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Beginnings
Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company (MJTC) was born in July 1994, shortly after Producing Artistic Director Barbara Brooks gave birth to her son. As she nurtured him through infancy, she thought about her identity and how she could continue her Jewish heritage into the next generation. Beyond that, she wondered how her son and his future friendsJew and non-Jew alikewould learn to share and find richness in each others diversity.
A native New Yorker, Barbara came to Minnesota to pursue a graduate degree in music therapy at the U. of M. after receiving a B.A. in Music from Vassar College. Schooling was followed by appearances in musicals and plays in the East and Midwest, and teaching in the St. Paul Public Schools. As she got to know the Twin Cities, she sensed that there were fewer opportunities here for people of every heritage to learn about each others culture than there were in New York, and that many Jewish people felt as disengaged from their roots as she did. Barbara decided that if other major cities had theaters devoted to Jewish culture, Minnesota should have one, too. She gathered together a diverse group of like-minded community leaders and formed the non-profit, professional MJTC.
Growing
Audiences have grown steadily through the years, divided almost equally between Jews and non-Jews. Financial support has come from hundreds of individuals and an increasing number of prestigious institutional sources. *Groups have attended from community organizations, public and private schools, synagogues, and churches, and recognition on both a local and national level continues to grow. The belief that Barbara and her colleagues harbored about the need for a theater focused on Jewish culture has so far proven splendidly true!
Producing Plays
Shows are most often presented in the intimate, 150-seat Hillcrest Center Theater at 1978 Ford Parkway in the Highland area of St. Paul. With all seats close to the action, the consistently acclaimed work mesmerizes the youngest child through the oldest adult. Sometimes performances are presented at other venues to make our work accessible to as many patrons as possible. Two new initiatives illustrate MJTCs concern for its audiences.
Doorways
&is MJTCs ongoing program of forums, lectures, symposia, and communications designed to open the doors to greater understanding and enjoyment of the plays we present and to deeper insights into the subjects and issues they address.
Wellsprings
&is MJTCs initiative to discover and develop a continuous flow of new plays rooted in the Jewish experience but illuminating the common humanity among us all. The Magic Dreidels, MJTCs first commission, is one of the only professional plays about the Hanukkah holiday, and is now performed regionally by other theaters in the country.
*Contributing institutions: Arts and Diversity Committee of St. Paul Travelers through a grant from COMPAS " City of St. Paul Cultural STAR Program " Ecolab Foundation " General Mills Foundation " The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation " Leo and Lillian Gross Family Philanthropic Fund " Metropolitan Regional Arts Council " The St. Paul Travelers Foundation " Target " United Jewish Fund and Council
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