The Ensemble

presents
THEMSELVES

Cartoon dog sitting calmly at a table with a coffee mug while surrounded by fire and smoke indoors.

  • is a theater producer, playwright and actor. He wrote and produced the modern anti-romcom “Only Ugly Guys” at Open Eye Theatre. He adapted the novel “Naïve. Super” to the stage, with a new actor performing the play for the first time. He produces “Running Errands,” a quarterly short play series for performing artists to innovate.

    He has worked onstage at the Guthrie Theater, Theatre Latté Da, Children’s Theatre Company, The Playwrights’ Center and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. He has worked offstage at the American Swedish Institute, The Great Northern, The Public Theater, the Guthrie Theater and the Contemporary American Theater Festival. He has received grants from Tri-M Foundation, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Arts and Minnesota State Arts Board. He is a Spotlight Awards evaluator for Hennepin Theatre Trust and a panelist for Arts Midwest.

    FAVORITE THINGS

    1. Cécile McLorin Salvant

    2. Pregnancy Announcement Videos

    3. Podcasts: Sexy Unique Podcast, Ride, Throughline, The Michelle Collins Show, How Was Your Week, Attitudes…

    4. Graduation parties in garages with pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, Special K bars

    5. Door County, WI

    6. Starburst Jellybeans

    7. Laura Calder

    8. Isles Bun and Coffee

    9. Paul Shambroom

    10. TikTok @tylerpath, who gives great fitness advice without making me feel like an idiot

Animated Clippy next to a Microsoft Word save changes prompt with options "Yes," "No," and "Cancel."

  • is a dramatic writer, dramaturg, producer, and grant professional based out of the Twin Cities. She served as dramaturg and producer for the 2023 and 2019 productions of "Naive. Super.” She is a regularly featured playwright for “Running Errands,” a short play series. 

    Danielle graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where her full-length screenplay "Plesiosaurs Love Hotdish" was featured in the 2015 Undergraduate Screenplay Showcase. She also holds a master's degree in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Edinburgh. Full-time, she oversees corporate and foundation relations at the University of St. Thomas, and has held positions at New York University, Sesame Workshop, Playwrights Studio Scotland.

    FAVORITE THINGS

    1. New York bagels 

    2. People-watching

    3. Long voice notes from faraway friends 

    4. Brunch dates at Barbette

    5. Kickboxing classes 

    6. Bones (2005-2017) and the Temperance Brennan book series

    7. Hidden tattoos 

    8. Notes app

    9. Glencoe, Scotland 

    10. Seasonal shelf decor

Vintage troll doll with red hair

  • is a local media artist, sound designer, and actor. He crafted the entertaining text experiences, soundscapes, and dance videos for “Only Ugly Guys” at Open Eye Theatre. He also helped set up the tech and put together ethereal-styled videos for the onstage adaptation of “Naïve. Super” at Norway House. 

    Ian has worked both behind-and in-front of the scenes at many other locations including: Hamline University (Love and Information; Sonder; Father’s Kitchen; 365; 2020: What We Saw, What We Said; Robin Hood), the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Native Gardens; Origin Story), and The Great Northern (Untitled Night).

    FAVORITE THINGS

    1. The Iron Giant

    2. Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

    3. Dinosaurs (specifically Carnotaurus & Spinosaurus)

    4. Mass Effect

    5. Any event that has free food

    6. AMC A-list

    7. Electrifying conversations that go till 3am

    8. Oslo, Norway

    9. Stellar creature designs (i.e. Xenomorph)

    10.  Raven from Teen Titans

Elaine Stritch gestures with her hands in a determined manner, wearing a striped shirt and a white collar.

  • is a director, dramaturg, and theatermaker whose work spans the classical canon, new plays, musical theater, opera, and devised theater. He directed the world premiere production of “Only Ugly Guys.” 

    His directorial work has been seen at the Guthrie, Open Eye Theatre, Boston University, Boston Center for the Arts, Theatre Latte Da, The Moving Company, Hennepin Arts, Crane Theater, Maison Bodega, Everwood Farmstead, 7th House Theater, Wayzata Theatre, MN Fringe Festival, and more. As an actor, he has performed with the Guthrie, Theatre Latté Da, Children’s Theatre Company, Yellow Tree Theater, The Playwright’s Center, New Epic Theater, and more. He is a frequent collaborator with “Running Errands,” a 2016 Ivey Award winner, and a recent graduate of Boston University’s MFA Directing program. grant-sorenson.com

    FAVORITE THINGS

    1. Irascible women of a certain age (i.e. Elaine Stritch, Maggie Smith, Fran Lebowitz)

    2. Pistachio gelato

    3. Aesop skincare products

    4. The Talented Mr. Ripley

    5. Taking the train, especially the Tube (British accent)

    6. Wine bars

    7. A Charlie Brown Christmas

    8. Plays from the Jacobean era

    9. His nieces and nephews

    10. Any and all sour candy