Owners John Sweeney and Jenni Lilledahl, Mayor R.T. Rybak and founder Dudley Riggs lit the candle Friday night on a new phase in the life of the Brave New Workshop.
The comedy theater officially opened its remodeled digs at 824 Hennepin Av. in downtown Minneapolis with a new marquee and a new show for the holidays, "Miracle at 824 Hennepin: Skyway to the Manger Zone."
Riggs, who established the theater more than 50 years ago on E. Hennepin Avenue and then moved the troupe to 2605 Hennepin in 1965, said that finally, "after two or three stabs, the Brave New Workshop is downtown in a legit place."
The company bought the former home of Hey City Theater earlier this year from the city of Minneapolis and spent $750,000 refurbishing the building.
Rybak said that he had wanted to get the Workshop down on Hennepin since he worked on the Downtown Council in 1985.
"I didn't think it would take this long," he said to Riggs.
GRAYDON ROYCE
