Quote of the Day: I’m an improviser. I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable on stage. Lauren Anderson, performer in White Rabbit Red Rabbit  by Nassim Soleimanpour at Lyric Arts in Anoka, MN. 

Lauren Anderson in White Rabbit Red Rabbit at Lyric Arts in Anoka, MN. 10/19/25.

Lyric Arts in Anoka, MN is offering a unique theater experience in the form of White Rabbit Red Rabbit. One actor comes onto the stage and is handed the script by Nassim Soleimanpour. They open the envelope and the play begins. As the actor reads through the instructions, out loud to the audience, they invite the audience into the experience. We’re all in it together. The actor has dialogue to read, actions, invitations to participate (don’t be scared, you can always decline), and experiences in the moment. It’s not a true improve experience as the play is technically written, but there is room for commentary and interpretation. Each actor is different. At Lyric Arts, they have 11 different actors scheduled for each of the performances. Every audience is different. While some people might come to more than one performance, for the most part, they are a new group of people experiencing this performance together in a moment that will never be exactly the same. It’s fascinating. Lyric Arts has a video of actors talking about being invited to the experience. They also find it both intriguing and a little terrifying. But, what is life without taking a few risks? 

Lauren Anderson in White Rabbit Red Rabbit at Lyric Arts in Anoka, MN. 10/19/25.

Taking risks is just one of several themes brought up in this play. Soleimanpour sheds light on, and examines, parts of human nature, both the playful and humorous, and the serious. Since the actors are reading this script for the first time, we’re on the journey with them. We saw Lauren Anderson for the performance on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2025. I appreciated her enthusiasm and willingness to say yes to this unique experience. She is known for her work in comedy and improv, and she let that shine at certain points. She acted out some scenes, and the ones with the animals that got us all laughing. She was very gentle and inviting to audience volunteers, and she had her own moments of pause and reaction to the themes in the script. 

Lauren Anderson leading a group on stage in White Rabbit Red Rabbit at Lyric Arts in Anoka, MN. 10/19/25.

I walked into the theater with a willingness to participate and was glad to be called upon to be one of the White Rabbits. She walked us through the scenario and read from the script as we were doing it and after we did the task. Once in a while the language is a little harsh, but for the most part it’s a show for anyone who is ready to examine life and ponder some of the big questions. Soleimanpour brings up life, death, suicide, violence and resistance, societal pressures and expectations and where we have choices. It’s one that gets you thinking. Lyric Arts invites audience members to stay after the show and hang out in the lobby, where you can buy a beverage or snack, and discuss what you just experienced. Several Twin Cities Theater Bloggers were at the same performance as I was on Sunday, and we had a great discussion. 

To keep with the integrity of the show, I don’t really want to write much more. Also, any actor who has done this show won’t be able to do it again. Hence, the eleven different Twin Cities actors who will be performing. Please visit the website for Lyric Arts to see the schedule for the actors and dates available. It’s a short run, so don’t hesitate. If I lived in Anoka, I’d go again. I want to know how different it would be with a different actor leading it, and also knowing what to expect to see if I’d participate in the same way. 

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever been given two options, but chose a third one? Would you be willing to go out in front of an audience and read/present a play without any prior readings or knowledge of it?