Making it up as they go along

Spontaneity in theater should be nothing new; but securing a featured guest for your improv production mere hours before doors open—I hear that can get stressful. Nevertheless, a last-minute scramble after the Lt. Governor canceled unearthed a strong candidate for Monday night’s T2P2 production: Adam Duininck, Chair of the Metropolitan (Met) Council.

The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) essentially combines my favorite things: a savvy investigation of the promise of policy, off-the-cuff improv sketches, and a generous slosh of Minnesotan humor. Exuberant host Tane Danger commands the audience, inviting us to laugh and cheer and ask questions—with plenty of forewarning, for fellow anxious and inquisitive minds.

Danger begins in friendly conversation with the featured guest: establishing the policy terminology, mapping the Met Council roles and responsibilities, exploring the tension between funding and priorities, and asking for specific details of key projects.

In this show, Danger deftly acknowledges Duinick’s ability “to disappoint or to infuriate people” through his work, asking his guest for “the baseline elevator speech of how you are ruining our community.” Duininck amiably admits a coworker dressed as the “Dreamcrusher” for an office Halloween party (complete with fairy wings and a hammer) —and we are off.

Wait, what is the Met Council?

The Met Council is a regional council composed of elected officials, “members of the public with expertise in specific areas,” and representatives of partnering organizations and geographic areas spanning the seven-county Twin Cities metro area, according to their website.  (These counties are Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington—but you knew that.) The Council juggles several responsibilities, including operating Metro Transit; collecting and regulating wastewater; prompting economic growth; maintaining and expanding parks and trails; ensuring affordable housing; and planning for the future. (Translation: Basically everything from toilets to parks, buses to apartments.)  

The first full-time Chair of the Met Council, Duininck here gamely chuckled along with Danger, flirting with the line between entertaining and informative. Okay, definitely landing more heavily on the informative side. But to this room of theater-oriented policy nerds and policy-oriented theater geeks (judging by the laughs, at least) that seems forgivable.

Duininck gabbed about everything from the Southwest LRT (light rail transit) to our aging and increasingly diverse population, the challenges of catering to all stakeholders while also maximizing return, details of the Thrive 2040 plan and “the decreasing demand for single-family homes,” and (my personal favorite) WTF is the BRT (bus rapid transit) and how is it any different than a bus or LRT anyways. He then revives the audience by taking some cheap shots at Hudson, WI—remember what I said about Minnesotan humor?  

Now, where’s the funny in that?

Finally, Duininck joins the audience to observe the improv troupe play with their conversation. The cast of 7 (including Danger and accompanist Dennis Corley) parodies themes that emerged from Duininck’s conversation, filled with gems like “I’ve never seen mass transit! I’m a suburbanite!” and “Way to stay strong against innovation and evolution!”

And before you too-hastily pass judgement, just remember that improv is pretty difficult by itself, let alone improv riffing off transit policy. Improv is a beast: to trust your scene partners’ instincts and carry a bit together requires precise timing, deep connection, and a quick wit. And keep in mind this is not SNL making easy digs at Donald Trump or Starbucks red cups—these improvisers are going off of Met Council info. I was a geography nerd who attended county planning meetings, and even I was impressed. So, props to the cast of Brandon Boat, Alsa Bruno, Shanan Custer, Logan Martin, and Jim Robinson.

Phase Two

Back onstage, Danger takes audience questions for Duininck, which looked neither easy nor pleasant. As Danger himself aptly stated, most folks in-the-know have strong feelings about the Met Council. People asked about bike casualties and community plans; transit strikers in 2004 and affordable transit promises; conflict with Lake Elmo; ensuring affordable housing and tackling the achievement gap; pay increases; and the new pedestrian bridge for the Vikings stadium. In his responses, Duininck completely avoided two important issues of note, however, in the policy planning and Twin Cities universes: race and climate change.

To his credit, Duininck remains mostly calm and cool under pressure, wearing a smile and reframing issues as needed. (Once off-stage this time, however, he mostly checks his phone for the rest of the show.)

The cast returns to riff off his responses and the landscape of Met Council jurisdiction. Jokes about New Jersey, Edina, Eden Prairie, bridges, and actual fecal matter cheer this Monday night crowd.

Minnesotan enough to laugh along, I enjoyed my evening. I learned about the Met Council and its projects, admired the work of some bold improvisers, and cackled at those Minnesotan ‘burbs.

T2P2 has one last show this year: Next Monday night at Bryant Lake Bowl the cast tackles education policy with special guests Ale Matos of the Star Tribune and Beth Hawkins of MinnPost. The show will absolutely be different, will absolutely be educational, and will very probably make you laugh.

So, go on, fellow theater-oriented policy nerds and policy-oriented theater geeks. I’ll probably see you there.