Sarah Rasmussen joins The Jungle: Making the classics accessible

Blessed with as robust an arts community as any of the great world cultural centers, the Twin Cities regional theaters have recently witnessed a remarkable grand slam in leadership bringing in an exciting new generation of artistic directors.

Most notable, perhaps, is Joseph Haj replacing Joe Dowling at the venerable Guthrie Theater, our Starship on the banks of the Mississippi. Across the river, Randy Reyes has taken the reins from founding director Rick Shiomi at St. Paul’s Mu Performing Arts, preserving its esteemed reputation while branching out in his own fashion. Moving through a staged leadership transition alongside her renowned father, Lou Bellamy, daughter Sarah now co-directs Penumbra Theater Company.

Photo by Susan Schaefer.  Sarah Rasmussen at home in her new domain. 

If this triple crown of changes weren’t significant enough, another Sarah has returned to our city taking the helm of The Jungle Theater from its legendary founder and theatrical force, Bain Boehlke, rendering our thespian fortunes a grand slam indeed.

Sarah Rasmussen, who most recently served as Associate Professor and Head of the MFA Directing Program at the University of Texas at Austin, is no stranger to the Twin Cities. She is an alum of St. Olaf College in Northfield, with ties to the Playwright Center, Mixed Blood Theatre and Ten Thousand Things. Rasmussen hails from nearby Sisseton, S.D., situated in the Lake Taverse Indian Reservation, on the northern fringe of the Coteau des Prairies, a place that proclaims itself rich in Native American and immigrant history. 

Perhaps this heritage is one of the influences that mark Rasmussen’s self-proclaimed goals for great inclusivity and diversity in her upcoming tenure. If her brilliant debut staging of Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona featuring an all female cast is any indication she delivers on her promise.

Appearing entirely at home in her new domain, Rasmussen welcomes me with a spot of Earl Grey tea and a seat on the cozy baroque couches that define the Jungle’s décor. Diffuse early morning light illuminates her animated discourse on why she chose this as her inaugural piece.

“I feel particularly fortunate to present ‘Two Gents’ with an all female cast at the same time Guerilla Girls have made the Twin Cities their focal point to introduce the ongoing disparity in gender representation in the arts,” she explains.

“If female directors don’t have experience,
 they can’t get hired, and if they can’t get
 hired, they can’t get experience.”

It is no secret that there is an astounding gender parity gap in theater. Movements such as Melody Brooks’ 50/50 in 2020: Parity for Women Theatre Artists, point to the stark reality.

“It truly seems ironic that such a gap exists in our field, a creative field, which you imagine is populated with progressive people,” she muses. Rasmussen is sincerely diplomatic in her assessment of why this seismic gap exists in her field. “To understand the problem you can take a simple view and say that men have been in charge.”

But now there are new realities that can govern how theater adapts to the changing demographics of both audience and participants. Rasmussen references Maureen Dowd’s New York Times articleabout Hollywood female executives and filmmakers where sexism is so rampant that a federal lawsuit is in the works. The article highlights what Girls’ creator Lena Dunham calls a dark loop, and Rasmussen states the quote almost verbatim: “If female directors don’t have experience, they can’t get hired, and if they can’t get hired, they can’t get experience.”

It’s time for the paradigm to change and Rasmussen believes the way to change is for women and people of color to speak up and speak out, and she is very optimistic that overall inclusivity is on a fast track, at least here. She was recently part of an MPR panel discussion with her new crop of Twin Cities’ artistic leaders – Haj, Reyes and Bellamy – who share almost precisely the same vision of inclusivity.

Rasmussen and her administration have made welcome changes that provide more access to wider audiences. The Jungle is offering new pricing for onstage seating, younger audiences, and neighborhood residents, as well more interactive experiences with pre- and post show discussions and informative talks.

Her philosophy is that masterworks have to be in conversation with audiences and the times. “I believe that classics can be both arty and intellectual, she concedes. “I’m a populist at heart. I think audiences want to be invited in. The Jungle will continue to tackle meaningful theater while being entirely mindful of audiences.”

If her inaugural production indicates the future, our community can expect high art classics rendered accessible to the populace.

Susan Schaefer can be reached at susan@millcitymedia.org.