Park Square's Andy Boss Thrust Stage Opens this Week

Park Square Theatre's new Andy Boss Thrust Stage is in final days of construction after years of planning and fundraising, and five months of construction. General Contractor RJM Construction will turn over the keys to Park Square management today. The additional performance venue, located in the lower level of the Historic Hamm Building, is a professionally-equipped performance facility with 203 permanent seats, ticket office, lobby spaces, galleries, rehearsal hall, backstage and dressing rooms. Built at a cost of $3.5 million, the Boss Stage was designed by BWBR Architects; Teresa Sterns of Sterns & Associates is the project manager. Park Square holds a 20-year lease for its newly expanded two-stage facility.

The cast of The House on Mango Street has been rehearsing in a variety of locations while the stage was completed and is now able to rehearse on the Boss Stage. They will introduce the new stage to area students beginning with school matinees on October 22. The public will have its first experience during previews beginning Friday, October 24 at 7:30. Opening night for The House on Mango Street is Friday, October 31.

Eight other productions are planned for the first season of the Twin Cities' newest theatrical venue - five mounted by Park Square and three produced by Park Square's Theatres in Residence: Girl Friday, Sandbox Theatre and Theatre Pro Rata. With a two-stage facility, Park Square plans to serve nearly 90,000 audience members with 18 productions in the 2014-2015 season, including 34,000 junior- and senior-high school students from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The new venue is named in honor of the late local business and community leader W. Andrew Boss. For 30 years, Andy was part owner, President and CEO of St. Anthony Park Bank (now Sunrise Bank). A long-time Park Square subscriber and donor as well as an avid supporter of the arts, Andy was the Founding President of Northern Clay Center and a trustee for Music in the Park, COMPAS, the Minnesota Museum of American Art and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He served on the steering committee for Park Square's Expansion Campaign until his death from Parkinson's disease in March 2014.

"After years of planning and fundraising - $250,000 remains to be raised - this is an incredibly exciting time for us," said Artistic Director Richard Cook. "This is the fourth theatre space I've had a hand in creating for Park Square since 1975 when we operated an 80-seat walk-up in Lowertown's Park Square Court building, and this by far is the most ambitious and the loveliest. What's important to me, however, is how we are intentionally gathering diverse artists, audiences and students to share ideas, inspiration and energy at Park Square well into the next generation." Park Square's Proscenium Stage also located in the Hamm Building seats 348. 33 Variations is currently playing in that space.