Willmar, MN

Our inaugural project grew from the desire to investigate the possibilities of verbatim theatre. The Willmar Project was shaped by a guiding question: What might we discover if we begin with a community, rather than a single topic or event? We set out to create an interview process that would allow the stories of a place to surface organically, spoken in the voices of the people who live there.

A Play rooted in Community

In 2017, we began asking residents of Willmar, MN:

“What is it like for you living in Willmar?”

Over 150 hours of interviews with more than 100 people - across Somali, East African, Latin American, and white communities - revealed powerful stories of:

  • Home & belonging

  • Racism & change

  • Friendship & faith

Our team of artists shaped these voices into Willmar, a play told entirely in the words of those who live here.

The script developed through multiple readings and workshops in New York and Minnesota, gathering feedback from audiences and participants.

In 2025, a Willmar-based advisory committee guided the final edits, ensuring the work stayed rooted in the community’s perspectives.

Now, we’re bringing The Willmar Project home - sharing staged readings followed by facilitated conversations that invite neighbors to listen, reflect, and imagine the future together.

We are thrilled to share that this phase of the project is being funded in part by 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.

For more information on our development, events, workshops, and readings for The Willmar Project, visit our events page.