COMMONWEAL THEATRE COMPANY
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"Greater Tuna!" From the newspaper note sounded like a decent diversion for an evening in this sleepy rural and culturally-remote area, so we attended our first Commonweal performance. Hooked like a ravenous trout on a well-presented caddis fly! How could this level of theatre be happening in a town that in our youth was famous mainly for the Friday cattle auction (still going, by the way), and a tiny cinema where we sometimes necked in the 50's? Since that evening in the 90's we have rarely missed a performance. During that short period of time, we've seen the Commonweal grow from a tiny cadre of actors performing in a tiny converted movie theatre to become the prime cultural force in Southeast Minnesota and a prime example of what a dedicated group of true professionals can do. In our wildest dreams we would never have expected such a cultural transformation in our area, and we are gratified to have been able to be a part of that.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
that everyone who comes in contact with the Commonweal--volunteers, donors, media, and (especially) patrons--are treated with the respect and appreciation that reminds them that they are a very important part-indeed the lifeblood-of the Commonweal family.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Incredibly professional and dedicated
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Replicate itself across rural America.
Ways to make it better...
I had become enen more involved earlier.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Financial--finding secure funding to continue the mission. Artistic--balancing the selection of plays to attract broad public support while at the same time challenging us intellectually and dramatically.
One thing I'd also say is that...
I love Ibsen!
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every six months
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
We moved to Lanesboro about six years ago, in large part due to the arts community in town, including the Commomweal Theatre.The quality of the shows performed are quite amazing, especially considering its location in a smaller community, and compare quite favorably with any live performances we ever saw while living in the St.Paul/Minneapolis area. There are quite a variety of productions from The Odd Couple, Rainmaker and Wait Until Dark to plays written by Ibsen, including Peer Gynt, all wonderfully done and well received by the audiences. Something unique about the company is how all the core actors also have other responsibilities within the company such as fundraising, box office, and administrative duties which make them more well rounded and more marketable. They also include the interns in this process, giving them a great education. All of the actors are very engaging and accessible and very visible in the community.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
High quality of the acting and the selection of material presented.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
The actors are very gregarious and interact wonderfully with the volunteers and community members. They make us feel part of their group.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
The Commonweal Theater brings professional high quality theater to our doorstep. We thoroughly enjoy the theater and have supported it since it began in Lanesboro.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
extreme dedication of the actors, staff,and volunteers to maintain the high standards that we have come enjoy at the Commonweal.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
genuinely appreciative of our support and attendance.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
increase its outreach to area schools, increase their residency program, add new productions and workshops and increase awareness of this high quality theater in SE Minnesota.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Our daughters cannot imagine a time without Commonweal. Since childhood they have seen countless performances, formed relationships with the acting company, participated in their educational programs...and in the process it awakened the artist within them. Commonweal's "drama that unfolds where the river bends" has not only enriched our family's life; it enriches and inspires the thriving art communities of the bluff country. Scott and Karen Bingham
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
their willingness to "think outside the box". In 2010, they are collaborating with six Spring Grove organizations/businesses, enabling us to underwrite Picasso at the Lapin Agile.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
My wife and I have been a host family for several years for Asian high school and college students. The Commonweal Theatre Company's productions are a terrific resource as we introduce our beloved guests to art and culture in the US. They have connected with plays like The Rainmaker in ways I never could have foreseen and have been thrilled and inspired by being able to meet and talk to the very actors who take the stage. The Commonweal's devoted professionalism allows us to share our love of theatre with "our" students, and though the theatre itself resides in a small mid-western town, its influence reaches right across the Pacific.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
the quality of its productions and its commitment to education and staging new plays.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
For many years I have frequented the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, MN. I am proud to support enterprises that are comprised of people who are driven to enhance other people’s lives by giving of themselves. The Commonweal Theatre does this in two ways: First through wholesome entertainment that enriches our understanding of our being, and secondly by transcending these traditions through an annual crop of eleven interns that will spend 11-months at the Commonweal. Learning not just acting, but the nuts and bolts of paying the bills, then go out into the world and replicate the Commonweal experience for others. My meager sponsorship of this wonderful organization allows me to vicariously enjoy the "good feeling" that comes with helping the Commonweal troupe in this endeavor. Dean H. Blegen
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
receiving letters and phone calls from people that have received free passes to the theatre that I have given out.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
clone everybody!
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
watching the interns grow in stature!
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
always positive and sincerely wanted to be helpful in promoting the Commonweal!
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
be destroyed overnight! All organizations need to "need" another successful season to survive! The journey is more important than the destination! Because the destination is the "end" and that's one thing you never want to see. Relish the struggle!
Ways to make it better...
I lived closer to Lanesboro!
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
maintaining what is arguably an organization that has overcome the usual divisions and chasms that come from creative high-powered people working together.
One thing I'd also say is that...
Thank You!
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
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