HOBT began in 1973 as Powderhorn Puppet Theatre, named for a neighborhood park and lake in Minneapolis. In 1975, the theatre organized their first May Day procession and event. About 50-60 people and a few puppets marched, raised a maypole in the park, and had some speeches. In the next years, the event grew and evolved into a way to celebrate community builders. In 1979, the theatre changed its name based on a suggestion by poet and theatre member Steven Lisner. In 1987, they moved into the Avalon Theater, a former cinema originally built in 1909 as the Royal Theatre. HOBT purchased the Avalon Theater in 1990 for the building and staging of productions. In 1999, the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota exhibited Theatre of Wonder: Twenty-five Years In the Heart of the Beast, celebrating the works and productions by the theatre. In 2017, the theatre received $275,000 from the will of Sarah Bowman, a performer and longtime supporter of the theatre. The funds are planned to be used in upgrading the theatre building. In 2018, the organization was awarded a grant by The Jerome Foundation.
Productions
Over the years, productions have used various styles of puppet and mask performances, including bunraku and larger-than-life puppets. These include:
"Puppet Cabaret!"
"The Minotaur or: Amelia Earhart is Alive and Traveling in the Underworld"
"Make Believe Neighborhood", celebrating Mr. Rogers
The annual parade hosted by In the Heart of the Beast Theatre draws large crowds and showcases large puppets and floats and entertainment by performers. Each year's parade/festival has a theme, ranging from Spring and environmental topics to social topics like peace and racial justice. The event also features a festival in Powderhorn Park and a Tree of Life Ceremony involving more than 300 performers. On January 9, 2019, the theatre announced that the 2019 May Day parade would be the last one they could sponsor on their own due to high costs of organizing and running the event. In March 2019, a short documentary entitled "Children of Spring" premiered. The documentary focuses on the children involved in the May Day parade and festival. The film premiere helped raise $15,000 for May Day.
