Thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate 50 years of the Brave New Workshop!

When Dudley Riggs passed his theatre on to us on March 3, 1997, we inherited much more than what we believe to be the finest, funniest satirical comedy and improv theatre in the nation. We inherited a legacy stretching all the way back to 1958, and our primary motivating factor has been to do justice to that legacy. We hope that we have been successful.

We couldn’t celebrate this milestone without acknowledging that Dudley’s hard work and dedication kept the Brave New Workshop running for nearly 40 of its 50 years - an amazing feat. Right now you are truly sitting in “the house that Dudley built.”

The title of this show is The Brave New Workshop at 50: Old Enough to Know Better. We’ve learned a lot in the ten-plus years since we took the helm of the Brave New Workshop, and we want to share with you some of the things we know.

We know we owe a debt of gratitude to those performers, writers, and artists who came before us. The Brave New Workshop counts over 500 alumni who’ve performed on this stage, and every single one of the people who walked through these doors and added to the funny have something to do with where we are today. Special recognition is due to those original founders who persevered in creating biting satire during a time when that really meant going against society’s sense of what was “proper” and acceptable. We know that the hard work was done before we came along.

We know how much we appreciate our audiences. We are amazed that a group of smart, well-informed, and enlightened people has found value in what we do here, enough to keep coming back. You understand the type of dialogue we’re trying to create, even though you may not always agree with it. We never have to pander or kowtow to you, which makes us feel very privileged.

We know that when Dudley stepped onstage 50 years ago, he created something genuine and special here - an aura and atmosphere, or a spirit (whatever you want to call it) that allows people to be themselves. It’s amazing to think that the scene he started has been added on to throughout the years, and continues to be written in these halls every day. We may only be through the first act so far.

And while we don’t know what the next 50 years will bring, we believe that there will still be a fiercely independent little place on Hennepin Avenue where people gather to examine issues - to laugh about them first, then discuss them, and eventually work toward solutions. We’ll continue providing an environment where people young and old, whether as a performer, a student, or an audience member, can come to find a voice and means of expression; where they can be their truest selves. And 50 years from now, we bet the Brave New Workshop will still be inspiring people to say "how do they think of this stuff?!"

-John Sweeney and Jenni Lilledahl