Best Theater Shows in Minneapolis-St. Paul This Fall
Minnesota has no shortage of great theater. Here are our editor's picks for what to see this fall, including some touring shows and original productions that will still be going strong in the winter.
Treasure Island
Children’s Theatre Company
Sept. 9 – Oct. 19
A furiously multitasking crew of twelve hard-working actors tell the non-stop story of a young boy who discovers a hidden treasure map and makes it his mission to find the bounty. Featuring live-sung sea shanties, new arrangements of Darren Kiely's sweeping folk-pop sound, and plenty of swordplay, "Treasure Island" is a sure-fire bet for the whole family. Kiely fans can also catch the Irish musician at The Cedar Cultural Center on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Maybe You Could Love Me
Theater Mu (at Mixed Blood Theater)
Sept. 11 – 28
Best friends Sajida and Noor share a complex, multi-faceted love. As high school graduation nears, they must decide how that love fits into their future. A new work by rising star Samah Meghjee, "Maybe You Could Love Me" pairs local favorite Ashembaga Jaafaru with Broadway actor Sushma Saha.
Warroad Community Potluck
Mixed Blood Theater (at Warroad Riverplace)
Sept. 12 – 14
Mark your calendar now so you don’t miss this site-specific play set and performed in Warroad. Prepare to take sides: this show, written by local powerhouse playwright Kira Obolensky, features a small-town potluck showdown between Warroad and Rosseau.
Only Ugly Guys
Gremlin Theater
Sept. 12 – 27
Playwright Kurt Engh's meditation on modern gay romance in an algorithm-fueled culture gets a staging at the Gremlin Theater from director Grant Sorenson, who runs the enigmatic and scene-y Table / Read series.
A Doll’s House
Guthrie Theater
Sept. 15 – Oct. 12
Henrik Ibsen’s proto-feminist masterpiece returns to the Guthrie stage for the first time since the 1990s in a new adaptation by Pulitzer finalist Amy Herzog, which received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Play in 2023.
Don’t Miss Doris Hines
The History Theatre
Sept. 18 – Oct. 12
Jazz singer Doris Hines wooed New York City nightclub audiences for years before moving to Minneapolis in 1963. Here, she became a legend and was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. Comfort Dolo will play Hines in TyLie Shider’s world premiere musical.
It’s Only a Play
Park Square Theater
Sept. 24 – Oct. 19
Director Stephen DiMenna has assembled a top-notch cast for Terrance McNally’s loving, laugh-out-loud satire of show business. There are so many starry names attached to this project we’re tempted to name them all, but Sally Wingert and Warren Bowles should be reason alone to snag your tickets.
Charlotte’s Web
Stages Theatre Company
Sept. 26 – Oct. 26
The classic tale of Wilbur, an extraordinary pig, and Charlotte, a superlative spider, comes to Hopkins this fall in a tight, 60-minute production from Stages Theatre Company.
A Lesson in Love
Pillsbury House + Theater
Sept. 29 – Oct. 19
A world premiere from local luminary Nubia Monks, this new play (being billed as a Black rom-com), asks what it means to be truly seen, and to see in return. Scant details on plot shouldn’t dissuade you from buying a ticket; this is a rare chance to see something truly new from one of the Twin Cities’ brightest talents.
Once On This Island
Artistry
Oct. 2 – 26
One of musical theater’s most underrated gems gets a full staging from Bloomington’s Artistry. A loose retelling of "The Little Mermaid," "Once On This Island" transfers the underwater setting to the sun-soaked shores of the Caribbean, where orphaned peasant TiMoune falls in love with Daniel, a boy from the French aristocratic side of the island.
The Cherry Orchard
The Moving Company (at the Jungle Theater)
Oct. 4 – Nov. 2
The Moving Company, masters of physical storytelling, take on Chekhov’s enduring rumination on shifting socioeconomic frameworks, told through the lens of one family’s beloved estate.
LIZZIE: The Rock Musical
Open Eye Theatre
Oct. 9 – Nov. 2
Lizzie Borden, the Victorian-era heiress legendarily accused of murdering her father and stepmother, gets the rock-and-roll treatment in this queer-forward, punk-powered re-telling of a notoriously spooky story.
Primary Trust
Guthrie Theater
Oct. 11 – Nov. 16, 2025
A 2023 Pulitzer finalist by Eboni Booth, "Primary Trust" is a tender, slice-of-life play about a small-town man who, after losing his long-time job at a bookstore, takes up a position as a bank teller.
Purple Rain
Hennepin Arts
Oct. – Nov. 16
The ultimate Minnesota musical makes its premiere in the city that started it all. Be the first to see this new Prince-focused musical before it hits Broadway, and wish your best to "The Kid."
Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Oct. 21 – Feb. 7
A tap-dancing spectacular based on the beloved film, Chanhassen never misses the execution of a big, hammy ensemble piece.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Children's Theatre Company
Nov. 4 – Jan. 4
A delightful, high-production take on the beloved Dr. Seuss story from the nation’s preeminent, Tony-winning theater for young audiences.
A Christmas Carol
The Guthrie
Nov. 8 – Dec. 28
The Guthrie’s lavish Holiday classic returns with David Beach as Scrooge, Daniel Petzold as Young Scrooge, and Regina Marie Williams as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
My Fair Lady
Theatre Latté Da
Nov. 12 – Dec. 28
The illustrious Anna Hashizume plays Eliza Doolittle in a pared-down staging of Lerner and Loewe’s classic.
Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical
History Theatre
Nov. 20 – Dec. 21
Local funnyman Keith Hovis’ new musical fantasy based on the iconic St. Paul Winter Carnival premieres at the History Theatre.
Scrooge in Rouge
Open Eye
Nov. 28 – Dec. 28
A hilarious “drag-fueled extravaganza” inspired by the Dickens story plays in Open Eye’s intimate jewel-box theater.
Black Nativity
Penumbra Theatre
Dec. 2 – 24
A gospel re-telling of the Christmas story returns for a landmark 33rd year. If you yet haven’t seen Penumbra’s Black Nativity – it's time.
Dinner for One
Jungle Theater
Dec. 6 – Jan. 4
Based on the iconic comedy sketch, this show tells the story of a dutiful butler helping his employer celebrate her birthday and features a rotating cast of Twin Cities heavyweights, including Christina Baldwin and Joy Dolo.
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Ordway
Dec. 9 – 28
The acclaimed Regents Open Air production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice rock opera hops the pond to the Ordway.
Somewhere
The Guthrie
Dec. 13 – Feb. 1
A play with dance from TONY-winning playwright Matthew Lopez about a family obsessed with "West Side Story" who are devastated that their apartment building will be demolished to make room for Lincoln Center.
The Wiz
Hennepin Arts
Dec. 16 – 21
The first Broadway Tour of “The Wiz” in 40 years hits Minneapolis around the holidays, just in time to do a Wicked-Wiz double-header.
Check out 50 of the best fall concerts hitting Minneapolis-St. Paul.
