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NEWS: Ordway to Throw Doors Open in September

by Twin Cities Arts Reader -

The facade of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, MN. Photo by Mike Boeckmann.

The Arts Partnership announced today that the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Saint Paul will reopen for performances beginning this September. The September shows will be the Ordway’s first in-person, indoor shows in more than 18 months.

In anticipation of this reopening, the four organizations that make up The Arts Partnership – Minnesota Opera, the Ordway, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Schubert Club – will announce their upcoming seasons in the coming weeks.

“This is the longest that Ordway stages have been dark in our 36-year history,” said Christine Sagstetter, interim president and CEO. “Our organizations are thrilled to soon welcome returning and new guests alike to create special memories at the Ordway once again.”

“So much has changed since the Ordway closed its doors in early 2020,” said Ryan Taylor, current president and CEO of the Arts Partnership, and president and general director of Minnesota Opera. “Our community has faced a pandemic and been a part of renewed calls for social justice here in Minnesota. This reopening will be a meaningful moment for performing arts lovers to finally come together again after a difficult period away.”

The Arts Partnership will prioritize health and safety in its reopening plans, following the latest public safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Minnesota Department of Health and local requirements from the City of Saint Paul. In preparation for welcoming audiences back into the building as safely as possible, the Ordway has upgraded its air filtration system to increase air flow and bring in more outside air, which will be filtered using high-efficiency MERV 13 air filters. It has also implemented enhanced cleaning practices throughout the building.

“We cannot wait to experience live events with everyone this fall, and doing so safely for guests, employees and artists is our highest priority,” said Andy Luft, vice president of building operations and production at the Ordway.

Leading up to the reopening this September, each organization has virtual and outdoor events scheduled this summer. Upcoming shows include the Ordway’s Ordway Cabaret: Live at the Loading Dock outdoor performances and Flint Hills Family Festival in June, Minnesota Opera’s Albert Herring streaming from May 22-June 5, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s outdoor concerts June 4-13 and livestream from the Ordway Concert Hall on June 12, and the Schubert Club’s outdoor concerts at the State Fairgrounds June 3-10 and virtual concerts to be announced this summer.

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