As old Guthrie succumbs to wrecking ball, attendance is up 30 percent at new Guthrie
Theater lovers are flocking to the new Guthrie Theatre, designed by Jean Nouvel, according to an article in today's Star Tribune. Although patrons continue to complain about a lack of skyway access and some critics dismiss the architecture (Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal calls it "dark, oppressive and laid out with irksome logic"), attendance is up 30 percent for June-December 2006 compared to the same dates a year earlier. Those 2005 shows played at the Ralph Rapson-designed Guthrie, pictured above. (Building Minnesota visited the new Guthrie when it was under construction. You can listen to that story here.) Those wishing to pay their last respects to the old Guthrie better hurry, there wasn't much left of the original landmark on the morning of January 2, 2007. (Photo by Todd Melby)