Hive Collaborative nurtures creativity

The definition of collaborative is produced by or involving two or more parties working together
And The Hive Collaborative at 677 Hamline Ave. N. definitely lives up to its name. It was founded by Eric and Laura Rudolph Morris, two longtime performers in the Twin Cities musical theater community.

“We have had movie premieres, book releases, improv, concerts, plays, wedding receptions and birthday parties,” Eric said.

“In two years, it has been utilized in countless ways,” added Laura.

Prior to purchasing the property in 2023, the couple had mused about someday owning their own theater space. Laura has spent her career as a performer, educator and event planner. Eric has worked as a performer, director, designer and producer.

In 2022, the two created their own musical theater production company called The Buzz. “We joked that if we ever had a theater space, it would have to be called The Hive,” Laura said. “But that was a very far way off, an improbable pipe dream.”

However, in about a year the property came up for sale, and their friends let them know about it. “We came to see it,” Laura stated, “and there were so many elements that fit it made it seem like Kismet, and that the universe was working in our favor.” She said the name, The Hive Collaborative, does not lend itself to reflecting that it is an art space, and so people come to it with questions.

“The word collaborative is important,“ Eric said, “because it can refer to jobs or relationships, when people are sharing events together. The Hive is the nucleus of sharing culture and space, and here we are two years later, staying very, very busy.”

Laura said that the previous owners who ran Dreamland Arts at the property, as well as she and Eric, did not want to see the Twin Cities lose another theater space.

The location was ready to go when they signed the final papers in July 2023, according to Laura. “We have made some technical improvements, but someone could have produced a show there right away.”
The first event they produced at The Hive was a Halloween open house, with a play reading based on ”Psycho.” “We had a few events that first December. We love holidays, especially Christmas, and this last December we were booked every day of the month except one.”

Eric said The Hive focuses on one event at a time. When a full production is scheduled, the downstairs serves as a back space. “Part of our mission is to make people feel like it’s theirs when they rent a space.”
Laura explained that a kids’ art camp is held in the summer, put on by the former theatrical director at Cretin-Derham. “They have classes up and downstairs,” she said. “Whatever part of The Hive you want, you can use it all.”

TRYING SOMETHING ELSE
A part of The Hive Collaborative is the Pollinator Program that provides an opportunity for artists to get boots-on-the-ground experience in various theater art forms.

“A lot of artists in the Twin Cities want to write or present a production or have something they are itching in their souls to put on,” said Eric. “Actors want to direct, directors want to design, or someone has a project he or she wants to present.”

“There are so few opportunities for people to assist or mentor,” Laura added. “How do you get those opportunities without experiences? We can provide for those who have no experience but want to try it, with people who are here to lift them up and support them.”

“It gives people the chance to try something that is not in their wheelhouse,” Eric said.

“We don’t promote The Pollinator as an educational program,” Laura noted, “but the more you know about the art form and that it is a business, too, makes for a more well-rounded artist. You look at things from different vantage points.”

She described one of their first productions as a cabaret put on by a group of millennials. “These were wonderful, very talented performers who had never produced,” she said. “It was interesting to see what an eye opener it was for them. They had to figure out simple sets, where the money would come from, and the impact of lighting.”

Eric said a person might reach out through The Pollinator and say that he wants to direct, if something comes up. Or another may have a production that she wants to present and direct, and they engage in collaborative conversation.

16-BAR BINGO
Eric said that at The Hive, they always push people to think about the audience and come up with ideas that will reach a broad range of people. He said that when people have pitched project ideas, he and Laura have produced or co-produced 90 percent of them.

One regular event at The Hive has been 16-Bar Bingo,

“Every month we have new performers come in to participate in this community-driven event,” Eric said. A song list of 75 songs is created, with performers singing 16 bars of a song for the players to identify and fill out a bingo board.

Although many of their events are related to pop culture, The Hive has also presented European classical music and dramatic plays.

The couple also has a theater arts library with books and records on display. “We were both given theater Christmas ornaments as kids, and Eric’s collection of Batman ornaments decorates one of the restrooms,” Laura said.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Although The Hive has been operating only a couple years, Laura said neighbors have said the theater feels like it has been around for a long time. The Morrises live right next door, so the theater world really is a big part of their lives.

“We are so very fortunate that the things we grew up being passionate and excited about are things that you can do as a career. We worked very hard to be professional performers, but owning and operating a theater was never on my bucket list. I did not think it was attainable. Who hears of a theater with a house connected? We absolutely are able to turn off the work but in theatrical arts the work-life balance is kind of tricky.”
She emphasized that a goal of theirs is to keep both the rental prices and ticket prices accessible,, although that may not be overwhelmingly lucrative for the theater.

Laura said she and Eric have lived in the Nokomis and Longfellow areas of Minneapolis before moving to Hamline-Midway. “Eric is originally from Ohio, but he chose to come here,” she smiled. “We are excited to be in this neighborhood and would like to engage with it even more.

“It takes a long time to build an audience,” Eric stated. “We are trying to make sure those people coming in here want to come back. We have something for them, and maybe they will try something out of their box. “