nimbus presents The Brontide

nimbus premieres its latest original work at the Crane Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.

Written by Josh Cragun, Directed by Mitchell Frazier & Ernest Briggs

Opening May 18, 2024 and performing through June 9, 2024.

Beatrice is an independent film producer running a boutique studio. She’s plunged into legal limbo when she runs afoul of a tech CEO bent on controlling the very fabric of storytelling - not just the movies, music, and books, but the creation of stories themselves.

Sylvia is a scientist devoted to creating technology that can save the planet. One day she finds a mysterious device on the train, but is pursued by agents of an even-more-mysterious entity known as The Firm, determined to get it back.

Both women find themselves surrounded by chaos and confusion, especially when a being named Briar arrives and claims to want to help, but only offers strange tales and riddles to unravel.

With the very fabric of humanity at stake, the women must fight to right the narrative and reclaim what is ours from those who seek to control our stories, and therefore ourselves. In the distance, a rumbling is heard. Enter The Brontide.

Inspired by trickster and origin stories and their both similarities and differences as they manifested around the world, directors Mitchell Frazier and Ernest Briggs had initially started discussing the show concept several years ago. As they grew more excited about the idea, they brought in playwright and co-Artistic Director Josh Cragun.

“As you look across cultures, you see the themes in these stories, often in cultures separated by thousands of miles, thousands of years, and sometimes both,” said Frazier, “and we began to wonder about what the similarities and differences mean, and what they can tell us about who we are.”

The production was developed using nimbus’ unique collaborative approach to creating new works of theater with a playwright, an ensemble, and a design team working together to build new stories and worlds to set them in. Once in the rehearsal room, the ensemble honed in on the idea of what these stories meant to various cultures and how they might begin to resonate to new stories in an ever changing world.

“We wanted to tell a story about how the world is changing, how we change with it, and how we help each other to understand our responsibility to that world as it evolves,” said Cragun.

Written by Josh Cragun

Directed by Mitchell Frazier & Ernest Briggs

Featuring Aleya Berry, Wasima Farah, Kirby Hoberg, Starla Larson, Peyton McCandless, David Schneider, Kolie Shaw, Jon Stentz

Design by Alice Endo, Nina Gourley, Erin Gustafson, Rubble&Ash, Dameun Strange

Stage Managed by Alyssa Thompson

Photography by Todd Craig

The Brontide
Playing May 18 - June 9, 2024

Saturday, May 18 7:30pm
Sunday, May 19 3:00pm
** No Performances Memorial Day Weekend **
Thursday, May 30 7:30pm
Friday, May 31 7:30pm
Saturday, June 1 7:30pm
Sunday, June 2 3:00pm
Monday, June 3 7:30pm
Thursday, June 6 7:30pm
Friday, June 7 7:30pm
Saturday, June 8 7:30pm
Sunday, June 9 3:00pm

Tickets $5 - $50 sliding scale

Performances at the Crane Theater
2303 Kennedy Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Tickets: nimbustheatre.com

For more information:

Josh Cragun josh@nimbustheatre.com

or Liz Neerland liz@nimbustheatre.com

nimbus has been creating dynamic original theater in the Twin Cities since 2001. Our unique process for the creation of playwright-led collaborative work combined with their passion for creating bold, eclectic theater has been dazzling audiences for 20 years. Founded and led by playwrights and run by the artists themselves, we are dedicated to creating theatre that crosses boundaries, promotes imagination, and ignites new conversations.