The Neighborhood Theatre Project

07/02/2026

We are enormously grateful to have been able to work with Purpose Artisans and Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to support the culmination of The Willmar Project in Willmar, MN this past May — and that SMAC was able to join us for a show at Community Connectors Services !

Southwest Minnesota Arts Council — thank you for all you do for the arts in Minnesota.

From the SMAC June 2026 Newsletter: Recently, SMAC Board & Staff have strived to visit more SMAC grant-funded events to connect with grantees. In May, a member of SMAC staff attended The Willmar Project in Willmar, MN. Purpose Artisans received a grant to work with the Neighborhood Theatre Project to produce a community-based verbatim theatre initiative, which blended community members' answers to the question, "What is it like for you living in Willmar?" into a play. Performances included staged readings of the play, community dialogue, and shared meals. Pictured here is community drumming that took place outside the venue before the one of the performances. What a meaningful and thoughtful project to bring community together though understanding and the arts!

06/04/2026

"I always tell people – you can get anything you dream of in the Twin Cities, anything you want in St. Cloud, and anything you need in Willmar."

"At first I think it was just hard to make friends… I love living here… It's just you know if you're not born and raised here - there’s the people from Willmar, and the people not from Willmar."

"But the funniest thing happened. All of a sudden with this bypass people were complaining 'Well we can't find our way into downtown. How do you get into downtown? It's so hard to get into downtown?'"

"I guess my goal in life is to inform people about Islam and how we’re not all who you think we are. Like, we’re not all terrorists. So, for speech that’s kind of the reason why I picked that topic."

"I'm proud where my mom's from, I have memories of Mexico and stuff like that. But if we were to go into a war like I would defend my country you know - this is home."

"When I was a little girl maybe...six or seven years old, we would go to the mall here - tiny mall...nothing in it. Awesome crinkle fries."

"It’s just sort of amazing to have somebody that’s come from halfway across the world and then we figure out that we’re facing the exact same kinds of things."

"...just have a conversation with someone that doesn't believe in what you believe. That's not the same color as you are. You learn a lot. You know?"

"Willmar, it’s changing and it’s growing. Like the playground that we have, it’s awesome."

Without the 140 people who spoke with us in 2017, who shared their joys, fears, and their unique story of living in Willmar — without their generosity and trust, this project would not exist. Thank you, Willmar.

06/02/2026

Continued gratitude.

To our Minneapolis based artistic team: Director Alejandro Tey and Stage Manager Rebecca Wilts, and our extraordinary cast: Carmen Castello, Amber Solis, Alan Arias, Sabrin Nur, Hodan Hassan, Ifrah Aliawl, Daniel Ajak, Ahmed Yusuf, Emily Gustafson, Laura Wiebers, Alec Berchem, Bruce Abas, and Kurt Schulz. Thank you for working with us at this stage of the project to bring WILLMAR home.

Thank you to our Minneapolis theatre friends who helped us to find this incredible team of actors and artists, shout out to Somali Museum of Minnesota, Wonderlust Productions, Pillsbury House and Theatre, Teatro del Pueblo, Ten Thousand Things Theater, Michael Rohd, Ash Hanson, Pirronne Yousefzadeh, The Cedar Cultural Center, Latino LEAD, Mamá Papaya, and Mixed Blood Theatre Company.

Thank you to our NY based script development team Annabelle Cousins, Andrew Garrett, Ellie Jackson, Gaven Trinidad, Jacey Erwin, Julia Schonberg and Sahar Ullah.

And thank you to artistic collaborators over the past DECADE: Adam Schonberg, Emma Hasselbach, Glenn Girón, hawkhouse (Emily Hawkins & Allison Houser), Marie-Michèle Jasmin-Bélisle, Taifa Harris, Zeynep Akça, and many incredible actors.

To our New York based friends Playwrights Horizons, Alaine Alldaffer, The Tank, The Artist Co-op, and SPACE on Ryder Farm.

📸 Thank you to Derek Auth and Camille J. Branham (BTE Media Co.) for capturing the weekend.

Stay tuned for what's next for The Willmar Project, and more from NTP. For now, thank you. 💛

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This phase of The Willmar Project is funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, with a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, The Pierce Family Foundation, The Everybody Wins Foundation, as well as the generosity of many individual donors.

Photos 1-2: Camille J. Branham, BTE Media Co.
Photo 7: Tucker Mitchell Photography

05/31/2026

The Willmar Project is by, for, and built with Willmar, MN — without our partners, mentors, advisory committee and supporters, none of this would have been possible.

Thank you to Purpose Artisans and Little Theatre Auditorium for your thought partnership and artistic collaboration. To Purpose Artisans for curating a joyful community jam pre-show 🎶.

Thank you to our venue partners Little Theatre Auditorium Community Connectors Services Willmar Community Education & Willmar Public Schools Spurs Willmar & Latino Community Association Of Willmar of Willmar for hosting performances and helping us get the word out to communities across Willmar.

Thank you to local orgs & individuals who helped us spread the word: Pas y Esperanza Church, Willmar Community Center, Arrive Ministries in Willmar, The Barn Theatre in Willmar, Willmar Area Arts Council, Intuition Brewing, Willmar Pride, Willmar CommUNITY Closet, Willmar Public Library, Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040, Explore Willmar Lakes Area, League of Women Voters Willmar, Indivisible Kandiyohi County, MN, Pablo Obregon, Randy Frederickson, Fernando Alvarado, and Department of Public Transformation.

Thank you to our Willmar based Advisory Committee for advising community engagement, guiding final script edits, and more: Andrea Limoges, Chris Radel, Claudia Viviana Medina Dueñas, Jessica Rohloff, John Kellen, John Salgado Maldonado, Luul Ga’al, Madison Wilson, Matt Hegdahl, Nicole Konz, and anonymous.

Thank you to our Facilitators who led Community Conversations:
Andrés Albertsen, John Salgado Maldonado, Nadia Milani, Jessica Rohloff, Stephanie Ruas, Laila Sahir, and Alejandro Tey.

Thank you to local restaurants for helping us to host food at each show: Goat Ridge Brewing Co., Faafan, Somali Star, Azteca Mexican Restaurant and Spurs Grill & Bar.

Thank you to Mixed Blood Theatre Company for providing a rehearsal home for us in Minneapolis.

Thank you to our funders: a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, The Pierce Family Foundation, The Everybody Wins Foundation, and many individual donors.

It really does take a village — a community. 💛

05/29/2026

Two weekends ago we shared The Willmar Project in Willmar, MN with the entire community for the first time. 350 people joined us throughout the weekend at four different venues — thank you to our hosts at Little Theatre Auditorium, Community Connectors Services , Willmar Community Education & Willmar Public Schools, Spurs Bar & Grill & Latino Community Association Of Willmar.

"The Willmar Project could not have been more appropriate for what we all are struggling with. Sharing truths is hard work. This project brought many realities into focus. Opening the aperture of the lens of lived experiences, stepping into conversations with compassion, integrity, agency and gentleness. The question all of us were left with is: Who do we want to 'be' as a community? The lesson was delivered....and now it is time for us to do the work!" — audience member

It is hard to put into words how much this project has meant to us. To Willmar, thank you for trusting us with your stories, and for welcoming us into your community. It has been an honor to know, to learn from, to collaborate and to grow with Willmar over the past nine years.

To the audiences who joined us this month, participated in conversations and leaned in, thank you.

Thank you to our funders who helped make this possible: a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, with a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, The Pierce Family Foundation, The Everybody Wins Foundation, as well as the generosity of many individual donors.

📸 1, 5-10: Camille J. Branham, BTE Media Co.
📸 3, 11, 13-14: Derek Auth

05/21/2026

“In Minnesota, certain things are off limits. This helps open up the dialogue,” said Ruas, who facilitated one of the group chats. “We’re benefitting because some residents were generous in stepping up and sharing their thoughts.”

Thank you Star Tribune and Neal Justin for highlighting The Willmar Project.

Our vision as a theatre company is that sharing personal stories with our neighbors can help us reimagine how we relate to one another on a local level, and in turn, nurture a world that celebrates our shared humanity. Willmar is devising new ways to relate to their neighbors and support one another unique to their community and geography. There's lots to celebrate and learn from Willmar.

Willmar is an exceptionally special place and holds a giant space in our hearts. Thank you, Willmar, for trusting us with your stories and welcoming us into your community.

Little Theatre Auditorium Purpose Artisans Spurs Willmar Community Connectors Services Latino Community Association Of Willmar Willmar Arrive Willmar Area Arts Council Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040Willmar CommUNITY Closet City of Willmar, Minnesota

New York producers are using theater to coax rural residents into talking to each other.

05/17/2026

One final show!! TODAY Sunday May 17, 4pm at Spurs Bar & Grill in Willmar. Join us early for food & music with Purpose Artisans. We'll watch WILLMAR — a play composed entirely of real stories from people in Willmar in 2017. Afterward, we'll come together, have conversations, and imagine Willmar nine years from now.

Reserve your seat here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-willmar-project

Find the event on FB: The Willmar Project: A Verbatim Play + Community Conversation

05/15/2026

Only a few tickets left for Friday night! Get yours now OR ~ great news ~ we have THREE more performances throughout the weekend. Join us on Saturday at 2PM & 7:3PM and Sunday at 4PM. See you this weekend!

The Willmar Project: A Verbatim Play + Community Conversation is community focused theatre initiative featuring a play built from over 150 hours of interviews with more than 100 people in Willmar in 2017.

All real words. Nothing made up.

➡️🎟️RESERVE YOUR SEATS: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-willmar-project

Doors open half-an-hour before each performance — join us early for food + a Community Jam session led by Purpose Artisans

*Spanish & Somali Interpretation available at both Saturday events.

✦ ✦ ✦

Content Transparency: The play "WILLMAR" is composed of real stories from people in Willmar. Stories include those of belonging, the changing downtown, friendship across faith and cultural identity, and of feeling welcome and unwelcome in Willmar. The play discusses personal experiences with immigration and ICE, racism, poverty, war, addiction, and drug overdose. This event is recommended for teens and up, with parental discretion advised.

This phase of the project is funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, with a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, The Pierce Family Foundation, The Everybody Wins Foundation, as well as the generosity of many individual donors.

Spurs Bar & Grill Spurs Willmar Community Connectors Services Latino Community Association Of Willmar Little Theatre Auditorium Purpose Artisans

05/13/2026

Just two days left of rehearsal before we hit the road to Willmar and bring this story HOME. The Willmar Project is THIS WEEKEND May 15-17 and yes, it's ONE WEEKEND ONLY.

A play told entirely through the words of the people in Willmar. All real stories from Willmar, MN. All real words. Nothing made up.

✦ Friday May 15, 7PM at The Little Theatre Auditorium
✦ *Saturday May 16, 2PM at Community Connectors Services
✦ *Saturday May 16, 7:30PM at Willmar High School, Brau Performing Arts Center
✦ Sunday May 17, 4PM at Spurs Bar & Grill

Doors open half-an-hour before each performance — join us early for food + a Community Jam session led by Purpose Artisans

*Spanish & Somali Interpretation available at both Saturday events.

➡️🎟️RESERVE YOUR SEATS: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-willmar-project

✦ ✦ ✦

Content Transparency: The play "WILLMAR" is composed of real stories from people in Willmar. Stories include those of belonging, the changing downtown, friendship across faith and cultural identity, and of feeling welcome and unwelcome in Willmar. The play discusses personal experiences with immigration and ICE, racism, poverty, war, addiction, and drug overdose. This event is recommended for teens and up, with parental discretion advised.

This phase of the project is funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, with a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation, The Pierce Family Foundation, The Everybody Wins Foundation, as well as the generosity of many individual donors.

Latino Community Association Of Willmar Indivisible Kandiyohi County, MN Willmar CommUNITY Closet Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040 Willmar Area Arts Council City of Willmar, Minnesota Arrive Ministries