Brave New Workshop cancels weekend shows due to COVID

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - This weekend’s performances of The Brave New Workshop's new show about returning to "normal" amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been canceled because members of the production have tested positive for COVID-19.

Hennepin Theatre Trust’s website says the May 20 and May 21 performances of "Back to Workshop or Everything’s Fine" are canceled and those with tickets will be contacted with more information.

"We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience this change may cause and thank you for your patience and continued support of The Brave New Workshop. All remaining performances are playing as scheduled," the Brave New Workshop said on Facebook Thursday. 

The Brave New Workshop, which is the longest-running satirical comedy theater in the United States, has been closed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was bought by Hennepin Theatre Trust in December 2021, and "Back to Workshop or Everything’s Fine," which opened earlier this month in Minneapolis, marked the theater’s return to live performances. 

Ironically, the show is about returning to "normal" amid a global pandemic. Here’s how the theater's website describes "Back to Workshop or Everything's Fine":

"Heading back to the office? Adjusting to the ‘new normal’? Quietly repressing the stress of a world that requires denial just to function? Then we have just the show for you … In their triumphant return after being closed by executive order, The Brave New Workshop takes a look at all the things at which we constantly have to avoid taking a look. Take a break from ‘doing your best’ for an evening of laughter, because if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that our best is…not great."

The show runs through Aug. 6. Tickets are $20 or $40.