Native Gardens

Gardens and cultures clash in this thought-provoking comedy.

Pablo, a high-powered lawyer, and his wife Tania, a doctoral candidate, are realizing the American dream when they purchase a house in a historic D.C. neighborhood. The couple has big plans for their new home, including a “native garden” made of indigenous plants. Their new neighbors are Frank and Virginia, an elderly white couple who welcome them with open arms. When Tania and Pablo set to work on building a fence, they discover that their property line is two feet into Frank’s manicured English garden. The polite veneer breaks down into an all-out border dispute exposing both couples’ notions of taste, race, class, and privilege. 

“Beyond snappy one-liners and garden hose fights, the play challenges audiences to look beyond petty differences and rediscover our shared decency.”

The Helgeson Learning Lab Theatre brings audiences closer to the stories being told. Located in Waite Park (next to Crafts Direct), it’s an intimate space that puts you within feet from the stage and actors – with the same high quality sets, costumes, and acting you have come to expect from GREAT.

I love the intimate setting and the variety of theatrical experiences are like no other.

Featuring state-of-the-art theatrical lighting and sound in an adaptable and flexible space, each experience is unique. For Native Gardens, it will be transformed into the front yards of two homes in a historic Washington DC neighborhood – with seating on three sides.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Central MN Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.