DalekoArts drawing down the curtain June 30

Cast members of DalekoArts production of “Godspell” are Jordan Leggett (right foreground), and from left, background, Jordan Mitchell, Ryan Lee, Ricky Morisseau, Alecia White, Nicole Thietje, Maggie Mae Sulentic, Zach Garcia and Toby Thietje. The musical was one of many productions done by DalekoArts in New Prague during its 10 year history. The local theater will be closing on June 30. (Photo courtesy of Dan Norman)

The board members of DalekoArts, New Prague’s local theater troupe, announced Tuesday, March 7, this season will be its last. The theater on Main Street will close after more than 10 years on June 30.

DalekoArts, a charitable non-profit, was founded by Ben Thietje and his wife Amanda White, who live in New Prague. They said the decision to close was not one made in haste or without tremendous heartache.

“DalekoArts is not in financial trouble,” said Thietje in an email sent out by DalekoArts. The theater is not in debt and has been supported since day one by the New Prague area. “We have worked very hard to be responsible with the resources you’ve entrusted to us, and we have been careful not to work beyond our means.”

“The painful truth is that it’s just time,” Thietje said via email. “We have worked for over a decade to grow a tiny theatre company from almost nothing to an arts organization with a six-figure budget.”

Nine of those years had Thietje as the only full-time staff member with White working part-time and becoming full-time in the theater’s last season.

DalekoArts’ seasons ran from fall to spring, usually September to May, with a couple months off in the summer. During those seasons, DalekoArts would produce five shows, with three visiting productions from the Twin Cities. Thietje said how well a show did...

To see more on this story pick up the March 16, 2023 print edition of The New Prague Times. 

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