolis]] to their current location, in the [[Hennepin Center for the Arts]] on Hennepin Avenue.<ref name=FreshInk07 ></ref> In the 1990's, Illusion developed two works for use in the workplace - ''Both Sides Now'' and ''Celebrating Diversity'', which were performed at workplaces around the Twin Cities.<ref name=Corp></ref>
Support of new playwrights was always integral for Illusion Theater. In the mid-1980's Illusion staged a showcase of company members' new projects. In 1988, Illusion launched a long-running series of new works called ''Fresh Ink,'' in which new projects underway are workshopped and collaboratively honed with audience participation. Often those works continue to be developing, emerging on main stages at Illusion and elsewhere in future years.<ref name=FreshInk89 ></ref><ref name=FreshInk92 ></ref> Some of the playwrights who launched their work in Fresh Ink include Dane Stauffer, [[Jeffrey Hatcher]], [[Marion McClinton]] and [[Ping Chong]].<ref name=FreshInk97 ></ref><ref name=FreshInk07/>
Illusion Theater's budget includes ticket sales, group program revenue, and funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board and others.<ref name=Board ></ref><ref name=MaryAbbe></ref>
== Works ==
Illusion Theater's mainstage productions are almost exclusively original work, usually by Twin Cities artists - often works that have been nurtured in its Fresh Ink process.<ref name=Sander >Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> Some artists return to Illusion Theater regularly, including Miss Richfield 1981 who explores gender identity through humor, and appears on Illusion's stage most years. Illusion's production range from full musicals to noir dramas to comedies, all in the service of illuminating the illusions of the human condition.
==Notes==
==References==
== External links ==
* [https://ift.tt/Ss1nbd Illusion Theater website]
[[Category:20th-century theatre| ]]
[[Category:Theatre in Minneapolis]]
== History ==
Bonnie Morris and Michael Robins founded Illusion Theater in 1974, to create silent plays. Morris had studied improvisation, and Robins had studied mime in France. For two years, they explored that medium exclusively, then began to branch out. Their first departure from silent work was their production of ''Orlando, Orlando,'' adapted from [[Virginia Woolf]]'s novel ''Orlando''. To create their production of ''Orlando'' and incorporate the elements of music, mime and physical movement, the six members engaged in readings and improvisation, and then in 1979 toured around Minnesota and elsewhere - continuing their improvisation along the way - and including dialogues with the audience as well.<ref name=Orlando/> They continued to support new playwrights every season.
In the late 1970's and early 1980's Illusion Theater's 'applied theater program' was created. It included programming designed to address specific social ills. Sexual abuse was addressed with groundbreaking work around 'Good Touch, Bad Touch' created by Cordelia Anderson (then Kent) in collaboration with [[Hennepin County]], to help reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse. They presented the play called ''Touch'' - which broke new ground in helping children identify harmful actions - to thousands of people starting in 1982, around Minnesota and the U.S.<ref name=Hudson></ref><ref name=Prevention ></ref><ref name=Anderson>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref><ref name=Britton>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>. Their initial name was The Illusion Theater and School, and works created for performance at schools was a primary activity. The [[Bush Foundation]], the [[McKnight Foundation]], the St. Paul Foundation, [[United Way]], the [[Gannett Foundation]] and others provided partial funding for those activities, helping to make the Twin Cities an internationally-recognized center of programming by and for children.<ref name=Education ></ref><ref name=Prevention/><ref name=Video></ref><ref name=UnitedWay></ref><ref name=Arthur></ref><ref name=Team/><ref name=Batson ></ref>
Another thrust of Illlusion Theater's applied theater program directed at teenagers began with a production in the early 1980's called ''No Easy Answers'' that was performed around the state.<ref name=Team></ref> In the 2000's they pioneered a peer-education program for high school students, funded in part by the [[National Endowment for the Arts]].<ref name=Abbe></ref>
In the mid 1980's, Illusion moved from a warehouse space on Washington Avenue downtown [[Minneapolis]] to their current location, in the [[Hennepin Center for the Arts]] on Hennepin Avenue.<ref name=FreshInk07 ></ref> In the 1990's, Illusion developed two works for use in the workplace - ''Both Sides Now'' and ''Celebrating Diversity'', which were performed at workplaces around the Twin Cities.<ref name=Corp></ref>
Support of new playwrights was always integral for Illusion Theater. In the mid-1980's Illusion staged a showcase of company members' new projects. In 1988, Illusion launched a long-running series of new works called ''Fresh Ink,'' in which new projects underway are workshopped and collaboratively honed with audience participation. Often those works continue to be developing, emerging on main stages at Illusion and elsewhere in future years.<ref name=FreshInk89 ></ref><ref name=FreshInk92 ></ref> Some of the playwrights who launched their work in Fresh Ink include Dane Stauffer, [[Jeffrey Hatcher]], [[Marion McClinton]] and [[Ping Chong]].<ref name=FreshInk97 ></ref><ref name=FreshInk07/>
Illusion Theater's budget includes ticket sales, group program revenue, and funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board and others.<ref name=Board ></ref><ref name=MaryAbbe></ref>
== Works ==
Illusion Theater's mainstage productions are almost exclusively original work, usually by Twin Cities artists - often works that have been nurtured in its Fresh Ink process.<ref name=Sander >Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> Some artists return to Illusion Theater regularly, including Miss Richfield 1981 who explores gender identity through humor, and appears on Illusion's stage most years. Illusion's production range from full musicals to noir dramas to comedies, all in the service of illuminating the illusions of the human condition.
==Notes==
==References==
== External links ==
* [https://ift.tt/Ss1nbd Illusion Theater website]
[[Category:20th-century theatre| ]]
[[Category:Theatre in Minneapolis]]
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