Broadway

Guthrie Theater to Host Staged Reading of New Documentary Play, THE SURGE

Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen's "THE SURGE," a new documentary play, will have its staged reading debut at the Guthrie Theater. The work explores Operation Metro Surge's impact on Minnesota communities, drawing from interviews with over 40

BroadwayWorld·Sep 30, 2026·via BroadwayWorld

Guthrie Theater to Host Staged Reading of New Documentary Play, THE SURGE

Breaking news to your phone. US mobile only. No password required.

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

West End / UK

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

Readings of The Surge will be held January 5–17, 2027, in the Dowling Studio.

Most Popular

Get all the top news & discounts for Minneapolis / St. Paul & beyond. No password required.

The Guthrie Theater will present a staged reading of The Surge, a new documentary play by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen , directed by Blank and produced in association with The Public Theater . Conceived as a direct artistic response to Operation Metro Surge, the presence of an estimated 3,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota, The Surge addresses their actions in the Twin Cities, the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and the collective response that emerged as Minnesotans came together to protect and care for one another. Readings of The Surge will be held January 5–17, 2027, in the Dowling Studio.

Get all the top news & discounts for Minneapolis / St. Paul & beyond.

Blank and Jensen's documentary work focuses on directly impacted individuals at the heart of larger social justice issues. Their plays are created from interview transcripts and primary documents. They adhere to journalistic standards in preserving the language of the interview subjects and accurately representing the facts, while turning true stories into emotionally impactful and resonant works of art.

Between January and March 2026, Blank and Jensen conducted extensive research in the Twin Cities, interviewing more than 40 people — clergy, doctors, teachers, union leaders, police officers and more — whose experiences shaped the story unfolding across Minnesota, with 16 individuals' stories featured in the play. A workshop and private readings of the play (originally titled North Star) were held at the Guthrie in May 2026, and excerpts were featured as part of Public Forum: Cities Under Siege hosted by The Public Theater at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park in July 2026. The Surge is slated to have an engagement at The Public Theater 's Martinson Hall in winter/spring 2027.

Prefer BroadwayWorld in Google Search?

Add us as a preferred source so our stories show up more often in Top Stories and Google’s AI answers — for you.

Nominate your favorite local productions and performers before the deadline on October 31, 2026.

SIX North American Tour Reveals New Cast

Exclusive: THE SOUND OF MUSIC Tour Star Cayleigh Capaldi Performs the Title Song

Addie Gorlin-Han Named Associate Artistic Director At Children’s Theatre Company

Review: INDECENT at Theater Latté Da

Also text me

When are you seeing ?

Get an Alert Each Time Chloe Rabinowitz Writes

BroadwayWorld TV

Breaking Broadway news and show discounts. No password required.

Breaking Broadway news on your phone. US mobile numbers only.

POPULAR

Episode

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/minneapolis/article/THE-SURGE-to-Make-Staged-Reading-Debut-at-Guthrie-Theater-20260930)._

Comments