Applause Community Theatre

Applause Community Theatre: From Bold Performances to New Beginnings 

Because of you, Applause Community Theatre keeps courageous storytelling alive. Your support brought Red and Precious Scars to life, earned awards at MACTFest, and gave youth a voice through ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence. Now we’re preparing our next bold step — Playing Provincetown by local playwright Jim Lundy, celebrating the revolutionary beginnings of modern American theatre. Ticket sales cover only half our costs — your gift makes the rest possible. 

Thank You for Fueling Courageous Storytelling 

Because of you, Applause Community Theatre continues to perform thought-provoking theatre that sparks empathy, conversation, and change. We’re committed to providing excellent theatre at an affordable price — ensuring that everyone in our community can experience the power of live performance. Ticket sales cover only 47–53% of our budget, so the rest comes from people like you — donors who believe theatre should be both accessible and artistically daring. Applause is about engaging the community — performing shows that are rarely seen and highlighting the work of local playwrights. Every performance connects neighbors, celebrates new voices, and creates space for reflection, laughter, and understanding.

Productions Made Possible by You 

Last season, your support brought to life Red, the riveting story of artist Mark Rothko and his assistant, exploring creativity, mentorship, and meaning. Audiences called it “a marvelous, tour-de-force performance by two actors commanding the stage.” 

You also helped stage Precious Scars, written by award winning Minnesota author Brian Farrey-Latz, a powerful work exploring pride, privacy, and integrity through the story of Billy Sipple and Harvey Milk. 

Actor Derik Iverson reflected, “Playing Billy Sipple has been profound, exploring what it means to have pride and privacy in a hostile world.” 

James Knight Zappa, portraying Harvey Milk, said, “Diving into Harvey Milk has been very insightful for me; his vision and passion was ahead of his time. Living through his struggles as a gay man in the 1970s shows how far we've come, but how much has remained unchanged, and in a lot of ways what how we are moving away from the world of acceptance he dreamed of and died for.” 

Audience member Shannon Kennedy wrote, “Pathos, humor, drama, love — it’s all there!” These performances show how stories, brought to life by dedicated artists, can spark deep reflection and connection across our community.

Celebrating Impact and Excellence 

Your belief in community theatre helped Applause shine far beyond our stage. At the 2025 MACTFest competition in Duluth, our production of Done to Death, directed by Connor Davis, earned awards for Set Design and Costume Design. 

This large, spirited cast exemplified what Applause is all about — engaging the community by welcoming both new and experienced performers to collaborate, create, and celebrate the joy of live theatre. 

Spotlight on Gary Davis 

We’re especially proud to celebrate Gary Davis, Applause Board Member, who received the Fliehr Award for Distinguished Service to Minnesota Theatre. This statewide honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to community theatre — a perfect reflection of Gary’s decades of passion, leadership, and artistry. 

Amplifying Voices, Inspiring Change 

Your support also made possible ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence, our collaboration with Perpich Arts High School. Teen performers brought raw, urgent stories to the stage, transforming pain into purpose. One student said, “We’re not being quiet and letting people forget; we’re telling these stories, over and over… until it stops.” 

That’s the heart of Applause — theatre that not only entertains, but opens hearts and builds community.

What’s Next: Playing Provincetown 

This season, your gift will help bring to life Playing Provincetown, an original script by local playwright Jim Lundy that intertwines Provincetown scripts and honors the birth of modern American theatre. 

Based on the true story of the Provincetown Players, this new work celebrates the women and men who gathered in 1915 to create plays that challenged convention and redefined art in America. 

This performance is about beginnings. They sensed which direction to take, not merely to burn down what was, but to build something meaningful and revolutionary in their wake. With your support, Playing Provincetown will carry that same spirit of artistic rebellion and renewal — connecting audiences today with the roots of modern theatre.

How You Can Help 

Your gift keeps local theatre accessible, relevant, and alive.  Every contribution ensures that high-quality, thought-provoking theatre remains within everyone’s reach.   Give today and keep courageous, affordable storytelling alive in Minnesota.   This Give to the Max Day, help Applause Community Theatre celebrate what your support has built.