History Loves Comedy In The “Theater of Public Policy”

As June is Pride Month, we should expect a lot of relevant programing to go along with this month’s theme and in support of our community. For this particular evening of history lessons, humor and discussion, this is exactly what the Minnesota Historical Society had in mind.

The MNHS will host an evening called “Theater of Public Policy: Queer Spaces, Twin Cities Places” at the Mill City Museum on June 7.

According to Twin Cities personality, Tane Danger, the evening will go accordingly to the program. “We’re going to talk to two LGBTQ historians about queer spaces and history in the Twin Cities,” explained Danger. “They’ve got lots of stories about the places where the community gathered going back decades; before it could be as out and proud as it is now.”

The historians set to appear with Danger are public historian Noah Barth and special guest Adien Bettine. Barth is the co-creator of the Going Out, Coming In exhibit which explores historic LGBTQ+ gathering spaces in downtown Minneapolis. Bettine is the curator of the Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies at the University of Minnesota Libraries. He researches Midwest history pertaining to race, gender, and sexuality. Bettine also co-runs Late Night Copies Press.

Danger continued, “after I interview the historians, our LGBTQ improv comedy cast is going to bring everything those historians talk about to life through entirely unscripted improv comedy theater.”

The Twin Cities has a rich LGBTQ+ history. It is also shown through a special exhibit at the Mill City Museum called Going Out, Coming In. The exhibit gives us a look back at our community in the last century, from space where we used to congregate to our emergence out of the liberation movement. This exhibit runs through July 14.

According to the MNHS website, the exhibit hopes that “visitors leave with an understanding of the importance of community spaces, a sense of empathy or solidarity with LGBTQ+ people, and a sense of belonging and empowerment in seeing queer history embedded into the landscape of the city.” The June 7 event adds another layer to this current exhibit.

Why should you go to this event – and see the exhibit? Danger states that “It’ll be fun, people will learn things, and it’ll be very queer.”

If you love local LGBTQ+ history – or want to learn about our community’s past – make a date for June 7 at the Mill City Museum.

“Theater of Public Policy: Queer Spaces, Twin Cities Places”
June 7 – 7:00-8:30 PM
Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2^nd St, Minneapolis
$15.00 (Minnesota Historical Society members save 20%)
www.cart.mnhs.org/98214/98217

Going Out, Coming In
Runs through July 14.
Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2^nd St, Minneapolis
www.mnhs.org/millcity/activities/exhibits