The Future of Minneapolis
with Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council President Elliott Payne
Less than halfway through 2026, Minneapolis has already had a whirlwind year — and the struggles seem far from over.
We’re bringing two city leaders onstage for a very special edition of The Theater of Public Policy to talk about how they keep things running during a federal occupation, where the City Council and the Mayor’s Office intersect on the issues, and what the future holds for Minneapolis. Plus, we’ll finally answer the question on everyone’s minds: Why does it take so long to get from Uptown to Northeast?
This live show will feature a dynamic onstage conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council President Elliott Payne, moderated by Danger Boat’s own Tane Danger. Afterwards, we’ll bring up some of the funniest folks in the Twin Cities to shine a new light on the conversation through the art of improvised comedy.
Civic engagement has never been so fun!
Tickets: $25 in advance/$30 at the door
Doors: 6pm | Show: 7pm
Full restaurant and bar services are available at the Uptown Lobby Bar & Restaurant inside the Granada Theater. The venue is wheelchair-accessible. If you need additional accessibility accommodations, please contact info@dangerboat.net at least two weeks prior to the event.
About the Guests
Jacob Frey fell in love with Minneapolis while running the Twin Cities Marathon. The day after graduating from law school, he moved across the country to make Minneapolis his new home. After practicing law and winning the city’s first annual Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his civil rights work, Jacob served as a City Council Member for Ward 3 before being elected as the 48th mayor of Minneapolis.
Under his leadership, the city has led the nation in affordable housing policy, producing 8.5 times the amount of deeply affordable housing compared to before he took office. He pioneered the elimination of exclusionary zoning, and has led the city through crisis to improve safety, revitalize downtown, and drive economic growth through inclusive policies.
Elliott Payne was re-elected in 2025 to his 3rd term representing Ward 1 on the Minneapolis City Council. At the start of this term he was re-elected by his colleagues to continue serving as President of the City Council, a role he’s held since 2024. A champion for expanding alternative responses to public safety, he helped create Minneapolis’ Behavioral Crisis Response, the City’s first ever 24/7 dedicated unarmed mental health response. As a year round biker who commutes to City Hall everyday riding his bike, he is also an advocate for expanding bike infrastructure and access to transit. He happily resides in the Audubon Park neighborhood with his wife Lindsay.
What is the Theater of Public Policy (T2P2)?
A civic comedy institution is returning at a moment when people are overwhelmed by serious issues and exhausted by bad public conversation. The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) uses humor to take the pressure off of serious conversations, sparking real conversation and helping audiences see issues in new ways.
Here’s how it works:
Shows open with a lively conversation with a newsmaker or policy wonk.
That conversation inspires a team of Minnesota’s most talented improvisers, who create entirely spontaneous sketches based on the interview.
The expert guest then answers questions from the audience.
The show wraps with one last round of improv from the cast.
It’s a totally unique blend of learning and laughter — and each show only happens once. Seeing is believing, so get your tickets to the next T2P2 show today!