Guthrie Theater

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) — The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) announced it will present a one-night-only virtual benefit on Friday, June 25 at 7 p.m. CDT, featuring a concert by Tony and Grammy winner Leslie Odom, Jr. with beloved local actor Regina Marie Williams as emcee. The one-hour, livestreamed program will include three concert sets by Odom, Jr. of Hamilton fame; a 15th anniversary celebration of the Guthrie’s home on the Mississippi River; and special giving opportunities. Proceeds will help support the Guthrie as it prepares to reopen and resume performances onstage this fall.

Attending the virtual benefit is free, but registration is required. ASL interpretation, audio description and closed captioning will be available. For more information about how to give to the Guthrie and register for the event, visit www.guthrietheater.org/benefit.

Artistic Director Joseph Haj said, “When the new Guthrie building opened in summer 2006, thousands of Minnesotans poured into the lobbies and theaters to explore this magnificent resource built specially for them. Fifteen years later, after a season of significant loss and transformation, we’re once again filled with hope and excitement as we look forward to celebrating this milestone virtually and gathering for performances onstage this fall. With Regina Marie Williams as host and performances by the incomparable Leslie Odom, Jr., this year’s event promises to uplift the spirit, and we can’t wait to share it with our community.”

On June 25, 2006, the Guthrie welcomed the community to its new, three-stage facility on the banks of the Mississippi River for the first time. More than 25,000 visitors arrived to explore the building designed by award-winning architect Jean Nouvel, enjoy free performances and take in the breathtaking riverfront views. Fifteen years later to the day, the Guthrie will celebrate the milestone and the theater’s impact on the community through a virtual evening of music and memories. The event will also offer optional VIP ticketing and an online auction of specially curated packages, with all donations made before and during the benefit going toward the Guthrie’s reopening efforts.

The Guthrie Theater is a 501(c)(3) organization and gratefully acknowledges the support of Benefit Co-Chairs Helen Meyer and Irene Quarshie. The theater also thanks Platinum Sponsor U.S. Bank; Gold Sponsors Best Buy and Target; VIP Sponsor RBC Wealth Management; Silver Sponsors Carlson Family Foundation, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Jones Day, Stinson LLP and Travelers; and Bronze Sponsors Cargill, Carlson and Old National Bank.

About Leslie Odom, Jr.
Best known for his breakout role as Aaron Burr in the smash hit musical Hamilton, Leslie Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted, award-winning performer whose talents extend across multiple creative genres. His second full-length studio album, The Christmas Album, was released last winter, and he was nominated for two Academy Awards — Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Song — for the film One Night in Miami.

About Regina Marie Williams
Last seen at the Guthrie in Dining With the Ancestors and Guys and Dolls, Regina Marie Williams is an award-winning actor who has performed notable roles on many Twin Cities stages, including Pillsbury House Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Theater Latté Da, Penumbra Theatre and Ten Thousand Things Theater. She is a two-time recipient of the McKnight Theater Artist Fellowship and a founding member of MN Black Theatre Circle.

Land Acknowledgment
The Guthrie Theater acknowledges that it resides on the traditional land of the Dakota People and honors with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations, including the Ojibwe and other Indigenous nations.

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) is an esteemed center for theater performance that seeks to illuminate our common humanity and transform our world through the power of live theater. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and firmly rooted in the community since 1963, the Guthrie is dedicated to producing classic and contemporary works with excellence, cultivating artists and inspiring the next generation of theatergoers. guthrietheater.org

AN EVENING WITH LESLIE ODOM, JR.