Frank Theatre

Support Frank Theatre's Return to the Stage!

It’s been three and a half years since Frank put a play on stage. We had hopes to get back to it last year, then again this past spring, but we were thwarted by that virus. We’ve tried to keep ourselves busy and out of jail with activities like our monthly “Frankly Speaking: What’s Up With That?” series and last fall’s LISTEN UP! series of online readings of new plays by women. We did stay out of jail, and FETAL by Trista Baldwin was the inaugural reading of the LISTEN UP! series. 

When I heard the news on June 24, 2022 about the Dobbs decision, I was, as many were, simply furious. After all, I remember the tumult before Roe v Wade was passed, but the decision had been made on this issue 50 years ago! Why was it even a question about who makes decisions about a woman’s body? A few months later, I heard that Trista had written FETAL, and I immediately asked her to send it. We had a great response to the reading, and as we were crawling out of our hole this summer, FETAL seemed like it was a great piece to bring Frank back to life. It truly reflects the world we live in. It’s an intense look at the real issues around the subject, not just a hot button response. It addresses not just the complexity of the choice to terminate a pregnancy, but also points up the real dangers of childbirth (conveniently and frequently overlooked in this country that has the highest rate of maternal mortality—especially for women of color—in the world). Another dark secret that Frank can bring out into the open for discussion.

“Frank Theatre consistently does work that means something, while still being entertaining and engaging. I'm so glad they're back to bring their unique voice and style to the table, and they couldn't have picked a better play for their return than this extremely relevant, timely, and important play. Welcome back, Frank!” – Cherry and Spoon 

I have overwhelming gratitude for those who kept us afloat during these past three years. To the funders who supported us, to the individual donors who kept the contributions coming, to those supporters who sent notes of encouragement, to the Board members who kept meeting regularly during these three long years (some who had never even seen a Frank show!) – that has meant the world. And the great cheers of excitement when we announced we were finally doing a show was oh, so gratifying. Thank you for your generous support!

– Wendy Knox, Artistic Director

Your contribution helps us continue to create ambitious productions of challenging works in our feisty spirit that expand audiences' perceptions of our world and demand dialogue about social, political, and cultural issues. Please make a tax-deductible donation today.

ABOUT FRANK THEATRE

Frank Theatre is a professional theatre company committed to producing unique work that stretches the skills of the artists who create the work while simultaneously challenging the everyday perceptions of the audience through the exploration of ideas and issues of social, political and/or cultural concern. Frank Theatre was founded with the desire to produce work that provides opportunities for artists to grow, to stretch, to work outside of and beyond the typical opportunities provided by theatres with a greater commercial interest. The theatre has successfully pursued this goal through the consistent staging of works that require the actors, designers, and director to challenge themselves and each other. The theatre is a Twin Cities’-based company, founded in 1989 by Artistic Director Wendy Knox. Now in its 34th season, the theatre has staged over 70 productions and is committed to producing work that reflects the world in which we live.

Heads up: Look for Frank Jan 19 – Feb 19, 2024 at our old stomping grounds, Gremlin Theatre. Official announcement coming soon!