Jacob Frey and Elliott Payne on The Theater of Public Policy

(Left to right) Mayor Jacob Frey, Host Tane Danger, and Council President Elliott Payne cheers their plastic pints at the top of the show. (Danger Boat Productions)

“The Future of Minneapolis” hit the stage of the Granada Theater in Uptown Minneapolis on June 30, 2026. It was the third show in the 20th season of The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2).

Last night on The Theater of Public Policy, Mayor Jacob Frey and Council President Elliott Payne shared the stage at the Granada Theater for an honest conversation — peppered with lively debate — about their visions for the future of Minneapolis. This one-of-a-kind event drew crowds of residents, newsmakers, and journalists who all wanted to hear what the oft-opposed city leaders had to say to each other.

Photos: The Theater of Public Policy (June 30, 2026)

(Left to right) Danger Boat cast members Jim Robinson, Denzel Belin, Jada Pulley, Heather Meyer, and Duck Washington.

(Left to right) Mayor Jacob Frey, Host Tane Danger, and Council President Elliott Payne cheers to kick off the show.

(Left to right) Mayor Jacob Frey, Host Tane Danger, and Council President Elliott Payne cheers to kick off the show.

Mayor Jacob Frey (left) speaking onstage next to Tane Danger (right)

Danger, Elliott, and Payne onstage along with the cast of The Theater of Public Policy.

Heather Meyer (left) and Denzel Belin (right)

Jada Pulley (left) and Duck Washington (right)

Jim Robinson (left) and Heather Meyer (right)

Council President Elliott Payne (middle) laughs onstage during The Theater of Public Policy.

Host Tane Danger and the cast of The Theater of Public Policy.

Payne and Elliott receive commemorative T2P2 mugs onstage at the end of the show.

City Cast’s Sean McPherson (right) does some onstage trivia with two volunteers from the audience.

Denzel Belin (left), Heather Meyer (middle) and Duck Washington (right)

The host, guests, and cast pose for a picture onstage after the show.

Audience members enjoying The Theater of Public Policy.

Council President Payne and Mayor Frey enjoy the improv from the audience in the Granada Theater.

Two audience members check out the program and write questions for the guests to be answered live onstage.

Danger Boat co-founder Tane Danger led Frey and Payne through dense, and at times philosophical, policy talk about hiring a new police chief, addressing the housing crisis, and capitalism vs socialism (to name a few topics).

Then, the guests and audience alike enjoyed some hilarious improvised comedy performed by our stellar cast. From skits about turning the old Rudolph's BBQ into apartments and a "fast and loose” dinner guest named TIF, to a musical number about leaving your toenails around Uptown, they turned nuanced, jargon-y ideas into comedic moments that everyone could appreciate.

The Headlines

Write-ups about the show in local media coverage. Full access links available below.

📰 The Minnesota Star Tribune - “Minneapolis mayor and City Council president air political differences in unlikely improv show” by Susan Du

“The Theater of Public Policy’s six-member improv troupe listened with straight faces as Frey and Payne spoke. The team somehow translated their conversation into a series of unhinged scenes playing off some of the most unintentionally funny things that the officials said.” (read more)

📰 MinnPost - “Minneapolis’ mayor, Council president and some comedians walk onto a stage…” by Trevor Mitchell

“If you’ve felt a general lack of good vibes lately between Minneapolis city officials, there was an improv comedy show you missed Tuesday night in Uptown.” (read more)