'It’s possible!' Arts Garden turns everyday people into actors
"Cinderella: Youth Edition" performing in Roseville
As Cinderella’s fairy godmother would say, “it’s possible” for everyday people to become actors with Roseville-based Arts Garden theater group.
Their production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's “Cinderella: Youth Edition” will take the stage June 25-28 at Central Park’s outdoor Frank Rog amphitheater and indoors at North Heights Church in Roseville.
All ages will enjoy this traditional take on the story of Cinderella with dancing, music, costumes…and of course a happy ending.
Growing both artists and people
Arts Garden was founded in 2012 to provide arts opportunities for all ages and experience levels.
“Everyone is an artist in some way. Everyone is creative. Everyone needs a space to express themselves. Theater is a unique way to provide an opportunity for everyone,” said Kati Hoehl, chairperson of the Arts Garden board of directors. Hoehl has also acted, directed, and worked in production aspects of the theater.
Currently, the group produces two plays a year and heavily relies on volunteers. In 2021, Arts Garden officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater. Most of their funding comes through community donations and ticket sales. This funding helps cover costs of paying for set pieces, copyright fees, site rentals, and honorariums for directors.
Roseville resident Hannah Peterson is a first-time director for this production of "Cinderella."
"We all help each other hone our skills and become better versions of ourselves," Peterson said. "I'm truly excited for the audience to enjoy everyone's hard work.
Community Performance Spaces
Due to Arts Garden not having their own building, the theater seeks out community spaces to rehearse and perform in. They need to find spaces that are big enough to accommodate both actors and audiences. Over the last few years, practice and performance space indoors has been provided by North Heights Church in Roseville.
Since 2014, Arts Garden has partnered with Rosefest to produce outdoor performances in Central Park’s Rog Amphitheater.
Performing outdoors is "fascinating" according to Kati Hoehl, “because you have nature’s surprises to contend with, like rain and heat.”
The production team needs to be very flexible preparing for the inevitable with many back up plans. Transporting things like technical equipment, sets, costumes and props requires a fleet of volunteer drivers and stagehands. There's also the challenges of navigating the public who are using the same space. For example, quite often a random walker, dog, or child will accidentally find themselves in the middle of a performance.
Work by Day, Act by Night
By day, cast members work as teachers, accountants, students, software developers, and gardeners, among other occupations. The group includes residents from Roseville and the surrounding areas.
“It’s quite the growing experience,” said Wanda Hoehl, a receptionist, who has exclusively acted in seven Arts Garden productions and always requests an ensemble role. Wanda's daughter Kati Hoehl recruited her to participate.
First time actors find Arts Garden a great place to launch a community theater career. The production team works hard to ensure each person is comfortable in their roles and provides constructive feedback while allowing individual creativity to shine.
By night, cast members rehearse up to three times a week for two months to prepare for “Cinderella.” Once they enter the practice room, they’re able to shed the worries of the day and focus on the art. Practices include music, dancing, and reading through the script. Lots of laughter, inside jokes, and voice expressions happen during rehearsals. Arts Garden prides itself for being a safe place for the actors.
“It’s a great opportunity to perform and hang with my friends,” said Alex Yorkovich, a software developer from Vadnais Heights. Yorkovich has been in thirteen Arts Garden shows (25 shows overall). He’s played everything from his favorite role of the Mad Hatter to a coachman in this production of Cinderella.
“We are people working on a shared project, yet we’re friends too. Feels like we’re a bunch of theater kids who grew up wanting to be theater kids,” said Katie Hoehl.
Outside of practice many cast members communicate on a shared chat platform and social media. They also support one another’s artistic endeavors.
“Everyone is so welcoming,” said Lily Steiner, an Arden Hills resident. As one of the two youngest members of the ensemble, this is her first time ever being involved in theater.
Typically, Arts Garden is an adult group, but for the summer musical, youth actors ages 13 and older can participate with a parent involved.
Arts Garden performs four productions each year. Auditions are posted on artsgarden.org website and social media Facebook and Instagram. The next production is "Julius Caesar" in November 2026 and information will be posted later this summer. Auditions are in August, so brush up on your Shakespeare and iambic pentameter if you are interested in getting involved.
“It’s possible”
Yes, “it’s possible” for the community to come see this production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella: Youth Edition.” This musical play runs approximately 60 minutes in length, so it’s ideal for audience members with short attention spans to have their first taste of theater. And for older audience members? Everyone will enjoy this timeless classic performed by a 30 member cast that includes six actors from Roseville, MN.
All shows are free and open to the public. A donation of $15 per person is suggested to help with production costs. For performances at the Frank Rog Amphitheatre at Central Park, don't forget to bring a lawn chair or blanket! In the event of inclement weather, performances will move to North Heights Lutheran Church in Roseville.
Learn more about "Cinderella" and upcoming shows at the Arts Garden website, including location information:
Disclosure: The writer of this article is an ensemble cast member of Arts Garden's production of "Cinderella: Youth Edition."
