Arts Tour Minnesota

Seven professional actors performed The Visit production fifteen times in Albert Lea, Blue Earth, and East Grand Forks over a three week period in three Minnesota communities. In addition to performing, the professional actors coached, directed and taught acting skills to 33 community actors and musicians who performed alongside the professional performers. Seifert and Engen also conducted seven workshops in surrounding areas in order to identify the community artists. Not only were the professional actors given an opportunity to tour their work, but they also engaged in a high level of community interaction by offering juggling classes, and vocal/acting coaching. Professional artists were selected because of their devising abilities, their desire to work with community actors and their high quality standards. They were chosen based on their body of work and overall reputation. The locations were selected based active community theater organizations and fit with the production. 2: In this tour we visited Albert Lea and East Grand Forks (not previously visited) and toured, for a second year, to Blue Earth. We met and worked closely with new arts organizations in Albert Lea and East Grand Forks. In Blue Earth we were able to utilize our existing relationships and reputation. In each of the communities we developed several key relationships with nonprofit arts organizations such as community theaters and boards of the historical museums. In each location, we were able to leverage advice and knowledge to carry out all production activities. We tracked our activities by recording the no-profit agencies and organizations we worked alongside in order to carry out the rehearsals and performances.