Dan Haglund 

Colt Neidhardt

Colt Neidhardt considers his move to Moorhead to take on the role of Theatre B executive director a coming home of sorts.

Originally from North Dakota (born in Dickinson), and raised in Nebraska, Neidhardt will arrive next week after leaving his job in Winter Harbor, Maine, as executive director at Schoodic Arts for All.

“My family is from Hebron,” Neidhardt said. “It’s exciting to get out there and visit and see what things were like firsthand.” He says he still has “a bunch” of relatives in Hebron.

His connection to a theater professional with an NDSU connection also played a role in his decision to leave the East Coast. Neidhardt credits his friend Camilla Morrison, a former NDSU theater professor, for swaying him after a conversation they had while at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

“(The Fargo-Moorhead theater scene) came highly recommended by her,” he said. “There are all kinds of opportunities for young people to get involved here. There seems to be a deeper commitment to the arts and story-telling.”

Theatre B moved from Fargo to Moorhead in 2017, and has continued to grow after 20 years of theatrical productions. After an extensive national search, Neidhardt has been tapped for the top spot.

Neidhardt’s work as a theater artist has included experience as an actor, director, and educator with colleges and professional companies across the country.

Regarding hid own experiences on stage, Neidhardt recounts one particular show which truly stuck with him. It was interactive with audience members, and no two shows were the same because of that.

“It was a one-man show based on the book ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ by Duncan Mcmillan and Jonny Donahoe,” he said. “It was about everything brilliant about the world. And the character keeps adding things to this list. Several thousand things. About mental health issues, suicide as a social contagion, reducing stigmas.”

Neidhardt said the production also gave audience members cards with numbers on them, and during the production, different numbers were called and the audience member who had that number had to answer a question. It made for unique productions each night.

Neidhardt says he can envision looking at Theatre B operations his first year to devise a new strategic plan. “We’ll take stock of where we’ve been, and allow ourselves to take an accurate inventory of things and build a plan from there,” he said.

Neidhardt holds a master of fine arts in acting from Louisiana State University, a master’s in theater from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and a B.A. in directing from Chadron State College. He is a member of Actors Equity Association and an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

In a statement from the company, “Theatre B’s growth continues to fulfill the vision of its founders. New leadership will further establish the theatre as a cornerstone in the arts community and as a key player in Moorhead’s cultural renaissance. The company is eager to seize opportunities for improvement and collaboration that come from fresh energy. Colt’s experience in all aspects of theatre, his enthusiasm for the mission, and his resourcefulness make him a great cultural fit for Theatre B.”

“Theatre B brings to life award-winning plays and bold, untested new works that ignite conversations. Though the titles may be unfamiliar, audiences and artists have trusted the ensemble to produce shows with the highest artistic integrity, and the pillars of the organization will not change.”

“I am excited to be joining an organization that has a long history of producing quality theatre that helps to unpack challenging social topics.” Neidhardt told the hiring committee. “Theatre B is clearly in great company among the arts organizations in Fargo-Moorhead, and I look forward to meeting and working with the broader community.”

Beginning a four-week run this week (April 28-May 20) will be the Theatre B production “Small Mouth Sounds,” will be Neidhardt’s first introduction his new company’s intimate and bold theater style. The contemporary play follows six people attending a meditation retreat with very little dialogue. Much of the interaction will be nonverbal, leaving audience members to decipher much of the on-stage communication through facial and bodily clues.

For more information about Theatre B, which is located at 215 10th Street North, visit www.theatreb.org.