Theater Latté Da’s Ritz Theater Celebrates 100 Years with Doors Open Minneapolis Participation on May 10, 2026
/
Theater LattÉ Da’s Ritz Theater
(MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL) Theater Latté Da (Justin Lucero, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Managing Director) is proud to announce its inclusion in this year’s Doors Open Minneapolis, inviting the public inside its historic Ritz Theater home for a full day of celebration on May 10, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event marks a major milestone: the building’s 100th anniversary since first opening its doors to the community in 1926.
As part of the citywide weekend showcasing Minneapolis’ most significant spaces, Theater Latté Da will offer guided tours throughout the day, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the century-old venue’s architecture, history and ongoing role in the Twin Cities arts landscape.
The celebration will also feature:
● A ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring the theater’s centennial and its continued commitment to artistic innovation.
● A formal proclamation issued by the City of Minneapolis recognizing the building’s cultural and historical significance.
● Involve MN complimentary food truck, serving guests free of charge as part of the day’s festivities.
● Building tours and staff-led conversations highlighting the theater’s evolution and future vision.
● Evening lighting of the Lowry Avenue Bridge in gold in celebration of this significant moment for a Northeast Minneapolis institution.
“We’re thrilled to open our doors in such a meaningful way during our 100th year,” says Theater Latté Da’s Managing Director Elisa Spencer-Kaplan. “This building has been a creative home for generations of artists and audiences and a cornerstone of the Northeast Minneapolis community. We’re excited to celebrate its legacy and all who continue to sustain it.”
Doors Open Minneapolis provides rare access to dozens of architecturally, culturally and historically important sites across the Twin Cities. Theater Latté Da’s participation underscores its longstanding role as a mainstay of Minneapolis’ performing arts scene. “We are excited to welcome visitors during Doors Open Minneapolis to this neighborhood gem that has meant so much to so many for 100 years,” said Glyn Northington, Chair of Latté Da’s Board of Directors. “The Ritz has been an integral part of many communities and organizations in the past century, providing a place to gather together, celebrate cultures and champion creativity. Theater Latté Da has been the proud owner of the Ritz for the past decade, an amazing facility that provides us such a wonderful canvas on which to create musical experiences that make your heart sing!
The event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required for tours.
Theater Latte Da is currently in its 28th season, which opened October 8, 2025 with the original concert offering Journey On: A 100th Show Cabaret Celebration, marking the organization’s 100th production and the launch of a milestone year that also brings the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Ritz Theater in Spring 2026 and the successful completion of the ambitious NEXT 25 X 25 initiative to support the development of 25 new musicals over a five-year period. The season continued in November with a hit reimagined production of the Lerner & Loewe classic My Fair Lady, led by Artistic Director Justin Lucero, followed by the Tennessee Williams masterwork The Glass Menagerie, also directed by Lucero. Following the theater’s current production, Gutenberg! The Musical!, is the Latté Da-commissioned World Premiere of My Ántonia, adapted from the beloved Willa Cather novel, and the return of the annual NEXT Festival, dedicated to the development of new musicals and plays with music. More information about ticketed events is available at latteda.org.
ABOUT THEATER LATTÉ DA
Theater Latté Da creates new and impactful connections between story, music, artist and audience—exploring and expanding the art of music theater. Now in its 28th season of presenting new and reimagined music theater, Theater Latté Da is the leading nonprofit professional theater in Minnesota that exclusively produces music theater. Some 40,000 people engage with Latté Da each season through four to five full productions, the NEXT Festival of New Musicals, special events and concerts, and a broad range of opportunities for music theater composers, lyricists and librettists to advance the creation of their new works. Since 2016, Theater Latté Da has made its permanent home in Northeast Minneapolis’s historic Ritz Theater, enabling uniquely intimate arts experiences for audience members.
The company has presented over 100 mainstage productions, including 17 world premieres and 18 area premieres. Each has garnered critical acclaim and earned its artists and the organization a host of awards and honors, including: seven IVEY Awards for overall excellence, multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Gabriel Award for Broadcast Excellence, the American Theater Wing National Theater Company Award, and the 2019 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience for our Off-Broadway production of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Learn more at www.latteda.org.
ABOUT DOORS OPEN MINNEAPOLIS
Doors Open Minneapolis is a city-wide event that offers the public a free, behind-the-scenes look at the buildings that define the city’s identity. Produced by Rethos, a Minnesota-based historic preservation nonprofit, the event invites visitors to explore a diverse range of venues—from historic gems and sacred spaces to modern engineering wonders and business hubs. In partnership with the City of Minneapolis, the program connects the community with the architects, owners, and caretakers who tell the story of the city’s past, present, and future. For more information on upcoming venues and volunteer opportunities, visit www.doorsopenminneapolis.org.
