Director Led Two Minnesota Musicals Simultaneously

Kelli Foster Warder navigated two separate stage productions during a high-intensity creative weekend in Minnesota.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Children’s Theater

Bold vector illustration of two wooden theater director chairs, evoking the dual creative workload of a stage director. — Director Kelli Foster Warder balanced the concurrent premieres of two musical productions in Minnesota this past weekend, managing rehearsal schedules across three cities. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe it is possible to maintain high quality when multitasking across two demanding jobs?

Director Kelli Foster Warder has successfully navigated the staging of two separate musicals in Minnesota. The productions premiered on successive nights this weekend across different theater venues.

Why it matters

Taking on concurrent productions allowed the director to contribute to multiple projects at once while aiming to bring added value and joy to local theater spaces. This feat required significant coordination between separate casts and rehearsal schedules.

Kelli Foster Warder managed two musicals across two theater stages in a single weekend. The project scope involved coordinating two distinct casts concurrently throughout the production process.

The players

Kelli Foster Warder

She is a professional theater director who managed two musical productions across different Minnesota venues simultaneously.

Mixed Blood Theatre

This is a Minnesota-based performance venue that hosted the production of Into the Burrow.

Artistry

This is a Minnesota-based arts organization that served as the venue for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

The details

To execute the double opening, Warder commuted between theaters in Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Burnsville. She directed the Peter Rabbit sequel Into the Burrow at Mixed Blood Theatre and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Artistry.

Friday: Opening night for the first musical.
Saturday: Opening night for the second musical.

Industry Dynamics

This feat underscores the increasing pressure on regional directors to maximize their output within short production windows. It reflects a broader trend of cross-venue collaboration that helps smaller theater organizations stretch limited creative resources.

Theater enthusiasts in Minnesota can now view both musicals at their respective venues. These productions offer families multiple opportunities to experience live performances across the Twin Cities area.

The takeaway

Managing multiple professional productions simultaneously highlights the significant logistical challenges inherent in regional theater work. Audiences benefit from these efforts through a more robust and varied local performing arts calendar.