waiting for godot at guthrie theater in minneapolis, minnesota, through october 11, 2026
Featured image by Dan Norman: David Strathairn (Vladimir)
by SAMUEL BECKETT directed by JOSEPH HAJ
Wurtele Thrust Stage scenic design by Marion Williams costume design by Trevor Bowen lighting design by Christopher Akerlind
Photo by Dan Norman: Jimmy Kieffer (Estragon), Jim Lichtscheidl (Lucky), Will Sturdivant (Pozzo), and David Strathairn (Vladimir).
Guthrie Theater’s 2026-2027 season starts off strong with Waiting for Godot. If you are like me and unfamiliar with this play, you will be surprised how a minimalist show can become so stunning and evocative.
Waiting for Godot sparks deep feelings about what it means to be human and move on after destruction. And at the same time, manages to be very funny and lighthearted. It’s a story of being in the middle of everyday life during the hardest of times and how we need each other and hope.
Photo by Dan Norman: Jimmy Kieffer (Estragon) and David Strathairn (Vladimir)
Waiting for Godot at Guthrie Theater
“Nothing to be done” – Estragon (Jimmy Kieffer)
Who is Godot? And why wait? You may or may not ever find out, but in my opinion, the waiting is where you find the meaning of life.
Waiting for Godot first premiered in 1953, after the chaos of World War II, breaking classic play style. When asked, writer Samuel Beckett never answered questions about the play’s meaning. He would only say that he said everything he needed to say in the play text. Which opens the door to thought-provoking conversations about the human condition. It’s one of the amazing things about the play. Everyone’s interpretation will be slightly different.
Photo by Dan Norman: Jimmy Kieffer (Estragon) and David Strathairn (Vladimir)
Two men, Estragon (Jimmy Kieffer) and Vladimir (David Strathairn), meet by a stark tree seemingly in the middle of nowhere at dusk every night in hopes of meeting the elusive Godot. This starts an endless nightly cycle of should-we-stay or should-we-go discussion, jokes, love, hate, dread, sadness, silliness, and friendship.
“Let’s go.” “We can’t.” “Why not?” “We’re waiting for Godot.”
One thing is for sure. Through it all.
Life continues…when we have hope.
The acting is incredible and it was amazing to see David Strathairn on the Guthrie Theater stage. I have to mention Jim Lichtscheidl (Lucky). Wow. The famous rambling monologue in the scene with Will Sturdivant (Pozzo), a mean landowner, showing Estragon and Vladimir what his slave, Lucky, can do is epic.
Vermont is truly something special to see in the fall. The colors are glorious, especially the number of bright red maple trees. They seem to be in high definition as you drive the curvy country roads and around every next turn is a spectacular view. Enjoy our list of best places to visit in Vermont.
Best Cities to Visit in Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
First stop, Burlington. Burlington is our kind of town. It’s the perfect size, not too big and not too small. It is walkable and dog-friendly. Plus, it is located on Lake Champlain offering panoramic lake views. We stayed at Hotel Vermont and wished we could have extended our reservation. Our advice, stay at least two nights in Burlington! We loved the downtown location yet close to nature. You can walk to Battery Park by the lake and then head to Church Street in the middle of town.
Hotel Vermont is an independent hotel and authentic Vermont, including the locally made flannel robes in the rooms. Their onsite restaurant, Juniper, is awesome. I got the charcuterie and salad to go. Plus, there is a great patio in the back of the hotel with hanging lights, a fire pit, and music.
Jay, Vermont
Next, we drove up to Jay, and visited Jay Peak Resort. The views from Jay Peak are incredible! This is a great spot to stay with the whole family and is so much more than a ski resort. Jay Peak offers skiing, snowboarding, a huge water park, championship golf, ice haus indoor arena, athletic fields, hiking, mountain biking, spa, arcade, indoor climbing gym, a movie theater. Even after all that, I’m sure I’m forgetting things. Plus, it’s a wonderful spot for lunch by the bonfire.
Stowe, Vermont
After visiting Jay Peak, we made our way down to Stowe, Vermont. I loved Stowe so much, I dedicated a full blog post about it HERE. The fall colors seem unreal and impossible to capture which is what makes it magical. We highly recommend this drive. Below are Stowe highlights.
In Stowe, we stayed at Sun and Ski Inn and Suites. This is a great location, walking distance to restaurants, activities, and the recreation path. The Sun andSki Inn and Suites offers so much fun, they are the only hotel in New England that has a bowling lounge, indoor pool, and miniature golf. We appreciated that they are dog-friendly with a huge open grassy area in the back for dogs to play and river views.
Views from the back…
One of our favorite things about Stowe is the Recreation Path. It’s a 5.3 mile path that runs through the village up to Top Notch Resort on the mountain side. It’s great for exercise, to walk the dog, to visit restaurants and shop, and views.
There are many other options for dog-friendly hikes. Below are views from Smugglers Notch which we highly recommend, the fall views will take your breath away. Stowe offers delicious food, breweries, and plenty to see and do including finding the covered bridges. All of this and more on the dedicated Stowe post HERE.
Waterbury, Vermont
A couple of must stops just minutes from Stowe, in Waterbury, are Cold Hollow Cider Mill and Waterbury Center State Park. Go to Cold Hollow get an apple cider slushy with a side of fresh, warm, apple cider donuts and then head over to the state park for a picnic. The 90-acre day-use state park is located on the Waterbury Reservoir in the Mount Mansfield State Forest. The way the colors of the trees were reflecting in the water was so beautiful.
I’m still dreaming of this day and the apple cider slushies.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill is filled with amazing gifts, maple syrup, honey, and there is a hard cider tasting room. You can also shop online including ordering their apple cider donuts! I’ve ordered since we’ve been back in Minnesota and it’s so nice to have a taste of authentic Vermont.
Other best places in Vermont and stops in Waterbury Center are Ben & Jerry’s Factory (super busy so expect to wait in line), Danforth Pewter of Vermont, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Cabot Farmers’ Store, and Smugglers’ Notch Barrel House Tasting Room.
Quechee and Woodstock, Vermont
Our last stop in Vermont, was the Quechee/Woodstock area. We stayed at the Quechee/Pine Valley KOA. This is a beautiful location next to the Quechee Gorge (great hiking spot) and 10 miles to Woodstock. The KOA owners go above and beyond including awesome decorating!
We got up early to go visit the iconic Sleepy Hollow Farm, Sugarbush Farm, and Vermont Flannel in Woodstock. On our way to Sleepy Hollow Farm, we went under the Taftsville covered bridge. It looked so cool on this spooky, foggy, morning. Same with Sleepy Hollow Farm which has become a social media sweetheart. There are so many beautiful homes/farms to capture but this one really gets the attention, when we arrived there were at least 10 photographers there with their tripods ready to go. The main house was being worked on when we were there, it was also still very foggy, so I took a bit of a different angle. The Sleepy Hollow Farm has interesting history so make sure to click it to read more. It was once owned by Aerosmith guitarist, Joe Perry. The whole area is worth driving through.
I loved Sugarbush Farm and doing the cheese and maple syrup tasting. It all was so good!! I recommend adding this to your itinerary.
On our next trip, we will definitely stay in Woodstock for a night. The town is absolutely adorable. But, what Vermont town isn’t? 🙂 You can’t really go wrong and it’s so easy to day drive the state. We had breakfast at Mountain Creamery and I can’t say enough about this cute unassuming off the highway spot. Look at that piece of ham! The bread was gluten free and was the best I’ve tasted. Make sure to stop at F.H. Gillingham & Sons too for any grocery needs – they also sell individual cans of beer if you want to try a variety of local beers!
We can’t wait for our next visit! Please let me know your best places in Vermont.
Life is short, never stop searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️
We absolutely love Stowe, Vermont. It has everything that we look for while traveling; recreation, delicious local food, dog-friendly, walkable, and surrounded by beautiful views. Stowe is a charming village located in a valley at the base of Mount Mansfield which is the highest peak in Vermont at 4,395 feet above sea level. In Stowe, you are also surrounded by other peaks of the Green Mountains. It’s a convenient home-base location to explore all of Vermont. Here is our Best of Stowe, Vermont.
Where to stay in Stowe, Vermont
Sun & Ski Inn and Suites is the only hotel in New England that has a bowling lounge, indoor pool, and miniature golf. We appreciated the huge open grassy area in the back for dogs (and humans) to play and the beautiful river views. It’s an easy location – close to anything that you need. Some of the rooms have patios off the back to take in the views. That’s where we stayed and really enjoyed being able to sit outside and take it all in.
View from the back of Sun & Ski Inn and Suites
Top RestaurantsStowe, Vermont
I acknowledge that we barely scratched the surface during our stay but here are a few of our favorites. The made from scratch biscuits at Stowe Bee Bakery are legendary. The pizza at Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge made with fresh dough and the perfect amount of sauce, melts in your mouth. I would suggest dining in because of the groovy vibe. The service and sandwiches at Live Forever Foods food truck are beyond. You will find the truck parked at Stowe Cider.
Stowe Breweries
We checked out the von Trapp Brewery and Idletyme Brewing Co. We also had lunch and dinner a few times at Idletyme. I didn’t get pictures of the food but it is very good! Terry loved the burgers and I love the salads (huge portions) and salmon. Their outdoor patio is right off the Recreation Path. It was so great to take a nice stroll from Sun & Ski Inn and Suites to the brewery. Another special thing about Idletyme is they have apple trees that you can pick fresh and enjoy. The von Trapp Brewery is located up Mount Mansfield so the patio is surrounded by lovely views of the foliage. We had the grilled bratwurst sandwich with bacon apple sauerkraut and fries. The sauerkraut is unique and tasty! Both are dog-friendly and Allen gives them a paws up.
After visiting the von Trapp brewery, make sure to head up to the Trapp Family Lodge. It’s a little piece of Austria in Vermont. We stopped here for breakfast and to pick up homemade granola. This is another location to capture all the colors of fall and Mount Mansfield. They offer von Trapp family history tours which we didn’t do but heard great reviews.
Covered Bridges in Stowe, Vermont
We visited Emily’s Bridge (also know as Gold Brook Covered Bridge and Stowe Hollow Bridge) and the Red Covered Bridge. There is a haunting story about Emily’s Bridge dating back to the 1800s. A young girl named Emily was supposed to meet her lover and elope at the bridge. He never showed and Emily took her own life at the site. There are many stories of “angry” Emily while vehicles and people cross the bridge. Thankfully, we didn’t experience Emily while we visited. 🙂 This is a popular site so be prepared to wait and for traffic.
The Red Covered Bridge has a beautiful backdrop and not as much attention. We were the only ones there and it was so fun to walk around, take pictures, and listen to the water bubbling by.
Hiking and Walking Trails in Stowe, Vermont
The Recreation Path in Stowe was a nice surprise. The Recreation Path is a 5.3 mile path that runs through the village up to Top Notch Resort on the mountain side. It’s great for exercise, to walk the dog, to visit restaurants and shop, and awesome views of Stowe.
Smugglers Notch is in the top five of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever been on. If you’re traveling in the fall, make sure to hit this trail. You can also take a scenic ride on the Gondola Skyride or drive the Historic Toll Road to the top. Both are on our list for next time!
Please let me know if you have any questions in comments and see more places to visit in Vermont HERE.
Life is short, never stop searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️
Opening night was an incredible way to honor the 25th 9/11 anniverary. ❤️
COME FROM AWAY at the PHIPPS CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Hudson, Wisconsin, through SEPTEMBER 27, 2026.
Book, Music, and Lyrics by IRENE SANKOFF and DAVID HEIN Directed by SEAN BYRD Music direction by JCLIPPOLD Choreography by LAURI KRAFT
The hit musical Come From Away is based on an inspiring true story from 9/11.
38 (yes 38) commercial aircraft were diverted to Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed the U.S. airspace. Gander’s population was around 10,000 at the time, and with the “plane people” (an additional 7,000), it doubled. What could have been a disaster turned into an incredible human story of acceptance and love. The Gander townspeople didn’t just help; they embraced the plane people. Bonds were formed, unlikely connections turned into lifelong friendships, and love blossomed.
WELCOME TO THE ROCK at the PHIPPS CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Hudson, Wisconsin.
As we entered the theater, there was one empty chair on stage. One single chair with a powerful message. In Director Sean Byrd‘s opening statement, he shared that the chair is their way of honoring, remembering, and celebrating the lives that were tragically lost on September 11, 2001, and the many chairs that remained empty after that day. After his opening statements, we shared a moment of silence. Sean also mentioned that this is not a 9/11 story but a 9/12 story. And that really hit me. It’s a story of perserverance and how life continues through chaos.
The production starts with the song “Welcome to the Rock,” which immediately locks you in because of the beat and movement between singing, talking, and set changes. The song perfectly sets up the who, what, and where of Gander. From there the story continues to unfold just as it did for many of us that day. Ordinary moments burned into our memories through tragedy, shock, fear, and confusion.
I was impressed the first time I saw Come From Away and again this time with the extraordinary way this (at times scary and sad) story is told. It’s the contrast of evil and good, the intensity of how the story builds and the wonderment of what happens next, and then the release that comes with humor. It’s a microcosm of life, how judgement is taught, but our hearts are inherently good.
Come From Away is performed in the John H. Potter Theater.
Where to eat before a showat the PHIPPS CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Hudson, Wisconsin, sits on the banks of the beautiful St. Croix River. We enjoyed dinner at Pier 500 which has a spacious patio with river views and delicous food. I loved the walleye. And when in Wisconsin, the cheese curds and New Glarus Spotted Cow is a must!
Pleasant Valley Orchard is open for apple season! This family-owned apple orchard is located near Taylors Falls, Minnesota, in the scenic St. Croix River Valley. The family is passionate about the land and growing top-quality apples and pumpkins. Their fall season always kicks off with a bang, featuring fun, family-friendly events: hay rides, live music, a local artisans’ fair, an authors’ event, and the orchard’s anniversary event. A fully stocked bakery and the Pleasant Valley Food Trailer serve yummy apple donuts, apple brats, and apple cider slushies. Plus, additional food trucks will be there; see the calendar below. Including wood-fired pizza! Enjoy while sipping on one of their delicious hard ciders.
Celebrate the Halloween season October 20-31 at Pleasant Valley Orchard. The 12 Days of Halloween is the big end-of-season event, including daily sales, spooky story time for the kids, a scavenger hunt for all ages, pie baking, and pumpkin carving.
National Tour of “Dirty Dancing: The Musical” launches at the Ordway!
Featured photo by Matthew Murphy of MurphyMade. Annalese Starzec (Frances “Baby” Houseman) and Blake Zelesnikar (Johnny Castle)
Dirty Dancing: The Musical now through September 6, 2026!
Based on a Lionsgate film written by Eleanor Bergstein Directed by Lonny Price Music Supervision & Arrangements: Joseph Joubert Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie
WHAT. A. NIGHT. 💃
Photo by Matthew Murphy of MurphyMade. Annalese Starzec (Frances “Baby” Houseman). Blake Zelesnikar (Johnny Castle).
Dirty Dancing: The Musical is electric on and off the stage!
I wish I could have bottled the opening night’s energy. The audience was the “unpaid actor”. 😉 The overall enthusiasm and connection made us feel like part of the show. That spirit continued from beginning to end because of the talented cast and crew. They had us holding onto every nostalgic moment through their beautiful voices, passionate dancing, and the dynamic set including the lighting. At the end, when the whole cast dances towards the audience, it was almost impossible to stay in my seat!
The way the story moves scratched an itch in my brain. It wasn’t too fast, too slow, too loud, too predictable. It just worked. I loved the way they utilized the set and the lighting allowing us to use our imagination.
Photo by Matthew Murphy of MurphyMade. Annalese Starzec (Frances “Baby” Houseman). Blake Zelesnikar (Johnny Castle).
REVIEW Dirty Dancing: The Musical
The nostalgia of the unforgettable movie moments warmed my heart, and I found myself yearning for what felt like a simpler time. At the same time, I was so happy to be experiencing this timeless love story again. And all the reminders of coming of age including the courage to break social boundaries.
While Dirty Dancing: The Musical hit all the iconic and familiar moments, it also felt fresh. Revived. Alive. It’s not a typical musical. The ensemble tells the story through all your favorite songs from the movie. Ashley Lalonde (Elizabeth), Erick Pinnick (Tito Suarez), and Ethan Peterson (Billy Kostecki) all have beautiful voices that pull you in. Plus the Dirty Dancing: The Musical orchestra including local musicans are amazing.
I absolutely loved the chemistry between Annalese Starzec (Frances “Baby” Houseman). Blake Zelesnikar (Johnny Castle). They were perfect as Johnny and Baby. But I have to say the whole cast are superstars. It felt cohesive and wouldn’t be the same without any of them. Each offering us something special and making this story pop again.
Three of my favorite moments: 1. Baby and Johnny do the famous lift! ❤️ 2. The surprise announcement at the end shining a spotlight on Eleanor Bergstein being in the audience. She had to be over the moon seeing her story come to life on stage again and the audience excitement. 3. Listening to everyone continuing to sing as we left the building and walked out into Rice Park. What a joy!
If you loved the Dirty Dancing movie, you are going to love the musical! IMO: You’ll love it either way. Don’t miss the kick off to this fantastic tour.
