The story
HOBT began in 1973 as Powderhorn Puppet Theatre, named for Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. In 1975, the theatre organized their first May Day procession and event. About 50 to 60 people and a few puppets marched, raised a maypole in the park, and had some speeches. In the next years, the event grew and evolved into a way to celebrate community builders.
In 1979, the theatre changed its name based on a suggestion by poet and theatre member Steven Lisner. In 1987, they moved into the rented Avalon Theatre, a former cinema originally built in 1909 as the Royal Theatre. HOBT then purchased the Avalon Theatre in 1990 for the building and staging of productions.
In 1999, the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota exhibited Theatre of Wonder: Twenty-five Years In the Heart of the Beast, celebrating the works and productions by the theatre.
In 2017, the theatre received $275,000 from the will of Sarah Bowman, a performer and longtime supporter of the theatre. The funds were used in upgrading the theatre building. In 2018, the organization was awarded a grant by The Jerome Foundation. This ongoing effort also supports renovation of East Lake Street properties impacted by civil unrest during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.
In April 2023, HOBT launched a free puppet & mask lending library, which includes free programming, such as puppet story time and make and take crafts.
In late 2024, In the Heart of the Beast announced that the theatre would be moving out of the Avalon Theatre, citing the need for increased accessibility as a primary reason for the decision.
From Wikipedia’s article on In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3