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 — our 2025/26 season featuring Playing Provincetown, the Importance of Being Ernest, Bernhardt/Hamlet, and a holiday show.  

Ticket sales cover only half our costs — your gift makes the rest possible.

This Give to the Max Day we need to raise $10,000 for 2025/26 season. 

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 the Applause One Fall One Act Festival with a focus on LGBTQ+ scripts.

The festival included 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. 

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. 

Honoring 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.

How You Can Help 

Your gift keeps local theatre accessible, relevant, and alive. 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!