Founded in 1998, Theater Latté Da (TLD) is in its 24th season of presenting original and re-imagined musical theater. Theater Latté Da creates new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience—exploring and expanding the art of musical theater. TLD is dedicated to expanding the American Musical Theater with work that speaks to a contemporary audience. Theater Latté Da has fostered innovation and diversity since its conception. We believe in work that is bold, inclusive and collaborative; we act with integrity and gratitude. These values are integral to the organization’s health and drives the discussion at every stage of decision-making. Through productions that transcend the conventional, the organization helps solidify the Twin Cities’ reputation as a place where progressive art plays a vital role.
Theater Latté Da is the only nonprofit professional theater in the Twin Cities that exclusively produces musical theater. Since its inception, TLD has presented 76 Mainstage productions, including 12 world premieres, and 12 area premieres. Each has garnered critical acclaim and earned its artists and TLD a host of awards, including: seven IVEY Awards for overall excellence, National Endowment for the Arts, the Gabriel Award for Broadcast Excellence, and the American Theater Wing National Theater Company Award. In addition to our Twin Cities presence, TLD’s original production All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 celebrated its 12th anniversary with a national tour and an Off-Broadway debut at the Sheen Center in New York City this past November and December, which won the 2019 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. TLD’s provocative staging of Ragtime was remounted at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington in October 2017, and Asolo Repertory Theater in Florida in May 2018. TLD’s production of Sweeney Todd was remounted at Asolo Repertory in Spring 2019.
Since 1998, TLD has performed in venues throughout the Twin Cities, ranging from the intimate 120-seat Loring Playhouse to the Pantages Theater in downtown Minneapolis. To deepen our relationship with Twin Cities audiences and to better reach the communities we serve, Latté Da decided to make a permanent home in northeast Minneapolis. In 2016, TLD became the proud owner of the historic Ritz Theater, a 234-seat theater with administrative offices, rehearsal space, dressing rooms, and box office.
Misson
Theater Latté Da creates new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience—exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.
VALUES
We believe in work that is bold, inclusive and collaborative; we act with integrity and gratitude.
Bold
We make bold choices in support of our mission and vision, both on and off stage. By illuminating the unseen, giving voice to the unheard, and empathizing with the unknown, we open eyes, ears and hearts.
Inclusion
We believe in creating an environment where a diverse group of voices are welcomed to fully participate. We are inspired and strengthened through equitable partnerships. We actively work to make musical theater accessible to everyone.
Collaborative
We believe musical theater to be the most collaborative of art forms: incorporating music, drama, poetry, dance and design. We know that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and therefore embody a collaborative spirit in all we do.
Integrity
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of artistic and fiscal integrity. We are committed to honesty, equity and transparency in all aspects of our administration and art, implementing policies and practices to support those ideals.
Gratitude
We are grateful for our artists, audiences, donors, board and staff. We recognize that each individual plays an important role in this organization’s success, and we actively seek out opportunities to acknowledge each person’s contribution.